I-1

Analyze the methods of science.

• Identify steps of scientific method

1st Benchmark

1

• Describe characteristics common to living things, including growth and development, reproduction, cellular organization, use of energy, exchange of gases, and response to the environment.
     -Identifying homeostasis as the process by which an organism responds to its internal or external environment
     -Predicting how an organism’s behavior impacts the environment
     -Identifying unicellular organisms, including bacteria and protists, by their methods of locomotion, reproduction, ingestion, excretion, and effects on other organisms
     -Identifying the structure of a virus

1st Benchmark

1, 2

V-1

Distinguish cell structures and functions.

• Describe characteristics common to living things, including growth and development, reproduction, cellular organization, use of energy, exchange of gases, and response to the environment
     -Identifying homeostasis as the process by which an organism responds to its internal or external environment
     -Predicting how an organism’s behavior impacts the environment
     -Identifying unicellular organisms, including bacteria and protists, by their methods of locomotion, reproduction, ingestion, excretion, and effects on other organisms
     -Identifying the structure of a virus
• Identify functions of organelles found in eukaryotic cells, including the nucleus, cell membrane, cell wall, mitochondria, chloroplasts, and vacuoles
     -Identifying components of the cell theory
     -Identifying cells as prokaryotic or eukaryotic
     -Listing the sequence of the mitotic cell cycle

1st Benchmark

1, 4

III-1
III-2

Distinguish among taxonomic groups.
Differentiate characteristics of plants.

• Describe characteristics common to living things, including growth and development, reproduction, cellular organization, use of energy, exchange of gases, and response to the environment
     -Identifying homeostasis as the process by which an organism responds to its internal or external environment
     -Predicting how an organism’s behavior impacts the environment
     -Identifying unicellular organisms, including bacteria and protists, by their methods of locomotion, reproduction, ingestion, excretion, and effects on other organisms
     -Identifying the structure of a virus
• Describe organisms in the six-kingdom classification system by their characteristics
     -Recognizing genus and species as components of a scientific name
     -Identifying contributions of Aristotle and Linnaeus to the early history of taxonomy

1st Benchmark

1, 4

III-3

Differentiate characteristics of animals.

• Describe characteristics common to living things, including growth and development, reproduction, cellular organization, use of energy, exchange of gases, and response to the environment
     -Identifying homeostasis as the process by which an organism responds to its internal or external environment
     -Predicting how an organism’s behavior impacts the environment
     -Identifying unicellular organisms, including bacteria and protists, by their methods of locomotion, reproduction, ingestion, excretion, and effects on other organisms
     -Identifying the structure of a virus
• Describe organisms in the six-kingdom classification system by their characteristics
     -Recognizing genus and species as components of a scientific name
     -Identifying contributions of Aristotle and Linnaeus to the early history of taxonomy

2nd Benchmark

1, 5

• Describe characteristics common to living things, including growth and development, reproduction, cellular organization, use of energy, exchange of gases, and response to the environment.
     -Identifying homeostasis as the process by which an organism responds to its internal or external environment
     -Predicting how an organism’s behavior impacts the environment
     -Identifying unicellular organisms, including bacteria and protists, by their methods of locomotion, reproduction, ingestion, excretion, and effects on other organisms
     -Identifying the structure of a virus
• Identify major differences between plants and animals, including internal structures, external structures, methods of locomotion, methods of reproduction, and stages of development.
     -Describing the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration

2nd Benchmark

1, 6

• Describe characteristics common to living things, including growth and development, reproduction, cellular organization, use of energy, exchange of gases, and response to the environment.
     -Identifying homeostasis as the process by which an organism responds to its internal or external environment
     -Predicting how an organism’s behavior impacts the environment
     -Identifying unicellular organisms, including bacteria and protists, by their methods of locomotion, reproduction, ingestion, excretion, and effects on other organisms
     -Identifying the structure of a virus
• Describe evidence of species variation due to climate, changing landforms, interspecies interaction, and genetic mutation.
     -Examples: fossil records over geologic time, rapid bacterial mutations due to environmental pressures

2nd Benchmark

1, 7

• Describe characteristics common to living things, including growth and development, reproduction, cellular organization, use of energy, exchange of gases, and response to the environment.
     -Identifying homeostasis as the process by which an organism responds to its internal or external environment
     -Predicting how an organism’s behavior impacts the environment
     -Identifying unicellular organisms, including bacteria and protists, by their methods of locomotion, reproduction, ingestion, excretion, and effects on other organisms
     -Identifying the structure of a virus
• Describe biotic and abiotic factors in the environment.
     -Examples: biotic—plants, animals;
abiotic—climate, water, soil
     -Classifying organisms as autotrophs or heterotrophs
     -Arranging the sequence of energy flow in an ecosystem through food webs, food chains, and energy pyramids

2nd Benchmark

2c, 8, 9, 10

IV-2
V-2

Define the function of DNA.
Differentiate between mitosis and meiosis.

• Identify functions of organelles found in eukaryotic cells, including the nucleus, cell membrane, cell wall, mitochondria, chloroplasts, and vacuoles
     -Listing the sequence of the mitotic cell cycle
• Describe the function of chromosomes
     -Identifying genes as parts of chromosomes that carry genetic traits
• Identify the process of chromosome reduction in the production of sperm and egg cells during meiosis
• Identify differences between deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA)
     -Examples: DNA—double helix, contains thymine;
RNA—single stranded, contains uracil
     -Identifying Watson and Crick as scientists who discovered the shape of the DNA molecule

2nd Benchmark

11

IV-1

Recognize genetic characteristics.

• Identify Mendel’s laws of genetics
-Recognizing Down’s syndrome and sickle cell anemia as inherited genetic disorders
-Using a monohybrid Punnett square to predict the probability of traits passed from parents to offspring

3rd Benchmark

1, 3

• Describe characteristics common to living things, including growth and development, reproduction, cellular organization, use of energy, exchange of gases, and response to the environment.
     -Identifying homeostasis as the process by which an organism responds to its internal or external environment
     -Predicting how an organism’s behavior impacts the environment
     -Identifying unicellular organisms, including bacteria and protists, by their methods of locomotion, reproduction, ingestion, excretion, and effects on other organisms
     -Identifying the structure of a virus
• Relate major tissues and organs of the skeletal, circulatory, reproductive, muscular, respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems to their functions.
     -Arranging in order the organizational levels of the human body from the cell through organ systems

3rd Benchmark