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New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) POMPTON LAKES SCHOOL DISTRICT SCIENCE – GRADE 6 COURSE OF STUDY June 2011 Dr. Paul Amoroso, Superintendent BOARD MEMBERS Mr. Jose A. Arroyo, Mrs. Traci Cioppa, Mr. Robert Cruz, Mr. Shawn Dougherty, Mr. Garry Luciani, Mr. Carl Padula, Mr. Tom Salus, Mrs. Nancy Schwartz, Mrs. Stephanie Shaw, Mr. Timothy Troast, Jr. New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Standard 5.3 Life Science: Life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for By the end making sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in of Grade 6 natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics. Strand A. Organization and Development: Living organisms are composed of cellular units (structures) that carry out functions required for life. Cellular units are composed of molecules, which also carry out biological functions. Essential Questions Enduring Understandings What do all living things have in Living organisms have a variety of observable features that enable them common? to obtain food and reproduce. Content and Cumulative Progress Indicators (CPIs) Content Systems of the human body are interrelated and regulate the body’s internal environment. CPI 5.3.6.A.1 Model the interdependence of the human body’s major systems in regulating its internal environment. Classroom Applications Instructional Guidance To assist in meeting this CPI, students may: Construct conceptual models to clarify the levels of organization for structure and function in living things (cells, tissues, organs, organ systems). Create simulations and models of how human body systems (digestive, respiratory, reproductive, and circulatory) work together to perform functions necessary for life. Sample Assessments To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may complete the following assessment: Students imagine themselves as their favorite food, a red blood cell, a virus, air, etc. and write a short story about what happens when the food, etc. enters the human body. They trace the object throughout the human body, explaining where the object stops and for what purpose and present their short story at a reading in the school’s library. To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may answer the following question: The diagram below shows a major system of the human body. 2 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Which of the following best describes the function of this system? A. B. C. D. absorbing nutrients from food protecting the body from infection exchanging gases with the environment responding to stimuli in the environment Resources Teachers’ Domain provides lesson plans and other multimedia resources (video clips and simulations) that support this CPI. http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.reg.lp_ humanreg/ http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.reg.body control/ http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.stru.body systems/ Content Instructional Guidance To assist in meeting this CPI, students may: Essential functions of plant and animal cells are carried out by organelles. CPI Sample Assessments To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may complete the following performance assessment: 5.3.6.A.2 Model and explain ways in which organelles work together to meet the cell’s needs. Compare and contrast the types of organelles found within plant and animal cells. Focus on how all of the organelles, in both plants and animals, work together to complete the essential cell functions. You are the leader (mayor, principal, manager, etc.) of a human-created system (a city, a school, a restaurant, etc.). Compare, using an original metaphor, the functions and interdependence of cell organelles to the elements of your human-created system. Create a commercial to advertise your city, school, restaurant, etc. using the details of the organelles’ functions to draw people in, highlighting how efficiently the elements work together, just like within a cell. 3 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Resources Teachers’ Domain provides lesson plans and other multimedia resources (video clips and simulations) that support this CPI. http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/lsps07.sci.life.stru.cell diagram/ http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.cell.animplant/ 4 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Standard 5.3 Life Science: Life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for By the end making sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in of Grade 6 natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics. Strand B. Matter and Energy Transformations: Food is required for energy and building cellular materials. Organisms in an ecosystem have different ways of obtaining food, and some organisms obtain their food directly from other organisms. Essential Questions Enduring Understandings How is matter transformed, All organisms transfer matter and convert energy from one form to another. and energy transferred/transformed in living systems? Content and Cumulative Classroom Applications Progress Indicators (CPIs) Content Instructional Guidance To assist in meeting this CPI, students may: Plants are producers: They use the energy from light to make food (sugar) from carbon dioxide and water. Plants are used as a source of food (energy) for other organisms. CPI Sample Assessments To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may complete the following performance assessment: 5.3.6.B.1 Describe the sources of the reactants of photosynthesis and trace the pathway to the products. Construct a digital simulation to explain how energy entering the ecosystem as sunlight is transferred by producers into chemical energy through photosynthesis. Your class has been asked to help a green engineering firm design portable solar panels that mimic the action of plants to create sugar. They are looking to create portable solar panels for people who need access to food in extreme conditions (people in the military, field scientists, astronauts or serious hikers). The firm would like you to create schematic drawings or digital simulations that explain to them how plants are able to take solar energy and convert it to sugar. Resources Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Digital Video Library provides short