About Science Exemplars

Exemplars science performance tasks can be used for assessment, instruction and professional development.

Exemplars authentic, inquiry-based investigations provide both teachers and administrators with a way of assessing students' science-process skills and communication. Material can be easily integrated into your existing curriculum to facilitate assessment, instruction and professional development. Our materials have been reviewed and approved by NSTA Recommends.

Our science material features:

Truly, open-ended performance tasks that encourage students to communicate their thinking
Standards-based rubrics that focus on science processes and communication
Annotated student benchmark papers that accompany each investigation
Rich, teaching notes to guide instruction and assessment
Alignments to state, national (AAAS, New Standards and NRC) and provincial standards, as well as leading science kits and literature links.

Exemplars rubrics define what student work meets today's standards. Our annotated benchmark papers identify distinctions to look for when assessing student performance and promote student self- and peer-assessment. Task-specific samples of student work are included for each of the four performance levels of the Exemplars rubric: Novice, Apprentice, Practitioner and Expert.

The most powerful form of professional development occurs when teachers work together to assess student performance and discuss student work. This experience ties together assessment, curriculum and instruction. Exemplars material supports this process.

"Students are amazed at how they can lift their levels of achievement by following the rubric and knowing what is necessary for all levels."

A Title I Teacher

Best of Science Exemplars CD-ROMs, K-5 and 6-8

Together, the CDs feature 220 of our favorite hands-on, inquiry-based science investigations. Tasks focus on scientific investigation and inquiry linked to earth, physical, life and design science concepts. Our user-friendly CD format makes searching by big ideas and unifying concepts, interdisciplinary links, grade span and task name easy!

Material is aligned to state and national standards as well as children's literature. It can be used in combination with leading science kits such as Delta, Foss, Insight and STC.

The CDs feature:

150 K-5 and 70 6-8 open-ended, performance tasks for assessment, instruction and portfolio pieces
Scoring rubrics and annotated student benchmark papers to accompany each investigation
Rich, teaching notes to guide instruction and assessment
Tasks correlated to national science standards (NRC, New Standards and AAAS), state standards and leading science kits (Delta, Foss, Insight and STC)
Tasks designated and grouped by: K-2, 3-5 and 6-8 grade spans
Search capability by big ideas and unifying science concepts, grade span, math concepts and interdisciplinary links
A user-friendly, browser-based platform for MACs and PCs
The ability to be networked within your district or shared within a school

CDs can be purchased separately for grades K-5 and 6-8 or as a combined set for grades K-8.

ordering codes:
Best of Science, K-5: BOSK5
Best of Science, 6-8: BOS68
Best of Science, K-8: BOSK8
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Best of Science Exemplars CD Set, K-8 Best of Science Exemplars CD-ROM, K-5 Best of Science Exemplars CD-ROM, 6-8 NSTA Product Review	About Science Exemplars Exemplars science performance tasks can be used for assessment, instruction and professional development. Exemplars authentic, inquiry-based investigations provide both teachers and administrators with a way of assessing students' science-process skills and communication. Material can be easily integrated into your existing curriculum to facilitate assessment, instruction and professional development. Our materials have been reviewed and approved by NSTA Recommends. Our science material features: Truly, open-ended performance tasks that encourage students to communicate their thinking Standards-based rubrics that focus on science processes and communication Annotated student benchmark papers that accompany each investigation Rich, teaching notes to guide instruction and assessment Alignments to state, national (AAAS, New Standards and NRC) and provincial standards, as well as leading science kits and literature links. Exemplars rubrics define what student work meets today's standards. Our annotated benchmark papers identify distinctions to look for when assessing student performance and promote student self- and peer-assessment. Task-specific samples of student work are included for each of the four performance levels of the Exemplars rubric: Novice, Apprentice, Practitioner and Expert. The most powerful form of professional development occurs when teachers work together to assess student performance and discuss student work. This experience ties together assessment, curriculum and instruction. Exemplars material supports this process.	"Students are amazed at how they can lift their levels of achievement by following the rubric and knowing what is necessary for all levels." A Title I Teacher
	Best of Science Exemplars CD-ROMs, K-5 and 6-8 Together, the CDs feature 220 of our favorite hands-on, inquiry-based science investigations. Tasks focus on scientific investigation and inquiry linked to earth, physical, life and design science concepts. Our user-friendly CD format makes searching by big ideas and unifying concepts, interdisciplinary links, grade span and task name easy! Material is aligned to state and national standards as well as children's literature. It can be used in combination with leading science kits such as Delta, Foss, Insight and STC. The CDs feature: 150 K-5 and 70 6-8 open-ended, performance tasks for assessment, instruction and portfolio pieces Scoring rubrics and annotated student benchmark papers to accompany each investigation Rich, teaching notes to guide instruction and assessment Tasks correlated to national science standards (NRC, New Standards and AAAS), state standards and leading science kits (Delta, Foss, Insight and STC) Tasks designated and grouped by: K-2, 3-5 and 6-8 grade spans Search capability by big ideas and unifying science concepts, grade span, math concepts and interdisciplinary links A user-friendly, browser-based platform for MACs and PCs The ability to be networked within your district or shared within a school CDs can be purchased separately for grades K-5 and 6-8 or as a combined set for grades K-8. ordering codes: Best of Science, K-5: BOSK5 Best of Science, 6-8: BOS68 Best of Science, K-8: BOSK8 Back to top