The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about scientific investigations. It is designed to find out if students recognize that scientists investigate the natural world in a variety of ways depending on the question they pose and that there is no fixed sequence of steps that all scientists use and follow. Elementary students should be actively engaged in using science to investigate the world around them. These early experiences with inquiry are precursors to understanding how science is done in a variety of ways. Middle school students should understand that science is guided by the question posed. The question and the particular content of the inquiry determine the method used to investigate. High school students develop more abilities and understandings of scientific inquiry and are able to design and carry out more complex experiments as a way to systematically test their ideas. Teacher notes, standards, assessment, and references are provided. This book selection also includes the Table of Contents, Dedication, Preface, Introduction, and Index..