Performance Task

Quarter 2
Course: Math 7 and Math 8

The performance task is meant to be administered after the concept task (but
not on the same day)

The performance task is meant to be previewed and “solved” by the PLC in

order to uncover its intention and to make relevant instructional decisions.

The performance task is meant to provide teachers insight into their

instructional practice. (What scaffolds need to be designed? What still needs
to be taught?)

The performance task is an assessment meant for individual student completion.

It is not teacher-facilitated.

The performance task is an assessment of a student’s ability to synthesize the

relationship among procedural and computational fluency, problem solving and
conceptual understanding.

The performance task requires students to explain/justify their mathematical

reasoning in a non-routine context.

Performance task administration and scoring must be completed by December

17th.

 In November you will receive copies of the performance task for each of your
students from Curriculum and Instruction.

 Please wait to administer the performance task until copies are received at your
site.

 Facilitate the concept task with your students at least one day prior to
administering the performance task.
 Grade 7 and Grade 8 Performance Task #2

Background: This task is designed to be administered after students have had sufficient
opportunity to develop conceptual and procedural understandings of calculating percentage
reductions and mark ups, and reason with percents in real-world contexts. Students need to
complete one or more concept tasks provided before they attempt the performance task.

Teacher Directions: Distribute the task to students, read the directions below, and allow
them to work individually for 30-35 minutes. Emphasize that students must show their work
and write complete explanations. Students are not allowed to use any aides, notes, formula
sheets, or other assistance to complete the task.

Please say: “You are going to solve a real world problem that relates to calculating percentage
reductions /increases, and reason with percents. Some parts of the task may be difficult for
you and other parts may be easy. Please read carefully, show all of your work, and use
complete sentences to answer the questions. I cannot grade anything that you do not write on
your task. If you get stuck, try to think of the problem in a different way until you make sense
of it. Do your best!”

For SEI and Bilingual classes, please write the following sentence starters on the board for
students who may need them.

“The problem with Julie’s reasoning is…”

“I think Julie is wrong because…”

Performance Task #2

Jacket Problem

In a sale, all the prices are reduced by 25%.

1. Julie sees a jacket that cost $32 before the sale.

How much does it cost in the sale?
$ _________________________

Show your calculations.

In the second week of the sale, the prices are reduced by 25% of the previous week’s price.
In the third week of the sale, the prices are again reduced by 25% of the previous week’s price.
In the fourth week of the sale, the prices are again reduced by 25% of the previous week’s price.

2. Julie thinks this will mean the prices will be reduced to $0 after the four reductions because

4 x 25% = 100%

Explain why Julie is wrong.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mathematics Assessment Resource Service

3. If Julie is able to buy her jacket after the four reductions, how much will she have to pay?

$ _________________________

Show your calculations.

Julie buys her jacket after the four reductions.

What percentage of the original price does she save?

_________________________%

Show your calculations.

Mathematics Assessment Resource Service