Performance Task

Level 1: Grades K-2

Sample Performance Task

There are different theories as to why dinosaurs became extinct. Your class is in charge of teaching other students about how dinosaurs may have become extinct. What are some of the reasons you have heard or read about that try to explain what happened to the dinosaurs? What explanations make sense to you? Which ones don’t seem as clear? After comparing various explanations select one which seems to be the most reasonable.

Using information from class, books and other resources, write a report which answers the question "What Happened to the Dinosaurs?" You may develop your own explanation by combining ideas from different sources.

You will be assessed on your ability to develop a explanation for a past event, your ability to interpret data and generalize a conclusion, and your ability to effectively communicate ideas in a variety of ways.

Level 2: Grades 3-5

Sample Performance Task

You have been studying characteristics that help animals adapt to their environment. After watching Jurassic Park you come up with the idea of creating your own theme park, one in which the animals can survive in different habitats. What might the theme of your park be? What habitats might the park have and why? Your task is to select an animal and figure out a way to improve that animal by changing one or more of its characteristics so that it could adapt even better to its new environment in the theme park. Be ready to explain how your changes would help it to adapt using scientific vocabulary so you could convince somebody to fund your new park.

You will be assessed on your ability to generate ideas to address an unmet need, your ability to identify criteria your idea will address, your ability to make revisions as needed, and your ability to communicate effectively in a variety of ways and by using scientific vocabulary.

This sample performance task addresses the following:

Complex Thinking Standards	Invention
Learner Expectation(s)	Effective Communicator Knowledgeable Person (see content standard) Versatile Thinker (see complex thinking standard)
K-12 Content Standard(s)	II. Understands scientific communication. VI. Understands the process and structure of life and that all living things change over time.
Key Learnings	1. Uses science vocabulary associated with a unit ofstudy. 2. Understands how adaptations enable different species to help them survive 2. Understands how adaptations enable different species to help them survive.

This sample performance task addresses the following:

Complex Thinking Standards	Investigation
Learner Expectation(s)	Effective Communicator Knowledgeable Person (see content standard) Versatile Thinker (see complex thinking standard)
K-12 Content Standard(s)	I. Understands and applies scientific inquiry and other problem solving strategies VI. Understands the process and structure of life and that all living things change over time
Key Learnings	1. Knows how to observe, measure, compare, control variables, interpret data and generalize a conclusion. 4. Recognizes that life forms that exist now have not always existed and that some forms of life have become extinct.

 

Level 2: Grades 3-5

Sample Performance Task

Your classroom has been studying graphs, bar graphs, line graphs, circle graphs, etc. During the lesson the teacher shared graphs that demonstrated that biking is a dangerous activity. These conclusions do not support research you have seen. As chairperson of the Biking Club you analyze the graphs and note that sometimes the graphing changes the way the information will be interpreted. How would you explain to the teacher and students how graphing practices can distort information and lead to incorrect conclusions? What other examples of this can you find from the newspaper, TV, or other sources? How might you take the graphs on biking and change the graphing process to support your point of view and research that biking is not a dangerous activity?

You will be assessed on your ability to construct, read and interpret graphs, your ability to draw conclusions, your ability to construct support for your point of view and your ability to communicate effectively in a variety of ways.

This sample performance task addresses the following:

Complex Thinking Standards	Constructing Support Decision Making
Learner Expectation(s)	Effective Communicator Knowledgeable Person (see content standard) Versatile Thinker (see complex thinking standard)
K-12 Content Standard(s)	VII. Understands and applies the concept of statistics and probability. X. Understands mathematical reasoning.
Key Learnings	2. Constructs, reads and interprets tables, charts and graphs. 1. Draws logical conclusions about mathematics.

Teacher made performance task:

5th Grade Chamorro Bilingual

1.     Students watch a video about the culture and the Roles and Responsibilities.

2.     They will write about what they know.

3.     After completing a paragraph on what they know? They will be able to translate the sentence in Chamorro.

4.     Illustrate the lifestyle and the Role’s and Responsibility.

5.     Create a mini book and transfer the drawing into the mini book and include decorations and creativity.

6.     Present to class.