Virginia SOL 6.1.f.iii

Science6th GradeScientific and Engineering Practices

The Standard

construct, use, and/or present an argument supported by empirical evidence and scientific reasoning

Virginia Standards of Learning for Science · The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific and engineering practices by

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students make a clear scientific claim based on observations or measurements. They select relevant evidence and explain how it supports the claim using scientific ideas.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can use a data table, graph, or investigation results to support a claim. The student explains the link between the evidence and claim, then presents the argument clearly.
Common Misconceptions: Students may treat opinions, examples, or facts from memory as empirical evidence. They may list data without explaining its meaning, rely on one trial, or choose evidence unrelated to the claim.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Fertilized plants grew an average of 8 cm, while untreated plants grew 3 cm. Write a claim, cite evidence, and explain your reasoning.

Lesson moves

Test two paper helicopter designs with five drops each, graph flight times, then argue which design stays aloft longer using the results.
Discuss: Does warmer water dissolve sugar faster, and what measurements would persuade you that one claim is better supported?
Give teams claim, evidence, and reasoning cards about plant growth, then have them build arguments and remove irrelevant cards.
Compare two sports drink advertisements with their cited data, then write which claim is better supported and why.

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A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 6.1.f.iii, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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