Multi Domain Assessment Tasks - Toy with Electrical Circuit

Science, Thinking Processes, Communication, Level 5

This multi domain task and other presented in this section were developed by teachers for teachers.

Students create a stuffed toy incorporating a working electric circuit which facilitates some kind of movement in the toy. They make an oral presentation about their toy to a peer group or class.

Design guidelines

Design question 1: Is the purpose of hte task assessment FOR, AS or OF learning?

Purpose
Primary purpose: Assessment OF learning

Reflection
The primary purpose of the task is assessment of learning, an evaluation of what students know, understand and are able to do as a result of the learning and teaching program.

What I learn about student levels of performance on this task will also provide me with information that I can use in shaping my future learning and teaching program.

Design question 2: Which domains, dimensions, standards and levels did the learning and teaching program focus on?

Purpose	Reflection
Focus domains, dimensions and levels in the learning and teaching program Level 5 Science Science knowledge and understanding	Class work has focused on an exploration of aspects of electricity including closed and open circuits and series and parallel circuits. Students have read texts, examined diagrams and conducted practical activities. They have learned the symbols for the use of components and examined the physical use and function of each component, and materials such as conductors and insulators.
Levels 4 and 5 Thinking Processes Creativity Level 5 Communication Presenting	Students have engaged in activities to encourage them to think creatively in order to produce solutions to problems posed in a variety of scientific contexts. In formal and informal presentations to peers, they are able to explain how solutions were reached, evaluated and modified for improvement.

Design question 3: Which domains, dimensions, standards and levels will this assessment task focus on?

Purpose	Reflection
Level 5 Science Science knowledge and understanding	I particularly want to assess the students’ knowledge and understanding of the Level 5 Science content because that has been the focus of the class work.
Levels 5 Thinking Processes Creativity	In addition, because an ability to apply creative thinking to the solution of problems is so intrinsic to Science, I will use this opportunity to assess the students’ thinking processes.
Levels 5 Communication Presenting	I want them to be able to communicate their understandings and to explain their decisions so that will give me an opportunity to assess their communication skills as well. Opportunities also exist here to assess knowledge, skills and understandings associated with the Personal Learning domain, especially since the students will need to manage their time over an extended assessment task, but I have already made this a focus of other assessment tasks and so will not include it this time.

Design question 4: What specific knowledge, skills and behaviours will this task focus on?

Purpose
Science – Science knowledge and understanding

• knowledge and understanding of electrical circuits
• ability to demonstrate safe, technical use of a range of circuitry components and their arrangement
• ability to use correct scientific terminology and symbols.

Thinking Processes – Creativity

• ability to think creatively.

Communication – Presenting

• ability to explain the process of producing a toy to a group of peers.

Reflection
In order to decide what I am looking for as part of student performance, I need to be very clear about the knowledge, understanding and skills on which the task will focus. It is also important that the students understand what I am looking for and so I will communicate these to my students in the assessment criteria.

Design question 5: What will be the key features of the task?

Purpose
Students create a stuffed toy incorporating a working electric circuit which facilitates some kind of movement in the toy.

They work in pairs, but each student creates an individual toy.

They submit the working toy along with evidence of their planning and preparation for example, log book, circuit diagrams.

They make an oral presentation to the class or a peer group explaining the process that they used to make the toy. They support their presentation either electronically, for example, a PowerPoint or with a poster.

Students will have eight hours of class time to complete this task, including the production of the toy and oral presentations.

Reflection
Although I will not be assessing skills relevant to the Interpersonal Development domain, I want to provide students with opportunities to develop those skills and so I am going to allow them to work in pairs on this task. This will allow them to benefit from peer feedback as they are working on their toys. They will, however, each be required to produce an individual toy, to maintain an individual log book and to make an individual presentation.

Students will be provided with a Student Task Sheet (PDF - 28Kb).

The Rubric (PDF - 35Kb) will form the basis of feedback to the students on the quality of their performance on this assessment task and so will be part of assessment for learning. The rubric will also enable me to identify those understandings and skills that require further development in some students and I will be able to take that information into account when planning future learning and teaching programs.

The students will refer to the rubric during the assessment task to make certain that they are meeting the criteria.

To support students in the completion of this task, they will have access to the Science laboratory and the Material Technology room, as well as electrical components, textile materials and resources, circuit diagrams, textbook references, computers and poster paper.

• The oral presentation will provide an opportunity for peer assessment, but on this occasion I do not intend to formalise this.

Design question 6: What key features of student performance am I expecting to see? What evidence am I looking for?

Standard
Level 5 Science – Science knowledge and understanding
At Level 5, students use the particle model to explain structure and properties of matter, chemical reactions and factors that influence rate. They explain the structure and function of cells and how different cells work together.

