Tips for Using the QualityCore. Science Benchmark Assessments

Tips for Using the QualityCore Science Benchmark Assessments Each QualityCore course has its own set of four Benchmark Assessments based on the QualityCore Formative Item Pool. Each assessment consists of 15 to 25 multiple-choice items and one constructed-response item. The assessments are presented as a PDF file to maintain the visual consistency of graphics, special characters, and symbols. Each assessment is bookmarked for easy navigation through the PDF file. For Chemistry, the Periodic Table and the QualityCore Reference Sheet are provided. For Physics, the QualityCore Reference Sheet is provided. Each Benchmark Assessment is introduced by a cover sheet displaying the item Identification Number (ID), the correct answer (Key), the cognitive level, and the alphanumeric code for each ACT Course Standard covered by that item. (See ACT Course Standards document.) The scoring criteria and a scoring rubric follow the constructed-response item. 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.

QualityCore Benchmark Assessment Biology Benchmark 1 Biology Process The following pages contain one of the Benchmark Assessments for this course. The table below gives the ID number for each item, the correct answer (Key), the cognitive level, and the alphanumeric code for each ACT Course Standard measured by the item. (The language associated with each code appears in the ACT Course Standards document for this course.) The items in this PDF file appear in the order presented in the table. Multiple-choice (MC) directions follow the table and are followed by a name sheet and the MC items. Following the MC items, you will find a constructed-response (CR) item followed by its scoring criteria and/or scoring rubric. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE SCORING CRITERIA TO STUDENTS. The scoring rubric can be included or excluded at your discretion. ID Key Cognitive Level Standard 00017 C L1 A.2.a 00001 A L1 A.3.a 00272 B L1 A.4.b 00331-02 A L2 A.1.a 00352 B L2 A.1.b 00363-01 C L2 A.1.b 00529 D L2 A.1.c 00545 D L2 A.1.d 00274 B L2 A.2.b 01012 A L2 A.2.c 00346 A L2 A.3.a 00335 A L2 A.4.c 00424 B L3 A.1.b 00439 C L3 A.1.d 00348 D L3 A.4.c 01153 - L3 A.4.c 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.

Directions: Choose the best answer provided for each question and circle the corresponding letter. 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.

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16) Scoring Criteria: A 4-point response will include, but is not limited to, the following points: Evaluation of criteria used to select participants: Only females, 18 or older, were chosen as participants. The participants were chosen randomly, meaning they were from different ethnic or racial groups, ages, body types, etc. Comparison of control and experimental groups: The control group consisted of the 20 women randomly selected to drink caffeine-free soda. Their pulse was recorded before and after consumption of the drinks, but they did not drink the experimental treatment (caffeinated soda). The experimental group consisted of the 20 women randomly selected to drink caffeinated soda. Their pulse was recorded before and after consumption of the drinks, and they did drink the experimental treatment (caffeinated soda). Description of methods used to limit variability: Each participant was asked not to consume foods or beverages containing caffeine in the 24 hr before the testing session. All participants met in the same conference room at the same time. The initial pulse was measured after each participant listened to the first hour of a 2 hr lecture. Each member of the both groups drank the same amount of soda: one 12 oz cup. Each participant s pulse was measured 1 hr after drinking their designated drink. Identification of dependent and independent variables: In this experiment, the independent variable is the treatment such as caffeine-free soda or caffeinated soda, the amount of caffeine consumed, or the presence or absence of caffeine. (The independent variable is the variable that is being manipulated.) Note: Just stating caffeine is not sufficient. In this experiment, the dependent variable is the pulse or the number of heartbeats per min. (The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured after the independent variable has been manipulated.)

