InTeGrate Modules and Courses >Soils, Systems, and Society > Assessment
 Earth-focused Modules and Courses for the Undergraduate Classroom
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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The materials are free and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
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Assessment of Module Goals

Overall Module Assessments

Summative Assessment

The overarching summative assessment for this module is the "Soils, Systems, and Society Kit" (Kit) and presentation. For this assessment, students (pre-service elementary teachers) are required to integrate soils scientific content, interdisciplinary geoscientific data/methods, and systems thinking into a K–8, standards-based inquiry unit that teaches about a relevant societal issue. Creation of the Kit thus meets all of the module learning goals. In addition, the Kit meets InTeGrate's goal, because it requires students to learn and teach about a geoscience-related grand challenge (the focus of the Kit) using interdisciplinary activities, systems thinking, methods of geoscience, and credible geoscientific data (soil testing methods, maps and other supporting materials). The Kit and lesson plans within it are assessed using the Soils, Systems, and Society Kit Rubric (Microsoft Word 23kB Jan7 16) and, if desired, the Lesson Plan Rubric 1 (Acrobat (PDF) 44kB Feb7 14). Instructors may wish to substitute their own lesson plan rubric. If desired, the Kit presentations are assessed using the Gallery Walk Checklist (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 19kB Jun15 15).

Unit Assessments

Unit 1

Unit 2

  • Class discussion (formative) or science journals

Unit 3

  • Class discussion (formative) or science journals (optional rubric: Unit 3 Assessment Rubric (Microsoft Word 18kB Jan7 16))

Unit 4

*Formative assessments can be formally graded using science journals. We typically grade the entire journal 2–3 times over the quarter. Read more about how we use and assess science journals under the science journals section of "Show Pedagogic choices" under the "making the module work" section on the overview of the module.

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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »