Example Technology Performance Task

Task # 1	A Life Cycle Poster
Grade	2
Content Area(s)	Science
Unit Title/Theme	Life Cycles
Task Developer/Author	Wendy Cunningham

1. Setting the Context

This task will be the culminating activity of a Science unit on life cycles.

This task will occur over a period of several days with information gathering and drafting opportunities. Work on the computer can be done as a center for students to cycle through. Students can keep track of their contributions towards the project using a checklist so teachers can monitor students throughout the process to ensure the product represents each student’s ability and is not the product of other students and staff. The task provides opportunities for a variety of learning styles (visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic).

2. Grade Expectations/Standards

Technology

IT1-2:3 Students use technology/ productivity tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity by…

Word Processing

· Entering, selecting, deleting text.

· Manipulating styles (e.g., bold face, italicize and underline).

Paint/Draw

· Illustrating a simple concept using a paint application.

Visual Organizer

· Entering information into a teacher created template (e.g. concept map).

Content

Life Cycles and Reproduction

S1-2:31

Students demonstrate their understanding of Reproduction by…

Drawing and labeling the stages in the life cycle of a familiar plant or animal.

Science Concept:

a. All organisms undergo stages of development that include being born, developing into adulthood, reproducing and dying.

b. Most organisms come from male and female parents.

3. The Performance Task

Students will create a poster that illustrates the life cycle of a chosen animal.

GOAL:
The goal of the task is for students to apply their understanding of animal life cycles explored in a unit to the research and reporting of a new animal in the form of a poster. They will create a product (the poster), illustrate a process (the life cycle of their chosen animal) and present that product to their peers.

ROLE:
The student will become an expert on the life cycle of his chosen animal, be an instructor to his peers and also participate as an audience member for other presentations.

AUDIENCE:
The audiences will include the instructor and peers.

SITUATION:
This task will take place at the end of a Science unit about Life Cycles. It is necessary for the students to have an understanding of an animal’s life cycle in order to apply that knowledge in the research of a new animal. The whole class could have learned about the life cycle of a common animal (i.e.: Monarch butterfly, frog). They will choose a new animal to research.

They will also need instruction and practice in using a paint program as well as inserting information into a template and modifying its appearance.

PRODUCT:
The students will create a poster to present to their peers.

4. Activities

Use a graphic organizer to create a generic template for the students to use in creating their posters. The template will include a field for a title (the name of the animal) as well as several boxes. Each box will have a field for the student to enter the name of the stage, a field for a brief description of the stage, and a space to insert the student’s drawing.

Steps:

1. Provide a list of animals for the students to choose from and ask them to each pick an animal to research.
2. Students will then spend time researching their animal to find out the particular stages of that animal’s life cycle using books and teacher selected internet resources.
3. Students will create a draft on paper of what their posters will look like for teacher review.

5. Materials and Resources

· Computers

· Printers

· List of Animals - the list could include ant, bird, beetle, butterfly, frog, ladybug, mealworm, mosquito, moth, salamander, salmon, snake

· Resources – Print, CD Rom, Internet

· Variety of Clip Art

· Template made in Graphic Organizer – sample:

6. Criteria/Rubric

Grade Expectation	Introduced	With Assistance	Met the Standard
Productivity Tools
Entering, selecting, deleting text
Manipulating styles (e.g., bold face, italicize and underline).
Illustrating a simple concept using a paint application. Note: It is suggested you look specifically at students’ ability to effectively use common paint tools such as the line, oval, rectangle, paint brush, text, selection, spray can/air brush, and eraser.
Entering information into a teacher created template (e.g. concept map). Note: Students should demonstrate their ability to add text, change symbols (block to oval, etc.), change color of symbol backgrounds, increase/decrease font sizes, add symbols, add connecting lines to symbols, and manipulate connecting lines between symbols.
Life Science – Life Cycles and Reproduction
Drawing and labeling the stages in the life cycle of a familiar plant or animal.
Poster includes all stages of development: being born of male and female parents (in most instances), developing into adulthood, reproducing and dying.

7. Checklist

Student checklist of each step in the task.

Example:

I chose my animal.

I researched my animal.

I made a sketch of my poster and showed it to my teacher.

I used the computer to put the information about my animal’s life cycle in the template my teacher gave me.

I used (paint program) to draw a picture of each stage of my animal’s life cycle.

I told my teacher the pictures were ready for the poster.