video clips of teachers describing experiments associated with this CPI. http://www.hsdvl.org/video.php?record_serial=231 5 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Digital Video Library provides short video clips of classroom experiences and interviews with students and scientists regarding the content aligned with this CPI. http://www.hsdvl.org/video.php?record_serial=110 Content Instructional Guidance To assist in meeting this CPI, students may: All animals, including humans, are consumers that meet their energy needs by eating other organisms or their products. CPI Sample Assessments To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may complete the following assessment: 5.3.6.B.2 Illustrate the flow of energy (food) through a community. Create a video podcast or mini-documentary to demonstrate how individuals and groups of organisms interact with each other and their environment based on energy flow Create a digital interactive food web that traces energy from light through an ecosystem. Highlight each transfer of energy between organisms, and discuss how the pathway may vary within one ecosystem and between ecosystems. To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may answer the following question: Which shows one way that energy flows to birds in this food web? A. B. C. D. Rodents → insects → birds Insects → plants → birds Snakes → rodents → birds Plants → rodents → birds 6 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Resources Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Digital Video Library provides short video clips of an interview with a science education expert regarding content associated with this CPI. http://www.hsdvl.org/video.php?record_serial=1005 Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Digital Video Library provides short video clips of an interview with a science education expert regarding student misconceptions associated with this CPI. http://www.hsdvl.org/video.php?record_serial=43 Teachers’ Domain provides lesson plans and other multimedia resources (video clips and simulations) that support this CPI. http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.oate.decompose/ 7 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Standard 5.3 Life Science: Life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for By the end making sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order of Grade 6 in natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics. Strand C. Interdependence: All animals and most plants depend on both other organisms and their environment to meet their basic needs. Essential Questions Enduring Understandings In what ways do organisms All animals and most plants depend on both other organisms and their interact within ecosystems? environments for their basic needs. Content and Cumulative Classroom Applications Progress Indicators (CPIs) Content Instructional Guidance To assist in meeting this CPI, students may: Various human activities have changed the capacity of the environment to support some life forms. CPI 5.3.6.C.1 Explain the impact of meeting human needs and wants on local and global environments. Distinguish between natural (wildfire, flood, drought) and man-made changes (forest clear cutting, input of pollutants, filling in of marshland) to an ecosystem and discuss how these changes affect the balance of an ecosystem. Research and participate in local projects where humans are changing the environment to ensure a species’ survival. Sample Assessments To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may complete the following performance assessment: Your class has decided to become activists to support the conservation of natural ecosystems. Select a region of the world where there is high biological diversity (biodiversity) which is threatened by human actions. Determine the species (plants, animals, fungi, etc.) that are crucial to the balance of that ecosystem. Consider the specific human-induced threats to biodiversity in that area, and how you might manage them with consideration of the local culture. Interact with peers and scientists living and working in the target culture to develop and present a specific conservation plan to address the identified threats in the threatened region. Resources GLOBIO is a collaborative site that works to collect digital images to assess the human footprint on the world. http://www.globio.info/ National Public Radio features a podcast interview with a pilot who flew over Africa in a plane to document the impact of the human footprint on the world. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4803547 8 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) ePals is a website that schools can use as a tool for addressing the performance assessment. It allows teachers and students to safely connect, collaborate and learn using with students worldwide through protected email and blog solutions. www.epals.com Content Instructional Guidance To assist in meeting this CPI, students may: The number of organisms and populations an ecosystem can support depends on the biotic resources available and on abiotic factors, such as quantities of light and water, range of temperatures, and soil composition. CPI Cite evidence to support the idea that when the environment changes, some plants and animals survive and reproduce, and others die or move to other locations. Analyze the changes that occur (e.g., adaptations of plants and animals) in species of organisms as a result of the changes in Earth’s physical environment over long periods of time. 5.3.6.C.2 Predict the impact that altering biotic and abiotic factors has on an ecosystem. Sample Assessments To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may complete the following assessment: Students are provided data and information about a given ecosystem, including data about population numbers of different species. Roll two “environmental change dice”. One die will randomly determine if light, water, temperature, soil, etc. will change, and the other die will determine if it will increase, decrease, stay the same, etc. The groups of students make predictions about how that change will affect their unique ecosystem, if at all and support with scientific reasoning. Run several trials and engage in discussion. To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may answer the following question: A builder is proposing a new housing development in a coastal area of New Jersey. Construction of the housing development will destroy the wetland habitat in the area. Which of the following would most likely happen after a wetland is destroyed? A. B. C. D. The wetland plants would make more seeds. The wetland animals would be unable to survive in that area. The wetland animals would survive in the housing development. The wetland plant species would move to nearby meadow habitats. 