Mississippi Science FSL.3D.3
The Standard
- FSL.3D
- Students will apply scientific literacy and thinking skills to evaluate theoretical models, inferences, and experimental results found in various experimental designs including, but not limited to, those found in sample ACT science passages.
Analyze and interpret data from informational texts and data to (1) reveal patterns and construct meaning (2) support or refute hypotheses, explanations, claims, designs, or (3) evaluate the strength of conclusions.
2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Nature of Science
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students pull numbers and observations from articles, tables, and graphs. They find patterns, test claims against the evidence, and judge whether a conclusion goes beyond the data.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can point to specific values or trends that support or challenge a claim. They can explain how a small sample or missing comparison group makes a conclusion less certain.
Common Misconceptions
- Students often treat a trend as proof of cause and effect. They may trust a headline without checking its graph. Some ignore values that do not fit their claim.
How to Assess It
- Give students these seedling heights: watered, 7, 8, 9, 10 cm; unwatered, 4, 5, 6, 7 cm. Ask: 'Does the data support the claim that watering increases height? Cite two values and name one limit of this conclusion.'
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Use sticky notes to make dot plots of watered seedlings (7, 8, 9, 10 cm) and unwatered seedlings (4, 5, 6, 7 cm).
Using the seedling plots, write a claim about watering and height, cite two values, and name another possible cause.
Sort 'watered seedlings tend to be taller,' 'no heights overlap,' and 'watering alone caused the difference' as supported, refuted, or uncertain.
Check the last seven daily highs from a local weather station against the claim, 'Temperatures rose every day this week.'
Free download
Printable FSL.3D.3 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to FSL.3D.3, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
Download the worksheetKeep exploring
Related Standards
- FSL.3A.2
Analyze data from simple experiments and construct organized models (e.g., data tables, graphs) detailing results from the experiments.
- PHY.1
Students will investigate and understand how to analyze and interpret data.
- FSL.3D.2
Determine whether given information supports or contradicts a hypothesis or conclusion and provide support for the reasoning.
- FSL.3D.1
Select the hypothesis, prediction, or conclusion that is, or is not, supported by data presentation or pieces of informational text.
Turn this exact standard into a lesson
Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.
Also for this standard:Make a WorksheetMake a QuizMake a Sub Lesson