Sharing What You Find Out

You will learn how to share your science explanations and solutions with other people in clear ways.

Scientists do not keep their discoveries a secret. After they test an idea, they tell others what happened and why. When you communicate, which means share information so others understand it, you help people learn from your work. You can do this alone or with a group.

Imagine your class tests which soil holds water best for a school garden in Texas. You fill three cups with sand, clay, and potting soil. You pour the same amount of water into each cup and watch what drains out. The clay soil holds the most water. Now you have evidence, which is the information you collected during your test. But the work is not finished. You still need to tell someone.

There are many ways to share. You could draw a labeled picture of your cups. You could make a bar graph showing how much water drained out. You could write a short paragraph, build a model, or stand up and explain your results to the class. You might also talk in a small group, record a video, or write in your science notebook. All of these are formats, or different ways to show the same information.

A good explanation has three parts. First, tell what you found out. Second, share the evidence that supports it. Third, explain what someone should do with that idea. For the garden, you might say that clay soil holds water best, that your cups showed this, and that the class should add clay to the garden bed.

When you work with a partner, listen carefully and take turns. Ask questions if something is unclear. Good scientists explain and listen.

Try it: If you tested which paper towel soaks up the most water, what is one way you could show your results to the class?