Assessment Cover Sheet
Instrument Number 3
Term 2 2017
Student Name
Year Level
Year 9
Handout Date (Week Beginning)
SCI091A, SCI091B, SCI091C,
SCI091D, SCI091E, SCI091F,
SCI091G, SCI091H
BARNRO, ROBESH, STRAAM,
FOTHCA, GILLMU, SLEEED,
TURNGA, PALMMA
Class
Teacher
Interim Check Date
Rough Draft Date
Unit Number/Name
2. Ecosystems
Due Date
Task Title and Genre
Introduced Species Multi-Model Presentation.
Target Audience
Teacher
Syllabus Assessment
Technique
Multi-Model Presentation
Assessment Conditions
Summative
Details:
Seen and unseen elements
No
☒
Seen/Unseen
Materials handed
out prior to
assessment?
Time/Length
3 Weeks
Teacher Input
Assistance given in class
Individual/Group Work
Individual
Allowable Resources
Research materials
Yes
☐
Conditions
Criterion
Grade
1. Science Understanding
2. Science Inquiry Skills
Differentiation: If assessment conditions have been adjusted details are provided below
Acknowledgement of assessment responsibility
I understand the consequences of plagiarism/cheating and confirm this is my own work.
Student Signature: ..................................................................................
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Date: .....................................................
Maroochydore State High School
Standards Matrix for Year 9 Assignment – Guide to making judgments – Introduced Species
Purpose: To explore interactions between organisms and examine how introduced species impact on Australian ecosystems.
Science Understanding
Science Inquiry Skills
Biological Sciences
Communicating
Describes the relationships between organisms and the impact of introduced species
Communicates using scientific terminology
 Provided a clear and well supported explanation for the success of an introduced species using:
o Two clearly drawn and well explained tolerance curves
o A well described biotic relationship (or the absence of one)
 Comprehensively explained the effect of the introduced species on an Australian ecosystem:
o Include a diagram of an Australian food web , correctly labelled and use it to correctly explain the influence of
the introduced species
o Research provided accurate information on when, where, why the species was introduced,
Where it is found, population size and control measures.
 Uses correct and accurate scientific language and
representations in a sophisticated format.
Presented in person or with embedded video (A)
Part D
Presented in person or with embedded audio
Part C
 Listed and described at least one Structural, one Behavioural, and one Functional adaptation.
 Presents information using scientific and everyday
language in an appropriate format.
 Explained the 3 different types of adaptations.
 Comprehensively described the animal using the criteria outlined and included a diagram/picture of the animal.
o scientific name, appearance, size, habitat, food source, predators, reproduction, life span, unusual features  Uses everyday language.
 Correctly defined the term/s (invasive, introduced and pest species)
 Explain which of the terms (invasive, introduced and pest species) which matches their species.
Part A & B
A
B
C
D
E
Teacher comments/ suggestions for improvement: _______________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Introduction:
Since European settlement many species have been introduced into Australia. These introduced
species range from the large (eg camel) to the microscopic (eg myxoma virus). Many species
were introduced for a specific purpose while others were introduced by accident. It is evident today
that many of these introduced species have had a major impact on our native flora, fauna and
environment.
Task:
To present a case study of one species introduced to Australia. Completing your case study
involves 6 steps
 Choosing the species to do the case study.
 Task A
 Task B
 Task C
 Task D
 Presentation of the parts you have completed.
CHOOSING YOUR SPECIES
Choose one animal from the table below (If you know of another introduced species not listed, consult
with your teacher before researching it.).
Every person in the class must choose a different introduced species.
Mammals
Red Fox
Feral Donkey
Dromedary
Feral Pig
(Camel)
Feral Deer
Water Buffalo
Black Rat
Feral Goat
Brown Rat
Feral Cat
Ferret
Brumby
House mouse
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Fish
Carp
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Tilarpia
Mosquitofish
Birds
Common Mynah bird
Common Pigeon
Eurasian Blackbird
Eurasian Skylark
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
House Sparrow
Other
Common House Gecko
Western honey bees
European Wasps
Black-Striped Mussel
Asian Mussel
European Shore Crab
Northern Pacific Sea star
Fire Ants
Cane Toad
Your presentation may be in the form of a Power Point, a poster or a movie.
Your presentation does not need to be presented in person (if it is a power point or movie), but if it
is not, then your Power Point or movie must be narrated by you (preferably with a screen shot of
you talking in one corner of the presentation e.g. you can use Screencast-O-matic).
Task A – This task provides a description of your chosen species.
 Define each of the terms invasive species, introduced species and pest species.
 Decide which term/s (invasive, introduced and pest) matches your species and explain
why.
 State the correct scientific name and scientific class of the species.
 Describe the appearance, size, habitat, food source, predators, reproductive characteristics,
life span, and any additional and unusual features of your species. Include a clear picture
Task Descriptor B – This task explains the specific adaptations of your species.
 List the animal’s adaptations that help make it successful in Australia.
 Give an example from your list of each type of adaptation. (The three types of adaptation
are: structural, behavioural, and physiological.)
 Each of your three adaptations should be accompanied by a two or three sentence
explanation of how that adaptation provides an advantage for the animal in Australia.
Task Descriptor C - This section describes the effect of the species within Australia
Present information on:
1. When was the species introduced?
2. Where was the species originally from?
3. Where is the species found in Australia now (in your presentation include a map that shows
where it is found)?
4. Why was the species introduced into Australia?
5. What is a reasonable estimate of the population of the species in Australia?
6. What measures are currently being used to try to control the numbers of this species?
7. Include a diagram of an Australian food web which the introduced species has become
part of. Use this food web to answer the following question.
8. Does your species have a positive or negative effect on the Australian environment?
Provide evidence to support your opinion. The use of appropriate words to describe a food
web (such as trophic level, competitor, consumer, producer, etc.) is an important part of
your answer.
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Task D – This task provides a detailed explanation of why your species has become successful
within an Australian Environment
Introduction to the task (background information)
If an introduced species is to become established and successful in Australia, it generally does
one or possibly both of these methods:
 Spreads across (populates) a variety of different locations and ecosystems
 Becomes very numerous in one particular ecosystem
Both of these methods of being successful can be achieved in a number of different ways.
One way to explain why an introduced species has become successful is to explain how it
tolerates the abiotic factors found in its Australian ecosystem(s). The tolerance of a species to
abiotic factors can be explained using tolerance curves. This topic is covered in some detail at
the following three websites
o
o
o
http://rochels.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/7/6/10768381/chapter_2.7.pdf (page one & two)
https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/CAS-biodiversity/where-biodiversity-isfound/distribution-patterns/a/tolerance-ranges-of-species
https://prezi.com/djxzzep_p3aj/tolerance-curves/
Another way to explain how your introduced species has become successful is to explain what
beneficial biotic relationships it has formed in the ecosystem. This is usually a predator-prey
relationship (or sometimes the absence of one) or a competition relationship (or the absence of
one).
Questions for Task D
1. Which of the two methods (listed above in bulleted list) has your introduced species
utilised to be successful?
2. Explain why your introduced species has become successful in Australia by:
(a) Drawing tolerance curves for two abiotic factors in the ecosystem(s) of your
introduced species. Use these curves to explain why your introduced species has
been successful.
(b) Describing one or more biotic relationship (or their absence) formed by your
introduced species, and explain how this biotic relationship has aided the species in
being successful.
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