“Land and Water”
Grade 4 – Summative Assessment
Assessed Understandings
Students will understand:
1. The flow of water and the slope of the land shape and affect the amount of
erosion, deposition, and runoff.
2. Human and natural factors affect erosion and deposition of sediments.
3. The water cycle can be modeled to define evaporation, condensation, and
precipitation as it affects the shape of the land.
4. Energy from the Sun drives the process of the water cycle.
5. Models can be used to investigate and predict interaction on the Earth such
as erosion, deposition, and the water cycle.
© 2009 Delaware Science Coalition/Delaware Department of Education
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Teacher Notes for the “Land and Water” Assessment
Introduction
These items are designed to provide an assessment of what students know, understand, and can
do at the completion of the Science & Technology for Children (STC) “Land and Water”
module. This document includes teacher directions, response sheets for the individual students,
and analytic scoring rubrics for each question. A separate document contains the anchor papers
for each question. A close look at the rubrics prior to the administration of the assessment
will be helpful to the teacher.
Time and Preparation for the Assessment
This assessment should take about 45 minutes to administer. You are free to read aloud any or
all portions of the assessment to your students. Without giving away a more appropriate
response, please help students understand the intent of the question or task. This is not a test of
reading, writing, or artistic ability. Students may be encouraged to use any resources available,
including material from classroom charts and individual journals. Please use the terminology
from the investigations within the kit.
Directions for Administration
There is no advanced preparation for this assessment.
Question 1: In this question, the student is asked to identify the water flow using an arrow and
then to explain the reason.
1. Below is a picture of a streambed with water. Draw an arrow to show which way the water
flowed. Explain how you know the water flowed that way.
Question 2: This question measures the student’s ability to understand that land that is sloped
will erode quicker than land that is flat.
2. Stream 1 is located on flat land. Stream 2 is located on land that is sloped. Would Stream
1 or Stream 2 erode more soil? Explain your answer.
Question 3: The teacher will direct the students to look at the table with the location and
description of land. The teacher explains to the students that they will use the information from
the table to answer the Question 3.
3. Using the information from the above table, which location would be best suited for building
a house? Give two reasons to support your answer.
Question 4: The teacher will remind the students to identify the location of runoff on the water
cycle. The students are to identify the runoff by marking it with an X. The X is clear and
noticeable.
4. Place an X on the picture to identify a location of runoff. Describe how the runoff could
affect the land.
© 2009 Delaware Science Coalition/Delaware Department of Education
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Question 5: The teacher will address the students in referring back to the water cycle. This
question is to monitor the student’s knowledge of how the components of the water cycle relate
to the Earth’s systems.
5. Once runoff enters a stream, how does this stream water become precipitation?
Question 6: This question assesses student’s transfer of knowledge about one component of the
water cycle (precipitation).
6. How could a heavy rainstorm affect the shape of the land?
Question 7: The teacher will point out to the students that they are to locate points A and B on
the “Construction of a Dam.” The students are then to demonstrate knowledge of the changes to
land and water when a dam has been constructed on a waterway.
7. A dam is being constructed at Location B. What will happen to the land and water at
Location A?
© 2009 Delaware Science Coalition/Delaware Department of Education
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Scoring Rubrics
“Land and Water”
Summative Assessment
Question 1: Below is a picture of the streambed without water. Draw an arrow to
show which way the water flowed. Explain how you know the water flowed that way.
Rocks
Streambed
E
This item measures student understanding of the deposition of stream load based on the mass of
the particles.
Criteria for a complete response:
1. Includes arrow indicating the stream flowed from right to left.
2. Includes that the heavier or larger particles deposited first and/or the lighter, smaller
particles travel further and deposited last.
Code
20
29
10
11
19
70
79
90
99
Response
Completely Correct Response
Meets criteria.
Any other scientifically correct response.
Partially Correct Response
Correctly draws the arrow but gives a flawed explanation.
Accurate explanation but arrow direction is incorrect or missing.
Any other partially correct response.
Incorrect Response
Gives two criteria not related to picture.
Any other incorrect response.
Non-Response
Crossed out, erased, illegible, or impossible to interpret.
Blank.
© 2009 Delaware Science Coalition/Delaware Department of Education
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Question 2: Stream 1 is located on flat land. Stream 2 is located on land that is
sloped. Would Stream 1 or Stream 2 erode more soil? Explain your answer.
This item measures a student’s ability to understand the relationship between the slope of the
land and erosion.
Criteria for a complete response:
1. Chooses Stream 2.
2. Explains that the higher the slope, the faster water runs which causes more erosion.
Code
20
29
10
19
70
76
79
90
99
Response
Completely Correct Response
Meets criteria.
Any other scientifically correct response.
Partially Correct Response
Chooses Stream 2 but gives a flawed explanation.
Any other partially correct response that omits one pathway.
Incorrect Response
Chooses Stream 1.
Repeats the stem of the question.
Any other incorrect response.
Non-Response
Crossed out, erased, illegible, or impossible to interpret.
