Grade:
Content Area:
Subject Matter:
Time Period for Whole Unit:
High School
Biology
Cell Biology
Three weeks
State-adopted Academic Content Standards for Student
Cell Biology
1. Fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of chemical
reactions that are carried out in specialized areas of the organism’s cells. As a basis for
understanding this concept, students know:
a. cells are enclosed within semi-permeable membranes that regulate their interaction
with their surroundings.
b. enzymes are proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions without altering the reaction
equilibrium and the activities of enzymes depend on the temperature, ionic
conditions, and the pH of the surroundings.
Investigation and Experimentation
1. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful
investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept, and to address the content of
the other four strands, students should develop their own questions and perform
investigations. Students will:
a. select and use appropriate tools and technology to perform tests, collect data, analyze
relationships, and display data
Learning Goals for Whole Unit
Students will be able to do the following:
• Identify basic cellular structures and functions (prior knowledge)
• Describe the structure of the cell membrane and relate these to membrane functions
• Describe how osmotic pressure can develop
• Describe the basic structure of protein and list some common examples of proteins
• Explain how enzymes catalyze biochemical reactions (mechanism of action)
• Discuss how changes in temperature, ionic conditions, and pH can affect enzymatic
activity, and provide explanations for these effects
• Select and use appropriate scientific equipment in a safe manner
• Perform a scientific investigation to collect and display data and to analyze relationships
2. Teacher Reflection on Student Assessment for this Unit
“I am not satisfied with the assessment plan I used for the last unit of study. I gave the
students a diagnostic test at the beginning of the unit, two quizzes during the unit, and a final
test, all of which came from the teacher’s guide. I feel, though, that I need additional
information on what students really know and understand, their misconceptions, what they
learned during the instruction, and their progress toward achieving the learning goals. I am
looking for ways to improve my assessment plan, so I can have a more complete
understanding of how well these students learned the subject matter.”
3. Assessment Plan
Goals
Assessed
Day 1
Identify basic
cellular structures
and functions
Day 6
Identify basic
structure of
common proteins
Day 11
Identify how
enzymes catalyze
biochemical
Day 15
Identify cellular
structures and
functions, common
and the mechanism
of osmosis
Type
Formal, diagnostic
test from
curriculum guide;
multiple choice;
formative
Formal quiz from
the textbook;
multiple choice;
formative
reactions,
appropriate
scientific
equipment, and
safety measures
Formal quiz from
the textbook;
multiple choice;
formative
Purpose
Assess previous
knowledge and
skills
Assess acquired
concepts and skills
Assess acquired
skills and concepts
Implementation
Individual
Individual
Individual
assessment; paper assessment; paper assessment; paper
and pencil; teacher and pencil; teacher and pencil; teacher
corrects with an
corrects with an
corrects with an
answer key
answer key
answer key
Tell students of
Inform students of Inform students of
scores and inform
correct and
correct and
student of correct
incorrect items
incorrect items
and incorrect
items
To determine what To determine who To determine who
needs to be
has learned the
has learned the
reviewed and
material presented material presented
where to begin
teaching
_____________________________________________
Feedback
Strategies
Informing
Instruction
proteins, osmosis,
enzyme catalysis,
scientific
equipment and
safety measures
Formal, final
chapter/unit exam
from textbook;
multiple choice
and fill in the
blank; summative
Assess acquired
knowledge and
skills from
instructional unit
Individual
assessment; paper
and pencil; teacher
corrects with an
answer key
Inform students of
correct and
incorrect items
To determine the
level of each
student’s
achievement
toward the goals
B. Questions for Case Study 2
1.a.
1.b.
Identify one strength in the
assessment plan and explain why
it is a strength in relation to the
learning goals of this unit.
Identify one weakness in the
assessment plan and explain why
it is a weakness in relation to the
learning goals of this unit.
