Example Technology Performance Assessment Task

Task 2	A Flow Chart
Grade	3
Content Area(s)	Science
Unit Title/Theme	Electricity and Magnetism
Task Developer/Author:	Erica Goodrich

1. Setting the Context

After a 3 week unit exploring concepts of magnetism and electricity, students will demonstrate their knowledge of these concepts using paint/draw applications and a visual organizer. The creation of an electric circuit in the form of a flowchart will be the culminating activity for this unit. Throughout the unit students will be provided with practice opportunities to reinforce skills in these areas. For example, the science content of magnetism will be assessed through an electronic drawing of magnetic fields but the paint/draw application will not be assessed at this time. This is an opportunity for students to practice these skills as they prepare to use them while creating a visual organizer that represents an electric circuit.

2. Grade Expectations/Standards

Technology

IT3-4:3 Students use technology/productivity tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity by illustrating a simple concept using a paint application and a visual organizer.

IT3-4:1 Students demonstrate proficiency in the effective use of technology by launching a program from the desktop

Content

S3-4:24 Students demonstrate their understanding of Electrical Energy by building complete circuits, drawing diagrams of these electrical circuits, and explaining why electricity flows or does not flow through the circuit. Also, students can classify different materials as conductors and insulators.

S3-4:25 Students demonstrate their understanding of Magnetism by describing what happens when like and opposite poles of the magnet are placed near each other.

3. The Performance Task

Students will demonstrate understanding of an electrical circuit by illustrating a complete circuit using a paint/draw tools and a visual organizer.

Goal: To understand the components of a complete circuit and why electricity does or does not flow through a circuit.

Role: The student will be a scientist exploring electric circuits. As a scientist they will experiment with simple circuits, conductors, and insulators. As an illustrator, students will then draw their findings and record their observations.

Audience: Instructor and Science Text Salesperson

Situation: There is salesperson from a science textbook company who will be visiting our school. He/she is looking for accurate diagrams of electrical circuits to include in a chapter on Electrical Energy that will be a part of the new text his company is publishing.

Product/Performance: A Flowchart

4. Activities

As the student completes all steps below, they will have been provided with the necessary rubrics and a flowchart that helps them to progress through these steps. All rubrics and the flowchart are provided.

1. Create a battery in paint/draw application - refer to Technology Rubric "Paint"

2. Save the drawing in a spot designated by the teacher

3. Open visual organizer software

4. Bring in battery from paint to visual organizer

5. Create a complete circuit in visual organizer - refer to Technology ("Visual Organizer") and Science Rubrics

6. Label each part of the circuit

7. Use the Note tool to add more description about each part of the illustration

8. Add text under the diagram to explain how the circuit works - refer to the Science rubric "Observation Notes"

9. Save the final product in a spot designated by the teacher

10. Print the circuit in both diagram and outline form

5. Materials and Resources

· Electricity resources (text, illustrations of circuits, hands on materials)

· Paint/Draw software

· Visual Organizer software

· Printer

· Access to multiple computers (can be done in a variety of settings with a range of accessibility to computers – 4 computers in a class with a stations approach or in a computer lab situation)

· Task Rubrics and flowchart

S3-4:25 Students demonstrate their understanding of Magnetism by describing what happens when like and opposite poles of the magnet are placed near each other.
	Getting Started	Almost There	Got It	WOW!
Illustrations	Drawing includes an accurate magnetic field of one magnet or two magnets are included with inaccurate magnetic fields	Drawings include at least one accurate magnetic field including two magnets	Drawings include accurate magnetic fields in both situations: N to N / S to S and N to S	Drawings include accurate magnetic fields and extends to include additional magnets or different types of magnets (horseshoe, round)
Labels	Poles are not labeled or are labeled incorrectly and/or the strength of the fields are not labeled or are labeled incorrectly	Poles of the magnet are labeled or the strength of the fields are labeled	Poles of the magnet and strength of the magnetic fields are labeled	Poles of the magnet and strength of the magnetic fields are labeled, drawing includes a title, and/or additional magnets are labeled
Observation	Written observations include 0-3 of the terms or observations are not accurate	Written observations include 4 to 6 of the terms	Written observations include the terms: opposite, attract, like, repel, poles, North and South	Written observations include additional relevant vocabulary and (magnetic field, iron filings) and definitions are stated

IT3-4:3 Students use technology/productivity tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity by illustrating a simple concept using a paint application and a visual organizer. IT3-4:1 Students demonstrate proficiency in the effective use of technology by launching a program from the desktop
	Getting Started	Almost There	Got It	WOW!
Basic Operations	I do not know how to locate programs on the desktop.	I need help to launch a program from the desktop.	I can launch ClarisWorks and Inspiration from the desktop.	I can manipulate between two open windows
Paint	I was only able to use 4 or less of the tools.	I was able to use 5 to 7 of the tools.	I used the following tools effectively: __ paint brush __ line __ rectangle __ oval __ flood fill __ colors __ line thickness, __ brush shapes,	I was able to save my artwork in multiple formats (.jpg, .gif)
Visual Organizer	I was only able to do 5 or less of the required skills.	I was able to do 6 to 8 of the required skills.	With the visual organizer (Inspiration) I was able to: __ add text, __ change symbols, __ change colors of symbols, __ change font sizes, __ add symbols, __ change symbols to graphic, __ connect lines to symbols, __ change map to outline form, and __ add notes to symbols	I was able to import my illustration without assistance.

6. Criteria/Rubric

S3-4:24 Students demonstrate their understanding of Electrical Energy by building complete circuits, drawing diagrams of these electrical circuits, and explaining why electricity flows or does not flow through the circuit. Also, students can classify different materials as conductors and insulators.
	Getting Started	Almost There	Got It	WOW!
Illustrations	Drawing includes 3 or less of the required pieces or the circuit is not complete	Drawing includes 4 or 5 of the required pieces	Drawing is of an accurate complete circuit that includes: a battery, wire, switch, an item run by electricity, a conductor and an insulator of electricity.	Drawing extends to include multiple items in a series circuit or is a parallel circuits
Labels	Only 3 or less of the required piece are labeled	4 or 5 of the required pieces are labeled	All items are accurately labeled	Drawing includes a title, and/or additional parts of circuit are labeled
Observation Notes	Written observations include 0-3 of the terms or observations are not accurate	Written observations accurately include 4 or 5 of the terms	Written observations include accurate use of the terms: opened, closed, circuit, electrons, conductor, and insulator	Written observations include additional relevant vocabulary and (atoms, positive, negative) and explanations are given