9 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Content All organisms cause changes in the ecosystem in which they live. If this change reduces another organism’s access to resources, that organism may move to another location or die. CPI Resources Science NetLinks offers lesson plans and support materials associated with this CPI. http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?BenchmarkID=5& DocID=79 American Museum of Natural History offers free materials in online graduate-level professional development courses for K-12 educators related to this CPI. http://learn.amnh.org/courses/ocean_resource11.php Instructional Guidance To assist in meeting this CPI, students may: Explain why moving organisms from their native ecosystem to a new ecosystem may upset the balance of the new ecosystem. Sample Assessments To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may complete the following assessment: 5.3.6.C.3 Describe how one population of organisms may affect Students are provided with data and information about a given ecosystem, other plants and/or animals including data about population numbers of different species. Roll two in an ecosystem. “ecological change dice”. One die will randomly determine if a certain group of organisms (plants, insects, mammals, reptiles, fungi, etc.) will change within the population, and the other die will determine if that group will increase, decrease, stay the same, etc. The groups of students make predictions about how that change will affect their unique ecosystem, if at all and support it with scientific reasoning. Run several trials and engage in discussion. To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may answer the following question: 10 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Which of the following is most likely to lead to an increase in the number of foxes over time? A. B. C. D. a decrease in owls an increase in hawks an increase in mountain lions a decrease in raspberry bushes Resources Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Digital Video Library provides short video clips of a workshop covering content associated with this CPI. http://www.hsdvl.org/video.php?record_serial=244 Science NetLinks offers lesson plans and support materials associated with this CPI. http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?BenchmarkID=5& DocID=79 11 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Standard 5.3 Life Science: Life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for By the end making sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in of Grade 6 natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics. Strand D. Heredity and Reproduction: Organisms reproduce, develop, and have predictable life cycles. Organisms contain genetic information that influences their traits, and they pass this on to their offspring during reproduction. Essential Questions Enduring Understandings How do organisms change as Organisms reproduce, develop, have predictable life cycles, and pass on they go through their life cycle? some traits to their offspring. Content and Cumulative Progress Indicators (CPIs) Content Reproduction is essential to the continuation of every species. CPI 5.3.6.D.1 Predict the long-term effect of interference with normal patterns of reproduction. Classroom Applications Instructional Guidance To assist in meeting this CPI, students may: Research populations of animals that have been hunted or exploited over time. Use authentic data to determine the trends in population numbers, and consider the specific reasons for the decline in these populations. Sample Assessments To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may complete the following assessment: Select a threatened or endangered species using the International Union for Conservation of Nature Redlist. They can use the database to research population numbers of each species. They learn about the threats to each species, and focus on those threats that interfere with reproduction. As a class, determine which threats have the most dramatic impact on endangered species in certain regions of the world using the data provided. To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may answer the following question: A rabbit population has increased noticeably in the past ten years. Which of the following is a reasonable hypothesis to explain this population growth? A. Competition for food has increased among rabbits. B. The rabbit’s main predator has been eliminated by human development. 12 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) C. Abnormal weather conditions have decreased water levels of the local ponds. D. An organism that relies on similar food sources has migrated into the area. Resources United States Geological Survey website provides authentic population data for students to interpret and manipulate. http://www.usgs.gov/science/science.php?term=1333 The New Jersey Audubon Society website provides authentic local population data for students to interpret and manipulate. http://www.njaudubon.org/Home.aspx International Union for Conservation of Nature Redlist offers authentic data related to threatened and endangered species worldwide, and would support students in meeting the sample performance assessment expectation for this CPI. http://www.iucn.org/ http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Content Instructional Guidance To assist in meeting this CPI, students may: Variations exist among organisms of the same generation (e.g., siblings) and of different generations (e.g., parent to offspring). Research methods of manipulating inheritance. Explain how given traits can be achieved (and can occur in higher frequencies) by selective breeding. CPI Sample Assessments To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may complete the following performance assessment: 5.3.6.D.2 Explain how knowledge of inherited variations within and between generations is applied to farming and animal breeding. You are a breeder