Australian Curriculum – Rubric
Subject:
Science
Year: 8
Levels
A
Excellent
B
Good
C
Satisfactory
D
Partial
E
Minimal
Criteria
(Assessable Elements)
Compare physical and
chemical changes
Comprehensively informed
comparison of physical and
chemical changes
Well-informed comparison of
physical and chemical changes
Reasonably informed
comparison of physical and
chemical changes
Partially informed comparison of
physical and chemical changes
Limited comparison of physical
and chemical changes
Extensively reasoned
explanation and
comprehensively justified
prediction
Well-reasoned explanation and
well- justified prediction
Adequate reasoning and
adequate justification
Some reasoning and partial
justification
Minimal reasoning and limited
justification
Comprehensive identification of
different forms of energy
Detailed identification of
different forms of energy
Adequate identification different
forms of energy
Partial identification different
forms of energy
Limited identification different
forms of energy
Highly effective description of
how energy transfers and
transformations cause change in
simple systems
Mostly effective description of
how energy transfers and
transformations cause change in
simple systems
Moderately effective description
of how energy transfers and
transformations cause change in
simple systems
Partially effective description of
how energy transfers and
transformations cause change in
simple systems
Limited description of how
energy transfers and
transformations cause change in
simple systems
Compare processes of rock
formation, including the time
scales involved
Comprehensively informed
comparison of rock formation,
including the time scales
involved
Well-informed comparison of
rock formation, including the
time scales involved
Reasonably informed
comparison of rock formation,
including the time scales
involved
Partially informed comparison of
rock formation, including the
time scales involved
Simple comparison of rock
formation, including the time
scales involved
Analyse the relationship
between structure and
function at cell, organ and
body system levels
Highly logical analysis of the
relationship between structure
and function at cell, organ and
body system levels
Mostly logical analysis of the
relationship between structure
and function at cell, organ and
body system levels
Reasonably logical analysis of
the relationship between
structure and function at cell,
organ and body system levels
Marginal analysis of the
relationship between structure
and function at cell, organ and
body system levels
Limited analysis the relationship
between structure and function
at cell, organ and body system
levels
Examine the different
science knowledge used in
occupations
Highly effective examination of
the different types of science
knowledge used in occupations
Mostly effective examination of
the different types of science
knowledge used in occupations
Partially effective examination of
the different types of science
knowledge used in occupations
Limited examination of the
different types of science
knowledge used in occupations
Explain how evidence has
led to an improved
understanding of a scientific
idea
Extensively reasoned
explanation of how evidence
has led to an improved
understanding of a scientific
idea
Well-reasoned explanation of
how evidence has led to an
improved understanding of a
scientific idea
Moderately effective
examination of the different
types of science knowledge
used in occupations
Adequately reasoned
explanation of how evidence
has led to an improved
understanding of a scientific
idea
Partially reasoned explanation
of how evidence has led to an
improved understanding of a
scientific idea
Rudimentary reasoning of how
evidence has led to an improved
understanding of a scientific
idea
Science as a
Human Endeavour
Science Understanding
Use the particle model to
explain and predict the
properties and behaviours of
substances
Identify different forms of
energy
Describe how energy
transfers and
transformations cause
change in simple systems
Janet Farrall and Nicole Harding
Last updated 3/8/15
Australian Curriculum – Rubric
Science Inquiry Skills
Subject:
Science
Year: 8
Describe situations in which
scientists collaborated to
generate solutions to
contemporary problems
Highly effective description of
situations in which scientists
collaborated to generate
solutions to contemporary
problems
Mostly effective description of
situations in which scientists
collaborated to generate
solutions to contemporary
problems
Moderately effective description
of situations in which scientists
collaborated to generate
solutions to contemporary
problems
Partially effective description of
situations in which scientists
collaborated to generate
solutions to contemporary
problems
Simple description of situations
in which scientists collaborated
to generate solutions to
contemporary problems
Identify and construct
questions and problems that
they can investigate
scientifically
Highly relevant and
discriminating identification and
construction of questions and
problems
Mostly relevant and pertinent
identification and construction of
questions and problems
Reasonably relevant and
credible identification and
construction of questions and
problems
Identification and construction of
questions and problems with
some relevance and some
credibility
Identification and construction of
questions and problems with
limited relevance and minimal
credibility
Consider safety and ethics
when planning
investigations, including
designing field or
experimental methods
Identify variables to be
changed, measured and
controlled
Highly effective consideration of
safety and ethics when planning
investigations
Mostly effective consideration of
safety and ethics when planning
investigations
Moderately effective
consideration of safety and
ethics when planning
investigations
Partially effective consideration
of safety and ethics when
planning investigations
Limited consideration of how
safety and ethics were
considered.
Comprehensive identification of
variables
Detailed identification of
variables
Adequate identification of
variables
Partial identification of variables
Few variables identified
Construct representations of
their data to reveal and
analyse patterns and trends.
Construct representations of
their data to reveal and analyse
patterns and trends in a highly
accurate manner
Construct representations of
their data to reveal and analyse
patterns and trends in a mostly
accurate manner
Construct representations of
their data to reveal and analyse
patterns and trends in a
generally accurate manner
Construct representations of
their data to reveal and analyse
patterns and trends in a partially
accurate manner
Attempt to construct
representations of their data to
reveal and analyse patterns and
trends
Highly skilful use of
representations to
comprehensively justify their
conclusions
Mostly skilful use of
representations to develop welljustified conclusions
Reasonably skilful use of
representations to develop
adequately justified conclusions
Partially skilful use of
representations to develop
partially justified conclusions
Minimal use of representations
to develop simple conclusions
Extensively reasoned
explanation of how modifications
to methods could improve the
quality of their data
Well-reasoned explanation of
how modifications to methods
could improve the quality of their
data
Adequately reasoned
explanation of how modifications
to methods could improve the
quality of their data
Basic reasoning of how
modifications to methods could
improve the quality of their data
Marginal reasoning of how
modifications to methods could
improve the quality of their data
Highly competent application of
scientific knowledge and
investigation findings to critically
evaluate claims made by others
Mostly competent application of
scientific knowledge and
investigation findings to
thoroughly evaluate claims
made by others
Mostly skilful communication of
science ideas, methods and
findings using mostly
appropriate language and
representations in a range of
text types.
Generally competent
application of scientific
knowledge and investigation
findings to adequately evaluate
claims made by others
Reasonably skilful
communication of science ideas,
methods and findings using
generally appropriate language
and representations in a range
of text types.
Partially competent application
of scientific knowledge and
investigation findings to partially
evaluate claims made by others
Marginal competent application
of scientific knowledge and
investigation findings to simply
evaluate claims made by others
Partially skilful communication of
science ideas, methods and
findings using partially
appropriate language and
representations in a range of
text types.
Limited communication of
science ideas, methods and
findings using simple language
and representations in a range
of text types.
Use these when justifying
their conclusions
Explain how modifications to
methods could improve the
quality of their data
Apply their own scientific
knowledge and investigation
findings to evaluate claims
made by others
Use appropriate language
and representations to
communicate science ideas,
methods and findings in a
range of text types
Highly skilful and sophisticated
communication of science ideas,
methods and findings using
highly appropriate language and
representations in a range of
text types.
Australian Curriculum – Rubric
Subject:
Science
Year: 8