Released Items from the ATLAST Flow of Matter and Energy Teacher
Assessment
Horizon Research, Inc. (HRI) developed the ATLAST Flow of Matter and Energy Teacher
Assessment as part of a larger study. The project—Assessing Teacher Learning About Science
Teaching (ATLAST)—was funded by the National Science Foundation under Grant no. EHR0335328. Information about the ATLAST project is available at HRI’s ATLAST website:
http://www.horizon-research.com/atlast.
This document contains the flow of matter and energy teacher items that were developed during
the process of creating the ATLAST Flow of Matter & Energy Teacher Assessment, but were
not chosen to be on the final assessment. The items were developed through a months-long
iterative process that included cognitive interviews with middle grades science teachers, review
by a panel of three content experts (individuals with a Ph.D. in biology), and field testing with a
large sample of science teachers. To learn more about the item development process, please see
the ATLAST Flow of Matter & Energy Teacher Assessment User Manual, which can be found
at the ATLAST website.
Content Assessed by the Items
All of the items measure understanding of the idea that
Food provides molecules that serve as fuel and building materials for all organisms. Plants use the energy
in light to make sugars out of carbon dioxide and water. This food [sugars] can be used immediately for
fuel or materials, or it may be stored for later use. Organisms that eat plants break down the plant
structures to produce the materials and energy they need to survive. Then they are consumed by other
organisms. (American Association for the Advancement of Science/Project 2061, 1993).
In addition, the content domain was specified by “unpacking” this idea into 11 “sub-ideas,”
which are shown in Table 1. Each of the released assessment items included addresses one or
two specific sub-ideas.
Content Levels of Items
In addition to each item addressing specific sub-idea(s) in the domain of flow of matter and
energy, each item addresses the sub-idea(s) at one of three content levels:
1. knowledge of science content (Level 1 items);
2. using content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking (Level 2 items); and
3. using content knowledge to make instructional decisions (Level 3 items).
All of the items assess knowledge of science content, but “Level 1” items are the most basic type
of question; they attempt to isolate disciplinary content knowledge from a teacher’s ability to
apply the knowledge in making instructional decisions.
“Level 2” items require teachers to apply their content knowledge in analyzing or diagnosing a
sample of student thinking. In these items, more than one of the answer choices includes a
correct physics statement. Therefore, a teacher must understand the science content in order to
answer Level 2 items correctly, but s/he must also determine which answer choice is relevant to
the thinking expressed by the student.
“Level 3” items ask teachers to apply their content knowledge in choosing among instructional
moves. Teachers must evaluate the physical scenario, the student’s thinking in relation to the
physical scenario, and then evaluate each instructional choice. As with Level 2 items, more than
one answer choice has a correct physics statement, but only one has a correct physics statement
and is relevant to the instructional context.
Table 1
Flow of Matter and Energy Content Domain
Idea: Food provides molecules that serve as fuel and building materials for all organisms. Plants use
the energy in light to make sugars out of carbon dioxide and water. This food [sugars] can be
used immediately for fuel or materials, or it may be stored for later use. Organisms that eat
plants break down the plant structures to produce the materials and energy they need to survive.
Then they are consumed by other organisms.
Sub-ideas:
A. Food serves as both fuel (energy source) and building materials for an organism. Sugars are
an example of food for both plants and animals, but water, carbon dioxide, and oxygen are
not.
B. Using light energy, plants make their own food - in the form of sugars - from carbon dioxide
(in the air) and water. Nothing else is required for this process. Oxygen is released as a
result.
C. Plants transform light energy into chemical energy in sugars made by the plants.*
D. Humans and other animals acquire food by consuming plants or other animals that have
consumed plants. Animals break down this food into simpler substances (including
sugars).**
E. Organisms (including both plants and animals) grow by breaking down food (including
sugars made by plants and sugars ingested by animals) into simpler substances which they
reassemble into other substances that become part of new or replacement body structures.
F. Organisms (including both plants and animals) break down energy-rich food (such as sugars),
using oxygen, into simpler substances with less energy (such as carbon dioxide and water),
releasing energy in the process. This process does not require light. Some of this energy
from food is used for growth and other body functions, and some is released as heat.
G. If not used immediately as fuel or building material, food can be stored for later use by plants
and animals. In animals, but not in plants, food can also be eliminated from the body as
waste.
H. Respiration is the continual process by which an organism uses oxygen and sugars to release
energy:
6O2 + C6H12O6  6H2O + 6CO2 + energy
I. Photosynthesis is the process by which a plant uses the energy from light to make sugars
from carbon dioxide and water: Light energy + 6H2O + 6CO2  6O2 + C6H12O6
Note: The oxygen that is released comes from the water, not the CO2. Energy comes
from light, not heat of the Sun.
