Use these targets, vocabulary, rubrics, examples, and score sheet with the instructor's approved lesson and procedure. This is an assessment companion, not a complete lesson or safety authorization.
Student lessons, data, and worked answers: Unit 06 learning pathway.
The student demonstrates the following:
Five science criteria plus separately reported integration (Page 3).
Measure the P–S gap; draw distance circles to locate the epicenter.
The student explains what the shadow zone proves (Page 4).
Trace reading, distance conversion, and epicenter kept distinct.
You are making a decision, not adding up points. For each criterion, decide whether the work is Developing, Proficient, or Mastery — the column language tells you which. A criterion counts as mastered only when the student can both locate the epicenter and explain the interior from the waves. Each student has three tokens per term; each token retries one rubric criterion. Approved accommodations, equipment failures, and approved absences are handled separately and do not consume these tokens.
Accept listed synonyms; use the distinction column to resolve near-matches.
| Canonical answer | Accepted synonyms | Common confusion / discriminator |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquakes & waves | ||
| Elastic-rebound theory | fault-rebound model | Rock stores strain along a fault, then snaps back; the rebound is the quake |
| P-wave | primary / compressional wave | Fastest; push–pull motion; passes through solid and liquid |
| S-wave | secondary / shear wave | Slower; side-to-side motion; cannot pass through liquid |
| Surface wave | Love / Rayleigh wave | Slowest but most destructive; travels along the surface |
| Earth’s interior | ||
| Epicenter | surface point above the focus | Point on the surface above the quake; found by triangulation |
| Epicenter location | arrival-time location model | Travel models and uncertain arrivals constrain a region, not always one exact intersection |
| S-wave shadow zone | shear-wave gap | Belt where no S-waves arrive — evidence the outer core is liquid |
| Seismogram | seismograph trace | Record of arrivals; the P–S gap is read straight off it |
| Magnitude / intensity | event measure / local effects | Intensity depends on location; an amplitude ratio is not the same as an energy ratio |
| Hazard / prediction | probability model / specified event claim | A classroom probability does not predict an exact earthquake or clear a site as safe |
| Criterion | Developing | Proficient | Mastery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elastic-rebound theory | Thinks earthquakes strike with no buildup or cause. | Describes stress on a fault but not the sudden rebound. | Explains how rock stores elastic strain and releases it in a rebound, generating the earthquake and its aftershocks. |
| Seismic wave types | Treats all earthquake waves as the same. | Names P- and S-waves but confuses their motion or speed. | Distinguishes P-, S-, and surface waves by their motion, speed, and the materials each can pass through. |
| Locating an epicenter | Cannot relate arrivals to distance. | Uses a distance circle without checking the model or uncertainty. | Uses S-P intervals and a stated velocity/travel-time model to locate a defensible region, explaining depth and measurement limitations. |
| Earth’s interior from seismic evidence | Describes the layers as guesses with no evidence. | Names the layers but not how waves reveal them. | Uses the S-wave shadow zone and wave refraction to argue for a liquid outer core and a solid inner core. |
| Seismic measurement, magnitude & hazard | Confuses event size, effects, and probability. | Computes a value but overstates its meaning. | Interprets arrivals and assigned magnitude/probability models, distinguishing intensity, exposure, uncertainty, and a forecast from a specific prediction. |
| Integration (cross-domain) | Makes no supported connection between the source and the science. | Uses the source but needs help connecting evidence, writing, or limitations to the science. | Independently connects History, Reading, and Writing using a cited source, appropriate evidence, a limitation, and a scientific explanation. |
Ask what the observed pattern and model support, and what remains uncertain. A missing arrival by itself can have several causes; the systematic wave evidence is what constrains the interior. Do not demand an exact three-circle intersection from uncertain measurements.
Read these before you grade. They show what Mastery and Developing actually sound like, plus the edge cases where you should coach rather than decide on the spot.
Student: ______________________________________ Date: _______________ Guide: _________________________
| # | Criterion | Decision | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elastic-rebound theory | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 2 | Seismic wave types | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 3 | Locating an epicenter | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 4 | Earth’s interior from seismic evidence | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 5 | Seismic measurement, magnitude & hazard | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 6 | Integration (cross-domain) | Dev / Prof / Mast |
☐ No ☐ Yes — for criterion: __________
Tokens left this term after this session (choose one): ☐ 3 ☐ 2 ☐ 1 ☐ None left
Dev = Developing · Prof = Proficient · Mast = Mastery · Unsure between two levels? Circle the lower one and note what a re-do would need.