Los Angeles Unified School District Office of Curriculum, Instruction, and School Support INTERIM ASSESSMENT Grade 6 Science Instructional Component 1 2014-2015 Administration and Scoring Guide
ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES About this assessment: State of California adopted Next Generation Science Standards in September 2013. We are currently in the Awareness Phase in the transition to NGSS. Assessment items were developed based on the current California Science Standards (1998) and Common Core State Standards with Next Generation Science Standards in mind. These items were primarily based on the current California Science Standards therefore a correlation was made to the Disciplinary Core Ideas not to the Performance Expectations of NGSS. Item 1 Volcanic Eruptions Item 2 Plate Tectonics Item 3 Plate Boundaries Assessment Administration Procedures: The estimated administration time for each of the assessment items is 50 minutes. It is suggested that you administer the assessment with sufficient time to give the assessment to students who were absent and to score the items. You may select two of the three prompts provided to administer to your students, or you may have students select the two prompts that they would like to respond to. It is recommended that you provide paper for students to draft a response and you may use the template provided to publish the response. Read the assessment directions aloud to your students (see Instruction for Students below). Instructions for students: Teachers: Please read the following directions to your students: Today you are going to take a test that will show how well you know and understand the science content that was taught to you in the past few weeks. Either say Remember to choose and respond to only two of three items. You will respond to all the prompts. You may show your work on a separate sheet of paper. After the assessment: Students who are absent should take the assessment when they return. Please keep the assessment items for these students until the students return and can take the assessment. You may use the rubric and the answer key provided to score each item. 1
Item1: Volcanic Eruptions CA Science Standards- Grade 6 2d. Students know earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and floods change human and wildlife habitats. 1e. Students know major geologic events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building, result from plate motions. Common Core State Standards Connections ELA/Literacy: RST.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts WHST.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content Next Generation Science Standards Disciplinary Core Idea ESS 2 Earth s System ESS 2.A Earth Materials and Systems How do Earth s major systems interact? ESS2.B Plate Tectonics and large-scale system interactions Why do the continents move, and what causes earthquakes and volcanoes. 2
Item1: Volcanic Eruptions Rubric and Answer Key Score Content Scientific Vocabulary Elaboration of Evidence 4 -The response accurately provides two advantages and two disadvantages of living near a volcano - The response includes an excellent understanding of the cause of volcanic eruptions The response makes an excellent connection between earthquake activities and the increasing possibilities of volcanic eruptions thereafter The response accurately uses the majority of these terms earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, lava magma fault seismic waves subduction tectonic plates plate boundaries energy gas crust - mantle - convection The response provides thorough and convincing support/evidence for the writer s claim that includes the effective use of sources, facts, and details. The response achieves substantial depth that is specific and relevant: Use of evidence from sources is smoothly integrated, comprehensive, relevant, and concrete Effective use of a variety of elaborative 3 -The response accurately provides at least one advantage and one disadvantage of living near a volcano - The response includes a good understanding of the cause of volcanic eruptions The response makes a good connection between earthquake activities and the increasing possibilities of volcanic eruptions thereafter The response accurately uses some of these terms earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, lava magma fault seismic waves subduction tectonic plates plate boundaries energy gas crust - mantle - convection The response provides adequate that includes the use of sources, facts, and details. The response achieves some depth and specificity but is predominantly general: Some evidence from sources is integrated, through citations may be general or imprecise Adequate use of some elaborative 2 --The response includes some discussion on advantages or disadvantages of living near a volcano - The response includes a some understanding of the cause of volcanic eruptions The response makes some connection between earthquake activities and the increasing possibilities of volcanic eruptions thereafter The response uses 3 or less of these terms earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, lava magma fault seismic waves subduction tectonic plates plate boundaries energy gas crust -mantle - convection The response provides uneven, cursory that includes partial or uneven use of sources, facts, and details and achieves little depth: Evidence from sources is weakly integrated, and citations, if present, are uneven Weak or uneven use of elaborative 1 ---The response includes no advantages or disadvantage of living near a volcano. - The response includes no understanding of the cause of volcanic eruptions The response makes no connection between earthquake activities and the increasing possibilities of volcanic eruptions thereafter The response uses 3 or less of these terms earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, lava magma fault seismic waves subduction tectonic plates plate boundaries energy gas crust - mantle - convection The response provides minimal that includes little or no use of sources, facts, and details: Use of evidence from sources minimal, absent, in error, or irrelevant -The response contains no The response contains no scientific The response gets no credit if it 3
