Science & Technology

Cycle 1 Prototype Exam

Important – Read Me First

The Science & Technology end-of-cycle 1 evaluation is the first of its kind in our secondary schools. Therefore, being very new to all of us, it is important to provide teachers with as clear a picture as possible given the information that the MELS has recently provided to the Anglophone sector. Please note that the information contained within this document IS NOT to be shared with students until the evaluation process officially begins. Thus, please use the information to prepare your schools (lab technicians, planning etc.) and classrooms (teachers). Also, I will be available to answer more detailed questions by teachers on April 19, 23, and 27th, 2007 during the Science & Technology Cycle 1 LES Training at RiverdaleHigh School.

General Notes

- There are four (4) independent tasks included in the evaluation.

- Students will only do tasks #1, 3, and 4.

  1. Otzi, the Ice Man
  2. The Quebec Climate the Construction of Metallic Structures

** Not to be done during this evaluation process but rather used as an LES for the 2007-2008 year. Further explanation provided on page 4**

  1. AnticostiIsland
  2. The Playground

- The teacher will be supplied with:

1. An administration guide (includes information for all four tasks)

2. Student Question Booklet (1 per student per task)

3. Student Answer Booklet (1 per student per task)

4. Teacher Answer Booklet (1 per task)

- Rubrics will be supplied for each competency being evaluated per task.

1

Program Content being Evaluated

Task / Material World / Living World / Earth and Space / Technological World
1 / - Property
- Mass
- Volume / - Plant & animal cells
- Cellular components visible under a microscope / - Type of rocks (basic minerals)
2* / - Temperature / - Specifications
- Design Plan
- Technical drawing
- Material
- Equipment
- System (overall function, inputs, processes, outputs, control)
- Basic mechanical functions (links, guiding control)
- Types of motion
- Effects of a force
- Mechanisms that bring about a change in motion
3 / - Population / - Relief
- Erosion
- Winds
4 / - States of matter
- Chemical change
- Physical change
- Mixtures
- Solutions
- Separation of mixtures
- Atom
- Element
- Molecule / - Photosynthesis & respiration

*This task is NOT to be done during this year’s exam period.

1

Task #1 – Otzi, the Ice Man

Competencies being evaluated
#1 Seeks answers or solutions to scientific or technological problems
#3 Communicates in the languages used in science & technology
Duration of task
2 hours – Can be done in 1 time period OR
split into 2 time periods (1st – write outprocedure, 2nd – carry outprocedure)
Details
-Focuses on the Scientific Method
-Students will solve a problem using the process of scientific inquiry. They are asked to determine the nature of various samples through experimentation involving laboratory testing.
-The scenario is based on a true story from 1991 whereby truckers found a mummy, along with some artefacts, in the Alps
-Student question booklet contains text which explains the story.
-Student answer booklet has the scientific method laid out for them.
-Teacher booklet provides answers which would result in the students receiving a mark of 4 (out of a possible 5)
-Every student will have to identify which of the twelve teams he belongs to based on his samples. To assist in some of the identification, students will be given two tables (metals & minerals/rocks)

Task #2 – The Quebec Climate & the Construction of Metallic Structures

Competencies being evaluated
#2 Makes the most of his/her knowledge of science and technology
Duration of task
3.5 hours – 1-2 periods (1.5 h) for analysis portion
2 periods (2 h) for conception portion
Details
-Focuses on technological design process
-This task is divided into two parts: analysis & conception
- Teacher should perform a demonstration of the expansion of the metal. An example demonstration is provided for the teacher.
- Teacher must present all the tools to be used by the student
- The main objective of the task is to build a prototype that will show thermal expansion of a metallic rod (with a mechanism that will show a slight movement). However, the student must analyse three tools prior to developing the prototype.
- The student must choose one of the three objects to be analyzed, present at least one characteristic that could be helpful in building his own prototype, provide an explanation, and draw a technical diagram of it
- Students get a specification sheet as well as several documents re: motion & force, guiding function, linking function, simple machines, complex mechanical functions, symbols, and aspects of the analysis of a technical object
- Students must draw the technical diagram of their prototype, construct it and then write down any adjustment that was made, how the mechanism works, the pros and cons of his prototype and any possible ameliorations


Task #3 – AnticostiIsland

Competencies being evaluated
#2 Makes the most of his/her knowledge of science and technology
Duration of task
Approximately 1- 2 hours
Details
-The context for this task is: the ministry wants to preserve wildlife, flora and fauna, and the economy of AnticostiIsland
-The class has been selected and given a mandate to find a solution to preserve the island. There is a problem with deer over population. This is combined with the fact that they want hunters to keep coming to the island. There needs to be a certain number of deer, but at the moment there are too many and they are eating the shoots of the new vegetation on the island. If this continues, the island will lose all of its vegetation.
-Students need to take into account the relief, the vegetation that is on the island, economic consequences of the decisions that they will take, etc. (Example: if the vegetation disappears, the herbivores will disappear and the carnivores will starve soon thereafter)
-Student must write what the task is asking, what he knows, and what he has to know to make an appropriate decision.

Task #4 – The Playground

Competencies being evaluated
#2 Makes the most of his/her knowledge of science and technology
#3 Communicates in the languages used in science & technology
Duration of task
Approximately 1- 2 hours
Details
–The objective of the task is to have students write a petition to modify an empty space (where a factory that made batteries used to stand) into a playground
–The ground is contaminated … experts suggest two ways to de-contaminate it: 1) dig it up (removing the lead using an acid wash), 2) photo restoration (decontamination via plants). Students are given information on the two methods to decontaminate
–In the answer booklet, student needs to explain (with scientific terms) the chosen method and why, the pros and cons etc.
–Teacher booklet has examples of correct and incorrect answers

Required Laboratory and Workshop Material

Task #1

-12 samples each of the rocks and minerals: quartz, galena, mica, pyrite

-32 Rock & Mineral Identification kit (nail, penny, glass streak plate, magnet) so as to be able to use the Mohs Scale

-Metal samples (cylinders, cubes or files of iron, copper, and lead)

-Microscope

-Graduated Cylinders

-Balance

Task #2

-Wooden panel (4 ft x 8 ft)

-Wooden stick of 5/16 in thickness x ¾ inwidth

-Foam core or foam board

-Coroplast

-Rigid cardboard

-Nails (1 ¼ to 1 ½)

-Rivets

-Gears (with different diameters)

-Glue guns

-Glue for glue guns

-Flat metallic spheres (washers)

-Cardboard (corrugated on one side only)

-PEX or PVC diameter of ¼ in and ½ in

-Rectangular wooden sticks (different dimensions)

-Square wooden sticks (different dimensions)

-Wooden cylinders(different diameters)

-Cardboard wheels (different diameters)

-Straws, coffee stir sticks, and tongue depressors

-Elastics (different dimensions)

-Mitre box with saw (with fine teeth)

-Cutting board

-Security ruler

-Hammer

-Exacto knife

-Scissors

Task #3– No materials required

Task #4 – Nomaterials required

1