1. Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning
How to write a scientific argument

2. Bell ringer /15
Fill in the boxes at the right with the correct steps of the carbon cycle.

3. Ecosystem Dynamics Project
Tomorrow you will start your project for this unit.
This project will require that you are able to make claims, cite evidence, and provide reasoning.
Today you will start practicing with this so that you are able to do this during the project.
Announcements:
Large quiz next Tuesday (11/22/16)

4. Claim Most labs originate with a guiding question.
Your claim is the concluding statement that answers your original question.
The claim is usually one sentence in length.
It must be accurate, specific, and completely answer the question.

5. How did the boy get into the water?

6. How did the boy get into the water?
The boy fell from the broken branch on the dead tree into the water while trying to retrieve his toy sailboat.

7. Evidence
The evidence is all of the scientific data that supports your claim.
Evidence must be sufficient and relevant to your claim. Not all data is considered evidence!
Most evidence is specific data from the lab. This can come from your own group or another group in the class.

8. How did the boy get into the water?
The boy fell from the broken branch on the dead tree into the water while trying to retrieve his toy sailboat.
What evidence is there to support the claim?

9. Evidence
The evidence is all of the scientific data that supports your claim.
It can also come from other sources such as: computer simulations, websites, textbook, class notes, personal experience, etc.
It is important to have numerous pieces of evidence in order to prove your claim!

10. What evidence is there to support this claim?
The tree branch is broken and the boy is in the water in a position directly below the branch. The boy in the water is also wearing a shirt. There is a sailboat in the water and the tree appears to have no leaves.

11. Reasoning
Reasoning is the explanation that connects your claim to the evidence that supports it.
It shows why the data you chose counts as evidence.
This explanation acts as a “conclusion” of your experiment.

12. Reasoning
Reasoning is the explanation that connects your claim to the evidence that supports it.
It shows a detailed understanding of the scientific principles involved and uses correct science vocabulary.
The reasoning should usually be at least a few sentences in length.

13. Reasoning that connects your claim to your evidence
No leaves on the tree indicate that the tree is dead. This means that the branch would be very weak since leaves provide the tree with energy.
The boy climbed the tree to get his sailboat and his weight, due to the force from the pull of gravity was greater than what the dead branch could hold, so it broke and he fell into the water.
The waves that were made after falling into the water, pushed the sailboat away from the boy.
Where the boy is sitting must be in water because it makes up most of our Earth and sailboats float on water because it makes up most of our Earth and sailboats float on water.
Because he is wearing a shirt, he most likely did not want to get wet.

14. Example: the death of Mr. Xavier
1. Read part 1 of the story of the death of Mr. Xavier.
2. Discuss with your group your answer to the question “how did Mr. Xavier die?
3. As a group, make a claim that you all agree on: Clearly state how Mr. Xavier died. Don't just say "He was murdered." You would need to state how he died and who murdered him.
4. Provide Evidence to support your claim: List all of the related observations and test results that support your claim.
5. Provide Reasoning: Explain why your evidence proves your claim to be true. (Pretend you are a lawyer.)
6. When asked to, be ready to share with the class.

15. Example: the death of Mr. Xavier
1. Read part 2 of the story of the death of Mr. Xavier.
2. How does information change your answer to the question “how did Mr. Xavier die?
3. As a group, revise your claim.
4. Provide any additional evidence to support your claim
5. Provide Reasoning.
6. When asked to, be ready to share with the class.

16. What really happened to Mr. Xavier?
Claim:
The chef's brother murdered Mr. Xavier by causing him to overdose on heart medication.

17. What really happened to Mr. Xavier?
Evidence:
Autopsy - cause of death was overdose on heart medicine
Chef's brother's fingerprints were found on the wine bottle and the heart medicine bottle.
Traces of heart medicine were found in the wine (both in the bottle and on the carpet)

18. What really happened to Mr. Xavier?
Evidence:
The heart medicine bottle was empty.
The heart medicine was prescribed to Mr. Xavier.
The prescription for the medicine did not run out for another month.

19. What really happened to Mr. Xavier?
Reasoning:
The cause of death proves that either Mr. Xavier intentionally or accidentally overdosed, or he was murdered.
There is no reason for the brother of the chef to be inside the house since he did not work for Mr. Xavier (as far as we know).

20. What really happened to Mr. Xavier?
Reasoning:
The chef's brother's fingerprints should not be found anywhere.
Since they were found on both the wine bottle AND medicine bottle, he must have committed the crime!

21. Real-World Claims People make claims all of the time.
Friends, parents, and just about every commerical on TV is making a claim about something.
Discuss some claims you have heard recently at your table.

22. Audi Video Based on the video, identify the video’s claim.
2. what evidence does the video use to support this claim?
3. What is the video’s reasoning to that the evidence supports the claim?
*you don’t need to write anything down, we just talk about this one.

23. Carbon Cycle Cartoon Video
Based on the video,
identify the video’s claim about carbon.
2. what evidence does the video use to support this claim?
3. What is the video’s reasoning to that the evidence supports the claim?

24. Identifying claims and evidence in texts
Read the article about matter on your note sheet.
Identify the author’s claim and evidence. (There’s 4 pieces of evidence!)

26. Practice
Work on the claim and evidence practice worksheet