Junior Cycle Science

Assessment Task

December 2018

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Contents
Introduction 5

Timing of Science Assessment Task: 6

Submission of booklets 6

Process for completing the Assessment Task: 7

First stage (Class period 1): Discussion and reflection (40 minutes) 7

Second stage (Class period 2): 7

Checklist for teachers 8

Before: 8

During the First Stage (Class Period 1): 8

During the Second Stage (Class Period 2): 8

After: 8

Appendix 1: Sample assessment task template 9

Appendix 2: Stimulus Material Booklet 12

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Introduction
Students complete a written Assessment Task to be submitted to the State Examinations Commission
for marking as part of the state-certified examination for Science. It will be allocated 10% of the marks
used to determine the grade awarded by the State Examinations Commission. The Assessment Task is
directly related to the nature and focus of Classroom-Based Assessment 2: Science in Society
Investigation (SSI). The purpose of the Assessment Task is for students to undertake a focused reflection
on their individual presentation for Classroom-Based Assessment 2. The Assessment Task will assess
the students in aspects of their learning including:

§ Their ability to engage critically in a balanced review of scientific texts: evaluate reliability of
sources, analyse and evaluate data, information and evidence, and draw valid conclusions

§ Their ability to apply their learning to unseen contexts and scenarios

§ Their capacity to reflect on the skills they have developed

The Assessment Task is at a Common Level and the questions posed will take into account the broad
cohort of students taking the assessment. It consists of two stages: firstly, discussing stimulus material
presented in a booklet form; and secondly, writing up and completing their Assessment Task booklet.

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Timing of Science Assessment Task:
The Science Assessment Task will be completed during the week following completion of the Science In
Society Investigation (SSI) which can take place over a 3-week period between Monday 12th November
2018 and Friday 15th March 2019.

The Assessment Task is completed over 80 minutes within a double class period or two single class
periods. The 80-minute time period is divided into two stages: The first stage (40 minutes) is used for
preparation purposes; the second stage (40 minutes) is used for writing up their response to the task.

Note: A sample Assessment Task template can be viewed in Appendix 1.

Submission of booklets
The student’s response is written into a pro-forma booklet and the school forwards the completed
booklets for the Assessment Task in accordance with arrangements set out by the State Examinations
Commission (SEC).

The mark awarded for the Assessment Task will be aggregated by the SEC with the mark awarded for
the written examination to determine the overall grade for the state-certified final examination in
Science.

Where a student is absent for the completion of all or part of the Assessment Task, schools should
make local arrangements in the school to allow the student to complete the task as close as possible to
the timeframe scheduled for completion.

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Process for completing the Assessment Task:
The Assessment Task is based on the second Classroom-Based Assessment for Junior Cycle Science.
This Classroom-Based Assessment, Science In Society Investigation (SSI), has two priorities: to give
students the opportunity to explore a scientific topic or issue, and to develop their research and
reporting skills. The SSI allows students to: search for information, discriminate between sources,
document sources used, present evidence in a report, apply knowledge of science to new situations
and analyse different points of view on the issue, draw conclusions and communicate opinion based
on the evidence.
Students must complete Classroom-Based Assessment 2: SSI before completing the Assessment
Task.

First stage (Class period 1): Discussion and reflection (40 minutes)

Discussion will be based on the stimulus material booklet available (see Appendix 2)

The teacher will arrange the students into groups and present the Stimulus Material Booklet. They will
ask the students to read and discuss the information presented in the booklet, prompt questions are
included therein to help shape the discussion.

Second stage (Class period 2):

Completion of assessment task booklet and submission (40 minutes) Completion of the assessment
task booklet (Recommended time of approximately 35 minutes)

The completion of the assessment task booklet can be done during the next timetabled Science class
period with the class group. The writing up of the booklet should last for 35 minutes approximately.
Students should have their individual SSI with them as the questions they will be asked refer to their
individual SSI. Students complete the booklet independently, whilst teachers supervise without
intervention/assistance, except where support is required to remove barriers to learning, in line with
the supports available to the student(s) throughout the school year. A sample assessment task template
is included in these guidelines (see Appendix 1).

