biol+3+SACs

You will find information about each SAC by following the links and you can post questions specific to the SAC as well. After each SAC has been completed and assessed I will provide you with some general feedback below.

Immune response SAC

Bacterial response SAC

Enzyme SAC

Yes, this was a more difficult SAC from two perspectives. Firstly, a higher level of accuracy in your responses was expected and secondly, some of the questions were more challenging. But in general there were some excellent responses and some of you actually performed better. Good points
 * Use of terminology was very good and diagrams were clear and labelled appropriately
 * Application of knowledge was done well
 * Concepts were generally understood well

But here is what counts, learn from your mistakes and ensure you understand all comments I have written. Particular areas for you to keep in mind.


 * Make sure you read the information blurb everytime you answer a "part a, b, c" question so that your answer is specific to info given, for example in the treatment of galactosemia which I purposely put after another question which really had nothing to do with it. Now all the questions in section B did relate to the same intial info and I gave you information about dairy products being a problem in the initial introduction. So it is expected that you can take that info and use where appropriate. The same could be said for the first question with the 16oC soil temp for the potato. Very few of you were able to use this in your answer to question 2. VCAA do write these sorts of questions.
 * Analysing graphs needs to be done more carefully, the energy one was misinterpreted by many of you.
 * It is very easy for me to pick up on whether you really know your stuff or not. Vague and general responses were occurring too much. Most of the time it indicates to me that you do not know you biology well enough. If you do know your stuff, this highlights even more so the need to use relevant terminology in your answers so that you can communicate this knowledge more explicitly. In the question for the "ultimate effect" on cells from ricin affecting ribosomes, answers that say "proteins won't be made and they are important so the cell will die", a year 9 could write that but they show no understanding of what that really means. You need to be expanding on that and referring to "proteins having different functions, one group are enzymes and they catalyse...without reactions occuriing a cell is unable to carry out energy requiring processes such as respiration or photosynthesis".Too few of you were unable to do this.
 * lastly, you must read the questions carefully and read all the questions first that relate to a specific bit of info. I got answers for Q13 in Q12d. You need to avoid this. It will also help you focus on your answer being more specific for 12d, because you already know that you shouldn't be including certain things in your answer.

I will expect you all to come and see me for a debrief on your SAC performance in the coming week, and if you have any queries about what I have written above, see me as well.I will leave 10min in the next lesson for you to be able to ask further questions.

Membrane SAC

Overall, some very good understanding was shown about membranes. Correct use of terminology, sequencing of statemtents and use of results to support theory. The graphs were also done well. BUT and it is a big BUT. This is year 12 unit 3 biology. Expectations are higher. Keep the following in mind for future SACs and the examinations.
 * Accuracy and specific detail that directly answers questions is paramount.
 * You have to know your terminology, don't use it if you are unsure because if you contradict yourself that is one fo the worst things you can do.
 * Read over your answers and the questions because that may prevent you from making contradictions. The most common one was saying that ectomidate was lipid-soluble and then saying it would pass through a protein channel!
 * You must avoid using "it", "they" or any other preposition as this leaves your response open to different interpretations and being unclear. A reader must not have to assume anything.
 * You must ensure that each sentence is clearly showing what your are referring to. Answers must not be general or vague, this indicates to the reader that you really are not confident with the question.
 * Although the interpreting of questions appeared pretty good overall, this is the key area for you all to make sure you keep developing. many of you did not address the "in a week's time" question correctly. the key here was that temperature should not make any difference any more so that all the 25% solutions ( and all the ), 3% etc) would have had the same change in mass (assuming of course that 1 week is long enough).
 * make sure you are directly answering the question being asked. Eg, if it says "use data" then do so! Eg. some responses on the "conclusion about the effect of temperature" question were devoted to explaining the effect of temperature rather making an actual conclusion.(this was a poorly answered question!)
 * this leads to the need for you all to carefully read the words in the preamble to determine the question type. Eg does it say describe, explain, compare, list, state, name etc.

I was pretty flexible and lenient in the marking of this SAC, it was your first one after all. Minor errors did not necessarily lose you marks. However, do not expect it to be the same for the next one. A warning-the enzyme SAC will be more difficult, questions will be more challenging and expectations will be higher as a result of you learning from this SAC and the feedback given.