BC Science Report Card Comments, Grades 4-9
Science combines big ideas in life, physical, and Earth and space science with the curricular competencies of questioning and predicting, planning and conducting, processing and analyzing, evaluating, applying and innovating, and communicating. It includes First Peoples knowledge of the local land, plants, animals, water and sky.
Below are 9 sample sentences for Grades 4-9: one strength and one next step for each of the 4 comment levels (Extending / Proficient / Developing / Emerging), plus a tip for families. They are a small selection from the 144 science sentences in the full pack. Copy one, then add a detail only you know about the student.
Jump to: Extending · Proficient · Developing · Emerging · Writing tips
Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Extending X
Strengths
- Explaining natural selection, [Name] shows how a helpful trait becomes more common in a population over generations because individuals with it survive and reproduce more.Grades 4-7
Next step
- [Name] could extend [his/her/their] learning about Earth's history by explaining how the fossil record and other physical records show that climate has changed over time.Grades 4-7
Proficient P
Strengths
- In biology, [Name] can explain cell theory and compare plant and animal cells, including structures such as the nucleus, cell wall and chloroplasts.Grades 8-9
Next step
- A next step is for [Name] to explain how different types of electromagnetic radiation, from radio waves to X-rays, affect daily life and health.Grades 8-9
Developing D
Strengths
- In science, [Name] can name some forms of energy, such as light, sound, heat and motion, and is working on explaining how a device changes one form into another.
Next step
- With a graphic organizer, [Name] will work on linking each science conclusion to a specific piece of data from the investigation.
Emerging E
Strengths
- Comparing mixtures in science, [Name] is beginning to explain that sand remains visible in water, while dissolved salt spreads evenly through the water to form a solution.Grades 4-7
Next step
- In science, using a ball and a lamp as a model will help [Name] begin to see how Earth's rotation causes day and night.Grades 4-7
Support at home
- Talking with your child about local rivers, lakes or the ocean, and where your tap water comes from, builds understanding of local watersheds.
How to write science comments for Grades 4-9
- Name the investigation skill, not only the topic: did the student plan a fair test, change one variable, measure carefully, record data in a table or graph and draw a conclusion from it?
- Include evaluating: whether the student can say how far the results can be trusted, spot a source of error or suggest how to improve the test. This separates a strong conclusion from a correct-sounding one.
- In Grades 8-9, use the topic vocabulary in plain words, such as cells and body systems, atomic theory or energy transfer, and say whether the student can explain the idea with a model or diagram, not only define it.
Watch out: Avoid reporting only which topics were covered or how neat the science notebook is. Describe what the student can do as a scientist, such as questioning, testing, analyzing or explaining.
The Ministry's guidelines describe Emerging as an initial understanding of the concepts and competencies, Developing as partial, Proficient as complete and Extending as sophisticated. Proficient is the goal and does not mean perfect; Extending is about depth and complexity, not extra work or work from a higher grade. Here the four names only choose the wording: report the indicator itself in your reporting tool, and let the comment describe the learning behind it.
What Science covers
Big ideas and curricular competencies for science:
- Questioning and predicting: notices, wonders and asks questions about the natural world
- Planning and conducting: carries out observations, fair tests and investigations safely, measuring and recording
- Processing, analyzing and evaluating: finds patterns in data, draws conclusions and judges how far results can be trusted
- Applying, innovating and communicating: shares findings with diagrams, models and science vocabulary, and connects science to daily life and the local environment
- Understands big ideas in life science, physical science and Earth and space science, including First Peoples knowledge of the local land
More British Columbia subjects comments
- English Language Arts, Grades 4-9
- Mathematics, Grades 4-9
- Science, K-Grade 3
- Social Studies, Grades 4-9
- Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies, Grades 4-9
- Arts Education, Grades 4-9
- Physical and Health Education, Grades 4-9
- Opening and closing sentences
- All British Columbia subjects skills and grade bands
- For the same report: BC Core Competencies Report Comments, K-9
- Build a comment with the comment picker
How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.