Refined from Understanding by Design Ellen Chang

04/26/2019

Assessment Plan Blueprint

What understandings or goals will be assessed through this lesson?

The goal of this lesson is for students to understand
why water is so special and essential to our life by
exploring the properties of water that includes: its
shape and polarity, high surface tension, low vapor
pressure, high specific heat capacity.
Students will compare the surface tension of three
unknown liquids by dropping each liquid onto the top
of penny. Then students will determine which
unknown liquid is water and explain their claim by
using supporting evidence from the lesson material.

What criteria are implied in the standards and understandings regardless of the task specifics?
What qualities must student work demonstrate to signify the standards were met?
Students will understand the concept through the Students will analyze how water striders are able to
Penny lab (explained below). This lab requires them stay above water by using the information taught in
to explain, show relationships, explain why, and make the lecture to state the reasoning and evidence to
logical predictions from data. support inferences. They will also apply a concept in a
new context as they respond to the question that
asks them why the low vapor pressure of water is
important to sustain life on earth.

Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate understanding?

For students to demonstrate their understanding, the authentic performance task that will be provided is a penny
lab. Students will examine and compare three unknown liquids based on the number of drops that a penny can
hold before the liquid spills. By applying information taught in the lesson, students will be asked to write a short
paragraph that explains their reasoning on why the students determined which unknown liquid is pure water.
They will also state the differences between the characteristics of pure water and the unknown liquid that allowed
penny to hold certain amount of each liquid.

What student products and performances will provide evidence of desired understandings?
Students will successfully perform a penny lab that
allows them to apply today’s lesson material to
decide which unknown liquid is pure water. They
must support their claim with a proper reasoning,
such as using specific key terms and definitions.
They must also explain the difference between water
and other unknown liquids, such as explaining
certain characteristics of water that allowed it to
hold more drops on top of penny than other liquids.
Using the material introduced in the lesson, students
must be able to explain how water striders are able
to “walk” on water without drowning, and how
water pollution affect the water striders’ ability to
stay on top of water. Students will also explain why
it is critical for water to have a low vapor pressure
to sustain life on earth.

By what criteria will student products and performances be evaluated?

Students’ products and performances will be Students’ work will also be evaluated based on their
evaluated based on their ability to understand the correct application of a concept in a next context by
concept by explaining and connecting ideas using using reasoning and evidence to support their
supporting evidence. claims.