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TKI Biology Assessment Resources

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For Excellence, the student needs to demonstrate comprehensive understanding of human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications.

This involves building on in-depth understanding by using biological ideas to explain how humans manipulate genetic transfer, see Explanatory Note (EN) 3, and the biological implications (EN4) of these manipulations.

The student needs to produce evidence of linking biological ideas about human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications. Linking ideas may involve justifying, relating, evaluating, comparing, and contrasting, and analysing.

This student has demonstrated comprehensive understanding by using corn plants as a case study. Biological ideas are used to both describe and explain selective breeding (1) and transgenesis in corn plants (3).

The student has provided strong evidence of using biological ideas to explain the biological implications of selective breeding (2) and transgenesis of corn plants (4) relating to the impact on genetic biodiversity and ecosystems.

Evidence of the linking biological ideas about both human manipulations of genetic transfer, and their biological implications, is seen by justifying the use of transgenesis over selective breeding, to ensure completion of the requirements (5).

For Merit, the student needs to needs to demonstrate in-depth understanding of human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications.

This involves using biological ideas to explain:

• how humans manipulate genetic transfer, see Explanatory Note (EN) 3, and
• the biological implications (EN4) of these manipulations.

This student has demonstrated in-depth understanding by using corn plants as a case study. Biological ideas are used to both describe and explain selective breeding (1) and transgenesis of corn plants (3). Biological ideas are also used to explain the biological implications of selective breeding (2) and transgenesis (4), relating to genetic biodiversity and impact on ecosystems to ensure that these requirements are met. The student begins to link biological ideas about selective breeding and transgenesis of corn plants, and their biological implications (5).

This evidence does not reach Excellence because further evidence is required linking biological ideas about both human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications, for example by comparing and contrasting these manipulations in more depth, or justifying using transgenesis over the selective breeding of corn.

For Merit, the student needs to demonstrate in-depth understanding of human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications.

This involves using biological ideas to explain:

• how humans manipulate genetic transfer (EN 3), and
• the biological implications (EN 4) of these manipulations.

This student has demonstrated some in-depth understanding by using corn plants as a case study. Biological ideas are used to describe and partly explain selective breeding (1) and cloning of corn plants (3).

Biological ideas are used to describe and explain the biological implications of selective breeding (2) and corn plant cloning (4), by relating this to genetic biodiversity and the impact on ecosystems.

An attempt has been made to link biological ideas about selective breeding and cloning of corn plants, and their biological implications (5).

For a more secure Merit, the student could use biological ideas to give a more in-depth explanation of:

• how humans manipulate genetic transfer in selective breeding and corn plant cloning
• the biological implications of both manipulations of genetic transfer.

For example, by explaining how Bt corn disrupts an ecosystem by killing non-target insects that feed on nearby plants that have Bt corn pollen on them.

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications.

This involves using biological ideas to describe human manipulations of genetic transfer (EN 3) and its biological implications (EN 4).

This student has demonstrated understanding by using corn plants as a case study. Biological ideas are used to describe selective breeding (1) and describe and partly explain cloning of corn plants (3).

Biological ideas are used to describe some biological implications of selective breeding (2), and describe and explain the implications of corn plant cloning (4), by relating this to genetic biodiversity and the health and survival of individuals.

To reach Merit, the student would need to give further evidence using biological ideas to:

• explain how humans manipulate genetic transfer in the selective breeding of corn plants
• more thoroughly explain the cloning of whole corn plants as Bt corn
• explain the biological implications of selective breeding of corn plants.

For example, by explaining the effect of Bt corn reducing the population of insects in an ecosystem, and the flow-on effect on reducing the population of birds that feed on those insects.

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications.

This involves using biological ideas to describe human manipulations of genetic transfer (EN 3) and its biological implications (EN 4).

This student has demonstrated understanding by using corn plants as a case study. Biological ideas are used to briefly describe selective breeding (1) and cloning of corn plants (3).

Some biological implications of selective breeding (2) and corn plant cloning (4) are described by relating them to genetic biodiversity and the health and survival of populations and individuals.

For a more secure Achieved, the student could use biological ideas more thoroughly to include specific details describing:

• selective breeding and cloning of corn plants, and
• the biological implications of these manipulations.

For example, by giving a more detailed description of the processes involved in both human manipulations genetic transfers, and the outcome of these on the evolution of the corn species population.

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications.

This involves using biological ideas to describe human manipulations of genetic transfer (EN 3) and its biological implications (EN 4).

This student has demonstrated limited understanding by using corn plants as a case study. Some biological ideas are used to describe selective breeding (1) and cloning of corn plants (3). Biological implications of selective breeding (2) and corn plant cloning (4) are briefly considered by relating them to genetic biodiversity and the health and survival of populations and individuals.

To reach Achieved, the student could use biological ideas to give a more detailed description of:

• selective breeding and cloning of corn plants, and
• the biological implications of these manipulations.

For example, by giving further evidence describing the processes involved in both human manipulations of genetic transfers, and the outcome of these on the evolution of the corn species population at curriculum level 8.