for a farming or animal industry (horse, cow, dog, plants, flowers, etc.). Your crops/plants/animals have been receiving much attention from your field recently, as they are much larger/healthier/brighter, etc. than any other competitors’. People are talking about your techniques, claiming that you are using illegal products to encourage the growth of your product. Create a two minute commercial that explains the process of selective breeding with respect to your product; show the process of how you can select certain traits to breed and how generations can change over time. 13 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Resources Science NetLinks offers lesson plans and support materials associated with this CPI. http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?BenchmarkID=5&Doc ID=361 Content Instructional Guidance To assist in meeting this CPI, students may: Traits such as eye color in human beings or fruit/flower color in plants are inherited. Breed virtual or live organisms in the classroom (plants, fruit flies, mealworms, etc.) and document the entire process. Monitor the different variations found among organisms of the same kind (color, size, etc.). Observe their bred organisms of the same kind and describe how their physical appearances differ in a journal or a student-created nature documentary. CPI 5.3.6.D.3 Distinguish between inherited and acquired traits/characteristics. Sample Assessments To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may complete the following assessment: Determine which traits are acquired or inherited after being provided with a variety of images of individuals from the same species. They justify their response with evidence. To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may answer the following question: Botanists often use leaves to identify plants. Which trait of the leaves shown would be most useful in identifying the plants they came from? A. Color of the leaf B. Function of the leaf C. Arrangement of leaves on a stem D. Presence or absence of veins 14 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Resources Annenberg Media’s Teachers’ Resources offer short video courses covering essential science content for K-6 teachers. http://www.learner.org/resources/series179.html?pop=yes&pid=1957 15 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Standard 5.3 Life Science: Life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for making By the end sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in natural of Grade 6 systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics. Strand E. Evolution and Diversity: Sometimes, differences between organisms of the same kind provide advantages for surviving and reproducing in different environments. These selective differences may lead to dramatic changes in characteristics of organisms in a population over extremely long periods of time. Essential Questions Enduring Understanding In what ways are Sometimes differences between organisms of the same kind give advantages organisms of the same kind in surviving and reproducing in different environments. different from each other? How does this help them reproduce and survive? Content and Cumulative Progress Indicators Classroom Applications (CPIs) Content Instructional Guidance To assist in meeting this CPI, students may: Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species. Explain how the extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the adaptation of a species is insufficient to allow for its survival. Use evidence from the fossil record to develop and explain their ideas. CPI Sample Assessments To show evidence of meeting this CPI, students may answer the following questions: 5.3.6.E.1 Describe the impact on the survival of species during specific times in geologic history when environmental conditions changed. 65 million years ago, the age of the dinosaurs ended when a catastrophic event led to their mass extinction. 1. What type of disastrous event could have led to the extinction of such a large group of animals? 2. Did any other life forms become extinct at this time in geological history? 16 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) 3. Which of the following might explain how a large number of ancient fish fossils were found in the middle of a desert? A. B. C. D. Someone put them there Fish once lived in the desert habitat A large wave crashed into the desert A body of water once covered the desert Resources Science NetLinks offers lesson plans and support materials associated with this CPI. http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?BenchmarkID=5&DocID= 358 17 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Life Science: Life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for making sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics. (5.3) Organization and Development: Living organisms are composed of cellular units (structures) that carry out functions required for life. Cellular units are composed of molecules, which also carry out biological functions. (5.3.A) Essential Questions What do all living things have in common? Content Statements All organisms are composed of cell(s). Enduring Understandings Living organisms have a variety of observable features that enable them to obtain food and reproduce. Cumulative Progress Indicators Compare the benefits and limitations of existing as a single or multicellular organism. 5.3.8.A.1 In multicellular organisms, specialized cells perform specialized functions. Tissues, organs and organ systems are composed of cells and function to serve the needs of cells for food, air, and waste removal. During the early development of an organism, cells differentiate and multiply to form the many specialized cells, tissues, and organs that compose the final organism. Tissues grow through cell division. Relate the structures of cells, tissues, organs and systems to their functions in supporting life. 5.3.8.A.2 Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences Unpacked Content Statements All living things are composed of cells, from just one to many millions, whose details usually are visible only through a microscope. Different body tissues and organs are made up of different kinds of cells. The cells in similar tissues and organs in other animals are similar to those in human beings but differ somewhat from cells found in plants. Cells repeatedly divide to make more