EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science
Reviewer Name or ID: This review represents a synthesis of multiple reviews
Grade: MS
Science Lesson/Unit Title: The Perfect Beak
I. Alignment to the NGSS
The lesson or unit aligns with the conceptual shifts of the NGSS:
Criteria
Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning
Suggestions for improvement
A. Grade-appropriate elements of the science
and engineering practice(s), disciplinary
core idea(s), and crosscutting concept(s),
work together to support students in threedimensional learning to make sense of
phenomena and/or to design solutions to
problems.
i. Provides opportunities to develop and
use specific elements of the practice(s) to
make sense of phenomena and/or to
design solutions to problems.
ii. Provides opportunities to develop and
use specific elements of the disciplinary
core idea(s) to make sense of phenomena
and/or to design solutions to problems.
iii. Provides opportunities to develop and
use specific elements of the crosscutting
concept(s) to make sense of phenomena
and/or to design solutions to problems.
iv. The three dimensions work together to
support students to make sense of
phenomena and/or to design solutions to
problems.
i.
 Students should be planning their investigations at this point.
Evidence of opportunities for students to develop and use the practices include:
 In investigations 1, during the bird beak tests, students are conducting an
investigation to collect data to serve as the basis for evidence to answer
scientific questions.
 In investigations 1, in activities 1 and 2, students are finding similarities and
differences in their findings. Additionally, students are using concepts of
statistics when they find the class average.
 In investigations 1, students are applying scientific ideas, principals, and the
evidence they have gathered from their investigations to construct an
explanation for real-world phenomena (natural selection).
 In investigation 2, students are “designing” bird beaks. However there is no
meaningful discussion of criteria and constraints nor do students evaluate
and redesign their bird beaks. (“Undertake a design project, engaging in the
design cycle, to construct and/or implement a solution that meets specific
design criteria and constraints.” NGSS Appendix F)
ii. Evidence of opportunities for students to develop and use the DCIs include:
 In investigations 1: Activity 1 & 2, students are developing and using
components of LS4B. Specifically, “…species can change over time in
response to changes in environmental conditions through adaptation by
natural selection acting over generations. Traits that support successful
survival and reproduction in the new environment become more common.”
 Investigation 2, does not support students in the understanding of the effect
that natural selection has on genetic traits within a population.
iii. Evidence of opportunities for students to develop and use the CCCs include:
 In activity 2 of investigation 1 students are asked, “Based on your data, what
is happening to the bird population? What is the cause of this effect?”
However students do not address causation v. correlation, make predictions,
or discuss multiple causes, all ideas important to cause and effect in middle
school (NGSS, Appendix G).
iv. Students are engaged in scientific practices to begin to make sense of the
phenomena of natural selection. However, there is little evidence that students
use the cross cutting concept of cause and effect to make sense of the
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Or they should at least engage in meaningful discussions about
the type of data they need to answer their question and how
to organize that data. These supports will help them plan their
own investigations in the future.
a. The tools to represent the different beaks should be similar
yet different (e.g., needle nose tweezers, tweezers with a
flat head, small tongs) to better simulate the slight
differences within a population of finches. This could be
discussed with students, for example, they could be given
choices and asked why tweezers and smalls tongs are a
better representation and comparison than tweezers and a
spoon.
Have students consider the limitations of their data (accuracy
and precision in measurements).
Providing students the opportunity to gather evidence from
more than two habitats and two beak types could enhance the
lesson. This would give students opportunities to dig deeper
into the DCI while better incorporating the practice of
Analyzing and Interpreting Data by gathering more data to use
to understand the cause and effect relationship under study.
Have students construct a written explanation after
investigation 1 and then revise their explanation after
investigation 2 after applying scientific ideas and evidences
from both exploration activities.
Provide opportunities for students to develop claims
communicating the relationship between bird beaks and
survival in a specific environment and receive feedback. Then,
provide opportunities for students to demonstrate that they
can identify evidence from the bird beak exploration that
supports their claim including why the evidence is adequate
for an explanation.
phenomena of natural selection. There is no evidence of all three dimensions
working together to support each other to assist students in understanding the
phenomena.
 Emphasize that it is the genetic traits that drive the outward
expression of the beak.
 The engineering component suggests that animals can
“choose” or “design” traits that are beneficial to a particular
environment. This particular investigation can lead to or
reinforce misconceptions regarding natural selection and
genetics and should be modified to avoid this possibility.
 Consider incorporating a dominant vs. recessive trait
simulation to better address the idea of predominance vs.
suppression indicated in LS4.B.
 Make the crosscutting concept of cause and effect more
central in the lesson. Students must be able to make a
connection that the cause (the genetic trait) led to the effect
(the beak shape) which led to the effect of survival. It should
also be done in a more grade-appropriate way (see I.A.iii.).
A unit or longer lesson will also:
Criteria
Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning
Suggestions for improvement
B. Lessons fit together coherently targeting a
set of expectations.
i. Each lesson links to previous lessons and
provides a need to engage in the current
lesson.
ii. The lessons help students develop
proficiency on a targeted set of
performance expectations.
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In activity 2, Investigation 1, students are required to use understandings gained from
activity 1, investigation 1 in order to make sense of what is happening in that particular
exercise.
Students are expected to make connections to activities 1 & 2 in after watching the
video clip about natural selection.
In investigation 2, students are “designing” bird beaks that best fit within both of the
environments. While this design does require the students to use the data they
collected in activities 1 and 2 it does not guide the student in developing proficiency of
the targeted performance expectation.
 Remove investigation 2 as it is not an appropriate use of
C. Where appropriate, disciplinary core ideas
from different disciplines are used together
to explain phenomena.
D. Where appropriate, crosscutting concepts
are used in the explanation of phenomena
from a variety of disciplines.
E. Provides grade-appropriate connection(s)
to the Common Core State Standards in
Mathematics and/or English Language Arts
& Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science
and Technical Subjects.
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There is no evidence of disciplinary core ideas from other disciplines.
 Consider the inclusion of ESS2.A, ESS2.C, ESS3.A
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There is no evidence of cross cutting concepts that support students in explaining
phenomena from other disciplines.
 Consider using cause and effect and stability and change
There is no evidence of a connection to the CCSS in Math and/or ELA (a writing task was
mentioned in the cumulative assessment but without more information it is difficult to
assess if it includes components of grade-appropriate writing like “the selection,
organization, and analysis of relevant content” (CCSS)).
 Have students graph data collected in activities 1 & 2;
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engineering. It can lead to misconceptions about why
certain traits are suppressed within a population and
why others increase in numbers. And as noted it does
not help students build understanding toward the
identified PE MS-LS4-4. See suggestion on adding in a
piece on recessive vs. dominate genes above.
 Consider providing a graphic representation of the
storyline.
to make connections across the DCIs listed above.
they can also determine the best way to analyze this
data.
II. Instructional Supports
The lesson or unit supports instruction and learning for all students:
Criteria
Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning
A. Engages students in authentic and meaningful scenarios
that reflect the practice of science and engineering as
 Natural selection and the survival of the birds is motivating to many
middle school students.
Suggestions for improvement
 Providing an anchor phenomenon attached to an
overarching question would improve the lesson: students
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experienced in the real world and that provide students
with a purpose (e.g., making sense of phenomena and/or
designing solutions to problems).
i. The context, including phenomena, questions, or
problems, motivates students to engage in threedimensional learning.
ii. Provides students with relevant phenomena (either
firsthand experiences or through representations) to
make sense of and/or relevant problems to solve.
iii. Engages students in multiple practices that work together
with disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts to
support students in making sense of phenomena and/or
designing solutions to problems.
iv. Provides opportunities for students to connect their
explanation of a phenomenon and/or their design
solution to a problem to their own experience.
v. When engineering performance expectations are
included, they are used along with disciplinary core ideas
from physical, life, or earth and space sciences.
B. Develops deeper understanding of the practices,
disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts by
identifying and building on students’ prior knowledge.
C. Uses scientifically accurate and grade-appropriate scientific
information, phenomena, and representations to support
students’ three-dimensional learning.
D. Provides opportunities for students to express, clarify,
justify, interpret, and represent their ideas and respond to
peer and teacher feedback orally and/or in written form as
appropriate to support student’s three-dimensional
learning.
E. Provides guidance for teachers to support differentiated
instruction in the classroom so that every student’s needs
are addressed by including:
i. Suggestions for how to connect instruction to the
students' home, neighborhood, community and/or
culture as appropriate.
ii. Appropriate reading, writing, listening, and/or
speaking alternatives (e.g., translations, picture
support, graphic organizers) for students who are
English language learners, have special needs, or read
well below the grade level.
iii. Suggested extra support (e.g., phenomena,
representations, tasks) for students who are struggling
to meet the performance expectations.
iv. Extensions for students with high interest or who have
already met the performance expectations to develop
 The lesson provides students with relevant phenomena (through
representations with the bird beak activities) that help them to make
sense of natural selection.
 Multiple practices (e.g., investigations, analyzing data) are used
together with disciplinary core ideas.
