Equip Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science

EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science

Reviewer Name or ID: This review represents a synthesis of multiple reviews Grade: Middle School Science Lesson/Unit Title: Ship the Chip, v2 Note: This lesson is estimated to take six hours. For the purposes of the rubric a lesson is a lesson is defined as: a coherent set of instructional activities and assessments aligned to the NGSS that may extend over a few to several class periods. As this is a longer lesson by this definition, the additional criteria for longer lessons or units were considered.

I. Alignment to the NGSS

The lesson or unit aligns with the conceptual shifts of the NGSS: Criteria Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning Suggestions for improvement A. Grade-appropriate elements of the science i. Evidence of opportunities for students to develop and use the i. Suggestions for the practices: and engineering practice(s), disciplinary core practices include:  At the middle school level, we would expect idea(s), and crosscutting concept(s), work together  When students compare their data with other groups on page three, slightly more sophisticated techniques for to support students in three-dimensional learning they “analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and analysis, and it’s unclear which aspects of to make sense of phenomena and/or to design differences in findings” to support identifying both the characteristics the practice students are responsible for solutions to problems. of design (DCI) as well as limitations in data, “Emphasize that in independently vs. collaboratively. Here are order to make stronger claims, students would need more data to some thoughts about ways to elevate the i. Provides opportunities to develop and use work with. It is difficult to generalize based on two bags per type of practice: 1) construct graphical displays to specific elements of the practice(s) to make packaging.” look at larger/more complicated sets of data sense of phenomena and/or to design solutions (e.g., for all the factors that students to problems.  Students make an oral or written argument (SEP 7) after evaluating competing design solutions at the conclusion of the lesson. describe as being relevant) 2) discuss ii. Provides opportunities to develop and use However, students do not evaluate design solutions based on jointly cause vs. correlation 3) think about spatial specific elements of the disciplinary core idea(s) developed and agreed-upon design criteria as the listed element of vs. temporal relationships (how far/long the to make sense of phenomena and/or to design the practice states. chips have to be transported vs. just the solutions to problems. container). Each of these ideas requires  If the science is strengthened (see below), students would be able to building toward them as well, but even in a iii. Provides opportunities to develop and use “apply scientific ideas or principles to design, construct, and/ or test more guided way, these would be more specific elements of the crosscutting concept(s) a design of an object, tool, process or system” (SEP 6, NGSS applicable to this grade band. Appendix F). to make sense of phenomena and/or to design  Students should either be given the solutions to problems. ii. Evidence of opportunities for students to develop and use the DCIs opportunity to develop design criteria or it iv. The three dimensions work together to include: should be indicated that they this element support students to make sense of phenomena  There is an emphasis of iteration of engineering design on the path of the practice is not fully addressed. and/or to design solutions to problems. to finding the optimal final design in Investigation 4. In Investigation  Include more scaffolding/ideas about 4, teams evaluation designs, reflect on which designs fared better, modification/optimization while they are and redesign a better packaging solution, at which point they have actually evaluating, rather than before they the opportunity to combine parts of different solutions to create new have designed the containers, to facilitate solutions during Investigation 4 (ETSI.B and ETSI.C) this practice as well as to avoid  There is discussion of optimization and refinement in Investigation 1 confirmatory experiences. Some of this (ETS1.C) could be worked into the evaluation rubric as well, by including a section for “features  There is very little discussion of energy (DCI PS3.C) and where it of the design”, to facilitate thinking about does it exist, it does not necessarily support the goals of the what features of the design contribute to learning. specific aspects of the function, and how to iii. Evidence of opportunities for students to develop and use the CCCs modify based on understanding this. include:  Argumentation is a challenging practice,  On page 2, students are explicitly asked to consider systems when and this lesson offers the opportunity to Version 2 – published September 2014 View Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Educators may use or adapt. If modified, please attribute EQuIP and re-title. . EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science prompted to “think about the entire system from production to sale” build toward it in many meaningful ways and implicitly to understand the forces acting on the chip package in throughout the lesson, rather than simply in Investigation 2. the writing task at the end. To encourage  There is no evidence of the listed element of Influence of this, the lesson might emphasize critique Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural and evaluation based on evidence during World. the evaluation phase of the lesson, and repeatedly have students voice their iv. While students do touch on systems to think about the process of thinking, as well as the evidence and shipping and how it relates to the problem and design solution, and reasoning their thinking is based on. look at data of to inform their solutions, the ties to science DCIs and systems are too weak for to say the three dimensions are working ii. PS2.A and PS2.B which do not include together in a way that helps students build toward understanding of all energy may be a better fit than PS3.B. Even three and make sense of a phenomenon or design a solution to a with this switch, the conversation of forces problem. should be more thorough and explicitly referred back to throughout the design process. iii. While there is mention of systems it is minimal. There are opportunities when students are implicitly discussing systems that could be made more explicitly and better address the listed element: Models can be used to represent systems, and their interactions-such as inputs, processes, and outputs- and energy and matter flows within systems or other elements of this CCC. iv. Making the three dimensions stronger as noted above will also help the work together more effectively.

