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 08 learning pathway.
The student demonstrates the following:
Five science criteria plus separately reported integration (Page 3).
Audit supplied or approved records; no field exposure.
The student weighs evidence and names a trade-off (Page 4).
Observations, evidence, and the proposed action 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 gather the evidence and defend the trade-off. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Human impacts | ||
| Pollution | contamination | Harmful stuff added to air, water, or soil by human activity |
| Habitat loss | loss of home | Land is cleared or changed and species lose where they live |
| Invasive species | introduced species | A non-native species that spreads and crowds out natives |
| Climate change | global warming | Long-term shift in weather patterns, largely from burning fuels |
| Care & choices | ||
| Conservation | protecting nature | Using and protecting resources so they last |
| Stewardship | caring for the land | Taking responsibility for the health of living systems |
| Evidence | data, observations | What you actually measured or saw — not just an opinion |
| Trade-off | give-and-take | Every choice has an upside and a cost; name both |
| Criterion | Developing | Proficient | Mastery |
|---|---|---|---|
| How humans change ecosystems | Thinks people have little effect on nature. | Names one way people affect ecosystems but not others. | Explains several ways people change ecosystems — pollution, habitat loss, invasive species, and climate. |
| Invasive species & habitat loss | Doesn’t know a new species or lost habitat can harm an ecosystem. | Gives an example but can’t explain the ripple effects. | Explains how an invasive species or lost habitat disrupts the living things around it. |
| Conservation & stewardship | Sees no way people can help ecosystems. | Names a conservation idea but not how it works. | Describes conservation and stewardship actions and explains how each helps living systems. |
| Weighing evidence & trade-offs | Gives an opinion with no evidence behind it. | Uses before/after data but overlooks a reference, alternatives or costs. | Calculates a matched site comparison and defends a bounded recommendation with costs, uncertainty and a review condition. |
| Lab technique (human-impact evidence investigation) | Omits where records came from or claims supplied data as personal observations. | Retains records but needs help checking methods, dates and comparison limits. | Audits an investigation record with source, method, dates and limits; demonstrates any collection or instrument skills separately. |
| 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 evidence plus trade-off: mastery backs a claim with what was actually measured and admits the cost of the fix. Ask “what did you measure, and what does your fix cost?”
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 | How humans change ecosystems | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 2 | Invasive species & habitat loss | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 3 | Conservation & stewardship | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 4 | Weighing evidence & trade-offs | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 5 | Lab technique (human-impact evidence investigation) | 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.