Reviewer Name or ID: This
multiple reviews Grade:
review represents a synthesis of
Middle School
Science Lesson/Unit
Title: Floodplain Management, v2
For the purposes of the rubric a lesson is a lesson is defined as: a coherent set of instructional activities and assessments aligned to the NGSS that may extend
over a few to several class periods. As this appears to be a longer lesson by this definition, the additional criteria for longer lessons or units were considered.
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
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Suggestions for improvement
EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science
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. Evidence of opportunities for students to develop and use the practices include:
 Students generate questions as part of a KWL (page 3). Students return to this
question generation after the close reading activity with text and KWL (page 4).
This question generation/text analysis leads to students asking questions to
determine relationships between independent and dependent variables and
relationships in models. (Appendix F).
 Students then use SEP 2 (Models) to “use a physical model as a tool to test three
riverbed models to compare (CCC patterns) normal water flow conditions and
hundred-year water flow conditions (Part 2). Students are using a model to
predict and describe phenomena. (appendix F)
 The understanding gained using SEP 2 (shape, size, river flow) from analyzing and
interpreting data SEP 4 is used as evidence in an argument using the language of
the practice construct an argument supported by empirical evidence and scientific
reasoning to support a model for a phenomenon. (Appendix F).
ii. Evidence of opportunities for students to develop and use the DCIs include:
 The DCI (ESS3.B) specifically calls for the “mapping of the history of natural
hazards in a region and that history be combined with an understanding of
related geologic forces,” neither of which is evidenced in this lesson.
 Student do not address most of the listed DCI ESS2.C, with the exception of
“downhill flow” when they discuss how to position their model.
 PS3.A is not explicit in this lesson. It seems as though it is intended as background
knowledge based on the “Notes on Instructional Sequence,” but it is not clear.
 The lesson does give students the opportunity to address, “the forecasting of
locations and likelihood of natural events” through the use of models as it applies
to the natural disaster of flooding.
iii. Evidence of opportunities for students to develop and use the CCC include:
 Students are using models (SEP) to generate data about river shape, size and
flow. However, they are not explicitly addressing how these models represent
systems.
 Students are looking for patterns in their data on page 6, when posed with
questions like: Do they notice any patterns of trends in data? Are there any
anomalies? These questions support students using the CCC patterns to
understand the natural disaster of flooding so they can develop a proposal to
mitigate the effects of flooding.
iv. Students are using models to gather data (practice) and look for patterns (CCC) about
the shape, size and flow of a river to understand the natural disaster of flooding
(DCI). Students use the data they collected to help them predict the location of
flooding in a different context and identify ways to mitigate effects of flooding (DCI).
There are more opportunities that should be
taken advantage of to ask students to consider
why they are developing the model in the way
that they are (so that they better understand
what it is designed to represent) as well as the
limitations of their models and models used by
scientists and engineers.
Similarly students should have opportunities to
think more about the data they are collecting
including: thinking about what kind of data they
need and why before collecting it, whether the
data collected supports their predictions, etc.
Consider including the other elements of DCI
ESS3.B – the students could examine maps of a
local watershed, satellite images, etc. over time
including during flooding. The other DCI elements
that were not thoroughly addressed should either
be removed, included in a more robust way, or
clearly designated as background knowledge.
While students are developing and using model,
and systems are implicit in this lesson, students
should have the opportunity to explicitly connect
how their models are allowing them to study a
particular system to better get at the listed
element of the CCC.
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
performance expectations.
i. Each lesson links to previous lessons and provides a
The observation of the phenomenon of flooding and the record of the
developing understanding on the KWL ties the parts of the lesson together.
Students need to gain an understanding flood and its effects to engage in the
Bundle this PE with others or make notations on
how this lesson series can be part of a bigger unit
and learning sequence.
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EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science
need to engage in the current lesson.
ii. The lessons help students develop proficiency on a
targeted set of performance expectations.
problem posed in part one. The teacher guides discussion that highlights a
piece of text evidence in the KWL discussion “highly advanced computer
modeling now let’s disaster authorities predict with amazing accuracy where
floods will occur and how severe they’re likely to be” (page 4). This links part
one and part two, giving students a reason to use the physical models to
understand and predict flooding. In part three, students use the understanding
about flooding and flood plains to “mitigate future flooding effects” in their
proposals.
This lesson identifies a PE (MS-ESS3-2) that is targeted, not a targeted set of
PE’s. On page 1, DCIs which are associated with other PE’s are identified,
presumably as previous understanding. While students discuss how to mitigate
the effects of floods (MS-ESS3-2), they do not necessarily address the
development of new technologies.
The development of new technologies should
either be included or it should be noted that it is
not included.
It might be helpful to note during the course of
the lesson that analyzing and interpreting data
about natural hazards including mapping their
history, etc. can be helpful in predicting natural
disasters beyond floods.
C. Where appropriate, disciplinary core ideas from
different disciplines are used together to explain
phenomena.
DCI PS3.A is listed, presumably as a previous understanding for these students
that they will bring in to the lesson. The use of the DCI within the lesson is
implied at best.
The lesson should be more explicit in providing
supports for using PS3.A in the explanation of the
flood plain and the flood management task.
D. Where appropriate, crosscutting concepts are used in
the explanation of phenomena from a variety of
disciplines.
The opportunity exists to use the crosscutting of systems and system models to
connect earth systems to physical science ideas that were listed (like PS3.A – A
system of objects may also contain stored (potential) energy, depending on
their relative positions.) However, this connection was not made, at least not
explicitly.
Provide supports for the teacher to support
students in using the crosscutting concepts of
system and system models to understand the
flood plain context using both ESS and PS
domains.
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.
Students are asked to read the National Geographic article, or another article,
discuss it, and use it to update KWL chart. (RST.6-8.2 – Determine the central
ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct
from prior knowledge or opinions.)
II. Instructional Supports
The lesson or unit supports instruction and learning for all students:
Criteria
Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning
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Suggestions for improvement
EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science
A. Engages students in authentic and meaningful scenarios that reflect
the practice of science and engineering as 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 three-dimensional 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
i.
“No other natural disaster in America has caused more death and
destruction that floods,” National Geographic Floods 101. This
quote from the video included in lesson materials is evidence of a
real-life context to engage learners. The article makes it clear that
there are few places where people do not need to be aware of
flooding.
ii. The phenomena of flooding is relevant because of the effect that it
has on people, and possibly the effect it has had directly on
students. Student have an opportunity to engage firsthand with the
phenomena through a simulation.
iii. Students have opportunities to use multiple practices including
modeling and obtaining information.
iv. The opening of the lesson asks students to connect to their home or
community by asking for experience with flooding. If students do
not have a personal connection via experience, a video is provided
to connect instruction to learner.
v. Engineering PEs are not included.
Student’s prior knowledge may depend on their region and experience
with flooding. Opportunities exist for students to dig deeper using
models to understand the natural disaster of flooding after connecting
with prior knowledge of the context. It may also be the case that
students are expected to have prior knowledge of the role of water in
Earth’s surface processes (ESS2.C) though it is not clear and not explicitly
tapped.
Most of the information provided, as well as the phenomena and
representations, are grade appropriate and accurate. However the Lexile
level of the National Geographic article is above a middle school level.
See more in II.E.
Students provided with multiple opportunities to express ideas as part of
the class discussion to create the KWL and encouraged to offer evidence
to support their claims (on page 4). Students represent their ideas and
predictions in “engineering sketches” (page 5).
i.
The opening of the lesson asks students to connect to their home
or community by asking for experience with flooding. If students
do not have a personal connection via experience, a video is
provided to connect instruction to learner.
ii.–iii. There are suggested strategies for accessing the National
Geographic article, which is especially important due to its high
Lexile level on page 4 as well as a video alternative on page 13.
iv.
There are a variety of extension activities on page 13.
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The Lexile level for the National Geographic
article is 1290 which is in the grade 9–12
range, above middle school level. Middleschool-level reading alternatives may be
appropriate to include.
EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science
expectations.
iv. Extensions for students with high interest or who have already
met the performance expectations to develop 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.
There is guidance provided for teachers on how to support
students’ use of patterns to make sense of the observations of
the multiple models to gain an understanding of a floodplain
so students can mitigate the effects of flood damage to
buildings in a floodplain during a flood in later parts of the
lesson.
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.
Lesson sequence not long enough to provide evidence.
Suggestions for improvement
III. Monitoring Student Progress
The lesson or unit supports monitoring student progress:
Criteria
Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning
Suggestions for improvement
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.
The lesson provides an opportunities to elicit observable evidence of
students’ ability to analyzing data and use patterns to understand a
natural disaster (flooding) and to use models to make predictions in order
to mitigate effects.

