Virginia SOL PS.1.f

PS.1.f is a Standards of Learning science standard. These are the key ideas and practices under it.

• PS.1.f.i

  read scientific texts, including those adapted for classroom use, to determine the central idea and/or obtain scientific and/or technical information

• PS.1.f.ii

  gather, read, and synthesize information from multiple appropriate sources and assess the credibility, accuracy, and possible bias of each publication

• PS.1.f.iii

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

01

What Students Need to Do

Students identify the main claim in a science text and locate details that answer a focused question. They combine information from several sources and check who wrote each source, what evidence it uses, and why it was published. They present a claim using data, observations, and scientific reasoning.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

A student can summarize a science passage in one clear sentence and select details that support the summary. They compare authorship, evidence, date, citations, and purpose across sources. They defend a claim with relevant evidence and clear reasoning, in writing or aloud.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students may treat the most polished website, the first search result, or any .org site as trustworthy. They may confuse a topic with a central idea or copy details without combining them. They may offer an opinion as evidence or list data without explaining how it supports the claim.

04

How to Assess It

Give students two short excerpts making different claims about sports drinks. Ask them to identify each central idea, choose the more credible source, and defend that choice in three sentences using evidence.

1. 01

   Give pairs three printed science articles to annotate, then sort claim, evidence, reasoning, and source-quality cards beneath each article.

2. 02

   Ask students to write: Which source should our class trust, and what specific evidence makes it stronger than the others?

3. 03

   Run a source credibility relay where teams rank source cards and earn points for naming authorship, evidence, date, purpose, and bias.

4. 04

   Compare claims on two sunscreen labels with information from a health agency, then write a recommendation supported by both sources.

• 5.1.f

  The 5th Grade version of this standard.

• 1.1.f

  The 1st Grade version of this standard.

• 3.1.f

  The 3rd Grade version of this standard.

• 6.1.f

  The 6th Grade version of this standard.