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Performance Level Descriptors: Biology
Basic
Proficient
Advanced
A biology student performing at the Basic Level describes a simplified
biological system in terms of boundaries, subsystems, flows, and the larger
encompassing system; plans scientific investigations in the context of biology
with appropriate independent and dependent variables and uses some
supporting evidence to describe a relationship between variables; describes
potential solutions to a technological design problem and the consequences of
solutions in the context of biology and society; demonstrates emerging
understanding of processes within cells, maintenance and stability of
populations in ecosystems, and mechanisms of evolution.
A biology student performing at the Proficient Level describes limitations in
a model of a biological system and uses a model to make predictions; plans an
appropriate and valid scientific investigation in the context of biology and
includes evidence from a scientific investigation to explain a relationship
between variables; describes a method for testing alternative solutions to a
technological design problem in the context of biology with respect to a
criterion for success; demonstrates understanding of processes within cells,
maintenance and stability of populations in ecosystems, and mechanisms of
evolution.
A biology student performing at the Advanced Level describes feedback
processes that regulate a complex biological system; evaluates a scientific
investigation in terms of validity and reliability and describes explanations for
the results of a scientific investigation in the context of biology that are
consistent with scientific knowledge; proposes a method for evaluating
solutions to technological design problems in the context of biology with
respect to multiple criteria for success; demonstrates strong understanding of
processes within cells, maintenance and stability of populations in ecosystems,
and mechanisms of evolution.
A student performing at the basic level can do things like…
In addition to the skills and knowledge demonstrated at the basic level, a
student performing at the proficient level can do things like…
In addition to the skills and knowledge demonstrated at the proficient level, a
student performing at the advanced level can do things like…
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Describe subsystems, boundaries, inputs/outputs and the encompassing
system of a simplified biological system.
Plan a scientific investigation of a biological system including appropriate
independent and dependent variables with some guidance.
Describe a relationship between variables with some supporting evidence
using data from a scientific investigation of a biological system.
Describe research that could lead to solutions; and identify potential
solutions to technological design problems in the context of biology.
Identify trade‐offs and unintended consequences of given solutions to
technological design problems in the context of biology.
Identify the role of photosynthesis in the lives of plants and in the lives of
animals.
Identify the essential functions of some cell structures.
Identify typical animal cells as containing two sets of chromosomes, one
from each biological parent; and identify egg or sperm cells as containing
one set of chromosomes from a single biological parent.
Identify the subunits and base pairs in DNA; and identify that DNA
determines the traits of an organism.
Identify examples of matter cycling and energy flowing through an
ecosystem.
Identify living and nonliving factors that affect populations in an ecosystem
with some guidance.
Identify an environmental change that could affect the survival of a
population in an ecosystem.
Identify mutations as random changes or mistakes in genetic material; and
identify that some can be inherited.
Identify evidence that can show the development of species over time.
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Describe the limitations of a model for a biological system and use the
model to make predictions about the biological system.
Plan a valid scientific investigation for a testable question about a
biological system choosing an appropriate method.
Explain a relationship between variables including supporting evidence
and using data from a scientific investigation of a biological system.
Describe a method for testing a given solution to a technological design
problem in the context of biology.
Evaluate alternative solutions suggested by a technological design
process in terms of a criterion for success in the context of biology.
Describe the inputs and outputs of matter and energy in
photosynthesis, cellular respiration and combustion.
Describe the essential functions of cell structures.
Identify the product of mitosis as two new cells with identical copies
and the same number of chromosomes as the original cell; and identify
the product of meiosis as cells with a unique combination of genetic
information and half the chromosomes of the original cell.
Describe how the structure of DNA allows the nucleus to regulate cell
activity.
Describe some transfers and transformation of matter and energy in
ecosystems.
Identify living and nonliving factors that promote or limit population
growth.
Identify that mutations can be neutral, harmful or helpful to the survival
of offspring.
Predict changes in populations due to natural selection caused by
differences in genetic variability or environmental pressures.
Infer relationships among organisms given physical characteristics,
functional characteristics and/or genetic information.
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Describe the regulatory effect of positive or negative feedback
processes in a complex biological system.
Evaluate the validity and reliability of a given scientific investigation of a
biological system.
Explain how a relationship between variables in a scientific investigation
of a biological system is consistent with established scientific
knowledge.
Apply multiple criteria to evaluate alternative solutions suggested by a
technological design process in the context of biology and describe
constraints of those solutions.
Describe cellular respiration as the process that transfers the energy of
glucose into energy in the form of special molecules (e.g., ATP).
Explain how cell structures interact to maintain the internal
environment of a cell.
Describe the processes and outputs of mitosis, meiosis and fertilization.
Describe how the processes of recombination and fertilization allow for
variation.
Describe the processes of DNA replication and protein synthesis; and
describe how mutations can occur during these processes.
Describe carbon and nitrogen cycles in ecosystems.
Analyze the impact of changes in the environment on the biodiversity
and stability of ecosystems.
Predict changes in population size given quantitative information about
an ecosystem (e.g., graphs).
Describe the processes that create mutations; and describe how those
mutations provide genetic variation for natural selection.
Describe how biological evolution can account for similarities and
differences of features in given organisms.
Explain how biological evolution is the result of interactions among
populations, inherited variability, resources available and/or natural
selection