General Integrated Science Year 11

Unit 1
Term 1 Semester/Year Semester 1 2017
Teacher Mrs Morritt Assessment Task 2 The Ecosystem
Assessment Task 2 Design Brief
Draw a portable worm farm to meet the criteria listed

Theme: Drawing a prototype for an experimental portable worm farm and

design an investigation.

Design and draw a portable worm farm. This portable worm farm would be used to investigate
factors affecting how efficiently earthworms recycle nutrients. Students in Science, and Food
Science and Technology classes could then investigate the factors that affect how efficiently the
worms interact with food scraps to convert them into worm castings and worm juices.
This research could be used to improve the efficiency of our permanent worm farms.

RESEARCH / DOCUMENTATION Science workbook, notes on Research Tasks (see attached

schedule), Portfolio of detailed Investigations / research notes, concept sketches
MATERIALS: Variety of drawing media
Link to our website; http://integratedsciencegeneral11.weebly.com/task-2-worm-farm-prototype.html

PROCESSES: Research and note-taking, Science Inquiry Skills Investigation, Concept Drawings

CRITERIA: Criteria for the Portable worm farms.

The portable worm farm must:
1. keep the worms contained, so that they do not escape.
2. be able to be carried, or moved by one or two people, between classrooms.
3. provide a suitable habitat for a population of worms in terms of their needs and
hygiene.
4. be see-through on at least one side.
5. include a method for collection of the worm castings, and worm juices.
6. include an example of a science investigation that could be done be a class, using your
worm farm.

TIMELINE: Some research and drawing can be done during class

Drawing due
PRESENTATION:
A4-sized drawing produced either by hand or with an Application such as SketchUp
Hand written response and Science Inquiry Investigation during class on

1
 Research Tasks
Access all Research Tasks from your class website:
http://integratedsciencegeneral11.weebly.com/recycling-of-nutrients-research-tasks-for-
assessment-task-2.html

Due by Research Task

1. Explain how to consider the needs and care of the earthworms in a portable
Friday worm farm in terms of optimum light, air, food, moisture, temperature, habitat,
24 February and population size. Describe the criteria for the portable worm farm.

2. Describe the structure of an existing working worm farm.

Wednesday Consider the built parts, the abiotic parts and the biotic parts.
1 March a. Describe the feature of the built part, including the material, the method of
collection of worm juice.
b. Use a binocular microscope competently.
c. Describe, with biological drawings, the classification and anatomy of
earthworms.
d. Describe, the chemistry of the worm castings and the worm juice.
e. Describe the criteria for the portable worm farm.
3. Design and build an InfoGraphic to explain how Annelid worms contribute to the
Friday cycling of nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen and water.
10 March a. Draw an InfoGraphic to show;
i. how carbon is recycled between the environment and living things,
ii. how nitrogen is recycled between the environment and living
things
iii. how water is recycled between the environment and living things
iv. the function of carbon, nitrogen and water within organisms
b. Write at least two paragraphs explaining your InfoGraphic.
c. Explain how this relates to the criteria for the portable worm farm.
4. Design a Science Investigation for a group of students using your worm farm.
Monday a. Design a research question based on the design of portable worm farm.
12 March b. Describe how students could investigate independent variables, for
example, amount of light, air, food, moisture, temperature, and population
size. Remember that a variable should be a quantity that can be
measured in specific units.
c. Describe a dependent variable that students could measure. This should
be a measure of efficiency of recycling of nutrients by the worms.
d. Explain how this relates to the criteria for the portable worm farm.
1. Submit a scale drawing of a portable worm farm. Annotate the scale
On drawing so that another person could follow and build your design.
Wednesday Note that groups of students could use your portable worm farm to investigate
15 March variables that affect the worms and their ability to recycle nutrients. Consider
what these variables could be and include specific features in your design so
In-Class
that students could investigate these variables.
Assess-
ment Task
2. During class and individually, use your scale drawing and your expertise
from your research to;
a. Explain why each element of the design was chosen.
b. Outline a Science Investigation that could be done using your
portable worm farm.

2
 Assessment Task 2 Feedback Rubric of Research Tasks
Design a Portable Worm Farm to be used for Investigations in classes.

Name:

Criteria and General Feedback of level of Mastery

Capabilities Needs more depth Competent Sophisticated
General Capabilities Describes concepts using some Applies concepts to describe structures Applies concepts to describe structures
Ethical Understanding scientific language and conventions. and systems and briefly explains and systems and explain processes in
Personal and Social Capability shows Develops representations lacking processes using scientific language detail, using appropriate scientific
Curiosity and Imagination detail. Presents statements of ideas and conventions. Presents arguments language and conventions. Presents
ICT with some development of an or statements that are not well clear and logical arguments that are
Critical and Creative Thinking argument. Selects some scientific supported by evidence. Interprets and supported by evidence. Interprets,
Literacy information to support a point of view, compares scientific information to compares and evaluates scientific
Numeracy but includes some irrelevant or support a point of view. Solves information to support various points of
incorrect information. Solves simple calculations with only minor errors. view. Performs calculations accurately
Research Task 1 calculations with only minor errors. with correct units.
Explain how to consider the needs and
care of the earthworms in a portable
worm farm in terms of optimum light, air,
food, moisture, temperature, habitat,
and population size.
Research Task 2
Describe the structure of an existing
working worm farm.

Describe the feature of the built part,

including the material, the method of
collection of worm juice.

Demonstrate use of binocular

microscope.
Describe, with biological drawings, the
classification and anatomy of
earthworms.

Describe, with drawings, the worm

castings and the worm juice.

3
 Criteria and STEM Skills
Research Task 3
Design and build an InfoGraphic to
explain how Annelid worms
contribute to the cycling of nutrients
such as carbon, nitrogen and water.
Initiative and Enterprise
Access and Analyse information
Management; work as part of a team.
Agility and Adaptability
Needs more depth
Describes concepts using some
scientific language and conventions.
Develops representations lacking
detail. Presents statements of ideas
with some development of an
argument. Selects some scientific
information to support a point of view,
but includes some irrelevant or
incorrect information. Solves simple
calculations with only minor errors.
Feedback of level of Mastery
Competent
Applies concepts to describe structures
and systems and briefly explains
processes using scientific language
and conventions. Presents arguments
or statements that are not well
supported by evidence. Interprets and
compares scientific information to
support a point of view. Solves
calculations with only minor errors.
Sophisticated
Applies concepts to describe structures
and systems and explain processes in
detail, using appropriate scientific
language and conventions. Presents
clear and logical arguments that are
supported by evidence. Interprets,
compares and evaluates scientific
information to support various points of
view. Performs calculations accurately
with correct units.

Draw an InfoGraphic to show

o how carbon is recycled between
the environment and living
things,
o how nitrogen is recycled
between the environment and
living things
o how water is recycled between
the environment and living
things
o the function of carbon, nitrogen
and water within organisms

Write at least two paragraphs explaining

your InfoGraphic.

4
 Criteria and STEM Skills
Research Task 4
Design a Science Inquiry Investigation
for a group of students using your worm
farm.
Curiosity and Imagination
Collaboration and Effective
Leadership and Management
Design a research question based on
the design of your portable worm farm
Needs more depth
With guidance, formulates a research
question, and a testable hypothesis
that includes dependent and
independent variables. Plans an
investigation to collect appropriate
data. Inconsistently identifies some
controlled variables. Recognises the
need to choose quantities that may be
measured.
Feedback of level of Mastery
Competent
Formulates a research question, and a
testable hypothesis that states the
relationship between dependent and
independent variables. Plans an
investigation to collect appropriate
data. Identifies some controlled
variables without detail. Attempts to
choose measurable quantities.
Sophisticated
Formulates a research question, and a
testable hypothesis that states the
relationship between dependent and
independent variables. Plans an
investigation to collect appropriate
data. Identifies controlled variables with
specific detail. Designs quantities that
may be measured and the units used.

Describe how students could investigate

independent variables

Describe a dependent variable that

students could measure. This should be
a measure of efficiency of recycling of
nutrients by the worms.

General Comments:

5
 Unit 1 Assessment Task 2
Science Inquiry Skills Investigation

Design a Portable Worm Farm that could be

General Integrated Science Year 11 used for Science Investigations.

Relevant Syllabus Statements 10% of the year assessment

Unit 1

Science Inquiry Skills

construct questions for investigation; propose hypotheses; and predict possible outcomes

plan, select and use appropriate investigation methods, to collect reliable data; assess risk and address
ethical issues associated with these methods
conduct investigations safely, competently and methodically for the collection of valid and reliable data

Science as a Human Endeavour

the use of scientific knowledge is influenced by social, economic, cultural and ethical considerations
the use of scientific knowledge may have beneficial and/or harmful and/or unintended consequences

scientific knowledge can enable scientists to offer valid explanations and make reliable predictions
scientific knowledge can be used to develop and evaluate projected economic, social and environmental
impacts, and to design action for sustainability

Science Understanding
Earth systems/cycles in nature
interaction between the hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere are represented by biogeochemical
cycles

conservation of matter occurs in cycles in nature

natural resources are important in everyday life

human activities and natural processes impact on cycles in nature

Ecosystems and sustainability

interrelationship between systems assist cellular activity to sustain life

biological communities interact with each other and their physical environment