J. Some energy is lost to the system as heat between each trophic level, so only a portion of the
energy is passed from one trophic level to the next. This continuous loss of energy to the
system as heat means that an outside source of energy (usually the Sun) is required to
maintain the flow of energy in ecosystems.
K. Decomposers transform dead organisms into simpler substances that can be used by plants
and other organisms. This release of nutrients back into the environment is necessary to
complete the cycle of matter.
* This sub-idea assumes that energy ideas (particularly that energy cannot be created or destroyed) are
prerequisite.
** This sub-idea is integral to the benchmark, but is covered in grades 3-5 and is not assessed.
Field Test Response Data
All of the items include the p-values (proportion answering correctly) and distribution of
responses from a field test of the items. A pool of 60 flow of matter and energy teacher items,
including all of the items in this document, was distributed over three forms for the field test,
with 15 items common to each form. Just over 500 science teachers across the nation responded
to each form. Each field test group included roughly one-fifth high school biology teachers to
ensure an adequate distribution of levels of teacher knowledge in the sample. The remaining
respondents were middle grades science teachers.
Item ID: FE-RE01
Key: C
P-value: 0.97
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
2%
1%
97%
1%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
A: Food serves as both fuel (energy source) and building materials for an organism. Sugars are an example of
food for both plants and animals, but water, carbon dioxide, and oxygen are not.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
A teacher is trying to create answer choices for the following multiple choice question:
“In which of the following ways do both plants and animals use food?”
Which one of the following is the correct answer?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Both plants and animals use food for growth but not energy.
Both plants and animals use food for energy but not growth.
Both plants and animals use food for growth and energy.
There are no similarities in the ways that plants and animals use food.
Item ID: FE-RE02
Key: D
P-value: 0.63
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
1%
2%
34%
63%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
A: Food serves as both fuel (energy source) and building materials for an organism. Sugars are an example of
food for both plants and animals, but water, carbon dioxide, and oxygen are not.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
A teacher asks her students, “Is apple juice food?”
Hillary: Apple juice can’t be food because it’s a liquid.
Brandon: Of course apple juice is food, because anything that enters your
digestive system is food.
Sydney: I agree with Brandon that apple juice is food, but it’s because apple
juice has chemical energy.
Rosa:
I think apple juice is food because it gives me energy and matter for
growth.
Which one of the students is most correct?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Hillary
Brandon
Sydney
Rosa
Item ID: FE-RE03
Key: A
P-value: 0.46
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
46%
2%
43%
10%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
A: Food serves as both fuel (energy source) and building materials for an organism. Sugars are an example of
food for both plants and animals, but water, carbon dioxide, and oxygen are not.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
During a unit on plants, a student comments,
“Carbon dioxide and water are food for plants, because without them the plants
would die.”
What, if anything, is wrong about this student’s statement?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Carbon dioxide and water are not food for plants.
Carbon dioxide is not necessary for plants.
Light is also necessary for plants.
Nothing. The student’s statement is correct.
Item ID: FE-RE04
Key: D
P-value: 0.69
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
6%
2%
23%
69%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
A: Food serves as both fuel (energy source) and building materials for an organism. Sugars are an example of
food for both plants and animals, but water, carbon dioxide, and oxygen are not.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
In a class discussion of food, a teacher asks why plants and animals need food. One student says,
“Plants and animals need food for growth and energy.”
Which one of the following is the best assessment of this student’s understanding of why plants and
animals need food?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The student does not understand that plants and animals break down food to release energy
using oxygen.
The student does not understand that sugars are food for plants and animals.
The student does not understand that plants, using light energy from the Sun, make their own
food.
The student seems to have a correct understanding of why plants and animals need food.
Item ID: FE-RE05
Key: D
P-value: 0.83
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
7%
5%
4%
83%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
A: Food serves as both fuel (energy source) and building materials for an organism. Sugars are an example of
food for both plants and animals, but water, carbon dioxide, and oxygen are not.
Content Level: 3 – Using content knowledge to make instructional decisions
After a discussion about what is and is not food, a teacher asks her students to give examples of
food. One student says that water is food.
Which one of the following questions should the teacher ask next to probe the student’s
understanding about food?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“Is water necessary for life?”
“Is water food for both plants and animals?”
“Can food be a liquid?”
“Does water provide energy?”
