Deep Sea Detective Worksheet
Progress Monitoring Probe • Grade 6 Reading Level
Deep Sea Detective Worksheet
Probe Session 1
Student:
Date:
Cueing Level:
Ind. Min. Mod.
STRATEGY FOCUS: Self-Advocacy & Active Listening Activation
Select at least one self-advocacy strategy you commit to using independently during this assessment:
Ask for clarification or repetition if stuck
Paraphrase directions in my own words
Make margin notes & highlight context clues
Reduce workspace distractions before starting
Reading Passage • Lexile: ~880L (Grade 6 Level) Target Vocabulary in Bold
The Deep Trench Explorers: Life in the Hadal Zone
[¶1] Miles beneath the ocean waves lies a mysterious and dark world called the hadal zone. Deep inside undersea canyons like the Mariana Trench, explorers face a perilous journey filled with extreme hazards. Sunlight disappears completely after the first thousand meters. Down here, the water is pitch black, and the enormous weight of the ocean above presses down with crushing force.
[¶2] To survive these harsh conditions, trench animals must be remarkably resilient. Creatures like the ghostly snailfish have flexible bodies and special cells that help them withstand forces that would easily crush normal fish. This heavy water pressure does not diminish as you travel deeper into the trench; instead, it grows stronger with every meter of descent.
[¶3] Because plants cannot grow without sunlight, food in the deep sea is scarce. Animals cannot simply graze on green plants or hunt easy meals on the ocean floor. Most organisms depend entirely on "marine snow," which is a gentle shower of dead plankton and decaying material drifting down from the sunny surface waters. If surface life changes, deep animals quickly feel the effects.
[¶4] Scientists who explore these trenches face serious technical challenges. Deep-sea robotic submersibles cannot remain dormant while underwater. Submarine heaters must run continuously; otherwise, sensitive electronic steering units will quickly freeze and fail in the icy, near-zero water.
Active Strategy Note Space (Paraphrase a paragraph or write a question you asked):
Objective 1: Vocabulary • Objective 2: Inferential Comprehension • Objective 3: Strategy Use Page 1 of 3
Progress Monitoring • Part 1
Vocabulary in Context
Goal Target: 4 out of 5 Opportunities
Directions: For each target word from the text, use context clues to explain its meaning in the passage. Then, demonstrate your mastery by composing an original sentence that uses the word appropriately.
1. perilous (from Paragraph 1) Opp. 1 of 5
Meaning based on context clues:
My original sentence:
2. resilient (from Paragraph 2) Opp. 2 of 5
Meaning based on context clues:
My original sentence:
3. diminish (from Paragraph 2) Opp. 3 of 5
Meaning based on context clues:
My original sentence:
4. scarce (from Paragraph 3) Opp. 4 of 5
Meaning based on context clues:
My original sentence:
5. dormant (from Paragraph 4) Opp. 5 of 5
Meaning based on context clues:
My original sentence:
Mid-Probe Check: Did you request clarification or check directions before writing?
Yes Not yet needed
Deep Sea Detective Progress Monitoring Probe Page 2 of 3
Progress Monitoring • Part 2 & Part 3
Inferential Comprehension & Strategy Reflection
Goal Target: 4 out of 5 Opportunities
Directions: Answer each inferential "how" and "why" question. For full credit, explain your inference AND cite at least one supporting detail from the text.
1. [WHY] Why do animals in the hadal zone depend on "marine snow" instead of eating plants? Opp. 1
My Inference:
Supporting Text Detail:
2. [HOW] How does extreme water pressure create serious challenges for scientific exploration equipment? Opp. 2
My Inference:
Supporting Text Detail:
3. [WHY] Why would being resilient be more essential for a trench snailfish than having sharp eyesight? Opp. 3
My Inference:
Supporting Text Detail:
4. [HOW] How does the author show that deep-sea animals depend on what happens at the ocean's surface? Opp. 4
My Inference:
Supporting Text Detail:
5. [WHY] Why must robotic submersibles keep running instead of staying dormant in hadal waters? Opp. 5
My Inference:
Supporting Text Detail:
Part 3: Self-Advocacy & Strategy Debrief (Objective 3) Independent Application Check
Explain which listening or self-advocacy strategy you applied during this probe and describe how it aided your work:
Asked for clarification
Paraphrased directions
Noted connections
Managed distractions
How this strategy supported my success:
Deep Sea Detective Progress Monitoring Probe Page 3 of 3
Detective Probe Teacher Guide
IEP Data & Scoring Protocol • Grade 6 Reading Level
Detective Probe Teacher Guide
Evaluator Key
Scoring Standard: Score each opportunity out of 1.0 point (0.5 for accurate meaning/inference + 0.5 for sentence application/text evidence). Objective criterion is met when student achieves 4/5 (80%).
Objective 1: Vocabulary in Context Scoring Key (Grade 6)
Target: 4/5 Opportunities
1. perilous (adj.) ¶1 Clues: "filled with extreme hazards", "crushing force"
Target Meaning: Full of danger, risky, or hazardous.
Exemplar Sentence: The mountaineers began their perilous climb up the icy cliff just as the blizzard struck.
2. resilient (adj.) ¶2 Clues: "survive these harsh conditions", "withstand forces that would crush normal fish"
Target Meaning: Able to recover quickly, withstand hardship, or bounce back from tough conditions.
Exemplar Sentence: The resilient soccer team practiced hard after their loss and went on to win the championship.
3. diminish (verb) ¶2 Clues: "does not diminish... instead, it grows stronger" (contrast clue)
Target Meaning: To lessen, decrease, reduce, or become smaller.
Exemplar Sentence: Once the clouds parted and the wind stopped, the intensity of the storm began to diminish.
4. scarce (adj.) ¶3 Clues: "plants cannot grow without sunlight", "hard to find easy meals"
Target Meaning: In short supply, rare, difficult to find, or not plentiful.
Exemplar Sentence: During the long dry summer, fresh water became scarce for all the animals in the valley.
5. dormant (adj.) ¶4 Clues: "cannot remain dormant... heaters must run continuously; otherwise, units freeze"
Target Meaning: Inactive, resting, powered down, or temporarily asleep.
Exemplar Sentence: The volcano had been dormant for more than two centuries before smoke suddenly appeared.
Objective 2: Inferential Comprehension Scoring Key (Grade 6)
Target: 4/5 Opportunities with Minimal Cues
1. [WHY] Marine snow dependency: Deep in the trench, there is zero sunlight for plants to grow, so deep organisms must feed on organic leftovers falling from above. Text Detail: "Sunlight disappears completely after the first thousand meters" or "Because plants cannot grow without sunlight...".
2. [HOW] Equipment physical challenges: Water pressure intensifies as subs go deeper, and freezing water threatens to shut down electronic controls. "sensitive electronic steering units will quickly freeze and fail in the icy, near-zero water."
