SCIENCE ASSESSMENT TASK 1
Year 8 Science – Paper Planes Practical Skills Assessment
March 2018
Name: _______________________________________ Teacher: ________________________
Group members: _______________________________________________________________
Outcomes Assessed
SC4-4WS identifies questions and problems that can be tested or researched and makes predictions based on
scientific knowledge
SC4-5WS collaboratively and individually produces a plan to investigate questions and problems
SC4-7WS processes and analyses data from a first-hand investigation and secondary sources to identify trends,
patterns and relationships, and draw conclusions
SC4-9WS presents science ideas, findings and information to a given audience using appropriate scientific language,
text types and representations
Task Description and Instructions
Your task is to plan and conduct and experiment to investigate a variable that affects the flight of a paper plane.
This will involve brainstorming variables, planning and conducting an experiment, data collection and analysis of
experimental results.
Assessment Criteria /Guidelines
The best assignments will:
• Demonstrate your understanding of reliable, valid and accurate experimental design.
• Organise, analyse and explain your first-hand data, using appropriate tables, graphs.
• Identify trends, patterns and relationships and draw evidence-based conclusions.
•
Use scientific language throughout.
All My Own Work Declaration
By completing and handing in an assessment task you are certifying that it is all your own work. No one else
completed the work for you. You have referenced any work used from other sources and have not plagiarised the
work of others.
Student signature: _________________________________
I have kept a copy of my task:
Yes / No
Teacher Feedback/Comments (Areas of Strength & Areas for Improvement):
___________________________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________________________
Please refer to the School Assessment Policy for information regarding i) the task schedule ii) malpractice iii) illness/misadventure guidelines.
SCIENCE ASSESSMENT TASK 1
Marking Rubric
Stage 4 Area for
Assessment
Questioning and
predicting
(20%)
Research Question
Hypothesis
Planning and
conducting
investigations
(50%)
Variables
Planning
Conducting
(Collaborative practices
& active participation)
Data collection
Processing and
analysing data and
information
(20%)
Processing data
Analysing data &
Drawing
Conclusions
Communicating
(10%)
Communication of
ideas (as above)
A (Outstanding)
B (High)
C (Sound)
identifies and proposes valid
scientific hypotheses, asks
questions and makes evidence
based predictions
Asks a valid research question that
guides investigation. Applies
appropriate scientific terminology
and formatting.
5
Question is developed into a clear
and concise hypothesis that clearly
relates independent and dependent
variables and offers an explanation
identifies and proposes
coherent hypotheses, asks
questions and makes logical
predictions
Asks valid research question
that guides investigation.
Applies appropriate
formatting.
4
Hypothesis is formulated from
question and clearly relates
independent and dependent
variables and offers an
explanation.
4
identifies and proposes
related hypotheses, asks
questions and make
predictions
Asks a valid question that
guides investigation.
5
creates, plans and organises
appropriate, risk-assessed, safe,
and ethical first-hand scientific
investigations both individually and
collaboratively
Identifies and manages the
independent, dependent and all
possible control variables.
5
Experimental design provides a
valid plan to investigate the
research question, test predictions
and collect reliable data. Includes
enough detail for the experiment to
be reproduced. Experimental setup and measurement techniques
are described.
10
9
Demonstrates leadership while
working collaboratively with group
to complete task.
5
Data table properly constructed. 5+
trials conducted, appropriate data
collected and recorded (including
units), averages calculated. All
measurements accurate and
precise.
plans and organises
appropriate, risk-assessed,
safe, and ethical first-hand
scientific investigations
D (Basic)
E (Limited)
asks questions and
makes some
predictions
asks questions and
attempts prediction
With guidance, asks a
question for testing.
Inquiry question is
provided.
3
Hypothesis clearly relates
independent and
dependent variables.
2
With guidance,
formulates hypothesis.
1
Hypothesis is given.
3
2
plans and performs safe,
ethical first-hand scientific
investigations
performs safe, ethical
first-hand scientific
investigations
Identifies the independent,
dependent and at least 3
control variables.
3
Experimental design
provides a valid step-bystep plan to investigate the
research question, test
predictions and collect data.
Experiment could be
reproduced but may require
a few explanations.
6
5
Works with group members
to complete task.
Identifies some
variables relevant to
the investigation.
2
Experimental design
provides a step-by-step
plan to investigate the
research question, test
predictions and collect
data. Experiment
requires explanations
to reproduce.
4
3
Works independently
to complete task.
1
performs safe,
ethical first-hand
scientific
investigations with
guidance
With guidance,
identifies some
relevant variables.
1
With guidance,
produces a plan for
investigation.
3
Data table constructed. 3+
trials conducted,
appropriate data collected
and recorded, averages
calculated. Measurements
are mostly accurate.
5
Identifies and manages the
independent, dependent at
least 5 control variables.
4
Experimental design provides
a valid plan to investigate the
research question, test
predictions and collect reliable
data. Experiment could be
reproduced with only a few
questions. Measurement
techniques described.
8
7
Actively engages with group
members to collaboratively
complete task.
4
Data table well-constructed.
3+ trials conducted,
appropriate data collected and
recorded (including units),
averages calculated. All
measurements accurate and
precise.
4
3
2
Data table constructed
with guidance. Trial(s)
conducted, some data
collected and
recorded.
Measurements may
not be accurate.
