Homework #1 – Course Alignment Activity – Biology Scholars
We based the course design components for the Assessment Residency on the backward design model proposed by Fink (2003. Creating Significant Learning Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses).
One of the essential elements of this model is to ensure that elements of a course are aligned. In other words, assessments, both formative and summative) should relate directly to the learning objectives of the course. We utilized the “castle top” diagram to outline the flow of assessments and teaching activities during a week or more of one of your courses. This tool helps ensure meaningful integration of activities and assessments into learning experiences that take place in class and out of class.
As you continue to develop your course, you can map your objectives and assessments using the alignment grid found on the next page. This tool ensures that you are assessing all of the objectives of your course and that you are providing sufficient formative assessment experiences for your students.
Please post your alignment grid to the wiki by Friday, August 30 th . You can then take a look at these assignments as you continue to modify and develop teaching activities and assessment strategies.
Hope you all had a productive summer!
Best,
Carol

Alignment Grid
I completed the grid by course unit because that is how I organized my course.
Learning Objective
Taxonomy
Level/Category
Formative Assessments
Unit 1: Biodiversity
(8/26 – 9/20)
Learning Outcomes: Students should be able to:
 define components of biodiversity and provide examples for each component
 list aquatic and terrestrial biomes and their general characteristics
 define disturbance and describe its significance to biodiversity
 define succession and its significance to biodiversity
Knowledge, apply, evaluate
1.
Knowledge grid
2.
Simbio Virtual Lab:
Intermediate Disturbance
Hypothesis
3.
Class Discussion of
Reading Assignments
(
Easter’s End, Tragedy of the Commons)
Unit 2: The Environment and Organisms
(9/23 – 10/11)
Learning Outcomes: Students should be able to:
 distinguish between microclimates and macroclimates
 describe the significance of temperature in relation to the performance of organisms
 describe strategies that organisms use to regulate body temperature
 describe strategies that organisms use to balance water loss/gain
 describe methods organisms use to
Knowledge, apply, evaluate
1.
Knowledge grid
2.
Simbio Virtual Lab:
Liebig's barrel and
Limiting nutrients
Summative Assessment
1.
Exam
2.
Weekly quiz
3.
Group Project: Biomes
Posters
1.
Exam
2.
Weekly quiz

obtain energy and the optimal foraging theory
 describe biogeochemical cycles and factors that influence them
Unit 3: Population Ecology
(10/14 – 11/8)
Learning Outcomes: Students should be able to:
 define niche
 describe factors that influence the distribution and abundance of populations
 distinguish among geometric, exponential, and logistic population growth
 interpret survivorship curves
 describe approaches used to organize life histories
Unit 4: Species Interactions
(11/11 – 12/6)
Learning Outcomes: Students should be able to:
 define social, exploitative, competitive, and mutualistic relationships
 describe the evolution of sociality and cooperation
 describe the Lokta-Volterra models for competition and exploitation
 define keystone species
 define trophic cascade
Knowledge, apply, evaluate
Knowledge, apply, evaluate
1.
Knowledge grid
2.
Simbio Virtual Lab: Isle
Royale
1.
Knowledge grid
2.
Simbio Virtual Lab: The
Barnacle Zone
3.
Simbio Virtual Lab:
Keystone Predators
4.
Simbio Virtual Lab: Top
Down Control
1.
Exam
2.
Weekly quiz
1.
Exam
2.
Weekly quiz

The group projects due at the end of the semester allow the students to apply concepts from all units.
Group Project: Activity
Workbook
Group Project: Public Service
Announcement