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Public Release Item Scoring Information Return

Goal 3 Concepts Of Biology

Expectation 3.5 The student will investigate the interdependence of diverse living organisms and their interactions with the components of the biosphere.

Indicator 3.5.1 The student will analyze the relationships between biotic diversity and abiotic factors in environments and the resulting influence on ecosystems.

Assessment Limits:

  • Abiotic/Biotic factors
    • space
    • soil
    • water
    • air
    • temperature
    • food
    • light
    • organisms
       
  • Relationships
    • predator — prey
    • parasite — host
    • mutualism
    • commensalism
    • competition
       

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item - Released in 2005

A population of sea urchins in a kelp forest ecosystem is being overfished. A team of students believe that a decline in the number of sea urchins will affect the organisms in the kelp forest ecosystem. The kelp forest food web below shows the relationships among the organisms in the kelp forest ecosystem.

The students believe that the kelp crab population will decrease if the sea urchin population decreases. Use the kelp forest food web to support or refute the students' conclusion. In your response, be sure to

  • describe the roles of the kelp crab, sea otter, and sea urchin in the food web
  • describe the relationships between the kelp crab, sea otter, and sea urchin
  • explain how each organism in the food web would be affected by a change in the sea urchin population

Write your answer in your Answer Book.

The following 4 Sample Student Responses represent a range of score points.

Sample Student Response #1

image of student response

Score for Sample Student Response #1: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response demonstrates a basic understanding of the question. The student uses adequate supporting details to explain how other organisms are affected by a decrease in sea urchins (kelp crab population will increase; the increase of kelp which means the kelp crab will have more food and less competition from urchins for kelp; sea otters may then increase also lowering the urchin population). Scientific terminology is present in this response (competition).


Sample Student Response #2

image of student response

Score for Sample Student Response #2: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response demonstrates a good understanding of the question. The effects of the decline in the sea urchin population on other organisms in the food web are provided with generally complete supporting details (horn sharks would starve, resulting in the starvation of the elephant seals; sea otters would wipe out the crab population due to eating too many of them to make up for the lack of sea urchins). The use of scientific terminology (consumer; predator; prey; producer) strengthens the response.


Sample Student Response #3

image of student response

Score for Sample Student Response #3: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response shows a full and complete understanding of the question. The student uses pertinent supporting details, such as ecological roles and interrelationships, to refute the students' claim. Full synthesis is shown as the student thoroughly explains how all the organisms will be affected (the kelp population would increase, and the kelp crab population will increase. The sea otter population will stay the same {or decrease a little}, because even though one food source [the sea urchins] is decreasing, the other source is increasing {the kelp crabs}). The use of scientific terminology enhances this response ([first order] consumer; herbivore; autotrophs; producers; [second order] consumer; carnivore).


Sample Student Response #4

image of student response

Score for Sample Student Response #4: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of the question. The student provides minimal detail on the ecological relationships among the kelp, urchin, and crab (crab eats the kelp that sea urchins eat). The consequences of a decline in the sea urchin population are described very generally (if the kelp crab is pulled what will the sea otters eat; the sea otters might die out so what would the horn sharks eat).


Additional Resources

Anchor Papers used in scoring

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Rubric
Print: Scoring Rubric (pdf)
Score 4

There is evidence in this response that the student has a full and complete understanding of the question or problem.

  • Pertinent and complete supporting details demonstrate an integration of ideas.
  • The use of accurate scientific terminology enhances the response.
  • An effective application of the concept to a practical problem or real-world situation reveals an insight into scientific principles.*
  • The response reflects a complete synthesis of information.
Score 3

There is evidence in this response that the student has a good understanding of the question or problem.

  • The supporting details are generally complete.
  • The use of accurate scientific terminology strengthens the response.
  • The concept has been applied to a practical problem or real-world situation.*
  • The response reflects some synthesis of information.
Score 2

There is evidence in this response that the student has a basic understanding of the question or problem.

  • The supporting details are adequate.
  • The use of accurate scientific terminology may be present in the response.
  • The application of the concept to a practical problem or real-world situation is inadequate.*
  • The response provides little or no synthesis of information.
Score 1

There is evidence in this response that the student has some understanding of the question or problem.

  • The supporting details are only minimally effective.
  • The use of accurate scientific terminology is not present in the response.
  • The application, if attempted, is irrelevant.*
  • The response addresses the question.
Score 0

There is evidence that the student has no understanding of the question or problem.

  • The response is completely incorrect or irrelevant or there is no response.

* On the High School Assessment, the application of a concept to a practical problem or real-world situation will be scored when it is required in the response and requested in the item stem.

Updated 2002
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