PALS - Rubric

The Fault Line

Rubric

Contributed by: California Systemic Initiative Assessment (CSIA)

Component 1

Item: Describe what happened to the sand when you slid one plate beneath the other.

Item Description: To assess student understanding of plate movement and geological/geomorphic processes that explain the evolution of the earth, i.e., connections between plate motion and the upward movement of sand (earth) to create a mountain.

Score Levels	General Description	Scoring Parameter Indicators	Example
4	Specific, detailed, and correct	Descriptions of the lab activity are specific, detailed, and correct. Uses appropriate scientific terms (sand uplift, fault line, plate movement). Connects plate motion to the upward movement of sand to create a mound or ridge. No misconceptions. Includes the mound or ridge rising along the plate boundaries /fault line. If a picture is included it must be accurately drawn and labeled.	"When we slid one plate beneath the other, the sand was pushed up on top of the opposing plate. When the plates moved and one plate slid beneath the other plate, the sand (land) created a mountain along the fault line."
3	Adequate and correct	Descriptions of the lab activity are adequate and correct. (Plate movement, sand uplift.) Relates plate motion to the upward movement of sand to create a mound or ridge. May contain some minor misconceptions. If a picture is included it should be accurate and have labels.	"When we slid the plate, the sand moved up (like a mountain) because they were being squished together. The sand moved up because it couldn't move anywhere besides up because of the sand being bunched up."
2	Limited	Descriptions of lab activities are limited. (Plate movement or sand up lift.) Includes the plate motion or the upward movement of the sand to create a mound or ridge. May include misconceptions.	"When one piece of paper slid over the other, the sand formed a mountain. This is because when 2 things of equal force hit each other at the same speed, they have no where to go but up."
1	Major misconceptions	Description includes major misconceptions. Uses minimal descriptive commentary	"The sand moved with the plate and gradually goes under the plate."

Component 2

Item:Based on your observations of plate movement, explain how mountains are made.

Item Description: To assess student understanding of plate movement and geological/geomorphic processes that explain the evolution of the earth, i.e., connections between plate motion and the upward movement of sand (earth) to create a mountain.

Score Levels	General Description	Scoring Parameter Indicators	Example
4	Specific, detailed, and correct	Descriptions of movement of plates toward one another (producing compression features) are specific, detailed and correct. (Plate movement and subduction.) Uses appropriate scientific terms. Relates observations (data) to formation of mountains. Includes plate movement toward each other with mountains built along the plate boundaries/edge (fault line). No misconceptions. Refers to subduction. (written or picture) If a picture is included it must be accurately drawn and labeled.	"Mountains are made when land shifts. The plates move towards each other. One plate overlaps the other and the land pushes up to make a hill. The hills become bigger when the plates move more. As like the experiment we did, the paper, or plate moves, so the sand or land makes a hill."
3	Adequate and correct	Descriptions of movement of plates toward one another (producing compression features) are adequate and correct. (Plate movement and subduction.) Includes movement toward each other with mountains built along the plate boundaries/edge (fault line). May include some minor misconceptions. Refers to subduction. (Written or picture) If a picture is included it may include partial labels.	"Mountains are made when two plates collide and since they have no more space to move they just go upward which forms the mountain. One plate goes under the other."
2	Limited	Descriptions of movement toward one another are limited. (Plate movement or subduction.) Includes the idea that as the plates move toward each other, mountains are built along the plate boundaries (fault line) or a reference to subduction. May include misconceptions.	"When 2 plates are formed together toward the fault line, their edges get pushed up, creating a mountain."
1	Major misconceptions	Description includes major misconceptions. Uses minimal descriptive commentary	"When the surface moves the mountains are made and in the future flattened, they are forced together forming mountains, valleys, and small crevices."

Component 3

Look at the map below. The mountains in the Pinnacles National Monument and the mountains at Tejon Pass were once located next to each other and were part of the same mountain range. Now they are separated by over 240 kilometers (km).

Item: Using the data from your investigation, explain how the mountains at Pinnacles National Monument and the mountains at Tejon Pass were separated from each other.

Item Description: To assess student understanding of plate movement and geological/geomorphic processes that explain the evolution of the earth, i.e.,plate movement occurs over a period of time along plate boundaries.

Score Levels	General Description	Scoring Parameter Indicators	Example
4	Specific, detailed, and correct	Description of movements of plates as they slide past one another are specific, detailed, and correct (movement, mountains once together, direction). Uses appropriate scientific terms. Communicates that plate movement occurs over a period of time and along plate boundaries. No misconceptions. (Mountains were connected at one time.) Refers to data from lab. If a picture is included it must be accurately drawn and labeled.	"The bottom part of California's plate probably moved. The part that was Southwest of the fault line was what moved. The plate was once more Southeast. The Pinnacles were right next to the Tejon Pass, but the plate moved Northwest until it stopped the way it is now. The plates slid past each other like the plates in our experiment."
3	Adequate and correct	Descriptions of movements of plates are adequate and correct (plate edges, movement, mountains once together). May include some minor misconceptions. If a picture is included it may include partial labels.	"Over millions of years the two plates have been rubbing together at a fault moving slowly down, separating from each other."
2	Limited	Descriptions of movements of plates as they slide past one another are limited. (May mention multiple earthquakes as a reason.) May include misconceptions (like southward motion of North American plate).	"The earthquake on the fault line runs right between them. It probably faulted, causing them to become separate."
1	Major misconceptions	Description includes major misconceptions. Uses minimal descriptive commentary	"Moving faults sliding past one another."