Enduring Understandings - important ideas that students should carry with them years beyond the instruction received this year.

• Scientists investigate the world around them and communicate to others through the scientific process.
• The scientific process is the basis of an integrated approach to understanding our world. (topic/problem, testable question, hypothesis, procedure)
• Scientists use a plan to carry out an investigation (variables, control, data, observations, investigations).
• Scientists select, appropriate tools to collect, organize, and record data using the metric system in tables, charts, and graphs.
• Scientists analyze data for reliability, validity to form conclusions.
• Scientists analyze data to infer past and predict future events.
• Scientists ask questions based on their investigations and these questions can lead to new investigations.
• Scientists communicate the results of their investigations in many formats and appropriate ways.
• Identification of various organisms is based on specific criteria.
• Plant and animal cells have some common structures, with similarities and differences in basic life processes
• Matter can move into or out of a cell under specific conditions.
• Osmosis and diffusion are necessary processes of cell function.
• Plant and animal cells are composed of organelles.
• The human body is made up of systems which have specialized functions and work together for the survival of the organism.
• There are specific stages of plant and animal life cycles.
• Cells make up living organisms and carry out the functions needed to sustain life. The stages of cell division are: interphase, mitosis, cytokinesis
• Cells make up living organisms and carry out the functions needed to sustain life. Cells are the basic building blocks of life.
• The world population uses both renewable and nonrenewable resources.
• The world is affected by the interrelationship of science and technology. New technology continually impacts human activity.
• New technology continually impacts human activity.
• Experiments must be controlled and have reproducible results.
• Scientists identify, determine, compare, and control variables.
• Scientists must be objective and bias free when examining their work.
• Scientists communicate their results using various methods.
• Scientists use models to predict change.
• Safety is a primary concern with all laboratory techniques.

Essential Questions - most important “big picture” questions students should be able to answer after completing learning activities.

• What is a testable question that leads to a proposed hypothesis? How is a testable question developed
• How do scientists design a plan for investigating a testable questions? How is an investigation organized?
• How do scientists develop and perform a scientific investigation? What are the independent/manipulated and dependent/responding variables? What is the standard of control?
• What are the appropriate tools, technologies, and measurement systems used by scientists?
• How do scientists interpret and evaluate data?
• How do scientists infer/predict past and future events?
• What new questions have arisen based on unexpected results of the investigation?
• How is scientific information effectively communicated to specific audiences?
• How and why are classification systems based on the structure of organisms? How has the advent of DNA analysis impacted the classification of organisms?
• How are photosynthesis and respiration important to life?
• How do nutrients and energy transfer into and out of cells in a multicellular organism
• How are diffusion and osmosis important to life?
• What are the roles of various organelles and how does structure impact function?
• How do all the systems of an organism interconnect and what are their structures and functions?
• What happens during the life cycle of an organism?
• Why is cell division essential to an organism's life? How do cells divide and increase?
• How does the structure of a plant or animal cell affect the function of those cells?
• What are the differences between and uses of renewable and nonrenewable resources?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of using technology to solve problems?
• How has technology influenced the way people work? What are advantages/disadvantages created by new technology?
• How do people use science and technology in their professional lives?
• How do controlled/uncontrolled variables affect the outcomes of experiment
• How do you identify, compare, and control variables in an investigation?
• How does bias, opinion, and evidence affect the way science is communicated in various media?
• What are some different sources and methods a scientist uses to collect and record data?
• How can models help us predict future outcomes?
• What are safe laboratory practices?

Standards
Highest Frequency Standards High Frequency Standards, Other Standards & E-skills

Standard 1: Students understand the processes of scientific investigations and design, conduct, communicate about, and evaluate such investigation.

Standard 3: Life Science Students know and understand the characteristics and structures of living things, the processes of life and how living things interact with each other and their environment. Students know and understand the characteristics of living things, the diversity of life, and how living things interact with each other and with their environment. Students know and understand interrelationships of matter and energy in living systems. Students know and understand how the human body functions, factors that influence its structures and functions compared with those of other organisms. Students know and understand how organisms change over time in terms of biological evolution and genetics.

Standard 5: Students know and understand interrelationships among science, technology, and human activity and how they affect the world.

Standard 6: Students understand that science involves a particular way of knowing and they understand common connections among scientific disciplines.

• Science Unit 1 Science Unit 1
• Science Unit 2 Science Unit 2
• Science Unit 1 Science Unit 3