Australia's Science Forum

Afternoon All,

Can someone help me out with some ideas please? Year 11 Bio Prac. Exam, what does everybody else do?

what topic?

We don't do prac exams..however if you want a biol prac that is actually guaranteed to work - and in a reasonable timeframe then the Surface Area:Volume ratio prac (phenolphthalein agar) is a winner. Or maybe something related to the decomp of H₂O₂ by catalase (eg potato cubes, liver, capsicum juice etc).
As I've said before - the only good Biol pracs are those that rely on Chemistry.....

Agreed!!
We do both pracs as practical assessable and it works well.
Lada

We do a whole range of prac exams for Bio - and some are really complicated - for me to prepare and students to complete. I DO like the idea of assessing students as they work..

They're doing "Patterns in Nature" at the moment if that helps. Have looked at the Surface Area:Volume ratio prac. just wanted some other ideas.

WE're just about to do one where they will build a cell membrane using coloured paper, string and glue. Haven't done this before as an assessment but they have done it in class last year.I think last year we gave them slides with onion epidermis stained with methylene blue.

Anybody have any ideas for year 10 practical exam, have done Rubberband elastisity prac., pendalums & dissovling asprin if anybody has anything new please? Needs to be something simple not to many components. Sorry I know I do this all the time.

You know what.. EXAMS are the TEACHERS responsibility! It is not up to us to set one - it is only up to us to make sure it is viable for our school and equipment, and safe. We do NOT get paid to do this - THEY ar eon the BIG Bucks

thanks I'll pass it on.

Well said sunray let them do the hard yards not us

I'm with you Sunray. There has been many a time on this site when I have felt like saying put it back onto the teacher to do their job. But whether we grumble or not and say that we are not going to do it any more we will still trawl the internet for something interesting or ask for advice from everyone here on this website for something that works better than what has been done before. Lets face it, if the teacher comes up with something that isn't practical we will look for a more practical alternative with the same outcome.