Subject Area: VCE Biology
Author: Michelle Ryan, Sarah Forbes, Sophia Griffiths, Arjan Singh
SAC 1: Investigation into the action of Enzymes
- This assessment task will constitute a SAC. Students will be required to design, conduct and report on a practical investigation into the action of Enzymes to demonstrate achievement of of Unit 1, Area of Study 1, Outcome 1: Cells in action, “general role of enzymes in biochemical activities of cells” (VCAA, 2012). This task will also assess key skills covered in Unit 1-4; to Investigate and inquire scientifically, apply biological understandings and communicate biological information and understandings (VCAA, 2012). The students will be given a single period to design the investigation in groups, followed by a double period to conduct the investigation in their groups. The students will then have a single period to write their reports individually. To ensure authentication of work, the students’ work will be collected by the teacher at the end of each lesson and returned to the students at the beginning of the next lesson.
Curriculum Links
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Procedural Properties of Assessment
| Purpose | To test key knowledge and skills against Unit 1, Area of Study 1, Outcome 1: Cells in Action. |
| Administer | Planning and prac in groups, individual write up. 1x single to plan, 1 x double to conduct prac, 1 x single to write up. |
| Record | Template for group experiment and data records, individual report. Cannot be taken out of classroom to ensure authenticity. |
| Interpret | Summative, marks, contributes to VCAA. |
| Use | Report for parents, VCAA, inform teacher of student capabilities (prac skills, ability to plan experiment, write prac reports) to inform future teaching. |
Basic Construct
| Low | Students at this level will have partially completed their planning template. They will participate in the experiment, collect data and complete a scientific report that uses the correct headings. |
| Medium | Students at this level produce a testable aim and hypothesis and collect useable data. |
| High | Students at this level produce a clear methodology, demonstrate a high level of professionalism during group work and write up and demonstrate a strong understanding of the task. |
Construct informed by Dreyfus’s taxonomy.
Rubrics
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Targeted teaching plan for one ZPD grouping:
Learning intentions:
- Proposes testable aim & hypothesis
- Collaborates effectively in group task
- Addresses aim in collecting data
- Interprets results
- Follow-up-task based on student’s ZPD is designed to address above learning intentions
- The task will comprise data/results from a report, and the student will interpret the results
- The student will then form a testable aim and hypothesis based on their understanding of the results
- Students within the ZPD group will then compare and discuss their respective results with other group members.
Evidence of success:
- Marking of follow-up-assessment will be based on existing rubrics for planning, experiment (collaboration), and scientific report writing skills.
- Teacher will determine successful data interpretation based on collaborative discussion between students
- A testable aim and hypothesis is observed based on written evidence in the task.
Classroom organisation:
- Students will initially work individually on interpreting their given set of experimental data.
- Students within the same ZPD grouping will then discuss their respective interpretation of their results with peers.
- Students will then complete the task individually by stating their aim and hypothesis based on their gathered understanding of the data.
reliable rubrics 