cells for growth and repair. Various organs and tissues function to serve the needs of all cells for food, air, and waste removal. Within cells, many of the basic functions of organisms—such as extracting energy from food and getting rid of waste—are carried out. The way in which cells function is similar in all living organisms. About 2/3 of the weight of cells is accounted for by water, which gives cells many of their properties. Common Misconceptions Preliminary research indicates that it may be easier for students to understand that the cell is the basic unit of structure (which they can observe) than that the cell is the basic unit of function (which has to be inferred from experiments). Suggested Activities Compare prepared slides or digital images of a variety of cells from New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) human body systems (nervous, digestive, cardiac, circulatory etc.). Consider how the shape and structure of each cell type is related to the function of the cell. Describe the differences with respect to cell functioning. Desired Results Students imagine that they are slime molds, which are capable of living as singular or multi-cellular organisms. They write a persuasive essay to the rest of the slime molds, asking them to either unite or separate, using the benefits and drawbacks living as a singular or multi-celled organism to guide their argument. Students make a claim about the preferred lifestyle, and support it with evidence and reasoning. Students answer the question how does structure relate to function? by creating a pictorial essay using cell images. There will be no words accompanying the essay, just images. Students select the appropriate images (and sequence the images) to demonstrate to the viewer how cellular and tissue structures determine the function of these elements. Compare live or digital video images of a variety of single-celled organisms to multicellular organisms. Consider factors such as behavior, growth, development, movement, etc. to describe the differences. Explain the division of labor among the levels of the hierarchy in multicellular organisms that allow these organisms to carry out necessary life processes, and how that may differ from single-celled organisms. This video illustrates essential cellular processes—transportation of materials, communication, energy transfer, protein-building, waste disposal, movement, and the all-important mitosis and meiosis—as well as key cellular landmarks like the nucleus, ribosomes, mitochondria, the Golgi complex, the endoplasmic reticulum, and lysosomes. Resources Cells: The Building Blocks of Life http://ffh.films.com/id/11462/Cells_The_Building_Blocks_of_Life.html 19 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Life Science: Life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for making sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics. (5.3) Matter and Energy Transformations: Food is required for energy and building cellular materials. Organisms in an ecosystem have different ways of obtaining food, and some organisms obtain their food directly from other organisms. (5.3.B) Essential Questions Enduring Understandings How are matter and energy transferred or transformed in living systems? All organisms transfer matter and convert energy from one form to another. Content Statements Cumulative Progress Indicators Plants are producers: They use the energy from light to make food (sugar) from carbon dioxide and water. Plants are used as a source of food (energy) for other organisms. Describe the sources of the reactants of photosynthesis and trace the pathway to the products. (5.3.6.B.1) All animals, including humans, are consumers that meet their energy needs by eating other organisms or their products. Illustrate the flow of energy (food) through a community. (5.3.6.B.2) Desired Results Suppose your class has been asked to help a green engineering firm design portable solar panels that mimic the action of plants to create sugar. They are looking to create portable solar panels for people who need access to food in extreme conditions (people in the military, field scientists, astronauts or serious hikers). The firm would like you to create schematic drawings or digital simulations that explain to them how plants are able to take solar energy and convert it to sugar. Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences Unpacked Content Statements Plants use the energy from light to make sugars from carbon dioxide and water. Plants can use the food they make immediately or store it for later use. Almost all food energy comes originally from sunlight. Some source of "energy" is needed for all organisms to stay alive and grow. Organisms that eat plants break down the plant structures to produce the materials and energy they need to survive. Then they are consumed by other organisms. Common Misconceptions: Students of all ages see food as substances (water, air, minerals, etc.) that organisms take directly in from their environment. In addition, some students of all ages think food is a requirement for growth, rather than a source of matter for growth. They have little knowledge about food being transformed and made part of a growing organism's body. Some students of all ages hold misconceptions about plant nutrition. They think plants get their food from the environment rather than manufacturing it internally, and that food for plants is taken in from the outside. These misconceptions are particularly resistant to change. Even after traditional Create a digital interactive food web that traces energy from light through an ecosystem. Highlight each transfer of energy between instruction, students have difficulty accepting that plants make 20 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) organisms, and discuss how the pathway may vary within one ecosystem and between ecosystems. food from water and air, and that this is their only source of food. Understanding that the food made by plants is very different from other nutrients such as water or minerals is a prerequisite for understanding the distinction between plants as producers and animals as consumers. Some middle-school students do not realize that the matter from dead organisms is converted into other materials in the environment. Some middle-school students see decay as a gradual, inevitable consequence of time without need of decomposing agents. Some high-school students