Stephanie O.

Thompson
MEDT 7476
Dr Haynes
Assessment Plan
Client Information:
Name: Kevin Wright
Organization: Sutton Middle School, Atlanta Public Schools
Email Address: kvwright@atlanta.k12.ga.us
GA Certification ID: 201918

Performance Task Title The Making of the Fittest

Grade Level 7
Designer Stephanie O. Thompson
Performance Task Students will describe the four parts of natural selection in order to explain
Annotation how natural selection affects the evolution of a species over successive
generations for an organism of their choice by creating a presentation using
Smore.
Subject Life Science
Approximate Duration
2 hours (2 class periods)
of Performance Task
Focus Standards S7L5. Students will examine the evolution of living organisms through
inherited characteristics that promote survival of organisms and the
survival of successive generations of their offspring.
a. Explain that physical characteristics of organisms have changed
over successive generations (e.g. Darwins finches and peppered
moths of Manchester).
b. Describe ways in which species on earth have evolved due to
natural selection.
National Standards National Standards (NETS-S)
I. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop
innovative products and processes using technology.
B. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
II. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work
collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and
contribute to the learning of others.
A. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others
employing a variety of digital environments and media.
B. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple
audiences using a variety of media and formats
V. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to
technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.
B. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports
collaboration, learning, and productivity
VI. Technology operations and concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts,
systems, and operations.
A. Understand and use technology systems
Stephanie O. Thompson
MEDT 7476
Dr Haynes
Assessment Plan

Description and 1. Before beginning this lesson, students should have been introduced to
Teacher/Trainer the concept of evolution. Students should have completed guided
Directions notes and online activities on evolution. For example, students should
have completed Glencoes Online Virtual Lab, Natural Selection Virtual
Lab, and Peppered Moth: Natural Selection in Black and White Online
Simulation
2. As students enter the classroom or the computer lab, the teacher will
instruct students to log into their computers and access Google
Classroom for the Digital Learning Agenda for the day as they wait for
all the students to come in.
3. Once all students have arrived, the teacher will ask students According
to Darwin, what are the four steps to natural selection? Students
should be able to answer the four parts of natural selection are
overproduction, inherited variation, struggle to survive, and successful
reproduction.
4. The teacher will also have the following questions below along with
images projected on the Promethean Board in a Smore presentation
and will have students discuss the answers for each question with the
student sitting next to them. Students will then answer the questions
as a class:
The following statements contain information regarding the roach
population.
Use the following statements to answer the following questions.
A. Roaches that live to maturity may mate and produce
offspring
B. A population of roaches contain some pesticide-resistant
roaches and some that are not resistant to pesticides.
C. Many roaches do not survive because they come in contact
with pesticides.
D. Roaches lay many eggs.

1. Which of the above statements most closely illustrates genetic

variation?
a. A b. B c. C d. D
2. Which of the above statement most closely illustrates successful
reproduction?
a. A b. B c. C d. D

3. Which of the above statements most closely illustrates

overproduction?
a. A b. B c. C d. D

4. Which of the above statements most closely illustrates struggle

to survive?
a. A b. B c. C d. D
Stephanie O. Thompson
MEDT 7476
Dr Haynes
Assessment Plan
5. The teacher will introduce the performance task to the students and
explain the rubric. The teacher will advise that students they will be
creating a presentation about the four parts of natural selection for an
organism of their choice to selection in order to explain how natural
selection affects the evolution of a species over successive generations
using Smore. The teacher will show them an example of a completed
presentation. The teacher will advise students they are allowed to use
relevant videos, not just pictures.
6. Students will begin working on their presentation independently.
7. On the second day as students begin to finish their presentations, they
teacher will have the Padlet that students are posting to projected on
the Promethean Board. The teacher will have placed the link into
Google Classroom for the Padlet.
8. The teacher will advise students that once they are finished with their
presentation, they will post their completed product to Padlet.
9. After all students have posted their presentation to Padlet, the teacher
will instruct students to review their peers presentations and they are
required to give feedback to at least one peer. The teacher will remind
students they need to use proper netiquette in their feedback to their
peers and make sure their post focuses on the positives of their peers
presentation as well, not only the negatives.
Rubric Title The Making of The Fittest Presentation Rubric
Rubric Description This rubric indicates all the elements that must be included in the Smore
presentation being created. Students can use the rubric as a guide as they
complete the performance task to ensure all required elements have been
included. Each required element has a numeric value attached to it.
Rubric
The Making of the Fittest Presentation Rubric
Student Name: Class Period:
S7l5: Students will examine the evolution of living organism through
inherited characteristics that promote survival of organism and survival
of successive generations.
a. Explain that physical characteristics of organisms have changed
over successive generations (e.g. Darwins finches and peppered
moths of Manchester).
b. Describe ways in which species on earth have evolved due to
natural selection.
Points Points
Task
Possible Received
Student included Title 1
Student chose an organism that overproduces 1
Student included an illustration for each part of
natural selection
1. Overproduction (adult and offspring) 2
Stephanie O. Thompson
MEDT 7476
Dr Haynes
Assessment Plan
2. Inherited Variation 2
3. Struggle to Survive 2
4. Successful Reproduction (adult best suited
2
for environment with offspring)
Student included a caption for each illustration for
each part of natural selection that explains how the
part affects the evolution of the species.
5. Overproduction (adult and offspring) 2
6. Inherited Variation 2
7. Struggle to Survive 2
8. Successful Reproduction (adult best suited
2
for environment with offspring)
Student submitted the completed presentation to
1
Padlet
Student provided feedback to at least 1 student 1
Student made less than 5 spelling errors 1