 There is no evidence that students are able to connect the
phenomenon to their own experience.
a. As currently written, the students design their own bird beak to
address this particular component. However, this activity is not
real-world and does not assist the students in making sense of
their world.
 While engineering is included along with life science, the engineering
performance expectation does not properly address the LS DCI. Traits
cannot be “chosen” and beneficial phenotypes are not naturally
designed.
The lesson begins with instructions to teachers to use the anticipation
guide as a form of pre-assessment. However, there is no guidance in
regards to how teachers should build on this or differentiate their
lessons through the use of the three dimensions.
The lesson uses scientifically accurate and grade appropriate scientific
information in activities 1 & 2 of investigation 1. Investigation 2 is not
scientifically accurate for reasons previously stated.
 There is a writing opportunity at the end that is not very fleshed out.
 Students have opportunities to respond to peers and the teacher
orally.
 Students respond to the written questions after the activities in the
investigations.
would be working towards an explanation of a phenomenon
(as the identified practice states on page 1) as well as
improve the opportunities to blend the three dimensions
together on the road to the explanation.
 Have students research the affects of invasive species on
native populations to show a connection to an environment
changing and the organism having/not having the genotype
necessary for survival. Student could also research
organisms which have become extinct and/or adapted to
their environment and provide explanations as to why that
has occurred. These opportunities would better connect the
phenomena to real-world scenarios. Additionally, student
should have an opportunity to connect this phenomena to
their lives.
 The idea of artificial selection could be introduced and
compared to natural selection.
 Students could become involved in some type of
phenotype/genotype modeling with Punnett squares to
illustrate pattern of traits becoming more common over
successive generations.
Provide a variety of questions, some with higher depth of
knowledge levels, to ensure that students are using all three
dimensions to deepen their understandings.
See previous suggestions.
 Consider increasing the rigor of the questions to further
emphasize the crosscutting concepts and to ensure that
students are using all three dimensions.
See suggestions above about connecting to students lives.
Writing supports should be provided for students who need
them.
Students may need supports in engaging in the practices (for
example, see suggestions in I.A to support students in learning
how to plan an investigation and collect data).
There are lots of current issues regarding environmental
changes or invasive species that could be used to create
extensions for students with high interest. Additionally,
extensions should allow for more rigorous practices and
crosscutting concepts.
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deeper understanding of the practices, disciplinary
core ideas, and crosscutting concepts.
A unit or longer lesson will also:
Criteria
Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning
F. Provides guidance for teachers throughout the unit for how lessons
build on each other to support students developing deeper
understanding of the practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting
concepts over the course of the unit.
G. Provides supports to help students engage in the practices as needed
and gradually adjusts supports over time so that students are
increasingly responsible for making sense of phenomena and/or
designing solutions to problems.
Suggestions for improvement
Due to the length of this evidence, this criterion was not used.
Due to the length of this evidence, this criterion was not used.
III. Monitoring Student Progress
The lesson or unit supports monitoring student progress:
Criteria
Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning
A. Elicits direct, observable evidence of threedimensional learning by students using practices
with core ideas and crosscutting concepts to make
sense of phenomena and/or to design solutions.
There are some opportunities to elicit direct and observable evidence
of understanding such as through discussion and writing, but it is not
three dimensional.
B. Formative assessments of three-dimensional
learning are embedded throughout the instruction.
C. Includes aligned rubrics and scoring guidelines that
provide guidance for interpreting student
performance along the three dimensions to
support teachers in (a) planning instruction and (b)
providing ongoing feedback to students.
There is no evidence that learning would be altered, therefore,
assessments are not formative.
D. Assessing student proficiency using methods,
vocabulary, representations, and examples that are
accessible and unbiased for all students.
Suggestions for improvement
 Create a list of questions that are more rigorous and incorporate all
three dimensions as a guide for teachers. Consider using CCC as a lens
for questioning.
 Writing tasks are excellent resources for three dimensional
assessment. Consider making the writing task a more robust
opportunity for students to demonstrate learning. It could be an
explanation that is started earlier and revised over time based on new
experiences and information the students obtain.
Provide guidance to teachers about what steps to take if assessments
identify that students are struggling.
Rubrics should be included, especially for the writing task, that are
three-dimensional and support teachers in providing feedback to
students and planning instruction.
As noted previously, the engineering component should be removed.
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A unit or longer lesson will also:
Criteria
Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning
E. Includes pre-, formative, summative, and selfassessment measures that assess three-
Due to the length of this evidence, this criterion was not used.
Suggestions for improvement
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dimensional learning.
F. Provides multiple opportunities for students to
demonstrate performance of practices
connected with their understanding of
disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts
and receive feedback.
Due to the length of this evidence, this criterion was not used.
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