School Improvement in Maryland
Public Release Item Scoring Information Return

Goal 3 Concepts Of Biology

Expectation 3.1 The student will be able to explain the correlation between the structure and function of biologically important molecules and their relationship to cell processes.

Indicator 3.1.2 The student will be able to discuss factors involved in the regulation of chemical activity as part of a homeostatic mechanism.

Assessment Limits:

  • osmosis (predicting water flow across a membrane based on the cell’s environment; explain role in living systems)
  • temperature (effect upon enzyme activity and metabolic rate; effect upon rate of diffusion and states of matter)
  • pH (pH scale: relative values for acids and bases; effect on living systems: cellular, organismal)
  • enzyme regulation (effect of temperature, pH, and enzyme/substrate concentration on enzyme activity)

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item - Released in 2006

The table below lists enzymes that function in different locations in the human body, and the normal pH and temperature ranges of these locations.

Use your understanding of the structure and function of enzymes to

  • predict how the activity of pepsin will change after it moves from the stomach to the small intestine
  • explain your prediction using data from the table
  • describe how changes in pH and temperature affect enzyme activity
  • predict how a fever of 40°C would affect enzyme activity

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: 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 (pH…in the stomach it is 2.0 - 3.0, but in the intestine it is only 7.5 - 9.0; it is more basic; enzyme might not work, it may denature) and of the effect of a fever (slow them down, speed them up, or even denature them) are supported with adequate details (change in pH and temperature can affect if the enzyme works and even if it denatures). (Compare to this Level 2 anchor paper.)


Sample Student Response #2

image of student response

Score for Sample Student Response #2: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: 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 discussion of pepsin (activity level would greatly decrease; Because of the extreme difference in pH, pepsin would probably become denatured, which would change its shape; lose its active site; molecule wouldn't be able to bond) is complete. The student further describes the structure and function of enzymes (hydrogen bonds that give it its 3-D shape are very sensitive to pH and temperature; if the enzyme loses its active site, then it loses its ability to do anything, and its activity rate decreases greatly). The student continues with a discussion of how a fever might affect enzyme activity (two things might happen: The activity rate…would increase because 40° C is better than 37° C or they could become denatured, if their optimal temperature was lower than 40° C). The use of accurate scientific terminology (denatured; active site; hydrogen bonds) enhances the response.


Sample Student Response #3

image of student response

Score for Sample Student Response #3: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: 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 changes in temperature (must function in a small range of temperature; will undergo structural changes, where the binding site of the enzyme will be changed; substrate must correspond; an enzyme can be rendered disfunctional). The student also addresses changes in pH (all enzymes have an preferable pH range; speed and efficiency of the enzyme will decrease). The use of accurate scientific terminology (binding site; substrate) strengthens the response.


Sample Student Response #4

image of student response

Score for Sample Student Response #4: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: There is evidence in this response that the student has some understanding of the question. The student generally and briefly addresses the effect of a fever on enzyme activity (would be too hot for them; same with cold temperatures for enzymes…slows them down considerably) and changes in pH (it cannot be to acidic or unacidic). The supporting details are only minimally effective. (Compare to this Level 1 anchor paper.)


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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