Pond Observation Individual Writing Documents sent as e-mail are assessed using teacher designed quantitative/qualitative writing rubrics for science content and accuracy of data plus performance skills in the writing process, use of writing traits (ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions), and progress along a continuum rubric of writing development.

Here is an example of assessing a student's writing for science content:

2nd Grade Student Writing Example:

"A lot of the ducks were at the little pond because there was a hill blocking the cold wind. It was still a little bit cold at the little pond. Some ducks were sitting along the shore of the little pond. The ducks were tucking their head close to their neck because it was a little bit cold. None of the ducks were on the island. The globe scientists took the temperature and the pH. First we took the temperature at the little pond and then at the big pond. The temperature at the little pond was 9 degrees Celsius. The temperature at the big pond was the same as the small pond. The pH at the little pond was 7. The pH at the big pond was the same as the little pond. The stream had a lot of water in it. The stream had a lot of leaves in it. The leaves in the stream made a dam which made the stream wider. There are trees by the stream which meant that the leaves fell off the trees which made the dam in the stream. When it was summer, the island at the big pond was rebuilt. The Pullman Parks and Recreation rebuilt it with a big truck full of dirt. On our last pond trip, we planted grass seed on the island."

Science Writing Total Content Score is 5: 4 points for accurate understandings of cause and effect (a. affect of climate on ducks location; b. duck behavior in response to climate; c. GLOBE science data comparison; d. cause for status of stream) and 1 point for an environmental history comparison understanding about restoration of island.

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