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General Principles for Assessing Higher-Order Thinking
these students showed any evidence of having figured out differences between physical and chemical changes based on sorting the examples. Response 2 would score a 1. These students’ statement about molecular structure is correct, but as the teacher commented, “Textbook response, got the concept but I’m not sure if it was from discussion.” The response does not allow us to conclude much about their reasoning. Response 3 would score a 2. In fact, the teacher was very pleased and said, “Not an answer I would expect, but they really got the concept.”
Figure 1.3 ❋ Examples of Student Explanations of Physical and Chemical Changes Response #1
Score: 0
Physical: Ripping
paper Chemical: Burning paper I’ve learned that during physical changes and chemical changes there can be alot of arguements and disputes. Also physical changes can be very difficult to recognize. Chemical changes are basically just common sense. Response #2
Score: 1
Physical: Cutting
a banana Chemical: Baking soda & vinegar Chemical changes occur when there is a change in the molecular structure of an object. Physical however the shape or form changes while molecular structure stays the same. Response #3
Score: 2
Physical: Cleaning
your locker Chemical: Melting plastic I learned that you can not base the type of change on the object. Just because it may look like a physical doesn’t mean it is. You have to figure out that if you can get it back the way it was, if not then its chemical. Performance assessments. Analytical rubrics are often used for scoring performance assessments, papers, and projects. The quality of thinking demonstrated in the work should figure prominently in at least one of the rubric trait scales.
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