E-assessment task
Teacher planning proforma
Subject: Science
Topic:
Stage 5
Evolution and Natural Selection
Task:.
This task is performed by students near the end of the teaching unit but prior to any formal
assessment task. Its purpose is to provide assessment for learning and clarify misconception
students may have developed during their study of the unit.
Context: Evolution and natural selection
This unit would typically be taught during year 10 or during the second semester of year 9.
Outcomes
Science 7-10 syllabus outcome:
Outcome 5.8: A student relates the structure and function of living things to models, theories and law
5.8.3 the theory of evolution and natural selection
a) discuss evidence that present-day organisms have evolved from organisms in the distant past
b) relate natural selection to the theory of evolution
Software application used: Microsoft Word ‘Add Comment’ and ‘Highlighter’
Instructions:
Steps in the task
Highlight marking key
Relevant information well expressed
Irrelevant information
Plagiarised work
Task
This is an in class task to assess your learning and understanding of the theory of
evolution by the process of natural selection. You have 25 minutes to complete this
task.
Respond to each of the following questions or statements.
1. Much of the material learned in science is described as a model, theory or law.
The theory of evolution by the process of natural selection is such a case.
Describe the features that identify when an idea is expressed as a theory rather
than a model or law. If appropriate use the theory of evolution by natural
selection to support your response.
2. Identify three pieces of evidence that support the theory of evolution by natural
selection and describe how each piece of evidence supports the theory.
3. One of the keystone observations supporting the validity of the theory of evolution
by natural selection was the diversity of species of finches on the Galapagos
Islands. Describe the proposed mechanism by which evolution occurred that led
to this species diversity.
Marking criteria
Marked loosely using a SOLO criteria. No marks awarded as this task is an
assessment for learning task.
Question
Unistructural
1. Models,
theories and
laws
Defines a model, a
theory, a law
2. Support for
evolution by
natural
selection
Identifies one, two
or three valid pieces
of support.
3. Galapagos
finches
Identifies that there
is a diverse range of
separate species of
finches that evolved
from a common
ancestor species
Multistructural
Relational
Identifies the
differences between
the levels of support
required for a model,
theory, law
Weakly links one,
two or three valid
pieces of support
directly to natural
selection as a
mechanism for
evolution.
Recognises and
describes the
mechanism for
evolution by natural
selection
Links the level of data and observation
support for the theory of evolution by
natural selection to the concept of a
theory
Clearly links one, two or three valid
pieces of support directly to natural
selection as a mechanism for evolution
Recognises and describes the
mechanism for evolution by natural
selection and describes how this could
reasonably be inferred to have led to
speciation of finches on the Galapagos
Islands.
Assessment for learning task
Evolution by natural selection
Students are to submit their response in as a Microsoft Word 2007 .doc
Student feedback will be given using a range of review features of the Microsoft Word 2007
program; call outs, comments and a highlight key.
Highlight key –
selected from the
Home tab as the
ab with highlighter
toggle.
Callouts – left click
on the Insert tab,
left click on
shapes, select a
callout shape from
the drop down
menu. It may help
to change the
transparency level
of the call out to
enable text below
to be seen
through.
Comments –
selected from the
Review tab then
insert New
Comment.
Student Response
You need to say what a model, theory or law is and then
describe why evolution is a theory referring to your definition.
It is a theory because it is a complex principle based on observation. Laws apply to the
more ‘pure sciences’, and are more fundamental to the natural world.
1. - In certain species of spiny leaf insects, females can reproduce asexually, leading to
a decline in numbers of males. This is an example of natural selection changing a
species.
– During the early times of the industrial revolution in Britain, there was a change in
dominance from white moths to black moths, presumably because black moths were
better camouflaged in the smog. The black moths were less likely to have been
eaten by predators in the smog and so survived to reproduce, eventually
outnumbering the white moths.
-
During the early stages of foetal development, mammalian embryos all appear
similar, regardless of species. This suggests that the different species are
homologous.
2. Each island in the Galapagos Islands has a slightly different environment, with
different food sources. In the beginning, there would have been variation in each
population. The finches more adapted to their specific islands would have survived to
reproduce, whereas the maladapted finches wouldn’t have. Over many generations,
the each population of finches would have been sufficiently different to have been
classed as separate species.
How does this relate to changing
the characteristics of a population
that leads to the creation of a new
species? Is it passing on their
favourable characteristics to their
offspring. Clarifying this is a very
important connection that shows
you understand the process.