Item ID: FE-RE06
Key: B
P-value: 0.72
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
3%
72%
2%
22%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
B: Using light energy, plants make their own food - in the form of sugars - from carbon dioxide (in the air) and
water. Nothing else is required for this process. Oxygen is released as a result.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
During a discussion on plant growth, a student asks about the expression “April showers bring May
flowers.” She wants to know why it is that plants seem to grow more after a rain storm than they
do when the weather is dry. What would be the best answer to this student’s question?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“Because water gives energy to the plants for growth”
“Because plants use water to make food for growth”
“Because plants turn the water into new plant parts”
“Because plants need water to bring food in from the soil”
Item ID: FE-RE07
Key: B
P-value: 0.90
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
5%
90%
2%
2%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
B: Using light energy, plants make their own food - in the form of sugars - from carbon dioxide (in the air) and
water. Nothing else is required for this process. Oxygen is released as a result.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
At the beginning of a unit on plant growth and development, the teacher asks students what they
already know about food for plants. Which one of the following student statements about food for
plants is correct?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“Plants get their food through their roots.”
“Plants use light energy to make their food.”
“Carbon dioxide is food for plants.”
“Sunlight is food for plants.”
Item ID: FE-RE08
Key: C
P-value: 0.37
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
30%
12%
37%
21%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
B: Using light energy, plants make their own food - in the form of sugars - from carbon dioxide (in the air) and
water. Nothing else is required for this process. Oxygen is released as a result.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
During a lesson on photosynthesis, a student states,
“Plants make food out of sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water.”
Which one of the following would be the best question for the teacher to ask this student to further
assess her understanding of photosynthesis?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“What do we call the food that plants make?”
“Where does the carbon dioxide come from?”
“Which one of those three things does not actually become a part of the food?”
“What else do plants need to make food?”
Item ID: FE-RE09
Key: A
P-value: 0.42
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
42%
3%
4%
51%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
B: Using light energy, plants make their own food - in the form of sugars - from carbon dioxide (in the air) and
water. Nothing else is required for this process. Oxygen is released as a result.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
During a lesson on photosynthesis, a student makes the following statement:
“Food for plants contains sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water.”
Which one of the following is the best assessment of the student’s statement?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The student’s statement is wrong because sunlight is not an ingredient in food for plants.
The student’s statement is wrong because carbon dioxide is not an ingredient in food for
plants.
The student’s statement is wrong because water is not an ingredient in food for plants.
The student’s statement is accurate.
Item ID: FE-RE10
Key: B
P-value: 0.36
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
19%
36%
36%
9%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
B: Using light energy, plants make their own food - in the form of sugars - from carbon dioxide (in the air) and
water. Nothing else is required for this process. Oxygen is released as a result.
Content Level: 3 – Using content knowledge to make instructional decisions
During a lesson on plants, most students agree with the following statement:
“Plants need only water and sunlight to grow.”
In order to move students forward in their thinking about photosynthesis, the teacher decides to
conduct an experiment with two plants. She places one plant in a pot of soil on the windowsill, and
gives it water every day. Which one of the following set-ups should she use for the second plant?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Place the plant in a pot of soil in a dark closet, but continue to water it.
Place the plant in a pot of soil on the windowsill under an airtight glass dome with plenty of
water.
Place the plant in a glass of water with no soil on the windowsill.
Place the plant in a pot of soil on the windowsill, but give it no water.
Item ID: FE-RE11
Key: D
P-value: 0.86
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
1%
9%
5%
86%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
C: Plants transform light energy into chemical energy in sugars made by the plants.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
In a unit on plant growth, the teacher sets up an experiment to study the growth of plants in dark
and light. The students observe that plants grow greener and fuller in the light. Which one of the
following student comments represents a correct understanding of the process of plant growth?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“Plants transform light energy into heat energy; the heat energy keeps plants warm as they
grow.”
“Plants transform light energy directly into sugars; the sugars help plants grow.”
“Plants need light energy to absorb food through their roots; the food helps plants grow.”
“Plants transform light energy into chemical energy in sugars; the chemical energy is used for
growth.”
Item ID: FE-RE12
Key: A
P-value: 0.64
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
64%
27%
2%
7%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
C: Plants transform light energy into chemical energy in sugars made by the plants.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
In a unit on the flow of matter and energy in living systems, students were asked to describe what
happens to the light energy from the Sun that plants absorb. Which one of the following student
answers is correct?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Some of the energy is changed into chemical energy.
Some of the energy is changed into sugars.
All of the energy is changed into heat when sugars are made.
All of the energy is used up while making sugars.
