8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5
Content Guide & Five Items Resource Introduction The following information should be used as a companion to the CPI Links. It provides clarifications concerning the content and skills contained in the CPI Links. Remember that instruction should be much richer than assessment and that the examples contained herein do not represent the variety of instructional strategies and supports necessary for meaningful teaching and learning of academic content. The information and examples are intended to clarify the intentions of the CPI Links so that assessment activities aligned to the links––and thus to the state standards––can be developed or chosen appropriately for students who participate in the NJ APA. Remember that instructional activities designated as assessment evidence must test only the CPI Link, therefore the activity may be less “rich” than other activities. This enables the activity to be scored for the CPI Link skill(s) only, avoiding the inclusion of other skills which would result in an unscorable entry.
For each standard, you will find that this resource includes • • •
The Test Specifications followed by the corresponding CPIs and Links A Glossary of terms contained in the CPI Links Five Items examples that show what constitutes five items for certain links where that may not be clear.
How to Use This Resource 1) Review the “Steps to Developing an Entry” in Modules IV and V of the Fall Training. 2) Remember to make your decisions regarding which CPI Link you will use to assess your students based on the individual needs of your students. Just because a particular link may be best for one student does not mean it is best for another, especially given the diverse needs of the students who participate in the NJ APA. 3) Once you have selected a CPI Link, use the Glossary to look up the definitions of any/all content vocabulary terms contained in the language of the link. This will ensure your understanding of those terms is consistent with the understanding set forth by the NJ DOE for the NJ APA. 4) Every CPI Link has an asterisk at the end of the link statement as a reminder that there is an example of each link in the Five Items section to use as a guide/reference/model. Be sure to pay attention to the “Important Considerations for This Link” section of the examples as well as the green five items box. 2016-2017 NJ APA Content Guide & Five Items Resource
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5
8th Grade Science Test Specifications and Links for Standard 5.5 – Characteristics of Life (Portfolio Entry 1) The following are the required CPIs for Standard 5.5: Characteristics of Life. Both CPIs are from Strand B: Diversity and Biological Evolution. You must select a CPI Link from one of the CPIs to develop an entry for the APA portfolio. STRAND B: Diversity and Biological Evolution You MUST CHOOSE only one of the following CPIs:
REVISED
CPI 5.5.8B1 Compare and contrast kinds of organisms using their internal and external characteristics Essence of the CPI: Compare and contrast organisms using both internal and external characteristics Matched Link Near Link Far Link ♦ Using internal and external ♦ Classify various organisms ♦ Identify the internal and characteristics compare and into two or more kingdoms of external characteristics of contrast two animals from life using their internal and a given animal* different classes of the animal external characteristics* ♦ Identify the internal and kingdom* ♦ Determine the appropriate external characteristics of ♦ Using internal and external ecosystem for a given a given plant* characteristics compare and organism based on internal contrast two or more organisms and external characteristics* between two kingdoms* OR CPI 5.5.8B3 Recognize that individual organisms with certain traits are more likely to survive and have offspring Essence of the CPI: Understand the concept of natural selection in heredity Matched Link Near Link ♦ Explain how different organisms ♦ Identify inherited traits that use their unique adaptations to affect an organism’s ability to survive and how that affects their survive* chances of reproducing* ♦ Identify acquired traits that ♦ Identify and explain why inherited affect an organism’s ability to and acquired traits influence an survive* individual organism’s survival rates ♦ Given genetic characteristics of and identify which of those traits a living organism, complete a would be passed down to the next Punnett square and identify the generation* results*
Far Link ♦ Identify inherited traits* ♦ Identify acquired traits*
Please note: Always consult the Glossary section of this resource when working with any of these Links. Additionally, an asterisk at the end of a Link statement denotes there is an example for that specific Link in the Five Items section of this resource.
