Assessing pupils progress in science at Key Stage 3

Assessment criteria: science

AF1 Thinking scientifically AF2 Understanding the applications and implications of science
Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

AF3 Communicating and collaborating in science

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

AF4 Using investigative approaches

AF5 Working critically with evidence

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Level 8

from Describe ways in which the values of society Justify their choice strategies for different kinds of Describe or or detail, making use explain processesandphenomena, logically and in of the science developed in that societyaor periodinfluence the nature of Critically evaluate information and evidencelack ofvarious sources, scientific questions,ofusing scientificinvestigatingand understanding of abstract ideas models from different areas of history explaining limitations, misrepresentation or balance knowledge science effects structured explanations, arguments or Evaluateasthewhole of scientific or technological developments on Present robust and well variety of ways Choose and justify data collection methods that minimise error, and society a counter arguments in a produce precise and reliable data an appropriate approach relative Select and justifynumber of different factorsto evaluating theor importance of a in explanations be needed to Explain the unintended consequences that may arise from scientific Suggest the specialisms and skills that wouldparticular new solve Adapt their approaches to practical work to control risk by consulting arguments and technological developments particular scientific problems or to generate scientific appropriate resources and expert advice or technological developments development of Analyse the of new, acceptedscientific theories through the judgements Make balanceddevelopmentsabout particular scientific or ethical/ emergence ideas and evidence technological by evaluating the economic, moral, social or cultural implications

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Propose scientific explanations for measurements, making allowancesunexpected observations or for anomalies including using Process data,identify complexmulti-step calculations and compound measures, to relationships between variables Critically interpret, evaluate and synthesise conflicting evidence experimental procedures Suggest and justify improvements toand understanding and suggest using detailed scientific knowledge coherent strategies to take particular investigations further

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Level 7

Suggest ways in which or evidence from various Make explicit connections between explaining processes or phenomenaabstract ideas and/or models in may be influenced scientific and technological developments Explain how informationinfluence interpretation sources may been manipulated in order to deciding the relative importance Employ a systematic approach inwhen explaining processes or Explain how scientific discoveries can change worldviews Effectively represent abstract ideas using appropriate symbols, flow of a number of scientific factors economic, Suggestscientific or ethical/moral, social or cultural arguments for and diagrams and different kinds of graphs in presenting explanations phenomena and arguments against technological developments pieces of scientists with different skills have Explain how different questionsevidence support accepted scientific Explain how creative thinking in science and technology generates Explain howto particular scientific orspecialisms anddevelopments ideas or contribute to that science cannot fully answer contributed technological ideas for future research and development Explain the processes by which ideas and evidence are accepted or rejected by the scientific community Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils: Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils: Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Explain how data can Formulate questions or ideas that can information from a range of sources be investigated by synthesising unexpected outcomesbe interpreted in different ways and how could be significant key variables in complex contexts, explaining quantitative relationships between variables, Identifyreadily be controlled and planning appropriatewhy some to Identifyconclusions and make further predictions using them to cannot approaches inform investigations to take account of this strength of Assess theconclusion evidence, deciding whether it is sufficient to support a Explain how to take account of sources of error in order to collect reliable data Explain ways of modifying working methods to improve reliability risk assessments Recognise the need forinformation and consult, and act on, appropriate sources of Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils: Suggest reasons knowledge and understanding for any limitations orbased on scientific evidence collected inconsistencies in Select and manipulate data and information and use them to contribute to conclusions conclusions Drawcollected andthat are consistent with the evidence they and have explain them using scientific knowledge Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Level 6

Describe how Apply scientific knowledge and understanding in Use abstract Identify lack of balance in the presentation of information or evidence investigations, identifying significant variables andthe planning of processes or ideas or models or multiple factors when explaining technological different decisions on the uses of scientific and recognising which phenomena developments may be made in different economic, Choose forms to communicate qualitative or quantitative data are independent and which are dependent social or cultural contexts appropriate to the data and the purpose of the communication Identify the strengths and weaknesses of particular models some scientific evidence that supports or refutes between data and information from sources, Describearguments, including those in development particular Explain how societies are affected by particular scientific applications Distinguishsources and simulations, and present primary the most Justify their choices of data collection method and proposed number of observations and measurements or ideas ideas or secondary them in appropriate form Describe how particular scientific or technological developments Collect data choosing appropriate ranges, numbers and values for Explain how new scientific evidence is discussed and interpreted by the scientific community and how this may lead to changes in have provided evidence to help scientists pose and answer further measurements and observations questions scientific ideas Independently recognise a range of familiar risks and take action to control them Describe how aspects of science are applied in particular jobs or roles Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Make valid comments on the quality of their data

