OpenSciEd Unit 6.2 · Lesson 05 · 5.B
6.2 Lesson 5 Teacher Reference Lesson 5 Assessment
Assessment guide
How to read student work on this assessment — standards alignment, what strong understanding looks like, and common gaps.
Learning progression
Target understanding
5.B Construct an argument to support the claim that water forming on the outside surface of a cold cup system comes from the air outside the system and is not leaving the system through the walls.
Standards alignment
5.B Construct an argument to support the claim that water forming on the outside surface of a cold cup system comes from the air outside the system and is not leaving the system through the walls.
What understanding looks like
Strong
- There are several ways to interpret the student data from this assessment. Below are a few patterns you may see:
- Agreement with Regina and explanation (in words and a diagram) that the water collecting on the outside comes from the air, supported by the evidence from the Water Droplet Investigation and related experiences. These students should be considered as meeting the lesson-level performance expectation.
From Teacher Edition
View assessment opportunity →Facilitation guidance from the lesson plan — what to notice in student thinking and how to respond while teaching.
Building towards
5.B Construct an argument to support the claim that water forming on the outside surface of a cold cup system comes from the air outside the system and is not leaving the system through the walls.
What to do
If students choose Michael or Sarah as the claim they most agree with, and/or the data from the current investigations is not convincing to them, consider conducting a follow-up investigation. Chill an empty plastic or metal cup overnight and then make observations of the empty cup the following day. Remove the cup from the cooler and place it into the classroom air. Watch and observe that water continues to collect on the surfaces of the chilled cup even when there is no water inside the cup.
If students select the correct claim but do not support it with evidence, consider practicing with them how to write an explanation that draws on evidence and/or showing students examples of explanations written using evidence.
Start thinking about next steps. Say, It seems like we’ve figured out that most matter cannot escape the cup system because it can’t go through the walls and it mostly can’t go through the lid. Do we think if we could test a completely sealed-off container where no matter could escape, that the liquid would still warm up or cool down over time? Why or why not? Elicit a few initial ideas from students, and collect students’ assessments before they leave class.
Materials
Last updated from official OpenSciEd on 7/1/2026
Student handout
6.2 Lesson 5 Teacher Reference Lesson 5 Assessment.docx
Google Form
Digitized — add an editable copy to your Google Forms
Teacher guide
6.2 Lesson 5 Teacher Edition.docx
Answer key (recommended)
6.2 Lesson 5 Answer Key Lesson 5 Assessment.docx