Item ID: FE-RE13
Key: B
P-value: 0.54
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
9%
54%
25%
12%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
C: Plants transform light energy into chemical energy in sugars made by the plants.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
A teacher asks students what happens to light energy when the Sun shines on plants. A discussion
follows.
Bob:
Nothing happens to the light. Although plants need light to grow,
they don’t change it. It’s like when you’re reading a book, and you
need the light to help you read, but the light isn’t changed at all.
Kendra: I disagree with Bob. Plants turn the energy from sunlight into energy
that they can use to grow.
Jamie: No, the sunlight is turned into sugars that plants use as food to
grow.
Which student has a correct understanding of plants’ use of sunlight?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Bob
Kendra
Jamie
None of the students has a correct understanding.
Item ID: FE-RE14
Key: B
P-value: 0.46
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
12%
46%
39%
3%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
C: Plants transform light energy into chemical energy in sugars made by the plants.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
In a lesson on plant growth, a teacher is discussing plants’ use of light energy from the Sun. During
the discussion, one student says,
“Plants need the light to grow, but they don’t change the light at all. It’s like
when you’re reading a book, and you need the light to help you read.”
Which one of the following ideas about the role of light energy in photosynthesis does the student
seem to be missing?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Light energy is changed into sugars in the process of photosynthesis.
Light energy is changed into another form of energy in the process of photosynthesis.
Light energy is the energy source for the process of photosynthesis.
None. The student seems to have an accurate understanding of the role of light energy in the
process of photosynthesis.
Item ID: FE-RE15
Key: D
P-value: 0.84
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
3%
6%
6%
84%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
C: Plants transform light energy into chemical energy in sugars made by the plants.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
During a lesson on photosynthesis, a student makes the following analogy:
“When a plant uses sunlight, it is like a solar panel. The plant and the solar
panel absorb the light and change it to another form of energy, which can be
stored.”
Which one of the following, if any, is an accurate description of the student’s thinking?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The student incorrectly thinks that sunlight is absorbed by plants.
The student incorrectly thinks that plants convert sunlight to another form of energy.
The student incorrectly thinks that energy is stored in plants.
The student has a reasonably accurate understanding of plants’ use of sunlight.
Item ID: FE-RE16
Key: A
P-value: 0.88
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
88%
6%
2%
4%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
C: Plants transform light energy into chemical energy in sugars made by the plants.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
During a group discussion about the energy used in photosynthesis, a student says,
“Plants use heat energy from the Sun in photosynthesis.”
Which one of the following ideas about the energy involved in photosynthesis does the student
seem to be missing?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Light energy is the energy used in photosynthesis.
Plants use energy from the Sun to produce sugars.
Plants need energy to produce sugars.
None. The student appears to have an accurate understanding of the energy used in
photosynthesis.
Item ID: FE-RE17
Key: C
P-value: 0.62
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
14%
22%
62%
1%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
C: Plants transform light energy into chemical energy in sugars made by the plants.
Content Level: 3 – Using content knowledge to make instructional decisions
Students plant beans under several different conditions, and watch them grow over a few weeks.
The class notices that the plants in the light are greener and fuller than the ones in the dark. During
a discussion about the plants’ growth, a teacher asks her students, “Why did the plants in the
sunlight grow better than those in the dark?” One student says,
“They absorbed light energy from the Sun and turned it into sugars that helped
them grow.”
Which one of the following would be the best question to ask this student next to better assess his
understanding of plant growth?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“What other energy sources can plants use to make sugars?”
“Can you explain what you mean by ‘they absorbed light energy from the Sun’?”
“Can you explain what you mean by ‘turned it into sugars’?”
“What role does the heat from the Sun play?”
Item ID: FE-RE18
Key: D
P-value: 0.38
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
40%
14%
9%
38%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
C: Plants transform light energy into chemical energy in sugars made by the plants.
Content Level: 3 – Using content knowledge to make instructional decisions
In a lesson on plant growth, a teacher asks students to explain what happens to the light energy that
is used by plants to make sugars. Most of the students respond that the light energy is turned into
sugars by the plant. What should the teacher do next in class to move the students forward in their
thinking about plants’ use of light energy?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Set up an experiment in which some leaves on a plant are covered in aluminum foil and others
are left uncovered, and then test starch levels after several days.
Draw a diagram of the inputs and outputs of photosynthesis.
Ask the students to describe the growth of plants in the light versus the growth of plants in the
dark.
Explain how light energy is converted to another form of energy and stored in the plant.
Item ID: FE-RE19
Key: C
P-value: 0.70
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
3%
21%
70%
6%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
C: Plants transform light energy into chemical energy in sugars made by the plants.