One strength of the assessment plan is that
by using formal tests and quizzes, the
teacher is able to assess student
understanding of the subject matter in a
unified, standardized method. That is, the
teacher is able to make comparisons of all
the students and determine what material
students all understood, what material
only some students understood (and
therefore needs to be reviewed) and what
material was not covered successfully (i.e.
if all students were unable to answer the
questions). The assessment material is
clearly defined for the students and
students know what is expected of them
and the goals of the unit. The unified
assessment method is a strength because
the teacher can clearly identify what
topics
(learning
goals)
students
understood and what topics students had
trouble understanding. Because it ensures
all students are assessed using the same
method, expectations are the same and is a
fair assessment method to address student
comprehension of the learning goals. This
method ensures that all students will be
able to recall certain facts as they relate to
the learning goals. Using multiple choice
and fill in the blank encourages students
to understand certain facts as they relate
to basic cellular structures, functions, etc
The weakness of the assessment plan is
that is does not provide real-world
application of the learning goals and does
not encourage critical thinking and
problem solving. Testing does not
encourage students to think critically and
relate concepts or learning goals to the
real world. Students are only studying to
pass the test and are not learning how to
relate the concepts to life outside of the
classroom. For example, two of the
learning goals are “Select and use
appropriate scientific equipment in a safe
manner” and “Perform a scientific
investigation to collect and display data
and to analyze relationships”. A much
more accurate way to assess student
comprehension of these learning goals
would be to have students perform a lab
where they must design an experiment,
perform an investigation, and relate it back
to the concepts of osmosis, catalysts,
enzymes, proteins, etc. It would have
provided a real-world application where
students would have to apply concepts
learned and problem solve. It would have
assessed deeper student understanding of
the learning goals. It would have also been
a way for students who may not be the best
test takers to demonstrate their knowledge
and understanding of the learning goals
through their performance.
2. Suppose you found the following additional assessment in a supplementary resource.
Think about how the additional assessment could improve the teacher’s assessment
plan.
Additional Assessment
Students will conduct an experiment on enzymatic activity, submit a
lab report of their experiment, and address the following questions in
their analysis:
1. Compare and contrast the effects of temperature, ionic conditions,
and pH on enzymatic activity based on the results of the scientific
investigation you performed in the lab.
2. Use your investigational results to justify your findings.
Explain to the teacher how it might be used to improve the plan by answering the
following questions:
2.a.
When in the plan would
you use this assessment?
2.b.
What goals would be
assessed by this
assessment?
I would use this assessment on day 9, before the quiz
on enzyme function and safety methods. It would
provide an opportunity for students to understand a
real-world application of the learning goals and
reinforce concepts taught in class. Therefore, by the
time the students took the quiz, they would
understand the importance of the concepts outside of
class and be able to relate their experiences in the lab
to the questions on the quiz. By encouraging higher
level thinking, students will be challenged and
encouraged to apply concepts.
•
Describe the basic structure of protein and list
some common examples of proteins : as
enzymes are amino acid chains, it would build
on prior knowledge of what a protein is and
•
•
•
•
one of the roles it plays in living things.
Explain how enzymes catalyze biochemical
reactions (mechanism of action): it would
provide a real-world application of how
enzymes work as catalysts in a chemical
reaction. Students would have to critically
think about the role of enzymes and how
different environmental factors affect their
role. This lab would also encourage problem
solving as students analyze how an enzyme
affects a reaction.
Discuss how changes in temperature, ionic
conditions, and pH can affect enzymatic
activity, and provide explanations for these
effects: During the lab and also in the post-lab
questions, students must observe and then
analyze the role of temperature, ionic
conditions, and pH in a chemical reaction
using an enzyme.
Select and use appropriate scientific
equipment in a safe manner: because this is a
performance assessment in a lab, students
must understand how is appropriate lab
etiquette. It assesses students on if they know
how to follow the rules of a lab.
Perform a scientific investigation to collect
and display data and to analyze relationshipsthis lab encourages critical thinking and
problem solving. Students must perform and
apply the concepts learned in lab to a realworld application.
2.c.
What type of assessment
would
it be?
This is a performance assessment that could be seen
as both criterion-referenced and interim/benchmark.
The test at the end of the unit would be summative.
This lab, in contrast, would measure student
performance against learning goals and standards and
be interim as it does evaluate student performance and
knowledge of material, but can be used to predict how
students will do on the end of unit test.
2.d.
What would be the
purpose of the
assessment?
The purpose of the assessment is to determine
students understanding of the concepts as they relate
to lab procedures and enzymatic activity. It
encourages higher level thinking and comprehension.
