The PQRST Sciencing Journal is the A-Z (or at least P-T) template for helping your students process a phenomenon, play to learn, identify variables, design an experiment, conduct experiment to collect data, make a claim supported by evidence with scientific reasoning to explain it, and then keep thinking in questions.
There are three versions of the notebooks.
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The PQRST Basic Sciencing Journal is for experiments with two independent variable settings or options young scientists are testing – this versus that, a generic toy car versus a brand name toy car, one brand of plastic jumping frog vs. another, one type of food vs. another for composting earthworms. (NOTE: We encourage young scientists to resist the urge to average their data. Instead, it is better to leave each trial data point to enable richer data talks and analysis.)
If you want young scientists to focus on data talks, you can use this Google Sheets file, which will automatically graph the data they enter for an independent variable with two settings. It also calculates standard deviation and standard error in case you want to take the data storytelling a bit further. Find the file here and make a copy of it for your use and use with students: Basic Data and Graph Google Sheets file HERE
Click HERE for example of Basic Data and Graph file with real data from plastic jumping frog experiment
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The PQRST Sciencing Journal is for experiments with numerous settings for the independent variable – testing different heights, angles, sizes, anything with more than two settings for the independent variable. (NOTE: We encourage young scientists to resist the urge to average their data. Instead, it is better to leave each trial data point to enable richer data talks and analysis.)
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The PQRST Sciencing: Beyond Average Journal is for experiments with numerous settings for the independent variable and goes further in asking young scientists to average the test data and find or calculate the standard error for a more complete data analysis. This can be done on their own or using a ready made spreadsheet or creating their own spreadsheet depending on your learning objectives. (NOTE: We encourage introducing standard deviation and standard error as early as 4th or 5th grade and allowing students to start to make sense of the data storytelling it allows.)
If you want young scientists to focus on data analysis, you can use this Google Sheets file, which will automatically graph the data and calculate the standard deviation and standard error. It also provides instructions on how to correctly fit the error bars in the data to match the standard error calculated from the data. It allows for both simple analysis and more in-depth analysis looking at standard deviation and standard error. Find file here and make a copy of it for your use and use with students: PQRST Data and Graph Google Sheets file HERE.
Click HERE for example of PQRST Data and Graph file with real data from Hot Wheels car rolling down a ramp and onto carpet
NOTE FOR ALL JOURNALS: When printing the journals as books, print the document DOUBLE-sided and flipped on the SHORT edge. Then fold it in half like a taco (instead of a burrito) and staple it along the fold. If you prefer to print the journals piece-by-piece, one page at a time, you can find the journals split into pieces by scrolling down further past the complete journals below.
PQRST Basic Sciencing Journal
PQRST Sciencing Journal
PQRST Sciencing Journal: Beyond Average
PQRST Sciencing Journal Pieces – One Page At A Time
The Sciencing Journals have many of the same pieces. In the case the pieces are unique to the journal, the name of the piece will include either Basic, Sciencing, or Beyond. Otherwise, the piece is the same for all the journals.
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