2
uses critical thinking skills to
evaluate trends, patterns and
relationships to draw evidencebased scientific conclusions
uses critical thinking skills to
explain trends, patterns and
relationships to draw scientific
conclusions
explains trends, patterns
and relationships to draw
scientific conclusions
describes trends,
patterns and draws
some conclusions
Constructs an appropriate graph of
data (averages) collected. Graph
includes all elements (SALUTE –
scale, axes, labels, units, title,
evenly spaced numbers) and key, if
necessary. Data accurately plotted.
5
Uses critical thinking skills to
evaluate trends, patterns and
relationships in data to draw
insightful evidence-based scientific
conclusions.
5
communicates comprehensive
understanding of scientific ideas,
and related evidence for a
particular purpose and audience
using scientific units, language
conventions and text types.
Constructs an appropriate
graph of data (averages)
collected. Graph includes most
elements (SALUTE). Data
accurately plotted.
Constructs an appropriate
graph of data collected.
Graph includes most
elements (SALUTE). Most
data accurately plotted.
4
Uses critical thinking skills to
explain trends, patterns and
relationships in data to draw
scientific conclusions.
3
Provides sound explanation
of trends, patterns and
relationships to draw
scientific conclusions.
With some guidance,
constructs a graph of
data collected,
including SALUTE
elements. Most data
accurately plotted.
2
Describes trends,
patterns and draws
some conclusions.
4
3
communicates well-developed
understanding of scientific
ideas to an audience using
scientific units and language
conventions.
5
4
Overall Mark (%): __________________
2
1
With guidance,
works to complete
task.
1
Data table provided.
With guidance,
collects data and
completes
calculations.
1
recounts conclusions
Graph setup,
including SALUTE
elements, provided.
Data plotted on
graph may not be
accurate.
1
Limited description
of data. May draw a
conclusion from
data.
2
1
communicates sound
understanding of scientific
ideas to an audience.
communicates basic
scientific
understanding to an
audience.
with guidance,
communicates
elementary scientific
information to an
audience.
3
2
1
Overall Grade (A-E): _______________
See previous page for teacher feedback/comments.
Please refer to the School Assessment Policy for information regarding i) the task schedule ii) malpractice iii) illness/misadventure guidelines.
SCIENCE ASSESSMENT TASK 1
Year 8 Practical Skills Assessment
Your task is to plan and conduct and experiment to investigate a variable that affects the flight of a paper
plane. This will include:






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working collaboratively with your group to complete the planning and conducting of the task
brainstorming variables and choosing the variable you will investigate
constructing a research question and a hypothesis
planning the experiment and constructing a data table
conducting the experiment and collecting data
analysing data (calculating averages, construct a graph of your data)
drawing a conclusion
Brainstorming and Identifying Variables
Use the table below to brainstorm factors that can affect the flight of a paper plane. (Hint: Will you
measure distance of flight, or the time it spends in the air? Place this variable in the centre.)
Data to collect:
Select one variable from your brainstorm that your group will investigate, and keep everything else the
same. Record your variables below:
Independent variable (to investigate): ________________________________________________________
Dependent variable (data to collect): _________________________________________________________
Controlled variables (everything else): ________________________________________________________
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Research Question
Using your variables, construct a research question. (Hint: Use the following format  How will changing ____ affect ____?)
Question:
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Hypothesis
Construct a hypothesis for your experiment. (Hint: Use the following format  If _______ then _______ because _______.).
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Please refer to the School Assessment Policy for information regarding i) the task schedule ii) malpractice iii) illness/misadventure guidelines.
SCIENCE ASSESSMENT TASK 1
Materials list
What do you need to complete your experiment? Make sure you include how many of each item.
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Procedure
What will you do to complete the experiment and collect data? Remember to use steps and to be very,
very specific. (See your rubric for extra hints!)
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Results
Construct a results table to collect your data. (Hints: What data are you collecting? How many times will you do
each test? Do you need to calculate averages? What units are you using?)
Please refer to the School Assessment Policy for information regarding i) the task schedule ii) malpractice iii) illness/misadventure guidelines.
SCIENCE ASSESSMENT TASK 1
Data Analysis
Construct a graph of your data. Don’t forget to SALUTE! (See rubric for graphing hints/reminders!).
Description of data (describe any trends/what you see in your graph):
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Conclusion
What is the answer to your research question/what can you conclude? Was your hypothesis correct? If so,
why? If not, why? What was your range of data? What evidence do you have to support your conclusion?
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Please refer to the School Assessment Policy for information regarding i) the task schedule ii) malpractice iii) illness/misadventure guidelines.
SCIENCE ASSESSMENT TASK 1
Student Reflection
Student Name: __________________________________________________________________________
PART 1: to accompany the submitted task
Circle a number: 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree)
I understood the task
I used the guidelines to complete the task
I was organised
This is my best work
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4
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Complete the following:
1. What I have learned from this task is:
2. The most challenging part of this task was:
3. I spent ?? hours on this assessment task: 0 – 1; 2 – 3; 4 – 5; 6 – 7; 8+ hours (circle one)
4. My strengths in the task were:
5. What I can do to improve in the next task is:
PART 2: to be completed upon the return of the assessment task
Area for Improvement
Method of Improvement (how will you do this?)
I would like further clarification or assistance with:
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Please refer to the School Assessment Policy for information regarding i) the task schedule ii) malpractice iii) illness/misadventure guidelines.