 classroom activities scientific claims proposal video scientific claim proposal videos goals  students understand the elements of a good scientific argument students state and defend their research claim students use a multimedia approach to sharing with other researchers objectives students will develop practice and record a scripted presentation of their scientific claim students will critique fellow students videos within the class students will upload their videos for critique by students from other schools materials  scientific claim video review worksheet video camera if there is no video then recording sound only is a fine alternative upload capabilities place of this lesson in project sequence  this video sharing should happen after the students have developed their claim and know the evidence they will need to back up their claim lesson duration  approximately 80 minutes note depending on the students and the amount of time available you can lead the students in a discussion of what they need to include to make a compelling argument give the students an outline that they write the script for or give the students a script introduction 2 minutes  you re going to be sharing your claims about your mercury in the watershed research with other researchers so that they can test the strength of your claim  you can mention that because the students have been working so closely with their own work they need someone else to look at it    teacherled discussion 15 minutes  ask  what do you need to include in your video to make your claim as airtight as you can solicit ideas write them on the board  if necessary refer to ads if you have towhich ads do you believe versus which ads do you like  example  make an example of what the kids have offered for ideas students say to present claim only ok so i should state my claim  my name is hannah and my dirt bike is faster than your dirt bike   or if the students give claim and because statement ok so i should state my claim and tell you why i think that  my name is hannah and my dirt bike is faster than your dirt bike because mine has a 110 cc 4 stroke engine and your riding a rupp from1973   or if the students give claim and because statement and evidence statement my name is hannah and my dirt bike is faster than yours because my dirt bike has a 110 cc 4stroke and your bike is a rupp from 1973 you want me to prove mine is faster  ok a race after school at the gravel pit no funny business we ll time it we ll see who s is faster if your students give make a claim a because statement and an evidence statement as what they need to make an airtight claim video then skip to  guided discussion  section below and then to  relate to watershed project by asking  section below  ask  with this claim what are some questions that come to mind solicit ideas write them on the board  how do you know your dirt bike is faster yah how are you going to prove it  what makes you say that how are you going to prove it    continue guided discussion  what i think you are saying is you want some background reasons the because statement and you want to know how i am going to back up or prove my claim evidence data and or method  summarize discussion 2 minutes  refer back to your example  tell students so each of you rewrite this claim with the background reasons for why i might have stated it and how i am going to prove it to you this can also be done as a group  the students should state something like  my name is hannah and my dirt bike is faster than yours because my dirt bike has a 110 cc 4stroke and your bike is a rupp from 1973 you want me to prove mine is faster  ok a race after school at the gravel pit no funny business we ll time it we ll see who s is faster  give me a because statement and a waytoproveit statement  have students read some of these new claim statements or you can give the italicized statement above these statements should include a claim a because and a reference to evidence ignore this if the class has done this as a group  relate to watershed project by asking  when you state your claim for other researchers to review what should you include   state claim background reasoning and evidence you ll use to support your claim  direct 15 minutes  work with your group to write a script that does just that states your claim gives the background and shares what data you re going to collect or use to support your claim if you finish before 15 minutes you can practice your script and record it studentdirected script writing and recording 15 minutes  when the students are done they will record their scripts this is a dry run a first draft each group should review the video of at least one other group and then use the scientific claim video review worksheet to review another group s work discussion 10 minutes  have students explain each other s claims reasoning and evidence in their own words they should then return the review sheets to the reviewed group or the teacher  revision 15 minutes  they will then make the changes they need to make to their scripts if any record their scripts and post them to vimeo   mercury in watersheds hypothesis classroom activity  