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Grade 8 Magnetic Fields Task: Administration and Scoring Materials

This page provides the directions and questions as they were presented to students who took the Magnetic Fields task. In addition, following each question is a sample response, the scoring criteria used to judge performance on the question, and performance data for students in the nation.

In this task, students design and conduct investigations based on observations of magnetic properties to determine what materials four metal bars contain using only the metal bars. Students then follow this activity by repeating the investigation using a test magnet and comparing the results of the investigations to confirm their conclusions. Finally, students design and conduct investigations using various materials to compare the strengths of two magnets.

See the test booklet.

Directions and Materials for Magnetic Fields
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

PART 3

 

In Part 3, you will design and conduct two different tests to compare the magnetic strength of the strong magnet and the weak magnet that you identified in Part 2. You will record your results in Table 4 on page 14.

  • In the top row of Table 4 (columns 2 and 3), write down the numbers on the bars you identified as the strong magnet and the weak magnet in the spaces provided. Use the final identifications in Table 3 on page 11.

 

Question 4

 

Think about how you can use the materials in your kit to test these magnets and demonstrate that the strong magnet is stronger than the weak magnet. You may use any of the materials in your kit.

  • Now conduct two different tests to compare the magnetic strength of the strong magnet and the weak magnet.
  • In Table 4, describe the materials and procedures you used. Record all measurements you made, including numbers and units in columns 2 and 3 under Results/Data.
  • Do not forget to write in the number of the metal bar that you think is the strong magnet and number of the magnetic bar you think is the
    weak magnet.

 

Sample correct student response:

TABLE 4: COMPARING THE STRONG AND WEAK MAGNETS

Table 4: Comparing the Strong and Weak Magnets

Test 1: 
Materials: steel washers, strong magnet, weak magnet
Procedure:  How many steel washers can the magnet hold at a time – put a string of steel washers on the magnet and see how many it can hold.
Results for Strong magnet (Number 2): 7 steel washers
Results for Weak magnet (Number 3): 5 steel washers

Test 2:
Materials: ruler, steel bar, strong magnet, weak magnet
Procedure: See from how far away the magnet is propelled into the steel bar
Results for Strong magnet (Number 2): one and one half centimeters
Results for Weak magnet (Number 3): one-half centimeter

 

 

Question 4: Scoring Guide

 

This item was scored in three parts:

Part A: Identification of strong and weak magnets
Part B: Test 1 procedure and results
Part C: Test 2 procedure and results

 

Part A:

Complete:
Student response enters correct choices for both strong and weak magnets. Bar number 2 is a strong magnet; bar number 3 is a weak magnet.

Partial:
Student response enters correct choice for the strong magnet or the weak magnet.

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect:
Student response is inadequate or incorrect.


Part B:

Complete:
Student response provides a complete procedure for Test 1, such as testing how many steel disks the magnets can hold. The procedure includes the materials to use and the steps to follow. Response provides numerical data.

Partial:
Student response provides a complete procedure for Test 1. The response provides only non-numerical data or inconclusive results.

OR

Student response provides a partial procedure for Test 1. Response provides numerical or non-numerical data, conclusive or inconclusive results.

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect:
Student response is inadequate or incorrect.


Part C:

Complete:
Student response provides a complete procedure for Test 2 that is different from Test 1, such as determining the smallest distance that a magnet can be placed near the unlike pole of the test magnet before one of the bars begins to be moved and pulled toward the other bar. The procedure includes the materials to use and the steps to follow. Response provides numerical data.

Partial:
Student response provides a complete procedure for Test 2 that is different from Test 1.
The response provides only non-numerical data or inconclusive results.

OR

Student response provides a partial procedure for Test 2 that is different from Test 1. Response provides numerical or non-numerical data, conclusive or inconclusive results.

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect:
Student response is inadequate or incorrect.


Composite Score:

This item received two scores, one score for Part A, and a composite score for Parts B and C. For Parts B and C, student response received one of four possible composite scores (Complete, Essential, Partial, Unsatisfactory/Incorrect) based on the student's combined performance on these parts. For example, a student response Complete for Part B, and Unsatisfactory/Incorrect for Part C received a composite score of Essential.

Composite Score

Part B

Part C

Complete

Complete

Complete

Essential

Complete

Partial

Partial

Complete

Partial

Partial

Complete

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

Complete

Partial

Partial

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

Partial

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

 

Percentage of eighth-grade students in each response category: 2009
Complete Essential Partial Unsatisfactory/ incorrect Omitted
8 44 26 12 9
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

 

 

Question 5

 

Which metal bar is the strong magnet?

Sample correct student response:

A) Bar 1, B) Bar 2, C) Bar 3 and D) Bar 4. The student selected B.

 

Which metal bar is the weak magnet?

Sample correct student response:

A) Bar 1, B) Bar 2, C) Bar 3, and D) Bar 4. The student selected C.

 

Explain how your data and observations showed that the strong magnet is stronger than the weak magnet.

Sample correct student response:

The results show that bar 2 or the strong magnet picked up 48 rings while the weak magnet picked up 1 ring.

 

 

Question 5: Scoring Guide

 

Score and Description

This item was scored in two parts.

Part A: Identification of the strong and weak magnets

Part B: Evidence for identification

 

 

Part A:

 

Complete:
Student response selects correct choice for both the strong and weak magnets. Strong magnet is (B) Bar 2; weak magnet is (C) Bar 3. Multiple selections for either strong or weak magnet do not receive credit.

 

Partial:
Student response selects correct choice for the strong magnet (B) Bar 2, or selects correct choice for the weak magnet (C) Bar 3.

 

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect:
Student response is inadequate or incorrect.

 

Part B:

Complete:
Student response provides a valid explanation of how the data and observations in Table 4 showed that the strong magnet is stronger than the weak magnet for at least one of the tests shown in Table 4. Explanations are based on numerical results.

 

Partial:
Student response provides a valid explanation of how the data and observations in Table 4 showed that the strong magnet is stronger than the weak magnet for one or both of the tests shown in Table 4. Explanations are based on non-numerical results or incorrectly cited numerical results.

 

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect:
Student response is inadequate or incorrect.

 

Composite Score:

Student response received one of four possible composite scores (Complete, Essential, Partial, Unsatisfactory/Incorrect) based on the student's combined performance on Parts A and B of the item. For example, a student response Partial for Part A and Unsatisfactory/Incorrect for Part B received a composite score of Partial.

Composite Score

Part A

Part B

Complete

Complete

Complete

Essential

Complete

Partial

Partial

Complete

Partial

Partial

Complete

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

Complete

Partial

Partial

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

Partial

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

Unsatisfactory/Incorrect

 

Percentage of eighth-grade students in each response category: 2009
Complete Essential Partial Unsatisfactory/ incorrect Omitted
19 58 18 5 #
# Rounds to zero.
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

 

Cleaning Up

When you have finished this task, put the steel washers in the small plastic bag and the metal bars and test magnet back in their box. Then put everything back into the large plastic bag.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2009 Science Assessment.