Probes, Suggested Grade Levels, Concepts, and Related Disciplinary Core Ideas:

Life and Its Diversity, Probes

1- Cucumber Seeds (3-12); concept of living, cells, germination, characteristics of life, dormancy; LS1.A: Structure and Function; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about living things. The probe is designed to reveal how students think about the concept of living. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe

2- The Virus Debate (8-12); concept of living, virus, cells, characteristics of life; LS1.A: Structure and Function; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about viruses as living or nonliving things. The probe is designed to reveal how students think about the concept of living. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe

3- No Animals Allowed (3-8); animals, classification; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the biological classification of animals. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize humans are animals. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe

4- Is It an Amphibian? (3-8); amphibian, classification, life cycle; LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about a class of vertebrates- amphibians. The probe is designed to reveal the characteristics students use to determine whether an organism is an amphibian. Type of Probe: Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

Structure and Function Probes

5- Pond Water (5-8); cells, single-celled organisms, organelles; LS1.A: Structure and Function; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about single-celled organisms. The probe is designed to reveal ideas students have about structures inside single-celled organisms. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

6- Atoms and Cells (6-12); cells, atoms; LS1.A: Structure and Function; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the smallest parts of living and nonliving things. The probe is designed to determine how students distinguish between cells and atoms. Type of Probe: Comparison Chart Probe

7- Which One Will Dry Out Last? (8-12); cells, bacteria, volume, surface area, diffusion; LS1.A: Structure and Function; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about single cells. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize the relationship between shape, surface area, and volume. Type of Probe: Representation Probe

8- Chlorophyll (6-12); chlorophyll, photosynthesis, chloroplast, cells , leaf, energy, food, plants; LS1.A: Structure and Function; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about chlorophyll. The probe is designed to reveal students’ ideas about the function of chlorophyll. Type of Probe: Descriptor Justified List Probe

9- Apple Tree (5-12); food, photosynthesis, leaf, energy; LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about plant structure and function. The probe is designed to reveal students’ ideas about where photosynthesis takes place. Type of Probe: Descriptor Justified List Probe

Life Processes and Needs of Living Things Probes

10- Light and Dark (6-12); photosynthesis, respiration; LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about photosynthesis and respiration. The probe is designed to reveal students’ ideas about when these processes take place. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

11- Food for Corn (5-12); food, photosynthesis; LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the biological concept of “plant food”. The probe is designed to reveal what students think plants use as their food. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

12- Pumpkin Seeds (3-8); germination, tropism, response; LS1.D: Information Processing; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about seed germination. The probe is designed to reveal whether students think the orientation of a planted seed affects its germination. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

13-Rocky Soil (3-8); tropism, thigmotropism, response; LS1.D: Information Processing; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about plant response (thigmotropism). The probe is designed to reveal whether students know that roots can sense an obstructing object. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

Ecosystems and Adaptation Probes

14- Is It a Consumer? (5-12); consumer, producer, food web; LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about consumers. The probe is designed to reveal how students interpret the scientific word, consumer. Type of Probe: Word Use Probe, Example/Non-Example Justified List

15- Food Chain Energy (6-12); transfer of energy, food chain, trophic levels; LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about flow of energy in a simple food chain. The probe is designed to reveal what students think happens to the amount of available energy as it flows through a food chain. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

16- Ecosystem Cycles (6-12); ecosystem, cycling or matter, energy flow; LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the transfer of matter and energy in ecosystems. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that only matter cycles through an ecosystem. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

17- No More Plants (3-8); producer, consumer, food web, ecosystem, interdependence; LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the role of plants in a terrestrial ecosystem. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that all animals, including meat eaters, depend on plants. Type of Probe: Imaginary Phenomenon Probe

18- Changing Environment (3-12); adaptation, ecosystem change; LS4.C: Adaptation; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about adaptation. The probe is designed to reveal whether students think individuals intentionally adapt to changes in their environment. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe

Reproduction, Life Cycles, and Heredity Probes

19- Eggs (3-12); egg, sexual reproduction, life cycle; LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about sexual reproduction. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize a variety of multicellular organisms develop from a fertilized egg. Type of Probe: Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

20- Chrysalis (3-5); concept of living, life cycle, chrysalis; LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about life cycles. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize the pupal stage of an organism is living. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

21- DNA, Genes, and Chromosomes (9-12); DNA, genes, chromosomes; LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits21- DNA, Genes, and Chromosomes (9-12); DNA, genes, chromosomes; LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about structures of heredity inside a cell. The probe is designed to reveal students’ ideas about the structural relationship between genes, DNA, and chromosomes. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

22- Eye Color (6-12); inherited traits, genes, alleles; LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about genetic traits. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that some traits, such as eye color, involve multiple genes. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe

23- Human Body (6-12); human body, cells; LS1.A: Structure and Function; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the cellular makeup of the human body. The probe is designed to reveal that the body is organized into a collection of cells, not a bounded structure that is filled in with cells. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

24- Human Excretory System (6-12); excretory system, digestive system, metabolic wastes, secretion; LS1.A: Structure and Function; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the human excretory system. The probe is designed to reveal whether students distinguish between metabolic wastes and wastes resulting from undigested food. Type of Probe: Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

25- Antibiotics (6-12); antibiotics, cells, cell wall, bacteria; LS1.A: Structure and Function; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about infectious diseases. The probe is designed to reveal whether students understand that antibiotics are not used to treat viral infections, such as a common cold. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe