BALANCE AND MOTION
Assessment Task A
Procedure:
1. Give this assessment to small groups of students, 1-3 at a time, to assure that the
students are working independently.
2. Provide materials for the mobile that are readily accessible in the classroom such as
ruler, scissors, pencils, crayons, string, erasers, paper scraps, glue sticks, unifix cubes,
disks, tape, masking tape, paper clips, and rubber bands.
3. Encourage student to use what they have learned about balance.
Task
1. Construct a mobile that is balanced and uses counterweights
2. Describe with words and pictures what you did to make your mobile balance.
Big Ideas
• position and motion of objects
• balance: equilibrium, stability, counterweight
• the designed world, technological designs
• scientific thinking; asks questions about natural phenomena, works individually or
in groups to collect and share information and ideas
• designs and models
Essential Concepts
• Students will solve problems through trial and error
• Students will explore and describe systems that are unstable and modify them to
reach stability
Practice Standards addressed by this task Science
5.1.P.A.1
5.1.P.B.1
5.1.P.B.2
5.1.P.B.3
5.1.P.C.1
5.1.P.D.1
BALANCE AND MOTION
Assessment Task A
Rubric 5
Achieved the standard with honors
4
Achieved the standard
3
Nearly achieved the standard
2
Below the standard
1
Little evidence of achievement
• able to make a balanced mobile
• illustration and explanation (written or oral)
demonstrates a clear understanding of balance
point and counterweights
• able to make a balanced mobile
• illustration and explanation demonstrates
some understanding of balance point and
counterweights with few errors
• able to make a mobile, though may not be
balanced
• illustration and explanation demonstrates
partial understanding of balance point and
counterweights with major errors
• unable to make a mobile
• illustration and explanation demonstrates little
or no understanding of balance point and
counterweights
no or inappropriate response
BALANCE AND MOTION
Assessment Task A
1. Construct a mobile that is balanced and uses counterweights.
2. Describe with words and pictures what you did to make your
mobile balance. Use key words First, Next, Then, Finally.
BALANCE AND MOTION
Assessment Task B
Procedure:
1. Give this assessment to small groups of students, 1-3 at a time, to assure that the
students are working independently.
2. Provide slim straw from the kit and 1-1 1/2 inch ball of clay.
3. Encourage student to use what they have learned about spinning.
Task:
1. Create a top that spins for at least 3 seconds using a coffee stirrer and modeling
clay.
2. Describe with words or pictures what you did to make your top stable.
Big Ideas
• Balance: equilibrium, center of gravity , stability
• rotational motion
Essential Concepts
• Students will solve problems through trial and error.
• Students will explore and describe systems that are unstable and modify them to
reach stability.
Practice Standards addressed by this task Science
5.1.P.A.1
5.1.P.B.1
5.1.P.B.2
5.1.P.B.3
5.1.P.C.1
5.1.P.D.1
BALANCE AND MOTION
Assessment Task B
Rubric 5
Achieved the standard with honors
4
Achieved the standard
3
Nearly achieved the standard
2
Below the standard
1
Little evidence of achievement
• able to make a top that spins for at least 3
seconds
• illustration and explanation (written or oral)
demonstrates a clear understanding of balance,
stability and rotational motion
• able to make a top that spins for at least 3
seconds
• illustration and explanation (written or oral)
demonstrates some understanding of balance,
stability and rotational motion with a few errors
• able to make a top that spins
• illustration and explanation (written or oral)
demonstrates partial understanding of balance,
stability and rotational motion with major
errors
• unable to make a top that spins
• illustration and explanation (written or oral)
demonstrates little or no understanding of
balance, stability and rotational motion
no or inappropriate response
BALANCE AND MOTION
Assessment Task B
Task:
1. Create a top that spins for at least 3 seconds using a coffee
stirrer and modeling clay.
2. Describe with words or pictures what you did to make your
top stable.