Student Assessment
PSAE Science Performance Definitions
Introduction
The Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE), which was administered to Illinois grade 11 public school students for the first time in spring 2001, assesses the high school benchmarks defined by the Illinois Learning Standards. Student performance on the PSAE is evaluated relative to four levels: Exceeds Standards, Meets Standards, Below Standards, and Academic Warning.
The work of students at each performance level is summarized in the following profiles:
- Exceeds Standards – Student work demonstrates advanced
knowledge and skills in the subject. Students creatively apply
knowledge and skills to solve problems and evaluate the results..
- Meets Standards – Student work demonstrates proficient knowledge and skills in the subject. Students effectively apply knowledge and skills to solve problems.
- Below Standards – Student work demonstrates basic
knowledge and skills in the subject. However, because of gaps
in learning, students apply knowledge and skills in limited ways.
- Academic Warning – Student work demonstrates limited knowledge and skills in the subject. Because of major gaps in learning, students apply knowledge and skills ineffectively.
Examples are provided only as guidance and are not meant to be exhaustive.
The PSAE science test consists of two multiple-choice assessments:
- ACT Science and;
- an ISBE-developed science assessment.
- scientific inquiry;
- the life sciences;
- physical sciences;
- Earth and space sciences;
- concepts that describe the interaction between science, technology, and society.
Student work at the Exceeds Standards level demonstrates advanced knowledge and skills in science. Students creatively apply knowledge and skills to solve problems and evaluate results.
Scientific Inquiry
Students whose performance exceeds the Standards formulate effective
hypotheses and design procedures to test hypotheses. They understand
how systematic controlled experiments are designed and properly
apply statistical methods to show the accuracy of experimental results.
These students identify a design problem, select criteria for a
successful solution, and build and test different potential design
solutions. They modify or refine a model in a manner that improves
its design and identify criteria to evaluate the design solution.
Life Sciences
Students whose performance exceeds the Standards demonstrate an
understanding of how genetic combinations and mutations produce
visible effects and variations to the physical features and cellular
functions of organisms. They recognize the structure and organization
of living things and how they respond to external stimuli. They
understand the significance of evidence that organisms have evolved
over time, including the fossil record, vestigial organs, and phylogenetic
trees. They understand and identify the abiotic and biotic factors
that lead to extinction and speciation. They understand and predict
how life forms adapt to changes in the environment and how adaptation
affects the size and stability of a population.
Physical Sciences
Students whose performance exceeds the Standards demonstrate a good
understanding of physical science concepts, such as atomic and nuclear
theory, force, momentum and its conservation, mass, energy and its
transformations, light, and sound. They analyze reactions, the properties
of materials, the relative motion of objects, and the effects of
the fundamental forces on physical systems. They make connections
between classroom activities and real life situations.
Earth and Space Sciences
Students whose performance exceeds the Standards demonstrate an
understanding of forces, events, and processes that affect Earth,
including the origin and dynamic nature of Earth, such as plate
tectonics and the related areas of earthquakes and volcanism; weather
and climatic events; and the geologic history of Earth, such as
rocks, minerals and fossils. They use these principles to analyze
systems in the universe. They identify and describe objects in the
solar system, such as the planets, their moons, asteroids, and comets,
and make connections among them.
Science, Technology, and Society
Students whose performance exceeds the Standards are well aware
of the applications and implications of laboratory safety. They
understand the criteria that scientists use to evaluate the validity
of scientific claims and theories. These students explain the strengths,
weaknesses, and uses of research methodologies. They understand
why experimental replication and peer reviews are necessary for
scientific claims. These students analyze the political ramifications
of scientific and technological advancements, such as nuclear weapons,
biological and chemical warfare, and biotechnology. With little
assistance, these students design environmental impact studies and
analyze cost benefits and effects of scientific policies at the
local, national, and global levels. These students identify and
evaluate the connections between scientific progress and careers,
job markets, and other aspects of everyday life, such as the economic
impact of these connections.
Student work at the Meets Standards level demonstrates proficient knowledge and skills in science. Students effectively apply knowledge and skills to solve problems.
Scientific Inquiry
Students who meet the Standards formulate acceptable hypotheses
and demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts of design
procedures to test hypotheses. They understand how systematic controlled
experiments are designed and the basic concepts of applying statistical
methods to assess results. These students identify major experimental
design problems, select criteria for a successful solution, and
choose the best of different potential design solutions. They modify
a model to improve its design and identify some criteria to evaluate
the design solution.
