Marine Science

Third Quarter Project

Rubric and Description
Mr. Pearson

The Third Quarter Project will be a 5-8 page report on a broad class of marine vertebrates that
you and your partner have been assigned. The paper will be written in MLA format, using 1.5 line
spacing and 12 point font. The paper will be written in Google Docs, with a drawing added either by
scanning or dropped in when the paper is printed out.
If you use more than 4 words in a row from a source, you must put quotations around the words.
You may quote longer portions, but 80% (4 words out of 5) must be your own work and not just
assembled quotations or sections from other work. I will check your work for originality and make you
re-write in your own words. You will use footnotes to cite your sources. You will need at least 5 sources
of material for the report.

In addition to the paper, a presentation to the class will be made using your report during the last
week of the quarter. More details about the presentation will come as that date approaches.
The paper will be broken into the following sections

1. Introduction – you will give a brief description the the group of animals you are reporting on.

2. Characteristics – see section on Sharks in the Textbook as an example, pages 284-286

8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 or less

At least 3 At least 3 At least 3 Less than 3 Very poor quality

paragraphs of paragraphs of paragraphs of paragraphs of work.
information on the information on the information on the information.
characteristics of characteristics of characteristics of Grammar and
the group of the group of the group of spelling mistakes
animals – each animals – some animals. are frequent.
major subgroup major group left Descriptions are
(sharks, and rays, not described. incomplete. There
for example) are Good grammar and are grammar or
described. Good spelling spelling mistakes
grammar and
spelling

3. Structure and Behavior see textbook pages 289-290 for an example

8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 or less

At least 3 At least 3 At least 3 Less than 3 Very poor quality

paragraphs of paragraphs of paragraphs of paragraphs of work.
information on the information on the information on the information.
structures and structures and structures and Grammar and
behavior of the behavior of the behavior of the spelling mistakes
group of animals – group of animals – group of animals. are frequent.
each major some major group Descriptions are
subgroup (sharks, left not described. incomplete. There
and rays, for Good grammar and are grammar or
example) are spelling spelling mistakes
described. Good
grammar and
spelling

4. Drawing of representative animal, with at least 8 parts labeled. This should be hand
drawn, or it may be drawn on the computer. You may not use a scanned image or simply
label an image drawn by someone else.

8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 points or less

Very Good quality Good quality Lower quality Lower quality Very poor work
drawing, each part drawing, each part drawing. 6 or 7 drawing. Fewer
is clearly drawn. At is clearly drawn. features of the than 6 features of
least 8 features of Less than 8 representative the representative
the representative features of the animal are shown animal are shown
animal are shown representative and labeled. and labeled.
and labeled. animal are shown
and labeled.

5. Reproduction – describe the reproductive cycle of the group, include descriptions of more than
one animal's reproductive cycle. These are large groups of animals and my have more than one
set of behaviors.

8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 or less

At least 3 At least 3 At least 3 Less than 3 Very poor quality

paragraphs of paragraphs of paragraphs of paragraphs of work.
information on the information on the information on the information.
reproductive cycle reproductive cycle reproductive cycle Grammar and
of the animal of the animal of the animal spelling mistakes
group. What is the group. Not all group. Not all are frequent.
life cycle of the questions in 8 questions in 8
animal. Are young points are points are
cared for? Do addressed. Good addressed. Some
males and females grammar and grammar or
mate once or do spelling are used. spelling mistakes
they have are found.
relationships?
These are some of
the questions
answered. Good
grammar and
spelling

6. Example Animal – this is the one species that you will give particular focus to.

12 points 10 points 8 points 6 points 5 or less

At least 3 At least 3 At least 3 Less than 3 Very poor quality

paragraphs of paragraphs of paragraphs of paragraphs of work.
information on the information on the information on the information.
particular animal particular animal particular animal Grammar and
you have chosen. you have chosen. you have chosen. spelling mistakes
Gives at least 8 Fewer than 8 Descriptions are are frequent.
interesting facts interesting facts incomplete. There
about the animal. about the animal. are grammar or
Good grammar and Good grammar and spelling mistakes
spelling spelling

7. Ecology – What is the animal's place in the ecosystem? What relationship do we have with
it?

8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 or less

At least 3 At least 2 Fewer than 2 Less than 2 Very poor quality

paragraphs and a paragraphs and a paragraphs and a paragraphs of work.
food chain drawing food chain drawing food chain drawing information and no
of the animal's of the animal's of the animal's food chain
role in the food role in the food role in the food drawing. Grammar
chain and its place chain and its place chain and its place and spelling
in the ecosystem. in the ecosystem. in the ecosystem. mistakes are
Describe the Describe the Descriptions are frequent.
relationship of the relationship of the incomplete. Good
animal to humans animal to humans grammar and
(Do we eat it? (Do we eat it? spelling
Make it a pet? Make it a pet? etc)
Rarely interact Good grammar and
with it? etc) Good spelling
grammar and
spelling
8. Citing sources

4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point 0 points

5 sources are cited 4 sources are cited 3 sources are cited 2 sources cited 1 or 0 sources