Content Level: 3 – Using content knowledge to make instructional decisions
In a review session at the end of a unit on the flow of matter and energy in living systems, a teacher
says, “There are sugars in an orange. Is there chemical energy in the sugars?” One student
responds,
“Yes, there is chemical energy in the sugars. It comes from water in the soil.”
Based on this student’s statement, what should the teacher do?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Affirm that the student is correct, and move forward with the review session.
Remind the student that nutrients in the soil are also an important source of chemical energy.
Remind the student about the role of light energy from the Sun in photosynthesis.
Explain to the students that sugars do not contain chemical energy.
Item ID: FE-RE20
Key: C
P-value: 0.82
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
14%
3%
82%
0%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
E: Organisms (including both plants and animals) grow by breaking down food (including sugars made by plants
and sugars ingested by animals) into simpler substances which they reassemble into other substances that
become part of new or replacement body structures.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
During a class discussion about organisms using food for growth, one student makes the following
comment:
“I learned that matter never gets destroyed, but when we eat, it seems like the
food just disappears. Where does the food go?”
Which one of the following is the most accurate way for the teacher to respond to this student?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“The food substances are changed into energy and some of the energy is released as heat.”
“All of the food substances are broken down into simpler substances by the body and released
from our bodies as waste.”
“The food substances are broken down into simpler substances by the body; some of these
substances become part of the body, and some become waste.”
“All of the food substances are turned into various body parts such as muscles, bones, and
organs.”
Item ID: FE-RE21
Key: A
P-value: 0.75
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
75%
25%
0%
0%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
E: Organisms (including both plants and animals) grow by breaking down food (including sugars made by plants
and sugars ingested by animals) into simpler substances which they reassemble into other substances that
become part of new or replacement body structures.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
A teacher asks her students to explain how humans grow. Which one of the following responses is
best?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“Humans grow by breaking down food and assembling the resulting products into their body
structures.”
“Humans grow by using food for energy, and that energy is converted into body structures.”
“Humans grow by eating food, which is stored unchanged in the body.”
“Humans grow by using light energy to make sugars from carbon dioxide and water.”
Item ID: FE-RE22
Key: C
P-value: 0.65
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
17%
7%
65%
11%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
E: Organisms (including both plants and animals) grow by breaking down food (including sugars made by plants
and sugars ingested by animals) into simpler substances which they reassemble into other substances that
become part of new or replacement body structures.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
In a middle school life science class, a student named Kyle announces that he has grown three
centimeters this month. The teacher asks students to explain how Kyle’s body used food to grow.
Three students respond as follows:
Jeff:
Kyle’s body turned the food he ate directly into energy, which the
body used to grow new matter.
Jessica: The nutrients in the food helped Kyle’s body grow and get bigger.
There is no new matter in Kyle now, but the matter that was there
before has expanded.
Jeremy: Kyle’s body broke down the food he ate into simpler substances,
some of which were added to his body.
Which one of these students has the best understanding of the relationship between food and
growth?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Jeff
Jessica
Jeremy
None of these students has an accurate understanding.
Item ID: FE-RE23
Key: A
P-value: 0.21
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
21%
61%
4%
14%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
E: Organisms (including both plants and animals) grow by breaking down food (including sugars made by plants
and sugars ingested by animals) into simpler substances which they reassemble into other substances that
become part of new or replacement body structures.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
Which one of the following would be the best way for a teacher to describe one way food is used in
plant growth?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Food is broken down and reassembled into plant matter.
Food is broken down and turned into energy for plant growth.
Food is turned directly into plant matter.
Food is turned directly into energy for plant growth.
Item ID: FE-RE24
Key: D
P-value: 0.49
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
7%
28%
17%
49%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
E: Organisms (including both plants and animals) grow by breaking down food (including sugars made by plants
and sugars ingested by animals) into simpler substances which they reassemble into other substances that
become part of new or replacement body structures.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
A teacher asks her students how food contributes to growth in plants and animals. One student says
that the food is broken down and then reassembled to build body structures. What does this
answer indicate about the student’s understanding of how food is used for growth in plants and
animals?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The student does not understand that plants and animals store food for growth.
The student does not understand that food serves as an energy source for plants and animals.
The student does not understand that some energy produced from food is lost as heat.
The student appears to understand how food is used for growth in plants and animals.
Item ID: FE-RE25
Key: C
P-value: 0.58
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
17%
11%
58%
14%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
E: Organisms (including both plants and animals) grow by breaking down food (including sugars made by plants
and sugars ingested by animals) into simpler substances which they reassemble into other substances that
become part of new or replacement body structures.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
During a unit on plants, one student in the class says,
“Food does not become part of the plant, but food does help the growth process
along.”
