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Source Task

Source
National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement (NMSSA, New Zealand)

Subject
Science

Grade Level
3

Creature Features

In the Creature Features task, students will sort cards into three groups on a chart: Bird, Insect, and Mammal. Then they will answer eight questions. Students will complete this task working one on one with a teacher-administrator. Resources required for this task are a set of ten cards: monarch butterfly, fantail, rooster, dog, dragonfly, pig, horse, bee, ant, kiwi; a set of 4 extra cards: spider, weta, whale, bat; and a laminated chart.

This task is a part of the Living World task series from 1995. This task is classified as a trend task by NEMP. Trend tasks are used to examine trends in student performance: whether they have improved, stayed constant or declined over the four-year period since the previous assessments.

Source
iEARN Collaboration Centre

Subject
Science, Mathematics, History/Social Studies, Interdisciplinary

Grade Level
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Daffodils and Tulips

In this task, students around the world will plant either tulips of daffodils, record data, and compare when they bloom. 

This task includes:
1. Task Description
2. Additional Resources: Classroom activities, web resources, video, student work examples

Source
National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement (NMSSA, New Zealand)

Subject
Science

Grade Level
3, 7

Dancing Currants

The Dancing Currants task allows students to explore and explain the properties of gas. Students will watch what happens when currents are dropped into a glass of lemonade and discuss and record what they observe with their team. They will answer three questions with their team. Resources required for this task include two plastic glasses, a "working together" team guide, lemonade, twelve currants, a team answer sheet, and two sample cups.

This task is a part of the Physical World task series from 2007. This task is classified as a trend task by NEMP. Trend tasks are used to examine trends in student performance: whether they have improved, stayed constant or declined over the four-year period since the previous assessments.

Source
National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement (NMSSA, New Zealand)

Subject
Science

Grade Level
3, 7

Dead Mouse

The task Dead Mouse allows students to identify and explain the application of a lever to shift a heavy object, and choose a suitable arrangement from three options. Students will answer four questions. Students will complete this task working one on one with a teacher-administrator. Resources required for this task include a video and a recording book.

This task is a part of the Physical World task series from 1999 by NEMP. 

Source
National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement (NMSSA, New Zealand)

Subject
Science

Grade Level
3

Dinosaurs

The Dinosaur task allows students to look at a model of a triceratops, comment on its living environment, food sources, means of protection, and reasons for eventual extinction. Students will complete this task working one on one with a teacher-administrator. The resource required for this task is a plastic triceratops model. 

This task is a part of the Living World task series from 1999 by NEMP. 

Source
National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement (NMSSA, New Zealand)

Subject
Science

Grade Level
3, 7

Dirty Water

The Dirty Water task allows students to demonstrate their knowledge on evaporation and condensation and watch a short video showing dirty water was turned into clean water. Students will complete this task working one on one with a teacher-administrator. Resources required for this task include a video recording on laptop computer and picture showing the three forms of water.

This task is a part of the Material World task series from 2003 by NEMP

Source
National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement (NMSSA, New Zealand)

Subject
Science

Grade Level
3, 7

Disappearing Water

The Disappearing Water task allows students to demonstrate their explanation of evaporation and their understanding of the water cycle. Students will complete this task working in stations. The resource required for this task include a video showing evaporation with hand fanning and the use of a hair dryer.

This task is a part of the Material World task series from 1999. This task is classified as a trend task by NEMP. Trend tasks are used to examine trends in student performance: whether they have improved, stayed constant or declined over the four-year period since the previous assessments.

Source
National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement (NMSSA, New Zealand)

Subject
Science

Grade Level
3, 7

Dropping Coins

The Dropping Coins task allows students to demonstrate their intuition or prior learning about the effects of gravity on objects of differing mass, then carry out a practical investigation and interpret the outcome. Students will complete this task working in stations. Resources required for this task include a two coins of different weight and size.

This task is a part of the Physical World task series from 1999. This task is classified as a trend task by NEMP. Trend tasks are used to examine trends in student performance: whether they have improved, stayed constant or declined over the four-year period since the previous assessments.

Source
National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement (NMSSA, New Zealand)

Subject
Science

Grade Level
3, 7

Dunes

The Dunes task allows students to learn about the function and protection of sand dunes. Students will look at pictures of a beach with sand dunes and answer five questions. Students will complete this task working one on one with a teacher-administrator. Resources required for this task include two pictures of a beach with sand dunes.

This task is a part of the Planet Earth and Beyond World task series by NEMP from 2007.

Source
Performance Assessment Links in Science (PALS)

Subject
Science

Grade Level
K, 1, 2, 3, 4

ELementary Protocol Test - Compass

This task is from PALS and was previously part of the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE)'s Earth Systems Unit. 

This task includes:  
1. Student Instructions

Pages

If you would like to recommend additional open-sourced performance task banks to be included in the database, or if you would like to report a broken link, please email Pai-rou Chen.