Students explain the relationships, past and present, in living and non-living systems, in particular ecosystems, and human impact on these systems. They analyse what is needed for living things to survive, thrive or adapt, now and in the future. They explain how the observed characteristics of living things are used to establish a classification system.

Students use everyday examples of machines, tools and appliances to show how the thermodynamic model describes energy and change, and force and motion. They use time scales to explain the changing Earth and its place in space. Students distinguish ideas about the Universe that have a scientific basis from those that do not. They use physical and theoretical models to investigate geological processes.

Level 5 Science – Science at work
At Level 5, students demonstrate safe, technical uses of a range of instruments and chemicals, and of procedures for preparation and separation. They design investigations that include measurement, using standard laboratory instruments and equipment and methods to improve accuracy in measurement. They make systematic observations and interpret recorded data appropriately, according to the aims of the study.

Students justify their choice of instruments and the accuracy of their measurements, commenting on the reliability of the procedures, the measurements used, and the conclusions drawn against the prediction or hypothesis investigated. They use appropriate diagrams and symbols when reporting on their investigations.

Students make and use models and images from computer software to interpret and explain observations. In field work, they demonstrate use of basic sampling procedures and represent relationships in ecosystems graphically.

Students use simulations to predict the effect of changes in an ecosystem. They work effectively in a group to use science ideas to make operating models of devices. Students identify, analyse and ask their own questions in relation to scientific ideas or issues of interest.

Key features and evidence
Ability to create a toy that incorporates a working circuit which performs a task of the students’ choice, e.g. flashing eyes, sounds, limb movement.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Creates a working toy but requires considerable teacher assistance	Creates a toy that incorporates a working circuit which performs a specific movement	Creates a toy which performs more than one movement and uses more than one type of circuit to achieve this

Key features and evidence
Ability to demonstrate a safe, technical use of a range of circuitry components and their arrangement.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Creates a toy which performs unreliably and lacks a switch to close or open the circuit	Creates a toy which performs reliably. The toy has a complete closed circuit that relies on an on and off switch to perform the assigned movement	Creates a toy which performs reliably. The toy uses complete closed circuits and relies on an on and off switch to perform the assigned movements. The movements occur simultaneously

Key features and evidence
Ability to use correct scientific terminology and symbols to explain the circuit.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Uses mainly correct scientific language and symbols to provide a partial explanation of the circuit in diagrammatic form	Uses correct scientific language and symbols in both verbal and diagrammatic form to accurately explain the circuit	Correctly uses scientific language and symbols to provide an accurate and detailed explanation of the circuit(s) in verbal, written and diagrammatic form

Standard
Thinking Processes – Creativity
At level 5, students apply creative thinking strategies to explore possibilities and generate multiple options, problem definitions and solutions.

Key features and evidence
Ability to present several designs which represent ways of successfully completing the task.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Suggests fewer than three ways in which the task specifications might be successfully met	Provides three satisfactory ways of successfully meeting the task specifications	Provides three satisfactory ways of successfully completing the task by incorporating more than one type of circuit

Key features and evidence
Ability to record modifications and explain reasons for decisions made during production.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Provides some log book evidence, that is, sketches which are partially labelled, of the way in which the design has been developed and the modifications made to the selected design	Provides log book evidence, that is, fully labelled, sketches including annotations of sequential development and modifications made as a result of problems encountered	Provides detailed log book evidence that is, fully labelled, sketches including annotations and written explanations of sequential development of the design. Modifications are accompanied by written reasons

Standard
Levels 5 Communication – Presenting
At Level 5, students use the communication conventions, forms and language appropriate to the subject to convey a clear message across a range of presentation forms to meet the needs of the context, purpose and audience. They provide and use constructive feedback and reflection to develop effective communication skills.

Key features and evidence
Ability to make an oral presentation to peers.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Describes the making of the toy, occasionally using scientific language	Explains, using appropriate scientific language, the process of producing the toy, the decisions taken and the underlying reasons	Explains clearly and in detail, using appropriate scientific language, the process of producing the toy. Describes the problems encountered and explains the solutions

	At the level
Generally speaks clearly. Visual aids are ineffective or lacking	Speaks clearly, at an appropriate volume, and uses eye contact and appropriate visual aids such as a PowerPoint or poster	Effectively uses voice, body language and visual aids to engage the audience

Reflection
I was able to describe the expected characteristics of performance at, below and above the level, by starting with the key features; that is, the evidence of achievement that I wanted to see in the completed assessment task. From there it was easy to ask myself: What would performance at the level look like? What would performance below and above the level look like?

All elements of the task are reflected in the assessment criteria as set out in the rubric.

The process used to develop this multi domain assessment tasks was based on sound design principles and guidelines. Detailed information on this design process can be found on the Multi domain assessment tasks page.