Gold Seal Lesson:
Creative Science Society

Copernicus Education Gateway

Subject:

Science

Grade:

9-12

ICLE Standards:

Science as Inquiry: Develop the abilities of scientific inquiry.

Science and Technology: Develop an understanding about science and technology.

Performance Task:

For this task, assume that your school has a Creative Science Society. You would like to be a member of this society, whose members are altruistic individuals seeking to use their intellect and insight to discover unique and interesting solutions to problems. You must meet a set of rigorous standards to gain admittance to this society.

The following is your mission if you are to become a member of the Creative Science Society. Members must have the ability to function within a team to achieve a goal. Therefore, you are to work in teams of 3 to 5 students on this task.

Mission: An old display case occupies a major area in the science wing of your school. The time for a new display is well overdue. Your team is to investigate a particular topic or problem in science that interests all members. After brainstorming to choose a topic or problem, you are to do thorough investigative research to find out as much as you can about the topic and/ or solve the problem. Develop and prepare an exhibition for the science display case that showcases your team's effort. Be creative with your display and relate it to the science curriculum that you are studying.

Each student is required to make a complete written report of the task. You should include a mind map of all the potential project/problem ideas that your team members brainstormed, a statement and description of the project or problem that the team decided to investigate and/or solve, definitions of all science terms used, a bibliography of all resources used, a brief summary of the team's discussions, some conclusions made from your investigation, and an outline of your exhibition. At least one of your sources should involve the use of technology. If your team assigned various roles to each member, these assignments should be listed in your journal report. Include a title page in your report.

Note to the teacher: A standard should be included here relating to the physical sciences, the life sciences, or the Earth and space sciences, depending on the course.

Knowledge / Skills:

Know and apply the principles of scientific inquiry.  (s114)

Plan and apply real or hypothetical models and constructions to facilitate investigation and learning and the solution to practical problems.  (s115)

Gather information from a variety of sources, including electronic sources, and summarize, analyze, and evaluate its use for a report.  (ela3)

Use brainstorming, role playing, and standard problem solving strategies to define a problem and suggest solutions.  (ela19)

Use expository writing skills in subjects other than English language arts.  (ela58)

Rubric:

You will be assessed on each of the following aspects. Each aspect will receive from 1 to 4 points.
Points will be awarded according to the criteria listed.

Teamwork: _______

• 4 All members of the team work cooperatively and share equally in completion of the task.

• 3 All members of the team work cooperatively, but some members do more work than others.

• 2 Team members cooperate with each other, but some members work more as an individual than as a team member. One member may dominate work or do very little work on the project.

• 1 Team members do not cooperate with each other, and there is little evidence of any team effort.

Scientific Inquiry: _______

• 4 Students demonstrate high ability to do scientific inquiry on their own, needing little help from the teacher. 

• 3 Students demonstrate adequate ability to do scientific inquiry, but need some help from the teacher.

• 2 Students demonstrate minimal ability to do scientific inquiry, needing much help from the teacher.

• 1 Students do not demonstrate any understanding of scientific inquiry.

Knowledge of Subject Matter: _______

• 4 Student demonstrate complete knowledge of subject matter associated with project/problem.

• 3 Student demonstrates some knowledge of subject matter associated with project/problem.

• 2 Student demonstrates little knowledge of subject matter associated with project/problem.

• 1 Student demonstrates very little, if any, knowledge of subject matter associated with project/problem.

Written Report: _______

• 4 Report is complete, well written, neat, error free, and well organized.

• 3 Report meets most of the criteria listed for 4 points.

• 2 Only some of the criteria listed for 4 points are met

• 1 Few, if any, of the criteria listed for 4 points are met.

Exhibition for Display Case: _______

• 4 Exhibition is well prepared, thorough, attractive, and creative.

• 3 Exhibition meets most of the criteria listed for 4 points

• 2 Exhibition meets only some of the criteria listed for 4 points

• 1 Exhibition meets few, if any, of the criteria listed for 4 points

• Total Points (out of a possible 20 points): __________

Keywords:

CHEMISTRY
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
EARTH SCIENCE
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
MODELS & CONSTRUCTION
TEAM WORK
EXPOSITION

Grades:

Kg [] - 1 [] - 2 [] - 3 [] - 4 [] - 5 [] - 6 [] - 7 [] - 8 [] - 9 [X] - 10 [X] - 11 [X] - 12 [X]

ICLE Application:

D

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