PBL: INVENT A SPECIES

Transcription

1 PBL: INVENT A SPECIES Group directions Group Name Group Members Project Prompt Invent a species. Task As a group you have the opportunity to invent a new species. Where did your species come from and how did it evolve? What skills and abilities does it have? What are the connections between the trends that led to its survival, its current ecosystem, and its characteristics and adaptations? What is its familial structure and location in the food web? How would your species impact other things, both biologically and socially? The development of your species must be grounded in scientific thought and reason. Evidence gathered from multiple sources must support the key features and descriptions of your species. Final deliverables are due on: Deliverables A. A built model of your new species (physical or digital) B. A Wikipedia entry about your new species C. A presentation about your new species A. Model This is a built model of your species. Be creative. Make sure your model demonstrates at least six key features of your species. The model can be physical or digital. Physical models must be built from scratch (for example, you cannot alter a doll that you bought) and durable enough to withstand presentations and transportation. B. Wikipedia Entry This is a written document that describes your species. Design it similar to a Wikipedia page. Your information must contain supporting evidence that clearly, concisely, and logically follows a line of reasoning. Your Wikipedia page will include: 1. An image or photo 2. An introductory description BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 10

2 3. Details about the categories below. You must include all five categories as well as a cohesive summary that clarifies the relationships among the categories. a. Etymology (origin) and Definition b. History and Evolution Could include but is not limited to the following topics: i. Environmental trends that lead to survival ii. Current ecosystem iii. Characteristics, attributes, and adaptations c. Habitat and Population Could include but is not limited to the following topics: i. Familial structure ii. Location in the food web d. Biology Could include but is not limited to the following topics: i. Anatomy and physiology ii. Life cycle iii. Diet e. Impact on the Earth 4. Sources (properly cited) Make sure you use claim testers (logic, evidence, authority, intuition) to validate each source. C. Presentation As a group, you will give an eight-minute presentation to the class about your species. The presentation will be directly followed by a four-minute question-and-answer (Q&A) session. Every group member must speak in the presentation. Prepare visuals aids as needed. Consult the Presentation Rubric as you prepare. Timeline and Checkpoints As a group, use the template below to plan how you will complete all the deliverables by the due dates. Your teacher will sign off on each checkpoint. You must complete each checkpoint it will be factored into your final grade. Everyone in your group will receive the same grade for the overall project; each individual will also receive points for collaboration. A. Group decision about the species and its key features Date due: B. Draft model plan Date due: C. Draft of Wikipedia page Date due: BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 11

3 Resources 2 Remember to use claim testers (logic, evidence, authority, intuition) to validate each source. Books 1. Last Ape Standing, by Chip Walter 2. A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking 3. The 10,000 Year Explosion: How Civilization Accelerated Human Evolution, by Gregory Cochran and Henry Harpending 4. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley 5. Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell Articles 1. Daily Galaxy, Are We Close to Creating Super Humans? A Galaxy Insight 2. Wikipedia page on humans 3. The Wall Street Journal, Humans: Why They Triumphed 4. An Overdue Family Reunion, by Stephanie Guzik 5. National Geographic, Species Hunt Websites 1. Humanity+ is an international nonprofit membership organization that advocates the ethical use of technology to expand human capacities 2. All About the Human Genome Project (HGP), the National Human Genome Research Institute 3. The Top 10 New Species Encyclopedia of Life 5. Science Daily New Species News 6. The Telegraph Earth Picture Galleries New Species Found: Walking Catfish, Beelzebub Bat and Two-legged Lizard 2 You may draw from any Big History Project resources, the resources provided here, or any resources that you find in your own research. BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 12

4 Videos 1. Juan Enriquez: Will Our Kids Be a Different Species? 2. Spencer Wells Builds a Family Tree for Humanity html Scientific Journal Articles 1. Adaptive Evolution of a Key Phytoplankton Species to Ocean Acidification 2. Impacts of Climate Change on the Future of Biodiversity 3. Human Enhancement, Evolution and Lifespan: Evolving Towards Immortality? 4. The Genomic Impact of 100 Million Years of Social Evolution in Seven Ant Species BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 13

