The following 8 Anchor Papers represent a range of score points and are used in conjunction with the rubric to assess student responses.

Score for Anchor Paper #1: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response contains evidence of some understanding of the question. The student uses minimally effective supporting details to partially explain why lichens can be considered either mutualistic or parasitic (lichens…let the algae grow in conditions that it normally wouldn't; it makes the algae grow slower). Differences and similarities between mutualism and parasitism are not described. Additional examples of mutualism and parasitism are not given.

Score for Anchor Paper #2: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response contains evidence of some understanding of the question. Other examples of mutualism (bird eating bugs off a cow's back; fish eating parasites off a fish) and parasitism (tick on a human; mosquito on a horse's back) are listed but no elaboration is provided. Minimally effective supporting details provide a vague discussion as to why lichens can be examples of both types of relationships (mutualism…if the fungus wasn't on the alga, it may die; parasitism also because slowing down the growth may eventually kill it). Similarities and differences between mutualism and parasitism are not addressed.

Score for Anchor Paper #3: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response contains evidence of a basic understanding of the question. The student describes a difference between mutualism and parasitism (mutualism is good for both organisms; parasitism is bad for one species and good for another) but does not address similarities. In attempting to describe why lichens can be examples of both, the relationships are not identified. Additional examples of mutualism (bacteria and the giant tubeworm) and parasitism (tapeworm and a human) are given but no elaboration is provided. The supporting details are adequate.

Score for Anchor Paper #4: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response contains evidence of a basic understanding of the question. The student correctly identifies lichens as being either mutualistic (the lichen and the alga benefit by living together in dry environments) or parasitic (the lichen is also a parasite because it prevents the alga from growing faster in mild weather conditions). Other examples of mutualism (sea anemones and clown fish; clams and bacteria) and parasitism (fleas on dogs; ticks on deer, heartworms in dogs) are provided. No explanation about these relationships is provided. Vent fish/vents is incorrectly identified as a mutualistic relationship. Similarities and differences between mutualism and parasitism are not adequately addressed.

Score for Anchor Paper #5: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response contains evidence of a good understanding of the question. The supporting details are generally complete as the student describes how certain environmental conditions allow the algae and fungi in a lichen to have a mutualistic relationship (In harsh environments…both organisms get a positive result) while different environmental conditions do not allow the algae and fungi to have a mutualistic relationship (In a calm environment…the algae gets its food taken away with nothing in return). The student gives an additional example of mutualism (sharks/cleaner fish) and parasitism (tapeworm/host) and provides an explanation of each example (…the fish get food from cleaning the sharks teeth and the shark gets rid of the buildup in its mouth, …it eats the food and nutrients in the hosts intestine and the host gets sick because of it). Similarities and differences between mutualism and parasitism are not adequately addressed.

Score for Anchor Paper #6: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response contains evidence of a good understanding of the question. The student identifies a difference between mutualism and parasitism (mutualism is when both organisms help each other out…parasitism is when one organism is hurting the other organism) and describes how lichens can be examples of both mutualism (the fungus provides a protective home for the alga and the alga provides food and nutrients for the fungus both benefiting from the relationship) and parasitism (when the conditions are mild, the alga doesn't need the fungus and the fungus causes the alga to grow slower, so the alga is being hurt by this). The student provides an additional example of each relationship (mutualism: bacteria/giant tubeworms parasitism: flea/dog) and describes each example (tubeworms give the bacteria a home and the bacteria give the tubeworms food, the flea is hurting the dog). Similarities between mutualism and parasitism are not adequately addressed. More elaboration is needed for a higher score.

Score for Anchor Paper #7: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response contains evidence of a full and complete understanding of the question. An integration of ideas is found throughout the response. The use of pertinent and complete supporting details strengthens the response. Some similarities between mutualism and parasitism are provided (they are both types of symbiotic relationships, in both at least one organism benefits). A difference between the two processes is also given (Mutualism is when both organisms benefit from living together, while parasitism is when one organism derives its nutrition at the expense of the other organism). The student fully describes why lichens represent both types of relationships and gives an additional example of parasitism (ticks/animal). The use of accurate scientific terminology (symbiotic) enhances the response.

Score for Anchor Paper #8: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response contains evidence of a full and complete understanding of the question. Pertinent and complete supporting details are used to describe similarities (mutualism and parasitism are two ways that organisms live together) and differences (mutualism is where each one helping the other survive and providing it with something it needs, parasitism is one of the organisms taking from the other…damaging it) between mutualism and parasitism. The student explains why lichens can be examples of both relationships and gives an additional example of mutualism (cleaner shrimp/groupers). The elaboration of this relationship (The cleaner shrimp are allowed to run through the groupers mouth and gills, cleaning them of food particles and bacteria. In return…the shrimp gets to eat whatever it finds) reflects some synthesis of information.

Additional Scored Student Responses