What grade is your class, and which quantitative and qualitative features of the anchor text make the anchor text grade-level appropriately complex?

This text is intended for a 10th grade course. I have used the informational text rubric to analyze that this text is very complex. While the text includes quotes and is written as a news article, the background knowledge and technical language makes it very complex for 10th grade biology students who are just beginning to build their science knowledge.

What aspect of this text is relevant to the lives of your students?

This text has relevance, due to the fact that there is constant current media/information regarding cancer. Cancer is unfortunately something that has impacted a lot of families either directly or indirectly.  It would be important to be aware that some studnets could be dealing with some very fresh emotions dealing with cancer, and be thoughtful about how you might handle that situation if it arrises.

What is the content standard you are addressing, and why is this anchor text appropriate for this content standard?

Content standard: Bio.1.1 Understand the relationship between the structures and functions of cells and their organelles. 

The text presents the claim that a scientific study has shown that certain peptides have a toxic effect against cancer cells. The explanation of this claim references only one cell structure – ion channels – stating “[t]he venom toxins act on ion channels of the cancer cell damaging them.” The text does not explain the relationship between the ion channel and the function of the cells, nor does it reference any other cell structures or functions.

 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.8 Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author's claim or a recommendation for solving a scientific or technical problem.

Our group does not not believe the author does an adequate job of supporting the claim of solving a scientific or technical problem, in this case, proving that scorpion venom is toxic to cancer cells. The article states that "when the toxin, derived form scorpion venom, invades channels in the cells with this disease it produces cellular damage until killing them."  Although this text inspires inquiry, and allows for alot of scaffloding, it makes alot of assumptions in vocabulary knowledge and that the details are poorly developed withing the text and that makes it not appropriately complex for these students.  

How will you scaffold access to this text through the use of supports and other texts?

This text has a lot of technical words and concepts. Scaffolding of the vocab and these concepts might be necessary depending on the prior knowledge of the students.  Students working in groups could help each other define terms and decipher the main points of each paragraph.  

What are the initial licensing rights to this document and why do you feel it can be considered open license?

Information under the "About Us" link indicates that information on the Science Daily website is "...freely accessible with no subscription fees." They continue by saying that information provided on this site is "...offered freely to both commercial and non-commercial web sites as well as individuals."

However, the "Terms of Use" indicate restrictions: "Any unauthorized copy, reproduction, distribution, publication, display, modification, or transmission of  any part of this Service is strictly prohibited. Users may download material from this Service for personal use. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you may not distribute any part of this Service over any network, nor sell or offer it for sale."

I went to the website of the source of the journal article. "Investigaccion y Desarrollo" is a Mexican publication. I don't see a copyright stamp on their website. Still, that doesn't mean the information is open source.

This is a bit confusing! Probably safe to assume it is not open source. I would advise contacting the folks at "Investigaccion y Desarrollo" to verify. :-)

What grade is your class, and which quantitative and qualitative features of the anchor text make the anchor text grade-level appropriately complex?

The grade level of the students is 10th grade.

The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (readability) is 12. I am concerned about the text complexity for grade 10 students.

How will you scaffold access to this text through the use of supports and other texts?

With students prior knowledge in mind, use of  visuals (pictures, graphics, a video), create vocab words from the text, relate previous lessons to new reading, first time reading - read the text out loud paragraph by paragraph and allow time for questions in between.

What qualities of this anchor text allow for student-led investigation of the information?

This text allows the students to inquire about whether or not there are other scorpions whose venom may help cure or control symptoms of other diseases or muliple types of cancers.  It also may leave some students wondering are if there are other animals (such as spiders or snakes) whose venom has the same effects.  Others may be wondering what peptides are killing the cancers cells or if further research has been conducted or is planning to be conducted.  There are many questions that students may inquire about from reading the text.

What aspect of this text is relevant to the lives of your students?

The topic of cancer can be very personal and emotional. Most students know someone who has been personally effected by cancer or has seen in a TV show or movie someone with cancer. With the text they could see a real life example of what a future treatment could be in their life time.

What grade is your class, and which quanitiative and qualittive features of the anchor tet make the anchor text grade-level appropriately complex.

I currently teach 9th grade biology and previously 10th grade biology,and would not chose to use this text for either level as uses very technical words and requires the understanding of  the associations between more than one complex subject (protein binding, cellular mechanisms, and cancer manipulation). In addition, it focuses on just one aspect of cell structure with regard to the memberane transport that seems hidden in the complexity of the words used. I question why this would be selected in understanding structure and function for a basic biology student.  Yes it could allow for scalfolding of topics, but would be concerned it would be too much on one very narrow area. They would be more than challenged and I do not think it would inspired them to understand the biology further.  However, I do find that it would be appropriate to introduce the concept of cellular communicationo in AP level which have had some previous understanding of cell mechanisms

Perhaps a different version of the same content  may be used to supplement a more general text on structure and function after they have delved into the subject.