0 scientific value and gets no credit. terms and gets no credit provides no evidence of the ability to support a claim with evidence. Sample Response 1) The advantages of living near Mount Vesuvius includes mineral rich soil which is good for agriculture, useful types of stones for tools, increase the size of habitable land, tourism The disadvantages include the danger of poisonous gases, hot ash, tsunamis, crops destroyed, mud-flow and pyroclastic lava flows. 2) The citizens of Pompeii should use caution because natural occurrences of plate movement might cause an eruption. The Earth layers are core, mantle and the crust. The uneven heating of Earth layers causes convection currents. These convection currents cause one plate to slide under another along the plate boundary. This process is called subduction. Convection currents cause an upward motion of magma that exerts an upward force on Earth s surface. Volcanic eruptions may occur along faults during subduction. Therefore the build-up of pressure needs an exit causing a fault opening. The magma will escape through the crust at or near the plate boundaries which builds a volcano. When the volcano has pressure within the magma chamber as a result of tectonic plate movement, a massive earthquake can trigger a volcanic eruption. 4
Item 2: Plate Tectonics CA Science Standards- Grade 6 1a. Students know evidence of plate tectonics is derived from the fit of the continents; the location of earthquakes, volcanoes, and midocean ridges; and the distribution of fossils, rock types, and ancient climatic zones 1c. Students know lithospheric plates the size of continents and oceans move at rates of centimeters per year in response to movements in the mantle. Common Core State Standards Connections ELA/Literacy: RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content Next Generation Science Standards Disciplinary Core Idea ESS 2 Earth s System ESS 2.A Earth Materials and Systems How do Earth s major systems interact? 5
Item 2: Plate Tectonics Rubric and Answer Key Score Content Scientific Vocabulary Elaboration of Evidence 4 -The response provides excellent understanding of continental drift and that Africa was near the south pole -The response provides excellent understanding of at least two other lines of evidence on plate tectonics and that all continents were at one point one landmass (pangea) -The response includes convection current due to heat rising is the driving force behind the theory of Plate Tectonics The response accurately uses the majoirty of these terms: continental drift - plate tectonics theory mantle - fit of the continents earthquakes - volcanoes mid-ocean ridges - fossils, rock types - climatic zones lithosphere - pangea convection current The response provides thorough and convincing support/evidence for the writer s claim that includes the effective use of sources, facts, and details. The response achieves substantial depth that is specific and relevant: Use of evidence from sources is smoothly integrated, comprehensive, relevant, and concrete Effective use of a variety of elaborative 3 --The response provides good understanding of continental drift and that Africa was near the south pole -The response provides good understanding of at least two other lines of evidence on plate tectonics and that all continents were at one point one landmass (pangea) -The response includes convection current due to heat rising is the driving force behind Plate Tectonics The response accurately uses many of these terms: continental drift - plate tectonics theory mantle - fit of the continents earthquakes - volcanoes mid-ocean ridges - fossils, rock types - climatic zones lithosphere - pangea convection current The response provides adequate that includes the use of sources, facts, and details. The response achieves some depth and specificity but is predominantly general: Some evidence from sources is integrated, through citations may be general or imprecise Adequate use of some elaborative 2 ---The response provides some understanding of continental drift and that Africa was near the south pole -The response provides some understanding of at least two other lines of evidence on plate tectonics and that all continents were at one point one landmass (pangea) The response uses some of these terms: c continental drift - plate tectonics theory - mantle - fit of the continents earthquakes - volcanoes mid-ocean ridges - fossils, rock types - climatic zones lithosphere - pangea convection current The response provides uneven, cursory that includes partial or uneven use of sources, facts, and details and achieves little depth: Evidence from sources is weakly integrated, and citations, if present, are uneven Weak or uneven use of elaborative 1 ----The response provides no understanding of continental drift and that Africa was near the south pole -The response provides no understanding of at least two other lines of evidence on plate tectonics and that all continents were at one point one landmass (pangea) The response uses two or less of these terms: continental drift - plate tectonics mantle - fit of the continents earthquakes - volcanoes mid-ocean ridges - fossils, rock types - climatic zones lithosphere - pangea convection current The response provides minimal that includes little or no use of sources, facts, and details: Use of evidence from sources minimal, absent, in error, or irrelevant 6
