ERIC ED392650: Samples of Students' Responses from the Grade 6 Science Performance-based Assessment Tasks, June 1994.

51 Pages·1995·0.86 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
SE 058 058
ED 392 650
Grade 6
Samples of Students' Responses from the
TITLE
Science Performance-based Assessment Tasks, June
1994.
Student
Alberta Dept. of Education, Edmonton.
INSTITUTION
Evaluation Branch.
ISBN-0-7732-1758-4
REPORT NO
95
PUB DATE
51p.; For the 1993 version, see ED 383 571.
NOTE
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*Academic Achievement; *Evaluation; Foreign
DESCRIPTORS
Intermediate
Countries; Grade 6; Hands on Science;
*Problem
Grades; *Performance Pased Assessment;
Skills
Solving; Science Tests; Testing; *Think;ne.
Alberta
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
to
The performance-based assessment was developed
thinking skills in real-life
assess students' higher order
These tasks assess
problem-solving situations in Alberta, Canada.
easily by regular paper
aspects of science that cannot be measured
is to provide
and pencil tests. The purpose of this document
with samples of
teachers, administrators, students, and parents
relation to the
students' performances that exemplify standards in
Tasks. Thirty-one
1994 Grade 6 Science Performance-Based Assessment
in this assessment.
schools were randomly selected to participate
did the
From these schools, 698 randomly selected students
students to
performal.ce-based assessment. The activities allowed
materials, and to
implement a siariety of strategies with hands-on
they carried out these
collect information. Students were asked how
another
strategies to solve problems. Their responses provided
producing. The samples
picture of what they knew and were capable of
illustrate the provincial
of students' work selected for this booklet
levels: the Standard
standards for Grade 6 science students at three
Not Yet At the Acceptable
of Excellence; the Acceptable Standard; and
highlight
Standard. The commentaries that accompany the samples
show how the scoring
selected features of the students' responses and
mathematics
criteria relate to students' work. Appendixes include
at each level.
holistic scoring criteria and percentage of students
(JRH)
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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
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U I DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATION
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ALBERTA EDUTION CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION
Alberta. Alberta Education. Student Evaluation Branch.
6 science
Samples of students' responses from the grade
performance-based assessment tasks, June 1994
ISBN 0-7732-1758-4
2. Educational tests and
I. ScienceAlbertaExaminations.
I. Title
measurementsAlberta.
Q182.A333 1995
'This document was written primarily for:
Students
Teachers
Administrators
Parents
General Public
Others (Specify
School Principals and Teachers The Alberta
Distribution: Superintendents of Schools
Alberta Education
Alberta School Boards Association
Teachers' Association
ohmtion
K1 Olt ol Alberta, (t represented In the Allmste, ()I 1.(ht«ition. Stud( nt 1
NYS, the Com rt
Copyri
..1,1,1t,torial ( rime( ma% be
Albet ta liA 01.2. An tk,hts
e seri ed.
Ifranch, 1
160 .laspet A11111W, Ed1110111f
'entre
Iwo haked from the 1.4'arntn,i,, Resom Ps flisfributiow (
3
Contents
Introduction
Purpose
Science Assessment in 1994
Selection ot Samples
Confirming Standards
Markin,'
General Description of the Performance-Based Assessment
Background
Sampling
AdnUnistration
Samples of Students Performance
AL'IMIV I Tree Trunk
5
wellence
Performance At the Standard ot
7
Performance At the Acceptable Standard
9
Performance Not Yet At the Acceptable Standard
11
Activit\ 2---Ecosvstem Mvster\
12
Performance At the Standard of F\cellent e
14
Perfinmance At the Acceptable Standard
15
Performance Not Yet At the Acceptable Standard
Activity 3---Leaky Faucet
17
Performance At the Standard of FAcellence
18
Performance At the Acceptable Standard
19
Performance Not Yet At the Acceptable Standard
Activit 4----Wiring a Train Station
21
Performance At the Standard of FAcellence
23
Performance At the Acceptable Standard
25
Performance Not Yet At the Acceptable Standard
\cti\
insukuni.mt
PerformancL At the Staodad of FAcellence
Performam:e t the Acceptable Standard
Per!On,,,mce Not Yet At the Acceptable Standard
Acti it 6. kocketN. Gliders. and Kites
33
\cellence
Perfornmnce At the Standard of
;4
Performance At the Acceptable Standard
35
Performance Not Yet At the cceptable Standanl
Observations Regarding Students Skills and Knowledge
What Students Could Do
36
Areas for Improvement
37
Appendices
Appendix AScience Holistic Scoring Criteria
40
Appendix BPercentage of Students at Each Level
4 I
Appendix CScience Descriptive Coding Criteria
42
Acknowledgements
who kindly granted us
This booklet would not have been possit le without the student writers
aluable contributions of the following teachers and
permission to publish their work or the
Student Evaluation Staff:
Hank BoerCounty of Stettler No.6
Stephanie LeishmanCounty of Leduc No.25
Len SwitzerCounty of Parkland No. 31
Glenn SharplesEdmonton School District No. 7
Dennis BelykAssistant Director. Achievement Testing Program. Alberta
Education
Kay MelvilleAssessment Specialist. Mathematics. Alberta Education
Greg ThomasAssessment Specialist. Science. Alberta Education
Introduction
Confirming Standards
Purpose
The initial work of confirming the standards
The purpose of this document is to pro\ ide
that would govern the scoring of student
teachers. administrators. students, and
performances was undertaken by a group of
parents with samples of students'
experienced Grade 6 Science teachers on
performances that exemplify standards in
June 25 and 26. 1994. Their task was to read
rolation to the 1994 Grade 6 Science
to
a large enough sample of student responses
Performance-Based Assessment Tasks. The
select those that exemplified the different
commentaries that accompany the samples
levels of performance. At the same dine.
highlight selected features of the students'
these teachers suggested adjustments to the
criteria
responses and show how the scoring
standard descriptions in ihe scoring guide.
relate to students work.
