SEEd Decomposition
Assessment
This assessment was adapted from a Utah Science Core Guides assessment exemplar. Standard: 5.3.3 Develop and use a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment. Emphasize that matter cycles between the air and soil and among plants, animals, and microbes as these organisms live and die. Examples could include simple food chains from ecosystems such as deserts or oceans or diagrams of decomposers returning matter to the environment. (LS2.A, LS2.B) Phenomenon Decomposition of Fruit and Vegetables Proficient Student Explanation of Phenomenon: Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment with fruit and vegetables sitting in a bucket of soil. Resources Original SEEd Assessment Exemplar 5.3.3
Fruit and vegetables sitting in soil will break down and decompose over time.
Topics and standards: Life Science, LS2.B, LS2.A, Ecosystem Relationships, Developing & Using Models, Systems & System Models, Grades 3-5, 3D Science Tasks, 5-LS2-1, Grade 5, Hosted Utah SEEd, Assessment, 4-LS2-1, 4-LS2-2, 5.3.3, 3.1.5.B