Work Sample Instruction ED607, Jon Yoder
Judy Short @ Houck MS, 7th Grade Integrated Science
Four required work samples, one for each domain.
Topic
Domain
Status
What is Science
Forming a Question or Hypothesis
Submitted
Measuring in Science
Collecting & Presenting Data
April
Natural Resources
Analyzing & Interpreting Results
April
Gravity
Designing an Investigation
submitted
TASK
Gravity
DESCRIPTION
Height of Ramp – vs. – Travelling Time
Learning Targets
Science: I can design an experiment to test a hypothesis.
Literacy: I can use a question to form a testable hypothesis.
Procedures
1.
Video: Bill Nye Gravity (Introduction)
2.
Teacher Demo: Dropping balls of different masses – Hypothesis
3.
Student activity: Ball Bounce Lab – Testable Hypothesis
4.
Notes on Gravity and Air Resistance
5.
Gravity vs Air Resistance Lab – Design an experiment
6.
Homework for the week is Paige Keeley’s probe on gravity
Key Instructional
1.
Partner discussion and class discussion for teacher demo
Strategies
2.
Small group lab work for both labs
3.
Cornell note taking on gravity and air resistance
4.
Graphing release model where teacher creates the data table for the ball bounce lab
and students create data table for the gravity vs air resistance lab
Products
A step-by-step procedure to collect data to answer a question about gravity and air
resistance.
Time to Complete
ADAPTATIONS
5-7 hours
1.
DIFFERENTIATIO
N
Help organize reasoning for the hypothesis with, “If I___ (do this) then I predict ___
(this will happen.) because ______________(reasoning for decision.”
2.
Provide gradual release model by guiding data table construction. Provide partially
labeled data table for IEP and ELL students
3.
Have student peer read procedure steps and offer suggestions for clarity.
4.
Have students trade procedures and re-do experiment based on other students
procedures to fetter out misconceptions or confusion within the procedures.
RESOURCES
Disney – “Bill Nye”
Peason Science
Paige Keeley Probe
Teacher Comments.
By having students work in groups and having students do peer editing of procedures it
Recommendations
helped the students to see where procedures lacked details. It was essential to have
students’ complete labs while using other student’s procedures. Besides seeing where the
other student’s procedures were unclear they were also able to see where their own
procedures could be better written.
ATTACHMENTS
Power Point slides
Student work samples
WORK SAMPLE
Strand
Physical Science. Forces
Grade Level
7th
Scoring Guide Used
6,7,8
Dimensions. Domains
Designing an Investigation
Content Standards
7.2P.1
Identify and describe motion and forces. Relate forces to the laws of motion and
gravitation.
Pre-requisite Skills
Linear measurement: how to use and read a ruler or meter stick
Use of a stop watch and the ability to read it.
How to divide distance by time.
Pre-requisite Knowledge
Basic idea that gravity pulls things to Earth
Scoring Guide for Designing an Experiment to Investigate Speed
Nearly Meets

My plan makes some sense but a person
Meets

trying to follow it would be somewhat
confused.

I provide sketchy or limited evidence of an
The design of my plan is safe,
Exceeds

ethical, logical and fair.

a person following it would get
My plan is organized and
detailed.
My plan is also repeatable so that
similar results.

I also explain my reasoning for
organized and workable plan to collect


My plan makes sense and can
data.
be understood and followed
My design shows an inconsistent or
by others without inferring.
some of the steps.

limited understanding of controlling
My design provides clear evidence
for the importance of controlling
variables.
variables.
Scientific Inquiry
Designing an Investigation
5/6

Proposes scientifically logical, safe and ethical procedures in a precise and efficient design that maximizes
resources which contribute to the outcome.

Thoroughly identifies relevant variables and defines a systematic investigative process that is clearly
defined and adaptable, if necessary.

