CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING RUBRICS
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Generally, all information for these rubrics will come in the data section or later.
o Do NOT consider statements made as part of a prediction or hypothesis. EXCEPT... Predictions/planning for LE10 may contain
text/drawings which demonstrate understanding of series circuits. These may be considered in the series circuit score.
If students exhibit understanding later in the range of lessons but not earlier, give them credit for the later entry.
If students exhibit understanding earlier in the range of lessons but not earlier, do NOT give them credit for the earlier entry.
If there is some question as to whether the text and/or drawings are student- or teacher-generated... Look at all 10 notebooks. If the text or
drawing is identical (or identical within copying errors) in 5 or more of the notebooks, consider it to be teacher-generated. For notebooks in
classrooms with teacher-generated text, give two scores: 1) score for student-generated text/drawings ONLY and 2) score for all text/drawings.
SIMPLE CIRCUIT (LE 3 & 4)
SA
1 pt: understands** directional flow
Award points for
these
 arrows must show the pathway in a single direction (either from + to – OR from – to +)
demonstrations of
 pathway does not have to be shown through the battery
understanding
1 pt: understands** flow through a light bulb
ONLY if student
 must trace pathway across the filament
has shown that
 must show how the pathway connects to the side and base terminals
he/she can light a
 direction of flow can be missing or incorrect
bulb.
1 pt: understands** flow of electricity through the circuit (complete pathway)
2-7
 pathway must be shown through the battery (i.e., must be complete) OR described in text
 pathways cannot be shown on circuits which student has identified as not lighting the bulb (unless it is
a short circuit)
 text must be more than just “there has to be a complete circuit”
2 pts identifies all 4 CCPs
These understandings cannot be
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demonstrated by describing a single
1 pt identifies 1-3 CCPs
circuit. The student must be making
1 pt: understands (with written text) that there are certain points
some attempt at generalization.
on the battery and bulb which must be touched to light the bulb
(conceptual understanding of CCPs)
can light a bulb (drawing or description of a circuit which lights the bulb required)
1
 most of the circuits labeled as lighting the bulb must work
0 no evidence of understanding
 CCPs ARE: 1) SIDE OF LIGHT BULB, 2) BOTTOM OF LIGHT BULB, 3) + END OF BATTERY, 4) – END OF BATTERY
The CCPs do not have to be labeled “CCPs.” X’s, circles, and lines are all acceptable indicators of the CCPs, but student must mention CCPs
somewhere in the text.
SERIES CIRCUIT (LE 8, 9 & 10)
SA
1 pt: describes effect of removing a bulb from a series circuit
Award points for
these demonstrations
1 pt: describes the effect of adding bulbs
These understandings cannot be demonstrated with brightness
to series circuits
data or comparisons between two circuits. The student must be of understanding
2-5
ONLY if student has
making some attempt at generalization.
1 pt: describes the effect of adding
correctly drawn a
batteries to a series circuit
series circuit.
1 pt: indicates** a single pathway through a series circuit
§
creates a series circuit (correct series circuit diagram required)
1
 do not count if the only series circuit appears in LE10, labeled as a parallel circuit
0 no evidence of understanding
§
The series circuit must contain multiple batteries and/or multiple bulbs (i.e., a one-bulb, one-battery circuit does not count).
PARALLEL CIRCUIT (LE 10)
1 pt: describes effect of removing a bulb from a parallel circuit
1 pt: compares brightness of bulbs in a parallel circuit with the brightness of bulbs in simple and/or series
circuits
 brightness data is not sufficient; there must be some written comparison
1 pt: indicates** multiple pathways through a parallel circuit
 separate pathways must be drawn OR described in text
e.g.
2-4
OR
NOT
SA
Award points for
these demonstrations
of understanding
ONLY if student has
correctly drawn a
parallel circuit.