Grade 8th MYP Sciences Assessment Task

Unit : Atomic World

Global Context: Scientific and Technological Innovation

Statement of inquiry: - Our cultures dictates all parts of our lives including the way we create
things

Assessment notice: Wednesday,22nd Jan 2020

Assessment due: Thursady,6th Feb 2020
Assessment criterion: D – Reflecting on the impacts of science
Assessment task type: Research Essay

Metallurgy is defined as a process that is used for the extraction of metals in their pure form.
Metallurgy plays a crucial role in enabling sustainability, being the source of these elements and
derived materials as well as the ultimate ‘organism’ or unit operation that closes the material
cycle as one has to reduce and/or re-melt metals to refine these to new high quality products.
Metallurgy, used to be an art rather than science until mid of nineteenth century during
which period large metallurgical plants were developed and operated successfully. Since
more than one and a half centuries, metallurgy has emerged as a science and more predictive.
Therefore, in metallurgy field, often the problems are posed in terms of real problem which
plants are facing during operation like less productivity, environmental problems, etc. As these
processes were evolved not based on well-established scientific criteria, therefore, to understand
these processes and to address the problem, one has to scale down the industrial process (quite
opposed to scaling up which is carried out more in aerospace/mechanical/chemical engineering
discipline where the science is well developed and plant came up after studying the laboratory
scale and pilot models) to laboratory scale. However, the principle involved in either scaling up
or scaling down is the same. An excellent example of improving the process by scaling down is
the study of ironmaking blast furnace. Blast furnaces used to produce 50 tons a year hot metal in
late eighteenth century, and in the beginning of 21st century, its capacity has improved to more
than 5.5 million tons/year. This is possible only by studying the blast furnace process in various
parts to understand the science behind all the processes which are occurring in a blast furnace.
Task: -you have to write an essay [800-1200 words] on the topic-
“Impact of Metallurgical operations on Human society”
Level Level Descriptor

0 The student does not reach a standard identified by any of the descriptors below.

The student is able to:

i. outline the ways in which science is used to address a specific problem or issue
ii. outline the implications of using science to solve a specific problem or issue,
1-2 interacting with a factor
iii. apply scientific language to communicate understanding but does so with limited
success
iv. document sources, with limited success.

The student is able to:

i. summarize the ways in which science is applied and used to address a specific
problem or issue
3-4 ii. describe the implications of using science and its application to solve a specific
problem or issue, interacting with a factor
iii. sometimes apply scientific language to communicate understanding
iv. sometimes document sources correctly.

The student is able to:

i. describe the ways in which science is applied and used to address a specific problem
or issue
ii. discuss the implications of using science and its application to solve a specific
5-6
problem or issue, interacting with a factor
iii. usually apply scientific language to communicate understanding clearly and
precisely
iv. usually document sources correctly.

The student is able to:

i. explain the ways in which science is applied and used to address a specific problem
or issue
ii. discuss and evaluate the implications of using science and its application to solve a
7-8
specific problem or issue, interacting with a factor
iii. consistently apply scientific language to communicate understanding clearly and
precisely
iv. document sources completely.
Guidelines:
 You must be able to research, analyse and evaluate how well the science of metallurgy is
applied or interacts with at least one of the following factors; moral, ethical, social,
economic, political, cultural and environmental.
 You may select one of the ore and talk about its metallurgical operation as an example
and state about its advantages and limitations.
 Present the essay in MLA format. The following link should assist but a general summary
is in size 12 font, 1.5 to double-spaced lines and your name on the first page.
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
 Also include a bibliography with at least half the sources in English. Use at least 6
sources for your information. Formatting instructions for electronic sources are at the
following link: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/
 Please pay close attention to the Assessment Criteria and also complete the section that
asks for you to self-assess your work.
OVERVIEW
Essay Focus
At some point near the start of your essay (in first or second paragraph) you need to outline what
your essay is about and what you are going to write about
Eg.