5 PBL: INVENT A SPECIES Kickoff Directions Read these short articles and then brainstorm your initial ideas about what species you ll invent. Mysterious Extinction From: Holding a shark jaw inside a model of a megalodon jaw Megalodon Between 28 million and 1.5 million years ago, megalodon ruled Earth s oceans. This terrifyingly large shark, which dined on giant whales with its seven-inch (18-cm)-long teeth, reached a maximum length of over 60 feet and weighed as much as 100 tons. For comparison, great white sharks megalodon s closest living relative rarely reach the 20-foot (6-m) mark. So what could cause a monster at the top of the food chain to sputter out of existence? Theories abound. One idea posits that megalodon couldn t handle the oceanic cooling and sea-level drops that came with the ice ages of the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene epochs. Another explanation ties the shark s demise to the disappearance of the giant whales it fed on. BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 14

6 Lifesaving Adaptations From: Koala mother with young Koala Koalas have adapted to eat only the leaves of eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus trees are very low in protein and are toxic to many animal species. Being able to digest eucalyptus leaves is an adaptation that benefits the koala by providing it a food source for which there is little competition. What s Next for Humans? From: An illustration of human evolution Can humans survive themselves? What does the future have in store for the human race? Evolution, as the past 4 billion years has repeatedly illustrated, holds an endless supply of tricks up its long and ancient sleeve. Anything is possible, given enough millennia. Inevitably the forces of natural selection will require us to branch out into differentiated versions of our current selves, like so many Galápagos finches assuming, that is, that we have enough time to leave our evolution to our genes. BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 15

