AEPA Biology (NT305) case studies
AEPA Biology (NT305) · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The AEPA Biology (NT305) is one of the subject-matter assessments in the Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments program, the testing system used in Arizona for educator certification. The Biology test is intended for candidates who are preparing to teach biology at the secondary level and who need to demonstrate content knowledge in the subject rather than pedagogical skill alone. The exam is delivered in a multiple-choice format and is organized around five domains: scientific inquiry and the nature of science; cell biology and biochemistry; genetics and evolution; organismal biology, including structure, function, and diversity; and ecology and the environment. Because the domains are evenly weighted in the published framework, candidates should expect questions spread across all five areas rather than concentrated in one. The AEPA Biology (NT305) case studies are 5 cases and about 1,709 words.
1Designing a Fair Respiration Trial with Limited Equipment
A teacher has 30 students, 6 respirometers, and one 45-minute period. Students want to test whether germinating peas respire faster than dry (dormant) peas by measuring oxygen consumption.
366 words, about 2 min2Interpreting an Enzyme Assay with a Suspect Blank
Students assay catalase from potato extract by measuring O2 bubbles or absorbance of a dye that changes as H2O2 is consumed. They run: (A) extract + H2O2, (B) boiled extract + H2O2, (C) buffer + H2O2, and (D) extract + buffer (no H2O2).
338 words, about 2 min3Pedigree Plus Population Data: Deciding Mode of Inheritance
A family shows an inherited condition in 4 of 22 members across three generations. Affected individuals include both sexes; affected fathers have unaffected daughters, and unaffected parents occasionally have an affected child.
356 words, about 2 min4Interpreting a Plant Wilting Experiment Under Salinity
Two groups grow bean seedlings in identical pots. Group 1 receives 100 mL of 0 mM NaCl solution daily; Group 2 receives 100 mL of 150 mM NaCl daily.
337 words, about 2 min5Deciding Whether a Lake Restoration Worked
A lake received fertilizer runoff for years. Managers reduced phosphorus inputs and now report that chlorophyll a fell from 40 to 15 µg/L over two years, calling the restoration a success.
312 words, about 2 min