Purposeful Approach to the Science & Engineering Practices
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
The vision of OpenSciEd is to promote scientific investigations as part of a constellation of knowledge-building practices. Planning an authentic investigation involves identifying and revising questions with a specific purpose in the same manner as a scientist or engineer. In order to count as an investigation, a proposed activity needs to generate evidence that students can engage with. Equally important is that a “hands-on activity” includes discussion around planning an investigation, carrying it out, and interpreting and communicating what happened. OpenSciEd instructional materials support students in designing and carrying out investigations that allow for a deeper understanding of the science being investigated, and support teachers to navigate learning with student-centered investigations. Investigations have an authentic and explicit purpose for student sense-making, and instructional materials highlight connections between the other practices and crosscutting concepts to the practice of planning and carrying out investigations.