Laura Curtis
A NASA-sponsored Classroom of the Future
International Space Station (ISS) Project
Deliverable 6. Standards-Based Assessment Instrument
Case 2: From Ponds to Oceans: The Cradle of Life
Standard
Assessment
Item
From The American Association for the
Advancement of Science:
http://www.project2061.org/tools/sfaaol/chap1.htm
1. Science Is a Blend of Logic and Imagination
2. Science Is a Complex Social Activity
From The National Science Education
Standards:
http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/
1. In the pond,
3. Populations of organisms can be categorized by the
function they serve in an ecosystem. Plants and some
small fish eat
microorganisms are producers—they make their own food.
algae….
All animals, including humans, are consumers, which obtain
food by eating other organisms. Decomposers, primarily
bacteria and fungi, are consumers that use waste materials
and dead organisms for food. Food webs identify the
relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers
in an ecosystem.
2. You will now
finish a
diagram….
Source of
Assessment
Item
NAEP Science:
Grade 8:
Question 34 of
114
NAEP Science:
Grade 8:
Question 35 of
114
Laura Curtis
3. Which living
things in the
pond system.…
NAEP Science:
Grade 8:
Question 36 of
114
4. Tell why it is NAEP Science:
important for
Grade 8:
dead animals….. Question 37 of
114
5. Which animal NAEP Science:
is the top
Grade 8:
carnivore in the Question 38 of
pond system?
114
4. For ecosystems the major source of energy is sunlight.
1. Which of the
NAEP Science:
Energy entering ecosystems as sunlight is transferred by
following living Grade 8:
producers into chemical energy through photosynthesis. That things in the
Question 32 of
energy then passes from organism to organism in food webs.
pond....
114
2. Each of the
NAEP Science:
animals in the
Grade 8:
pond….
Question 33 of
114
3. What are the
Delaware
forms of energy Student Testing
transfer from…. Program: Grade
8: 1999:
Ecology – Flow
of Matter and
Energy in an
Ecosystem
4. Study the
Colorado Dept
food chain
of Education:
below.
2003: Science :
Grade 8
5.
5. The number of organisms an ecosystem can support
1. If all of the
NAEP Science:
depends on the resources available and abiotic factors, such
small fish in the Grade 8:
as quantity of light and water, range of temperatures, and soil pond system
Question 39 of
composition. Given adequate biotic and abiotic resources and
died one year…. 114
no disease or predators, populations (including humans)
increase at rapid rates. Lack of resources and other factors,
such as predation and climate, limit the growth of
populations in specific niches in the ecosystem.
2. Suppose that
one spring a new
type of large
fish….
3. If a rainstorm
washed some
NAEP Science:
Grade 8:
Question 40 of
114
NAEP Science:
Grade 8:
Laura Curtis
fertilizer from a
nearby field….
4. What effect
would the
fertilizer….
Question 41 of
114
NAEP Science:
Grade 8:
Question 42 of
114
5. If the air
NAEP Science:
pollution causes Grade 8:
the rain that
Question 43 of
falls….
114
6. Suppose that a NAEP Science:
farmer near the
Grade 8:
pond….
Question 44 of
114
Laura Curtis
Name ___________________________________ Date ______________________
Ecosystems
1. Which of the following living things in the pond system uses the energy from
sunlight to make its own food?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Insect
Frog
Water lily
Small fish
Laura Curtis
2. Each of the animals in the pond needs food. What are two things that the animals
get from their food that keeps them alive?
________________________________________________________________________
3. In the pond, small fish eat algae. What two predators might eat the small fish in
the pond system?
_______________________________________________________________________
4. You will now finish a diagram of a food web in the pond. The food web shows
what eats what in the pond system. Draw arrows in the diagram below from each
living thing to the things that eat it. (The first arrow is drawn for you.)
5. Which living things in the pond system break down dead plants and animals?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Green algae
Bacteria
Rushes
Frogs
6. Tell why it is important for dead animals and plants in the pond system to be
broken down.
Laura Curtis
7. Which animal is the top carnivore in the pond system? Explain why you chose
this answer.
8. If all of the small fish in the pond system died one year from a disease that killed
only the small fish, what would happen to the algae in the pond?
Explain why you think so.
________________________________________________________________________
What would happen to the large fish? Explain why you think so.
