Anchor Papers ~ Biology ~ Item 23


	Item 23 Anchor Papers

A student is studying the relationship between a leafy plant and a species of beetle. He divided 20 plants into two groups. He planted each group in a separate planter box. He then released 50 beetles into one of the planter boxes. The beetles fed on the leaves and left a white substance around the plant, changing the pH of the soil. He recorded the average height of the plants at the end of three months. His data are shown below.

How did the substance probably affect the growth of the plants in Group 1?
Describe how changes in pH may affect the metabolic rates of cells.
Describe how other environmental factors could affect growth in plants.

Write your answer in your Answer Book.

Score Level 1 Anchor Paper
This response contains evidence of some understanding of the question. The student provides minimally effective supporting details to identify a few environmental factors that could affect the growth in plants (sunlight, water).
Score Level 1 Anchor Paper
This response contains evidence of some understanding of the question. The student provides minimally effective supporting details when describing plant growth (releasing the beetles into the plant box slowed down the growing rate) and environmental factors that affect plant growth (not enough light and not enough water). An attempt to describe the effect of changes in pH (the cells need to have their pH at a certain level to work properly) does not adequately address how pH affects metabolic rate.
Score Level 2 Anchor Paper
This response contains evidence of a basic understanding. The student recognizes the effects of changes in the pH (metabolism may have speeded up or slowed down because the pH was too high or low) and provides a list of environmental factors (water, sunlight, or fertilizer). The appropriate use of some scientific terminology (acid, basic variables) helps strengthen the response.
Score Level 2 Anchor Paper
This response contains evidence of a basic understanding of the question. The student provides adequate supporting details, regarding the growth of the plant (caused a stunting of growth; not grow as tall) and a list of environmental factors that could affect plant growth (temperature, water exposure, air conditions, and soil pH). The effect of pH change on plant growth is recognized (probably slowed the plants metabolic rate).
Score Level 3 Anchor Paper
This response contains evidence of a good understanding of the question. The student demonstrates some synthesis of information by using the "PLANT DATA" to draw conclusions about how the white substance affects plant growth (one-third as tall as the plant group with no beetles, the substance left behind by the beetles slows down the growth). Generally complete supporting details strengthen the response (change in pH probably slowed down the metabolic rate). Listing and elaborating on the environmental factors that affect plant growth strengthens this response (sunlight, temperature, and nutrients; if it is too hot or too cold, a plant cannot survive).
Score Level 3 Anchor Paper
This response contains evidence of a good understanding of the question through the use of generally complete supporting details (changed the pH…made it more acidic or basic…affect the metabolic rate of cells). Some effective elaboration occurs in the specific explanations of how environmental factors affect plant growth (plants need water to survive; without sunlight plants can't perform photosynthesis). Accurate scientific terminology (acidic, base, photosynthesis, and glucose) strengthens the response.
Score Level 3 Anchor Paper
This response contains evidence of a good understanding of the question. The student gives generally complete supporting details throughout the response, and the section about how the substance affects growth is somewhat elaborated (The white substance changed the environment…metabolic rates were slowed…could not produce as many photosynthesis…cell division was slowed). Scientific terminology strengthens the response (acidic, photosynthesis, cell division, and consumers). More elaboration and synthesis of information, particularly in the part of the response that deals with the effect of environmental factors on the growth of plants, is needed to achieve a higher score.
Score Level 4 Anchor Paper
This response contains evidence of a full and complete understanding of the question. The student demonstrates a synthesis of ideas through a detailed discussion of enzymes and the use of pertinent and complete supporting details (pH can effect the polarity of the substrate to the enzyme so they will not lock and key fit…could effect the enzymes used in growth). The accurate use of scientific terminology (polarity, substrate, and lock and key) enhances, rather than just strengthens, the response.

Anchor Papers ~ Biology ~ Item 23

How did the substance probably affect the growth of the plants in Group 1?
Describe how changes in pH may affect the metabolic rates of cells.
Describe how other environmental factors could affect growth in plants.

Write your answer in your Answer Book.

Score Level 1 Anchor Paper
This response contains evidence of some understanding of the question. The student provides minimally effective supporting details to identify a few environmental factors that could affect the growth in plants (sunlight, water).

Score Level 1 Anchor Paper

This response contains evidence of some understanding of the question. The student provides minimally effective supporting details when describing plant growth (releasing the beetles into the plant box slowed down the growing rate) and environmental factors that affect plant growth (not enough light and not enough water). An attempt to describe the effect of changes in pH (the cells need to have their pH at a certain level to work properly) does not adequately address how pH affects metabolic rate.

Score Level 2 Anchor Paper
This response contains evidence of a basic understanding. The student recognizes the effects of changes in the pH (metabolism may have speeded up or slowed down because the pH was too high or low) and provides a list of environmental factors (water, sunlight, or fertilizer). The appropriate use of some scientific terminology (acid, basic variables) helps strengthen the response.

Score Level 2 Anchor Paper

This response contains evidence of a basic understanding of the question. The student provides adequate supporting details, regarding the growth of the plant (caused a stunting of growth; not grow as tall) and a list of environmental factors that could affect plant growth (temperature, water exposure, air conditions, and soil pH). The effect of pH change on plant growth is recognized (probably slowed the plants metabolic rate).

Score Level 3 Anchor Paper

This response contains evidence of a good understanding of the question. The student demonstrates some synthesis of information by using the "PLANT DATA" to draw conclusions about how the white substance affects plant growth (one-third as tall as the plant group with no beetles, the substance left behind by the beetles slows down the growth). Generally complete supporting details strengthen the response (change in pH probably slowed down the metabolic rate). Listing and elaborating on the environmental factors that affect plant growth strengthens this response (sunlight, temperature, and nutrients; if it is too hot or too cold, a plant cannot survive).

Score Level 3 Anchor Paper

This response contains evidence of a good understanding of the question through the use of generally complete supporting details (changed the pH…made it more acidic or basic…affect the metabolic rate of cells). Some effective elaboration occurs in the specific explanations of how environmental factors affect plant growth (plants need water to survive; without sunlight plants can't perform photosynthesis). Accurate scientific terminology (acidic, base, photosynthesis, and glucose) strengthens the response.

Score Level 3 Anchor Paper

This response contains evidence of a good understanding of the question. The student gives generally complete supporting details throughout the response, and the section about how the substance affects growth is somewhat elaborated (The white substance changed the environment…metabolic rates were slowed…could not produce as many photosynthesis…cell division was slowed). Scientific terminology strengthens the response (acidic, photosynthesis, cell division, and consumers). More elaboration and synthesis of information, particularly in the part of the response that deals with the effect of environmental factors on the growth of plants, is needed to achieve a higher score.

Score Level 4 Anchor Paper

This response contains evidence of a full and complete understanding of the question. The student demonstrates a synthesis of ideas through a detailed discussion of enzymes and the use of pertinent and complete supporting details (pH can effect the polarity of the substrate to the enzyme so they will not lock and key fit…could effect the enzymes used in growth). The accurate use of scientific terminology (polarity, substrate, and lock and key) enhances, rather than just strengthens, the response.