Summary of assessment for SEPUP

SEPUP teaches science through activities based on real life situations. Students reflect on each activity and turn in an activity sheet to demonstrate what they have learned. This activity sheet has a particular format. It contains both data from the activity, and student analysis of the activity.

 Activity Sheets, Binder Checks, Keywords, or other class activities

 Students receive grades for successfully completing each activity sheet and defining key science words from each activity. Activities will receive a percentage grade (out of 100 possible)

Scoring Guides

 There are five areas in which students are assessed in more depth… these are the most important areas for students when studying science. They are:

      ·        Communication of Scientific Information-organize and explain scientific information

·        Designing and Conducting Investigations-design, perform, and interpret laboratory activities

·        Evidence and Trade-Offs-identify evidence, evaluate advantages and disadvantages of both sides of an issue, integrate evidence into decision making

·        Group Interaction-stay on task and work together to accomplish a task

In order to be unambiguous in the grading of these five areas, five specific levels of performance are set forth through the scoring guides. These scoring guides clearly state to students why they received the score they did, and how to improve. There are specific levels; students will never receive an in-between grade (for example, it is either 3 or 4, never 3.5)

 Important note: Using one of the scoring guides, students may revise any graded question to improve their score. This philosophy goes perfectly with science as a field. Scientists are continually experimenting to achieve a result.

 SEPUP scoring guides correlate with Walden’s grading system:

4…………100%

3…………93%

2……..…. 85%

1…….…...77%

0………… 0%

Quizzes, Tests, and Projects: Occasional tests, quizzes and projects assess student learning.

 Weight

 80% Activities and Scoring Guide Items:

10% Quizzes:

10% Tests and Projects (such as Rube Goldberg) 10%

Additional information in Student Binders

Each student uses a science binder, which contains all of the scoring guides. These guides are located in the scoring section of the binder.

If you have any questions about homework or anything else, please feel free to contact me via email at depstein@walden-school.org or by calling the school at 893-0433.  Thank you for your partnership!