Unit 1 Becoming a Scientist

Quest Description
Can we fight hunger with science? The Science of Growing Food and Beyond
What is the situation?
You are the leaders of the new millennium and as young scientists the world needs
your help. With a world population of more than seven billion people and a planet that
is experiencing a rise in extreme weather, it is becoming more difficult to grow crops
for food.
What is your mission?
Learn as much as you can about plants by taking note of your observations and
research
Learn about how to conduct a simple plant experiment through the use of the
scientific method to answer a specific question about how to make plants grow
better under certain conditions.
Write a lab report of your experiment and share what you learned in LEAD Public
Schools first Science Times publication.
How will you make a difference?
Help humanity and your community better understand how we can use science to
better grow crops for food.
Be on your way to changing the world through doing science by earning your I
am a Scientist. stamp on your Intergalactic Passport for successfully completing
your first scientific investigation and experiment.
Grow your own garden at home or at school and feed yourself and others.

Performance Task Rubric

Score

4
Exemplar

3
Meets Expectations

Categories

2
Approaching
Expectations

1
Below Expectations

0
Incomplete/ No
Evidence

Research

Observations

Experiment Lab Report

Student has included 4
or more MEATY details
about what they have
seen happen.

Student has included 3

or more MEATY details
about what they have
seen happen.

Research has 3 or more

excellent paragraphs:
a. All sentences are
complete.
b. Each paragraph has
at least 5 sentences.
c. There are 0-spelling
mistakes.
d. Paragraphs are
neatly written in pen,
marker, or pencil.
e. There is one
paragraph for each
section of the KWL
chart.
f. Each paragraph has
one source sited (how
do you know what you
know?)

Research has 3 or more

very good paragraphs:
a. There is at least 1
incomplete sentence.
b. Each paragraph has
at least 5 sentences.
c. There are 1-2 spelling
mistakes.
d. Paragraphs are
neatly written in pen,
marker, or pencil.
e. There is one
paragraph for each
section of the KWL
chart.
f. Each paragraph has
one source sited (how
do you know what you
know?)

Student has included 2

or more MEATY
details about what
they have seen
happen.
Research has 3 or
more good
paragraphs:
a. There are at least 23 incomplete
sentences.
b. There are 3-4
spelling mistakes.
c. Each paragraph has
at least 5 sentences.
d. Paragraphs are
neatly written in pen,
marker, or pencil.
e. There is one
paragraph for each
section of the KWL
chart.
f. Each paragraph has
one source sited (how
do you know what you
know?)

Student has attempted to

include 1 or more MEATY
detail about what they
have seen happen.

Student has included

little or no details
about what they have
seen happen.

Research has 1-2 good

paragraphs:
a. There are at least 2-3
incomplete sentences.
b. There are at least 3-4
spelling mistakes.
c. Each paragraph has at
least 5 sentences.
d. Paragraphs are neatly
written in pen, marker, or
pencil.
e. At least one section of
the KWL chart is missing a
paragraph.
f. 1-2 paragraphs are
missing sources (how do
you know what you
know?)

Research has 1-2

incomplete paragraphs:
a. There are at least 2-3
incomplete sentences.
b. There are at least 3-4
spelling mistakes.
c. Each paragraph does
not have at least 5
sentences.
d. Paragraphs are not
neatly written in pen,
marker, or pencil.
e. At least one section
of the KWL chart is
missing a paragraph.
f. KWL c hart has been
left in the ROUGH draft
format.
g. 1-2 paragraphs are
missing sources (how
do you know what you
know?)

Experiment Design

Testable Questions,
Hypothesis, Procedures
and Materials List are
written in proper
format:
a. Testable Questions
have been written
clearly.
b. All the correct
Materials have been
listed.
c. All procedures have
been listed in complete
sentences.
d. There are 1-2
spelling mistakes.
e. The hypothesis is
written in the I think
_________ will happen
because
__________________
format.
f. The experiment can
be repeated by looking
at these details.

Testable Questions,
Hypothesis,
Procedures and
Materials List are
written mostly in
proper format:
a. Testable Questions
have been written
clearly.
b. Most (except 1-2)
the correct Materials
have been listed.
c. Most procedures
(except 1-2) have
been listed in
complete sentences.
d. There are 1-2
spelling mistakes.
e. The hypothesis is
written in the I think
_________ will
happen because
__________________
format.
f. The experiment can
be repeated if 1-2
changes are made to
the design.

Testable Questions,
Hypothesis, Procedures
and Materials List are not
written in proper format:
a. Testable Questions are
not clear but have been
written.
b. Most (except 1-2) the
correct Materials have
been listed.
c. Most procedures
(except 1-2) have been
listed in complete
sentences.
d. There are 1-2 spelling
mistakes.
e. The hypothesis is
written in the I think
_________ will happen
because
__________________
format.
f. The experiment can be
repeated if 4-5 changes
are made to the design.

Testable Questions,
Hypothesis, Procedures
and Materials List are
incomplete and
unclear.
a. Testable Questions
are not complete or do
not completely make
sense.
b. Materials list is
incomplete (more than
3-4 materials missing).
c. At least one or more
procedures are missing
or incomplete.
d. There are more than
4 spelling mistakes.
e. The hypothesis is not
written in the I think
_________ will happen
because
__________________
format.
f. The experiment
cannot be repeated
because many parts of
the design are missing.

