School Improvement in Maryland

Using the State Curriculum: Science, Grade 8

Skills and Processes | Earth/Space | Life | Chemistry | Physics | Environmental

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Standard 1.0 Skills and Processes

Topic B. Applying Evidence and Reasoning

Indicator 1. Review data from a simple experiment, summarize the data, and construct a logical argument about the cause-and-effect relationships in the experiment.

Objective a. Verify the idea that there is no fixed set of steps all scientists follow, scientific investigations usually involve the collection of relevant evidence, the use of logical reasoning, and the application of imagination in devising hypotheses and explanations to make sense of the collected evidence.

Selected Response Item

Use the technical passage 'Green Ocean Machine' to answer the following.

The data table below shows four investigational setups that might help a scientist test the following hypothesis: “If an alga provides Hatena with the ability to capture energy, then the Hatena with the alga will survive better.”

Investigational Setup Beaker X Beaker Y Sunlight
1 Hatena and alga Hatena only Yes
2 Hatena and alga Hatena only No
3 Hatena and alga Alga only Yes
4 Hatena and alga Alga only No

Which investigational setup would best help the scientist test the hypothesis?

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_8_066.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item

Scientists conduct investigations to answer questions.

Before making a valid conclusion, scientists must

  1. collect relevant evidence
  2. tell people about the data
  3. publish results from the investigation
  4. discuss the investigation with other scientists
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_8_027.xml

Correct Answer:
A