NSES Content Standard A  Science as Inquiry: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Grades 5-8, page 148 Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions. Students should develop the ability to listen to and respect the explanations proposed by other students. They should remain open to and acknowledge different ideas and explanations, be able to accept the skepticism of others and consider alternative explanations.

 
Benchmark 1B The Nature of Science: Scientific Inquiry
Grades 3-5, page 11
Scientists' explanations about what happens in the world come partly from what they observe, partly from what they think. Sometimes scientists have different explanations for the same set of observations. That usually leads to their making more observations to resolve the differences.

Benchmark 1B The Nature of Science: Scientific Inquiry
Grades 6-8, page 12
What people expect to observe often affects what they actually do observe. Strong beliefs about what should happen in particular circumstances can prevent them from detecting other results. Scientists know about this danger to objectivity and take steps to try and avoid it when designing investigations and examining data. One safeguard is to have different investigators conduct independent studies of the same questions.

Benchmark 1B The Nature of Science: Scientific Inquiry
Grades 9-12, page 13
Hypotheses are widely used in science for choosing what data to pay attention to and what additional data to seek, and for guiding the interpretation of the data (both new and previously available).

Benchmark 12A Habits of Mind: Values and Attitudes
Grades 3-5, page 286
Offer reasons for their findings and consider reasons suggested by others.

Benchmark 12A Habits of Mind: Values and Attitudes
Grades 6-8, page 287
Know that often different explanations can be given for the same evidence, and it is not always possible to tell which one is correct.

Benchmark 12D Habits of Mind: Communication Skills
Grades 9-12, page 297
Participate in group discussions on scientific topics by restating or summarizing accurately what others have said, asking for clarification or elaboration, and expressing alternative positions.

Benchmark 12E Habits of Mind: Critical-Response Skills
Grades 6-8, page 299
Be aware that there may be more than one good way to interpret a given set of findings.

Benchmark 12E Habits of Mind: Critical-Response Skills
Grades 9-12, page 300
Suggest alternative ways of explaining data and criticize arguments in which data, explanations, or conclusions are represented as the only ones worth consideration, with no mention of other possibilities. Similarly, suggest alternative trade-offs in decisions and designs and criticize those in which major trade-offs are not acknowledged.