B.

MakingSenseofFocusStudentsResponses
1.Descriptionsoffocusstudents
Focusstudentswerechosenandgivenpseudonymsbeforethelessonsequence
tookplace.Caleb,Ariel,andSarahsubmittedstudentworktobeanalyzedto
assesstheirlearning,andtoimproveuponfuturelessonplanswiththesestudentsand
others.Theyhadvariousacademicstandingthusfarinthecourse,anddifferent
personalities.Thegoalwastogetawiderrangeofstudentstobesomewhat
representativeof,andbenefit,thewholeclass.
2.ExcellentResponseorRubric
(Thefollowingrubrictakenfrombiodqc.org):
Interpreting Student Responses: Although there are several ways a student could
correctly answer this question, all sophisticated answers require that the student be able to
trace carbon in a variety of molecular forms through different pools (e.g. Grandma, soil
microbes, atmosphere, plants, herbivores) and processes (e.g. respiration through
decomposition, transformation of organic carbon in a coyote). This question assesses
how complete/detailed an understanding students have of ecosystem carbon cycling,
whether they have misconceptions about processes such as respiration, transformation,
and photosynthesis, and whether they have an atomic-molecular understanding of the
various forms that carbon can take as it cycles in an ecosystem.
Coding Rubric Grandma Johnson #1 Part A (Respiration)
Code
Example Student Responses
Description
4 - Scientific
The carbon atom is given off as CO2, a
Correct: Student traces carbon from organic
plant uses the carbon atom as part of
material in grandma johnson to carbon
photosynthesis, a small animal eats the
dioxide via the process of decomposition,
plant where the carbon has been stored,
with carbon dioxide being the key ingredient
then the coyote eats the small animal that of the answer
has stored the carbon as ATP (GJ45)
3a - Mixed

None available

3b - Mixed

When she dies, she will be decomposed

by tiny bacteria and fungi. As this
happens, carbon is released into the soil,
which in turn is taken up by the plant
roots as nutrients. The plant in turn gets
consumed by a small herbivore, who is
then consumed by the coyote (F16)

3c - Mixed

The body will be broken down by

decomposers and will be converted into
oxygen, which will be used by the coyote
and therefore travel inside the leg muscle
of the coyote (A22).

Student incorrectly converts carbon in

Grandma Johnson to energy available for
plants or microbes (Not a frequent response)
Student mentions a process by which
Grandma Johnson is decomposing, but does
not trace carbon from Grandma Johnson to the
atmosphere as carbon dioxide, only tracing
carbon to the soil OR
Student traces the carbon to CO2 molecules
but without mention of decomposition or
decay, likely caused by Grandma Johnsons
body.
Student describes the products of cellular
respiration by decomposers to be something
other than carbon dioxide and water, such as
oxygen or soil minerals/nutrients or does not
menbtion decomposition, but simply states
that the carbon was absorbed into the soil or
carbon travels directly from Grandma Johnson

2 - Informal

Grandma Johnson's remains (carbon

atoms) could travel from the roots of the
bush into the actual leaves of the bush,
which may transfer into the air (carbon)
with the rest of the carbon atoms. The
coyote; needing oxygen to live would
probably have consumed the carbon
atom of Grandma Johson's remains
(GJ1).

to plant roots.

Some other animal must have ate a part

of Grandma Johnson then later the
coyote ate that animal (GJ9)

Student provides no description of a

decomposition process

1a

Missing data (e.g. responses or codes lost after exam was taken and coded)

1b

Student did not reach question

1c

Student skipped question

1d

I dont know or equivalent

1e

Nonsense answer that is not responsive to question

3.FindingandExplainingPatternsinStudentResponses
Themajorityofstudentsgavemixed(3bourof4)answers.Mostofthem
acknowledgedthatgrandmaJohnsonwasdecomposing,andthatthecarbonwasgoing
somewhere,butclaimedthatitwentintothesoil,andthattheplantgotthiscarbonfrom
thesoil.Thiswasmoredishearteningatfirst,butIbegantorealizehowmanypiecesare
includedinthegrandmascarbonquestion.Notonlydidtheyhavetoknowwheredo
plantsgettheircarbon?,butitwaskeythattheyrealizethatmicrobesinthesoil,
breakingdowngrandmaarereleasingcarboninagaseous(CO2)form,andthatbecause
ofthis,itbecomespartoftheatmosphere.Thiswasamoreminorpointthatwewentover
justbeforethequiz,butisawholeadditionallayerofunderstandinghowthiscycling
processworksthatwasntnearlyasdriven/focusedonasotherpointsandsinceitisa
cycle,thatweaklinkintheirknowledgemayhaveresultedinthetroubletheyhadwith
thisquestion.Thatsnottosaythatsome(ormany)studentsstilldidntgetthepieceof
whereplantsgettheircarbon,butitisevidentinsomestudentresponses(tofollow).I
mayhavegottenmorehonestresultsifstudentswereaskedtowritedownquestionsthey
have/contradictionsandthingstheyarentsureofalongwiththeirexplanation(though
thiswouldvetakenmoretime,itmightveallowedforanotheroptionforstudentstolean
onwhattheyknowwithoutsacrificingittoexplainthelinkstheyrenotsureof.If
studentsthinkok,wellplantsgettheircarbonfromtheair,butgrandmasinthesoilit
hastogetfromthesoiltotheplantthismayhaveleadtotrouble.
Calebansweredthisquestioninthewaymostdid.Wheregrandmawasunderthe
plant,thecarbonwentfromhertotheplant,toabunny,tothecoyote.Littleextraor
writtenexplanationwasgiven,andIwouldlumphimunder3babove,withmixed

understanding(breakingdownatthedecomposition/soil/atmosphere,carbontoplant
stage).
Arielgotthatcellularrespirationtakesplacetomovegrandmascarbontothe
atmosphere,butdidntmentionmicroorganisms/decomposers.SoildoesCR,bushdoes
photosynthesis,bunnyeatsbush,coyoteeatsanddigestsbunny.Shedidmention
digestion,whichwillbeajumpingoffpointwhenwebacktracktomacromoleculesfor
thestartofthecellunit.Herpictureshowsarrowslabeled(astheywereaskedforinthe
worksheet,withCR,P,E,E),pointingintheproperdirections(includingtheCRarrow
fromthesoiltotheatmosphere/aboveground).
Ahandfulofotherstudents,includingSarah,gotthesequencestepscorrect,
includingmicroorganismsperformingcellularrespirationandtheplantreceivingcarbon
fromCO2intheair/atmosphere.Afewdidthisjustthroughtheirlabeledpicture,others
wrotestepbystepexplanations.Ifindeitheracceptable,butwiththewrittenexplanation,
yougetabetterideaoftheirunderstandinganduseofwords.(Ifoundthiswithrecent
shortanswerexamquestions,makingthegapsintheirunderstandingalittleclearer.)
Whatwasreallyinterestingtome,weresomeofthequestionswherethestudents
stucktotheirgunsaboutCO2,oraboutplantsreceivingcarbonfromtheair.(Mentioned
aboveasevidencesomehadtroublewiththemicrobeorgaseous/atmosphereidea.)One
studenttracedinthedrawingthatthepathwentinthesoil,(undergrandma,overtothe
plant),buthaditclearlylabeledthatbacteriadecomposeshertoCO2plantusesthe
CO2inthesoil.Anotherwasreallyfascinatinghedidntgetthemicrobepart,thatthey
undergocellularrespirationandreleaseCO2intotheatmosphereandnotcarbonintothe
soil,butstucktohisgunsinhisexplanationaboutcarboncomingfromtheairtothe
plant,andthoughtofanotherwaythiscouldhappenmuchmorelongterm!!
Hesaid:
GrandmaJohnsonstartedtodecomposefromthedecomposersintheground.Her
carbonremainedthere.OvertipofGrandmaJohnson,plantsstartedtogrow.Through
MANYyearsandthemovementofsoilthecarbonfromGrandmaJohnsonturnedinto
coal;afossilfuel.Thecoalbusinessspreadanddugupthecoal(carbonfromMrs.
Johnson)andburneditasafossilfuel.AplanttookthecarbonfromMrsJ,nowinthe
formofCO2,andturneditintoglucosewithabyproductofoxygen(photosynthesis).A
rabbitcamebyandatetheplant.TherabbitnowhascarboninitfromMrs.J.Ahungry
coyoteatetherabbit.ThecoyotenowhassomecarboninitfromtheremainsofGrandma
Johnson.
Ithoughtthiswasgreatinsightintothequestions/problemstheyrehavingwithdifferent
aspectsofthiscycling!Andthelatter,areallyinterestinglookatproblemsolvingandthe
connectionsthisstudentismakingwithsomehisnewknowledge!