MYP Science Level 3 Unit I Summative Assessment
Unit Title: “Problem Solved”
Unit Question: How are problems solved?
Significant Concept: Solving problems is a vital part of becoming a productive
citizen and will help you throughout your life.
Area of Interaction: Human Ingenuity
Deadline: October 12th (B day: Mercury & Mars groups); October 13th (C day: Venus & Jupiter groups)
Purpose: To become knowledgeable about gummy bears through researching, posing a question or problem,
collecting data, organizing data, analyzing data, concluding and reflecting.
Task: Research some basic information about gummy bears. Then design a simple controlled experiment to
investigate gummy bears and report your findings using the Wilson Foundation Academy laboratory report
format.
 Part I: Gather some background information about gummy bears that must include:
 who invented gummy bears and when
 where were gummy bears first made
 the ingredients of gummy bears
 the nutritional value of a gummy bear
 2 other interesting facts about gummy bears
This background information:
 must be between 1-2 paragraphs in length
 must be stated in your own words
 must include a references sited list
 must be written using complete sentences
Possible websites:
http://inventors.about.com/od/gstartinventions/a/gummi.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gummi_bear
http://www.livestrong.com/article/287526-nutritional-information-for-gummi-bears/
 Part II: Design your experiment using the investigation planning sheet provided
Product Format:
 Handwritten in blue or black ink or typed
 Line Spacing (if typed): 1.5
 Font and size (if typed): Times New Roman, size 12
 Must include a cover sheet with your name, teacher’s name, title of your investigation, and the MYP
information in the box above next to the IB logo
Grading:
 See attached MYP Science Criteria B and D (rubrics)
Criterion B: Communication in science
Maximum: 6
Communication in science enables students to develop the communication skills to become competent and confident
when communicating information in science.
Students should be able to use different communication modes, including verbal (oral, written) and visual (graphic,
symbolic), as well as appropriate communication formats (laboratory reports, essays, and multimedia presentations) to
effectively communicate scientific ideas, theories, findings and arguments in science.
Students should be able to:
 use scientific language correctly
 use appropriate communication modes and formats
 acknowledge the work of others and the sources of information used by appropriately documenting them using a
recognized referencing system.
Suitable assessment tasks for criterion B include scientific investigation reports, research essays, case studies, written
responses, debates and multimedia presentations among others.
Achievement
level
0
Level descriptor
The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
The student uses a limited range of scientific language correctly.
1-2
The student communicates scientific information with limited effectiveness.
When appropriate to the task, the student makes little attempt to document sources of
information.
The student uses some scientific language correctly.
3-4
The student communicates scientific information with some effectiveness.
When appropriate to the task, the student partially documents sources of information.
The student uses sufficient scientific language correctly.
5-6
The student communicates scientific information effectively.
When appropriate to the task, the student fully documents sources of information
correctly.
Criterion D: Scientific inquiry
Maximum: 6
This criterion enables students to design and carry out scientific investigations independently.
Students should be able to:
 state a focused problem or research question to be tested by a scientific investigation
 formulate a testable hypothesis and explain it using scientific reasoning
 design and carry out scientific investigations that include variables and controls, material and/or equipment needed, a method
to be followed, and the way in which the data is to be collected and processed
 evaluate the validity and reliability of the method
 judge the validity of the hypothesis based on the outcome of the investigation
 suggest improvements to the method or further inquiry, when relevant.
Suitable assessment tasks for criterion D should provide students with the opportunity to design and carryout a scientific investigation
independently. Some of the possible types of suitable practical work include laboratory experiments, investigations and field studies
among others.
Achievement
level
0
Level descriptor
The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
The student attempts to state a focused problem or research question.
1-2
The method suggested is incomplete.
The student attempts to evaluate the method and respond to the focused problem or research
question.
3-4
The student states a focused problem or research question and makes a hypothesis but does not
explain it using scientific reasoning.
The student selects appropriate materials and equipment and writes a mostly complete method,
mentioning some of the variables involved and how to manipulate them.
The student partially evaluates the method.
The student comments on the validity of the hypothesis based on the outcome of the investigation.
The student suggests some improvements to the method or makes suggestions for further inquiry
when relevant.
5-6
The student states a clear focused problem or research question, formulates a testable hypothesis
and explains the hypothesis using scientific reasoning.
The student selects appropriate materials and equipment and writes a clear, logical method,
mentioning all of the relevant variables involved and how to control and manipulate them, and
describing how the data will be collected and processed.
The student evaluates the method, commenting on its reliability and validity.
The student comments on the validity of the hypothesis based on the outcome of the investigation.
The student suggests realistic improvements to the method and makes suggestions for further
inquiry when relevant.
Name ______________________________________
Wilson Foundation Academy Science Department
Planning My Investigation Sheet
(You will need more space than what is provided on this planning sheet.)
Title (What is an appropriate and descriptive title for this investigation?):
Background (What research do I need to do? What did I find out?):
Variables:
What is the independent variable (the variable being tested or being changed/manipulated)?
What is the dependent variable (the variable being measured as the independent variable is changed)?
What are at least 2 control variables (the variables that need to remain constant or the same throughout the
investigation)?
Question (What is the problem in the form of a question? I must connect the independent variable (IV) and the
dependent variable (DV), the question should not begin with “why”):
Hypothesis (What is my proposed explanation to the problem? The hypothesis must be written in the
If...then…because…format.):
Materials (What materials do I need to test my hypothesis? What amounts of those materials (if necessary) will
I use?):
Procedure (What steps do I need to take to test my hypothesis? How many trials will I do? All of my steps
must be numbered and in a complete sentence.):
Data/calculations (What data will I collect? How often? How will I display my data- table and/or line graph?
What calculations will I need to make? Have I shown my work for those calculations?):
Conclusion/analysis (What did I find out? Was my hypothesis correct or not? Did I use my data to accept or
reject my hypothesis? What patterns/trends did I find in my data? What’s the relationship between the IV and
the DV? What are at least 2 possible sources of error and their effects?):
Reflection (What are your thoughts on how this investigation went? How can I improve this investigation?
What’s one other similar investigation to this one? What’s the predicted outcome of that similar investigation?
How does my investigation relate to the real world?)
Name __________________________________________ Unit I: MYP Science Summative Assessment
Background Information About Gummy Bears
Rough Copy (Note Sheet)
 Part I: Gather some background information about gummy bears that must include:
 who invented gummy bears and when
 where were gummy bears first made
 the ingredients of gummy bears
 the nutritional value of a gummy bear
 2 other interesting facts about gummy bears
This background information:
 must be between 1-2 paragraphs in length
 must be stated in your own words
 must include a references sited list
 must be written using complete sentences
Possible websites:
http://inventors.about.com/od/gstartinventions/a/gummi.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gummi_bear
http://www.livestrong.com/article/287526-nutritional-information-for-gummi-bears/
WARNING: REMEMBER WHATEVER SOURCES THAT YOU USE MUST BE DOCUMENTED;
THEREFORE WRITE DOWN EVERY SOURCE OR WEBSITE THAT YOU GET YOUR INFORMATION
FROM. DO NOT PLAGAIRIZE.
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