Rubric: 4 A response at this level provides evidence of thorough knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. The content of the response is correct and thorough, with no significant errors. The response contains elaboration and/or detail that demonstrates insight into scientific concepts and principles, and contains no misconceptions. The explanation in the response is clear and is enhanced by correct use of appropriate scientific terminology to communicate understanding. 3 A response at this level provides evidence of competent knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. The content of the response is generally correct and complete. The response contains some elaboration and/or detail that demonstrates sufficient understanding of scientific concepts and principles, and it may contain a few minor misconceptions. The explanation in the response is mostly clear and is supported by some correct use of appropriate scientific terminology to communicate understanding. 2 A response at this level provides evidence of basic knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. The content of the response is partially correct, and it may be incomplete. The response contains a little elaboration and/or detail to demonstrate some understanding of scientific concepts and principles, but it may contain some significant misconceptions. The explanation in the response is sometimes clear and sometimes demonstrates correct use of appropriate scientific terminology to communicate understanding. 1 A response at this level provides evidence of minimal knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. The content of the response is mostly incorrect, and it is incomplete. The response contains little or no elaboration or detail to demonstrate understanding of scientific concepts and principles, and it contains evidence of significant misconceptions. The explanation in the response is mostly unclear and demonstrates little or no correct use of appropriate scientific terminology to communicate understanding. 0 A response at this level is not scorable. The response is off-topic, blank, hostile, or otherwise not scorable.

QualityCore Benchmark Assessment Biology Benchmark 2 Biochemistry; Cell The following pages contain one of the Benchmark Assessments for this course. The table below gives the ID number for each item, the correct answer (Key), the cognitive level, and the alphanumeric code for each ACT Course Standard measured by the item. (The language associated with each code appears in the ACT Course Standards document for this course.) The items in this PDF file appear in the order presented in the table. Multiple-choice (MC) directions follow the table and are followed by a name sheet and the MC items. Following the MC items, you will find a constructed-response (CR) item followed by its scoring criteria and/or scoring rubric. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE SCORING CRITERIA TO STUDENTS. The scoring rubric can be included or excluded at your discretion. ID Key Cognitive Level Standard 00947 A L1 A.5.e 00951 A L1 A.5.j 00415 D L1 B.1.b 00442 A L1 B.1.h 00138 A L2 A.5.f 00402 B L2 A.5.g 00045 D L2 A.5.h 01006 A L2 A.5.h 01019 B L2 B.1.a 00416 D L2 B.1.c 01102 B L2 B.1.e 00407 A L2 B.1.g 00421 C L2 B.1.h 00443 C L2 B.1.h 00408 A L2 B.1.j 00393 D L3 A.5.f 00399 C L3 A.5.h 00234 C L3 B.1.h 00235 B L3 B.1.i 01159 - L3 B.1.j 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.

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20) Scoring Criteria: A 4-point response will include, but is not limited to, the following points: Determination of which phase of the cell cycle each stage represents: Stage A: Early interphase Stage B: Prophase or metaphase Stage C: Anaphase or early telophase Stage D: Interphase Explanation of which phase of the cell cycle each stage represents: Stage A: The chromosomes are not condensed. The DNA content is only half that of Stages B and C, meaning that DNA replication, which occurs during the S phase of interphase, has not yet begun. The cell is small, with only half the volume of the cells in Stages B and C, which means that the growth phases of interphase have not yet begun. Stage B: The chromosomes are condensed, meaning the cell must be in mitosis, not interphase. The chromosome number is the same as during Stage A, meaning that sister chromatids have not yet separated. The DNA content has doubled compared to the cell in Stage A, meaning that DNA replication, which occurs during the S phase of interphase, is complete. The cell has twice the volume of the cell in Stage A, which means that the growth phases of interphase are complete. Stage C: The chromosomes are condensed, meaning the cell must still be in mitosis. The chromosome number has doubled compared to Stage B, meaning that sister chromatids have separated. This separation occurs during anaphase. (Early telophase is also acceptable as the chromosomes would still be condensed.) The DNA content and the cell volume are twice that of the cell in Stage A, which means that the cell contains the replicated DNA and has not yet divided. Stage D: The cell has half the chromosomes, half the DNA, and half the volume of the cell in Stage C, which means that mitosis is complete. The stages are sequential, so interphase must follow the end of mitosis. Determination of stage during which Jamila would observe aligned chromosomes: Stage B Explanation of stage during which Jamila would observe aligned chromosomes: The chromosomes are condensed, as stated in the description. The cell contains replicated chromosomes, since it has 20 pg of DNA, and the cell is twice the size of the cell in Stage A. These descriptions mean the cell is not in interphase, but instead must be in mitosis. Because the cell in Stage B has the same number of chromosomes as the cell in Stage A, it must be in either prophase or metaphase. Chromosomes align on the equator during metaphase.