Data is neatly and

clearly organized and
labeled in graphical
form with a clear
explanation of results.
Provides a thorough
and thoughtful
purpose, explanation of
results, their important,
possible mistakes, and
additional questions
that lead to a new
investigation.

Data is clearly
organized and labeled
in graphical form with a
complete explanation
of the results.
Provides a complete
purpose, explanation of
results, their important,
possible mistakes, and
additional questions.

Data is organized with

a complete
explanation that
needs small edits.

Data is not organized with

an explanation of the
results that requires
major edits.

Provides a purpose,
explanation of results,
their important,
possible mistakes, and
additional questions
with a need for small
edits.

Provides a purpose,
explanation of results,
their important, possible
mistakes, and additional
questions with a need for
major edits.

Data is in a rough draft

form; incomplete or
unclear with little to no
explanation of the
results.
Conclusion is
incomplete or unclear
with little to complete
conclusion statement.

Conclusion

Data
Collection &
Analysis

Testable Questions,
Hypothesis, Procedures
and Materials List are
written in concise and
proper format:
a. Testable Questions
have been written
clearly.
b. All the correct
Materials have been
listed.
c. All procedures have
been listed in complete
sentences.
d. There are 0-spelling
mistakes.
e. The hypothesis is
written in the I think
_________ will happen
because
__________________
format.
f. The experiment can
be easily repeated by
looking at these details.

Scholarly Contribution

LEAD Science Times Scholarly Article Contribution, Peer Review & Reflection
A thoughtful and
thoroughly explained
contribution that provides
the following:

A complete
contribution that
provides the audience the
following:

Explains the purpose and

hypothesis of the
experiment and generally
how it was conducted

Explains the purpose of

the investigation

Explains the results and

their importance to the
real-world, but notes
possible errors

Some argument, based

on research and
results, for how to best
grow a specific type of
seed

Provides further
questions that ask the
reader to respond with
scholarly feedback or
further investigation

Provides at least one

further question that
asks the reader to
respond with feedback
or further investigation

At least one photograph,

observation sketch, or
graph of the experiment
results is provided
A thoughtful response to
a question posed by a
peers article provides
specific insights from their
own experiment and/or
research

A complete response to
a question posed by a
peers article provides
possible answers based
on their own experiment
and/or research

Thoughtfully answers
essential questions with
specific references to what
was learned in the unit

Answers essential
questions with strong
reference to what was
learned in the unit

A complete response
in need of minor
revision that responds
to a question posed by
a peers article provides
possible answers based
on their own
experiment and/or
research
Answers essential
questions with some
reference to what was
learned in the unit

Provides a convincing
argument, based on
research and results, for
how to best grow a
specific type of seed.

Scholarly Peer Review

32 30 = Exemplar

Total

Explains the purpose of

the investigation
and an explanation of
the results

A Strong argument, based

on research and results,
for how to best grow a
specific type of seed

Provides further questions

that provoke the audience
to respond with scholarly
feedback or further
investigation

Reflection

Explains the results and

their importance to the
real-world

A complete
contribution that is in
need of minor revision
that provides the
audience the following:

____ / 32

Notes:

28 29 = Meets Expectations

A complete
contribution that
is in need of
major revision
that provides the
audience the
following:

The contribution is in
a rough draft form and
is missing many
required elements;
incomplete or not easy
to understand

Explains the
purpose of the
investigation,
some explanation
of the results
A reasonable
claim for how to
best grow a
specific type of
seed
Provides at least
one further
question related
to the topic

A complete
response in need
of major revision
that responds to a
question posed by
a peers
contribution
provides possible
answers
Answers
essential
questions with
little reference to
what was learned
in the unit

26 27 = Approaching Expectations

The response is in a
rough draft form;
incomplete or not easy
to understand

The response does

not directly answer the
essential question;
incomplete or not easy
to understand

26 below = Did Not Meet Expectations

Name (First and Last): _______________________________

Date:____________________
Class: Science
College HR: _______

Unit 1 Becoming a Scientist

Reflection
How are scientific questions developed and answered?
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How does a change in any one environmental factor affect an

organisms growth and/or survival?
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Name (First and Last): _______________________________

Date:____________________
Class: Science
College HR: _______

Unit 1 Becoming a Scientist

Performance Task Product LEAD Science Times Scholarly Article
Directions: Write a scholarly article that will be published in the LEAD Science Times
publication. In your article, be sure to use your conclusion from your Lab Report to help you
answer specific requirements for each paragraph.
Rough Draft Revision Ready to Publish

Title of Article: _________________________________________________________________

Paragraph 1 Explain the purpose and hypothesis of the investigation. Generally, how was the
experimented conducted?
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Paragraph 2 Explain the results of your experiment. How are the results important to the realworld. What possible errors occurred in the experiment that may have influenced your results?
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Paragraph 3 Write a convincing argument, based on your research and results, for how to best
grow a specific type of seed.
______________________________________________________________________________
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Provide further questions that provoke the reader to respond with scholarly feedback or
further investigation.
______________________________________________________________________________
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Attach at least one photograph, observation sketch, or graph of the experiment results.

Scholarly Peer Review

What is the author of the article you read? ______________________________________
What is the title of the article? ________________________________________________
What is the question being asked? _____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
What is your response? Be sure to support your answer or hypothesis with what you have
learned in your own research, class investigations, and/or experiments. Provide specific
examples.
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Notes: