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Mapping the Blue Part
Task with Student Directions

8th Grade Performance Task
Contributed by: Kentucky Department of Education (KDE)

PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT STUDENT INSTRUCTION/RESPONSE FORM

TASK: M/S 1 "Mapping The Blue Part"

STUDENT NAME: _________________________________________

SCHOOL NAME: __________________________________________

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Your task is to deteremine the location of specific features of the simulated ocean floor. The features include the continental shelf, continental slope, an ocean trench, and mid-oceanic ridge.

You may use up to 20 minutes to complete the "Group Instructions" given below.

MATERIALS:

  • black box with simulated ocean floor and scale
  • height finder with sliding ring

GROUP INSTRUCTIONS:

You will have approximately 20 minutes to complete steps 1 through 3 as a group.

  1. Begin height readings by inserting the height finder at the coordinate (H-1). To determine the height, measure the distance (in centimeters) from the BOTTOM of the sliding ring to the TOP of the height finder by using the scale on the right side of the box. Each member of the group should record the measured height on his/her own grid.

  2. Continue taking and recording height reading for all of the points in column "H".

  3. When you have completed column "H", you are to take record height readings for all of the points in row "12".

After you finish steps 1 through 3, you will open this booklet and answer 4-7 on your own.


You will have approximately 25 minutes to complete questions 4-7 on your own.

  1. Using the data you have collected, produce graphs which represent a profile of the ocean floor.


  2. Thinking about the features of the ocean floor: continental shelf, continental slope, ocean trench, and mid-oceanic ridge. Using your readings, make a "map" of the ocean floor, identifying the possible locations of ocean floor features. Use the rectangle below for your map. Label the coordinates along the edges to show the location of these features. What additional readings would you take to verify your inferences (ideas)? Why would you take these readings?

     

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  3. What are some real life applications of mapping the ocean floor? What benefit could these applications provide?

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  4. If you were an oceanographer wanting information concerning the ocean floor would you use this method? Why or why not? What additional investigations would you use to map the ocean floor?

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