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Below are sample test items from the prototype assessment for Biology.

Sample selected response items:

		Norma and Jamal are both affected by color-blindness, a trait that is sex-linked and recessive. Their genotypes can be represented by the following symbols: Norma, XrXr and Jamal XrY. When their daughter Jessica grew up, she married a man named Miguel who was not color blind, and they had several sons and daughters. Which of theses statements best describes Jessica and Miguel's children? All of their sons are color-blind. All of their daughters are color-blind. Both their sons and daughters are color blind. Neither their sons nor their daughters are color-blind.
		Answer: a
		Instructional Implications:
		As this question suggests, multiple choice or selected responses on the high school assessments will not be simply a matter of choosing a correct response. In this case, students must apply their knowledge of key facts, concepts, and generalizations in science to the evaluation of potential answers. They should have instructional experiences responding to these forms of critical thinking selected response questions in a variety of science contexts. These forms of questions require students to apply both deductive and inductive reasoning processes. Their science classrooms, therefore, should be full of experiences asking students to draw inferences, make predictions, identify patterns and abstractions, and complete comparative analyses.

Directions: The computer-generated graph below shows the results of an experiment measuring the effect of temperature on fish growth. Use the graph to answer the follow question.

		If trout and carp were grown in the same tank, which temperature would allow at least 50% of the trout and at least 50% of the carp to reach maximum size? 15ºC 18ºC 28ºC 35ºC
		Answer: a
		Instructional Implications:
		All effective science classrooms should actively integrate the use of data in all phases of instruction. Students need ongoing scientific instrumentation experiences involving data collection, observation, analysis, and presentation. These processes should be clearly aligned with the generation and defense of scientific hypothesis testing. Additionally, these science selected response questions involving data analysis reinforce the need to train students in a clear analysis of the question parameters. In this case, students must apply their understanding of data implications and parameters. Models of such questions should be integrated into both instructional and assessment activities in science classrooms.

 Sample constructed response item: Time limit - 15 minutes

		A research team wants to design an experiment to compare the effects of different fertilizers on the growth of grass. Typical lawn fertilizers contain nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. The sample fertilizers to be tested are listed below: Fertilizer 1 - contains nitrogen and phosphorus only Fertilizer 2 - contains nitrogen and potassium only Describe the steps of a controlled scientific procedure that the researchers could use to test the fertilizers over a period of two weeks.
		Instructional Implications:
		Again, this constructed response reinforces the critical role of scientific experimentation in the science classroom. Students must receive ongoing direct instruction in understanding and applying the process of scientific experimentation in a variety of settings. Moreover, they should have instructional experiences generating both their own scientific protocols and hypothetical protocols for others, as reflected in this question. Like all of the State High School Assessments, comparative analysis as a fundamental thinking process should receive ongoing emphasis in all science classrooms. Additionally, as in all of the other core content areas, science instruction should integrate writing experiences throughout a course. Both short responses and extended responses (including analyses and summaries of scientific experiments, current events related to science, and research) should be a part of students' science repertoire.

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