***EXTRA CREDIT: Student chose an organism other

2
than an animal

Total Points Earned/Total Points Possible ___/21

Teacher Commentary

Example of Student
Work with Teacher
Commentary

This is a student work sample that was not completed in Smore, but was
completed using technology. There is no specific Padlet for this
Stephanie O. Thompson
MEDT 7476
Dr Haynes
Assessment Plan
performance task for the presentation to be posted, but the student would
receive the following score assuming it was completed in Smore and was
posted to Padlet along with providing feedback to a peer.

The Making of the Fittest Presentation Rubric

Student Name: Class Period:
S7l5: Students will examine the evolution of living organism through
inherited characteristics that promote survival of organism and survival
of successive generations.
b. Explain that physical characteristics of organisms have changed
over successive generations (e.g. Darwins finches and peppered
moths of Manchester).
c. Describe ways in which species on earth have evolved due to
natural selection.
Points Points
Task
Possible Received
Student included Title 1 1
Student chose an organism that overproduces 1 1
Student included an illustration for each part of
natural selection
9. Overproduction (adult and offspring) 2 2
10. Inherited Variation 2 2
11. Struggle to Survive 2 2
12. Successful Reproduction (adult best suited 2
2
for environment with offspring)
Student included a caption for each illustration for
each part of natural selection that explains how the
part affects the evolution of the species.
13. Overproduction (adult and offspring) 2 2
14. Inherited Variation 2 2
15. Struggle to Survive 2 2
16. Successful Reproduction (adult best suited 2
2
for environment with offspring)
Student submitted the completed presentation to 1
1
Padlet
Student provided feedback to at least 1 student 1 1
Student made less than 5 spelling errors 1 1

***EXTRA CREDIT: Student chose an organism other

2 n/a
than an animal

Total Points Earned/Total Points Possible 21/21

Stephanie O. Thompson
MEDT 7476
Dr Haynes
Assessment Plan
Teacher Commentary

Your performance task is great. You included pictures

and captions for all parts of natural selection.

Materials and Computer or MacBook (one per student)

Equipment Promethean Board
Printer (optional)
What 21st Century Google Classroom
Technology was used Smore, interactive online flyer creator
in this performance Padlet, digital canvas to share and collaborate
task? 1:1 Student Internet-Connected Computers or MacBooks
Differentiated Student choice of organism to use when creating the four parts of
Instruction natural selection presentation
Students who are not able to identify an organism that overproduces
will be given options by the teacher/trainer
If some students have not used Smore before, they will be instructed to
watch this Smore Tutorial Video
Students will be given the option of using Piktochart or Smore to create
their presentation (newsletter)
Web Resources Natural Selection Virtual Lab , Glencoe
Peppered Moth: Natural Selection in Black and White Online Simulation
Smore
Padlet
Smore Tutorial Video
Setting The setting of this lesson will take place in the classroom or computer lab
conducted by a 7th Grade Life Science teacher at an urban, Title 1 middle
school. The classroom is set up with lab tables in rows all facing the front of
the classroom and enables two students to sit at each table. The computer
lab is set up with 30 functioning computers. 25 of those computers are
lined up along two walls of the computer lab while the other 5 computer
are in a separate row facing the doorway.
Learners The students completing this performance task will be from one of three
gifted 7th Grade Life Science classes taught by the teacher/trainer. The
students vary in age from 11 to 13, consisting of both male and female,
gifted, and economically disadvantaged. Although there is a largely diverse
population including African American, Hispanic, and White, all the
students are proficient in the English language.