A unit or longer lesson will also: Criteria: Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning Suggestions for improvement B. Lessons fit together coherently targeting a i. The driving question and engineering problem create a storyline for i. More explicitly connect Investigation 2 and 3 set of performance expectations. students. After introducing the challenge in Investigation 1, students to help make the connection between use the science understanding about the forces acting on the package evidence collected in Investigation 2 and how i. Each lesson links to previous lessons and (Investigation 2) to design the solution in Investigation 3. Students use that science can be used to inform the design provides a need to engage in the current lesson. the evidence gathered from testing the design in Investigation 3 to in Investigation 3. evaluate solutions and redesign package in Investigation 4. Students ii. The lessons help students develop proficiency on ii. If the DCIs and changes suggested above are a targeted set of performance expectations. use evidence and understanding from across the investigations to complete writing performance task at conclusion of lesson sequence. included, their related PEs should be included as well as students would be building toward ii. Depending on what students have done previously and what they do them. after this set of investigations, this lesson can serve as a step in helping students develop proficiency on the targeted PEs. It would be really helpful here to include the assumed understanding and experience with various aspects of the CCCs, practices, and DCIs, so that its clearer what students should understand or have experience with before EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science engaging in this lesson. This would also serve to inform whether the prompts and guides used in this task are necessary, or if they are, if they are sufficient. C. Where appropriate, disciplinary core ideas N/A from different disciplines are used together to explain phenomena. D. Where appropriate, crosscutting concepts The CCC of systems is used to understand the journey from production to are used in the explanation of phenomena from a sale on page 2 (which is more of an engineering use) as well as the variety of disciplines. system of forces acting on the package (physical science). See notes above on explicitness of CCC and DCIs. E. Provides grade-appropriate connection(s) Students find and compare the percentage of broken chips per bag to to the Common Core State Standards in help them begin to think about factors of packaging the might best Mathematics and/or English Language Arts & prevent breakage. Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Students must write and demonstrate ability to support claims with clear Technical Subjects. evidence and reasoning. If the lesson or unit is not closely aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards, it may not be appropriate to move on to the second and third categories. Professional judgment should be used when weighing the individual criterion. For example, a lesson without crosscutting concepts explicitly called out may be easier to revise than one without appropriate disciplinary core ideas; such a difference may determine whether reviewers believe the lesson merits continued evaluation or not.

II. Instructional Supports

The lesson or unit supports instruction and learning for all students: Criteria Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning Suggestions for improvement

Version 2 – published September 2014 View Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Educators may use or adapt. If modified, please attribute EQuIP and re-title. EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science A. Engages students in authentic and meaningful scenarios that i. The opening questions – Ever opened a bag of chips? How do While students may be able to connect the reflect the practice of science and engineering as experienced in you think the chips got crushed? Where and how do the chips problem to their own experience they never the real world and that provide students with a purpose (e.g., travel? What can be done to prevent crushing? – provide context discuss if it is a significant problem that making sense of phenomena and/or designing solutions to that connects to an experience students have likely had and requires a solution or consider if the problems). encourages to think more about it and engage in learning. company that sells the chips might consider it a significant problem and why. i. The context, including phenomena, questions, or problems, ii. Students examine chips and chip containers as well consider the motivates students to engage in three-dimensional learning. forces acting on chips to understand the breakage observed in Additionally, there are now many schools Investigation 1 to solve the problem by designing and testing their that are banning any kind of junk food ii. Provides students with relevant phenomena (either firsthand own chip packages. experiences or through representations) to make sense of snacks- it might be helpful to provide an iii. Multiple practices do work together. For example, students used alternative set up scenario for teachers and/or relevant problems to solve. the data and inferences to influence their design and later in their who may not be able to bring chips into iii. Engages students in multiple practices that work together argument about their design. their classrooms. Examples might include with disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts to iv. See i. soft fruits, which can be bruised or support students in making sense of phenomena and/or v. Engineering task attempts to connect to the physical science crushed, or something non-edible. designing solutions to problems. ideas of forces, though use of the physical science ideas is iv. Provides opportunities for students to connect their minimal (see I.A.ii). explanation of a phenomenon and/or their design solution to a problem to their own experience. v. When engineering performance expectations are included, they are used along with disciplinary core ideas from physical, life, or earth and space sciences.