QualityCore Benchmark Assessment Biology Benchmark 3 Genetics; Evolution The following pages contain one of the Benchmark Assessments for this course. The table below gives the ID number for each item, the correct answer (Key), the cognitive level, and the alphanumeric code for each ACT Course Standard measured by the item. (The language associated with each code appears in the ACT Course Standards document for this course.) The items in this PDF file appear in the order presented in the table. Multiple-choice (MC) directions follow the table and are followed by a name sheet and the MC items. Following the MC items, you will find a constructed-response (CR) item followed by its scoring criteria and/or scoring rubric. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE SCORING CRITERIA TO STUDENTS. The scoring rubric can be included or excluded at your discretion. ID Key Cognitive Level Standard 00417 A L1 C.1.a 00431 C L1 C.1.f 00536 A L1 D.1.i 00989 A L2 C.1.d 00430 B L2 C.1.e 01015 C L2 C.1.g 00410 D L2 C.1.i 00963 C L2 C.1.i 00977 A L2 C.1.j 00433 D L2 C.1.l 00533 C L2 D.1.c 00521 B L2 D.1.d 00542 B L2 D.1.j 00525 D L2 D.1.k 00526 A L2 D.1.k 00432 B L3 C.1.h 00434 B L3 C.1.k 00435 C L3 C.1.l 00538 A L3 D.1.d 00978 C L3 D.1.i 01155 - L3 D.1.f 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.

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21) Scoring Criteria: A 4-point response will include, but is not limited to, the following points: Description of Lamarck s and Darwin s theories about how organisms change over time: Lamarck s theory of inheritance of acquired traits states that traits an individual organism acquires during its lifetime, whether through use or disuse, can be passed on to its offspring. Darwin s theory of evolution by natural selection includes these concepts: Organisms within a population vary. There are more potential offspring than can survive. Competition exists within members of a population. Those individuals that survive and reproduce pass their inherited traits to their offspring. Over time, the population becomes better adapted to its environment. Contrast how Lamarck and Darwin would most likely explain the evolution of the marine iguana: Lamarck would most likely state that local land iguanas began swimming in the ocean. Simply by swimming in the ocean and feeding on the algae underwater, they developed traits that allowed them to survive in the cold salt water environment and then to pass those traits to their offspring. Their offspring inherited these traits and possibly added new traits by the continued use of the ocean environment. Over many generations of swimming in the ocean and consuming algae, the iguana population adapted to the marine environment. Darwin would most likely state that a limited number of local land iguanas possessed traits that allowed them to survive by swimming in the ocean and consuming algae. These iguanas survived and reproduced in greater numbers than did iguanas that did not (or could not) swim in the ocean and consume algae. Those iguanas that survived the longest and reproduced the most passed more of those inherited traits to their offspring. The offspring inherited these traits, and, over many generations of this selection, the iguana population adapted to the marine environment.