In this essay the advantages and limitations of (the scientific ideas or processes) with
regard to (social/economic/political/environmental/cultural/ethical) factors will be
discussed and evaluated.
Introduction:
1st paragraph: outline/briefly describe the problem your application of science is addressing

2nd/paragraph: describe and communicate the scientific ideas or processes which are used to
address this problem

3rd paragraph: explain how well science addresses the problem, benefits and limitation. Eg, How
well does the science solve the problem?

Body: Explanation of how the science is used to solve the problem selected in your essay and
evaluation of the benefits and limitations of the scientific solution with the factor [moral, social,
environmental, cultural, economic, political]
Definitions
State is defined as “to give a specific name, value or other brief answer without explanation or
calculation.”
Describe is defined as “to give a detailed account”
Explain is defined as “to give a clear account including causes and reasons or mechanisms.”

Discuss is defined as “to give an account including, where possible, a range of arguments for
and against, the relative importance of various factors and comparisons of alternative
hypotheses.”

Evaluate: is defined as “to assess the implications and limitations”; making an informed
judgement or assessment
For Level 7-8, you should be looking to Explain. Discuss and Evaluate

Conclusion:

 Very briefly summarize the main ideas of the essay and the main issue.
 End with a recommendation/evaluation based on your argument.

REFERENCING
Reference Government/ UN/Non-government organization (NGO’s) reports and newspaper
articles and scientific journal for key statistics, tables, graphs and diagrams,

Remember to refer to all inserts (diagrams/graphs/tables) in your text. Eg. As Figure 1 illustrates
the USA produced the highest volume (insert number) of carbon dioxide emissions in 2006.

Use of Websites
Try to find the references the website uses eg. Every Wikipedia article has a list of references at
the bottom. Check and use the original reference NOT Wikipedia

MLA format:

Author unknown: Name of website. (online) Available URL (date of access)

Author known: Last name, first name. Title of Site. (online). Available URL (date
of access).
GUIDANCE FOR WRITING ABOUT FACTORS
Think about these definitions/questions when you evaluate the benefits and limitations of this
application of science in regards to factors.

ECONOMIC is defined as “pertaining to the production, distribution, and use of income,

wealth, and commodities.” The costs and benefits of using science. Who pays or receives the
benefit? Is it worth it? How much will it cost? Are the potential benefits worth the cost? Who
pays for it, private companies, the Government, consumers? (Obesity will cost governments
millions but so does changing people’s eating habits and diet- is it worth attempting to deal with
it?)

SOCIAL is defined as “of or pertaining to the life, welfare, and relations of human beings in a
community. “The people affected or involved, from a few people up to the global community.
How will this application of science affect society, will it affect everyone or a select group? Will
it unfairly affect one group of society over another? Will everyone have access to the
science/solution or only the privileged (An oil refinery is a local problem but global warming is
truly global)

ETHICAL is defined as “pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality;

pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.” Is it right or wrong to use science in this way and if
we do, how ought we to do it? (Aborting fetuses is something we have to do in a caring way
even if we think it is right or wrong. Who decides whether it is right or wrong, the Government,
religious groups, individuals? There are ways of doing things and often a law to guide us -
animal testing is highly policed).

POLITICAL is defined as “of, pertaining to, or involving the state or its government.” Is the
government involved directly or are powerful groups trying to influence people or the
government or the UN etc? Notice how much diet advice is given in books by non-experts. Why
would the Government be for or against this the application of this science and how would it
affect other countries?

ENVIRONMENTAL is defined as “of, relating to, or associated with the environment.” Is the
issue an environmental one in some way, directly or indirectly? (Pollution is direct but what
about binge-drinking?)

CULTURAL is defined as “of, relating to, or associated with the behaviors and beliefs
characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group.” A problem in one place is seen
differently in another for reasons such as faith, tradition and different belief values. Would
people from different cultures be affected the same way or have the same opinion on the
scientific solution. Some religions are against certain medical procedures, from organ transplants
to blood donations. Some cultures rely heavily upon the natural ecosystem to gain their food and
shelter, others live in a manufactured society and are disconnected from the natural world.
Certain religions have rules about how males and females should interact, or what foods to eat.