7 These single-celled prokaryotic organisms often live in extreme environmental conditions. Once considered to be Bacteria, these microorganisms are now recognized as a separate domain of life. Pyrococcus furiosus This species of Archaea, found in extremely hot conditions near hydrothermal vents, thrives at temperatures between 158 F and 217 F ( C). In addition to its unique habitat, P. furiosus is also unusual for having enzymes containing tungsten, a very rare element in living organisms. Taxonomy is the science of naming and classifying different life forms. Oral traditions of taxonomy predate writing and were first used when human ancestors described different food sources, predators, and medicinal or poisonous plants. The advent of writing enabled more detailed, recorded taxonomies. BCE BCE Chinese Emperor Shen Nung tests hundreds of herbs for medicinal value. Yersinia pestis KIM Yersinia pestis Medievalis Photorhabdus luminescens Buchnera aphidicola Sg Buchnera aphidicola APS Buchnera aphidicola Bp Wigglesworthia brevipalpis Blochmannia floridanus Haemophilus influenzae Pasteurella multocida Haemophilus ducreyi gella fl put AeroS BCE Egyptian wall paintings and preserved scrolls classify different plant species by name This domain includes all of the plants, animals, and fungi, and some single-celled organisms. Eukaryotes are distinguished by their complex cells, which contain a membrane-enclosed nucleus BCE Greek philosopher Aristotle launches the western tradition of taxonomy by classifying plants and animals by their size, habitat, and methods of reproduction Swiss scholar Conrad von Gesner publishes a five-volume compendium of then-known life forms in the 1550s French botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort classifies about 9,000 species in 698 genera. The creatures most familiar to us, animals, are members of the same kingdom. Mosquito Pufferfish Roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans Caenorhabditis briggsae A single-celled organism living more than 3.5 BYA American microbiologist Carl Woese defines the Archaea as separate domain of life, introducing the three-domain system used today Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus publishes The System of Nature in 1735, becoming the father of modern taxonomy. Linnaeus placed humans among the primates and used binomial nomenclature to classify us as Homo sapiens. Solibacter usitatus Acidobacterium capsulatum Red Junglefowl HOMINIDS Great Apes Mouse Chimpanzee Our species, primates in the Animalia kingdom of the Eukaryota, is thought to have first evolved in Africa about 200,000 years ago. Genetically, our closest living relative is the chimpanzee. Solibacter usitatus Scientists refer to a specific life form using its Genus and species classifications. This naming technique is called binomial nomenclature. Eukaryota Animalia Chordata Mammalia Proboscidea Elephantidae Elephas Maximus These single-celled prokaryotic organisms were among the first life forms to appear on Earth. Often spherical, rod-like, or spiral in shape, these microorganisms function without a membrane-enclosed cell nucleus. GENUS SPECIES This deadly bacteria infected hundreds of thousands of Streptococcus agalactiae Streptococcus pyogenes M1 Streptococcus pyogenes MGAS8232 Streptococcus pyogenes MGAS315 Streptococcus pyogenes SSI 1 Fibrobacter succinogenes Chlorobium tepidum Porphyromonas gingivalis Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron Chlamydia muridarum Chlamydia trachomatis people and animals every year until a vaccine was developed by Louis Pasteur in This phylogenetic tree of life uses genome sequencing data to map the relationships between 191 different species in the three domains of life: Eukaryota, Bacteria, and Archaea. All life on Earth shares one common ancestor, and is thought to include between 10 million and 30 million different species. Caenorhabditis briggsae Solibacter usitatus Porphyromonas gingivalis Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron Fibrobacter succinogenes Chlorobium tepidum Chlamydia muridarum Chlamydia trachomatis STUDENT MATERIALS Chlamydophila caviae Chlamydophila pneumoniae TW183 a estris xonopodis fastidiosa 9a5c lella fastidiosa Coxiella burnetii TAXONOMY THE Initial ideas TREE OF LIFE Species are always adapting and evolving. Where is your new species on the tree of life? Add a branch that demonstrates what other species it s related to and when it evolved. Bordetella bronchiseptica Bordetella parapertussis Bordetella pertussis Ralstonia solanacearum Neisseria meningitidis B Neisseria meningitidis A Chromobacterium violaceum TAXONOMY THE TREE OF LIFE ARCHAEA These single-celled prokaryotic organisms often live in extreme environmental conditions. Once considered to be Bacteria, these microorganisms are now recognized as a separate domain of life Nitrosomonas europaea Brucella melitensis Shigella flexneri 2a 2457T ShiNanoarchaeum equitans Escherichia coli K12 Escherichia coli O6 Escherichia coli O157:H7 Escherichia coli EDL933 Salmonella typhi Salmonella enterica Salmonella typhimurium Yersinia pestis CO92 Vibrio vulnificus CMCP6 Vibrio vulnificus YJ016 Vibrio parahaemolyticus Vibrio cholerae Photobacterium profundum Shewanella oneiden Pseudomonas syrin Pyrobaculum aerophilum exneri 2a 301 Pseudomonas aerugin Pyrococcus furiosus Methanosarcina mazei Methanosarcina acetivorans Halobacterium sp. NRC 1 Archaeoglobus fulgidus Thermoplasma acidophilum oplasma volcanium obus solfataricus ulfolobus tokodaii pyrum pernix Coxiella burnetii Bordetella bronchiseptica Bordetella parapertussis Bordetella pertussis Ralstonia solanacearum Neisseria meningitidis B Neisseria meningitidis A This domain includes all of the plants, animals, and fungi, and some single-celled