Asking Questions about Matter

What kinds of questions should guide investigations of matter? The Questions to Investigate task is intended to elicit preservice teachers’ CKT related to asking questions to frame investigations of changes in matter. The task presents a variety of student-posed questions for preservice teachers to evaluate in terms of their quality and appropriateness. The CKT tasks are intended as a complement to your existing instructional activities in order to elicit and probe preservice teachers’ CKT. For example, the Questions to Investigate task might be a useful exercise prior to engaging preservice teachers in selecting or adapting questions in curriculum materials for students to investigate, as it helps them consider what kinds of questions are appropriate. Alternately, it could be used in a content-focused course to help students contextualize their own investigations and draw parallels with their role as future teachers- helping them understand ways in which scientific questions are posed. The associated resources and activities in this packet are designed to support teacher educators in developing preservice teachers’ CKT through building an understanding of scientific questions in the context of investigating changes in matter. This packet contains not only the task, but lessons, readings, and other resources and information to support teacher educators.