Virginia SOL 4.1.a

4.1.a is a Standards of Learning science standard. These are the key ideas and practices under it.

• 4.1.a.i

  identify scientific and non-scientific questions

• 4.1.a.ii

  develop hypotheses as cause-and-effect relations

• 4.1.a.iii

  define a simple design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process, or system

01

What Students Need to Do

Students decide whether a question can be answered with scientific evidence. They write a cause-and-effect hypothesis and describe a problem that could be solved by making or improving something.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

Students can turn a broad curiosity into a question that can be tested or observed. They can name a likely cause and effect, then state who needs a solution and what it must accomplish.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students may treat opinion questions as scientific or write hypotheses as guesses without a cause-and-effect link. They may describe a topic instead of a problem, or name a solution before defining the need.

04

How to Assess It

Give students this prompt: “A classroom plant has yellow leaves.” Ask them to write one testable question, one cause-and-effect hypothesis, and one design problem.

1. 01

   Give groups toy cars, ramps, and blocks, then have them write a testable question and a cause-and-effect hypothesis before changing the ramp.

2. 02

   Ask students to explain in writing why “Which pet is best?” is not scientific, then revise it into a question that uses measurable evidence.

3. 03

   Play Question Sort with cards showing testable questions, opinion questions, hypotheses, and design problems, and require students to justify each placement.

4. 04

   Present a leaking lunchbox container and ask students to define the user, the problem, and two requirements for a better container.

• 3.1.a

  The 3rd Grade version of this standard.

• 2.1.a

  The 2nd Grade version of this standard.

• 6.1.a

  The 6th Grade version of this standard.

• 1.1.a

  The 1st Grade version of this standard.