Welcome to PAWS Science

A Framework for Assessing Science Skills

"Scientific inquiry refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence derived from their work. Inquiry also refers to the activities of students in which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how scientists study the natural world." National Science Standards

The Wyoming Science Content and Performance Standards ask students to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind necessary to safely perform scientific inquiry. To achieve this end, the PAWS assessment asks students to connect knowledge of scientific concepts with the problem at hand, design procedures to find an answer to the problem, investigate phenomena through data collection, and constructs imeaning through the use of evidence and logic. Therefore, Wyoming's framework for assessing science is based on the skills of science as inquiry.

Thinking and Reasoning Skills for Science Inquiry

A. Use observation to pose questions that can be addressed through a scientific investigation

• Observing is the skill of recognizing and noting some fact or occurrence in the natural world, including the act of measuring, and an understanding of the types of questions science can and cannot answer.

B. Design a scientific investigation to collect data

• Designing is the process students use to create a method for collecting fair and adequate data to answer their questions.

C. Conduct a Scientific Investigation

• Scientific investigation is conducted with a variety of technologies such as hand tools, measuring instruments, calculators, and computers.

D. Collect, organize, and represent data

• The processes of collecting, organizing, and displaying data develops scientific inquiry skills and habits of mind such as attention to detail, recognizing the need for reproducible results, and deciding which types of data are of greatest value in answering the questions posed.

E. Draw conclusions and make connections

• Drawing conclusions is the process of analyzing the data which have been collected, examining patterns and trends in the data, and using them to formulate explanations.
• It also involves examining the quality of data produced and evaluating their usefulness in answering the questions that were posed.

F. Merge conclusions with concepts and knowledge

• Students are also asked to link their observations to their knowledge of scientific concepts and are asked to explain their understandings of the phenomena being studied.

Science Resources

• Science Assessment Framework
• Assessment Descriptions
• Alignment of PAWS to Science Standard
• Science Rubrics

Science Sample Items

• Grade 4
• Grade 8
• Grade 11
• Science Sample Items Key

Traffic Signal Instruction Suggestions

• Grade 4
• Grade 8
• Grade 11