Purpose

Tuva’s Insert Data Instance feature allows partners to promote reading comprehension and to incorporate the Science and Engineering Practice Asking Questions and Defining Problems in an authentic manner. Partners can have students read a text, organize what they’ve learned in a data table, explore the data in graphical format, and then apply the information they’ve gathered to solve problems.

Literacy skills are essential in the sciences. In fact, scientists spend more than half of their time reading and writing, according to the National Resource Council’s publication A Framework for K-12 Science Education. Literacy skills are used by scientists and engineers to conduct background research, inform designs or future research studies, and communicate findings. The first science education practice (SEP) in the NGSS is asking questions and defining problems. “Students at any grade level should be able to ask questions of each other about the texts they read… to define the problem to be solved and to elicit ideas that lead to the constraints and specifications for its solution.” (NGSS, Volume 2, p. 50)

The example below shows an assignment with a data instance inserted. It demonstrates how to use Tuva’s Insert Data Instance feature to authentically weave literacy skills with science and engineering practices.

Example

Example of Completed Data Table

Notice that the data table inserted into the assignment is interactive. Students can fill it in. Below, we have included what the data table could look like once it has been completed.