believe that matter is conserved during decay, but do not know where it goes. Middle-school students seem to know that some kind of cyclical process takes place in ecosystems. Some students see only chains of events and pay little attention to the matter involved in processes such as plant growth or animals eating plants. They think the processes involve creating and destroying matter rather than transforming it from one substance to another. Other students recognize one form of recycling through soil minerals but fail to incorporate water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide into matter cycles. Even after specially designed instruction, students cling to their misinterpretations. Instruction that traces matter through the ecosystem as a basic pattern of thinking may help correct these difficulties. Middle- and high-school students tend to think that energy transformations involve only one form of energy at a time. Although they develop some skill in identifying different forms of energy, in most cases their descriptions of energy change focus only on forms that have perceivable effects. The transformation of motion to heat seems to be difficult for students to accept, especially in cases with no obvious temperature increase. Finally, it may not 21 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) be clear to students that some forms of energy, such as light, sound, and chemical energy, can be used to make things happen. Some students of all ages have difficulty in identifying the sources of energy for plants and also for animals. Students tend to confuse energy and other concepts such as food, force, and temperature. As a result, students may not appreciate the uniqueness and importance of energy conversion processes like respiration and photosynthesis. Although specially designed instruction does help students correct their understanding about energy exchanges, some difficulties remain. [Careful coordination between The Physical Setting and The Living Environment benchmarks about conservation of matter and energy and the nature of energy may help alleviate these difficulties. Suggested Activities: Construct a digital simulation to explain how energy entering the ecosystem as sunlight is transferred by producers into chemical energy through photosynthesis. Grow plants (Wisconsin Fast Plants) in order to determine how variables affect photosynthesis and plant growth. Create a video podcast or mini-documentary to demonstrate how individuals and groups of organisms interact with each other and their environment based on energy flow Design a terrarium including producers, consumers and decomposers. Research and create a product to illustrate the flow of energy in this system. 22 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Life Science: Life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for making sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics. (5.3) Interdependence: All animals and most plants depend on both other organisms and their environment to meet their basic needs. (5.3.C) Essential Questions In what ways do organisms interact within ecosystems? Content Statements Enduring Understandings Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences All animals and most plants depend on both other organisms and their environments for their basic needs. Unpacked Content Statements Changes in an organism's habitat are sometimes beneficial to it and sometimes harmful. Cumulative Progress Indicators Various human activities have changed the capacity of the environment to support some life forms. Explain the impact of meeting human needs and wants on local and global environments. (5.3.6.C.1) The number of organisms and populations an ecosystem can support depends on the biotic resources available and on abiotic factors, such as quantities of light and water, range of temperatures, and soil composition. Predict the impact that altering biotic and abiotic factors has on an ecosystem. (5.3.6.C.2) All organisms cause changes in the ecosystem in which they live. If this change reduces another organism’s access to resources, that organism may move to another location or die. Describe how one population of organisms may affect other plants and/or animals in an ecosystem. (5.3.6.C.3 ) 23 In all environments, organisms with similar needs may compete with one another for limited resources, including food, space, water, air, and shelter. All organisms, both land-based and aquatic, are interconnected by their need for food. This network of interconnections is referred to as a food web. The entire earth can be considered a single global food web, and food webs can also be described for a particular environment. At the base of any food web are organisms that make their own food, followed by the animals that eat them, then the animals that eat those animals, and so forth. Suggested Activities: Distinguish between natural (wildfire, flood, drought) and man-made changes (forest clear cutting, input of pollutants, filling in of marshland) to an ecosystem and discuss how these changes affect the balance of an ecosystem. Research and participate in local projects where humans are changing the environment to ensure a species’ survival. Your class has decided to become activists to support the conservation of natural ecosystems. Select a region of the world where there is high biological diversity (biodiversity) which is threatened by human actions. New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Determine the species (plants, animals, fungi, etc.) that are crucial to the balance of that ecosystem. Consider the specific human-induced threats to biodiversity in that area, and how you might manage them with consideration of the local culture. Interact with peers and scientists living and working in the target culture to develop and present a specific conservation plan to address the identified threats in the threatened region. Desired Results Predict, based on evidence, the potential impact that altering biotic or abiotic factors has on an ecosystem. Explain why moving organisms from their native ecosystem to a new ecosystem may upset the balance of the new ecosystem. 