Ms. Neamen
8th Grade Science
Your Name:
Due Dates
Pick a Catastrophic Event:
10/20/04
Final Project Description:
10/20/04
Finish Research:
11/19/04
Project Rough Draft:
11/29/04
Final Project:
12/07/04
Catastrophic Events Research Project
Required Research
Your project must answer ALL of these questions and four additional
questions you must create.
1. What type of catastrophic event is your topic?
2. When, where and how did the catastrophic event occur? What caused
it?
3. What happened during the event to affect human lives?
4. What physical damage and environmental effects resulted from the
event?
5. How did people respond to the event?
6. What have people learned from the event to reduce future risks?
7.
8.
9.
10.
Catastrophic Events Research Project
Research Presentation
During this project you will have several choices on how you want to
present your research. Here are the different choices you will make:
Role: You will choose one role to take. You will take on a role and write
from this perspective.
Format: You will choose one format. The final version must be published
in exactly this format.
Audience: On this one you can choose one or more than one. This is whom
the piece is written for.
Purpose: You can choose one or more purposes for your presentation.
This is why the piece is being written. You should work toward achieving
this goal.
Role
Advertiser
Newscaster
Tour Guide
Curator
Panelist
Reporter
Product Designer
Artist
Biographer
Political Candidate
Biologist
Engineer
Historian
Expert in…
Elected Official
Parent
Teacher
Self
Detective
Editor
Format
Magazine Article
Editorial
Brochure
Short Story
Play
Fairy Tale
Myth
Poem
Novel
Report
Diary
Journal
Biography
Autobiography
Newspaper Article
Letter
Manual
Booklet
Interview
Textbook
Audience
Friends
Parent
Self
Teacher
Young Kids
Public Figures
Supervisor
General Public
People from Other Cultures
People from Other Time Periods
People from Other Places
Investor
Judge or Jury
School Board
Persons of Authority
People in the Same Job
Purpose
Change Thinking
Inform
Explain
Change Action
Entertain
Initiate Thinking
Tell a Story
Instruct
Initiate Action
Catastrophic Events Research Project
Parent Letter and Project Description
Dear Parents or Guardians,
Students will by working on a research project while studying Catastrophic
Events. They will choose a catastrophic event to study and how they are
going to present their information. Your student has made the following
choices:
“I am going to research
. I will take the
role of a
and write from this
perspective. I am going to present my research in the format of a
. My project will be written for
. The purpose for this presentation is
.”
Your student has been asked to answer ten research questions for this
project. Students will be given four class periods to conduct their research
and create their presentation but additional out of class time is necessary.
Students are encouraged to use books, magazines, interviews and Internet
resources to conduct their research. Please review the due dates and
research questions in this packet with your student. If you have any
questions please contact me @ neamens@tukwila.wednet.edu or (206)9017873.
Thanks,
Shani Neamen, Science Teacher, Showalter Middle School
We have read and reviewed the attached research question and due dates
for the Catastrophic Events Research Project.
Student Signature
Parent/Guardian Signature
Catastrophic Events Research Project
Scoring Rubric
Rubric 1
Quality of Content
Weight: 50%
The presentation displays exemplary coverage of the catastrophic
event and related information as required by the research questions.
The presentation displays above average coverage of the catastrophic
event and related information as required by the research questions.
The presentation displays satisfactory coverage of the catastrophic
event and related information as required by the research questions.
The presentation displays below average coverage of the catastrophic
event and related information as required by the research questions.
The presentation displays limited coverage of the catastrophic event
and related information as required by the research questions.
Rubric 2
Presentation Design and Appearance
Achieved the
standard with
honors
5
Achieved at
standard
4
Nearly achieved
the standard
3
Achievement below
the standard
2
Little or no
evidence of
achievement
1
Weight: 40%
The presentation clearly, effectively, and creatively displays the main
ideas. Presentation is attractive and well organized.
The presentation clearly and effectively displays the main ideas.
Presentation is relatively attractive and organized.
The presentation communicates some of the main ideas. Presentation
is lacking in organization and structure. Appearance of presentation
is satisfactory.
The presentation ineffectively communicates the main ideas and lack
details and structure. There appears to have been little effort to
make the presentation attractive and organized.
Little or no effort appears to have been made to present the
information.
Achieved the
standard with
honors
5
Achieved at
standard
4
Nearly achieved
the standard
3
Achievement below
the standard
2
Little or no
evidence of
achievement
1
Rubric 3
Documentation of Research Sources
Weight: 10%
More than five sources are used to research the topic. There are a
wide variety of types of resources. The Research Source Sheet is
completed with accuracy and neatly.
Four or five sources are used to research the topic. There is some
variety of types of resources. The Research Source Sheet is
complete, accurate and neat.
Three or four sources are used to research the topic. There are less
than three types of resource. The Research Source Sheet is
partially complete with some mistakes.
Three or two sources are used to research the topic. There are less
than two types of resources. The Research Source Sheet is
incomplete.
Less than two sources are used to research the topic. Only one kind
of source is used. The sources of information are not documented.
Achieved the
standard with
honors
5
Achieved at
standard
4
Nearly achieved
the standard
3
Achievement below
the standard
2
Little or no
evidence of
achievement
1
Total Score=