Science Biology

Learning Outcomes

D INQ.1      Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation.

D INQ.2      Read, interpret and examine the credibility and validity of scientific claims in different sources of information.

D INQ.3      Formulate a testable hypothesis and demonstrate logical connections between the scientific concepts guiding the hypothesis and the design of the experiment.

D INQ.4      Design and conduct appropriate types of scientific investigations to answer different questions.

D INQ.5      Identify independent and dependent variables, including those that are kept constant and those used as controls.

D INQ.6      Use appropriate tools and techniques to make observations and gather data.

D INQ.7      Assess the reliability of the data that was generated in the investigation.

D INQ.8      Use mathematical operations to analyze and interpret data, and present relationships between variables in appropriate forms.

D INQ.9      Articulate conclusions and explanations based on research data, and assess results based on the design of the investigation.

D INQ.10   Communicate about science in different formats, using relevant science vocabulary, supporting evidence and clear logic.

D.29 Describe the general role of enzymes in metabolic cell processes.

D.30  Explain the role of the cell membrane in supporting cell functions. 

D.27 Describe significant similarities and differences in the basic structure of plant and animal cells.

D.34 Describe, in general terms, how the genetic information of organisms can be altered to make them produce new materials. 

D.35 Explain the risks and benefits of altering the genetic composition and cell products of existing organisms. 

D.37 Use the Punnett Square technique to predict the distribution of traits in mono- and dihybrid crossings. 

D.28 Describe the general role of DNA and RNA in protein synthesis. 

D.38 Deduce the probable mode of inheritance of traits (e.g. recessive/dominant sex-linked) from pedigree. 

D.33  Explain how bacteria and yeasts are used to produce foods for human consumption.

D.40 Explain how the process of genetic mutation and natural selection are related to the evolution of species. 

D.42 Describe how structural and behavioral adaptations increase the changes for organisms to survive in their environments.

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D.32 Describe how bacterial and viral infectious diseases are transmitted, and explain the roles of sanitation, vaccination and antibiotic medications in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. 

D.44 Explain how change in population density is affected by emigration, immigration, birth rate and death rate, and relate these factors to the exponential growth of human populations. 

D.43 Describe the factors that affect the carrying capacity of the environment. 

D.45 Explain how technological advances have affected the size and growth rate of human populations throughout history.

NAEP L8.12: Similarities among organisms are found in anatomical features, which can be used to infer the degree of relatedness among organisms. In classifying organisms, biologists consider details of internal and external structures to be more important than behavior or general appearance.  

NAEP L12.7: Although the interrelationships and interdependence of organisms may generate biological communities in ecosystems that are stable for hundreds or thousands of years, ecosystems always change when climate changes or when one or more new species appear as a result of migration or local evolution. The impact of the human species has major consequences for other species.

Supporting Materials