BPS District Science Standards Book

DCI-[LS]

Kindergarten

SCI-00.LS1 DCI: [LS1] From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

• SCI-00.LS1.01  Describe patterns, through observation, of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.

 

First Grade

SCI-01.LS1 DCI: [LS1] From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

• • SCI-01.LS1.01  Construct an evidence-based argument with the use of a drawing or a model that illustrates how structures of plants or animals help them survive in their habitat.
  • SCI-01.LS1.02  Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.

SCI-01.LS3 DCI: [LS3] Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

• SCI-01.LS3.01  Construct an evidence-based account, through observation, that young plants and animals are alike, but not exactly like, their parents.

 

Second Grade

SCI-02.LS2 DCI: [LS2] Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

• • SCI-02.LS2.01  Plan and investigate to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow.
  • SCI-02.LS2.02  Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants.

SCI-02.LS4 DCI: [LS4] Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

• SCI-02.LS4.01  Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.

 

Third Grade

SCI-03.LS1 DCI: [LS1] From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

• • SCI-03.LS1.01  Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all experience birth, growth, reproduction, and death.

SCI-03.LS2 DCI: [LS2] Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

• • SCI-03.LS2.01  Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.

SCI-03.LS3 DCI: [LS3] Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

• • SCI-03.LS3.01  Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms.
  • SCI-03.LS3.02  Use evidence to support the explanation that the expression of traits can be influenced by the environment.

SCI-03.LS4 DCI: [LS4] Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

• SCI-03.LS4.01  Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the organisms and the environments in which they lived long ago.
• SCI-03.LS4.02  Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.
• SCI-03.LS4.03  Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

 

Fourth Grade

SCI-04.LS1 DCI: [LS1] From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

• SCI-04.LS1.01  Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
• SCI-04.LS1.02  Form an explanation to describe that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in different way.

 

Fifth Grade

SCI-05.LS1 DCI: [LS1] From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

• • SCI-05.LS1.01  Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water..

SCI-05.LS2 DCI: [LS2] Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

• SCI-05.LS2.01  Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.

 

7th Grade Life Science

SCI-MS.LS1 DCI: [LS1] From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes

• SCI-MS.LS1.01  Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are unicellular or multicellular and may have different cell types.
  
• SCI-MS.LS1.02  Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways cell parts (organelles) contribute to the cell functions.
• SCI-MS.LS1.03  Use evidence to model how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells.
• SCI-MS.LS1.04  Use evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction.
• SCI-MS.LS1.05  Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
• SCI-MS.LS1.06  Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.
• SCI-MS.LS1.07  Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as it moves through an organism.

SCI-MS.LS2 DCI: [LS2] Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

• SCI-MS.LS2.01  Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
  
• SCI-MS.LS2.02  Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
• SCI-MS.LS2.03  Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
• SCI-MS.LS2.04  Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
• SCI-MS.LS2.05  Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.

SCI-MS.LS3 DCI: [LS3] Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

• SCI-MS.LS3.01  Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism.
  
• SCI-MS.LS3.02  Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation.
• SCI-MS.LS3.02.mm  Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction ends with offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation (mitosis and meiosis)
• SCI-MS.LS3.02.ps  Develop and use a Punnett square to show that sexual reproduction ends with offspring with genetic variation.  Model how genes are transmitted from parents to offspring.

SCI-MS.LS4 DCI: [LS4] Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

• • SCI-MS.LS4.01  Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past.
    
  • SCI-MS.LS4.02  Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.
  • SCI-MS.LS4.03  Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities and differences in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy.
  • SCI-MS.LS4.04  Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals' probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.
  • SCI-MS.LS4.05  Gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.
  • SCI-MS.LS4.06  Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time.

High School Life Science

SCI-HS.LS1 DCI: [LS1] From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes

• • SCI-HS.LS1.01  Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the structure of DNA determines the structure of proteins which carry out the essential functions of life through systems of specialized cells.
    
  • SCI-HS.LS1.02  Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.
  • SCI-HS.LS1.03  Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis.
  • SCI-HS.LS1.04  Use a model to illustrate the role of cellular division (mitosis) and differentiation in producing and maintaining complex organisms.
  • SCI-HS.LS1.05  Use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis transforms light energy into stored chemical energy.
  • SCI-HS.LS1.06  Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for how carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen may combine with other elements to form large carbon-based molecules.
  • SCI-HS.LS1.07  Use a model to illustrate that cellular respiration is a chemical process whereby the bonds of food molecules and oxygen molecules are broken and the bonds in new compounds are formed resulting in a net transfer of energy.

SCI-HS.LS2 DCI: [LS2] Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

• • SCI-HS.LS2.01  Use mathematical and/or computational models to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.
    
  • SCI-HS.LS2.02  Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.
  • SCI-HS.LS2.03  Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for the cycling of matter and flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
  • SCI-HS.LS2.04  Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem.
  • SCI-HS.LS2.05  Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.
  • SCI-HS.LS2.06  Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
  • SCI-HS.LS2.07  Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
  • SCI-HS.LS2.08  Evaluate the evidence for the role of group behavior on individual and species’ chances to survive and reproduce.

SCI-HS.LS3 DCI: [LS3] Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

• • SCI-HS.LS3.01  Construct an explanation to clarify relationships about the role of DNA and chromosomes in coding the instructions for characteristic traits passed from parents to offspring.
    
  • SCI-HS.LS3.02  Make and defend a claim based on evidence that inheritable genetic variations result from various factors.
  • SCI-HS.LS3.03  Apply concepts of statistics and probability to explain the variation and distribution of expressed traits in a population.

SCI-HS.LS4 DCI: [LS4] Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

• • SCI-HS.LS4.01 Analyze and interpret scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence.
  • SCI-HS.LS4.02  Construct explanation based on evidence that the process of evolution primarily results from 4 factors:
    1. potential for a species to increase in number,
    2. heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction,
    3. competition for limited resources, and
    4. proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment.
  • SCI-HS.LS4.03  Use mathematical models to support explanations that organisms with an advantageous heritable trait tend to increase in proportion to organisms lacking this trait.
    
  • SCI-HS.LS4.04  Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptation of populations.
  • SCI-HS.LS4.05  Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions may result in increases in the number of individuals of some species, the emergence of new species over time, and the extinction of other species.
  • SCI-HS.LS4.06  Design and revise a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity.