Summative Assessments for MESD Outdoor School

Summative Assessments (XLS)
Summative Assessments (PDF)

Assessment Type: Root Words

• Rank the top five terms from each field study. Justify your ranking, explain their importance and how they are connected.
• Use RAFT Writing to create a publishable piece explaining your understanding of how plants, animals, water, and soil work together in a healthy ecosystem.
• Select a concept that you learned at Outdoor School to research. Generate a paper using key terms from each field study. Discuss the human connection or impact on your topic.
• Write a song, ballad, rap, or reader's theater piece to explain the interdependence of the four field studies. Use key terms from each field study in your piece.
  

 

Assessment Type: Systems and Cycles

• Concept Maps - Use words, pictures, or drawing to identify five concepts from each field study and demonstrate their interdependence.
• Models - Build a model of a watershed to show how plants, animals, water, soil, and humans are connected to a healthy watershed.
• Use technology to create a Powerpoint presentation, video, webpage, interactive game, etc. to demonstrate your understanding of how plants, animals, water, soil and humans interact in an ecosystem.
• Create a work of art to demonstrate the connection of two or more cycles.
  

 

Assessment Type: Dilemmas - Use knowledge from each field study to propose a solution to the dilemma

• Wind power produces no greenhouse gases, but some Oregonians believe wind farms negatively impact wildlife and scenic views. Should Oregon promote wind power? Why or why not?
• According to local recycling experts, elementary schools recycle more than high schools. If you were just entering high school, how would you work to get your high school to reduce waste and recycle more?
• Salmon fishers want restrictions on cattle grazing because they believe cattle destroy salmon habitat in streams. Cattle ranchers do not want the restrictions because it will increase costs and raise meat prices. Create a solution that considers jobs, economy, and environment, including all four field study areas.
• Investigate a current issue that affects your neighborhood- I-5 bridge, high density housing, cleanup of the Willamette River backyard chickens, accessibility of local organic food, a ban on plastic bags, etc. Use the news media and other sources to research and propose a solution.

 

Assessment Type: Investigations

• Take one of the "Other questions I have" from your Outdoor School field study notebook and create an investigation following the scientific inquiry process.
• Select an environmental problem and design a possible solution.
  

 

Assessment Type: Reflections

• How do you see yourself using the knowledge you gained from outdoor school ten years from now?
• Explain one way you can help your community using the knowledge you learned from outdoor school.
• Describe a change that you can make in your household that leads to a positive impact on the enviroment. Explain how this change will affect plants, animals, water, and soil.
• Research a career that interests you that will allow you to employ skills and knowledge you learned at Outdoor School. Investigate the type of schooling and skills you will need to get a job in that field.
  

 

---

​Scoring Guide:

Trait: Demonstrates understanding of key vocabulary

• Exceeds: Demonstrates complete understanding of key vocabulary
• Meets: Demonstrates adequate understanding of key vocabulary to complete task
• Does Not Meet: Demonstrates limited understanding of key vocabulary

 

Trait: Demonstrates understanding of interactions among and interdependence of elements in an ecosystem

• Exceeds: Demonstrates complete understanding of interactions among and interdependence of elements in an ecosystem
• Meets: Demonstrates adequate understanding of interactions among and interdependence of elements in an ecosystem to complete task
• Does Not Meet: Demonstrates limited understanding of interactions among and interdependence of elements in an ecosystem
  

 

Trait: Demonstrates understanding of human influence on natural systems

• Exceeds: Demonstrates complete understanding of human influence on natural systems
• Meets: Demonstrates adequate understanding of human influence on natural systems to complete task
• Does Not Meet: Demonstrates limited understanding of human influence on natural systems
  

 

Trait: Demonstrates understanding of human reliance upon natural systems

• Exceeds: Demonstrates complete understanding of human reliance upon natural systems
• Meets: Demonstrates adequate understanding of human reliance upon natural systems to complete task
• Does Not Meet: Demonstrates limited understanding of human reliance upon natural systems

 

Trait: Demonstrates understanding of key natural cycles and processes

• Exceeds: Demonstrates complete understanding of human reliance upon natural systems
• Meets: Demonstrates adequate understanding of key natural cycles and processes to complete task
• Does Not Meet: Demonstrates limited understanding of key natural cycles and processes