Science Assessment Rubric

Name:
Topic: Natural Disasters
Criteria
Knowledge
and
Understandin
g
Earth Science

Science
Inquiry

Below Standard

Level:

5/6

Approaching Standard

At Standard

Makeslittletonoattempttoexplainthewaysplate
tectonicsmoveatboundariesincludingallthree
movements(transformative,convergentand
divergent)andhowthisgeologicaleventcancause
naturaldisasterstooccurincluding,earthquakes,
volcaniceruptionsandtsunamis.
Makeslittletonoattempttonameandlabelthe
layersoftheearthincluding,thecrust,themantle,
theoutercoreandinnercore.
Makeslittletonoattempttorecallfactsaboutthe
layersthatwouldassistthemintheirunderstanding
ofhownaturaldisasterscanoccur.
Makeslittletonoattempttousescientific
terminologycorrectlytodescribenaturaldisasters
including,earthquakes,volcaniceruptionsand
tsunamis.
Planning&Conducting:Makeslittletonoattempt
toplanastudentdesignedinvestigationtosolve
problemstakingintosomeconsideration,fairtests
andindependentanddependantvariables.Makes
littletonoattempttoobserve,measureandrecord
resultsoftheirexperiment.
Isnotcareful/safewithtoolsand/orgroup
members.

Canexplaininpartialdetailthewaysplate
tectonicsmoveatboundariesincludingallthree
movements(transformative,convergentand
divergent)andhowthisgeologicaleventcancause
naturaldisasterstooccurincluding,earthquakes,
volcaniceruptionsandtsunamis.
Cannameandlabelatleastthreelayersoftheearth
including,thecrust,themantle,theoutercoreand
innercore.Canrecallfullorpartialfactsabout
mostofthelayersthatassiststhemintheir
understandingofhownaturaldisasterscanoccur.
Usessomescientificterminologycorrectlyto
describenaturaldisastersincluding,earthquakes,
volcaniceruptionsandtsunamis.

Canexplaininsomedetailthewaysplatetectonics
moveatboundariesincludingallthreemovements
(transformative,convergentanddivergent)andhowthis
geologicaleventcancausenaturaldisasterstooccur
including,earthquakes,volcaniceruptionsand
tsunamis.
Cannameandlabelthelayersoftheearthincluding,
thecrust,themantle,theoutercoreandinnercore.Can
recallatleastonefactabouteachlayerthatassiststhem
intheirunderstandingofhownaturaldisasterscan
occur.
Consistentlyandindependentlyusesscientific
terminologycorrectlytodescribenaturaldisasters
including,earthquakes,volcaniceruptionsand
tsunamis.

Planning&Conducting:Planswithassistancea
studentdesignedinvestigationtosolveproblems
takingintosomeconsideration,fairtestsand
independentanddependantvariables.Observes,
measuresandrecordssomeresultsoftheir
experimentaccurately.
Cansafelyuseequipmenttoexploreeachnatural
disaster.
Workswithtoolsandgroupmembersinasafeand
carefulmannermostofthetime.

Planning & Conducting: Independentlyplansa

studentdesignedinvestigationtosolveproblemstaking
intoconsideration,fairtestsandindependentand
dependantvariables.Accuratelyobserves,measuresand
recordsresultsoftheirexperimentusingatleastone
representation.
Cansafelyandindependentlyusearangeofequipment
toexploreeachnaturaldisaster.
Workswithtoolsandgroupmembersinasafeand
carefulmanner.

Communicating:Doesnotcommunicateideas,
explanationsand/orprocessesintheirscience
journals.Doesnotparticipateinclassorgroup
discussions.Incompletefinalpresentationwith
littletonoinformationabouttopicsexploredover
thedurationoftheunit.