It provides a benchmark for student understanding of
the concepts taught in class and provides application
of the concepts that can then be tested on the final unit
test. In addition, the assessment evaluates how
students can apply the concepts and critically think
about their application. It also differentiates the types
of assessment methods used in the unit. Some
students may perform better in a performance based
assessment than on a test or quiz.
2.e.
How would you
implement
the assessment?
In order to implement this assessment, students would
need to have foundational understanding of the
concepts being assessed and an understanding of how
to perform experiments and analyze results. Therefore
prior to the lesson, the teacher needs to address the
standards being assessed and also provide the students
activities that encourage higher level thinking. This
could be done through student’s reading an
experiment associated with proteins and having
students answer question that apply the data and
results of the experiment to larger concepts. By
encouraging problem solving and critical thinking
skills prior to the lab, students will be in the right
frame of mind to perform a lab where they must think
critically and problem solve. In addition, collaborative
learning will greatly benefit the students. Having the
students conduct the lab with a partner, will make the
content more accessible to all students and allow
students to problem solve together. Before conducting
the lab, the teacher should go over the background
information and problem with the students, to make
sure everyone is clear on what the purpose of the lab
is, and should encourage students to design labs that
address the relationship of enzymes with pH,
temperature, and ionic conditions. For example, the
teacher could implement a lab where students are
responsible for finding a solution to keep an apple
from turning brown. The teacher could explain the
materials available for students to use (fridge, hot
plate, acetic acid, lemon juice, salt, milk of
magnesium) and then ask students to design a lab
using these materials. Students will then have to apply
their understanding of enzymatic activity and the
conditions that affect it. Students can then answer post
lab questions that relate what they saw in the lab to
the concepts the teacher presents.
2.f.
What feedback strategies
would you use?
By having students turn in a lab report, complete with
post lab questions, the teacher is able to provide
commentary on their lab methodology and
understanding of the subject. The teacher can also
circulate around the classroom as students are
performing the lab to informally assess student
comprehension of the material. She can engage with
students as she circulates to ask why they are using
specific methodology, what the experiment is
showing them, and to gauge student understanding of
the concepts.
2.g.
How would the results of
the assessment inform
instruction?
The results of this assessment would inform
instruction by demonstrating how well students
understand the concepts taught in class and can apply
them to a scientific experiment. It would demonstrate
not only student understanding of the standards, but
also show how well students can engage with the
material and use higher level thinking to apply it to
real-world problems. It could also demonstrate
student misconceptions of the subject matter through
analysis of their experimental method and the
procedure they use to determine enzymatic activity.
The instructor can then determine what concepts she
needs to cover more in-depth and what concepts
students understand, especially before the final quiz
and test. In addition, by encouraging collaborative
learning, the teacher can assess how beneficial
socialization and communication is for student
understanding of complex science concepts, and use
these teaching methods more in her unit plan.
3. Explain how using the additional assessment as you described in question 2 improves
the teacher’s assessment plan and what specific information would be gained about
what the students really know and understand about the content area, their
misconceptions, and their progress toward achieving the learning goals.
Using a performance based assessment, in the form of a lab on enzymatic activity,
improves the teacher’s assessment plan because it encourages higher level thinking and
differentiates the instruction. Because the rest of the assessment plan is based on
standardized tests, there is no room for critical thinking and student demonstration of
application of the concepts. Therefore, by using the lab, students are encouraged to problem
solve and think about how the concepts taught in the unit relate to life outside the
classroom. By using the lab, the teacher can assess student understanding of applying and
implementing concepts in a real-world problem. Hands-on, performance based, learning
also allows students to gain a more comprehensive understanding because they can relate it
to more than just facts. In addition, as the teacher circulates during the lab, she is able to
see what students do not understand based on their errors in their experimental design.
However, she can also witness their progress towards achieving the learning goals as they
learn how to safely set up and perform a lab and use trial and error to explain the post lab
questions. This assessment encourages students to relate the concepts to each other and
build on prior knowledge (including their understanding of the scientific method) to
formulate a complete understanding of how enzymes learn. It provides the opportunity for
formal and informal assessment as she can formally grade the students’ lab reports and can
also informally assess their comprehension of the subject (by circulating and engaging with
students) while they conduct the lab.