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Glossary
Glossary – 5.5 Acquired traits – characteristics that are learned by an organism during its lifetime (e.g., the ability to ride a bicycle) or that are otherwise acquired (e.g., a scar) Adaptation – the evolutionary process by which a species develops certain traits over time that helps the species survive in its habitat (e.g., camels have developed broad feet, which helps them walk on the soft sands of the deserts where they live) Amphibians – the class of animals that includes organisms that begin life in water with gills then develops lungs and live on land as adults; amphibians are vertebrates and cold-blooded; examples include frogs, toads, newts, salamanders Angiosperms – plants that have flowers and seeds enclosed by an ovary or fruit; examples include roses, apple trees, blueberry shrubs Arachnids – the class of animals that includes organisms that have a two-part body, are wingless, have eight appendages, no antennae, are carnivorous, and are invertebrates; examples include spiders, scorpions, ticks, daddy-longlegs Arthropods – broad class of invertebrates characterized by a segmented body, jointed limbs, and may have a shell/exoskeleton; examples include arachnids and insects Birds – the class of animals that is distinguished by organisms that have feathers, wings, and a beak; birds are warm-blooded, vertebrates, and lay eggs; examples include robins, eagles, ostriches, chickens Class of Animals – a way of grouping animals based on their similar characteristics; there are two main groupings of animals: vertebrates (animals with backbones), and invertebrates (animals without backbones); classes of vertebrates include mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians; classes of invertebrates include arthropods, which are arachnids and insects Compare – to examine (two or more objects, ideas, people, etc.) in order to note similarities Contrast – to compare in order to show differences; to note the opposite natures, purposes, etc. Ecosystem – all of the living (biotic) organisms in a particular area as well as the nonliving (abiotic) components of that same environment; examples include tropical rainforests, temperate forests, grasslands, rivers and streams External characteristics – include skin covering (e.g., scales, fur, feathers), wings, legs, ears, eyes, nose, claws, color, etc.; external characteristics do NOT include behaviors such as raising young, building nests, hibernating, etc. nor do they pertain to size or diet 2016-2017 NJ APA Content Guide & Five Items Resource
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Glossary Fish – the class of animals that includes organisms that live wholly in water, have gills and fins, are cold-blooded, and are limbless; examples include bass, tuna, salmon Gymnosperms – plants whose seeds are not protected by an ovary or fruit; examples include conifers, cycads Inherited Traits – in genetics, characteristics that can be passed onto offspring are called inherited traits (e.g., natural hair color, eye color, blood type) Insects – the class of invertebrates made up of organisms that have six legs and one or two pairs of wings; examples are flies, mosquitoes, ladybugs Internal characteristics – includes cold blooded vs. warm blooded, reproduction via live birth vs. reproduction by laying eggs, vertebrates vs. invertebrates, type of organs (gills vs. lungs, twochambered heart vs. four-chambered heart) Invertebrates – animals without a backbone Kingdom – the largest grouping in an organism classification Animals: members of this kingdom are multi-cellular, heterotrophic eukaryotes that digest food outside their cells and then absorb the digested nutrients; some examples of animal classes include mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, fish, birds, arachnids, insects Plants: members of this kingdom are multi-cellular, (mostly) autotrophic eukaryotes that (usually) conduct photosynthesis (e.g., elm tree, poison ivy, cacti) Fungi: multi-cellular, non-photosynthetic organisms that absorb food in solution directly through their cell walls; many reproduce through spores (e.g., mushrooms, mildews, molds, truffles, yeasts) Protozoa: composed of single-celled and multi-cellular eukaryotes without highly specialized tissues; protists include all microscopic organisms that are not bacteria, not animals, not plants, and not fungi (e.g., some types of algae) Archaebacteria: single-celled organisms that are found in extreme environments such as deep ocean thermal vents (very hot water), oxygen-free environments, or highly acidic environments Eubacteria: single-celled organisms that are found almost everywhere on Earth The term “Monera” or “Monerans” applies to both Archaebacteria and Eubacteria since both are comprised of single-celled (mono) organisms. The kingdom Monera was divided into Archaebacteria and Eubacteria to differentiate the two, but it is acceptable to use the term Monera/Monerans. 2016-2017 NJ APA Content Guide & Five Items Resource