Based on this statement, which one of the following ideas about plant growth is the student
missing?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Plants turn the energy from light into energy in sugars.
Plants need light energy to make sugars.
Food can be broken down and reassembled into plant material.
Energy is necessary for growth.
Item ID: FE-RE26
Key: C
P-value: 0.65
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
18%
9%
65%
8%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
E: Organisms (including both plants and animals) grow by breaking down food (including sugars made by plants
and sugars ingested by animals) into simpler substances which they reassemble into other substances that
become part of new or replacement body structures.
Content Level: 3 – Using content knowledge to make instructional decisions
During a lesson on how plants use food, one student says,
“Plants add food to their stems, roots, and leaves so they will grow.”
If the majority of the class agrees with this student’s statement, which one of the following
questions would help the teacher assess the students’ knowledge of how plants use food to grow?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“What is considered food for plants?”
“What role does sunlight play in plants’ use of food?”
“What happens to the food before it becomes part of the stems, roots, and leaves?”
“What part of the plant is responsible for food storage?”
Item ID: FE-RE27
Key: C
P-value: 0.61
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
12%
21%
61%
5%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
E: Organisms (including both plants and animals) grow by breaking down food (including sugars made by plants
and sugars ingested by animals) into simpler substances which they reassemble into other substances that
become part of new or replacement body structures.
Content Level: 3 – Using content knowledge to make instructional decisions
During a lesson on how plants use food, one student says,
“Plants add food to their stems, roots, and leaves so they will grow.”
Which one of the following questions would be best for the teacher to ask in order to better assess
the student’s understanding of how plants use food for growth?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“What is food for a plant?”
“How does a plant get food?”
“What happens to the food before it becomes part of the plant’s structures?”
“How are damaged leaves replaced?”
Item ID: FE-RE28
Key: A
P-value: 0.72
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
72%
2%
19%
7%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
F: Organisms (including both plants and animals) break down energy-rich food (such as sugars), using oxygen,
into simpler substances with less energy (such as carbon dioxide and water), releasing energy in the process.
This process does not require light. Some of this energy from food is used for growth and other body
functions, and some is released as heat.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
A teacher gives her students the following question:
Student Assessment Item:
How do animals get energy to support body functions and growth?
Which one of the following student responses most accurately answers the question?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“Animals break down sugars, releasing energy.”
“Animals break down water in the foods they eat, releasing energy.”
“Animals assemble sugars into complex, energy-rich molecules.”
“Animals turn food directly into energy.”
Item ID: FE-RE29
Key: A
P-value: 0.71
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
71%
11%
3%
15%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
F: Organisms (including both plants and animals) break down energy-rich food (such as sugars), using oxygen,
into simpler substances with less energy (such as carbon dioxide and water), releasing energy in the process.
This process does not require light. Some of this energy from food is used for growth and other body
functions, and some is released as heat.
H: Respiration is the continual process by which an organism uses oxygen and sugars to release energy:
6O2 + C6H12O6  6H2O + 6CO2 + energy
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
During a life science lesson, the teacher describes how animals get energy through the process of
respiration. A student asks,
“Does respiration also happen in plants?”
Which one of the following would be the best way for the teacher to answer this question?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“Yes, the process of respiration is very similar in plants and animals.”
“Yes, but plants only respire in the dark.”
“No, plants do not respire because they don’t have lungs.”
“No, plants do not need to respire because they can get energy through photosynthesis.”
Item ID: FE-RE30
Key: A
P-value: 0.86
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
86%
8%
3%
2%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
F: Organisms (including both plants and animals) break down energy-rich food (such as sugars), using oxygen,
into simpler substances with less energy (such as carbon dioxide and water), releasing energy in the process.
This process does not require light. Some of this energy from food is used for growth and other body
functions, and some is released as heat.
H: Respiration is the continual process by which an organism uses oxygen and sugars to release energy:
6O2 + C6H12O6  6H2O + 6CO2 + energy
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
A teacher is preparing to teach a lesson on respiration in organisms. Which one of the following is
an accurate description of the process of respiration?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Respiration is the process by which organisms use oxygen to release energy from food.
Respiration is the process by which organisms use carbon dioxide to release energy from food.
Respiration is the process by which organisms use oxygen to store energy in food.
Respiration is the process by which organisms use carbon dioxide to store energy in food.