B.Develops deeper understanding of the practices, disciplinary Students’ prior knowledge is identified when they activate and share core ideas, and crosscutting concepts by identifying and building their thinking by answering the opening questions like How do you on students’ prior knowledge. think chips got crushed? Where and how does the chip travel to get from a factory to your hands? Activating this knowledge allows the students to develop deeper understanding and identifying it allows the teacher to build on it. C.Uses scientifically accurate and grade-appropriate scientific The engineering task, including related problem and phenomenon, information, phenomena, and representations to support are grade appropriate. students’ three-dimensional learning. D. Provides opportunities for students to express, clarify, justify, Students provided multiple opportunities to express ideas and interpret, and represent their ideas and respond to peer and conclusions in class discussions on pages 3, 6, and 7. teacher feedback orally and/or in written form as appropriate to support student’s three-dimensional learning. Students have opportunities in these discussions to receive feedback from peers and the teacher including: page 3 there is a note to the teacher to emphasize that in order to make stronger claims… and on page 7 teachers provide feedback on design plan. EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science E. Provides guidance for teachers to support differentiated i. Repeated from above: The opening questions – Ever opened a i. Again this problem may not seem instruction in the classroom so that every student’s needs are bag of chips? How do you think the chips got crushed? Where significant to students (see above). addressed by including: and how do the chips travel? What can be done to prevent Additionally, if students don’t eat bags of i. Suggestions for how to connect instruction to the students' crushing? – provide context that connects to an experience chips often, this may not be relevant. The home, neighborhood, community and/or culture as students have likely had and encourages to think more about it original question could be about appropriate. and engage in learning. packaging more broadly which would ii–iii. There are suggestions for heterogeneous grouping and to allow students to relate it to something ii. Appropriate reading, writing, listening, and/or speaking provide worksheets for data collection on page 3. other than chips. alternatives (e.g., translations, picture support, graphic There are some places that place more emphasis than Ask teachers to discuss the concepts organizers) for students who are English language learners, ii. ii. have special needs, or read well below the grade level. necessary on vocabulary, rather than a deep conceptual underlying modification and optimization, understanding that supports the learning of new words- one first in the context of wanting to make iii. Suggested extra support (e.g., phenomena, representations, example is on page 7, when students are asked to define something better, or the best- encourage tasks) for students who are struggling to meet the “optimal” and then told the definition prior to the learning students to think about criteria and performance expectations. experience. constraints, and what ‘the best’ or better’ iv. Extensions for students with high interest or who have iv. There is a suggestion for an additional exploration about really means in this context, and already met the performance expectations to develop surface of the chip on page 6 and to have a formal specifically while they are doing the task, deeper understanding of the practices, disciplinary core presentation on page 8. rather than all before- how would get ideas, and crosscutting concepts. they make those decisions, what would they have to do to do make their designs better, and how would they know?.

A unit or longer lesson will also: Criteria Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning Suggestions for improvement F. Provides guidance for teachers throughout the unit for how There is guidance for how to support students in developing deeper lessons build on each other to support students developing understanding of the three dimensions (see I.B, II.D, II.G). Additionally deeper understanding of the practices, disciplinary core ideas, and there is some guidance on scaffolding and questions to ask about crosscutting concepts over the course of the unit. crosscutting concept on page 3. G.Provides supports to help students engage in the practices as Support provided for evidence-based communications through needed and gradually adjusts supports over time so that students questioning and teacher feedback (for example in discussion on page are increasingly responsible for making sense of phenomena 3) to prepare for culminating task of creating an argument on page 8. and/or designing solutions to problems.

III. Monitoring Student Progress

The lesson or unit supports monitoring student progress: Criteria Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning Suggestions for improvement A. Elicits direct, observable evidence of three- Direct observable evidence of learning is elicited. For example, dimensional learning by students using practices with when students develop, test, and refine solutions and when they core ideas and crosscutting concepts to make sense of write an argument. phenomena and/or to design solutions. B.Formative assessments of three-dimensional learning Formative assessment opportunities are included such as the More specific questions that could be asked would be drawing of forces on page 5, individual reflection of the redesign helpful. Also, to make these formative assessment Version 2 – published September 2014 View Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Educators may use or adapt. If modified, please attribute EQuIP and re-title. EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science are embedded throughout the instruction. on page 7, asking students questions as they work in groups, etc. opportunities stronger, provide suggestions for how to adjust teaching and learning when it is discovered (by teachers and students) that students are not demonstrating understanding of the three dimensions. C.Includes aligned rubrics and scoring guidelines that Writing performance task has an associated rubric. Rubric Crosscutting should be added to the rubric to make it provide guidance for interpreting student performance contains elements some elements of the three dimensions, more three-dimensional, and ideas of forces should along the three dimensions to support teachers in (a) primarily around creating and argument and the design process. also be added. planning instruction and (b) providing ongoing The rubric could be referenced on page 3 which feedback to students. would offer guidance for scaffolding evidence-based communications throughout the investigations and help prepare for students for success on culminating performance task D. Assessing student proficiency using methods, The language used is unbiased and the context is accessible. vocabulary, representations, and examples that are accessible and unbiased for all students.

A unit or longer lesson will also: Criteria Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning Suggestions for improvement E.Includes pre-, formative, summative, and self- There is a pre-assessment opportunity on page 2 in the form of the assessment measures that assess three- entrance ticket, multiple formative assessments opportunities (see dimensional learning. B), and a summative assessment on page 8. F. Provides multiple opportunities for students to Students have multiple opportunities to demonstrate understanding Previous suggestions in I.A. would work to also demonstrate performance of practices of engineering design (through the process of develop, testing, and strengthen the opportunities. connected with their understanding of refining solutions). Students use feedback and collective conversation be able to demonstrate constructing an argument disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts about their redesign. Both of these opportunities allow students to and receive feedback. pull in and demonstrate understanding of the CCC, other practices such as interpreting data, and DCIs such as those relating to forces.

Overall Summary Comments: