Use these targets, vocabulary, rubrics, examples, and score sheet with the instructor's approved lesson and procedure. This is an assessment companion, not a complete lesson or safety authorization.
Student lessons, data, and worked answers: Unit 02 learning pathway.
The student demonstrates the following:
Five science criteria plus separately reported integration (Page 3).
Run a biodiversity survey, then estimate a population by mark-recapture.
The student explains what the index and population math mean (Page 4).
Counts, index calculation, and population estimate kept distinct.
You are making a decision, not adding up points. For each criterion, decide whether the work is Developing, Proficient, or Mastery — the column language tells you which. A criterion counts as mastered only when the student can both run the survey and justify the ecology behind it. Each student has three tokens per term; each token retries one rubric criterion. Approved accommodations, equipment failures, and approved absences are handled separately and do not consume these tokens.
Accept listed synonyms; use the distinction column to resolve near-matches.
| Canonical answer | Accepted synonyms | Common confusion / discriminator |
|---|---|---|
| Measuring diversity | ||
| Species richness | number of species | Just a count; ignores how common each species is |
| Species evenness | relative abundance | How evenly individuals are spread; one dominant species = low evenness |
| Simpson diversity | Here: 1 − Σp² | Higher means more diverse for this convention; Σp² alone runs in the opposite direction |
| Shannon index | Shannon–Wiener H | Folds richness and evenness into one number |
| Population dynamics | ||
| Exponential growth | J-curve | Unlimited growth; can’t hold for long in the real world |
| Logistic growth | S-curve | Levels off as it nears carrying capacity |
| Carrying capacity | K | The population size the environment can sustain |
| Mark-recapture | Lincoln index | Estimates a population you can’t count directly |
| Criterion | Developing | Proficient | Mastery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richness and evenness | Conflates richness and dominance. | Counts taxa but misses dominance. | Compares richness/evenness, succession and ecosystem services using equal-effort records; identifies sampling, identity and valuation limits. |
| Defined diversity index | Omits the formula or denominator. | Calculates with help. | Calculates and interprets a stated Simpson or Shannon convention; checks which direction means greater diversity. |
| Population growth models | Assumes unlimited growth. | Labels curves without testing them. | Compares growth, island turnover and disturbance/invasion models; tests conditional predictions against independent records. |
| Capacity and life histories | Treats K as permanently fixed. | Names survivorship patterns. | Relates capacity, tolerance, life tables and generalist/specialist strategies to conditional predictions; distinguishes lifetime and annual rates. |
| Sampling and recapture technique | Ignores placement or recapture assumptions. | Records counts with prompting. | Demonstrates approved quadrat or token-recapture work, calculates an estimate, and identifies bias and zero-recapture limits. |
| Integration (cross-domain) | Makes no supported connection between the source and the science. | Uses the source but needs help connecting evidence, writing, or limitations to the science. | Independently connects History, Reading, and Writing using a cited source, appropriate evidence, a limitation, and a scientific explanation. |
Check the exact index convention, denominators and model assumptions before comparing values. An estimate is not a direct census.
Read these before you grade. They show what Mastery and Developing actually sound like, plus the edge cases where you should coach rather than decide on the spot.
Student: ______________________________________ Date: _______________ Guide: _________________________
Integration is reported separately and cannot lower the science grade or block a science demonstration pass. Science and practical criteria determine that pass.
| # | Criterion | Decision | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richness and evenness | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 2 | Defined diversity index | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 3 | Population growth models | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 4 | Capacity and life histories | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 5 | Sampling and recapture technique | Dev / Prof / Mast | |
| 6 | Integration (cross-domain) | Dev / Prof / Mast |
☐ No ☐ Yes — for criterion: __________
Tokens left this term after this session (choose one): ☐ 3 ☐ 2 ☐ 1 ☐ None left
Dev = Developing · Prof = Proficient · Mast = Mastery · Unsure between two levels? Circle the lower one and note what a re-do would need.