MISSING

Missing Machines

Who
All of the simple machines in the town have gone
missing! They must be found before the whole
town turns into chaos! You are the detective
leading the investigation to find the simple
machines. You have assembled a team of police
officers and concerned community members to
help you search for the missing machines.
What
Create a flyer to give to your team that will help
them know what they are looking for. Your flyer
should explain how to prove that what they have
found is a simple machine. Your flyer should go
beyond just stating what the six simple
machines are. Make sure your flyer includes
pictures, is colorful, and is easy to
read (both in design and writing).
When
Your flyer must be completed by November 6th when
local police officer, Deputy Mike, visits our classroom
to look at all of the flyers. He will choose the flyer
that would be the most helpful in the investigation.

He will be looking for a flyer with a solid explanation and a visually

appealing design.
Awesome Elementary School
Wonderful, VA

Name_______________
October 27, 2014

Missing Machines Rubric

Dear Parents and Guardians,
In science we have been learning about simple machines. We have been
Checklist:
exploring the six different types of simple machines and how they are all around
You included
your name
on the
flyer machines.
YES___
us by looking
at many real-life
examples
of simple
We have been
NO___
learning what it means for something to be a simple machine. What we have
You turned
in giving
the assignment
YES___
been learning
has been
the students on
thetime
knowledge
and skills they need
NO___ to the essential question How might we prove a simple
to explain the answer
machine
is a simple
You
wrote machine?
legibly
YES___
NO___
take this opportunity
I will be assessing
your
I want
Youto
proofread
your workto explain howYES___
NO___
childs understanding
this essential question
because this
form of assessment
You worked of
independently
at all times
YES___
may be new to you. I have designed a performance-based assessment that will
NO___
allow me to check students understanding on a higher level: explanation. The
performance-based assessment will allow me to gather evidence to assess your
Rubric:
childs knowledge, skills, and understandings. For this part of the unit, the
Point Value
Dimension
Component
students have been given the scenario that all of the simple machines in town
20 points
Content
Your explanation of a simple
have gone missing and they are the lead detective on the case responsible for
is accurate
andthey have
finding the missing simple machines.machine
Because that
is a big task,
thorough.
Your
flyer goes
assembled a team of police officers and
concerned
community
members to find
beyond
stating
the six
the missing simple machines. The students
have
been given
thedifferent
task to create a
flyer that will help their team determine
what
are looking
for and
how to
types
ofthey
simple
machines.
You
th
prove that what they have found is a include
simple machine.
On November 6 , when
a generalizable
the students turn in their flyer, we will welcome local police officer Deputy Mike
explanation of what a simple
into our classroom and he will look at all of the students flyers. I expect that
machine
is.toYou
provide
a Mike. I have
each student will do their very best work
in order
impress
Deputy
and for
solid
attached the assignment sheet alongcomplete
with the rubric
youexplanation
to look at. Not only
forthe
how
a person
prove
will this be a meaningful experience for
students,
but could
the students
explanations on the flyer will allow me
to assess
their understanding
ofathe
that
what they
have found is
question, How might we prove a simple
machine
is a simple machine?
simple
machine.
would like to
encourage you toYou
talkused
with your
child about
10 Ipoints
Communicati
pictures,
color,what
andthey are
learning and doing in class and show them examples of simple machines at
on
appropriate formatting to make
home. Thank you for taking the time to read this and for continually supporting
your childs education. I understand that this form assessment may be new to
you, so feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Miss Palmer
(314)159-2653
misspalmer@awesomeschool.va.k12.gov