EDUC 4742 – TPA 5 Breandan Wolff 207-2459

 TPA Activity 5

LINKS TO STANDARDS

3.6 Evaluate & improve teaching programs, 5.1 Assess student learning, 5.2 Provide feedback to
students on their learning, 5.3 Make consistent & comparable judgements, 5.4 Interpret student
data, 5.5 Report on student achievement

Collect and analyse two student work samples.

Prompts for journal reflections and for discussion with your Mentor Teacher and/or
University Liaison

The Assessment tool and Performance standards rubric were a generic tool used across the
school for this unit at year 9 level. I didn’t modify this for either class it was presented to but in
hindsight I should have. There are issues with the layout and explanations on the document that
should be adjusted for some students. I found it fairly straight forward when I first read it, but on
receiving student work and some of their comments I can see that there may be some
interpretation issues. I adjusted my assessment of the work accordingly.

 How did you determine student learning objectives? Australian Curriculum

document. The AC is fairly basic as regards what students are expected to know at this year
level in Earth science. The achievement standard states, “They explain global features and
events in terms of geological processes and timescales” and the year level description simply
offers; “consider the operation of systems at a range of scales” and “begin to apply their
understanding of energy and forces to global systems such as continental movement”.
o Year 9 Content Descriptions: Science understanding: Earth & Space Sciences
 The theory of plate tectonics explains global pattern of geological activity
and continental movement.
 Elaborations
1. Recognise the major plates on a world map
2. Modelling sea-floor spreading
3. Relating the occurrence of earthquakes and volcanic activity to
constructive and destructive plate boundaries
4. Consider the role of heat energy and convection currents in the
movement of tectonic plates
5. Relate the extreme age and stability of a large part of the Australian
continent to its plate tectonic history
 The assessment task should determine that students have “learned” the material covered by
elaborations 2,3 and 4.

 How does your assessment tool measure individual student learning? By asking
students to demonstrate their knowledge in the form of a graphical / model display. As a
stop motion animation they should be able to demonstrate that they can explain how the
earth moves and plates interact to create earthquake and volcanic activity. They record this
stop motion in an iPad app, and using other applications of their choice they add labels,
sound, voice-over or notes to increase the level of information offered to the viewer of their
video. For those less ICT capable (like myself when talking about Apple products), there is an
option to upload their stop motion video with an additional notes file to explain the video.
 How would you summarise the whole class results? On the whole, those students
that didn’t complete the video task to a “satisfactory” standard supplemented their video
EDUC 4742 – TPA 5 Breandan Wolff 207-2459

with a Powerpoint or Word document to fill in the missing information and details. The
majority of class marks where in the C to B bands, with a couple at A and D bands and one
non-submission.
 What are the gaps in student learning? At the point this assignment was handed out
and the modelling practical session was run, students had not discussed volcanoes or
tsunamis in any great detail. The volcanic activity associated with divergent and convergent
plate boundaries had been discussed, and hotspots like Hawaii, but whether volcanic activity
occurs at transform boundaries had not been specifically detailed. This seems to have led to
the assumption by some students that all boundary interactions cause volcanic activity and
spawn tsunamis.
 What do most students appear to understand and, are there misconceptions,
confusions, or needs (including extra support or greater challenge). Most students
understand the plate tectonics concept, that all the continents were once together and then
“drifted’ apart. Most understand the mechanism that causes drift, but don’t readily identify
the different components of that mechanism including the role of convection currents to
move plates. There also seemed to be some confusion as to what events occurred at a
transform boundary (ie San Andreas fault).
 What written feedback did you provide to students? Highlighted sections of the
attached assessment rubric relevant to the students performance against the standards.
Commented on quality of video, pacing, colour choice, time provided to read in-video. Asked
questions on missing information, asked students if they could clarify a concept etc (see
attached.)
 Based on this assessment, how will you change or adapt your next lesson? This
was the summative assessment task for this unit for this class, it was handed up in the last
week of my placement and I returned the assessment with feedback the following week. If
there were a follow on lesson, I would recap boundary interactions concentrating on
volcanism at the boundaries. Where and how plate tectonics causes volcanoes seems to
have been an issue for the majority of the class. Using the modelling clay (plasticine) that
students used in their assignment, I would construct a step by step model of volcanic activity
for students to draw, take notes or photograph. Having the students create the model again
at the same time could also be useful for those hands on learners – which is a high
proportion of this class.
 Plate Tectonics Animation Assignment
INTRODUCTION
It is difficult to visualise, but the tectonic plates of the Earth’s surface
are in constant motion. The motion of these plates can create mountains,
canyons and even earthquakes and volcanoes. The reason this motion is
hard to see is that it occurs very slowly.
Using a stop motion video, you can show slow processes at a faster rate.
TASK
Your task is to create a stop motion video that shows the effects of the
motion of the Earth’s surface and describes the three types of tectonic
plate boundary interactions and what happens in the interactions. You
will use the Stop Motion Studio app, plasticine and paper.
1. Download the free Stop Motion Studio app 


2. Research the three types of plate boundary interactions:

Transform boundaries 

Converging boundaries-> Both when continental and oceanic plates meet

as well as when a continental plate meets continental

Diverging boundaries 

• This means you will need Four (4) model demonstrations!

3. Plan your video - You will need to describe the geological processes
that are taking place in your video and use the correct terminology.
You also need to describe the timescale involved (what happens,
when it happens, how long it takes). This may be done either with
labels, audio or a separate written document. 


4. Present your findings as a stop motion video

 Assignment Performance Standards
- Investigation, Analysis, and Evaluation
Represents information highly effectively, using
A appropriate formats.
Obtains highly relevant information that is
appropriately referenced.
Represents information effectively, using appropriate
B formats.
Obtains relevant information that is appropriately
referenced.
Represents information mostly effectively, using
C mostly appropriate formats.
Obtains mostly relevant information that is
referenced.
Information has been presented but without care and
D with only some correct formats
Obtains some relevant information but is not properly
referenced.
Minimal information presented with little care taken
E with presentation.
Limited information and/or irrelevant information
provided with limited or no referencing.
Knowledge and Application
Demonstrates deep and broad knowledge and
understanding of the scientific concept(s).
Critically explores and understands in depth the
interaction between science and society.
Communicates knowledge and understanding of the
topic highly effectively using appropriate scientific
terms, conventions, and excellent literacy skills.
Demonstrates some depth and breadth of
knowledge and understanding of the scientific
concept(s).
Explores and understands in some depth the
interaction between science and society.
Communicates knowledge and understanding of
topic effectively using appropriate scientific terms,
conventions, with good literacy skills.
Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of a
general range of scientific concepts.
Demonstrates some understanding of aspects of the
interaction between science and society.
Communicates knowledge and understanding of the
topic generally effectively, using some appropriate
terms and conventions, with generally good literacy
skills.
Demonstrates some basic knowledge and partial
understanding of scientific concepts.
Demonstrates limited understanding of aspects of
the interaction between science and society.
Communicates basic scientific information, using
some appropriate terms and conventions with limited
literacy skills.
Demonstrates limited recognition and awareness of
scientific concepts.
Little to no understanding of the interaction between
science and society demonstrated.
Attempts to communicate information about topic.