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PRAXIS 5442 · COURSE

Praxis 5442 Middle School Science course

51 guided lessons across 4 sections. Read the first chapter free — no account needed.

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Scientific Evidence and Explanations

Scientific Evidence and Explanations: Understanding this concept helps you interpret science evidence and explain real-world phenomena.

Key words

Empirical evidence
Observations and measurements used to support claims — e.g. Measured plant growth supports a claim
Evidence
Observations or data used to support a scientific claim — e.g. A table of repeated measurements
Variable
A factor that can change in an investigation — e.g. Students change light exposure between groups
Model
A simplified representation of a real system — e.g. A diagram shows particles in a gas
Scientific explanation
An evidence-based account of how or why a phenomenon occurs — e.g. A claim supported with observations and science ideas

EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE

Observations and measurements used to support claims. Measured plant growth supports a claim.

RECOGNIZE IT

Measured plant growth supports a claim. This is an example of empirical evidence.

AVOID THE MIX-UP

A guess without observations is not a correct example of empirical evidence.

USE EVIDENCE

Identify observations and data before choosing a scientific explanation about scientific evidence and explanations.

CLASSROOM APPLICATION

Ask students to compare an example and a non-example, then justify their reasoning using evidence.

Remember this

  • Observations and measurements used to support claims
  • Measured plant growth supports a claim
  • A guess without observations is a non-example.

Evidence is observed

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Every lesson in the course

I. Nature and Impact of Science and Engineering

14%
  1. Scientific Evidence and ExplanationsFree
  2. Scientific Models, Laws, and Theories
  3. Engineering Design Process
  4. Laboratory and Field Safety
  5. Science, Technology, and Society
  6. Resources and Environmental Impacts

II. Physical Science

30%
  1. Atoms and Isotopes
  2. Periodic Table Patterns
  3. Particle Model and States of Matter
  4. Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures
  5. Solutions, Acids, and Bases
  6. Chemical Bonds and Formulas
  7. Phase Changes and Heating Curves
  8. Chemical and Physical Changes
  9. Conservation and Reaction Types
  10. Motion, Speed, and Acceleration
  11. Newton’s Laws and Forces
  12. Gravity, Buoyancy, and Density
  13. Circuits and Electricity
  14. Magnets and Electromagnets
  15. Energy Transfers and Conservation
  16. Waves, Light, and Sound

III. Life Science

30%
  1. Cell Organelles and Functions
  2. Membranes and Cell Transport
  3. Cell Types and Viruses
  4. Tissues, Organs, and Homeostasis
  5. Mitosis, Meiosis, and Growth
  6. Plant and Animal Reproduction
  7. Photosynthesis and Respiration
  8. Fermentation and Biomolecules
  9. Sensory Systems and Responses
  10. Populations and Species Interactions
  11. Food Webs and Energy Flow
  12. Carbon, Nitrogen, and Ecosystems
  13. Biomes and Ecosystem Change
  14. DNA, Genes, and Inheritance
  15. Punnett Squares and Mutation
  16. Evolution and Natural Selection

IV. Earth and Space Science

26%
  1. Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe
  2. Solar System Formation and Gravity
  3. Moon Phases, Eclipses, and Tides
  4. Seasons and Earth’s Motion
  5. Geologic Time and Dating
  6. Minerals and the Rock Cycle
  7. Weathering, Erosion, and Landforms
  8. Earth Layers and Plate Tectonics
  9. Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Hazards
  10. Water Cycle and Groundwater
  11. Oceans, Currents, and Tides
  12. Weather, Air Masses, and Fronts
  13. Climate and Global Change
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