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Glossary Mammals – the class of animals made up of organisms that have fur or hair, females that produce milk to feed their young, and that typically give live birth; they are warm-blooded and vertebrates; examples include humans, horses, dogs, lions Natural Selection – The theory of evolution by natural selection forms a central part of modern evolutionary theory. Typically there is a natural variation among individual organisms within a reproducing population. These variations are genetic variations that may be passed onto offspring. Examples of variations are (1) some individual organisms in a population may have thicker fur than others; (2) some individual organisms may be smaller than others; (3) some individual organisms may have longer legs than others. If the variation benefits the survival of that individual organism, that individual organism is more likely to survive and reproduce than are individual organisms who do not have the variation. Over time, more and more individual organisms in the population will have the variation. This is called adaptation of a species. Punnett square – a diagram used to show the probable outcomes of a cross/breeding experiment; a dominant allele (single form of a gene) is represented by a capital letter, and a recessive allele is represented by a lowercase letter; together, alleles are paired to form a genotype (e.g., AA and Aa both represent dominant genotypes whereas aa represents a recessive genotype) Example:
In this Punnett Square, the male genotype (aa), written vertically to the left of the square, shows that the male will produce gametes (sex cells) that express only the recessive trait. The female genotype (Aa), written horizontally above the square, shows that the female will produce gametes (sex cells) expressing both the dominant and recessive traits. Therefore, when completing the cross, offspring will have a 50/50 chance of showing the dominant or the recessive trait. Note that in Punnett squares, the dominant allele is always written first (i.e., Aa instead of aA). 2016-2017 NJ APA Content Guide & Five Items Resource
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Glossary Reptiles – the class of animals made up of organisms that have dry, scaly skin and typically lay soft-shelled eggs on land; they are cold-blooded and vertebrates; examples include snakes, lizards, crocodiles Species – organisms that are able to interbreed and produce fertile offspring Variation – natural genetic differences among individual organisms in a species Vertebrates – animals with a backbone
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples
Five Items Examples
The Five Items examples are samples of activities that may be used as models when choosing or developing activities for the APA. They include specific considerations and guidelines that if not followed could result in unscorable codes. However, they do not show the required markings for performance (+/-) or independence (I, V, G, M, P), nor do they include student names and collection dates. They are sample activities, not sample evidence. Evidence must include all of the requirements of the Universal Scoring Rules, which are explained in the training modules and the Procedures Manual.
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples
REVISED
CPI 5.5.8B1 Compare and contrast kinds of organisms using their internal and external characteristics
Essence of the CPI: Compare and contrast organisms using both internal and external characteristics
Matched Link, Bullet 1: “Using internal and external characteristics compare and contrast two animals from different classes of the animal kingdom*” Important Considerations for this Link: • This CPI Link is specific to both internal characteristics (e.g., cold blooded vs. warm blooded, internal organ types) and external characteristics (e.g., skin coverings, wings, legs) that represent why an animal is included in a specific class versus another. Also note that internal and external characteristics are specific to physical characteristics. Type of birth (i.e., live versus lays eggs) is a physical characteristic. • Color, size, habitat, and behavior are irrelevant characteristics for this link and therefore must not be used. • Any two animals can be used as long as they are from different classes (i.e., a bee vs. a bear, a lion vs. a salmon, a frog vs. a shark, etc.). Directions to the student: In the Animal Kingdom, a bear is a member of the Mammal Class, and the alligator is a member of the Reptile Class. Use the provided word bank of internal and external characteristics to compare and contrast these two animals.
Bear Characteristics
Characteristics similar to both
Alligator Characteristics
Warm-blooded
Backbone
Cold-blooded
Fur
Breathe air with lungs
Large bumpy scales
Give birth to fully formed young
Four legs/feet
Lay eggs
Short tail
Two eyes
Long tail
Produce milk to feed to young
Heart
No milk glands
This example constitutes fifteen items.
Each characteristic identified is an item. In this case, the student identified five characteristics of the bear, five characteristics of the alligator, and five shared characteristics for a total of fifteen items. Across the items, both internal and external characteristics were identified.
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REVISED
8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples
CPI 5.5.8B1 Compare and contrast kinds of organisms using their internal and external characteristics
Essence of the CPI: Compare and contrast organisms using both internal and external characteristics
Matched Link, Bullet 2: “Using internal and external characteristics compare and contrast two or more organisms between two kingdoms*” Important Considerations for this Link: •
• •
This CPI Link is specific to both internal characteristics (e.g., types/amount of cells, internal structure, method of reproduction) and external characteristics (e.g., coverings, parts) that represent why an organism is included in a specific kingdom versus another. Also note that internal and external characteristics are specific to physical characteristics. Reproduction (live birth, lays eggs, reproduction by spores, reproduction by seeds, asexual reproduction) is a physical characteristic. Color, size, habitat, and behavior are irrelevant characteristics for this link and therefore must not be used. Any two (or more) kingdoms can be compared and contrasted (i.e., animals vs. plants; animals vs. plants vs. fungi; fungi vs. protozoa, etc.).
Directions to the student: Place the provided labels in the correct columns to compare and contrast a mushroom and a berry bush.
This example constitutes six items. Each characteristic identified is an item. In this case, the student identified two characteristics of the mushroom, two characteristics of the berry bush, and two shared characteristics for a total of six items. Across the items, both internal and external characteristics were identified. 2016-2017 NJ APA Content Guide & Five Items Resource
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REVISED
8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples
CPI 5.5.8B1 Compare and contrast kinds of organisms using their internal and external characteristics Essence of the CPI: Compare and contrast organisms using both internal and external characteristics
Near Link, Bullet 1: “Classify various organisms into two or more kingdoms of life using their internal and external characteristics*” Important Considerations for this Link: •
• • •
•
This CPI Link is specific to both internal characteristics (e.g., cold blooded vs. warm blooded, organ types, internal structures) and external characteristics (e.g., scales, fur, feathers, wings, stems, leaves) that represent why an organism is included in a specific kingdom versus another. Also note that internal and external characteristics are specific to physical characteristics. Reproduction (live birth, lays eggs, reproduction by spores, reproduction by seeds, asexual reproduction) is a physical characteristic. Across the five items, there must be evidence that both internal and external characteristics were considered. Color, size, habitat, and behavior are irrelevant characteristics for this link and therefore must not be used. This link has only one skill: classify. However, the classification must be based on internal/external characteristics, and activities assessing this link must make that clear. In the example below, the student was asked to first identify an organism as belonging to the animal kingdom or to the plant kingdom then to identify the trait he used to base that decision. This was done to prevent the link from being reduced to just: Is it a plant or is it an animal? Any two kingdoms may be used; this link is not exclusive to animals and plants.
This example constitutes five items.
Classifying an organism and then identifying its distinguishing characteristic counts as one item. 2016-2017 NJ APA Content Guide & Five Items Resource
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REVISED
8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples
CPI 5.5.8B1 Compare and contrast kinds of organisms using their internal and external characteristics Essence of the CPI: Compare and contrast organisms using both internal and external characteristics
Near Link, Bullet 2: “Determine the appropriate ecosystem for a given organism based on internal and external characteristics*” Important Considerations for this Link: • This CPI Link is specific to both internal characteristics (e.g., cold blooded vs. warm blooded, organ types, internal structures) and external characteristics (e.g., color, scales, fur, feathers, wings, stems, leaves). Note that internal and external characteristics are specific to physical characteristics. • Color is an acceptable external characteristic when considering appropriate ecosystems. Directions to the student: I am going to read some descriptions of various organisms. I will describe each organism’s internal and external characteristics. I want you to decide the appropriate ecosystem for each organism based on its description. Paste your answers on the organism.
This example constitutes five items. The student was provided five descriptions of specific organisms and identified the appropriate ecosystem for each based on the descriptions. The descriptions included information about the organisms’ internal and external characteristics.
