How Did That Plant Get Here? PCA Student Responses for Item 4: Write a Conclusion

How Did That Plant Get Here? PCA Student Responses for Item 4: Write a Conclusion

Student Response 1
Question: What is the effect of different amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in air on the dry mass
of bean plants? As the CO2 increased in the air, the dry mass of the beans also increased. In Chamber A, the
bean plants were exposed to no CO2 and had a consistent mass of 0.8 grams. In Chamber B, the Beans were
exposed to 700 ppm of CO2 and had an average mass of 4.5 grams on day 7 and 8.6 grams on day 14. In
Chamber C, the beans were exposed to 1400 ppm of CO2, by far the most. Their mass on day 7 was 4.7 grams
(on average) and their average mass on day 14 was 10.8 grams. This data shows a trend that as CO2 levels
increased, the dry mass of the bean plant increases as well.
Attributes of a Conclusion / Credit
Conclusive statement
Supporting data for 0 ppm CO2
Supporting data for 1,400 ppm CO2
Explanatory language
Total Attributes & Score Points
Student Response 2
Question: What is the effect of different amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in air on the dry mass
of bean plants? The effect of different amounts of CO2 in the air on the dry mass of bean plants differes with
the level of CO2. Higher levels of CO2 make the plants grow more which raises the dry mass. This is shown
when 1,400 ppm CO2 renders an average dry mass of 10.8 g on the 14th day.
Attributes of a Conclusion / Credit
Conclusive statement
Supporting data for 0 ppm CO2
Supporting data for 1,400 ppm CO2
Explanatory language
Total Attributes & Score Points

Published by the Science Assessment Team of the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction on December 30, 2008

Student Response 3
Question: What is the effect of different amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in air on the dry mass
of bean plants? The more CO2 the more the beans grow
Attributes of a Conclusion / Credit
Conclusive statement
Supporting data for 0 ppm CO2
Supporting data for 1,400 ppm CO2
Explanatory language
Total Attributes & Score Points
Student Response 4
Question: What is the effect of different amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in air on the dry mass
of bean plants? Generally, the more carbon dioxide that a plant is provided with, the more the mass will go
up. The bean sprouts that were given no carbon dioxide did not change in mass. The plants that were given
carbon dioxide did change in mass.
Attributes of a Conclusion / Credit
Conclusive statement
Supporting data for 0 ppm CO2
Supporting data for 1,400 ppm CO2
Explanatory language
Total Attributes & Score Points
Student Response 5
Question: What is the effect of different amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in air on the dry mass
of bean plants? The amount of CO2 used, increases the plants dry mass. On the final day, Chamber C’s
plants measured out to be 10.8g. the chambers CO2 level was at 1,400. Chamber B’s plants were measured at
8.6g. The CO2 level of the chamber was 700. Chamber A’s plants were measured at 0.8 g. The gas level was
at 0. This data tells that if the amount of CO2 is higher the dry mass increases
Attributes of a Conclusion / Credit
Conclusive statement
Supporting data for 0 ppm CO2
Supporting data for 1,400 ppm CO2
Explanatory language
Total Attributes & Score Points
Student Response 6
Question: What is the effect of different amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in air on the dry mass
of bean plants? The CO2 made the plants mass increase because the chemical gave it more nutrients to grow
and fast
Attributes of a Conclusion / Credit
Conclusive statement
Supporting data for 0 ppm CO2
Supporting data for 1,400 ppm CO2
Explanatory language
Total Attributes & Score Points
Student Response 7
Question: What is the effect of different amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in air on the dry mass
of bean plants? The greater the CO2 introduced to the plants, the greater their growth rate became. The
plants in chamber A that recieved no CO2 did not grow at all, however the plants in chamber C that recieved
1,400 CO2 grew by 10 grams dry mass.
Attributes of a Conclusion / Credit
Conclusive statement
Supporting data for 0 ppm CO2
Supporting data for 1,400 ppm CO2
Explanatory language
Total Attributes & Score Points
Student Response 8
Question: What is the effect of different amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in air on the dry mass
of bean plants? The effect of different amounts of carbon dioxide in air on the dry mass of bean plants is
theres more mass when there’s more CO2 in them.
Attributes of a Conclusion / Credit
Conclusive statement
Supporting data for 0 ppm CO2
Supporting data for 1,400 ppm CO2
Explanatory language
Total Attributes & Score Points
Student Response 9
Question: What is the effect of different amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in air on the dry mass
of bean plants? The effect of different amounts of CO2 in air on the dry mass of bean plants has an effect, But
its not a great difference. My data shows that for Chamber A the masses did not change all throughout the
weeks. But as the CO2 increased from 700 to 1400 the averages also increased as well. (But they weren’t very
big increases)
Attributes of a Conclusion / Credit
Conclusive statement
Supporting data for 0 ppm CO2
Supporting data for 1,400 ppm CO2
Explanatory language
Total Attributes & Score Points
Student Response 10
Question: What is the effect of different amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in air on the dry mass
of bean plants? The hypothesis was right that with increased CO2 the plants increased in dry mass. The data
shows this because the plants with no CO2 were at .8 g, the ones with 700 ppm were at 8.6 g, and the ones
with 1400 ppm were at 10.8 g.
Attributes of a Conclusion / Credit
Conclusive statement
Supporting data for 0 ppm CO2
Supporting data for 1,400 ppm CO2
Explanatory language
Total Attributes & Score Points

1 December 30, 2008