Earth Science Portfolio

We will be maintaining a portfolio as an assessment tool in CP Earth Science. This type of evaluation allows for reflection by both teachers and students; it shows changes in your understanding over a period of time. It emphasizes creation and performance, as opposed to knowledge alone.

Each student’s portfolio will be different to reflect the work of the individual; however, the organization will be the same. Your portfolio will be set up as follows:

1. Cover – Your cover must reflect you in relation to earth science. At a glance, the reader should be able to determine some information about you. It might include photographs showing you involved in some of your favorite activities or hobbies such as rock and mineral collecting, hiking, rafting, sky watching or recycling. You might decorate it with original artwork. It might have a picture of you performing a laboratory experiment in earth science class. It might be a collage of words and pictures which reflect your favorite things. It must say "earth science" and "portfolio" somewhere on it, and it must include your name and the school year.
2. Table of Contents – this will be a list of the items contained in the portfolio and the page numbers on which they can be found. The table of contents will change throughout the year as you add and discard items in your collection.
3. Letter of Introduction – You will write a letter which explains each of the entries you have selected, what you learned from each, and the reasons you chose the entry as demonstrating your best science work.
4. Lab Investigation – you will include a formal lab report that you created, not a form lab report. As with all lab reports, this must include a title, hypothesis, procedure, data section, conclusion, sources of error, and two new things you learned from the exercise.
5. Video or Library Critique – using any video or scientific literature we used this year, write a critique including the following: an abstract (summary of the material covered), a list of the concepts covered, and an explanation of how the information presented applies to the world around you.
6. Mixed Media – Choose one of the projects you completed this year (photo journal, model, research paper, etc.) Write an abstract of the project, explain the purpose of the project and the concepts involved, include an evaluation of the project, and include your original write-up of the project.
7. Integration – using a lab, project, or notebook entry, show how the content applies to other areas of science or other curricular areas. Example: Volcanic eruptions—pyroclastic flow—economic impact of the affected area.

Name, date of experiment, title, lab report typed.

2 points – Must include all of the above.

Problem or Task:

2 points – Must be clearly stated and includes background information.

Hypothesis or possible outcome of task:

3 points – It is a potential answer to a problem or potential outcome of a task and is clearly stated.

Materials:

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3 points – Must be in a list form, must include all materials.

Procedure:

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5 points – Must be in a list form, must include all steps, must be in sequence.

5 points – Must include a chart, table, and/or graph. Must include units.

Observations:

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5 points – Must be in a list form, must include all pertinent observations, you needed to record this information while conducting the experiment or activity.

Analysis and Conclusions:

In a 4 – 6 sentence paragraph, or more:

1. Analyze and summarize what happened in the experiment using the data to support your position.
2. State whether the hypothesis was correct and why or why not and/or state whether your task was completed successfully and why or why not.
3. Propose an explanation for why the lab activity gave the results that it did. Offer explanations for sources of error.

5 points – Must be in paragraph form, no spelling errors, and a minimum of 4 sentences. Must address the above points clearly. Have someone read your final draft to see if it makes sense.

Practical Applications:

In a three to five sentence paragraph (or more) tell me how the information you gained could be used in real life. Also, tell about and explain at least two new things that you learned.

Project Rubric