River in flood

This task is about looking carefully and thinking about the things you notice.

Here are some photos of the Buller River.

Answers/responses:

	What to look for
a) How can you tell the photos are taken in the same place?	Answers that describe “what is the *same* about the two photos” A sufficient response gives specific descriptions and detail that can be used as evidence to confirm *how* things are the *same*, e.g., any one of: the fence along the road is the same colour and shape. both signs say ‘Hawks Crag’ the cutout in the cliff looks the same shape two trees on the slope at the back look very similar in size and/or shape and/or position the background hills are the same shape
b) How can you tell the pictures were taken at different times?	Answers that describe “what is different about the two photos” Look for specific descriptions that can be used as evidence to confirm *how* things are different, e.g., any one of: there are different cars on the road the river is not flooded in the first photo and it is in the second both signs say 'Hawks Crag', but in the first the top part is missing in the first photo the water is green, and the other it is muddy/brown the grass is longer and greener in the second photo in the first photo it is sunny, in the second it is cloudy
c) What has Hana noticed to make her to say “Wow! It must have rained a lot in the mountains”	Evidence the students understand the idea of the watershed, i.e., when it rains in the mountains, the rain eventually flows down hills into valleys where water collects in small streams that join into larger rivers, often taking material from the hills with them. Sufficient responses refer to: the height of the water/ amount of water in the flooding river, e.g., because the river is in flood the brown colour of the water (containing dirt from the hills), e.g., the water was dirty

Patterns of responses from the trial of Year 2 and 3 students.

Teaching and learning:

In this activity students are learning to observe closely and describe carefully the things they see. At levels 1 and 2 they are beginning to think about and describe how natural features and resources are changed by natural events and human actions.

Diagnostic and formative information:

Questions	Student explanations
a) How can you tell the photos were taken at the same place?	Although it is easy to see that the two photos are taken at the same place, students found it very difficult to write down how they can tell. Few students gave multiple specific similarities between the two photos. About a quarter of students described one specific similarity, e.g., yes because I can see the signs both say hawks crag A quarter of students compared the two photos saying what was the same, but not how they were the same. These responses were not descriptive enough to confirm that both photos were of the same place, e.g., they both have cliffs and they both have a lake they both have grass Some students simply mentioned the objects without explanation or comparison, or restated the question, e.g., the cliff the signs because of the hills and gates thay were taken in the same place
b) How can you tell the photos were taken at different times?	Students found it much easier to describe the differences they could see between the two photos and more than half were able to describe one or more specific differences, e.g., it is sunny on one photo but gloomy in the other. there is sand in one but the water flooded the sand in the other. About one third of answers stated what was different but did not give enough description about how it differed between each of the two photos, e.g., the signs because of cars 1 is flooded the river flooded klift [cliff] trees sin [sign]
c) What has Hana noticed to make her to say “Wow! It must have rained a lot in the mountains”	Students had difficulty finding evidence for Hana’s idea about where all of the water in the river came from. About a quarter recognised the height of the water as evidence for Hana’s statement. The example below displays a sophisticated understanding: Because the river is now in flood and the river flows from the mountains. Fewer students identified the muddiness of the water as evidence for rain in the mountains flowing into the river, e.g., it has murky water in the second photo A common misunderstanding was the idea that the mud comes from the river itself, or rain on the river fills it up like a bucket, e.g., It's a different colour and it came from the side of the bank Some students repeated the question, e.g., because that is what she said it was raning [raining] on the mats [mountains]

Patterns of responses from the trial of Year 2 and 3 students.

Next steps:

This activity focuses mainly on the Science Capabilities ‘Gather and interpret data’ and ‘Use evidence’.

Capability: Gather and interpret data

Make specific accurate observations using appropriate vocabulary.
Understand the difference between making an observation and making an inference.

An important component of this assessment is observation. Close observation is an important skill to develop in science and is an aspect of Capability: Gather and interpret data. Noticing what is there is an important first step that may help students question what they see, and engage with the science all around them. Being able to make and communicate observations about what is familiar, e.g., observing and describing how two things are the same, is as important as making observations about differences between things (which students find so much easier).

To help students who leave out specific detail in their observations, focus them on looking closely and carefully. Give them opportunities to describe what they see.

Try the ARB resources: Classifying leaves, Whose nest is this?, and Moths and butterflies. A good strategy is to share observations, so they build on others' ideas.

Encourage students to be careful with their observations.
- Are their observations backed up by specific details, e.g., colour, size?
- Ask students to point out the details.
- Can they make more than one observation?
- Can they be descriptive about things very familiar to them?
Are they able to distinguish between what is an observation and what can be inferred from their observation?
- Promote the idea that in science we need to be really sure about what we see, and details we can't see shouldn't be used as evidence.
Encourage students to think of observation as more than just looking. They also need to be thinking about what they are looking at.

As students become better at making more descriptive observations, encourage them to think about what they are observing, and to distinguish between their observations and inferences.

Try the ARB resources: Dogs at the beach, Rubbish on the Beach, and A mystery photo.

Capability: Use evidence

Use science ideas to support explanations.
Select and use evidence to support an argument.
Formulating a science explanation involves using evidence.

To help students focus on using evidence to develop a theory or explanation, give them opportunities to share and discuss their ideas.

Are they able to identify evidence that backs up their idea? Can they provide more than one reason?
Do they link things they see with what they know using cause and effect language (e.g, because, so, therefore, because of this)?
Do they suspend judgement if the evidence is not clear (it might be, maybe, it could be, etc.)?

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River in flood

River in flood

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