9. Suppose that one spring a new type of large fish was put into the pond. So many
were put in that there were twice as many fish as before. By the end of the
summer, what would happen to the large fish that were already in the pond?
Explain why you think these new large fish would have this effect.
Laura Curtis
10. If a rainstorm washed some fertilizer from a nearby field into the pond, what
would happen to the algae in the pond system after one month? Why do you think
the fertilizer would affect the algae this way?
11. What effect would the fertilizer have on the bacteria in the mud at the bottom of
the pond after one month? Why do you think the fertilizer would affect the
bacteria this way?
12. If air pollution causes the rain that falls on this pond to become much more acidic,
after two years how will this acidity affect the living things in this pond?
13. Suppose that a farmer near the pond sprayed crops with a pesticide to kill insects
and that some of the spray washed into the pond. (This pesticide breaks down
very slowly.) If several months later a biologist tested all the organisms in the
pond system for the pesticide, which organism would most likely have the
greatest concentration of the pesticide? Explain your answer.
14. In the process of photosynthesis, green plants use energy from sunlight to make
which product?
A.
B.
C.
D.
carbon dioxide
chlorophyll
sugar
DNA
Laura Curtis
15. What are the forms of energy transfer from #1 to #4?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Chemical energy to chemical energy
Light energy to chemical energy
Chemical energy to heat energy
Heat energy to mechanical energy
Laura Curtis
Instrument and National Comparisons by Question and Gender
Name ___________________________________ Date ______________________
Ecosystems
16. Which of the following living things in the pond system uses the energy from
sunlight to make its own food?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Insect
Frog
Water lily
Small fish
NAEP 32
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
NAEP 32
NAEP 32
Males correct
Males incorrect
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
NAEP 32
Females correct
Females incorrect
Laura Curtis
17. Each of the animals in the pond needs food. What are two things that the
animals get from their food that keeps them alive?
Wr i tten answer s
Compl ete Mal es Par ti al
NAEP 33
Mal es Unsat.
45 Mal es
Omi tted mal es Of f -task
40
NAEP 33
35
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
30
25
20
NAEP 33
15
10
NAEP 33
0
Unsat.
Omi tted
Mal es
Mal es
mal es
Of f -task
et
e
Par ti al
Mal es
Co
m
pl
Compl ete
fe
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itt
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fe
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es
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ffta
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5
18. In the pond, small fish eat algae. What two predators might eat the small fish in
the pond system?
NAEP 34
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
NAEP 34
100
80
60
0
Complete
Males
Partial
Males
Unsat.
Males
Omitted
males
Off-task
Co
m
pl
20
et
e
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m
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itt
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fe
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ffta
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NAEP 34
40
NAEP 34
Laura Curtis
19. You will now finish a diagram of a food web in the pond. The food web shows
what eats what in the pond system. Draw arrows in the diagram below from
each living thing to the things that eat it. (The first arrow is drawn for you.)
NAEP 35
NAEP 35
ta
sk
NAEP 35
Co
m
pl
et
e
O
ff-
M
al
Pa
es
rti
al
M
al
Un
es
sa
t.
M
al
O
es
m
itt
ed
m
al
es
NAEP 35
et
e
Co
m
pl
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
fe
m
Pa
al
es
rti
al
fe
m
Un
al
sa
es
t.
Fe
O
m
m
al
itt
es
ed
fe
m
al
es
O
ffta
sk
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
20. Which living things in the pond system break down dead plants and animals?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Green algae
Bacteria
Rushes
Frogs
NAEP 36
NAEP 36
90
80
80
70
60
50
60
70
50
NAEP 36
40
30
20
40
NAEP 36
30
20
10
10
0
0
Males correct
Males incorrect
Females correct
Females incorrect
Laura Curtis
21. Tell why it is important for dead animals and plants in the pond system to be
broken down.
NAEP 37
NAEP 37
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
NAEP 37
et
e
fe
m
Pa
al
es
rti
al
fe
m
Un
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sa
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Fe
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rti
al
M
al
Un
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sa
t.
M
al
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es
m
itt
ed
m
al
es
NAEP 37
22. Which animal is the top carnivore in the pond system? Explain why you chose
this answer.
NAEP 38
NAEP 38
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
NAEP 38
et
e
fe
m
Pa
al
es
rti
al
fe
m
Un
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ta
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NAEP 38
Co
m
pl
Co
m
pl
et
e
M
al
Pa
es
rti
al
M
al
Un
es
sa
t.
