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 public practice answers (not assessment keys): Unit 02 learning pathway.
The student demonstrates the following:
Five science criteria plus separately reported integration (Page 3).
Separate a mixture by a physical property, then check the parts.
The student explains which property did the work (Page 4).
Plan, method, and results 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 carry out the separation and justify the physical science behind it. 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.
| Term | Accepted explanation | Distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Atom | Model building block of an element | An ordinary light microscope does not resolve individual atoms. |
| Element | Defined by proton number | Neutron/electron changes do not automatically make a new element. |
| Molecule | A discrete grouping of atoms | Not every substance consists of isolated molecules. |
| Compound | Different elements chemically combined | Composition and grouping differ from a mixture. |
| Extended structure | A repeating connected arrangement | An ionic formula can state a ratio, not a separate molecule. |
| Period / group | Row / column of the periodic table | Shared group patterns do not make every property identical. |
| Metalloid | Element with intermediate/mixed property patterns | A binary metal/nonmetal label is not always sufficient. |
| Synthetic material | Material made through human-directed processes | Still depends on resource inputs; not automatically better or worse. |
| Design constraint | A limit agreed before comparison | A high value on one metric does not erase another limit. |
| Criterion | Developing | Proficient | Mastery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atoms as building blocks | Thinks atoms are alive or can be seen with a hand lens. | Knows atoms are tiny but cannot say what they build. | Uses an atomic model to explain elements and simple compounds; distinguishes that model from what an ordinary light microscope can resolve. |
| Elements, compounds & mixtures | Treats every sample as the same kind of thing. | Defines an element but mixes up compounds and mixtures. | Distinguishes elements, compounds, and mixtures, gives examples, and separates fixed-composition pure substances from mixtures. |
| Reading the periodic table | Sees the table as a random grid of boxes. | Finds an element by its symbol but cannot use rows or columns. | Reads the table by periods (rows) and groups (columns) and explains what elements in the same group share. |
| Material properties & element classes | Cannot say where metals sit on the table. | Points to the metals but cannot name a property that sets them apart. | Locates metals, nonmetals and metalloids; connects particle structure and processing with properties and bounded resource/design choices. |
| Lab technique (separating a mixture) | Mixes samples together and cannot recover them. | Separates part of a mixture but loses material along the way. | Separates a mixture by an appropriate physical property and explains how the recovered components retain their chemical identities. |
| 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 the property that does the work. Anyone can pour a mixture through a filter; mastery is saying why it separates — size, magnetism, or solubility. Ask “what made the parts come apart?”
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.
Evidence for the score sheet: Level: ______ Case/data: ______ Criterion: ______ Source/date: ______ First attempt and work: ______ Assumptions/uncertainty: ______ Fresh variation: ______. Practical observation is recorded separately.
Student: ______________________________________ Date: _______________ Guide: _________________________
| # | Criterion | Decision | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atoms as building blocks | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 2 | Elements, compounds & mixtures | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 3 | Reading the periodic table | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 4 | Material properties & element classes | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 5 | Lab technique (separating a mixture) | 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.