Interpret data inconsistenciesin a variety of formats, recognising obvious Provide straightforward explanations for differences in repeated observations or measurements conclusions that utilise than one piece Draw validincluding numerical datamore line graphs of supporting evidence, and effectiveness Evaluate the for improvingof their working methods, making practical suggestions them Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

understanding

Level 5

processes or suggest solutions to problems developments may affect Explain questions by phenomena,abstract ideas or models or Indicate how scientific or technologicalways answer drawing on different groups of people in different Recognise scientific questions that do not yet have definitive answers Identify ethical or moral issues linked to scientific or technological Identify the use of evidence and creative thinking by scientists in the developments of science or technology to their underpinning development of scientific ideas Link applications scientific ideas
Use abstract ideas or models or more than one step when describing processes or phenomena Describe different viewpoints a range of people may have about scientific or technological developments Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils: Describe Use scientific ideas when describing simple processes or phenomena scientific some simple positive and negative consequences of and technological developments Use simple models to describe scientific ideas Recognise applications of specific scientific ideas Identify scientific evidence that is being used to support or refute ideas or arguments Identify aspects of science used within particular jobs or roles Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

the most appropriate formats to present sets Decide on as using line graphs for continuous variables of scientific data, such scientific and mathematical Use appropriatecommunicate abstract ideas conventions and terminology to specific Suggest how collaborative approaches tocollectedexperiments or investigations may improve the evidence Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Distinguish between opinion and scientific evidence in contexts related to science, and use evidence rather than opinion to support or challenge scientific arguments

particular pieces Explain why for the questions of equipment or information sources are appropriate or ideas under investigation measurements Repeat sets of observations orintervals where appropriate, selecting suitable ranges and Make, and act on, suggestions to control obvious risks to themselves and others
Recognise significant variables in investigations, selecting the most suitable to investigate

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Level 4

Select appropriate ways of presenting scientific data scientific Use appropriateprocesses forms of language to communicate scientific ideas, or phenomena Use scientificorand mathematical conventions when communicating information ideas

Decide when it is appropriate to carry out fair tests in investigations equipment or information Select appropriateor ideas under investigationsources to address specific questions sets of Makeintervalsobservations or measurements, identifying the ranges and used Identify possible risks to themselves and others
Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Identify graphs patterns in data presented in various formats, including line Draw straightforward conclusions from data presented in various formats Identify scientific evidence they have used in drawing conclusions Suggest improvements to their working methods, giving reasons

Level 3

00055-2009POS-EN

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BAHSON COLOUR PRINT LTD 01-2009

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Explain the purposes Identify Identify differences, similarities ideas, processes or phenomenaor changes related to simple scientific developments of a variety of scientific or technological Present simple scientific data in more than one way, including tables providedone or more control variables in investigations from those and bar charts sources from Respond to ideas given to them to answer questions or suggest Link applications to specific characteristics or properties Use scientific forms of language when communicating simple Select equipment or information investigation those provided to solutions to problems ideas, processes or address a question or idea under Identify aspects of our lives, or of the work that people do, which are scientificsimple advantages ofphenomena on experiments or based on scientific ideas working together accurate whole number Represent things in the real world using simple physical models Identify Make somequestionsobservations orinvestigation measurements investigations relevant to or ideas under Use straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions, or to support their findings Recognise obvious risks when prompted

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Across a range of contexts and practical situations pupils:

Identify straightforward patterns in in various formats, including tables, observations or in data presented pie and bar charts they have Describe whatand effect found out in experiments or investigations, linking cause Suggest improvements to their working methods