M
al
O
es
m
itt
ed
m
al
es
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
23. If all of the small fish in the pond system died one year from a disease that
killed only the small fish, what would happen to the algae in the pond?
Explain why you think so.
What would happen to the large fish? Explain why you think so.
Laura Curtis
NAEP 39
NAEP 39
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
NAEP 39
et
e
fe
m
Pa
al
es
rti
al
fe
m
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sa
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m
itt
ed
m
al
es
NAEP 39
et
e
Co
m
pl
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
24. Suppose that one spring a new type of large fish was put into the pond. So many
were put in that there were twice as many fish as before. By the end of the
summer, what would happen to the large fish that were already in the pond?
Explain why you think these new large fish would have this effect.
NAEP 40
NAEP 40
NAEP 40
fe
m
ta
sk
Co
m
pl
et
e
O
ff-
al
e
Pa
s
rti
al
M
al
Un
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t.
M
al
O
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itt
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m
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NAEP 40
M
et
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Co
m
pl
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
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al
es
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al
fe
m
Un
al
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Fe
O
m
m
al
itt
es
ed
fe
m
al
es
O
ffta
sk
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
25. If a rainstorm washed some fertilizer from a nearby field into the pond, what
would happen to the algae in the pond system after one month? Why do you
think the fertilizer would affect the algae this way?
NAEP 41
NAEP 41
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
et
e
fe
m
Pa
al
es
rti
al
fe
m
Un
al
sa
es
t.
Fe
O
m
m
al
itt
es
ed
fe
m
al
es
O
ffta
sk
O
ff-
ta
sk
NAEP 41
Co
m
pl
Co
m
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et
e
M
al
Pa
es
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al
M
al
Un
es
sa
t.
M
al
O
es
m
itt
ed
m
al
es
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
NAEP 41
Laura Curtis
Laura Curtis
Name ___________________________________ Date ______________________
Ecosystems
26. Which of the following living things in the pond system uses the energy from
sunlight to make its own food?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Insect
Frog
Water lily
Small fish
Laura Curtis
27. Each of the animals in the pond needs food. What are two things that the animals
get from their food that keeps them alive?
________________________________________________________________________
28. In the pond, small fish eat algae. What two predators might eat the small fish in
the pond system?
_______________________________________________________________________
29. You will now finish a diagram of a food web in the pond. The food web shows
what eats what in the pond system. Draw arrows in the diagram below from each
living thing to the things that eat it. (The first arrow is drawn for you.)
30. Which living things in the pond system break down dead plants and animals?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Green algae
Bacteria
Rushes
Frogs
31. Tell why it is important for dead animals and plants in the pond system to be
broken down.
Laura Curtis
32. Which animal is the top carnivore in the pond system? Explain why you chose
this answer.
33. If all of the small fish in the pond system died one year from a disease that killed
only the small fish, what would happen to the algae in the pond?
Explain why you think so.
________________________________________________________________________
What would happen to the large fish? Explain why you think so.
34. Suppose that one spring a new type of large fish was put into the pond. So many
were put in that there were twice as many fish as before. By the end of the
summer, what would happen to the large fish that were already in the pond?
Explain why you think these new large fish would have this effect.
Laura Curtis
35. If a rainstorm washed some fertilizer from a nearby field into the pond, what
would happen to the algae in the pond system after one month? Why do you think
the fertilizer would affect the algae this way?
36. What effect would the fertilizer have on the bacteria in the mud at the bottom of
the pond after one month? Why do you think the fertilizer would affect the
bacteria this way?
37. If air pollution causes the rain that falls on this pond to become much more acidic,
after two years how will this acidity affect the living things in this pond?
38. Suppose that a farmer near the pond sprayed crops with a pesticide to kill insects
and that some of the spray washed into the pond. (This pesticide breaks down
very slowly.) If several months later a biologist tested all the organisms in the
pond system for the pesticide, which organism would most likely have the
greatest concentration of the pesticide? Explain your answer.
39. In the process of photosynthesis, green plants use energy from sunlight to make
which product?
E.
F.
G.
H.
carbon dioxide
chlorophyll
sugar
DNA
Laura Curtis
40. What are the forms of energy transfer from #1 to #4?
E.
F.
G.
H.
Chemical energy to chemical energy
Light energy to chemical energy
Chemical energy to heat energy
Heat energy to mechanical energy