Life Sciences
Students who meet the Standards demonstrate a basic understanding
of how genetic combinations and mutations produce visible effects
and variations to the physical features and cellular functions of
organisms. They understand how organisms respond to external stimuli
and identify basic structures and organization of living things.
They understand the significance of evidence that organisms have
evolved over time, including the fossil record, vestigial organs,
and phylogenetic trees. They identify the abiotic and biotic factors
that lead to extinction and speciation. They identify or predict
basic mechanisms by which life forms adapt to changes in the environment
and demonstrate a basic understanding of how adaptation affects
the size and stability of a population
Physical Sciences
Students who meet the Standards demonstrate a basic understanding
of physical science concepts, such as atomic and nuclear theory,
force, momentum and its conservation, mass, energy and its transformations,
light, and sound. They analyze reactions, the properties of materials,
the relative motion of objects or the effects of the fundamental
forces on physical systems. They make connections between classroom
activities and real life situations.
Earth and Space Sciences
Students who meet the Standards demonstrate a general understanding
of most large-scale dynamic forces, events, and processes of Earth’s
systems (for example, the origin and dynamic nature of Earth, such
as plate tectonics and the related areas of earthquakes and volcanism;
weather and climatic events, and the geological history of the earth,
including rocks, minerals, and fossils). They analyze the systems
and components of the universe. They demonstrate a basic understanding
of how geologic and astronomical events, such as earthquakes, weathering,
meteor impacts, and supernovas, occur and the effects of these
events. They identify and demonstrate familiarity with common objects
in the solar system, such as planets, moons, meteors, and comets,
and demonstrate a general understanding of the relationships among
them.
Science, Technology, and Society
Students who meet the Standards demonstrate awareness of the most
basic applications and implications of laboratory safety. They demonstrate
a basic understanding of the criteria that scientists use to evaluate
the validity of scientific claims or theories. They explain the
strengths, weaknesses and uses of uncomplicated research methodologies.
They demonstrate a basic understand of the necessity for experimental
replication and peer reviews to support scientific claims. These
students demonstrate sufficient knowledge to analyze the political
ramifications of familiar scientific and technological advancements,
such as nuclear weapons, biological and chemical warfare, and biotechnology.
These students understand the basic principles underlying environmental
impact studies, cost-benefits analyses, and effects of scientific
policies at the local, national, and global levels. These students
identify uncomplicated connections between scientific progress and
careers, job markets, and other aspects of everyday life.
Student work at the Below Standards level demonstrates basic knowledge and skills in science. However, because of gaps in learning, students apply knowledge and skills in limited ways.
Scientific Inquiry
Students who do not meet the Standards demonstrate an understanding
of simple hypotheses and design procedures for simple hypotheses.
They understand systematic controlled experiments and how to apply
statistical methods for simple experiments. They identify some design
problems, select some criteria for a successful solution, and identify
potential design solutions for simple experiments. They modify a
simple model in a manner that improves its design and identify some
criteria to evaluate the design solution.
Life Sciences
Students who do not meet the Standards demonstrate a rudimentary
understanding of how genetic combinations and mutations produce
visible effects and variations in the physical features and cellular
functions of organisms. They demonstrate a limited understanding
of how organisms respond to external stimuli. They identify the
basic structures and organization of living things. They understand
the significance of some of the evidence that organisms have evolved
over time, such as the fossil record and phylogenetic trees. They
identify some of the most common abiotic and biotic factors that
lead to extinction and speciation. They describe or predict how
life forms adapt to clearly defined changes in the environment and
the relationship between these changes and the size and stability
of a population.
Physical Sciences
Students who do not meet the Standards demonstrate an elementary
understanding of physical science concepts, such as atomic and nuclear
theory, force, momentum and its conservation, mass, energy and its
transformations, and light and sound. They analyze simple reactions,
the properties of common materials, the relative motion of objects,
and the effects of the fundamental forces on physical systems. They
make rudimentary connections between classroom activities and real
life situations.
