Bird Eggs Administration Procedures Based on PALS Assessment, contributed by New Standards (NS) Description: Students gather original data throughout two performance tasks. They analyze their results along with given data to determine which eggs are best for rocky cliff environments. The task assesses ability to perform tasks, make simple observations, collect and organize data, and analyze results. This task is designed to take students approximately 60 minutes to complete. This task should be administered during the Second Nine Weeks. SOL Standards: 3.1 Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic: The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting investigations. 3.4 Life Processes: The student will investigate and understand that adaptations allow animals to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. 3.5 Living Systems: The student will investigate and understand relationships among organisms in aquatic and terrestrial food chains 3.6 The student will investigate and understand that ecosystems will support a diversity of plants and animals that share limited resources General Instructions to the Teacher: This task can be split into two days. Students will be working individually during this exercise. Teachers can make appropriate modifications to meet student needs (i.e. read aloud, record information, etc.). The eggs should be clearly labeled before students begin. Advance Preparation: Label eggs Prepare materials that students can use as a ramp Fill clear containers with room temperature water Materials for Bird Eggs: The teacher will need: Clear containers, large enough to hold enough water to determine if egg floats or sinks Three types of eggs (X: metal-sphere, Y: styrofoam-raindrop, and Z: wooden-egg shape) Students should have: Eggs X, Y, and Z Materials to create a ramp Clear container with water 1 Bird Eggs Task with Student Directions Based on PALS Assessment, contributed by New Standards (NS) When Maria was looking through books about birds, she noticed pictures of sea gulls nesting on cliffs above the sea. Maria wondered why the birds’ eggs didn’t roll off the cliffs and get broken on the rocks. She also wondered if the eggs of sea gulls that nested next to the water were different. Maria knew that the eggs might be adapted to survive in the different habitats. In the activities of this experiment, you will study about bird eggs. At the end of your experiments, you will decide on the best egg to survive on cliffs and the best egg to survive next to water. Egg Characteristics: 2 WRITE 1. The strength of a bird’s egg depends on many things. Use an “X” to mark things that can make a bird’s egg strong. You may mark more than one answer. _______ The shape of the egg. _______ The color of the egg. _______ The material the shell is made of. _______ The size of the egg. _______ The thickness of the shell. _______ The size of the yolk. _______ The weight of the egg. 2. Choose ONE of the things you marked in question A and tell how you know it makes an egg strong. I think the ______________________________________________ will make it stronger because _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ How does the shape of an egg make a difference? DO You will now experiment with model eggs to see which shape is best for rocky ledges. Make an inclined plane. Take the eggs out of the bag. _____________________________________________________________________________ Step 1 Set up your ramp so it faces away from you where there are no papers or materials near the ramp. Step 2 Step 3 Set the egg on its side and roll it Carefully watch how it rolls OFF THE INCLINED. from the top of the ramp away PLANE. 3 from you, like this: WRITE 3. In the table below, draw a line that shows a path that each egg takes as it rolls on the table. For example, if the egg rolls straight after it leaves the ramp, you would draw a line like the sample below. Be sure to roll ALL THREE eggs. Draw the paths below. Sample Egg Draw a line that shows Draw a line that shows Draw a line that shows how Egg X rolls: how Egg Y rolls: how Egg Z rolls: Roll Egg Shape Observation: WRITE 4 4. Complete the following table using your drawings. Egg Describe the shape of the egg. Describe in words how the egg rolled. X Y Z WRITE 5. Does the shape of each egg make a difference in the way it rolls? Explain your answer. The shape of the egg does / does not make a difference in the way the egg rolls because______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 5 Egg Characteristics: WRITE 6. Whether an egg will sink or float depends on many things. Use an “X” to mark things that can make a bird’s egg float. You may mark more than one answer. _______ The shape of the egg. _______ The color of the egg. _______ The material the shell is made of. _______ The size of the egg. _______ The thickness of the shell. _______ The size of the yolk. _______ The weight of the egg. 7. Choose ONE of the things you marked in question A and tell how you know it makes an egg float. I think the _______________________________________________ makes an egg float because_________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 6 Test each egg’s ability to float or sink by placing it in the water. DO 8. In the table below, draw how each egg floated or sank. Draw where the egg is in the container. Be sure to test ALL THREE eggs to see if they float or sink. Sample Egg Draw whether Egg X Draw whether Egg Y Draw whether Egg Z floats or sinks: floats or sinks: floats or sinks: WRITE 9. Complete the following table. Egg Describe in words how the egg floated or sank. X Y Z 7 WRITE 10. After looking at the data about how eggs float, sink, or roll, which egg do you think would be best for a bird that lays its eggs on a bare, rocky ledge? Why? I think Egg ______________ would be best for a bird that lays its eggs on a bare, rocky ledge because______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 8 11. After looking at the data about how eggs float, sink, or roll, which egg is best for a nest close to the water? Why? I think Egg ____________ is best for a nest close to the water because _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 9 Task Name: Bird Eggs Course: Grade 3 Science Criteria Advanced - 4 Proficient - 3 Basic - 2 Below Basic - 1 The response includes a The response includes a The response includes a The response recommendation about a recommendation about a recommendation about a includes a characteristic likely to characteristic likely to affect characteristic likely to recommendation affect the strength of the the strength of the egg, and affect the strength of the about a Egg egg, and detailed reasoning some reasoning for why it egg, and little or no characteristic not Characteristics for why it affects the affects the strength. reasoning for why it likely to affect Questions 1 & strength. affects the strength. the strength of 2 the egg, and without reasoning to support the answer. The responses include The response includes The responses include The responses complete records of records of observations, partial records of include