Probes- Tools for Examining Student Understanding
What is the relationship of eel weight to mercury content for baby and adult eels? Appropriate for Level 2: intermediate, data sets are larger, may have extra variables or groups, guidance more open-ended.
All terms: 6-8, Life Science, Probe, Comparing Groups, Correlations, 9+
Compare monthly mean gas prices in the U.S. and European countries. Level 3: practiced, data sets may be larger and or with extra information, more open-ended.
All terms: 6-8, Probe, Comparing Groups, 9+, Other
This probe explores student understanding of variability and is appropriate for intermediate level 2: data sets are larger, may have extra variables or groups, guidance is more open-ended.
All terms: 6-8, Life Science, Probe, Describing Variability, 9+
Use data from the National Hurricane Data Center to plot wind speed data and answer questions about hurricanes in 2005, the year that Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. Appropriate for beginning level 1: data sets are small, one variable, can be plotted by hand, guidance provided.
All terms: 6-8, Probe, Describing Variability, 9+, Earth Science
This probe explores student understanding of variability and is appropriate for beginner level 1: data sets are small, involve one variable, can be plotted by hand, and guidance is provided.
All terms: 6-8, Probe, Describing Variability, 9+, Earth Science
What can the data tell you? Is it possible to distinguish two species of midge (one harmless, the other causes brain swelling) by wing length? Appropriate for Level 2: intermediate, data sets are larger, may have extra variables or groups, guidance more open-ended.
All terms: 6-8, Life Science, Probe, Comparing Groups, 9+
Use the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) to see if bigger mountains are more explosive. Level 2: intermediate, data sets are larger, may have extra variables or groups, guidance more open-ended.
All terms: 6-8, Probe, Correlations, 9+, Earth Science
