Nick Jarosz Climate Change Unit Assessment

The unit that Peter and I have designed have a basic instructional sequence that has three main subunits: Earth systems, human impacts on these systems, and designing solutions to perceived problems. The assessment that I would like to outline related directly to the NGSS learning goals listed in our unit concept map. The assessment is particularly targeted at meeting these goals. In particular, the summative assessments that take place at the end of each one of the subunits reflects the NGSS performance indicators. Formative assessment will be dispersed within the subunits to check for growth of understanding. Sub-unit one deals with the study of Earths systems. In particular, this subunit will focus on the carbon cycle and the greenhouse effect. The standards that are aligned with our learning goals are NGSS-MS-ESS2n and j. I believe it would be appropriate to use modeling as the summative assessment criteria for this subunit. This is in accordance with ESS2j, which says that students will be able to create models of Earths systems. Students will be able to create a model that demonstrates the basic principle that the addition of carboniferous gasses in the atmosphere results in more energy being contained from the sun. Students will be provided with a rubric that outlines the learning goals, and specific information they are required to demonstrate. Formative assessments within this subunit include work relating to the greenhouse demonstration lesson in which students make observations and collect data about melting ice in insulated and un-insulated environments under heat lamps. Specific questions on this activity might include: What happens to the energy from the heat lamp in tank 1 and tank 2? Does the higher temperature in tank one indicate it has retained more or less energy than tank two? In our demonstration the plexi-glass holds in some of the energy, what holds energy in the Earth?

Further, exit slips and daily warm-ups will be used to clarify topics that students may have struggled with in homework or class work. Sub-unit 2 builds off of the knowledge learned in subunit one. Students should have already learned that the increased amount of gasses in the Earths atmosphere lead to climate change due to the increased energy retention from the Suns energy. In turn, the students should make the connection between the human production of carboniferous gasses and climate change. The main summative assessment for this unit relates to ESS3-i. In my demonstration lesson, students will see the amount of energy various appliances use. The extension of this demonstration asks students to record the amount of time different appliances are used in their house, then the students will calculate the amount of carbon produced from these habits. In turn, students will be able to identify their own carbon footprint, and connect their actions to climate change. Formative assessment will again include daily warm-ups or exit slips. Further, students will be asked to look at data taken by the Energy Information Administration, as well as the EPA. Analysis questions will be asked that push student to apply the data and show understanding, what general trends to do you see in the data?, How is are increased CO2 levels correlated with global temperatures?, What sort of changes in weather would we expect to see here in the Midwest with various temperature changes? The third subunit asks students to design solutions that minimize the impact that humans have on the environment. The summative assessment aligns with the ESS3d and e, which state that students should be able to propose solutions to human impacts on the environment, and evaluate the practicality of such solutions. Students will be allowed to choose from a list of potential solutions. Solutions will be researched in class time, and a class wide list will be generated (renewable sources, conservation, reduction in energy usage, carpooling, alternative transportation, etc). Students will choose one of these potential solutions and create a presentation in the medium of their choice that

follows a rubric. The rubric will state that the presentation should include a definition of the solution, an estimate of the amount of carbon gasses that could be reduced per unit, an estimate of the cost of implementation, and an analysis of the practicality of their solution. Students will meet and present their solutions, and undergo a peer review process in which the class decides which solution, or combination of solutions in most practical. Formative assessment for this subunit will be integrated into the research phase, as well as the beginning of their projects. Students at this age range will need specific guidelines to follow. In this case, the research and projects will have distinct due dates or checkpoints for each point in the projects creation. To be specific, students will complete short worksheets that guide them into thinking about the learning goals for this unit (how practical is the implementation of this solution).