Ryerson Grade 8 Science Fair Project Rubric

Students______

Project Title ______

Level 1 / Level 2 / Level 3 / Level 4
Problem / asks questions that
demonstrate curiosity about the world around them / asks questions that could lead to investigations,
and chooses one that
will be the basis for an investigation / asks questions that could lead to investigations, and formulates a specific
question that will be the
basis for an investigation / asks questions that arise
from practical problems
and issues, and formulates
a specific question
that will be the basis for
an investigation
Hypothesis / makes “guesses” about possible outcomes of
simple procedures / with support, makes
simple predictions
about the outcome of
the procedure / makes predictions, based on personal experience, about the results of the
investigation / makes predictions, based
on prior knowledge from
explorations and investigations, about the results of the investigation
Background Research / selects information from prior knowledge, other
people, and observations
made during his or her explorations / with support, selects
information from print and multimedia resources / selects information from
print and multimedia
resources that they
found independently,
and from electronic
resources / selects information from
print, multimedia, and
electronic resources that
they have found
independently
matches information
to research needs (e.g. differentiates between fact and
opinion) / reviews information for
currency and bias / selects sources of
information, showing
awareness of currency
and bias
Procedure / Variables / with support, follows the steps in a simple, procedure for a
test/experiment / follows the steps in
a simple procedure
for a test/experiment / plans for safe
experimentation, showing some awareness of variables to be considered / plans for safe
experimentation, showing
awareness of variables to be considered
recognizes when a test is fair or unfair / with support, builds fair
testing elements into
plans for an experimental
procedure designed
to answer the question
they have formulated / builds fair testing
elements into plans for
an experimental procedure
designed to answer
the question they have formulated
Observations / are written with some information, that convey what was observed / are written with information, including graphs/diagrams that convey what was observed in detail / are written with specific information, including graphs/diagrams that convey what was observed in great detail
Conclusion / proposes an answer to
the question being
investigated, on the basis of information gathered / states a simple conclusion in answer to the question
being investigated, on the basis of information
gathered / states a conclusion in
answer to the question
being investigated, on
the basis of information
gathered / states a complex conclusion in answer to the question
being investigated; relates conclusion to hypothesis
Communication of Content / summarizes the
information, using
pictures and words / summarizes relevant
information, using words, T-charts, pictures, etc. / summarizes relevant
information, using a variety of effective strategies for conveying information (e.g. Graphs, diagrams, images)
Level 1 / Level 2 / Level 3 / Level 4
Communication of Content / written work does not meet criteria based on the
expectations (e.g., adequacy of information and ideas, logical and effective organization) / written work somewhat meets criteria based on the
expectations (e.g., adequacy of information and ideas, logical and effective organization) / written work meets criteria based on the
expectations (e.g., adequacy of information and ideas, logical and effective organization, effective use of form and stylistic elements, appropriate use of terminology and conventions) / written work exceeds criteria based on the
expectations (e.g., adequacy of information
and ideas, logical and effective organization, effective use of form and stylistic elements, appropriate use of terminology and conventions)
Procedure / Variables / with support, follows the steps in a simple procedure for a
test/experiment / follows the steps in
a simple procedure
for a test/experiment / creates a plan to find an answer to the question they have formulated / plans for safe
experimentation, showing
some awareness of variables to be considered
does not recognize when a test is
fair or unfair / recognizes when a test is fair or unfair / with support, builds fair
testing elements into
plans for an experimental
procedure designed
to answer the question
they have formulated / builds fair testing
elements into plans for
an experimental procedure
designed to answer
the question they have formulated
Observations / are written with some information that convey what was observed / are written with information, including graphs/diagrams that convey what was observed in detail / are written with specific information, including graphs/diagrams that convey what was observed in great detail
Comments