Life Sciences / Practical Task Grade 11 Page 2 Of 8 Limpopo DoE / February 2023

NSC – MARKING GUIDELINES

PRINCIPLES RELATED TO MARKING LIFE SCIENCES 2023

1. If more information than marks allocated is given. Stop marking when maximum marks
is reached and put a wavy line and 'max' in the right-hand margin.
2. If, for example, three reasons are required and five are given. Mark the first three
irrespective of whether all or some are correct/ incorrect.
3. If whole process is given when only a part of it is required. Read all and credit the
relevant part.
4. If comparisons are asked for but descriptions are given. Accept if the
differences/similarities are clear.
5. If tabulation is required but paragraphs are given. Candidates will lose marks for not
tabulating.
6. If diagrams are given with annotations when descriptions are required. Candidates will
lose marks.
7. If flow charts are given instead of descriptions. Candidates will lose marks.
8. If sequence is muddled and links do not make sense
Where sequence and links are correct, credit. Where sequence and links are incorrect,
do not credit. If sequence and links become correct again, resume credit.
9. Non-recognised abbreviations. Accept if first defined in answer. If not defined, do not
credit the unrecognised abbreviation but credit the rest of the answer if correct.
10. Wrong numbering. If answer fits into the correct sequence of questions but the wrong
number is given, it is acceptable.
11. If language used changes the intended meaning. Do not accept.
12. Spelling errors. If recognisable, accept the answer, provided it does not mean
something else in Life Sciences or if it is out of context.
13. If common names are given in terminology. Accept, provided it was accepted at the
national memo discussion meeting.
14. If only the letter is asked for but only the name is given (and vice versa). Do not credit.
15. If units are not given in measurements
Candidates will lose marks. Memorandum will allocate marks for units separately.
16. Be sensitive to the sense of an answer, which may be stated in a different way.
17. Caption - All illustrations (diagrams, graphs, tables, etc.) must have a caption.
18. Code-switching of official languages (terms and concepts)
A single word or two that appear(s) in any official language other than the learners'
assessment language used to the greatest extent in his/her answers should be
credited if it is correct. A marker that is proficient in the relevant official language
should be consulted. This is applicable to all official languages.

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 Life Sciences / Practical Task Grade 11 Page 3 Of 8 Limpopo DoE / February 2023
NSC – MARKING GUIDELINES

PRACTICAL TASK: THE PREVALENCE OF BREAD MOULD (Rhizopus sp.)

NAME OF THE SCHOOL: _________________________________

NAME OF THE LEARNER: ________________________________

DATE: ______________

Mould is something that we often take for granted, as something that makes us have to

throw the bread away or the cheese smell bad. Mould is, in fact, a fascinating organism

which has had many different uses over the years and our lives would not be the same

without it. Most of us know that food seems to become mouldy more quickly in certain

substances than in the other.

MATERIALS/ APPARATUS

1. Slices of white bread

2. A plastic sandwich bag (sealable)

3. Water, in a small container

4. Surgical gloves (recommended but optional)

5. Lemon juice

6. Sugar water(Sugar solution)

7. Hand lens

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 Life Sciences / Practical Task Grade 11 Page 4 Of 8 Limpopo DoE / February 2023
NSC – MARKING GUIDELINES
INSTRUCTIONS AND METHOD

1. Arrange your leaners into a manageable group.

2. Take four slices of white bread for each group.
3. Put different substances on each slice of bread as follows:
3.1. Slice 1: dry bread
3.2. Slice 2: 20 ml of tap water
3.3. Slice 3: 20 ml of lemon juice
3.4. Slice 4: 20ml sugar water
4. Slices of bread – Any sort will do but it is perfectly fine to use cheap white sliced bread
as then you will know that all of the slices are of a similar size, weight and thickness.
5. Put each slice of bread was in a plastic sandwich bag (sealable)
6. Plastic sandwich bags must be marked accordingly.
7. Keep in a dark cupboard at a temperature of about 25oC for one week.
8. Remove all slices for observations.
9. RESULTS: Observe the growth of mould on the four slices of bread and work out the
percentage area of the bread covered by mould. You can express your results in
percentage, for example if half area of the slice is covered by the mould then it is 50%.
10. Once you have finished, safely dispose of all the bags without opening them.

