Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA) Early Childhood Education Practice Test

What science skill is practiced when students graph temperature values related to weather observations?

1. Hypothesis formation

2. Collecting data and drawing conclusions

3. Experimentation

4. Scientific modeling

The correct answer is: Collecting data and drawing conclusions

The practice of graphing temperature values related to weather observations specifically involves the skill of collecting data and drawing conclusions. When students observe weather patterns, they first gather quantitative data, such as daily temperature measurements. By recording these values, students engage in the data collection process, which is a fundamental aspect of scientific inquiry. Once the data is collected, creating a graph helps students visualize trends and patterns in the temperature changes over time. This visual representation is crucial as it allows students to analyze the information and draw conclusions about how temperature may vary with seasons, weather systems, or time of day. The ability to interpret the graph and connect that understanding back to real-world weather phenomena exemplifies the practice of drawing conclusions based on collected data. This skill is essential in the scientific method, where evidence gathered through observations inform conclusions and further inquiry. This option highlights both the empirical aspect of gathering measurable data and the analytical component of interpreting that data to derive meaningful insight about weather and its variations.