K-12 performance tasks in 

Small groups of students identify a problem where they need to control speed, for example, a walkway on a steep hill, a wheelchair ramp, moving a basket of lunches to the lunchroom or games and balls from inside to outside for recess, delivering snacks to trick or treaters or patient dogs. Students experiment with how various materials increase or decrease an object's moving speed over a surface. Based on analyzing various materials they will design a solution to the problem they have identified and design a model or prototype. Students share their solutions with their peer group or a broader audience for feedback. Their audience will depend on their goals. For example, they may wish to approach the school principal about a solution to moving things through the hallways or from inside to outside for recess and gym.

Students learn how electric circuits work in their everyday lives. They design and construct a prototype of a wired structure, transferring energy from the battery to produce light. They also have the option to transfer energy from a solar source. While students can brainstorm ideas together and discuss their ideas with classmates, each student designs and builds their own prototype and completes the reflection independently.

Students design an iPhone that describes different elements of their independent reading novel. The apps they create for the phone should include story elements, theme, character analysis, and inferences based on quotations in the text. Students should look through the lens of one character in their story, allowing them to explore perspective. In this task, students demonstrate a variety of skills, including summarizing and recall of events (DOK 2) and making inferences about a character and explaining their reasoning (DOK 3). The task is expected to last 1-2 weeks (with 40-minute periods) to complete their task.

Students identify areas where erosion is changing the land and causing problems and design model solutions to one or more of those problems. Students compare models, identify strengths and challenges of each, and give feedback to one another. Students design a way to communicate erosion problems and solutions to their community.

Students design the best possible model habitat for a plant or animal given constraints set by teacher or class (size, geographic location, institutional setting for habitat etc.). The ideal habitat should include everything an organism needs to survive, including: food, water, appropriate temperature, space/shelter, and way to spread seeds for plants. The audience will be determined by the goal. For example, if a class is designing habitat for a class "pet" or plant, the audience is the teacher they are trying to convince to get the pet. If they are designing a butterfly field, the audience may be the school principal, DPW, grant giving organization etc.

Students are shown a clip of an ocean eroding beach homes. Students then work in pairs to find a way to protect their home from an eroding river in their backyard. Students create a stream table model to simulate a river flowing and investigate methods that are used to help control erosion along waterways. Then they write a persuasive letter to the zoning board convincing them to use their erosion method.

After conducting research on a natural resource, students are tasked with creating a brochure, essay, presentation, or video explaining how students can protect a natural resource in their own community.

Students listen to audiobooks of storybooks to listen to how music translates the mood of a story into sound and in that way supports the book's narrative. Students then select a favorite storybook and create the first twenty bars of a musical composition to be used at the beginning of a recording of an audiobook storybook. This composition should be connected to the overall message of the story, the setting, and/or the characters. At the end of the task, students complete a reflection to demonstrate their understanding of the connections between music, math skills, and storytelling.

There is a controversial decision being voted on in your city/town. At the public meeting, there is an opportunity to share your thoughts before the public officials vote. There is a two-minute time limit and each person only has one opportunity to speak. If someone after you raises a contradictory perspective, you will not be able to rebut their claims. However, some other people in your community feel the same way as you and you can work together to rebut claims at the meeting. Working with two other classmates, prepare three two-minute complimentary statements explaining your views that will also address contradictory perspectives in your community, so your full argument can be heard.

The local library is hosting an event called, The Story of Plastic. They have asked community members (students) to tell a story of the life cycle of a plastic from its origin to its final resting place. Each student's task is to research the life cycle of plastic and create and deliver a plausible, evidence-based story. Stories are delivered orally and can take on any form including poetry or dramatic reading. Each student storyteller will also create a digital model to help them tell the story. This can be a 3D model or in the form of a picture book or slideshow or other visual. A Q&A session with the audience will follow each story. They will be shared at a public event.