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.
The student demonstrates the following:
Five science criteria plus separately reported integration (Page 3).
Plan and set up a controlled experiment — watched live.
The student defends each design choice aloud (Page 4).
Design, procedure, 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 design the fair test and defend why the comparison is fair. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Variables & fair tests | ||
| Independent variable | what you change | The one thing changed on purpose (lamp vs. window) |
| Dependent variable | what you measure | The result you record (seedling height) |
| Controlled variable | what you hold steady | Same soil, water, pot — so one change explains a difference |
| Comparison & trust | ||
| Control group | untreated baseline | An identical setup left in ordinary conditions |
| Fair test | planned comparison | This introductory design varies one factor; more complex designs need explicit controls and replication |
| Replication | repeating the test | Repeats guard against a fluke |
| Sample size | how many you test | Too few can’t tell a real effect from chance |
| Procedure | the written steps | Complete enough for a stranger to follow exactly |
| Criterion | Developing | Proficient | Mastery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent & dependent variables | Cannot say what is being changed or what is being measured. | Names one but mixes up which is changed and which is measured. | Names the one thing changed on purpose (lamp vs. window) and the one thing measured (seedling height), clearly and out loud. |
| Controlled variables (fair test) | Changes factors without tracking their effects. | Controls some conditions but overlooks a plausible confounder. | Controls relevant conditions, identifies remaining variation or confounders, and explains how the design strengthens but does not guarantee a causal inference. |
| Control / comparison group | Runs only the test condition, with nothing to compare it to. | Knows a comparison is needed but sets up one that is not a fair baseline. | Defines an appropriate comparison group and explains its similarities, differences, and allocation; does not assume organisms are identical. |
| Replication & sample size | Tests one seedling once and calls it settled. | Runs a couple of trials but too few to trust, or cannot say why more would help. | Plans enough seedlings and repeats to tell a real effect from a fluke, and explains why the number matters. |
| Procedure clarity | Keeps the plan in their head; written steps are vague or missing amounts. | Writes steps but leaves out a measurement, timing, or detail a stranger would need. | Writes a procedure clear and complete enough that another person could run the exact experiment without asking a question. |
| 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 could this test actually prove a cause? One thing changed, everything else held, a real baseline to compare against. Ask: how do you know it was the light and not the water?
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 | Independent & dependent variables | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 2 | Controlled variables (fair test) | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 3 | Control / comparison group | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 4 | Replication & sample size | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 5 | Procedure clarity | 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.