Where needed, and prepared specific notes for
use by group leaders during the marking
session. The Holistic Scoring Criteria are
Science Assessment in 1994
given in Appendix A.
The Grade 6 Science assessment in 1994
these teachers later ser\ed as group leaders
collected information and reported on a range
during the marking session. The\ used the
of learning expectations. Three instrumeits
selected examples to set the scoring
Were used to collect information: the
ouidelines and to train teachers for the
achievement test. a sur\ ev of student
:-
marking session.
attitudes, and performance-based assessment
tasks. Provincial results for the achievement
Marking
test are available in the Avve,svment
Ing/t/ight.s. document. The pet-1.011mi,, c-
hased assessment component is the specific
Teachers were selected for marking on the
focus of this booklet.
recommendation of their superintendents.
All markers Were teaching Grade 6 Scienee
in the same school year that performance-
Selection ().1' Samples
had
based assessment was administered.
ears.
done so for at least tw o
The samples of students' work selected for
Nlarkers followed the agreed-upon standards
this booklet were used for training markers
the
during the July 1994 marking session of the
w hen scoring student responses. During
performance-based assessment. As such.
marking session, each marker scored a
student's response for probiem-sol ing skills
these examples illustrate the provincial
and communication skills. The oerall
standards for (ii:ade 6 science students at
results are gi\ en in Appendi\
three le\ els: the Standard ot Excellence. the
Acceptable Standard. and Not Yet At the
Acceptable Standard,
General Description of the
Performance-Based
Assessment
Background
The activities allowed students to implement
a variety of strategies with hands-on
materials, and to collect information.
The performance-based assessment was
Students were asked to explain the strategies
developed to assess students higher order
they used and how they carried out these
thinking skills in real-life problem-solving
strategies to solve problems. Their
situations. The tasks assessed aspects of
responses provided another picture of what
science that cannot be measured easily by
they knew and were capable of producing.
regular paper and pencil tests.
Performance-
based Assessment
Program Area
Emphasis by Topic
Activit
Activity Name
Topic
Learner Expectation
Tree Trunk
Living Things and the
Observe a cross-section of a tree trunk
Infer age of the tree
FAIN, ironment
Infer weather conditions during the lifespan of the
tree
I.1\ ing Things and the
Ecosy stem
Observe a model demonstrating interaction of
ironment
liing things. including a predator/prey
relationship
Infer from evidence provided in the model
Leaky Faucet
N1atter and Energ
Collect information from a model of a leaky tap
Design an experiment and control variables in
determining the amount of water hist from the tap
Calculate. using multiple steps. total water lost
from the tap.
Mauer and I nap
4
Wiring a Th1111
Construct a working model of lights. using
Statitin
sW itches in a variety of arratigements
Niake drawings of models designed
NlosiLal
\latter and F.nerl...
'onstruct models to demonstrate variahles
Instrument
controlling frequenc of
ihrations.
Communicate procedures through &ming., and/or
Writing
karth. Space and lime
kets.
\lake measurements of w ind speeds using simple
and Kites
instruments
Interpret data and draw inferences iihinit A to ities
influenced h
nd speed
Three circuits, each with six stations, were
Sampling
set up. A maximum of 15 students were
assigned to each session. This allowed five
Thirty-one schools were randomly selected
students to wOrk through the six activities at
to participate in this assessment. From these
each circuit. Students were given as much
schools, 698 randomly selected students did
time as necessary to complete the tasks.
the performance-based assessment.
Typically, between 1" and 2 hours was
needed for each student to complete the six
Administration
tasks. Students recorded all of their work in
a booklet.
This assessment was administered by trained
assessors who followed standardized
The assessment took place between May 25
procedures. The assessment consisted of six
and June 4, 1994. The schools selected
real-life problems presented at six stations.
provided excellent cooperation in making
Each station consisted of:
space and tables available for this
assessment.
a stud nt activity sheet listing the problem,
materials that could be used, and
instructions
materials
Samples of Students' Performance
Activity ITree Trunk
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Tom and Mary are holidaying at a cabin by a lake. One night storm) winds blow ma a tree. As
the help their lather and mother cut the tree into smaller pieces. they notice growth rings. Their
father tells them that they can determine the past growing conditions bv looking at the trunk
cross-section. Their mother. who works as a forester with the government, told them that some
of the information the cross-sections of the tree could give them includes:
the age of the treeone ring equals one year of growth
\\ hen the tree started growing
2.
if other li \ ing organisms lived in the tree
the types of grow ing conditionsthere are w ider rings if grow ing conditions \\ ere
4.
good
Also. there are man\ other things it could tell them. l'se the cross-section of the tree trunk to tell
about this tree.
SHOVID HAVE:
tree cross-section
I
I magnifying glass
ruler
I
INS'INLVTIONS:
[se the materials to find out as much as \ ou can about this tree. Record \ our ohser\ations
and inferences in \ our Student Booklet. Answer the questions in \ our Student Booklet.
DEl'IN IRONS:
Ohser\ ing or making ()ken ations
I 'sing the senses (smelling, tasting. seeing, heaHng. and touching) to get information about
things or happenings \\ here
on are.
[Meiling
An inference is an e \planation lot an ohser\ ation.
1 on gi\e a Ik.,1011 for somncihiimi
\ ou
e.