PALS - Administration Procedures

Run For Your Life

Administration Procedures

4th Grade Performance Task
New York State Alternative Assessment in Science Project (NYSED)
1996 Administration

Description:

After reading a story about a predatory event between a fox and a rabbit, the student will draw a picture to show the pattern of animal tracks a scientist might find in the area after the event.

The task assesses students' abilities to make generalized inferences from their reading, and apply their understanding.

This task is designed to take students approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.

Overall Task Content Area:

Life Science

Specific Knowledge Areas:

Creating Models

Using Clues/Inferring

Performance Expectations:

formulating conclusions from investigational data
applying scientific principles to develop explanations and solve new problems

National Science Education Standards:

4 A SI 1: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry: Grades K-4
1.5 Communicate investigations and explanations. Students should begin developing the abilities to communicate, critique, and analyze their work and the work of other students. This communication might be spoken or drawn as well as written.

4 C LS 3: Organisms and their environments: Grades K-4
3.2 An organism's patterns of behavior are related to the nature of that organism's environment, including the kinds and numbers of other organisms present, the availability of food and resources, and the physical characteristics of the environment. When the environment changes, some plants and animals survive and reproduce, and others die or move to new locations.

(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:

PS2: Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts:
Grades pre K-5

General Instructions to the Teacher:

This task is designed to take students approximately 15-20 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.

Materials for Run For Your Life:

At this station students should have:

Colored pencils or crayons
Piece of white drawing paper

Advance Preparation

On a table or desk, place a copy of the story, paper for drawing, and colored pencils or crayons.

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.

Extensions and/or Modifications:

Task does not easily lend itself to including mathematical criteria in the rubric.

Advanced Preparation Set Up:

Students will need directions and colored pencils for this task.