Submission (up to 5 minutes)

Students label their answer booklets clearly and the teacher follows school procedures for
storing/submitting booklets to the State Examinations Commission.

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Checklist for teachers
Before:
§ Have a copy of the Stimulus Material Booklet available to you and the students

During the First Stage (Class Period 1):

§ Allow time for group discussion based on the Stimulus material Booklet (Class Period 1)

During the Second Stage (Class Period 2):

§ Ensure students have their individual Science In Society Investigation available to them.

§ Distribute Assessment Task booklets sent to schools by the SEC

§ Supervise as students write their answers into the booklet.

After:
§ Gather all clearly labelled booklets and then follow established school procedures for
storing/submitting material to the SEC.

Note: If your students are completing the Assessment Task during a double class, the same steps
outlined above apply but are completed back to back over 80 minutes of one double class period

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 2019J057C6EL

Appendix 1: Sample assessment task template

Junior Cycle Assessment Task 2019

Science

40 marks

Examination number

Instructions

The questions in this booklet relate to your Science in Society Investigation, which you
completed as part of your second Classroom Based Assessment in Science.

Answer all questions.

Write your answers in the spaces provided in this booklet. Do not enclose or attach any
other work, as this will not be marked.

This booklet will be scanned and your work will be presented to an examiner on screen.
Anything that you write outside of the answer areas may not be seen by the examiner.
Section A Investigation and Research 10 marks

Question 1 (10 marks)

(a) State your research question.

(b) Why did you choose this research question?

(c) Name any two specific research resources that you used during your investigation.

Junior Cycle Assessment Task 2019 2

Science
Section B Knowledge, Reliability and Bias 20 marks

Question 2 (10 marks)

(a) Outline some scientific knowledge you learned during your investigation.

(b) Do you think this knowledge is reliable? Explain your answer.

Question 3 (10 marks)

(a) Name one research resource which you found to be reliable (or unbiased). Explain why.

(b) Name one research resource which you found to be unreliable (or biased). Explain why.

Junior Cycle Assessment Task 2019 3

Science
Section C Communicating 10 marks

Question 4 (10 marks)

As you conducted your research, you may have come across information presented using methods
that did not use words alone.
Such methods include diagrams, photographs, tables, graphs, charts and audio/visual recordings.
(a) Did any of these communication methods help you understand the information presented?
Explain your answer using a relevant example.

(b) Did you use any of these communication methods to present information in your own
research report? Explain why you chose to use or not use these communication methods in
your report.

Junior Cycle Assessment Task 2019 4

Science
Appendix 2
Stimulus Material Booklet
Junior Cycle Science - Assessment Task

Stimulus Material Booklet

Nitrates in drinking water

Key Questions...

Where does Nitrate come from?

How do you know if water is polluted?

Is there nitrate pollution in water in

Ireland?

What are the human health risks of

nitrates in our water?

Should Industries be forced to monitor

their contribution to water pollution?

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Junior Cycle Science - Assessment Task

Group Discussion

Nitrates in drinking water

Instruction:

This booklet presents information about water polluted by nitrates. Follow your teacher’s
directions to work as a group. Read and discuss the information presented in a variety of
ways;

Newspaper
Text Diagram Map Table
Article

Use the prompt questions on page 9 to help shape your discussion.

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Junior Cycle Science - Assessment Task

Newspaper article

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DRINKING?

Water makes up 3/4 of your body. So you want to

be sure that what you drink is safe. The problem
is we use too many chemicals these days, on our
The signs from
fields and in our factories. It is inevitable that
tiny amounts will get into our drinking water. nature are
frightening
One of the most worrying chemicals is Numbers of frogs
nitrates. Nitrates come from fertilisers used
have been dropping
to make crops grow better. Nitrates can
run off the fields, into our rivers, and into alarmingly in parts
the water supply. There have been many of the USA. Some
suggestions that nitrates can harm human
scientists think
health.
that nitrates are
High levels of nitrates might possibly cause responsible. But the
children to get the disease diabetes. In levels of nitrates
diabetes the blood carries too much glucose.
are considered safe
The body cannot process it properly.
Diabetic children will have to suffer a lifetime for human drinking
of daily injections to treat it. Other research has water.
suggested a link between high nitrate levels
and a form of cancer. So far scientists have not
proved that nitrates are dangerous. But they
have not proved they are safe either.

