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.
By the end of the Matter & Its Properties unit, a student should be able to:
Five science criteria plus separately reported integration (Page 3).
Mass and volume measured at the bench, then density calculated — done live.
The student explains what each measurement tells them aloud (Page 4 anchors).
Contemporaneous record of measurements, calculations, and observations.
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 take the measurement and explain what the property tells you about the matter. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Measuring matter | ||
| Mass | how much matter; grams | Not the same as weight; measured on a balance |
| Volume | space it takes up | Ruler for a regular shape; water displacement for an odd one |
| Density | mass ÷ volume | A property of the material, not the size; predicts float or sink |
| States & changes of state | ||
| States of matter | solid, liquid, gas | Set by how tightly the particles are packed and how they move |
| Change of state | melting, freezing, boiling | A physical change — the substance is the same, just rearranged |
| Heating curve | temperature-vs-heat graph | Flat parts = a change of state; sloped parts = warming one state |
| Describing & sorting matter | ||
| Physical property | observable, measurable trait | Color, magnetism, solubility, melting point — no new substance made |
| Mixture | two or more substances mixed | Each part keeps its traits; a physical method separates it |
| Pure substance | one kind of matter | Same all the way through; a mixture is not |
| Criterion | Developing | Proficient | Mastery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass, volume & measurement | Confuses mass with volume or reads the balance and ruler incorrectly. | Measures mass and volume but mixes up their units. | Measures mass on a balance and volume by ruler or water displacement, with correct units every time. |
| Density | Thinks heavier objects always sink. | Knows density is mass over volume but cannot use it to predict floating or sinking. | Calculates density from measured mass and volume and uses it to predict whether an object floats or sinks. |
| States of matter & changes of state | Cannot describe how solids, liquids, and gases differ. | Names the three states but stumbles on melting and boiling. | Describes each state and explains melting, freezing, and boiling as changes of state on a heating curve. |
| Physical properties | Cannot name a property that describes matter. | Lists a property or two but cannot measure or compare them. | Identifies and compares physical properties — color, magnetism, solubility, melting point — to describe a sample. |
| Mixtures vs. pure substances | Treats every sample as “just one thing.” | Defines a mixture but cannot suggest how to separate it. | Tells a mixture from a pure substance and plans a simple separation using a physical property. |
| 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. |
Work down the criteria one at a time. Ask the student to reason from the measurement rather than guess — “why does the cork float?” The answer is density (mass compared to volume), not weight. Taking the measurement is Proficient; explaining what it means is Mastery.
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 | Mass, volume & measurement | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 2 | Density | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 3 | States of matter & changes of state | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 4 | Physical properties | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 5 | Mixtures vs. pure substances | 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.