Earth and Space Sciences
Students who do not meet the Standards demonstrate a rudimentary
understanding of large-scale dynamic forces, events, and processes
of Earth’s systems, such as the origin and dynamic nature of
Earth, including plate tectonics and the related areas of earthquakes
and volcanism; weather and climatic events; and the geological history
of the earth, including an understanding of rocks, minerals and
fossils. They identify objects in the solar system, such as planets,
stars, and comets, but do not understand relationships among them.
For example, they may have some recognition that our solar system
is a component of the Milky Way Galaxy but do not explain its position
in the galaxy.
Science, Technology, and Society
Students who are below state Standards have a limited awareness
of the applications and implications of laboratory safety. They
are aware of some of the main criteria that scientists use to evaluate
the validity of scientific claims or theories. They can explain
some of the main strengths, weaknesses, and uses of research methodologies.
They have a rudimentary understanding of why experimental replication
or peer reviews are necessary for scientific claims. These students
can analyze some of the political ramifications of common scientific
and technological advancements, such as nuclear weapons, biological
and chemical warfare, and biotechnology. These students have a rudimentary
understanding of the basic principles underlying the conduct of
environmental impact studies, cost-benefit analyses, and the effects
of scientific policies at the local, national, and global levels.
These students identify some basic connections between scientific
progress and careers, job markets, and other aspects of everyday
life.
Student work at the Academic Warning level demonstrates limited knowledge and skills in science. Because of major gaps in learning, students apply knowledge and skills ineffectively.
Scientific Inquiry
Students at the Academic Warning level demonstrate difficulty trying
to formulate simple hypotheses and immense difficulty in designing
procedures to test hypotheses. These students have reading difficulties
that limit their ability to read for content meaning and usually
demonstrate mathematical difficulties that limit their attempts
to apply statistical methods. In group-learning situations where
a teacher or mentor is guiding the study, these students sometimes
identify a design problem, select criteria for a successful solution,
or build and test different potential design solutions. If they
are prompted numerous times during a systematic, controlled experiment,
they are sometimes somewhat successful.
Life Sciences
Students at the Academic Warning level may be able to demonstrate
understanding of simple genetic crosses but rarely understand the
principles of genetic combinations and mutations that produce visible
effects and variations of the physical features or cellular functions
of organisms. They describe how organisms respond to external stimuli
if they have observed such responses, but these students do not
generally provide factual reasons for responses outside the realm
of their experiences. Students describe some structural parts of
organisms but generally do not attempt to place the total structure
or organization of living things in perspective. These students
may attempt to identify evidence that organisms have evolved over
time but give no conceptual explanation of fossil records, vestigial
organs, or phylogenetic trees. These students rarely describe or
identify the abiotic and biotic factors that lead to extinction
and speciation. While these students may notice observable changes,
they not explain or predict how life forms adapt to changes in the
environment that affect the size and stability of the population.
Physical Sciences
Students at the Academic Warning level demonstrate comprehension
of the concept of elements and the ability of elements to combine
to form compounds. They describe rudimentary physical phenomena
they observe but demonstrating little understanding of basic physical
science concepts, such as atomic and nuclear theory, bonding forces,
energy, light, and sound. They do not analyze reaction mechanisms,
the properties of materials, the relative motion of objects, or
the effects of the fundamental forces. It is extremely difficult
for these students to make connections between classroom activities
and real life situations or to later recall these associations.
Earth and Space Sciences
Students at the Academic Warning level may demonstrate understanding
of isolated concepts about phenomena such as eclipses, tornados,
earthquakes, or droughts. However, they demonstrate little if any
understanding of the connections between large-scale dynamic forces,
events, and processes that affect Earth’s systems, such as
the origin and dynamic nature of Earth, plate tectonics, and the
related areas of earthquakes and volcanism, weather and climatic
events; and the geologic history of the earth, including an understanding
of rocks, minerals, and fossils. They identify pictures of Earth,
the moon, and the sun but do not explain the concept of the Milky
Way Galaxy, the life cycles of stars or planets, and the place of
Earth in the broad picture.
Science, Technology, and Society
Students at the Academic Warning level need constant reminders of
the applications and implications of laboratory safety. They do
not demonstrate comprehension of the main criteria that scientists
use to evaluate the validity of scientific claims or theories. These
students do not analyze political ramifications of common scientific
and technological advancements, such as nuclear weapons, biological
and chemical warfare, or biotechnology. They do not make connections
between scientific progress and careers, job markets, and other
aspects of everyday life.
