Problem solving and making a conclusion
Problem solving is identified as a working scientifically skill in the year 11 syllabus. The goal is to think critically and creatively to show that you understand scientific principles.
This is where students will consider the inquiry questions, and assess to see if they can be answered with the available data and evidence. If not, then new data and evidence will need to be collected and/or the inquiry questions modified for another, future investigation.
Students are expected to explain and predict cause and effect relationships.
To solve problems you should be able to:
- interpret scientific and media texts
- evaluate processes, claims and conclusions
- consider the quality of the available evidence.
Consider the following scenarios:
While collecting light intensity data, students who were working in small groups collected all their samples from the same spot in the forest.
- How might this data be flawed?
- How could this problem be solved?
One of the websites a student accesses while researching Bandicoots says these animals are a pest in residential areas because they rip up the grass in people's gardens.
- How might this data be flawed?
- How could this problem be solved?
Students conducting fieldwork do not want to get soil on their hands, so they all copy the results from one student.
- How might this data be flawed?
- How could this problem be solved?
It had been raining solidly for the two weeks leading up to the day of the fieldwork.
- How might this impact data?
- How could this problem be solved?
Fresh fox scat has been found at the southern study site. This shows evidence of foxes in the ecosystem.
- How might this impact data?
- How could this problem be solved?
Oh my gosh, Sara's boyfriend just told Dylan that he thinks that Mika's shoes are cuter than Sara's, but he doesn't even like shoes so I think he is totally checking out her feet and I think I have to tell Sara, but I am not sure if Dylan is even telling the truth because he was looking at his phone anyway, so anyway, what is the pH of this soil?
- How could this impact data?
- How could this problem be solved?
When comparing your data back at the lab, you notice that one of your readings is very different to the rest of the class.
- How might this impact your conclusions?
- How could this problem be solved?