2.1+Transpiration+Investigation+NCEA

=2.1 Carry out a practical biological investigation with supervision = ** NCEA Achievement Criteria **  3 Credits

|| ** Achievement with Merit ** || ** Achievement with Excellence ** ||
 * ** Achievement **
 * · Carry out a practical biological investigation.

|| · Carry out a quality practical biological investigation.

|| · Carry out and evaluate a quality practical biological investigation. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">

|| <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">** Explanatory Notes **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"> 1. An investigation is an activity covering the complete process: to plan, carry out, process and interpret data, and report on the investigation. It will involve students in the collection of primary data. It is expected that students will have opportunity to make changes to their initial method as they work through the investigation.

2. The nature of the investigation could be the manipulation of variables (fair test) or the investigation of a pattern or relationship.

3. // With supervision // means the teacher gives students guidelines for the investigation such as the context for the investigation, instructions giving the requirements for a quality investigation, and broad experimental conditions such as the availability of equipment or chemicals. It may also involve discussion with individual students in order to clarify their ideas. Students then develop and complete the investigation from the initial guidelines given by the teacher.

4. A //practical biological investigation// will involve <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· a statement of the purpose – this may be an aim, testable question, prediction, or hypothesis based on a scientific idea <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">]· a method that describes: <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">- for a fair test: the independent variable and its range, the measurement of the dependent variable and the control of some other key variables <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">- or pattern seeking: the data that will be collected, range of data/samples, and consideration of some other key factors <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· collecting, recording and processing data relevant to the purpose <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· interpreting and reporting on the findings with a conclusion reached based on the processed data in relation to the purpose of the investigation.

5. A //quality practical biological investigation// enables a valid conclusion to be reached. This would normally involve <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· a statement of the purpose – this may be an aim, testable question, prediction or hypothesis based on a scientific idea <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· a method that describes: <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">- for a fair test: a valid range for the independent variable, the valid measurement of the dependent variable and the control of other variables, with consideration of factors such as sampling bias and sources of errors <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">- for pattern seeking: a valid collection of data with consideration of factors such as sampling bias and sources of errors. <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· collecting, recording and processing data to enable a trend or pattern (or absence) to be determined <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· interpreting and reporting on the findings with a valid conclusion reached based on the processed data in relation to the purpose of the investigation <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· a discussion of the biological ideas relating to the investigation.

6. // Evaluate // means to justify the conclusion in terms of the method used. This will involve, where relevant, consideration of the: <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· reliability of the data <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· validity of the method.