organisms. Eukaryotes are distinguished by their complex EUKARYOTA cells, which contain a membrane-enclosed nucleus. Chromobacterium violaceum Pyrococcus horikoshii Nitrosomonas europaea Animalia Fungi Amoebozoa Plantae Archaeplastida Chromalveolata Excavata Methanobacterium thermautotrophicum A 1516 BRIEF HISTORY OF TAXONOMY Swiss scholar Conrad French botanist Joseph von Gesner publishes a Pitton de Tournefort five-volume compendium of then-known life forms in the 1550s. Pyrococcus abyssi Brucella melitensis Brucella suis Methanopyrus kandleri Rhizobium loti Methanococcus maripaludi Agrobacterium tumefaciens WashU Methanococcus jannaschii Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 Cereon Rhizobium meliloti Giardia lamblia Bradyrhizobium japonicum Leishmania major Thalassiosira pseudonana Rhodopseudomonas palustris Caulobacter crescentus Cryptosporidium hominis classifies about 9, species in 698 genera. BHP Unit 5, The Tree of Life infographic Rickettsia conorii Plasmodium falciparum Rickettsia prowazekii Cyanidioschyzon merolae Pyrococcus furiosus Methanosarcina mazei Methanosarcina acetivorans Halobacterium sp. NRC 1 Archaeoglobus fulgidus Thermoplasma acidophilum Thermoplasma volcanium Sulfolobus solfataricus Sulfolobus tokodaii Aeropyrum pernix Pyrobaculum aerophilum Nanoarchaeum equitans Shigella flexneri 2a 301 Shigella flexneri 2a 2457T Escherichia coli K12 Escherichia coli O6 Escherichia coli O157:H7 Escherichia coli EDL933 Salmonella typhi Salmonella enterica Salmonella typhimurium Yersinia pestis CO92 Yersinia pestis KIM Yersinia pestis Medievalis Photorhabdus luminescens Brucella suis Rhizobium loti Agrobacterium tumefaciens WashU Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 Cereon Rhizobium meliloti Bradyrhizobium japonicum Rhodopseudomonas palustris Caulobacter crescentus Rickettsia conorii Rickettsia prowazekii Wolbachia sp. wmel Helicobacter pylori Animalia Fungi Amoebozoa Plantae Archaeplastida Wolbachia sp. wmel Oryza sativa Helicobacter pylori Arabidopsis thaliana Pyrococcus horikoshii Helicobacter pylori J99 Dictyostelium discoideum Helicobacter hepaticus Schizosaccharomyces pombe Wolinella succinogenes Eremothecium gossypii Campylobacter jejuni Saccharomyces cerevisiae Chromalveolata Excavata Helicobacter pylori J99 Methanobacterium thermautotrophicum Pyrococcus abyssi Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus Geobacter sulfurreducens Desulfovibrio vulgaris Anopheles gambiae Methanopyrus kandleri Drosophila melanogaster MIT9313 Takifugu rubripes LUCA LAST UNIVERSAL COMMON ANCESTOR Danio rerio Methanococcus maripaludi Synechococcus sp. WH8102 Gallus gallus SS12 CCMP1378 Rattus norvegicus Methanococcus jannaschii Mus musculus Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 Homo sapiens Nostoc sp. PCC 712 Pan troglodytes Giardia lamblia Synechococcus elongatus Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis Gloeobacter violaceus Clostridium acetobutylicum Deinococcus radiodurans Clostridium tetani Leishmania major Thermus thermophilus Humans Homo sapiens Clostridium perfringens Dehalococcoides ethenogenes Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris Thermotoga maritima Mycoplasma mycoides Thalassiosira pseudonana Aquifex aeolicus Mycoplasma mobile Mycoplasma pulmonis Ureaplasma parvum Cryptosporidium hominis Helicobacter hepaticus Wolinella succinogenes Campylobacter jejuni Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus Geobacter sulfurreducens Desulfovibrio vulgaris Mycoplasma penetrans Mycobacterium bovis Mycobacterium tuberculosis CDC1551 Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv Fusobacterium nucleatum Mycoplasma gallissepticum Mycoplasma pneumoniae Plasmodium falciparum Mycobacterium leprae Mycoplasma genitalium 1977 American microbiologist Carl Woese defines the Archaea as separate domain of life, introducing the three-domain system used today. Acidobacterium capsulatum MIT9313 Staphylococcus epidermidis Staphylococcus aureus MW2 Staphylococcus aureus N315 Staphylococcus aureus Mu BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus publishes The Domain ASIAN ELEPHANT System of Nature Kingdom 1735, becoming the Phylum father of Class modern taxonomy. Order Linnaeus placed humans Family among the Genus primates and used binomial Elephas maximus Species nomenclature to classify us as Homo sapiens. Listeria innocua Listeria monocytogenes F2365 Listeria monocytogenes EGD-e Oceanobacillus iheyensis Bacillus halodurans Bacillus subtilis Bacillus anthracis Bacillus cereus ATCC Bacillus cereus ATCC Lactobacillus johnsonii Lactobacillus plantarum Enterococcus faecalis Lactococcus lactis Streptococcus pneumoniae R6 Streptococcus pneumoniae TIGR4 Streptococcus mutans Streptococcus agalactiae II Chlamydophila caviae Chlamydophila pneumoniae TW183 Chlamydophila pneumoniae J138 Chlamydophila pneumoniae CWL02 Chlamydophila pneumoniae AR39 Gemmata obscuriglobus Rhodopirellula baltica Leptospira interrogans L1 130 Leptospira interrogans Borrelia burgdorferi Treponema pallidum Treponema denticola Bifidobacterium longum Tropheryma whipplei TW08/27 Tropheryma whipplei Twist Streptomyces avermitilis Streptomyces coelicolor Corynebacterium diphtheriae Corynebacterium efficiens Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC Corynebacterium glutamicum Mycobacterium paratuberculosis Cyanidioschyzon merolae Synechococcus sp. WH8102 SS12 Oryza sativa CCMP1378 Arabidopsis thaliana BACTERIA Dictyostelium discoideum Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 Anthrax Bacillus anthracis Nostoc sp. PCC 712 Schizosaccharomyces pombe Eremothecium gossypii Synechococcus elongatus Gloeobacter violaceus Saccharomyces cerevisiae The creatures most familiar to us, animals, are members of the same kingdom. Deinococcus radiodurans