Asking for evidence is a scientific way of knowing that also helps in our everyday life. Students work in groups. Sharing work and talking about science helps understanding. As students talk to each other, they use the language of science and make it their own. No matter what language is spoken, discussing ideas aids learning.
Teamwork is fun.
In one science class, a group of students made a model of the desert. They used a shoe box with sand, cacti, and desert animals made from clay. They took the model to other homerooms and explained how living and nonliving things in the desert depend on each other. In getting ready to present the shoe box desert, the builders talked and made sure they really understood the science involved. Teachers use different ways to find out what their students have learned.