24 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Life Science: Life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for making sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics. (5.3) Heredity and Reproduction: Organisms reproduce, develop, and have predictable life cycles. Organisms contain genetic information that influences their traits, and they pass this on to their offspring during reproduction. (5.3.D) Essential Questions Enduring Understandings How do organisms change as they go through their life cycle? Content Statements Organisms reproduce, develop, have predictable life cycles, and pass on some traits to their offspring. Cumulative Progress Indicators Reproduction is essential to the continuation of every species. Predict the long-term effect of interference with normal patterns of reproduction. (5.3.6.D.1) Variations exist among organisms of the same generation (e.g., siblings) and of different generations (e.g., parent to offspring). Explain how knowledge of inherited variations within and between generations is applied to farming and animal breeding. (5.3.6.D.2) Traits such as eye color in human beings or fruit/flower color in plants are inherited. Distinguish between inherited and acquired traits/characteristics. (5.3.6.D.3) Desired Results Select a threatened or endangered species using the International Union for Conservation of Nature Redlist. They can use the database to research population numbers of each species. They learn about the threats to each species, and focus on those threats that interfere with reproduction. As a class, determine which threats have the most dramatic impact on endangered species in certain regions of the world using the data provided. Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences Unpacked Content Statements New varieties of cultivated plants and domestic animals have resulted from selective breeding for particular traits. Some likenesses between children and parents are inherited. Other likenesses are learned. In organisms that have two sexes, typically half of the genes come from each parent. In sexual reproduction, a single specialized cell from a female merges with a specialized cell from a male. In some kinds of organisms, all the genes come from a single parent. The same genetic information is copied in each cell of the new organism Common Misconceptions Some students believe that traits are inherited from only one of the parents (for example, the traits are inherited from the mother, because she gives birth or has most contact as children grow up; or the same-sex parent will be the determiner). Other students believe that certain characteristics are always inherited from the mother and others come from the father. Some students believe in a "blending of characteristics." It may not be until the end of 5th grade that some students can use arguments based on chance to predict the outcome of inherited characteristics of offspring from observing those characteristics in the parents. 25 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Suppose You are a breeder for a farming or animal industry (horse, cow, dog, plants, flowers, etc.). Your crops/plants/animals have been receiving much attention from your field recently, as they are much larger/healthier/brighter, etc. than any other competitors’. People are talking about your techniques, claiming that you are using illegal products to encourage the growth of your product. Create a two minute commercial that explains the process of selective breeding with respect to your product; show the process of how you can select certain traits to breed and how generations can change over time. Determine which traits are acquired or inherited after being provided with a variety of images of individuals from the same species. They justify their response with evidence. Early middle-school students explain inheritance only in observable features, but upper middle-school and high-school students have some understanding that characteristics are determined by a particular genetic entity which carries information translatable by the cell. Students of all ages believe that some environmentally produced characteristics can be inherited, especially over several generations. Suggested Activities: Use authentic data to determine the trends in population numbers, and consider the specific reasons for the decline in these populations. Research methods of manipulating inheritance in farm stock, cats, dogs or plants. Explain how given traits can be achieved (and can occur in higher frequencies) by selective breeding. Breed virtual or live organisms in the classroom (plants, fruit flies, mealworms, etc) and document entire process. Monitor the different variations found among organisms of the same kind (color, size, etc), and describe how physical traits differ in a journal or a student-created nature documentary. 26 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Life Science: Life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for making sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics. (5.3) Evolution and Diversity: Sometimes, differences between organisms of the same kind provide advantages for surviving and reproducing in different environments. These selective differences may lead to dramatic changes in characteristics of organisms in a population over extremely long periods of time. (5.3.E) Essential Questions Enduring Understandings In what ways are organisms of the same kind different from each other? How does this help them reproduce and survive? Content Statements Sometimes differences between organisms of the same kind give advantages in surviving and reproducing in different environments. Cumulative Progress Indicators Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species. Describe the impact on the survival of species during specific times in geologic history when environmental conditions changed. (5.3.6.E.1) Desired Results 1. 65 million years ago, the age of the dinosaurs ended when a catastrophic event led to their mass extinction. a) What type of disastrous event could have led to the extinction of such a large group of animals? b) Did any other life forms become extinct at this time in geological history? 4. Which of the following might explain how a large number of ancient fish fossils were found in the middle of a desert? E. Someone put them there F. Fish once lived in the desert habitat G. A large wave crashed into the desert Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences Unpacked Content Statement: Individuals of the same kind differ in their characteristics, and sometimes the differences give individuals an advantage in surviving and reproducing. Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species. Most species that have lived on the earth are now extinct. Extinction of species occurs when the environment changes and the individual organisms of that species do not have the traits necessary to survive and reproduce in the changed environment. Fossils can be compared to one another and to living organisms according to their similarities and differences. Some organisms that lived long ago are similar to existing organisms, but some are quite different. Common Misconceptions: Some research suggests that students' understanding of evolution is related to their understanding of the nature of science and their general reasoning abilities. Findings indicate that poor reasoners tend to retain nonscientific beliefs such as "evolutionary change occurs as a result of need" because they fail to examine alternative hypotheses and their predicted consequences, and they fail to comprehend conflicting evidence. Thus, they are left with no alternative but to believe their initial intuitions or the misstatements they hear. Suggested Activities: 27 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) H. A body of water once covered the desert Explain how the extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the adaptation of a species is insufficient to allow for its survival. Use evidence from the fossil record to develop and explain their ideas. 28 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Life Science: Life science principles are powerful conceptual tools for making sense of the complexity, diversity, and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Order in natural systems arises in accordance with rules that govern the physical world, and the order of natural systems can be modeled and predicted through the use of mathematics. (5.3) Evolution and Diversity: Sometimes, differences between organisms of the same kind provide advantages for surviving and reproducing in different environments. These selective differences may lead to dramatic changes in characteristics of organisms in a population over extremely long periods of time. (5.3.E) Essential Questions In what ways are organisms of the same kind different from each other? Enduring Understandings Sometimes differences between organisms of the same kind give advantages in surviving and reproducing in different environments. How does this help them reproduce and survive? Content Statements Labs, Investigation, and Student Experiences Unpacked Content Statements Small differences between parents and offspring can accumulate (through selective breeding) in successive generations so that descendants are very different from their ancestors. Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to survive and have offspring. Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species. Many thousands of layers of sedimentary rock provide evidence for the long history of the earth and for the long history of changing life forms whose remains are found in the rocks. More recently deposited rock layers are more likely to contain fossils resembling existing species. Most species that have lived on the earth are now extinct. Extinction of species occurs when the environment changes and the individual organisms of that species do not have the traits necessary to survive and reproduce in the changed environment. Reproduction is necessary for the survival of any species. Cumulative Progress Indicators Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to survive and have offspring in particular environments. The advantages or disadvantages of specific characteristics can change when the environment in which they exist changes. Extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the characteristics of a species are insufficient to allow survival. Organize and present evidence to show how the extinction of a species is related to an inability to adapt to changing environmental conditions using quantitative and qualitative data. 5.3.8.E.1 Anatomical evidence supports evolution and provides additional detail about the sequence of branching of various lines of descent. Compare the anatomical structures of a living species with fossil records to derive a line of descent. 5.3.8.E.2 Common Misconceptions Some research suggests that students' understanding of evolution is related to 29 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Classroom Applications Document – Science Life Science (by the end of grade 6) Desired Results You are a US Fish and Wildlife officer in a Midwestern state. Conservation biologists Josh Donlan and Harry Greene have asked to speak to you regarding their “Pleistocene Rewilding Project” which proposes to reintroduce giant tortoises, wild horses, lions and elephants to the Midwest, where their distant relatives once roamed. They argue that these introductions would contribute biological, economic, and cultural benefits to North America. Before you decide to speak with Donlan and Green, research the proposed reasons for the ancestral extinction of the megafauna. As a class, use scientific evidence found in journal articles and primary sources to debate if the plan will have any ecological or cultural benefit, and decide if your state should consider their reintroduction plan. their understanding of the nature of science and their general reasoning abilities. Findings indicate that poor reasoners tend to retain nonscientific beliefs such as "evolutionary change occurs as a result of need" because they fail to examine alternative hypotheses and their predicted consequences, and they fail to comprehend conflicting evidence. Thus, they are left with no alternative but to believe their initial intuitions or the misstatements they hear. Suggested Activities Use current news and journal articles to locate scientific evidence to explain current extinctions due to changing environmental conditions. Explain why the species is at risk, clarifying the concept that evolution occurs at the level of the species, not at the level of the individual. Explain to peers the evolution of a species based on anatomical evidence in a digital or video representation. A fisherman in coastal New Jersey found the carcass of a whale. The man reported that the stomach contained the bones of a mermaid. He described the bones for the tabloid news artist, who drew the picture below. The artist left out the skull because the fisherman was unable to find it. 30