7th Grade Science
NYC Performance Assessment
Name: _____________________________________________________________
Pre-Task
Date: ______________
Student Directions: Read the entire scenario provided below. Answer each of the
questions below using your knowledge of science and the information provided. Answer
each question in the space provided
Part I: Background Text
Your school has received funding to develop an outdoor sculpture. The sculpture will be
made from limestone. In science class you learned that limestone is a rock tends to be
greyish-white in color but can be composed of many different minerals. Depending on its
mineral composition, its color may very. Calcite is one of the types of minerals that can be
found in limestone. Calcite comes in many colors but some of the most common colors are
blue, pink, orange and black.
Limestone from different places around the world can contain different amounts of calcite.
Even different parts of the same sample of a piece of limestone could contain different
amounts of calcite.
Acidic solutions can dissolve calcite. Some acidic solutions like lemon juice or vinegar.
Even normal rainwater is slightly acidic, but in cities, rain tends to be more acidic because
of elevated levels of air pollution.
Since your friend Jasmine knows that your sculpture is going to be outside and may be
exposed to rain, she wants to make sure that the limestone the school purchases has the
least amount of calcite in it so it will be most resistant to the damaging effects of acid rain.
She has seen that limestone statues exposed to acid rain wear away over time depending
on where and how much acid rain falls. – The acid is able to eat away at the rock. This
causes the rock to lose mass and the sculptures lose the details created by the artist over
time.
Image of the four sides of same limestone sculpture over time
Modified sculpture image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatras_Needle
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7th Grade Science
NYC Performance Assessment
Pre-Task
Jasmine and your other friend Dennis go to visit the local limestone supply company. The
company has large batches of limestone from India, Portugal and China. She notices that
the limestone from each of the 3 countries have similar variations in color.
The owner of the store gives her approximately a 10 gram (g) sample from each country to
test before the school purchases materials for the sculpture.
Dennis and Jasmine record the observations they made of each sample into the chart below
before setting up their experiment.
Dennis and Jasmine’s Observation Chart
Origin of
Limestone
Description of Sample
Mostly greyish white with a few large pink
India
areas.
Greyish-white but large streaks of pink
Portugal
China
throughout sample. Large blue and black
dots can also be seen throughout sample.
Greyish-white with very thin orange and
blue streaks throughout.
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7th Grade Science
NYC Performance Assessment
Pre-Task
Directions: Read the description of Jasmine’s and Dennis’ experiment below and answer
all of the questions that follow.
Dennis and Jasmine’s Experimental Design
Research Question: Which country has the best limestone?
Procedure:
1. Place each limestone sample in a petri dish and label it with the country of origin.
2. Measure and record the mass of each sample using a triple beam balance.
3. Get a beaker of vinegar and an eye dropper to mimic the effects of acid rain.
4. Place 5 drops of vinegar on each sample.
5. Wait for all of the bubbling to stop on each rock that means that the reaction is finished.
6. Measure and record the new mass of each sample using the triple beam balance. See the data
table below.
Dennis and Jasmine’s Data
Mass of
Origin of
Mass of Sample
Sample
Limestone
Before Reaction
After
Reaction
Amount
of Mass
Lost
India
10.3 g
9.8 g
0.5 g
Portugal
9.9 g
8.7 g
1. 2 g
China
10.1 g
9.8 g
0.3 g
Jasmine’s Conclusion
After looking at their data, Jasmine concludes that the best limestone is from China because it lost
the least amount of mass, so it must have the least amount of calcite in it. She thinks this means
that a statue built from Chinese limestone will resist damage for a longer time. Therefore, she
recommends that the school purchase a large chunk of limestone that has been imported from
China to build the statue.
Dennis says, “Wait, I’m not sure we can conclude that yet.” Dennis reminds Jasmine that when they
went to the store, overall the limestone from each country looked the same. But the individual
samples they used in the experiment looked very different from each other. He reminds her to
review the observation notes they made of each individual sample.
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7th Grade Science
NYC Performance Assessment
Pre-Task
Part II: Using and Analyzing Data
Question 1 – Evaluates Others’ Work
Although Dennis and Jasmine’s experiment produced data, Dennis has doubts about
Jasmine’s conclusion. Therefore, the experimental design needs to be modified to produce
more reliable data so that in their revised experiment, the would be less debatable between
Dennis and Jasmine.
Before beginning the redesign of Dennis and Jasmine’s experiment, evaluate the
strengths and weaknesses of their current experimental design.
To support your argument, use evidence from:
Dennis and Jasmine’s experimental design
Dennis and Jasmine’s data
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7th Grade Science
NYC Performance Assessment
Pre-Task
Part III: Synthesizing Text and Data to Construct a Response
Question 2 – Formulates a Testable Question
Since Dennis was uncertain of Jasmine’s claim, Dennis decides that he should ask your
advice because he knows you are great at experimental designs.
To help Dennis and Jasmine figure out which country’s limestone they should buy for the
sculpture, write a testable question for an experiment that would better identify the
specific variables under investigation. Remember that Dennis is concerned that the
large blocks of limestone looked very similar, but the small pieces they tested looked very
different from one another.
Be sure that your new testable question is connected to the current phenomena under
investigation from Dennis and Jasmine’s original experiment.
Question 3 - Formulates a Hypothesis
In order to help Dennis and Jasmine strengthen their experimental design, they must create
a new hypothesis as well. State one new or modified hypothesis to your testable question.
Explain the rationale for your hypothesis using any information that has been presented
throughout this document.
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7th Grade Science
NYC Performance Assessment
Pre-Task
Question 4 – Designs a Procedure
Design an experiment that improves upon Dennis and Jasmine’s design. You may use a
similar investigation.
When describing your experimental procedure, be sure to consider the following:
The variables that need to be kept constant
The variables that need to change
The type of data you want to collect
The logical sequence of steps to take.
Use the space below to create diagrams, charts, or other visual representations to support
the written explanation of your procedure. If you use chose to illustrate any part of
your procedure, be sure to explain how your diagram(s) supports your procedure
and allows you to test your hypothesis. You DO NOT need to include visual
representations; however, if you do so, another person must be able to understand what it
represents, and how it relates to your procedure.
Design Space (if needed)
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7th Grade Science
NYC Performance Assessment
Pre-Task
Final Written Procedure:
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Question 5 – Support Your Claim
Re-read Dennis and Jasmine’s experimental design and compare it to the one you just
created in question 4. Be sure to:
Explain why your procedure is likely to yield more reliable data
Explain how and why the variables are isolated and controlled
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