EPE Experiences, Patterns and

Explanations

EPE

EPE

EPE

EPE Table

Observations or experiences (examples,

phenomena, data)

Patterns (laws, generalizations, graphs, tables,

categories)

Explanations (models, theories)

Application: Model-based Reasoning – using models / theories to explain experiences

Inquiry: Finding and Explaining Patterns in Experience

An Example - Photosynthesis

An Example - Photosynthesis

Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data)

An Example - Photosynthesis

Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data)

Pea plants placed in the dark did not grow well.

The gas given off by elodea was be shown to be O2.

Watering radish seedlings helped them grow.

Iris leaves and pine needles are green and have stomata.

Measurements of CO2 used by elodea.

Starch production by geranium leaves experiment.

. . . and so on . . .

An Example - Photosynthesis

Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data)

Patterns (laws, generalizations, graphs, tables, categories)

Pea plants placed in the dark did not grow well.

The gas given off by elodea was be shown to be O2.

Watering radish seedlings helped them grow.

Iris leaves and pine needles are green and have stomata.

Measurements of CO2 used by elodea.

Starch production by geranium leaves experiment.

An Example - Photosynthesis

Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data)

Patterns (laws, generalizations, graphs, tables, categories)

Pea plants placed in the dark did not grow well.

The gas given off by elodea was be shown to be O2.

Watering radish seedlings helped them grow.

Iris leaves and pine needles are green and have stomata.

Measurements of CO2 used by elodea.

Starch production by geranium leaves experiment.

Plants need light to grow.

Plants take in CO2 and water.

Plants give off O2.

Plants produce sugars and starches.

Plants have pigments.

Plants have stomata through which gases can pass.

An Example - Photosynthesis

Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data)

Patterns (laws, generalizations, graphs, tables,

categories)

Explanations (models, theories)

Pea plants placed in the dark did not grow well.

The gas given off by elodea was be shown to be O2.

Watering radish seedlings helped them grow.

Iris leaves and pine needles are green and have stomata.

Measurements of CO2

used by elodea.

Starch production by geranium leaves experiment.

Plants need light to grow.

Plants take in CO2 and water.

Plants give off O2.

Plants produce sugars and starches.

Plants have pigments.

Plants have stomata through which gases can pass.

An Example - Photosynthesis

Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data)

Patterns (laws, generalizations, graphs, tables,

categories)

Explanations (models, theories)

Pea plants placed in the dark did not grow well.

The gas given off by elodea was be shown to be O2.

Watering radish seedlings helped them grow.

Iris leaves and pine needles are green and have stomata.

Measurements of CO2

used by elodea.

Starch production by geranium leaves experiment.

Plants need light to grow.

Plants take in CO2 and water.

Plants give off O2.

Plants produce sugars and starches.

Plants have pigments.

Plants have stomata through which gases can pass.

Plants make their own food to use for energy and building materials.

6CO2 + 12H2O C6H12O6 + 6H2O + 6O2.

Light energy is transformed into chemical energy in food.

An Example - Photosynthesis

Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data)

Patterns (laws, generalizations, graphs,

tables, categories)

Explanations (models, theories)

Pea plants placed in the dark did not grow well.

The gas given off by elodea was be shown to be O2.

Watering radish seedlings helped them grow.

Iris leaves and pine needles are green and have stomata.

Measurements of CO2 used by elodea.

Starch production by geranium leaves experiment.

Plants need light to grow.

Plants take in CO2 and water.

Plants give off O2.

Plants produce sugars and starches.

Plants have pigments.

Plants have stomata through which gases can pass.

Plants make their own food to use for energy and building materials.

6CO2 + 12H2O C6H12O6 + 6H2O + 6O2.

Light energy is transformed into chemical energy in food.

Application: Model-based Reasoning – using theories to explain experiences

Inquiry: Finding and Explaining Patterns in Experience

Guidelines

Are your Experiences:• specific real-world objects, systems, or

phenomena, not the concepts we use to explain them? For example, “light-dependent reactions” is not a good real-world example for photosynthesis. “Plants not growing in the dark” is.

• experientially real to your students? They should be either systems or phenomena that your students have already experienced or that you could help them experience, first hand or vicariously.

Guidelines

Coherence Do your Experiences, Patterns, and Explanations

fit into a coherent whole? Your observations, patterns, and explanations

should be connected to one another. For example, each model or theory that you list should have observations and patterns to go with it.

Do your E’s, P’s and E’s make sense with respect to the inquiry and application arrows?

Guidelines

Connecting to Big Ideas Are your observations, patterns, and

explanations connected to your big ideas?

The key models, laws, and theories in the big ideas statement should be listed in summary form in the last column of your table.

EPE Experiences, Patterns and

Explanations

Joyce’s Pedigree Lesson

Assessment

Assessment

• We should be doing it every time we teach.

• Needs to match the objectives.

• It should inform the teacher about adjustments that need to be made.

• It should also inform the students.

Assessment

Consider a range of assessment methods:

• Performance tasks / Projects

• Quizzes, tests

• Observations, work samples, dialogues

• Student self assessment

Assessment

Questions to ask yourself:• Have you included the actual questions that students will

answer or prompts they will be able to respond to?• Will you learn from incorrect answers? • Is the task relevant to the objective? Does it engage

students in the practice described in your focus objective(s)?

• Is the task worded in a way that will be clear to the students? Will they understand what you are asking?

• Would a good answer to the task require students to relate some of the experiences, patterns and explanations?

Assessment

Joyce’s Pedigree Lesson