Score Level 1 Anchor Paper

This response shows evidence of some understanding of the question. The student makes a prediction of how the activity of pepsin will change (it would not work because it is out of it PH zone) and predicts how a fever would affect enzyme activity (probably cause the enzymes activity to decrease a little). The supporting details are only minimally effective.

Score Level 1 Anchor Paper

There is evidence in this response that the student has some understanding of the question. The student makes an incorrect prediction (pH of pespin will become more neutral), confusing the pH of the location with the pH of the enzyme, rather than the movement of the pepsin from the stomach to the small intestine. The student shows some understanding of pH (pH in the stomach is more acidic than in the small intestine) and predicts the effect of a fever on enzyme activity (fever would break down the enzymes). The supporting details are only minimally effective.

Score Level 2 Anchor Paper

There is evidence in this response that the student has a basic understanding of the question. The student makes predictions of how the activity of pepsin will change after it moves to the small intestine (use to be living in acidy places so for it to move to the small intestine it might become denatured; pH level is too high) and the effect of a fever on enzyme activity (fever might also do harm; causing them to become denatured). The supporting details are adequate, but the response provides little synthesis of information. Some use of accurate scientific terminology (denatured) is present in the response.

Score Level 2 Anchor Paper

There is evidence in this response that the student has a basic understanding of the question. The student's predictions of how pepsin's activity would change (decrease because of the pH change from the stomach [pH of 2 – 3] to the small intestine [pH of 7.5 – 9]) and of how a fever can affect it (decrease enzyme activity) are supported with adequate details (changes in pH and temperature decrease enzyme activity; making it less effective at combining/uncombining molecules). Accurate scientific terminology is used (enzyme's active site).

Score Level 2 Anchor Paper

There is evidence in this response that the student has a basic understanding of the question. Supporting details are adequate for the student's predictions of how the activity of pepsin will change (stop functioning; pH of the small intestine is much higher than that of the stomach) and include some use of accurate scientific terminology (very acidic; more alkaline). There are also adequate supporting details for the student's prediction of the effects of a fever (enzymes are proteins; overheat; activity would stop or slow). The response provides little or no synthesis of information.

Score Level 3 Anchor Paper

There is evidence in this response that the student has a good understanding of the question. Specific supporting details are generally complete in the student's prediction of the change in the activity of pepsin (lose its ability to speed up certain reactions; small intestine is much more basic; has pH's from 7.5 – 9; the stomach has pH's from 2.0 – 3.0; higher pH's are more basic than lower pH's). The student also correctly describes the effect of a fever (would decrease enzyme activity). More support for these ideas is given (when an enzyme is denatured, its structure is changed; the function…relies on its structure, a denatured enzyme couldn't function), reflecting some synthesis of information. The use of accurate scientific terminology (basic; denatured) strengthens the response.

Score Level 3 Anchor Paper

There is evidence in this response that the student has a good understanding of the question. The supporting details are generally complete and show some synthesis of information in the discussion of pepsin (would not work as well; enzymes have an optimal pH range that they work best in; small intestines…higher pH level because it is basic and the stomach is acidic; so the enzyme leaves it optimal range and won't work as well, if at all). Generally complete support is also given for the effect of a fever (if the temperature was higher it could denature the enzyme and it wouldn't work; would lose it "lock-and-key" fit). The use of accurate scientific terminology (optimal range; basic; acidic; denature) strengthens the response.

Score Level 4 Anchor Paper

There is evidence in this response that the student has a full and complete understanding of the question. Pertinent and complete supporting details demonstrate an integration of ideas throughout the response, reflecting a complete synthesis of information. The student describes the structure and function of enzymes (catalysts that speed up chemical reactions; lock and key arrangement; specific to only one substrate). The student continues with a discussion of how changes in pH and temperature affect enzyme activity (there is an optimum range; a change…can denature an enzyme and cause it to lose its shape; it will no longer be able to bind to the activation site and do its job). The discussions of pepsin (activity…will decrease; works in a pH range of 2.0 – 3.0; small intestine where the pH range is 7.5 – 9; enzyme will denature and will no longer work) and of the effect of a fever (decrease enzyme activity; can also denature the enzyme; not be able to catalyze reactions, and this will slow down enzyme activity) are complete. The use of accurate scientific terminology (catalysts; substrate; denature; activation site; catalyze) enhances the response.