Clarification Statement: Emphasis should be on traits including completely dominant, codominant, incompletely dominant, and sexlinked traits. Examples can include pedigrees, karyotypes, genetic disorders, Punnett squares, dihybrid crosses
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS1.A: Structure and Function -All cells contain genetic information in the form of DNA molecules. Genes are regions in the DNA that contain the instructions that code for the formation of proteins.
LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits -DNA make up genes that are sections on chromosomes which are the instructions for forming individual characteristics (traits). All cells of an organism have the same genetic content. Gene expression is regulated in different ways.

Student Learning Targets:

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• I can identify the stages of Meiosis
  
• I can identify and know what homologous chromosome are

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• I can match homologues and produce a karyotype. 

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Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on (1) new genetic combinations through meiosis, (2) viable errors occurring during replication, and/or (3) mutations caused by environmental factors. Emphasis is also on using data to support arguments for the way variation occurs
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS3.B: Variation of Traits -Sexual reproduction (meiosis) creates variation through crossing over and independent assortment. Mutations may occur during DNA replication resulting in genetic variation or due to environmental factors. The variation and distribution of traits observed depends on both genetic and environmental factors.

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Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on distribution and variation of traits in a population and the use of mathematics to describe the distribution. Examples can include calculations of frequencies in Punnett squares, graphical representation
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS3.B: Variation of Traits -The variation and distribution of traits observed depends on both genetic and environmental factors

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Performance Expectations

LS4 help students formulate an answer to the question, “What evidence shows that different species are related? The LS4 Disciplinary Core Idea involves four sub-ideas: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity, Natural Selection, Adaptation, and Biodiversity and Humans. Students can construct explanations for the processes of natural selection and evolution and communicate how multiple lines of evidence support these explanations. Students can evaluate evidence of the conditions that may result in new species and understand the role of genetic variation in natural selection. Additionally, students can apply concepts of probability to explain trends in populations as those trends relate to advantageous heritable traits in a specific environment. The crosscutting concepts of cause and effect and systems and system models play an important role in students’ understanding of the evolution of life on Earth.

Calculation Method for DCI

Disciplinary Core Ideas are larger groups of related Performance Expectations. So the Disciplinary Core Idea Grade is a calculation of all the related Performance Expectations. So click on the Performance Expectation name below each Disciplinary Core Idea to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each Disciplinary Core Idea's related Performance Expectations.

Clarification Statement: Biological evolution is defined as changes in the traits of populations of organisms over time. Emphasis is on a conceptual understanding of the role each line of evidence (e.g., similarities in DNA sequences, order of appearance of structure during embryological development, cladograms, homologous and vestigial structures, fossil records) demonstrates as related to common ancestry and biological evolution.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity -Genetic information, like the fossil record, provides evidence of evolution. DNA sequences vary among species, but there are many overlaps; in fact, the ongoing branching that produces multiple lines of descent can be inferred by comparing the DNA sequences of different organisms. Such information is also derivable from the similarities and differences in amino acid sequences and from anatomical and embryological evidence

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Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using evidence to explain the influence each of the four factors has on the number of organisms, behaviors, morphology, or physiology in terms of ability to compete for limited resources and subsequent survival of individuals and adaptation of species. Examples of evidence could include mathematical models such as simple distribution graphs and proportional reasoning.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS4.B: Natural Selection -Natural selection occurs only if there is both (1) variation in the genetic information between organisms in a population and (2) variation in the expression of that genetic information — that is, trait variation — that leads to differences in performance among individuals.
LS4.C: Adaptation -Evolution is a consequence of the interaction of four factors: (1) Variations, (2) Overpopulation, (3) Adaptations, (4) Descent with modification.

Student Learning Targets:

Knowledge Targets

• I can verify the existence of certain species.
  
• I can identify the formation of new specie.

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• I can produce a diagram that tracks the genetic characteristics of a species. 

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Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on analyzing shifts in numerical distribution of traits and using these shifts as evidence to support explanations.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS4.B: Natural Selection -The traits that positively affect survival are more likely to be reproduced, and thus are more common in the population.
LS4.C: Adaptation -Adaptation also means that the distribution of traits in a population can change when conditions change.

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Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using data to provide evidence for how specific biotic and abiotic differences in ecosystems (such as ranges of seasonal temperature, long-term climate change, acidity, light, geographic barriers, or evolution of other organisms) contribute to a change in gene frequency over time, leading to adaptation of populations.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS4.C: Adaptation -Natural selection leads to adaptation, that is, to a population dominated by organisms that are anatomically, behaviorally, and physiologically well suited to survive and reproduce in a specific environment. That is, the differential survival and reproduction of organisms in a population that have an advantageous heritable trait leads to an increase in the proportion of individuals in future generations that have the trait and to a decrease in the proportion of individuals that do not.

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Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on determining cause and effect relationships for how changes to the environment such as deforestation, fishing, application of fertilizers, drought, flood, and the rate of change of the environment affect distribution or disappearance of traits in species.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS4.C: Adaptation -Changes in the physical environment contribute to the expansion of some species, the emergence of new distinct species as populations diverge under different conditions, and the decline — and sometimes the extinction — of some species. Species become extinct because they can no longer survive and reproduce in their altered environment. If members cannot adjust to change that is too fast or drastic, the opportunity for the species’ evolution is lost.

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Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on designing solutions for a proposed problem related to threatened or endangered species, or to genetic variation of organisms for multiple species.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS4.C: Adaptation -Changes in the physical environment lead to changes in species diversity and distribution.
LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans -Human activity has adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change.

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