0 The response gets no credit if no science content is provided The response gets no credit since no scientific terms were used The response gets no credit if it provides no evidence of the ability to support a claim with evidence. Sample Response 1) Johnny s discovery supports the theory of plate tectonics because the continent of Africa where evidence of past glaciers existed could not have been where it is right now because the region is too hot to form a glacier. That means the continent had moved and was previously in a very cold region like the north or south pole. 2) Evidence One: The continents fit like pieces of a puzzle. For example, the coastal line of east Africa fits nicely with the coastal line of East South America which means at one point in history they were connected as the theory of plate tectonics indicated Evidence Two: There are examples of fossils found on separate continents and nowhere else implying that the continents were once connected. An example was fossils of Mesosaurus found only in the southern region of South America and South Africa. Mesosaurus was a fresh water reptile so a lake was there and no ocean. That suggests that the two continents of Africa and South America were once joined. 7
Item 3: Plate Boundaries CA Science Standards- Grade 6 1f. Students know how to explain major features of California geology (including mountains, faults, volcanoes) in terms of plate tectonics. 1d. Students know that earthquakes are sudden motions along breaks in the crust called faults and that volcanoes and fissures are locations where magma reaches the surface. Common Core State Standards Connections ELA/Literacy: WHST.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes. WHST.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Next Generation Science Standards Disciplinary Core Idea ESS 2 Earth s System ESS 2.A Earth Materials and Systems How do Earth s major systems interact? ESS2.B Plate Tectonics and large-scale system interactions Why do the continents move, and what causes earthquakes and volcanoes. 8
Item 3: Plate Boundaries Rubric and Answer Key Score Content Scientific Vocabulary Elaboration of Evidence 4 3 -The response provides an excellent understanding of the two different plate boundaries presented in the maps and accurately states the differences and similarities between the convergent boundary and the transform boundary. -The response includes at least two tectonic events in the regions caused by the plate boundaries. All evidence from the maps are clearly stated -The response provides a good understanding of the two different plate boundaries presented in the maps and fairly states the differences and similarities between the convergent boundary and the transform boundary. -The response includes at least one tectonic event in the regions caused by the plate boundaries. Some evidence from the maps are clearly stated The response accurately uses all of these terms: Convergent subduction - transform Fault - seismic activity - earthquake Mountain - San Andreas Fault - Plateau The response accurately uses the majority of these terms: Convergent subduction - transform Fault - seismic activity - earthquake Mountain - San Andreas Fault - Plateau The response provides thorough and convincing support/evidence for the writer s claim that includes the effective use of sources, facts, and details. The response achieves substantial depth that is specific and relevant: Use of evidence from sources is smoothly integrated, comprehensive, relevant, and concrete Effective use of a variety of elaborative The response provides adequate that includes the use of sources, facts, and details. The response achieves some depth and specificity but is predominantly general: Some evidence from sources is integrated, through citations may be general or imprecise Adequate use of some elaborative 2 1 The response provides some understanding of the two different plate boundaries presented in the maps and states some similarities or differences between the convergent boundary and the transform boundary -The response mentions a tectonic event in the regions caused by the plate boundaries, but shows no understanding of the maps The response provides little to no understanding of the two different plate boundaries presented in the maps; There is little understanding of the convergent boundary and the transform boundary -The response does not include any tectonic events in the regions caused by the plate boundaries. No evidence from the maps The response uses some of these terms: convergent Convergent subduction - transform Fault - seismic activity - earthquake Mountain - San Andreas Fault - Plateau The response uses two or less of these terms: Convergent subduction - transform Fault - seismic activity - earthquake Mountain - San Andreas Fault - Plateau The response provides uneven, cursory that includes partial or uneven use of sources, facts, and details and achieves little depth: Evidence from sources is weakly integrated, and citations, if present, are uneven Weak or uneven use of elaborative The response provides minimal that includes little or no use of sources, facts, and details: Use of evidence from sources minimal, absent, in error, or irrelevant 0 The response gets no credit if no science content is provided The response gets no credit since no scientific terms were used The response gets no credit if it provides no evidence of the ability to support a claim with evidence 9
Item 3: Plate Boundaries Sample Response: There are two different types of tectonic plate movements in the maps. The one presented on California map is a transform fault boundary where two plates are generally sliding in opposite directions (see direction of arrows on the map) alongside each other. San Andreas fault is an example of a transform boundary. Transform boundaries might cause earthquakes and create valleys. The Tibetan Plateau is an example of convergent boundary where two plates are crashing into each other. These fault boundaries may cause seismic events like mountain creation (Himalayas, see map) and earthquakes. 10