QualityCore Benchmark Assessment Biology Benchmark 4 Animal-Plant Systems and Ecology The following pages contain one of the Benchmark Assessments for this course. The table below gives the ID number for each item, the correct answer (Key), the cognitive level, and the alphanumeric code for each ACT Course Standard measured by the item. (The language associated with each code appears in the ACT Course Standards document for this course.) The items in this PDF file appear in the order presented in the table. Multiple-choice (MC) directions follow the table and are followed by a name sheet and the MC items. Following the MC items, you will find a constructed-response (CR) item followed by its scoring criteria and/or scoring rubric. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE SCORING CRITERIA TO STUDENTS. The scoring rubric can be included or excluded at your discretion. ID Key Cognitive Level Standard 00565 D L1 E.1.a 00564 B L1 E.3.f 00373 B L1 F.1.a 00389 D L1 F.1.j 00556 A L2 E.1.b 00444 A L2 E.2.a 00447 D L2 E.2.d 00566 C L2 E.3.a 00999 B L2 E.3.c 00551 A L2 E.3.e 01096 C L2 E.3.f 00374 B L2 F.1.d 00384 C L2 F.1.g 00370 C L2 F.1.h 00366 A L2 F.1.i 00388 C L2 F.1.k 00420 D L3 E.2.e 00549 B L3 E.3.a 01078 D L3 F.1.d F.1.g 00369 D L3 F.1.f 01149 - L3 F.1.i F.1.j A.1.c A.2.c 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.

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21) Scoring Criteria: A 4-point response will include, but is not limited to, the following points: Graph of Jillian s data, including accurately labeled axes, title, and identification of which culture exhibits logistic growth and which culture exhibits exponential growth: Culture 1 exhibits an exponential growth pattern. Culture 2 exhibits a logistic growth pattern. Definition of carrying capacity: Carrying capacity refers to the maximum number of organisms of a particular species that can be maintained in a specific environment over time. Explanation of how carrying capacity relates to Jillian s cultures: The bacterial population exhibiting exponential growth has not reached the carrying capacity of the

culture media because its growth has not been limited in any way. The bacterial population exhibiting logistic growth has reached the carrying capacity of the culture media because its growth has been limited during the final 3 hr. Limitations in the bacteria s environment such as limited space, limited nutrients, or the accumulation of waste causes the reproduction rate of the bacteria to approximately equal the death rate of the bacteria. Description of experiment to determine the influence of carrying capacity on the size of a bacterial population: Jillian might grow a certain species of bacteria in two 1000 ml flasks, one containing half the quantity of nutrients of the other. After Jillian inoculates each flask with the same species and approximately the same number of bacteria and incubates each flask at 37 C, she should sample the bacterial cultures each hour to determine the size of each bacterial population. Note: A variety of experiments are possible, but to be considered an experiment rather than merely an observation, the student must clearly define conditions that can be compared. The key to a good, simple experiment is that the conditions for only 1 variable can be compared. Such variables could be the concentration of nutrients, the size of the vessel, the amount of waste at the outset, and so forth. It is not appropriate to only vary the size of the initial inoculation for the purpose of studying carrying capacity. This change would influence how quickly the population reaches its carrying capacity, but not the total carrying capacity of the environment.

capacity of the culture media because its growth has not been limited in any way. The bacterial population exhibiting logistic growth has reached the carrying capacity of the culture media because its growth has been limited during the final 3 hr. Limitations in the bacteria s environment such as limited space, limited nutrients, or the accumulation of waste causes the reproduction rate of the bacteria to approximately equal the death rate of the bacteria. Description of experiment to determine the influence of carrying capacity on the size of a bacterial population: Jillian might grow a certain species of bacteria in two 1000 ml flasks, one containing half the quantity of nutrients of the other. After Jillian inoculates each flask with the same species and approximately the same number of bacteria and incubates each flask at 37 C, she should sample the bacterial cultures each hour to determine the size of each bacterial population. Note: A variety of experiments are possible, but to be considered an experiment rather than merely an observation, the student must clearly define conditions that can be compared. The key to a good, simple experiment is that the conditions for only 1 variable can be compared. Such variables could be the concentration of nutrients, the size of the vessel, the amount of waste at the outset, and so forth. It is not appropriate to only vary the size of the initial inoculation for the purpose of studying carrying capacity. This change would influence how quickly the population reaches its carrying capacity, but not the total carrying capacity of the environment. 2008 by ACT, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce this page for QualityCore educational purposes only.