What content standard(s) will students learn (what should they know and be able to do)? How is this contents relevant; how can students apply it? How will student show what they know and can do? What evidence will they provide? What authentic task might they use? What might their work look like if it is...exemplary, proficient, in progress, not proficient? What content, unit, or curriculum will help student "get there?" What essential learning or components do students need? How does learning relate to the standard focus? What teaching strategies might help various students "get there?" What adaptations might be needed? Are students "getting there?" Are students developing knowledge and skills aligned to the standards? Are adjustments in teaching strategies necessary? What help might students receive during the assessment without invalidating results? How well did each of the students do? What should be refined, revised, retaught in another unit? Was the assessment valid? Did the scoring rubric have validity?

The New Mexico Science Standards page is located at: http://www.cesdp.nmhu.edu/standards/content/science/performa/index.htm Below are the Content Standards for earth science; review each standard for benchmarks (follow links). Content Standard 1: Unifying concepts and process Students will understand science concepts of order and organization. Content Standard 2: Unifying concepts and process Students will use evidence, models, and explanations to explore the physical world. Content Standard 3: Unifying concepts and process Students will use form and function to organize and understand the physical world. Content Standard 4: Unifying concepts and process Students will understand the physical world through the concepts of change, equilibrium, and measurement. Content Standard 5: Science as Inquiry Students will acquire the abilities to do scientific inquiry. Content Standard 6: Science as Inquiry Students will understand the process of scientific inquiry. Content Standard 12: Earth and Space Science Students will understand the process of scientific inquiry. Content Standard 13: Earth and Space Science Students will know and understand basic concepts of cosmology.