NSTA PRESS Formative Assessment Probes

Is it Living? From the list below, write down the things that you think are considered “living”. treerockfireboywindrabbitcloud grassseedeggbacteriacellmoleculefeather sunpotatoleaffossilriverbutterflymushroom Explain your thinking. What “rule” or reasoning did you use to decide if something could be considered living?

Functions of Living Things The functions listed below are performed by living organisms. Which functions are performed by plants, animals, or both? Make a simple chart to classify these functions: Photosynthesis (make food)Acquire and take in food from the environment Respiration (release energy from food)Cell Division ReproductionGrowth Elimination of waste productsStorage of energy Maintain a stable internal environmentTransport of materials within the organism Response to stimuliRepair of a damaged structure Explain your thinking. What helped you decide whether a function is performed by a plant, animal, or both?

Whale and Shrew The blue whale is the largest mammal in the world. The pygmy shrew is one of the smallest mammals in the world. How does the size of average cells compare between a blue whale and a pygmy shrew? Write out the answer that best matches your thinking:  A. The average cell of a blue whale is smaller than the average cell of a pygmy shrew  B. The average cell of a blue whale is larger than the average cell of a pygmy shrew  C. The average cell of a blue whale is about the same size as the average cell of a pygmy shrew Explain your thinking. Describe the “rule” or reasoning you used to choose your answer.

Respiration From the list below, write down the organisms that use the process of respiration: humanfrog eggsfishwormgerminating seed bacteriamushroomgrasshorsechick inside an egg ducktomato plantbeeapple treebutterfly inside a cocoon Explain your thinking. How did you decide whether an organism uses the process of respiration?

Baby Mice Seif’s pet mouse had babies. Five of the babies were black and two were white. The father mouse was black. The mother mouse was white. Seif and his friends wondered why the mice were different colors. These were their ideas:  Jerome: Baby mice inherit more traits from their fathers than their mothers  Alexa: The baby mice got half their traits from their father and half from their mother  June: Male traits are stronger than female traits  Seif: Black mice have more traits than white mice  Fiona: The black baby mice are probably male and the white baby mice are probably female  Lydia: Parent’s traits like fur color don’t matter – nature decides what something will look like  Billy: Blood type determines what traits babies will have Which friend do you most agree with and why? Explain your thinking.

Biological Evolution Four friends were discussing the meaning of the term biological evolution. This is what they said:  Mario: “ I think it is another term for natural selection”  Sally: “ I think it mainly explains how life started”  Cameron: “ I think it mainly explains how life changed after it started”  Paz: “ I think it includes both how life started and how it changed after it started” Write out the statement that you most agree with. Explain what you think biological evolution is.

Habitat Change A small, short-furred, gray animal called a divo lives on an island. This island is the only place on Earth where divos live. The island habitat is warm and provides plenty of divos only food – tree ants. The divos live high in the treetops, hidden from predators. One year the habitat experienced a drastic change that lasted for most of the year. It became very cold and even snowed. All of the ants died. The trees lost their leaves, but plenty of seeds and dried leaves were on the ground. Write out which of the followed things occurred as a result of the change. You may choose more than one answer: A. The divos’ fur grew longer and thicker B. The divos switched to eating seeds C. The divos dug holes to live under the leaves or beneath rocks D. The divos hibernated through the cold period until the habitat was warm again E. The divos died Explain your thinking. How did you decide what effect the change in habitat would have on most of the divos?

Is it Fitter? Natural selection is sometimes described as “survival of the fittest”. Four friends were arguing about what the phrase “survival of the fittest” means. This is what they said:  Dora: “I think ‘fit’ means bigger and stronger”  Lance: “I think ‘fit’ means more apt to reproduce”  Felix: “I think ‘fit’ means able to run faster”  Hap: “I think ‘fit’ means more intelligent” Write out the statement of the person you most agree with. Explain what you think “survival of the fittest” means.

Catching a Cold Have you ever been sick with a cold? People have different ideas about what causes a cold. From the list below, write out the things that you think cause you to “catch a cold”. Having a feverBeing wetBeing wet and cold GermsSpoiled foodNot getting enough sleep Lack of exerciseCold weatherImbalance of body fluids Explain your thinking. Describe how people “catch a cold”.

Rotting Apple Four friends argued about why an apple on the ground eventually rots away and disappears. This is what they said:  Anna: “I think it is just something that happens over time”.  Selma: “I think small organisms use it for energy and building material”  Felicia: “I think the atoms and molecules in the apple break apart”.  Logan: “I think wind and water soften it, and it dissolves into the soil”.  Eli: “I think water and air rot it, then small animals come and eat the rest”.  Jack: “I think it gets old and breaks apart into pieces too small to see”. Write out the statement from the student that you agree with. Describe your thinking. Provide an explanation for your answer.

Global Warming Seven students argued about what they thought were major human causes of global warming. This is what they thought were causes that could be attributed to humans:  Maria: acid rain  Natalie: burning coal  Tessa: the fuel we use in our cars  Blaine: using leaded gasoline instead of unleaded  Anita: toxic chemicals in air pollution  Raul: the thinning of Earth’s ozone layer  Van: water pollution Write out the causes that you agree with. Explain why you agree.