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 02 learning pathway.
The student demonstrates the following:
Five science criteria plus separately reported integration (Page 3).
Use approved prepared slides; handling is separately observed.
The student explains what each cell part does (Page 4).
Labeled cell sketches, observations, and part names 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 find the cells under the lens and explain the biology behind them. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| The cell & cell theory | ||
| Cell | building block of life | The smallest unit of life; all living things are made of them |
| Cell theory | all living things are cells | New cells come from other cells — they don’t just appear |
| Cell membrane | outer boundary | Controls what goes in and out; both plant and animal cells have one |
| Nucleus | control center | Holds the instructions (DNA); not the whole cell |
| Cell parts & their jobs | ||
| Cytoplasm | jelly inside the cell | Where the parts float and work; not empty space |
| Mitochondria | powerhouse | Where the cell gets its energy; one is a mitochondrion |
| Chloroplast | green food-maker | Makes food from sunlight; found in plant cells, not animal cells |
| Cell wall | stiff outer layer | Extra support outside the membrane; plant cells only |
| Criterion | Developing | Proficient | Mastery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cells & cell theory | Thinks only some living things, like animals, are made of cells. | Says living things are made of cells but can’t explain the cell theory. | Explains that all living things are made of cells and states the cell theory in their own words. |
| Plant vs. animal cells | Can’t tell a plant cell from an animal cell. | Names differences but assumes every plant cell has chloroplasts. | Compares plant and animal cells, distinguishing the cell wall from the membrane and chloroplasts in photosynthetic tissues. |
| Cell parts & their jobs | Can name one or two parts but not what they do. | Lists the parts but matches only some to their jobs. | Names the main parts — cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria, and more — and explains the job of each. |
| Cells as living systems | Thinks a cell is just a blob with no working parts. | Knows cells are busy but can’t connect a part to a life process. | Explains how the parts work together so the cell can get energy, grow, and stay alive. |
| Lab technique (using a microscope) | Cannot yet handle or focus an approved prepared slide safely. | Gets an image but needs help focusing, scaling or distinguishing visible features from inferred ones. | Safely focuses an approved prepared slide at two powers, records scale and visible features, and identifies unresolved structures. |
| 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. |
The split between Proficient and Mastery is naming vs. explaining: not just labeling the nucleus, but saying what it does. Ask “so what is that part for?”
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: _________________________
Integration is reported separately and cannot lower the science grade or block a science demonstration pass. Science and practical criteria determine that pass.
| # | Criterion | Decision | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cells & cell theory | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 2 | Plant vs. animal cells | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 3 | Cell parts & their jobs | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 4 | Cells as living systems | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 5 | Lab technique (using a microscope) | 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.