V.T107

Recording a New Animal

Students will imagine that they have discovered a new animal and that they need to record as much information as they can about this new animal, using lists and drawings. They will sketch their ideas for the new animal, keeping in mind the animal’s basic requirements for maintaining life, which are typically covered in second-grade life science. They will create a list of their animals’ observable traits and characteristics of the animals’ habitats. To complete this assessment, students will draw their new animals within the animals’ natural habitats, which could be places the students have never been. Students will then write a short summary telling others about their new animal.

This item has been voluntarily field-tested by Michigan teachers with a non-representative sample of students.

Teacher Booklet

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Student Booklet

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These are analytic rubrics. The column on the left shows the dimension that is being measured in the student’s performance. The levels across the top row indicate the performance level in the dimensions. Occasionally all dimensions and performance levels are exemplified by multiple students in a single recording.

TEACHER SCORING RUBRIC

  • Dimension

  • Creativity/ Content

    Student addresses the basic needs of his or her new animal as well as other physical traits.

  • Craftsmanship

    Student finishes his or her artwork in a way that complements his or her ideas.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

  • Student addresses only one basic need for life and at most one other trait of the new animal.

    N/A at this time.

  • Student addresses the three basic needs for life as well as two other traits of the new animal.

    View Exemplar

  • Student addresses the three basic needs for life as well as three or more traits of the new animal.

    View Exemplar

  • Student artwork is not completed or shows disregard for how color helps to tell the story of what he or she drew.

    N/A at this time.

  • Student artwork is completed and the color choices help to enhance the traits that the student has chosen to show.

    View Exemplar

  • Student artwork is completed and color choices are used to enhance the image.

    View Exemplar

TEACHER SCORING RUBRIC–ANIMAL SUMMARY

  • Dimension

  • Student’s introduction of his or her newly discovered animal reflects on how the animal gets water, food, and air.

  • Student’s introduction of his or her newly discovered animal includes other traits that describe the animal or habitat.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

  • Student includes how the animal accesses only 1 of the basic needs of life.

    N/A at this time.

  • Student includes how the animal accesses only 2 of the basic needs of life.

    View Exemplar

  • Student includes how the animal accesses all 3 basic needs of life.

    View Exemplars
    View Exemplars
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