PRECAUTIONS: Please note that some people are allergic to mould; ask your doctor or
parents. Always wear gloves and a mask, wash your hands, and don’t eat or drink whilst
you are performing this study

******* What I see, hear, smell, touch and taste in the laboratory, I won’t forget*******

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 Life Sciences / Practical Task Grade 11 Page 5 Of 8 Limpopo DoE / February 2023
NSC – MARKING GUIDELINES
ACTIVITY 1

1.1. TEACHER OBSERVATION DURING EXPERIMENT (15)

ASSESSMENT 0 MARK 1 MARKs 2 MARKS 3 MARKS COMMENT

CRITERIA S

1.1.1. Follow Do not Follow some Follows all Follows all

instruction follow precautionar precaution precautionary
s. precautionar y measures ary measures and
y measures measures cautions other
group members
1.1.2. Handle Handle Handle Handle Handle materials
equipment/ materials materials materials confidently and
materials with with minimal without assist other
maximum assistance assistance group members
assistance
1.1.3. Make Unable to Able Able to to Able to observe
observatio observe slice observe slice
observe slice coverage
ns coverage coverage
slice percentage in
percentage percentage
coverage three slices
in all slices in one slice.
percentage
in two
slices
1.1.4. Record Table was Table was Table was Table was fully
information not partially fully completed with
/ data completed completed completed correct data
with some
incorrect
data
1.1.5. Measurem None of the Two Three All
ent measureme substances substance measurements
nts was measured s done correctly
done correctly measured
correctly correctly
TOTAL:

[15]

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 Life Sciences / Practical Task Grade 11 Page 6 Of 8 Limpopo DoE / February 2023
NSC – MARKING GUIDELINES

1.2. RESULTS
1.2.1
Slices 1 2 3 4

Percentage(%) 0 40 20 80

area
(4)

1.2.2. Bar graph showing percentage area of mould on the four slices of bread in of the bread.

4,5

480

3,5

360

2,5

240

1,5

120

0,5

00
Dry white bread Water on bread Lemon juice on Sugar water on
bread bread

Marking criteria for table

Correct type of graph 1
Suitable heading describing variables 1
Labelling (x-axis and y-axis) 1
Suitable scale (x-axis and y-axis) 1
Plotting of graphs 2 graphs correct = 1 
All graphs correct = 3

(6)

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 Life Sciences / Practical Task Grade 11 Page 7 Of 8 Limpopo DoE / February 2023
NSC – MARKING GUIDELINES

1.2.3 Spores in the air settle on the bread (1)

1.2.4 Sugar water helps mould grow more than other factors on bread

OR

Other factors (tap water /lemon juice) help mould grow more than on sugar
water on bread
OR

Addition of tap water/ lemon juice /sugar water has no influence on the
growth of mould on bread (1)

1.2.5 Growth of mould on bread (1)

1.2.6 Lemon juice is acidic

Acids hinder the growth of many common bacteria and fungi (2)

1.2.7 To act as a controlto compare results without the independent variable/ (2)
variables

1.2.8 By increasing the sample or repeating the investigation.  (1)

1.2.9 - Same type of bread  (2)

- Same size/weight/thickness of bread 

- Same sealable bags 

- Kept/Results taken at the same time

- Same person taking the results  (Any 2)

1.2.10 The fungus Penicillium  is used for the production of the (2)
antibiotics/penicillin

1.2.11 . A – hypha B – sporangiospore  C – spore  (3)

GRAND TOTAL: 40

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 Life Sciences / Practical Task Grade 11 Page 8 Of 8 Limpopo DoE / February 2023
NSC – MARKING GUIDELINES

Grade 11 Practical Grid

Cognitive levels Skills of Specific Aim 2

1.1 15 15
1.1.1 3  3
1.1.2 3  3
1.1.3 3  3
1.1.4 3  3
1.1.5 3  3
1.2 25 25
1.2.1 3 3   3
1.2.2 1 3 2 6   6
1.2.3 2 2  1
1.2.4 1 1  1
1.2.5 1 1  1
1.2.6 2 2  2
1.2.7 2 2  2
1.2.8 1 1  1
1.2.9 2 2  2
1.2.10 2 2  2
1.2.11 3 3  3
TOTAL 4 7 12 2 40 40

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