Roundworm Thermus thermophilus Caenorhabditis elegans Dehalococcoides ethenogenes Mosquito Thermotoga maritima Anopheles gambiae Aquifex aeolicus Drosophila melanogaster Pufferfish Takifugu rubripes Danio rerio Gallus gallus Red Junglefowl Rattus norvegicus Mus musculus Mouse Homo sapiens Pan troglodytes Chimpanzee Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis Clostridium acetobutylicum Clostridium tetani Humans Homo sapiens Our species, primates in the Animalia kingdom of the Eukaryota, is thought to have first evolved in Africa about 200,000 years ago. Genetically, our closest living relative is the chimpanzee. Clostridium perfringens Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris Mycoplasma mycoides Mycoplasma mobile Mycoplasma pulmonis Ureaplasma parvum BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION Scientists refer to a specific life form HOMINIDS using its Great Apes Genus and species classifications. This naming technique is called binomial nomenclature. Domain Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species Mycobacterium bovis Mycobacterium tuberculosis CDC1551 Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv Fusobacterium nucleatum Mycobacterium leprae Eukaryota Animalia Chordata Mammalia Proboscidea Elephantidae Elephas Maximus ASIAN ELEPHANT Mycoplasma penetrans Mycoplasma gallissepticum Elephas maximus GENUS Chlamydophila pneumoniae J138 Chlamydophila pneumoniae CWL02 Chlamydophila pneumoniae AR39 Gemmata obscuriglobus Rhodopirellula baltica Leptospira interrogans L1 130 Leptospira interrogans Borrelia burgdorferi Treponema pallidum Treponema denticola Bifidobacterium longum Tropheryma whipplei TW08/27 Tropheryma whipplei Twist Streptomyces avermitilis Streptomyces coelicolor Corynebacterium diphtheriae Corynebacterium efficiens Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC Corynebacterium glutamicum Mycobacterium paratuberculosis This phylogenetic tree of life uses genome sequencing data to map the relationships between 191 different species in the three domains of life: Eukaryota, Bacteria, and Archaea. All life on Earth shares one common ancestor, and is thought to include between 10 million and 30 million different species. SPECIES Mycoplasma pneumoniae Mycoplasma genitalium Staphylococcus epidermidis Staphylococcus aureus MW2 Staphylococcus aureus N315 Staphylococcus aureus Mu50 Listeria innocua Listeria monocytogenes F2365 Listeria monocytogenes EGD-e Oceanobacillus iheyensis Bacillus halodurans Bacillus subtilis Bacillus anthracis Bacillus cereus ATCC Bacillus cereus ATCC Lactobacillus johnsonii Lactobacillus plantarum Enterococcus faecalis Lactococcus lactis Streptococcus pneumoniae R6 Streptococcus pneumoniae TIGR4 Streptococcus mutans Streptococcus agalactiae II Streptococcus agalactiae Streptococcus pyogenes M1 Streptococcus pyogenes MGAS8232 Buchnera aphidicola Sg Buchnera aphidicola APS Buchnera aphidicola Bp Wigglesworthia brevipalpis Blochmannia floridanus Haemophilus influenzae Next, write five statements about this new species. You could include your thoughts about origin, evolution, skills, abilities, knowledge, society, technology, LUCA inventions, and culture. Streptococcus pyogenes MGAS315 Streptococcus pyogenes SSI 1 Fibrobacter succinogenes Chlorobium tepidum Porphyromonas gingivalis Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron Pasteurella multocida Haemophilus ducreyi Vibrio vulnificus CMCP6 Vibrio vulnificus YJ016 Vibrio parahaemolyticus Vibrio cholerae Photobacterium profundum Shewanella oneidensis Pseudomonas syringae Pseudomonas putida Pseudomonas aeruginosa 3. Xanthomonas campestris Xanthomonas axonopodis Xylella fastidiosa 9a5c Xylella fastidiosa Coxiella burnetii Bordetella bronchiseptica Bordetella parapertussis Bordetella pertussis Ralstonia solanacearum Neisseria meningitidis B Neisseria meningitidis A Chromobacterium violaceum Nitrosomonas europaea Brucella melitensis Brucella suis Rhizobium loti Agrobacterium tumefaciens WashU Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 Cereon Rhizobium meliloti Bradyrhizobium japonicum Rhodopseudomonas palustris Caulobacter crescentus Rickettsia conorii Rickettsia prowazekii Wolbachia sp. wmel Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter pylori J99 Helicobacter hepaticus Wolinella succinogenes Campylobacter jejuni Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus Geobacter sulfurreducens Desulfovibrio vulgaris Acidobacterium capsulatum MIT9313 Synechococcus sp. WH8102 SS12 CCMP1378 Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 Nostoc sp. PCC 712 Synechococcus elongatus Gloeobacter violaceus Deinococcus radiodurans Thermus thermophilus Dehalococcoides ethenogenes Thermotoga maritima Aquifex aeolicus Mycobacterium bovis Mycobacterium tuberculosis CDC1551 Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv Fusobacterium nucleatum Mycobacterium leprae Chlamydia muridarum Chlamydia trachomatis Chlamydophila caviae Chlamydophila pneumoniae TW183 Chlamydophila pneumoniae J138 Chlamydophila pneumoniae CWL02 Chlamydophila pneumoniae AR39 Gemmata obscuriglobus Rhodopirellula baltica Leptospira interrogans L1 130 Leptospira interrogans Borrelia burgdorferi Treponema pallidum Treponema denticola Bifidobacterium longum Tropheryma whipplei TW08/27 Tropheryma whipplei Twist Streptomyces avermitilis Streptomyces coelicolor Corynebacterium diphtheriae Corynebacterium efficiens Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC Corynebacterium glutamicum Mycobacterium paratuberculosis BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 16 BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION Scientists refer to a specific life form using its Genus and species classifications. This naming technique is called binomial nomenclature.

