School Improvement in Maryland

Public Release Item: Public Release items have appeared on HSA forms and then are released for public viewing and use. Releasing items is one step to ensuring that schools, districts, and other stakeholders understand how the core learning goals are assessed on the HSA.

Goal 1 Skills And Processes

Expectation 1.4 The student will demonstrate that data analysis is a vital aspect of the process of scientific inquiry and communication.

Indicator 1.4.9 The student will use analyzed data to confirm, modify, or reject a hypothesis.

Selected Response Item - Released in 2007

A student’s hypothesis is that increased exercise causes increased heart rate. Heart rate is determined by taking the pulse, which is measured in beats per minute (BPM).

Which of the following data would support this student’s hypothesis?

  1. When sitting, her pulse was 70 BPM; when standing, her pulse was 50 BPM.
  2. When running, her pulse was 100 BPM; when sitting, her pulse was 60 BPM.
  3. When sitting, her pulse was 90 BPM; when walking, her pulse was 90 BPM.
  4. When running, her pulse was 65 BPM; when standing, her pulse was 70 BPM.
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2007_149_bio47.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item - Released in 2008

A scientist hypothesizes that homing pigeons use their sense of smell to find their way home. She tests this idea on two groups of pigeons. She releases the pigeons in Group 1 and records the direction of their flight.

The pigeons in Group 2 are given a substance that blocks their sense of smell for a short time. The scientist then releases them and records the direction of their flight. Her data are shown on the diagram below.

From these results, what can be concluded about the scientist’s hypothesis?

  1. It is supported by the data.
  2. It must be modified and tested again.
  3. It is not supported by the data.
  4. It can be applied to all bird species.
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2008_149_bio04.xml

Correct Answer:
A