Transcript Document

INTRODUCTION
EOC Biology Exam
OPEN RESPONSE QUESTION
“How To” Sample
The following is an Open Response question. It
is important to practice answering these types
of questions in preparation for the state
mandated EOC exam. This exercise will walk
you through the process. There will also be
some reference links to assist you.
HOW TO ANSWER AN
OPEN RESPONSE
QUESTION
How to answer
Be sure to...
 Read all parts of each question
carefully.
 Make each response as clear,
complete and accurate as you can.
 Proofread your work!
TOPIC
Topic
Explain how evolution is demonstrated by
evidence from the fossil record, comparative
anatomy, genetics, molecular biology, and
examples of natural selection.
Let’s get started
EOC Biology Exam
OPEN RESPONSE QUESTION
“How To” Sample
The maps below show South America and Africa. Areas where fossils
of the same extinct plant species have been found are marked with a
star.
a. Explain how the widely separated areas marked in Map 2 can
have fossils of the same extinct plant species. In both South
America and Africa, there are plants descended from this extinct
species. These modern plants are very different from one another.
b. Explain how the extinct species has modern descendants that
came to be very different from one another.
Now that you’ve finished the problem,
Scoring Intro
Open Response questions are graded as either a
4,3,2,1 or 0 with 4 being the best possible score.
The following pages are examples of work done by
other students who earned those scores.
Please use the example of a 4 to check your answers.
You will also see the guidelines that were used
to grade these answers. As you look over these pages,
try to rate your own answer as a 4,3,2,1or 0.
This student
earned a 
What is a 4?
The response demonstrates a
thorough understanding of
the fossil record and other
evidence to support the
theory of evolution. The
response thoroughly explains
how the two areas can have
fossils of the same extinct
plant species and thoroughly
explains how the extinct
species has modern
descendants that came to be
very different from one
another..
This student
earned a 
What is a 3?
The response
demonstrates a general
understanding of the
fossil record and other
evidence to support the
theory of evolution.
This student
earned a 
What is a 2?
The response
demonstrates a
limited understanding
of the fossil record
and other evidence to
support the theory of
evolution.
Sample Score 2
This student
earned a 
What is a 1?
The response
demonstrates a
minimal understanding
of the fossil record and
other evidence to
support the theory of
evolution.
Sample Score 1
This student
earned a 
What is a 0?
The response is
incorrect or contains
some correct work that
is irrelevant to the skill
or concept being
measured.
Sample Score 0
EVALUATION
Now that you’ve seen how
the scores are graded,
how did you do?
Try to rate yourself.
Would you say that you
earned a 4,3,2,1, or 0?
REFERENCES
If you had trouble with this, click on the links below to
see some web sites that can help you understand some
of the concepts involved.
http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabe
e/BIOBK/BioBookTOC.html
http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/
CONCLUSION
Hopefully, this has been a helpful experience for you.
The only way to improve is to practice, and there are
other problems like this one available for you to try if
you are up to the challenge!
-- or --
 Call a friend, have them do the same problem
and you can talk about it.
-- or - Take a break, you’ve earned it!
Edited from
Quincy Public Schools