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REVISED
8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples
CPI: 5.5.8B1 Compare and contrast kinds of organisms using their internal and external characteristics Essence of the CPI: Compare and contrast organisms using both internal and external characteristics
Far Link, Bullet 1: “Identify the internal and external characteristics of a given animal*” Important Considerations for this Link:
•
• • • •
•
This CPI Link is specific to both internal characteristics (e.g., cold blooded vs. warm blooded, internal organ types) and external characteristics (e.g., skin coverings, wings, legs). This link intends for the student to identify specific characteristics that distinguish that animal as a member of the animal kingdom. Note that internal and external characteristics are specific to physical characteristics. Type of birth (i.e., live versus lays eggs) is a physical characteristic. Color, size, habitat, and behavior are irrelevant characteristics for this link and therefore must not be used. The given animal can be from any class: mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds, etc. It is acceptable if the given animal for the first activity is from a different class than the given animal for the final activity. Across the five items, both internal and external characteristics must be included. Notice that this example was set up so that there were five correct answers and five incorrect answers (distractors). This was done so that there is a balance between correct answer choices and distractors to prevent artificially inflating or deflating the student’s score in the event the student chose to select all answer choices. Notice that the distractors (i.e., the unused answer choices) are plausible yet incorrect.
Directions to the student: Click and drag the 5 characteristics of the kangaroo next to its picture.
This example constitutes five items.
The student selected the five characteristics of the given animal by dragging the correct answer choices next to the picture of the kangaroo.
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REVISED
8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples
CPI: 5.5.8B1 Compare and contrast kinds of organisms using their internal and external characteristics Essence of the CPI: Compare and contrast organisms using both internal and external characteristics
Far Link, Bullet 2: “Identify the internal and external characteristics of a given plant*” Important Considerations for this Link: •
• • • •
This CPI Link is specific to both internal characteristics (e.g., internal structure, method of reproduction) and external characteristics (e.g., parts). This link intends for the student to identify specific characteristics that distinguish that plant as a member of the plant kingdom. Note that internal and external characteristics are specific to physical characteristics. Reproduction (i.e., by seeds or by spores) is a physical characteristic. Color, size, type/name are irrelevant characteristics for this link and therefore must not be used. The given plant can be from any class. It is acceptable if the given plant for the first activity is from a different class than the given plant for the final activity. Across the five items, both internal and external characteristics must be included. Notice that the distractors are plausible yet incorrect.
This example constitutes five items. The student circled the five answer choices that are characteristics of the apple tree by circling the correct answer given a choice of two. 2016-2017 NJ APA Content Guide & Five Items Resource
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples CPI: 5.5.8B3 Recognize that individual organisms with certain traits are more likely to survive and have offspring Essence of the CPI: Understand the concept of natural selection in heredity
Matched Link, Bullet 1: “Explain how different organisms use their unique adaptations to survive and how that affects their chances of reproducing*” Important Considerations for this Link: • • • •
Each activity for this link must address the adaptations of more than one organism. Any living organism may be used; this link is not exclusive to animals. “Explanations” may be addressed across multiple questions, as was done in the example below. The example below was intended to show how this link can be made accessible for a student who cannot graphically write or verbally explain. The student used her communication system to select picture symbols to express her answers, which the teacher scribed and interpreted so that the student’s work can be reviewed.
Directions to the student: Answer each question using your communication system. (Teacher will place the student’s answers on the page and interpret/scribe the student’s responses.)
This example constitutes six items.
Across the six items, the student both explained how two different organisms’ unique adaptations help them to survive as well as how those adaptations affect the organisms’ chances of reproducing.
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples CPI 5.5.8B3 Recognize that individual organisms with certain traits are more likely to survive and have offspring Essence of the CPI: Understand the concept of natural selection in heredity
Matched Link, Bullet 2: “Identify and explain why inherited and acquired traits influence an individual organism’s survival rates and identify which of those traits would be passed down to the next generation*” Important Considerations for this Link: • • •
In this link, there are three skills: 1) identify inherited and acquired traits, 2) explain why they influence an individual organism’s survival rates, and 3) identify which traits would be passed down to the next generation. Inherited traits that contribute to the survival of the organism are required for this Link. In the example below, the student was directed to choose an organism. That was done so that the proceeding questions would be specific to that particular organism. However, choosing the organism is not an item. It would not be graded as correct/incorrect nor would it include a marking for independence. Its purpose is only to provide a context for the questions.
