Investigations in Urban Soils - Baltimore Ecosystem Study

5. Optional: If worms have not been identified, ask the scientist if he/she would be
willing to have them identified in the laboratory and return the results. (See
example of worm identification results, Student Work Sample #4.)
Part 4 – Assessment
Days 12 – 16: Report to Scientist
Students prepare reports for scientist on earthworm distribution and habitat characteristics in
urban ecosystems. They also predict the outcome of future investigations based on their
findings.
Materials:
As needed
Preparation:
1. Select a format for student reporting – poster, written report, oral report, etc. Click
on a link to see an example of a brief essay assignment (Student Handout #8), or
an extended report assignment (Student Handout #9). Student teams can work
together on deciding what belongs in a formal report, and then each can write
one section.
2. Enlist the aid of the writing teacher to reinforce the writing process for written
reports.
3. Instead of each student writing a full report, teams of students can write small
sections of a full report and combine all sections with graphs and photos for a
collective poster. See an example of a cooperative report (Student Work Sample
#5).
4. If giving presentations, try to arrange for the scientist, school administrators, and
parents to attend.
Procedure:
1. The final report may take any number of forms. Based on the ability of your
students, plan a reasonable final report. The final report should serve as a way
for students to communicate their findings, a fundamental skill in science, and
also an evaluation tool for you. The report creation and presentation stage is also
ideal time to invite a scientist to the classroom. The scientist might provide some
suggestions on Day 12 about how students can present their findings. Or, you
may decide on the report format as a class and invite the scientist on the last day
of the project.
2. Suggested final reports:
a. Assign each student a written report, such as an essay contest
summarizing results. See examples of satisfactory, good, and great
essays (Student Work Samples #6, 7 and 8).
Draft 2 - (9.28.04)
Baltimore Ecosystem Study – Investigations in Urban Soils
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