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 shows some understanding of the question. Although the process is not specifically identified, the student minimally describes the process of osmosis (diffusion; water enter the membranes of cells) and how the raisins become larger (water to enter its cells; caused the raisons to enlarge). The attempt to explain the role in living systems is vague (our cells need water to survive; only way our cells can get this much needed water). Supporting details are minimally effective throughout the response.

Score for Anchor Paper #2: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response demonstrates some understanding of the question. Although the process is not specifically named (diffussion), the student does describe how the raisins become larger (water in the contained diffused through the raisins semi-permeable membrane). The student shows some understanding of equilibrium (Some of the water stayed in the raisin and did not return to the rest of the water), and some scientific terminology is present (semi-permeable membrane). The role of osmosis in living systems is addressed, but supporting details are vague (it is constantly going on in your cells; without diffusion alot of things that go on in our bodies would not occur as well as they are supposed to). Supporting details remain minimally effective.

Score for Anchor Paper #3: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows a basic understanding of the question. The process is correctly named and briefly described (osmosis; diffusion of water). The student provides adequate supporting details by describing how the raisins become larger (the concentration of water inside the rasin was lower than the concentration of water outside; transfered some of the water into the raisin to make the concentrations equal). The role of osmosis is addressed, also providing some terminology (The process will always try to reach equilibrium).

Score for Anchor Paper #4: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows a basic understanding of the question. The student names and partially describes the process (osmosis; diffusion of water). In the description of how the raisins become larger adequate supporting details are provided (raisins had less water molecules in it than the water surrounding it; water diffused into the raisins; reach dynamic equilibrium; to make the raisin and water have the same amount of water molecules), but the explanation for the role of osmosis in living systems (it is used in cells to maintain an equal amount of water) is general. Some scientific terminology is present (dynamic equilibrium), but additional supporting details are needed to achieve a higher score.

Score for Anchor Paper #5: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows a good understanding of the question. The process is named and generally described (osmosis; water moves into a region with less water; to balance out the two regions). Synthesis (so water in the container diffused into the cells; causing the cells to swell, and the raisins to get larger) is shown in the student's description of how the raisins become larger. The response to the third part of the question (cells receive their nutrients; Nutrients and water diffuse through the cell membrane) is specific to living systems at the cellular level and shows synthesis (which keeps the cells alive + hydrated).

Score for Anchor Paper #6: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows a good understanding of the question. The process is named and described (osmosis; diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane, from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration; a specific form of diffusion). The student provides a description of how raisins become larger (higher concentration of water outside the raisins; water outside the raisins actually transported itself through the raisin cells membranes because they are semi-permeable) but fails to recognize that osmosis is a continuous process (once amounts of water inside the raisin cells were the same as those outside the process stopped). When explaining the role of osmosis in living systems, the student provides a specific example (in our circulatory system our heart pumps concentrations of blood to each capillary and once there into each cell through the diffusion of that blood) and understands the concept of equilibrium (provides our bodies with a way to balance concentrations of things inside our bodies). The presence of accurate scientific terminology (semi-permeable membrane; transported; balance concentrations; capillary) strengthens the response.

Score for Anchor Paper #7: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response demonstrates a full and complete understanding of the question. The process is named and described (osmosis; diffusion of water from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration). Synthesis is shown in the student's description of how the raisins become larger (because raisins are dehydrated grapes; cells in the grapes did not have a large amount of water; so the water in the outside environment moved into the grape cells, restoring some of their shape). Pertinent and complete supporting details show an integration of ideas throughout the response, particularly in the explanation of the role of osmosis in living systems (homeostasis; helps cells maintain equilibrium in their environment; When water diffuses across a cell membrane, it can also transport other important substances such as sodium, glucose…important for cell function and energy; If materials could not diffuse, cells would not survive because they could not take in or excrete).

Score for Anchor Paper #8: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response demonstrates a full and complete understanding of the question. An integration of ideas and scientific terminology (solutes; concentration gradient; isotonic solution) are present throughout the response as the student provides full and complete supporting details to each part of the question. The student identifies and describes the process (osmosis; passive transport; down the concentration gradient) and provides a complete description of how the raisins become larger (higher concentration of solutes inside the raisins…which was a hypotonic solution; the water moved into the raisins). The concept of equilibrium is integrated (until the water concentration was equal in both; osmosis maintains constant internal conditions; in an isotonic solution water will not enter or leave it) throughout the response, and the student correctly addresses the role of osmosis in living systems (diffusion helps cells obtain nutrients; sugars can enter cells for the purpose of cellular respiration).

Additional Scored Student Responses