B. Formative assessments of three-dimensional
learning are embedded throughout the
instruction.
An opportunity for formative assessment of students’ understanding of
the natural disaster of flooding exists when students revisit their KWL
chart during their “after reading” discussion (page 4).

The engineering sketches students create can be used as a formative
assessment as they provide evidence of being able to use models as well
as elements of DCIs.
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
Students are also encouraged to look for patterns in data and patterns
and shares in class discussions.
The performance task rubric includes elements of DCIs and the use of
evidence in communication. The rubric for the engineering sketch
addresses components of the model but not relationships between the
components explicitly or limitations of the model.
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Add criteria of the practices and crosscutting concepts to the
rubrics to better support three-dimensional evidence of
learning and feedback support.
EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science
(b) providing ongoing feedback to students.
Firsthand experience of model building and using models for prediction to
understand flooding is accessible to students.

Criteria
Specific evidence from materials and reviewers’ reasoning
Suggestions for improvement
E. Includes pre-, formative, summative, and selfassessment measures that assess threedimensional learning.
Evidence of summative and formative assessments can be found above.
Consider including a pre-assessment of the DCI’s (ESS2.C and
PS3.A) and of the practices and CCCs to determine student
understanding.
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.
The lesson is not long enough for evidence.
D. Assessing student proficiency using methods,
vocabulary, representations, and examples that
are accessible and unbiased for all students.

A unit or longer lesson will also:
Overall Summary Comments:
Version 2 – published September 2014
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Educators may use or adapt. If modified, please attribute EQuIP and re-title.