8 PBL: INVENT A SPECIES Project Checklist Project Component Notes Score Possible Score Checkpoint: Group decisions about the species and its key features Checkpoint: Draft model plan Checkpoint: Draft of Wikipedia page Wikipedia Entry Note: Evaluated with Writing Rubric Built Model of Species Presentation Score Collaboration Score Note: to be adjusted down if peer-review requirements are not met. Total Score BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 17

9 Informational Writing Rubric Description Below Standard (1) Approaching Standard (2) At Standard (3) Above Standard (4) Focus Does not have an identifiable topic. Presents minimal ideas and concepts. Has an unclear topic. Presents some ideas and concepts. Focuses on a topic to inform a reader with ideas and concepts. Focuses on an interesting topic that informs the reader with ideas and concepts. Development & Support Contains limited facts and examples related to the topic. Does not include a conclusion. Provides facts, definitions, details, quotations, and examples that attempt to develop and explain the topic. Conclusion restats the development. Provides relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, and examples that develop and explain the topic. Conclusion ties to and supports the information. Provides effective facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, and examples that sufficiently develop and explain the topic. Conclusion lays out the implications, significance, and future relevance of the topic. Audience Lacks an awareness of the audience s knowledge level and needs. Shows an inconsistent awareness of the audience s knowledge level and needs. Considers the audience s knowledge level and concerns about the claim. Addresses the needs of the audience. Anticipates the audience s knowledge level and concerns about the topic. Addresses the specific needs of the audience. Cohesion Contains few, if any, words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text. Does not connect topic and examples and/or facts. Contains limited words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text. Attempts to connect topic and examples and/or facts. Uses words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text. Connects topic and examples and/or facts. Skillfully uses words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text. Identifies the relationship between topic and examples and/or facts. Language and Conventions Takes an informal tone and shows limited or inconsistent awareness of topic-specific vocabulary. Contains multiple grammatical errors. Takes a formal tone but shows limited awareness of topicspecific vocabulary. Includes some grammatical errors. Takes a formal, objective tone and uses precise language and topic-specific vocabulary. Includes proper grammar and follows preferred formatting (e.g., MLA, APA). Takes an appropriately formal, objective tone and uses relevant language and topic-specific vocabulary. Uses proper grammar and follows preferred formatting (e.g., MLA, APA). BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 18

