This task was originally written as a Grade 7 Science, Technology and Society (STS) performance assessment. The STS Expository Essay task was developed to address current science education standards that encourage teachers to teach students how to use the Internet to locate reliable information, how to collect and evaluate evidence and how to write concisely and objectively about science-related issues. The lead-in activities prior to students completing the essay are necessary to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to perform their best on the tasks.
In STS Expository Essay tasks students will explore issues related to the impact of science and technology on society and the environment. Students will search the Internet for relevant and credible scientific data. Based on the data they collect, they will make claims and support them with evidence. A culminating activity of this project will be the writing of a short three-paragraph expository essay.
