Unit One - Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Next Generation Science Standards:

MS-LS3-1.
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.
Big Ideas:
DNA is the genetic material located in the nucleus of the cell that gives
instructions about how the organism grows and develops. It is made of four bases (A, T,
C and G) and when they pair up (A-T & C-G), they form a double-helix DNA molecule. It
is the specific sequences of these bases that determines each gene. Genes are
segments of DNA that code for the production of proteins. A long strand of coiled DNA
forms a chromosome, thus genes are located in the chromosomes of cells (MS-LS3-1).
Genes are passed on from parents to offspring in a process called heredity.
When children inherit a trait from their parents, they are inheriting a copy of the parents
gene for a specific trait. Each trait is inherited as a gene pair, one allele from the mother
and one allele from the father. The gene pair becomes the organisms genotype for each
distinct trait. The physical appearance or observable characteristics of the trait, is the
phenotype. Organisms need two copies of the recessive allele to have the recessive
phenotype (unless the recessive allele is linked to the X-chromosome in a sex-linked
trait) and one copy of the dominant allele for the dominant phenotype.
Each distinct gene controls the production of specific proteins, which in turn
affects the traits of the individual. Although all organisms have the same DNA bases, it
is the variation in the way the bases are sequenced and which genes are expressed,
that results in the extreme diversity of organisms we see today. The translation of DNA
to an organism's physical traits is typically remarkably accurate, but there are instances
in which an error occurs.
An organism's traits and their genetic information may be altered because of
mutations, which occur when there are changes in a gene or chromosome (MS-LS3-1).
Mutations may also be caused by environmental factors that directly affect an organism
and environmentally-induced mutations can also be inherited. Though rare, mutations
may result in changes to the structure and function of proteins. Some changes are
beneficial, harmful, or neutral to the organism (MS-LS3-1). Mutations that arise can be
inherited from parent to offspring, thus increasing genetic diversity within a population
over many generations. Beneficial mutations can increase an organisms ability to
survive and reproduce. Examples of helpful mutations include seedless oranges and
antibiotic resistant bacteria. Neutral mutations have no positive or negative affect on an
organism's ability to survive and reproduce. However, mutations can be harmful and
may cause an organism to inherit a harmful disease or disorder. Two examples of
harmful mutations include sickle cell anemia and albinism.

Real-World Examples:

Extract DNA from strawberries and use microscopes to look at the double-helix
structure of the DNA.

Discuss the variation seen in students' traits by making an "Inventory of Traits."

Explain why some students can taste Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and other
students cannot.

Model genetic variation and inheritance by combining genetic traits and

chromosomes obtained from two parent dragons to create and draw a baby
dragon.

Discuss the inheritance patterns seen in pedigrees for the inheritance of dimples,
unibrows, and Hemophilia.

Discuss the helpful, harmful and neutral mutations seen in plants and animals
(i.e. bacteria, mouse, pig, dog, gorilla, red blood cell, orange, daisy).

Model helpful, harmful and neutral mutations using a platypus puppet and
scientific inquiry.

Unit Two - Molecules and Organisms: Structures and Processes

Next Generation Science Standards:

MS-LS1-4.
Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an
explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant
structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants
respectively.
MS-LS1-5.
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and
genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
MS-LS1-8.
Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli
by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as
memories.
Big Ideas:
This unit focuses on organism behaviors, structures, growth and processing
ability. All of these factors increase an organisms ability to grow, survive and reproduce
offspring. There are multiple environmental and genetic factors that influence an
organisms ability to grow throughout their lifetime. Once grown, plants and animals
must find a means of passing on their genetic information to future generations.
Organisms use sensory stimuli and memories to ensure that they live to reproduce
again, using the complex central nervous system and brain.

The growth of organisms is initially determined by ones genetics, but as an

organism ages, the local environmental factors begin to affect the organisms growth
and viability. The availability of food, light, space, water, and nutrients, the local
predators and the species of prey available will all directly affect the growth of an
organism to adulthood. In addition to the environmental factors that affect growth, the
genetic factors that determine an organisms species and physical characteristics will
determine how fit an organism will be in its given environment (MS-LS1-5).
All plants and animals fight a daily battle to increase their ability to survive and
reproduce. When organisms survive and successfully find mates, they are able to pass
their genetic information to future generations. Plants possess structures and physical
characteristics that increase their probability of pollinating another flower, such as: bright
flowers that attract pollen-carrying bees and butterflies, sweet flower nectar and
pleasant odors that attract birds and insects who will transfer pollen, and hard shells or
nuts that small animals will pick up and transfer to another area (MS-LS1-4). Animals
also engage in characteristic behaviors that increase the odds of attracting a mate, such
as: using defensive structures or behaviors to ward off predators away from the young,
harmonic and rhythmic vocalizations to demonstrate dominance or competency to a
potential mate, colorful plumage, or a deliberate dance routine. These ritualistic animal
behaviors are learned when organisms are young by gathering and synthesizing stimuli
as it travels along nerve cells to the brain. Once the stimuli reaches the brain, it
becomes an immediate reaction behavior or its stored as a memory (MS-LS1-8).
Real-World Examples:
Explain the benefits of rhythmic vocalizations, deliberate dancing rituals and
colorful plumage seen in multiple bird species.
Describe the relationship between the anatomical features seen in plant species
with the ability to increase the likelihood of plant reproduction.
Identify the parts of a plant that are necessary for plant reproduction.
Explain how nerve cells relay information to the brain.
Identify environmental factors that influence the growth of organisms, such as
competition for food and water.