10 Presentation Rubric Description Below Standard (1) Approaching Standard (2) At Standard (3) Above Standard (4) Explanation of Ideas & Information Does not present information, arguments, ideas, or findings clearly, concisely, or logically. Lacks supporting evidence. Has a line of reasoning that is difficult to follow. Uses information that is not in line with the overall purpose. Does not consider alternate perspectives. Presents information, arguments, ideas, or findings in ways that are not always clear, concise, or logical. Argument is supported by partial evidence. Has a line of reasoning that is sometimes difficult to follow. Uses information that is only sometimes in line with the overall purpose. Attempts to consider and address alternative perspectives but does not do so completely. Presents information, arguments, ideas, or findings clearly, concisely, or logically. Is well-supported by evidence. Has a line of reasoning that is easy to follow. Clearly and completely addresses alternative or opposing perspectives. Does an exceptional job presenting information, arguments, ideas, or findings clearly, concisely, and logically. Is well-supported with relevant, and interesting evidence. The line of reasoning is logical, easy to follow, well crafted, and uses information that is in line with the overall purpose. Clearly and completely addresses relevant alternative or opposing perspectives. Organization Does not meet the presentation guidelines. Does not have a proper introduction or conclusion. Does not use time allotted (i.e., too long or too short). Meets most requirements for the presentation guidelines. Has a proper introduction and conclusion, but they are not clear or interesting. Uses the time allotted, but does not divide up that time logically (i.e., uses too little or too much time on a topic or idea). Meets all presentation guidelines. Had a proper introduction that is clear and logical. Uses the time allotted well and has organized the time appropriately. Meets all presentation guidelines and is particularly interesting and thoughtfully organized. Has an introduction that hooks the audience and a conclusion that incites questions and further interest. Organizes and uses times effectively. Eyes, Body, and Voice Does not look at the audience or make eye contact. Lacks poise (appears nervous, fidgety, slouchy). Speaks in a way that is hard to understand. Makes infrequent eye contact with the audience. Shows some poise (limited fidgeting, nervousness, etc.). Speaks clearly most of the time, but may be difficult to understand or hear at times. Keeps eye contact with the audience most of the time only glances at notes or slides. Shows poise and confidence. Speaks clearly and is easy to understand. Keeps eye contact with the audience throughout. Show exceptional poise and confidence. Speaks clearly, and is interesting to listen to. Response to Audience Questions Does not directly address the questions, goes off topic. Answers audience questions, but not always completely and clearly. Answers questions clearly and completely. Freely admits not knowing the answer to a question. Answers clearly and completely and provides relevant details. Admits not knowing the answer to a question, and provides ideas for finding answers. BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 19

