Please note that many tasks were constructed prior to Common Core and the task alignments to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were not identified in the task materials. To search for the performance tasks explicitly aligned to the CCSS, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), or College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards, please go to CCSS, NGSS, and C3 tabs.
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Candle in a Jar The Candle in a Jar task allows students to observe chemical changes through an experiment. Students will observe how a candle burning in a cup surrounded by baking soda is put out when the baking soda reacts with vinegar. They will then answer six question about the experiment. Students will complete this task working one on one with a teacher-administrator. Resources required for this task include plastic glass, a birthday candle, a teaspoon, baking soda, vinegar, long matches, and blu tack. This task is a part of the Material 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. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Candles in Jars The Candles in Jars task allows students to predict and explain the effect on burning of different environmental conditions. Students will complete this task working one on one with a teacher-administrator. Resources required for this task include a video and a picture of a candle in a jar. 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. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Changes The Changes task allows students to developing and present explanations for two temperature related phenomena: the changes in the state of water and the rate of diffusion of dye in water. Students will complete this task working in teams. Resources required for this task include a video showing ice turning to steam and red dye diffusing in hot and cold water and two team instruction cards. This task is a part of the Material World task series from 1999 by NEMP. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Changing Faces of the Moon The Changing Faces of the Moon task allows students to identify the sequence of phases of the moon. Students will complete this task working stations. Resources required for this task include a computer, a mouse, a mousepad, and headphones. This task is a part of the Planet Earth and Beyond task series from 1999 by NEMP. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Cheetahs The Cheetahs task involves students watching a short video that shows how different parts of the cheetah help it hunt. Students will then identify the physical features that assist cheetahs in hunting. Students will complete this task working one on one with a teacher-administrator. Resources required for this task include a video recording of cheetahs, a device to play the recording, and a picture of a cheetah. The Cheetahs task is a part of the Living 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. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Chemical Muddle The Chemical Muddle task allows students to be given information about chemical properties of three substances and apply this information by identify samples of the substances.Students will complete this task working in stations. Resources required for this task include jars of icing sugar, cornflour, cream of tartar, three clean teaspoons, three spatulas, three small beakers, water in a measuring jug, three pieces of blue litmus paper, and paper towels. 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. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Circuits The Circuits task allows students to explore circuits by trying to connect materials in the correct way to make a light bulb shine. Students will complete this task working one on one with a teacher-administrator. Resources required for this task include a battery cell in holder, a flash light bulb, and some wires with alligator clips on one end and a bare wire at the other end This task is a part of the Physical World task series from 1995 by NEMP. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Classification In the Classification task students will sort a set of sixteen dinosaur cards into two groups, then into three groups, and finally into four groups. For each sorting, students will identify what is special about each group they have made. Students will complete this task working one on one with a teacher-administrator. Resources required for this task are sixteen cards featuring different dinosaurs. 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. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Cleaning Up The Cleaning Up task allows students to investigate and explain the reaction between water, oil, and detergent through an experiment. During this experiment students will answer four questions. Students will complete this task working one on one with a teacher-administrator. Resources required for this task include water in a jug, two jars, a bottle of cooking oil (liquid 1), a bottle of detergent (liquid 2), three ice block sticks, and two 50ml beakers. This task is a part of the Material 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. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Compost The Compost task allows students to identify biodegradable rubbish. Students will be learn about what compost is and will be presented with pictures of several rubbish items. Then they will be asked to determine which items can and can't go in the compost and explain why. Students will complete this task working in stations. Resources required for this task include fourteen small pictures, one large picture, and a sheet of stickers. This task is a part of the Planet Earth and Beyond 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. |
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