Presents a design that will provide data of exceptional quality and quantity to address the question or
hypothesis and to investigate possible relationships.
4

Proposes a scientifically logical, safe and ethical procedure that can be easily and accurately followed.

Identifies the variables and controls relevant to the procedure.

Designs a scientific investigation that uses appropriate resources/materials and techniques to collect
relevant data.
3

Proposes a partially scientifically logical, safe and ethical procedure that includes one or more minor
scientific errors.
1/2

Partially identifies the variables and controls relevant to the procedure.

Designs a scientific investigation with sufficient resources/materials and techniques to collect relevant data.

Proposes a procedure that is not logical or is difficult to follow and/or has one or more significant scientific
errors.

Infers, but does not explicitly identify relevant variables and controls.

Designs a scientific investigation lacking the necessary resources/materials or techniques to collect
relevant data.
Student work:
Step 1 – Bill Nye Gravity Video for hook and class discussion about gravity
Step 2 – Teacher Demo – Dropping balls of different masses. (Soft Ball and Ping pong ball)
Students as a small group discuss then as a class make hypothesis about which ball will hit the ground
first. Balls are dropped several times. Students are to make several observations. 1. Visually see which ball
hits the ground first. 2. Auditory listen for 1 sound of ball striking surface or 2 separate sounds of balls striking
the surface independently.
(Since the balls hit the surface at the same time students visually see both balls hit the surface at the same time,
but more importantly they hear only one sound of the balls hitting the surface.
Lab: Potential Energy - Ball Bounce Lab
Background Information: Energy cannot be created or destroyed. Stored energy is called
potential energy, and the energy of motion is called kinetic energy. Due to gravity, potential
energy changes as the height of an object changes, this is called gravitational potential energy.
Objective: to determine the relationship between height and gravitational potential energy.
Problem: How does the drop height (gravitational potential energy) of a ball affect the bounce
height (kinetic energy) of the ball?
Hypothesis: If the gravitational potential energy (drop height) of a ball is increased, then the kinetic energy (bounce
height) will (increase/decrease/remain the same) because
__________________________________________________________________
Variables: Independent variable (known information) is__________________________
Dependent variable (unknown information) is___________________________________
Constants (variables kept the same for accuracy) are____________________________
Materials: List all the materials used in this experiment.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Procedure: Follow the steps below to conduct your experiment. Be sure to record all data and any observations
during the experiment. Follow all safety rules. Fill in the blanks in the procedures to make them complete.
1.
Tape the _________ to the side of the lab table with the 0-cm end at the bottom and the _____-cm end at
the top. Be sure that the _________ is resting flat on the floor and is standing straight up.
2.
Choose a ball type and record ____________ in the data ________.
3.
Use the triple beam _________to determine _________ of the ball and record the ball’s mass in
________ table.
4.
Calculate the gravitational potential energy (GPE) for the ball at each drop __________.(GPE =
mass x drop height)
5.
For Trial 1, hold the ball at a_________ of 40 cm, drop the ball carefully and
height. Record the bounce height in _____________.
6.
ball
__________________
Drop the ball 4 more times from 40 cm, recording _____________ each time, for a total of 5
drops.
7.
For Trial 2, repeat steps 5 and 6 but drop the ball from a height of 50 cm. Record
_____________________________________________.
8.
For Trial 3, drop the ball five times from 60 cm and record
_______________________________________________________________
9.
For Trial 4, _________________________ 70 cm _______ the 5 bounce heights in the data
10.
For Trial 5, ____________________________ 80 cm and ___________________
11.
For Trial 6, _________________________________________________________
12.
For Trial ____________________________________________________________
13.
Repeat steps 2 through 12 for a different type of ball.
table.
14.
Calculate the average bounce height of the 5 drops for each drop height. Record the average bounce height
in the data table. To calculate average: Add the 5 bounce heights for a trial then divide the total by 5 drops.
Gravity powerpoint used for Cornell note taking about gravity
Power point continues on in like manner.