TCH LRN 409

Brianna Bell
Assessment Task and Rubric Design
Assessment Task:

Step on it! A life-sized food web

Content Area: Science
Grade Level: 5th

Objectives:
 SWBAT know how energy is used and transferred among living creatures.
 SWBAT determine which animals are carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores.
 SWBAT follow and understand the energy flow directions of food webs.

Materials:
 Chalk (or printed pictures and arrows drawn on paper)
 A large open area outside (or inside)

Grouping:
 Whole class then
 Individual/small groups

Activity:
1. Draw a large food web that is labeled with words and pictures onto the ground with
chalk.
2. Have each student physically represent a unit of energy and have them stand where
they will begin their journey (you can assign starting points or let the students decide).
Let the students walk along any path they choose that is correctly following the
arrows, and have them record their journey as they go.
3. After the students complete their journeys through the food web, come together as a
class and give brief over view of the reflecting questions. Brian storm some ideas on
the board only for the first question. Then have them answer the reflecting questions
on their worksheet. Leave/put the food web up on the board for the students to
reference when answering the questions. Have them turn it in when completed.
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Work Sheets:

Food Web to copy onto ground:

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Name__________________
Step on it! Food Web Worksheet

Directions:
1. With the large, life sized food web, begin your cycle of energy where energy is first
created.
2. Follow the arrows choosing your path until all your energy is consumed and your
path comes to an end. It is ok if your energy path is not long enough to fill in all the
blanks.

Stop #1. (What can create energy with only sunlight?)

_______________________

Stop #2. Where was your energy transfered to?

_______________________

Stop #3. Where was your energy transfered to?

_______________________

Stop #4. Where was your energy transfered to?

_______________________

Stop #5. Where was your energy transfered to?

_______________________

Stop #6. Where was your energy transfered to?

_______________________

Stop #7. Where was your energy transfered to?

_______________________

Stop #8. Where was your energy transfered to?

_______________________
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Reflecting Questions:
Answer the questions as best as you can, using your own knowledge. Don’t forget you can
always reference the class word walls if you need ideas.

1. How was the energy transferred to the next level at each stop along the journey?
(explain how energy was transferred at each of your stops.)

2. How is energy transferred to a carnivore? List all carnivores you can find on the food
web.

3. How is energy transferred to an herbivore? List all herbivores you can find on the
food web.

4. How is energy transferred to an omnivore? List all omnivores you can find on the
food web.

5. Can energy be created or destroyed?

6. What happens when animal in an ecosystem goes extinct?

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Rubric:

Criteria: 3 = Yes, 2 = Some, 1 = No

Student shows clear knowledge of interdependent relationships
in ecosystems.
 Energy transfers up to the next level (energy is given to
the larger animal after being eaten).
 Shows they understand the importance of and the affect
matter has on surrounding matter in its environment
(ex., extinctions).
 Understands energy is always transferred, never
created/destroyed.
Student shows clear knowledge of different types of consumers.
 Carnivores eat meat
 Herbivores eat plants
 Omnivores eat plants and meat.
Student used academic science-vocabulary from the class
scientific word wall to describe the transfer of energy on their
journey.
Student participation in activity
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Commentary:
I designed this assessment tool to assess my 5th grade students’ science knowledge

about food webs and eating habits. My tool is authentic because it incorporates main points

from the book’s unit, it tests students according to desired state standards, and tests students’

scientific knowledge and thinking processes.

The book this lesson and assessment tool is based on is Longman Science, which is a

science textbook written for 5th grade level ELL students. It is based off Unit Two, Animals.

The main topics, that can be found at the beginning of the unit, for lesson one are: animals

make up one kingdom of living things, and animals get energy from food, which the students

are demonstrating both with their food web’s. And the other main topics for lesson one are

carnivores eat only other animals, herbivores only eat plants, and omnivores eat both animals

and plants, which is shown by the students’ responses to the questions (Longman, 2006, p.

60.). This is good for ELL as the food webs can be made about any environment and with

any animals around the world. The one in the lesson is particularly good because it

incorporates bacteria and fungi as well. This is important to the Next Generation Science

Standards, which Washington state adopted in 2013, as they want science to focus more on

the entire systems and processes, including decomposers, and not just about eating food

(nextgenscience.org).

Also, this is an authentic assessment tool because the students provide information on

whether they understand the concepts of: comparing the effects of strengths and weakness

either matter or living creatures have on each other, learning about life in different habitats,

and thinking about or using multiple solutions (Gottlieb & Ernst-Slavit, 2014, p. 66.).

Students also demonstrate how they construct an argument based on evidence by answering

the last question on the worksheet. These concepts are important to the academic language

for functions in science and are important for students to learn (Gottlieb & Ernst-Slavit, 2014,

p. 66.).
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Finally, this also a good assessment tool because students show their development of

scientific thinking skills. Important scientific thinking skills that are promoted in students are:

begin to understand the physical properties of earth, understand cause and effect, see

relationships between systems and parts, analyze the composition of matter and how different

substances interact, analyze the interdependence of earth systems, and distinguish between

scientific evidence and personal opinion (O’Malley & Valdez Pierce, 1996, p. 182.). All of

these skills can be seen through the students knowledge throughout the activity and with the

written answers that get turned in.

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References

Gottlieb, M., & Ernst-Slavit, G. (2014). Academic language in diverse classrooms. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin.

O’Malley, J. M., & Pierce, L. V. (1996). Authentic assessment for English language learners:
Practical approaches for teachers. New York: Addison-Wesley.

http://media.showmeapp.com/files/1000035850/pictures/thumbs/1808517/last_thumb141764
8689.jpg

https://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/NGSS%20DCI%20Combined%2011.6.13.
pdf