11 Collaboration Rubric Directions: Give yourself and each member of your group a score from the Collaboration Rubric. Your teacher will use these scores as part of each group member s individual score for the project. If you need more rows for additional group members, use the back of this sheet. Below Standard (1) Approaching Standard (2) At Standard (3) Above Standard (4) This group member does not complete project tasks or does not complete tasks on time. He/she does not help the group solve problems, give useful feedback, or use feedback from others. The group member does not show respect for group mates (e.g., interrupting, ignoring ideas, being unkind). This group member is sometimes prepared to work with the group. This group member does project tasks when reminded and sometimes completes tasks on time. He/she sometimes offers to help others, sometimes shares ideas, and is usually polite and kind to group mates. This group member completes tasks without being reminded and uses feedback from others. He/she helps the group solve problems and stay organized, and listens carefully to group mates. This person is polite and kind. This group member does more than what is required and asks for feedback to improve his/her work. He/she steps in to help other group members when they are absent or need help, and he/ she encourages group mates to share ideas by recognizing and promoting everyone s strengths. Name Score Why did you choose this score? Your Name: Group Member s Name: Group Member s Name: Group Member s Name: Adapted from the Buck Institute Collaboration Rubric. BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 20

12 SAMPLE PEER-REVIEW PROCESSES Peer review is a useful tool in the classroom and serves multiple purposes for learning. It can help both you and your students. For you, it helps ensure that you receive a high-quality final product. In addition, peer review helps ensure that you cover CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W For your students, it will help them better understand the writing and revision process, as well as orient them to their product requirements. As you introduce the peer-review process, remind students of the roles that they take as a part of this process: Writer as a writer, peer review is a low-risk way to find out how well your writing is working. Are you conveying your message? Are you supporting your assertions with scientific evidence? Are you crafting a clear and cogent argument? Reviewer as a reviewer, you have the opportunity to see what someone else is doing in the context of your assignment. Not only does this help remind you of and orient you to the required elements of your assignment, it also helps you critically and constructively evaluate how a writer might improve his or her writing skills. Directions There are multiple ways to conduct a peer review. If you have class norms established around peer review, feel free to use those. Here are two alternative suggestions: Group peer review, which we suggest using in the context of the Invent a Species project Individual peer review, which is better suited for smaller group or individual writing projects, such as the How many people could Earth support now and 100 years from now? project Remember, these can be altered to fit the needs of your class. There are also a multitude of suggestions online. Two useful search terms are Peer-Review Processes and Writing Workshop Peer Review. 1 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1 3 up to and including grades 9 10 here.) BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 21

13 I. Group Peer Review Advanced Preparation Make sure each group provides enough copies of its draft to share with another group of students. Copies of the Writing Rubric. Copies of the Feedback Table (at the end of this document). Post the directions somewhere in the room that is highly visible to students. Process 1. Explain to students that you are going to peer-review one another s work. Remind them of the importance of their roles. 2. Hand out the Feedback Table and the Writing Rubric and remind students that they will be using both documents to evaluate one another s work. They will write constructive feedback on the table and they will use the Writing Rubric as a checklist. 3. If needed, have a discussion about respectful evaluation and constructive criticism. 4. Then, pair up the groups. 5. Post the following directions in your classroom and review with the students. It s helpful if you set a timer to monitor their process and direct them when to move. This will take about 20 to 25 minutes. a. Groups A and B work silently to assess each other s drafts using the Writing Rubric while taking notes on the Feedback Table (5 minutes). b. Group A shares its feedback. Each person in Group A should share one thing he/ she liked and one thing that could use improvement (3 minutes). c. Group B asks Group A short clarifying questions about its feedback (3 minutes). d. Groups discuss together what Group B might do to improve its final product (5 minutes). e. Group B shares its feedback. Each person in Group B should share one thing he/ she liked and one thing that could use improvement (3 minutes). f. Group A asks Group B short clarifying questions about its feedback (3 minutes). g. Groups discuss together what Group A might do to improve its final product (5 minutes). h. Groups exchange rubrics. 6. Give the groups the rest of the class period to plan and decide what feedback they ll incorporate from the peer review. BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 22

14 II. Individual Peer Review Advanced Preparation Make sure each student brings an extra copy of his or her draft to share with a group of students. Copies of the Writing Rubric. Copies of the Feedback Table (at the end of this document). Post the directions somewhere in the room that is highly visible to students. If you re working on the How many people could Earth support now and 100 years from now? project, decide in advance if you will keep student pairs together or split them up. Students will likely gain more if they peer-review someone who isn t their partner. Process 1. Silent work a. In pairs, each reads the other s draft through once, without taking notes or thinking about the rubrics. b. Each student writes a two- to three-sentence summary of the other student s writing. If the piece is difficult to summarize, knowing this will be helpful to the writer. A wellwritten piece is fairly easy to summarize. c. Then, each student uses the Writing Rubric and the Feedback Table to start providing more pointed feedback. Do not copyedit. This process is intended to focus on the overall ideas and main points in the writing. Be positive AND constructive. 2. Discussion a. Student A shares his/her feedback. He/she should share at least two things he/she liked and two things that could use improvement (3 minutes). b. Student B asks Student A short clarifying questions about the feedback (3 minutes). c. The pair discuss what Student B might do to improve his/her final product (5 minutes). d. Student B shares his/her feedback. He/she should share at least two things he/ she liked and two things that could use improvement (3 minutes). e. Student A asks Student B short clarifying questions about his/her feedback (3 minutes). f. The pair discuss what Student A might do to improve his/her final product (5 minutes). g. Students A and B exchange rubrics 3. Reconvene in project pairs a. If you split up pairs, have them come together to share the feedback they received from the peer reviewers. b. Give students the rest of the class period to decide what feedback they will use and what changes they ll make to their written and project work. BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 23

15 PBL: FEEDBACK TABLE What did you like? What do you think could be improved? What questions came up? What ideas did you have? BIG HISTORY PROJECT / PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) 24