Item ID: FE-RE31
Key: B
P-value: 0.38
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
46%
38%
10%
6%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
F: Organisms (including both plants and animals) break down energy-rich food (such as sugars), using oxygen,
into simpler substances with less energy (such as carbon dioxide and water), releasing energy in the process.
This process does not require light. Some of this energy from food is used for growth and other body
functions, and some is released as heat.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
In a lesson on energy, a student claims,
“Plants don’t need food for energy to grow, because they get all their energy
from the Sun.”
Which one of the following ideas does this student NOT understand?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Plants make their own food.
Plants break down food to release energy.
Plants need energy to grow.
None of these. This student seems to have an accurate understanding.
Item ID: FE-RE32
Key: B
P-value: 0.94
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
1%
94%
4%
1%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
G: If not used immediately as fuel or building material, food can be stored for later use by plants and animals. In
animals, but not in plants, food can also be eliminated from the body as waste.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
As part of an experiment on plant growth, students place a plant in a dark closet. They predict that
it will not grow, because there is no light for photosynthesis. A few days later, however, the
students see that the plant has grown taller, though it has turned yellow. A student asks,
“How did the plant grow taller if there was no light to help it make food?”
Which one of the following would be the best way for the teacher to answer this question?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“Plants cannot grow without light, so some light must have gotten in under the closet door.”
“The plant was able to use stored food to grow.”
“The plant could take in soil from the pot and use that to grow.”
“The plant did not need food to grow.”
Item ID: FE-RE33
Key: A
P-value: 0.88
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
88%
7%
3%
2%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
G: If not used immediately as fuel or building material, food can be stored for later use by plants and animals. In
animals, but not in plants, food can also be eliminated from the body as waste.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
A teacher gives her students the following question:
Student Assessment Item:
In plants and animals, what happens to sugars if they are not used immediately
for energy or for growth?
Which one of the following student responses most accurately answers the question?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“Sugars that aren't used immediately are stored for later use by plants and animals.”
“Sugars that aren't used immediately are stored by animals, but not by plants.”
“Sugars that aren't used immediately are stored by plants, but not by animals.”
“Nothing happens, because all sugars are used immediately by plants and animals.”
Item ID: FE-RE34
Key: C
P-value: 0.68
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
7%
2%
68%
24%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
G: If not used immediately as fuel or building material, food can be stored for later use by plants and animals. In
animals, but not in plants, food can also be eliminated from the body as waste.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
In a unit on plants, a teacher is holding a discussion about how plants use food for growth. One
student contributes the following,
“I understand that food in plants, just like in humans, is used to help them
grow. I also know that some of the food eaten by humans is stored, and some
is released as waste. Do plants use all their food for growth?”
Which one of the following would be the best response to this student?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“Yes, unlike humans, plants use all their food for growth.”
“No, plants do not use all their food for growth; some is released back into the soil as waste.”
“No, plants do not use all their food for growth; some is stored for later use.”
“No, plants do not use all their food for growth; some is stored, and some is released back into
the soil as waste.”
Item ID: FE-RE35
Key: B
P-value: 0.90
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
4%
90%
4%
3%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
G: If not used immediately as fuel or building material, food can be stored for later use by plants and animals. In
animals, but not in plants, food can also be eliminated from the body as waste.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
A teacher asks his students what happens to food that a plant doesn’t use right away for growth or
energy. One student answers,
“There is no unused food, because plants use all their food immediately.”
What does this response indicate about this student’s understanding of how plants use food?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The student does not understand that plants use food for fuel or building material.
The student does not understand that plants store food.
The student does not understand that plants break down their food.
The student has an accurate understanding of how plants use food.
Item ID: FE-RE36
Key: B
P-value: 0.93
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
1%
93%
6%
1%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
G: If not used immediately as fuel or building material, food can be stored for later use by plants and animals. In
animals, but not in plants, food can also be eliminated from the body as waste.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
During a lesson on energy, students watch as the teacher burns a marshmallow until it is black, and
then blows it out. The teacher asks how the burning marshmallow is a model for the process by
which our bodies get energy from food. One student responds,
“When you burn the marshmallow, it is broken down into simpler substances and
some energy is released as heat. Both of those things also happen when our
bodies break down food for energy.”
Which one of the following activities could the teacher do to show another way that the burning of
food is a model for how our bodies get energy from food?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Take the mass of the marshmallow before and after burning to show that matter is changed to
energy in the process.
Place a glass over the burning marshmallow to show that oxygen is required for this process.
Burn a peanut to show that substances other than sugar can be burned.
Measure the heat given off by the burning marshmallow to show how calories are measured.
