Grades 5-8 Performance Task
Contributed by: Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)
General Teacher Instructions:
Students will be working in groups of 4 for the experiment/activity
part of this exercise. The following suggestions are offered to facilitate
administration of the exercise.
- Students need to be ready to work as soon as the period begins.
- Group assignments should be made in advance.
- The materials should be set out at each lab station, if possible.
- A central supply area, if needed, should be easily accessible.
- The supply area should have any supplies from the kit that
were prepared by the teacher as well as all of the school-supplied
materials necessary for the experiment.
- All the supplies should be clearly labeled.
Materials in Kits:
- cardboard hygrometer stand, Parts A and B
- one 5" piece of hollow shoestring (wick)
- 2 small o-rings (for holding wick on bulb)
- 2 thermometers with Fahrenheit scales
Materials Supplied by School or Students:
- ice
- 50 ml of iced water
- water at room temperature
- narrow masking tape or Scotch tape
- two 100 ml beakers or equivalent paper, Styrofoam, or plastic
cups
- 1 pair of sharp pointed scissors
- paper towels
- stopwatch or clock
National Science Education Standards:
8 A SI 1: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry:
Grades 5-8
1.4 Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions,
and models using evidence. Students should base their explanation
on what they observed, and as they develop cognitive skills, they
should be able to differentiate explanation from description — providing
causes for effects and establishing relationships based on evidence
and logical argument. This standards requires a subject knowledge
base so the students can effectively conduct investigations, because
developing explanations establishes connections between the content
of science and the contexts within which students develop new knowledge.
1.8 Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry.
Mathematics is essential to asking and answering questions about
the natural world. Mathematics can be used to ask questions; to
gather, organize, and present data; and to structure convincing
explanations.
8 D ESS 1: Structure of the earth system: Grades 5-8
1.9 Clouds, formed by the condensation of water vapor, affect
weather and climate.
1.10 Global patterns of atmospheric movement influence local
weather. Oceans have a major effect on climate, because water in
the oceans holds a large amount of heat.
(Use the "hot" link on the PALS home page
to check the full text of related National Science Education Standards,
if desired.)
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics:
AL1: Understand patterns, relations and functions:
Grades 6-8 f. represent, analyze, and generalize a variety
of patterns with tables, graphs, words, and, when possible, symbolic
rules
MEAS1: Understand measurable attributes
of objects and the units, systems, and processes of measurement
:
Grades 6-8 k. understand relationships among units and convert
from one unit to another within the same system
PS2: Solve problems that arise in mathematics
and in other contexts:
Grades 6-8
REP1: Select, apply, and translate among
mathematical representations to solve problems:
Grades 6-8
Special Teacher Instruction:
- One batch of water that is used in this event should be at
room temperature. Therefore, 24 hours prior to the event, fill
a one gallon jug with tap water, and store the jug of water in
the room where the event will take place.
- Make sure that all parts that are listed on the teacher's and
students' materials list are available in the proper quantities.
- Just prior to the event, prepare a half gallon of ice water.
In addition, have another gallon of ice on hand for use during
the event.
Safety:
- Be careful.
- Teachers and students should always exercise appropriate safety
precautions and utilize appropriate laboratory safety procedures
and equipment when working on science performance tasks.
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