Communicating:Communicateideas,
explanationsandprocessesatleast2differentways
intheirsciencejournals.Participatesinsomeclass
orgroupdiscussions.Almostcompletefinal
presentationcoveringsomeinformationabouthow
andwhynaturaldisastersoccurincludingfacts
aboutsomeofthetopicsexploredovertheduration
oftheunit.
Questioning and predicting: Withguidance,
makespredictionsaboutwhatwillhappenin
handsonexperiments.Askssomequestionsto
extendtheirunderstandingabouthowandwhy
eachnaturaldisasteroccurs.

Communicating: Communicateideas,explanations
andprocessesclearlyinatleast3differentwaysintheir
sciencejournals.Participatesinmajorityofclassand
groupdiscussions.Acompletefinalpresentation
coveringagreatrangeofinformationabouthowand
whynaturaldisastersoccurincludingatleast1fact
abouteachtopicexploredoverthedurationoftheunit.

Questioning and predicting: Makesno

predictionsaboutwhatwillhappeninhandson
experiments.Doesnotaskquestionstoextend
theirunderstandingabouthowandwhyeach
naturaldisasteroccurs.

Questioning and predicting: Makespredictions

aboutwhatwillhappeninhandsonexperimentsand
canexplainthereasoningbehindtheirprediction.Asks
questionstoextendtheirunderstandingabouthowand
whyeachnaturaldisasteroccurs.

Above standard
(beginning next level)
Canexplaininextensivedetailthewaysplatetectonics
moveatboundariesincludingallthreemovements
(transformative,convergentanddivergent)andhowthis
geologicaleventcancausenaturaldisasterstooccur
including,earthquakes,volcaniceruptionsand
tsunamis.
Cannameandlabelthelayersoftheearthincluding,
thecrust,themantle,theoutercoreandinnercore.Can
recallmorethanonefactabouteachlayerthatassists
themintheirunderstandingofhownaturaldisasterscan
occur.
Consistentlyandindependentlyusesawiderangeof
scientificterminologycorrectlytodescribenatural
disastersincluding,earthquakes,volcaniceruptionsand
tsunamis.
Planning&Conducting:
Independentlyplansastudentdesignedinvestigationto
solveproblemstakingintoextensiveconsideration,fair
testsandindependentanddependantvariables.
Independentlyandaccuratelyobserves,measuresand
recordsresultsoftheirexperimentusingmorethanone
representation.
Cansafelyandindependentlyusearangeofequipment
toexploreeachnaturaldisaster.
Workswithtoolsandgroupmembersinasafeand
carefulmannerandassistsotherstodothisalso.
Communicating: Communicateideas,explanations
andprocessesclearlyinatleast3ormoredifferent
waysintheirsciencejournals.Consistentparticipation
andvaluablecontributionsmadeinclassandgroup
discussions.Acompletefinalpresentationcoveringa
greatrangeofinformationabouthowandwhynatural
disastersoccurincludingmorethan1factabouteach
topicexploredoverthedurationoftheunit.
Questioning and predicting:
Makesmanypredictionsaboutwhatwillhappenin
handsonexperimentsandcanexplainthereasoning
behindtheirpredictionusingscientificknowledge.
Frequentlyasksquestionstoextendtheirunderstanding
abouthowandwhyeachnaturaldisasteroccurs.

Science as
Human
Endeavour

Use and Influence of Science:

Doesnotidentifywaysnaturaldisasterscanaffect
theearthssurfaceand/orsurroundinglivingand
nonlivingthings.

UseandInfluenceofScience:Canidentifywith
assistanceatleast2waysnaturaldisasterscan
affecttheearthssurfaceand/orsurroundingliving
andnonlivingthings.

UseandInfluenceofScience:Canindependentlyat
least4waysnaturaldisasterscanaffecttheearths
surfaceand/orsurroundinglivingandnonlivingthings.

UseandInfluenceofScience:Canindependently
identify4ormorewaysnaturaldisasterscanaffectthe
earthssurfaceand/orsurroundinglivingandnonliving
things.