8th Grade Performance Task
Contributed by: New York State Education Department (NYSED)
NYS Alternative Assessment in Science Project (1996)
Description:
Students will determine the presence of starch and
sugar in unknown solutions.
This task assesses students' abilities to observe,
record and interpret data, classify, generalize/infer, construct
data tables, and identify sugar and starch solutions.
This task is designed to take students approximately
10-15 minutes to complete.
Overall Task Content Area:
-
Physical Science
Specific Knowledge Areas:
-
Properties and changes of properties in matter
Performance Expectations:
- conducting investigations
- using equipment
- gathering, organizing, and representing data
- formulating conclusions from investigational data
- applying scientific principles to develop explanations and solve
new problems
National Science Education Standards:
8 A SI 1: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry:
Grades 5-8
1.3 Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze,
and interpret data. The use of tools and techniques, including mathematics,
will be guided by the question asked and the investigations students
design. The use of computers for the collection, summary, and display
of evidence is part of this standard. Students should be able to
access, gather, store, retrieve, and organize data, using hardware
and software designed for these purposes.
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.
8 B PS 1: Properties and changes of properties in matter:
Grades 5-8
1.1 A substance has characteristic properties, such as density,
a boiling point, and solubility, all of which are independent of
the amount of the sample. A mixture of substances often can be separated
into the original substances using one or more of the characteristic
properties.
(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
PS2: Solve problems that arise in mathematics
and in other contexts:
Grades 6-8
General Instructions to the Teacher:
This task is designed to take approximately 10-15
minutes to complete.
Students will be working individually during this
exercise.
Students should be ready to work as soon as the
period begins. The materials should be set out at each lab station,
if possible. A central supply area, if needed, should be easily
accessible. All supplies should be clearly labeled.
Materials for "Starch and Sugar Testing 1":
At each station students should have:
- dropper bottles labeled A, B, and C
- dropper bottle with iodine
- glucose test strip/stick
- laminated test card or transparency test card
- waste container (cup or small pail)
- wax paper
- paper towels
- safety goggles
Advance Preparation:
- Glucose and starch solutions can be obtained from a science
supply company.
- Put glucose solutions in bottles A and B.
- Put starch solutions in bottle C.
- Glucose test strips/stick can be obtained from a science supply
company or a drugstore.
- Keep the glucose strips away from the iodine solution. The
fumes will turn the strips black or green.
- Be sure to test glucose and starch solutions before using
them with the students
- The glucose and starch solutions can be diluted two or three
times. They will be more effective than full strength.
- Wax paper should be cut to fit over the test card. This will
keep the test card from becoming contaminated. If using transparency
test card be sure to discard when each student is finished.
Safety:
- Students must wear safety goggles when working with iodine
solution.
- 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.
Modifications/Extensions:
- Glucose test tape is no longer manufactured. You may use glucose
test strips/sticks found at a drugstore. These are quite expensive
so a teacher demo may be more appropriate.
- To do a Teacher Demo you might use an overhead projector with
a transparency sheet marked with three circles marked "A",
"B", and "C". The students could then check
the color on the glucose strips as well as see the iodine change
when the materials were added.
- There is also Starch and Sugar 2, with a different degree
of structure.
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