Teacher Portal:
Weathering and Erosion
Performance Assessment
ZERO-IN
The italicized font represents information to be shared orally or physically completed with the students at this time.
The non-italicized font represents additional information included supporting the teacher’s understanding of the content being introduced within the CELL.
MINDSET
This Investigation is designed to allow students to solve a problem using the:
- concepts with which they have become familiar during the previous Investigations, and
- procedures used during the previous Investigations.
DOWNLOAD IT – PRINT IT
By clicking the link below, the Performance Assessment Grading Rubric may be downloaded as a PDF (Portable Document Format) and printed. It is suggested that the teacher uses the printed rubric as a guide and to make additional notes during the assessment.
BE PREPARED
Teacher Preparation for the Investigation includes the following. This preparation should be done prior to students arriving in the lab.
- For each group label one 400 ml beaker Soil Sample 1 and one 400 ml beaker Soil Sample 2.
- Soil Sample 1 consists of 15 g of gravel, 15 g of potting soil and 20g of sand.
- Soil Sample 2 consists of 25 g of gravel, 20 g of potting soil and 5 g of sand.
- Place all materials at a central location (see list below).
Note: The teacher may choose to write the list of materials on the board or tell students orally what materials they need the day of the lab.
- Divide students into cooperative groups of five students.
Student Preparation for the Investigation includes having students gather the following materials. This preparation takes place on lab day after student lab groups have settled at their assigned lab tables.
Note: The materials are NOT listed in students’ SDRs. They are listed below for your reference.
- (1) triple beam balance
- (1) lab scoop
- (3) weigh dishes
- (1) 400 ml beaker labeled Soil Sample 1
- (1) 400 ml beaker labeled Soil Sample 2
- (1) square of wire mesh with large openings
- (1) square of wire mesh with small openings
- (1) shoebox container
- Direct one student from each lab group to collect the materials.
INVESTIGATE
- Ask students to read the Background for the Performance Assessment, and discuss if necessary.
- Ask students to read the goals of the Performance Assessment, and discuss if necessary.
- Explain to students that the Performance Assessment requires only those procedures and skills that they have used in the previous Investigations.
- Allow students to conduct their experiments and encourage them to record their data carefully.
CLEAN UP
Let students know your expectations for cleanup. Ask them to clean up.
ANALYZE IT
Discuss the results of the Performance Assessment as a class, including:
- all possible solutions to the posed problem,
- whether each student group met the goals of the Performance Assessment, and
- any procedural difficulties student groups had in meeting the goals.