Blank.
© 2009 Delaware Science Coalition/Delaware Department of Education
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Question 3: Using the information from the above table, which location would be best
suited for building a house? Give two reasons to support your answer.
This item measures a student’s ability to understand the relationship of suitable soil composition
for building.
Criteria for a complete response:
1. Selects Location 2.
2. Includes two of the following reasons:
a. Soil is tightly packed so erosion lessens.
b. Many plants would hold the soil.
c. Slope would provide vantage point or view.
d. Sand sized particles would pack tighter together.
e. Water would soak quickly into the ground.
or
1. States that Location 1 is unsuitable.
2. Includes two of the following reasons:
a. Soil loosely packed so erosion would be greater.
b. Few plants to hold the soil
c. Humus would cause more runoff.
Code
20
29
10
11
19
70
76
79
90
99
Response
Completely Correct Response
Meets criteria.
Any other scientifically correct response.
Partially Correct Response
Chooses Location 2 and gives one accurate reason.
Chooses Location 1 and states unsuitable.
Any other partially correct response.
Incorrect Response
Chooses Location 1 as being suitable.
Repeats the stem of the question.
Any other incorrect response.
Non-Response
Crossed out, erased, illegible, or impossible to interpret.
Blank.
© 2009 Delaware Science Coalition/Delaware Department of Education
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Question 4: Describe two ways runoff from a heavy rain affects the land.
This item measures a student’s understanding of the relationship between runoff and erosion.
Criterion for a complete response:
1. Describes two ways runoff affects the land (e.g., soil and plants are eroded and deposited
elsewhere, gullies are formed, the water becomes dark colored).
Code
20
29
10
11
12
19
70
71
72
79
90
99
Response
Completely Correct Response
Meets criteria.
Any other scientifically correct response.
Partially Correct Response
Identifies one way with a good description.
Identifies two ways with one flower description (e.g., the soil is eroded).
Identifies two ways with no description.
Any other partially correct response that omits one process or pathway.
Incorrect Response
Identifies one way with no description.
States no changes would happen.
Explains how to stop erosion from happening.
Any other incorrect response.
Non-Response
Crossed out, erased, illegible, or impossible to interpret.
Blank.
© 2009 Delaware Science Coalition/Delaware Department of Education
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Question 5: How does stream water become precipitation?
This item measures student understanding of the nature of the water cycle.
Criteria for a complete response:
1. Mentions sun’s role in the process of evaporation.
2. Water in the stream evaporates.
3. Water condenses to form clouds.
4. Water returns to Earth in the form of precipitation.
Code
30
39
20
29
10
19
70
76
79
90
99
Response
Completely Correct Response
Meets criteria.
Any other scientifically correct response.
Partially Correct Response
Meets all criteria except number 1.
Any other partially correct response.
Minimally Correct
No mention of the sun and one process omitted (e.g., the sun evaporates the
water and then it rises).
Any other minimally correct response.
Incorrect Response
Gives two processes but not mention of the sun (e.g., the water evaporates and
then it rains).
Repeats the stem of the question.
Any other incorrect response.
Non-Response
Crossed out, erased, illegible, or impossible to interpret.
Blank.
© 2009 Delaware Science Coalition/Delaware Department of Education
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Question 6: How could a heavy rainstorm affect the shape of the land?
This item measures a student’s ability to understand the effect of precipitation on the shape of the
land.
Criteria for a complete response:
1. Explains that the heavier the precipitation, the greater the amount of runoff.
2. Erodes the shape of the land.
Code
20
29
10
11
19
70
76
79
90
99
Response
Completely Correct Response
Meets criteria.
Any other scientifically correct response.
Partially Correct Response
States heavier precipitation causes more erosion but fails to mention runoff.
States heavier precipitation causes more runoff but fails to mention erosion.
Any other partially correct response.
Incorrect Response
Gives an answer that does not tell how the land is affected (e.g., the trees lost
some branches).
Repeats the stem of the question.
Any other incorrect response.
Non-Response
Crossed out, erased, illegible, or impossible to interpret.
Blank.
© 2009 Delaware Science Coalition/Delaware Department of Education
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Question 7: A dam was built at the mouth of the river. What will happen to the land
and water at Location A?
This item measures a student’s understanding that humans can change the shape of the land and
the flow of the water.
Criteria for a complete response:
1. Includes any correct changes to the land (e.g., land flooded, land is underwater).
2. Includes any correct changes to the water (e.g., forms a lake, water is held back, water
depth increases on A side of dam).
Code
20
29
10
11
19
70
76
79
90
99
Response
Completely Correct Response
Meets criteria.
Any other scientifically correct response.
Partially Correct Response
Responds with land, one accurate reason.
Responds with water, one accurate reason.
Any other partially correct response.
Incorrect Response
Responds with Location B.
Repeats the stem of the question.
Any other incorrect response.
Non-Response
Crossed out, erased, illegible, or impossible to interpret.
Blank.
© 2009 Delaware Science Coalition/Delaware Department of Education
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