Are you happy drinking water that

kills off frogs?

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Junior Cycle Science - Assessment Task

Diagram

Overview of the nitrogen cycle and sources of pollution with nitrogen

Source: http://lifeofplant.blogspot.com/2011/03/nutrient-cycling.html

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Junior Cycle Science - Assessment Task

Table

Information on Drinking Water Standard

Environmental Protection Agency Parameters of water quality for nitrates (mg/l)

United States < 10 mg/litre

European Union <50mg /litre

Data supplied by the US and EU Environmental Protection agencies

Table

Information on a study of 214 cases of Blue-baby syndrome reported

in the US.

Nitrate concentrations in the water consumed Number of cases of Blue-baby

by the infants syndrome
Nitrate levels < 10mg/l 0

11mg/l < Nitrate levels < 20mg/l 5

21mg/l < Nitrate levels < 50mg/l 36

Nitrate levels > 50mg 173

Source: American Scientist

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Junior Cycle Science - Assessment Task

Text

Information about water polluted by nitrates

"
Overall, the quality of water in Ireland is still quite good compared to
other countries. Over the past thirty years, however, water quality has
decreased and many incidences of pollution have cropped up. The
pollutants of most concern to groundwater in Ireland are Nitrates from
fertiliser used on land. The diagram above gives an overview of the

"
nitrogen cycle and sources of water pollution with nitrogen in Ireland.

From Water Quality in 2016 An Indicators Report

European Environment Agency

In 2016 the mean nitrate concentration

at six monitoring sites exceeded the Irish
groundwater threshold value, with two
sites having mean concentrations greater
than the Drinking Water Standard. -
Water Quality in 2016 An Indicators
Report European Environment Agency

In Ireland in 2017, 7010 farmers applied

for a Nitrates Derogation to the
Department of Agriculture, Food and
Marine. If granted, the derogation means
they may increase the amount of livestock
manure nitrogen they use beyond
the EU limits set to protect drinking
water supplies from nitrate pollution. -
Agriland.ie

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Junior Cycle Science - Assessment Task

Map

A map showing the water testing location on the river supplying

water to the group water scheme in Kilronan, a town in the midlands
in Ireland.

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Junior Cycle Science - Assessment Task

Table

Data on Nitrate levels in the Kilronan Group Water Scheme

Scientists working for Kilronan Water recorded the nitrate concentration of one hundred water
samples taken from the river over a 4 month cycle. This information is shown in the table below:

Data on Nitrate levels Kilronan Water

Day of cycle Sample data Nitrate concentrtation in mg/l

5 March 5 48.3

8 March 8 43.3

24 March 24 44.4

9 April 40 44. 7

12 April 43 51.8

28 April 59 43.5

6 May 67 43.8

17 May 78 23.9

25 May 86 41.8

8 June 100 40.9

Scientists claim the water is safe to drink and no action needs to be taken to remove nitrates from
the water supply.

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Junior Cycle Science - Assessment Task

Group Discussion

Prompt questions for group discussion

• Should people worry after reading the newspaper article? Discuss.

• What opinion does the newspaper article have about nitrates? Do you think this opinion is
biased? Discuss.

• Look at the map. Do you think the map is easy to interpret?

• Is a map a good way to communicate information about testing water for nitrates? Discuss

• If you were the scientist carrying out this test, where would you have placed the testing
centre? Discuss.

• Look at the information about the concentrations of nitrate in the water supply. Should the
people using this supply have concerns? Discuss.

• As an independent reviewer, would you be satisfied with the evidence that the scientist
produced to support the claim by the water company that the water does not pose a threat to
health? Discuss