This document appears to be a pre-assessment worksheet for students. It provides background that the class will be studying a pond to understand what lives there and why. It asks students to imagine they are tasked with observing and collecting data about the pond to report back to the class. The worksheet contains 5 questions for students to answer in complete sentences about their imagined observations of the pond, including how long they observed it, what they saw/heard, if they took any measurements and with what tools, and what living things they saw.

1. Name _____________________________________________ Date _____________ Period _________
____Meets expectations _____ Needs improvement _____ Falls seriously short of expectations
Pre-assessment: What lives where and why?
Earlier today we went out to the pond which we will be using over the next few weeks to help
us answer “what lives were and why?” One of the goals this year is to teach you to think like a
scientist. These questions are designed to help me see what you already know.
A few years ago the pond was completely drained and rebuilt. Lawrenceville students played a
role in reshaping the pond. However before they could start to think about redesigning the
pond, they needed to know what they were dealing with.
Imagine you are one of these students and your job was to make observations and collect data
to bring back to the class about the pond. Answer the questions below. Please write using
complete sentences.
1. How long did you observe the pond? ______________________________
2. What types of observations did you make? What did you see, smell or hear?
3. Did you take any measurements?
4. If so, what type of tools did you need to take these measurements.
5. What types of living things did you see?