Questions, Claims, and Evidence

I am so pleased that this book is going to be out in the professional conversation, especially in a time when science teaching and the understandings about our world that come about because of it get pushed aside.

—Katie Wood Ray

Author of About the Authors

Questions, Claims, and Evidence presents a new approach to science teaching that engages students fully by linking literacy and inquiry. With it you’ll replace the lab reports of traditional science teaching with the writing of scientists searching for answers. And in the process, you and your students may well discover that you enjoy and learn from science time more than ever.

Step by step Questions, Claims, and Evidence immerses students in scientific inquiry and writing. It transforms experiments from following directions and making notes into chances to pose and answer questions that interest students. Its approach helps you:

• increase students’ interest in science by showing students how to ask good questions and design their own experiments to answer them
• improve their analysis skills by giving them tools to make and support scientific claims
• boost their science writing by offering meaningful opportunities to argue for, reflect on, and summarize their findings.

But Questions, Claims, and Evidence doesn’t only support student learning. It improves your science teaching by:

• broadening your professional knowledge with the latest research and theory
• providing self-evaluation tools for monitoring your performance
• answering frequently asked questions about the Questions, Claims, and Evidence approach.

Try something new that will motivate your students and improve their writing abilities. Read Questions, Claims, and Evidence, and don’t be surprised if your students agree with this fifth grader’s sentiment: “I love the way that we do science now because I learn more and I get to do more. I actually feel like I am smart.”