Directions to the student: Choose an organism and answer the following questions.
This example constitutes five items. The student identified an inherited trait and an acquired trait, explained why they influence the organism’s survival rate, and identified which traits would be passed to the next generation.
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples CPI 5.5.8B3 Recognize that individual organisms with certain traits are more likely to survive and have offspring Essence of the CPI: Understand the concept of natural selection in heredity
Near Link, Bullet 1: “Identify inherited traits that affect an organism’s ability to survive*” Important Considerations for this Link: • • •
It is acceptable to identify five (or more) inherited traits of one organism. It is also acceptable to identify one (or more) traits of multiple organisms. Inherited traits that contribute to the survival of the organism are required for this Link. The student was directed to use the bank at the bottom of the page to cut out the traits that help a duck survive in the wetlands and paste them in the box. As such, the remaining traits in the answer bank are the ones the student did not select—the distractors. Six distractors were provided so that there is a balance of correct and incorrect answer choices.
Directions to the student: Using the answer bank at the bottom of the page, cut out the traits that help a duck survive in the wetlands and past them in the box.
This example constitutes six items. The student identified six inherited traits that affect the duck’s ability to survive.
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples CPI: 5.5.8B3 Recognize that individual organisms with certain traits are more likely to survive and have offspring Essence of the CPI: Understand the concept of natural selection in heredity
Near Link, Bullet 2: “Identify acquired traits that affect an organism’s ability to survive*” Important Considerations for this Link: • • •
This link is not exclusive to animals: any living organism may be used. One or more organisms may be addressed across the five items. Acquired traits that contribute to the survival of the organism are required for this Link.
This example constitutes five items. The student answered five questions exclusive to acquired traits that would affect the organism’s ability to survive.
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples CPI 5.5.8B3 Recognize that individual organisms with certain traits are more likely to survive and have offspring Essence of the CPI: Understand the concept of natural selection in heredity
Near Link, Bullet 3: “Given genetic characteristics of a living organism, complete a Punnett square and identify the results*” Important Considerations for this Link: •
When working with Punnett squares, the dominant allele is always written first (e.g., Hh instead of hH).
Directions to the student: This Punnett square represents the cross between two tall pea plants. The male genotype is (Hh) and the female genotype is (Hh). Use the labels provided to complete the square to show the possibilities for the height of the offspring of these two pea plants. Then circle the result of each cross to indicate the traits that would be shown by the offspring.
This example constitutes eight items.
The student completed each of the four sections of the Punnett square (four items) and then identified the trait that would be shown by the offspring of each cross (four items) for a total of eight items.
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples CPI 5.5.8B3 Recognize that individual organisms with certain traits are more likely to survive and have offspring Essence of the CPI: Understand the concept of natural selection in heredity
Far Link, Bullet 1: “Identify inherited traits*” Important Considerations for this Link: • •
The traits do not have to be limited to human traits. In the example below, the student was presented with five correct answer choices as well as five distractors. This was done so that there is a balance between correct answer choices and distractors to prevent artificially inflating or deflating the student’s score in the event the student chooses to daub everything on the page or cross out everything on the page. While the example constitutes only five items (the five inherited traits), it is acceptable to grade an activity such as this as ten student responses (grading both the inherited traits and the distractors).
Directions to the student: Use your Bingo dauber to mark the five inherited traits in the list below. Cross out the other items.
This example constitutes five items. The student identified five inherited traits by daubing them.
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8th Grade Science, Standard 5.5 Five Items Examples CPI: 5.5.8B3 Recognize that individual organisms with certain traits are more likely to survive and have offspring Essence of the CPI: Understand the concept of natural selection in heredity
Far Link, Bullet 2: “Identify acquired traits*” Important Considerations for this Link:
• •
This link is not exclusive to acquired traits of animals: acquired traits of any living organism may be used. This link is not asking the student to distinguish between inherited and acquired traits, but inherited traits may be used as distractors as long as the student is not asked to identify those traits as inherited.
Directions to the student: For each set, put a checkmark by the trait that is acquired.
This example constitutes five items. The student checked the five examples of acquired traits.
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