Pass The Salt!!!

Assessment Guide / Rating Scale Summary Sheet

Salt Learning Experience | Salt Handout | NYS Standards Addressed

Project Outline:

Part I. I say….You say….Bioassay!

(An introduction to the usefulness of the bioassay as a quantitative tool for measuring environmental impact.)

A. What is a Bioassay? _____ / 8

B. Bioassay Basics

1. Procedure for setting up _____ / 11

2. Data collection plan _____ / 8

C. Bioassay Analysis _____ / 16

Part II. Background Check! _____ / 11

(Do research to familiarize yourself with what is already known about the impact of road salt on Adirondack plants and animals.)

Part III. Salt and Survival _____ / 11

(Review microscopy techniques and information about diffusion and osmosis, in the context of this learning experience.)

Part IV. Research: Project Design, Implementation, and Reporting ____ / 44

(Develop a hypothesis regarding the impact of road salt and/or deicing alternatives, design an experiment to test to test the

hypothesis and prepare a scientific journal article that reports your results.)

Part V. Let the research speak _____ / 16

(Prepare a cover letter designed to influence NYS environmental policy makers to adopt the best management practice that your research findings suggest would be most appropriate for Lewis County.)

Total Points Earned=_______/44=_____%

Pass The Salt!!!

Assessment Guide / Rating Scale Summary Sheet

Project Outline:

Part I. I say….You say….Bioassay!

A. What is a Bioassay?

This segment of the learning experience accounts for 8 points.

One point is awarded for each correct response to questions 1-4.

Answers that are not complete are immediately docked a minimum of ½ point.

Up to 4 points can be earned based on your individual contributions to effective work in your "taskforce" group. This grade will be assigned as the teacher monitors your "taskforce’s" work throughout the class period. These points are awarded based on the following holistic rubric:

Taskforce Contribution Rubric

______ Points earned on questions 1-4

______ Points earned for work with your taskforce

_____/11 Total points earned - What is a Bioassay?

B. Bioassay Basics

1. Procedure for setting up the experiment

This segment of the learning experience accounts for 11 points.

Points are awarded according to the following rating scale:

___/1 Proper notation of the experiment’s starting date and time (Part e) - allow 1 Point

Proper construction of Table 1

___/1 With variables identified - Award 1 Point for columns labeled

Salt concentration, Number of seeds, # germinated, and % germinated.

___/1 Identification of units - Award 1 Point when all data columns are labeled with

appropriate units of measure.

___/1 Sequential organization of the independent variable - Award 1 Point for including

salt concentrations organized in ascending or descending order.

Proper construction of Table 2

___/1 With variables identified - Award 1 Point for columns labeled

Salt concentration, Root Length (10 entry locations) and Average Root Length.

___/1 Identification of units - Award 1 Point when all data columns are labeled

with appropriate units of measure.

___/1 Sequential organization of the independent variable - Award 1 Point for including

salt concentrations organized in ascending or descending order.

___/4 Taskforce contribution rubric

____/11 Total points earned: Bioassay Basics - Setup procedures

2. Data collection plan

This segment of the learning experience accounts for 8 points.

___/1 Data recorded neatly on Table 1

___/1 Data recorded neatly on Table 2

___/1 Percent germination is calculated correctly

___/1 Average root length calculated correctly

___/4 Taskforce Contribution Rubric

____/8 Total points earned: Bioassay Basics - Data Collection Plan

C. Bioassay Analysis

This segment of the learning experience accounts for 16 Points including 4 points based on the Taskforce Contribution Rubric.

Critical Thinking Questions:

___/4 One point is awarded for each correct response to questions 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Answers that are not complete are immediately docked a minimum of ½ point.

Figure 1:

___/1 Appropriate title

___/1 Accurate x-axis scale

___/1 Accurate y-axis scale

___/1 Points plotted correctly

Figure 2:

___/1 Appropriate title

___/1 Accurate x-axis scale

___/1 Accurate y-axis scale

___/1 Points plotted correctly

___/4 Taskforce Contribution Rubric

____ /16 Total points earned: Bioassay Analysis

Part II. Background Check!

This segment of the learning experience accounts for 11 Points.

___/3 Identification of biases (#1)

___/4 Identification of the pros and cons of road salt and CMA use (#2)

___/4 Taskforce Contribution Rubric

___11 Total points earned: Background Check!

Part III. Salt and Survival

This segment of the learning experience accounts for 11 Points.

___/3 Identification of biases (#1)

___/4 Identification of the pros and cons of road salt and CMA use (#2)

___/4 Taskforce Contribution Rubric

___/11 Total points earned: Salt and Survival

Part IV. Research: Project Design and Implementation

Scientific Journal Article Rating Scale:

Project Design - As evidenced in student handouts

____/1 Clearly identifies a problem or question to investigate

____/1 Formulates a hypothesis

____/1 Develops experimental design with necessary controls

____/1 Articulates and illustrates the experimental design with detail necessary for others to replicate the study

Introduction

____/1 Effectively identifies the problem that is the focus of the study

____/5 Provides background information identifying what is known prior to the student’s experiment.

+1 for each key and relevant detail up to 5 points

____/1 States the hypothesis of the study in the final paragraph

Materials and Methods

____/2 Presents necessary procedural details to replicate the experiment, in paragraph form.

____/2 Identifies the methods and/or instruments that will be used to make observations

Results

____/2 Presents organized data in Tables

____/2 Table legends clearly and concisely describe their contents

____/2 Units of measure are identified

____/4 Presents at least two relevant graphs

+1/graph Appropriate scales

+1/graph Data points are plotted correctly

____/2 Text describes relationships observed

Discussion

____/1 Suggests limitations or assumptions affecting data

____/2 Draws conclusions regarding study

____/1 Identifies questions that still remain after the study/ suggests possibilities for further research

____/2 Identifies the value and/or application of the findings

Title Page

____ /1 Presents title, author and date

Technical writing skills

___/2 Mechanical skills - spells correctly; capitalizes correctly; punctuates correctly

___/2 Word choice

+1 uses appropriate vocabulary

+1 avoids use of personal pronouns in scientific writing

+1 uses appropriate vocabulary; does not use slang terminology

___/2 Sentence structure and syntax

+1 sentences express complete ideas

+1 sentences are informative; they do not simply restate the obvious

___/2 Detailed information is presented concisely

Professional presentation

___ /1 Typed with accuracy

___ /1 Shows evidence that the document has been peer edited prior to submitting the final copy

_____/44=Total Points Earned ____=% Grade

Adapted from: Reflections in Science, NYS Education Department 1984

Part V. Let the research speak

Cover Letter Rating Scale:

Organization:

___/1 Letter is presented as a typed business letter in block-style format

___/2 Letter contains date, inside address, salutation/greeting, and a closing

+1/2 point for each component

Writing Skills:

___/2 Demonstrates proper mechanical skills (spells correctly, punctuates correctly, capitalizes correctly)

-1/2 point for each error up to two points

___/1 Uses complete sentences with varied structure

___/1 Uses vocabulary that is appropriate to the recipient, the issue and the letter’s formality

(i.e. appropriate for the intended audience)

Content:

___/2 Letter is addressed to a public official/employee in Northern NY who is associated with road

maintenance on some level

___/1 Letter clearly identifies the impact of road de-icing as the issue of concern

___/2 Letter summarizes research finding from the student’s Pass The Salt experiments

___/4 Letter presents suggestions to policy maker

+1 Addresses environmental considerations

+1 Addresses economic considerations

+1 Identifies the best management practice that the student suggests

+1 Provides persuasive evidence to support the opinion expressed

____/ 16=Total Points Earned ______% Grade