Writing Claims & Constructing Scientific Explanations

​Writing Claims & Constructing Scientific Explanations

By Cheyenne Graham

Scientific Explanations

A scientific explanation uses evidence, logical reasoning, and established practices to explain causes and effects. Whenever you have a "reasoning" portion in your Savvas book, you need to answer with this in mind.

Writing a claim

A claim should be a concise (to the point), single sentence statement, that DIRECTLY answers a scientific question using facts or data. Do not base your claim on an opinion or guess. When you're asked to state a claim, you should keep this in mind.

Student examples of claims and scientific explanations.

My claim is supported because the evidence shows a person or object moving can change when it collides with something. The moving object stops or slows and the stationary object begins to move

Reasoning 1

Because Miss Cheyenne moved the ball, making more force then the other ball pushing it and making it move.

​Claim 1

Question: Why does the stationary ball start moving?

What is wrong with claim 1?

• Claims should be short, and to the point, but also easy to follow and specific. Which ball did I start moving? There is mention of “force” here when we should be talking about energy, which is not the same thing.  

• Overall, despite this claim being concise, it doesn’t make any sense.

Why does the stationary ball start moving?

My explanation is that the speed can transfer, so that means I am right. 

Reasoning 3

The stationary ball moved because Miss Cheyenne pushed one ball and it collided with the other ball, so both balls moved. 

Claim 3

Whats wrong with claim/reasoning 3?

Avoid statements like “i am right” in your explanation. Try using “my claim is correct/my claim is proven because the evidence shows…”

The evidence also does not say speed is transferred, it says energy is transferred. Make sure to correctly cite the evidence and data.

Why does the stationary ball start moving?

In the literacy station, we learned a person or objects motion can change when it collides when something.

Reasoning 4

It started moving because 1. you hit a ball to hit this ball. 2 you move it.

Claim 4

What is wrong with claim 4?

This claim is too vague. Your claim needs to be concise, DIRECTLY answer the question, use evidence, facts or data. It is lacking specifics that would make it understandable.

My claim is supported because the evidence shows....my evidence is right because kinetic energy keeps the ball moving it also is how heavy the ball is.

​Reasoning 5

Because after you push the ball kinetic energy is made which keeps push the ball moving in order so the balls could collide.

Claim 5

Why does the stationary ball start moving?

What is wrong with reasoning and claim 5?

The language this student uses in their claim is not concise and it does not answer the question directly. The wording is also confusing and hard to follow. The scientific reasoning does not reflect what the evidence says. Where in the evidence from the stations we did does it mention the weight of an object? Even if we know that weight impacts kinetic energy, the evidence and data we have do not support this claim. Weight and kinetic energy are not the same thing! Remember, your explanation for why your claim is correct must use the evidence we gathered.

Why does the stationary ball start moving?

My claim is supported because the evidence shows when a moving object like a car or ball hits a stationary car/ball, the motion of each changes. The moving object stops or slows and the stationary one begins to move, providing evidence that energy was transferred during the collision.

Reasoning 2

Because the already moving ball collided with the stationary ball, and then the stationary ball moved the opposite way before they both fell down the table.

Claim 2

What is right about claim/reasoning 2?

Claim 2 directly answers the question and uses specific language that doesn't make it confusing. The reasoning used the evidence we gathered and incorporated correct logical thinking. This student also used vocabulary terms correctly, providing an overall well-written scientific explanation.