Standard 1 Science As Inquiry:
As a result of their activities in grades 9-12, all students will develop the abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry and understandings about scientific inquiry.
Benchmark 1
Students will demonstrate the fundamental abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry.
Indicator 1
The students will develop a rich understanding and curiosity of the natural material) world through experience.
Indicator 2
The students will develop questions and identify concepts that guide scientific investigations.
Indicator 3
The students will design and conduct scientific investigations.
Indicator 4
The students will use technology and mathematics to improve investigations and communications.
Indicator 5
The students will formulate and revise scientific explanations and models using logic and evidence.
Indicator 6
The students will recognize and analyze alternative explanations and models.
Indicator 7
The students will communicate and defend a scientific argument.
As a result of their activities in grades 9-12, all students will develop an understanding of the cell, molecular basis of heredity, biological evolution, interdependence of organisms, matter, energy, and organization in living systems, and the behavior of organisms.
Benchmark 1
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the structure and function of the cell.
Indicator 1
Students will understand that cells function and replicate as a result of information stored in DNA and RNA molecules.
Proteins and gene expression regulate cell functions. This regulation allows cells to respond to their environment and to control and coordinate cell division.
Indicator 2
Students will understand that cells can differentiate, thereby enabling complex multicellular organisms to form.
In the development of most multicellular organisms, a fertilized cell forms an embryo that differentiates into an adult. Differentiation is regulated through expression of different genes and leads to the formation of specialized cells, tissues, and organs.
Benchmark 2
Students will demonstrate an understanding of chromosomes, genes, and the molecular basis of heredity.
Indicator 1
The students will understand hereditary information is contained in genes, located in the chromosomes of each cell. Each gene carries a single unit of information. An inherited trait of an individual can be determined by one or by many genes, and a single gene can influence more than one trait.
Alleles, which are different forms of a gene, may be dominant, recessive, co-dominant, etc. The expression of traits is determined by a complex interaction of genes, developmental history, and the environment.
Indicator 2
The students will understand experiments have shown that all known living organisms contain DNA or RNA as their genetic material.
Frederick Griffith & AveryÆs work with bacteria demonstrated that DNA changed properties of cells. Beadle & TatumÆs work provided a mechanism for gene action and a link to modern molecular genetics. Hershey and ChaseÆs work demonstrated that viral DNA contained the genetic code for new virus production in bacterial cells.
Indicator 3
The students will understand DNA (or RNA) provides the instruction that specifies the characteristics of most organisms.
Nucleotides (adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine and uracil) make up DNA and RNA molecules. Sequences of nucleotides that either determine or contribute to a genetic trait are called genes. DNA is replicated by using a template process that usually results in identical copies. DNA is packaged in chromosomes during cell replication.
Indicator 4
The students will understand organisms usually have a characteristic numbers of chromosomes; one pair of these may determine the sex of individuals.
Most cells in humans contain 23 pairs of chromosomes; the 23rd pair contains the XX for female or XY for male.
Indicator 5
The students will understand gametes carry the genetic information to the next generation.
Gametes contain only one representative from each chromosome pair. Gametes unite to form a new individual in most organisms. Many possible combinations of genes explain features of heredity such as how traits can be hidden for several generations.
Indicator 6
The students will understand mutations occur in DNA at very low rates.
Some changes make no difference to the organism or to future generations. Phenotypic changes can be harmful; some mutations enable organisms to survive changes in their environment. Only mutations in the germ cells are passed on to offspring and therefore can bring about beneficial or harmful changes in future generations.
Benchmark 3
Students will understand the major concepts of the theory of biological evolution.
Indicator 1
The students will understand the sources and value of variation.
Variation of organisms within and among species increases the likelihood that some members will survive under changed environmental conditions. New heritable traits primarily result from new combinations of genes and secondarily from mutations or changes in the reproductive cells; changes in other cells of a sexual organism are not passed to the next generation.
Benchmark 4
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the behavior of animals.
Indicator 1
The students will understand that, like other aspects of an organism's biology, behaviors have evolved through natural selection.
Behaviors are often adaptive when viewed in terms of survival and reproductive success. Behavioral biology has implications for humans, as it provides links to psychology, sociology, and anthropology.
Benchmark 5
Students will demonstrate an understanding of structure, function, and diversity of organisms.
Indicator 1
The students will understand the structures and processes of development and reproduction.
Reproduction is essential to all ongoing life and is accomplished with wide variation in life cycles and anatomy. Understanding of basic mechanisms of reproduction and development, as well as changes of aging, is critical to leading a healthy life, parenting, and making societal decisions. Environmental factors e.g. radiation, chemicals) can cause inherited gene mutations that directly alter development or cellular repair mechanisms, leading to the development of various cancers. Changes to non-reproductive cell lines are not passed to the next generation.
As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students will develop understandings about science and technology and abilities of technological design. Benchmark 1 Students should develop an understanding about science and technology.
Indicator 1
The students will understand that science advances new technologies. New technologies open new areas for scientific inquiry.
Standard 4 Science In Personal And Environmental Perspectives:
As a result of their activities in grades 9-12, all students will develop an understanding of personal and community health, population growth, natural resources, environmental quality, natural and human-induced hazards, and science and technology in local, national, and global settings.
Benchmark 1
Students will demonstrate an understanding of population growth.
Indicator 1
The students will understand that rate of change in populations is determined by the combined effects of birth and death, and emigration and immigration.
Populations can increase through exponential growth. Population growth changes resource use and environmental conditions.
Benchmark 2
Students should develop an understanding of the relationship between science, technology, and society.
Indicator 1
The students will understand that science and technology are essential components of modern society. Science and technology indicate what can happen, not what should happen. The latter involves human decisions about the use of knowledge.
Indicator 2
The students will understand that understanding basic concepts and principles of science and technology should precede active debate about the economics, policies, politics, and ethics of various challenges related to science and technology.
Indicator 3
The students will understand that progress in science and technology can be affected by social issues and challenges.
Standard 5 History And Nature Of Science:
As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students will develop understanding of science as a human endeavor, the nature of scientific knowledge, and historical perspectives.
Benchmark 1
Students will understand science from the historical perspective.
Indicator 1
The students will demonstrate an understanding of the history of science.
Modern science has been a successful enterprise that contributes to dramatic improvements in the human condition. Science progresses by incremental advances of scientists or teams of scientists. Some advances that are fundamental and long-lasting include: Copernican revolution, Newtonian physics, relativity, geological time scale, plate tectonics, atomic theory, nuclear physics, biological evolution, germ theory, industrial revolution, molecular biology, quantum theory, medical and health technology.
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