Item ID: FE-RE37
Key: D
P-value: 0.58
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
3%
16%
22%
58%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
G: If not used immediately as fuel or building material, food can be stored for later use by plants and animals. In
animals, but not in plants, food can also be eliminated from the body as waste.
Content Level: 3 – Using content knowledge to make instructional decisions
During a lesson on plants, a teacher asks her students how plants can live through the night when
there is no sunlight to help them make food. One student replies,
“Plants don’t need to make food all the time, because they can use food they
have stored in their bodies. It’s like how animals can go for a while without
eating if they have some food stored up.”
Which one of the following would be the best next step for the teacher?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Have students view a computer simulation that models how plants use all of their food for
growth as soon as they make it.
Explain to the student that plants and animals have different energy needs, so they do not use
food for the same purposes.
Conduct an experiment in which one plant is placed in the light, and another is placed in the
dark, then watch to see what happens over time.
Acknowledge that the student has a good understanding, and move on with the lesson.
Item ID: FE-RE38
Key: C
P-value: 0.87
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
4%
6%
87%
3%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
J: Some energy is lost to the system as heat between each trophic level, so only a portion of the energy is passed
from one trophic level to the next. This continuous loss of energy to the system as heat means that an outside
source of energy (usually the Sun) is required to maintain the flow of energy in ecosystems.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
A class is searching the Internet for information about the flow of energy through living systems.
One student finds a website with some statements that are not entirely correct, so the teacher must
clarify the content. One statement from the website reads:
All of the energy from one trophic level (e.g., producers) is passed on to the next level (e.g.,
consumers).
What, if anything, should the teacher do to clarify this statement for the student?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The teacher should clarify that energy does not pass between trophic levels; only matter does.
The teacher should clarify that consumers can also pass energy to producers.
The teacher should clarify that only some of the energy is passed from one trophic level to the
next.
No clarification is needed. This is a correct statement.
Item ID: FE-RE39
Key: C
P-value: 0.41
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
12%
21%
41%
26%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
J: Some energy is lost to the system as heat between each trophic level, so only a portion of the energy is passed
from one trophic level to the next. This continuous loss of energy to the system as heat means that an outside
source of energy (usually the Sun) is required to maintain the flow of energy in ecosystems.
Content Level: 2 – Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
In a lesson on the flow of energy through ecosystems, a student draws the following diagram and
writes a brief explanation:
Energy Cycle:
The arrows show how energy is
moving through the system.
The mouse gets energy from
the grasses it eats. The hawk
gets energy by eating the
mouse. Decomposers break
down the hawk after it dies,
which makes energy available to
the grasses.
Which one of the following describes a major flaw in this student’s understanding of energy flow?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The diagram does not show that decomposers also break down the grasses.
The diagram does not show that there is more energy moving between some trophic levels
than others.
The diagram does not show that energy cannot be reused, and therefore the system needs a
constant input of energy from the Sun.
The diagram is essentially correct.
Item ID: FE-RE40
Key: B
P-value: 0.92
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
6%
92%
1%
1%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
K: Decomposers transform dead organisms into simpler substances that can be used by plants and other
organisms. This release of nutrients back into the environment is necessary to complete the cycle of matter.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
A teacher presents students with the following question,
“A mouse dies in the woods. What do decomposers do to the mouse?”
Which one of the following responses would be correct?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“They break down the mouse into food for plants.”
“They break down the mouse into simpler substances that can be used by decomposers and
other organisms.”
“They break down the mouse into substances that cannot be used by decomposers or other
organisms.”
“They break down the mouse, consuming all the matter so it is not available to other
organisms.”
Item ID: FE-RE41
Key: D
P-value: 0.62
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
3%
5%
29%
62%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
K: Decomposers transform dead organisms into simpler substances that can be used by plants and other
organisms. This release of nutrients back into the environment is necessary to complete the cycle of matter.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
In a lesson on the flow of matter through living systems, a teacher asks her students to write down
what will happen to an apple after it falls from a tree. She tells them to relate the apple’s fate to the
flow of matter. One student writes:
The apple falls to the ground. Decomposers break the apple down
1
into simpler substances. Then plants and animals can use the matter
again.
2
3
Which part of this student’s answer is INCORRECT?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
None. The student’s answer is essentially correct.
Item ID: FE-RE42
Key: D
P-value: 0.91
Percent Responding:
A
B
C
D
3%
4%
2%
91%
Primary Sub-Idea(s) Assessed:
K: Decomposers transform dead organisms into simpler substances that can be used by plants and other
organisms. This release of nutrients back into the environment is necessary to complete the cycle of matter.
Content Level: 1 – Knowledge of science content
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