Unit Three - Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Next Generation Science Standards:

MS-LS4-2.
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.
MS-LS4-3.
Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the
embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not
evident in the fully formed anatomy.

MS-LS4-4.
Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic
variations of traits in a population increasesome individuals probability of
surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.
MS-LS4-5.
Gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the
way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.
MS-LS4-6.
Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural
selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations
over time.
Big Ideas:
Evolution explains the similarities and differences among species and suggests
that all species are related through ancestry (MS-LS4-2; MS-LS4-3). For example, there
are similarities in the development of embryos across multiple species that show the
relatedness of various species, not seen in the fully-formed anatomy. The process of
natural selection acting on populations is the main driving force of evolution. Although
individuals in a population share many similarities, they vary in their genetic information
due to random mutations in DNA, which leads to a range of traits in the population.
In any particular environment individuals with particular traits may be more likely
than others to survive and produce offspring. This process is called natural selection
and may lead to the predominance of certain inherited traits in a population and the
suppression of others (MS-LS4-6). Natural selection occurs only if there is variation in
the heritable genetic information within a population that is expressed in traits that lead
to differences in survival and reproductive ability among individuals under specific
environmental conditions. If the trait differences do not affect reproductive success, then
natural selection will not favor one trait over others (MS-LS4-4).
Natural selection can lead to adaptation, that is, to a distribution of traits in the
population that is matched to and can change with environmental conditions. Such
adaptations can eventually lead to the development of separate species in separated
populations (p. 141). In some cases, however, traits that are adaptive to the changed
environment do not exist in the population and the species becomes extinct (p.165).
Adaption by natural selection is ongoing. For example it is seen in the emergence of
antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Organisms like bacteria, in which multiple generations
occur over shorter time spans, evolve more rapidly than those for which each
generation takes multiple years (p. 165). Humans influence the inheritance of desired
traits in organisms, using various forms of technology. Through processes called
artificial selection and genetic engineering, humans can change the genetic outcomes
through genetic modification, gene therapy, and selective breeding (MS-LS4-5).

Real-World Examples:
Explain how modern-day organisms have been domesticated over thousands of
years through artificial selection.
Analyze and explain the advantages and disadvantages of gene therapy.
Develop a scientific explanation, with evidence, in support of or against using
human technology to genetically modify the food we consume everyday.
Explain how genetic variation in a bunny population causes some individuals to be
more likely to survive and reproduce.
Explain the relationship between an organisms environment and its ability to
survive and reproduce, using Peppered moths as your evidence.
Compare embryological similarities across multiple species of organisms.
Find similarities and differences between modern organisms and extinct organisms
in the fossil record.

Unit Four - Forces and Interactions

Next Generation Science Standards:
MS-PS2-1.
Apply Newtons Third Law to design a solution to a problem involving the motion
of two colliding objects.
MS-PS2-2.
Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an objects motion
depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.
MS-PS2-3.
Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of
electric and magnetic forces.
MS-PS2-4.
Construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim
that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the masses
of interacting objects.
MS-PS2-5.
Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide
evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even
though the objects are not in contact.
Big Ideas:

There are laws of physics that dictate how and why an object moves. The motion
of objects can be explained by Newtons three laws of motion. Newtons laws of motion
describe how forces are exerted on objects and the nature of the objects motion as a
result of these forces. A force is a push or pull acting on an object. Forces can
sometimes be seen and other times, you dont see forces. Forces always come in pairs.
Also, objects exert forces on each other. Forces can cause an object to start moving,
stop moving or change direction. The motion of the object depends on the net force on
the object. If the net force is greater than zero, the force is unbalanced, producing a
change in motion. Unbalanced forces can cause an unmoving object to start moving or
cause a moving object to change direction. If the net force on the object is equal to zero,
the object is balanced and there will be no change in motion (MS-PS-2).
Newtons first law of motion states that an object in motion will stay in motion or
an object at rest will stay at rest, unless acted on by an outside unbalanced force.
Newtons second law of motion states that the force of an object is determined by the
objects mass and acceleration, using the formula: F=ma. Newtons third law of motion
states that two colliding objects will exert an equal amount of force on each other, in
opposite directions (MS-PS2-1; MS-PS2-2). The Newtonian laws of motion are applied
and demonstrated in the engineering design process in constructing things like bridges,
buildings and machines.
There are also magnetic, electromagnetic and gravitational forces that act on
interacting objects. Electric and magnetic (electromagnetic) forces can be either
attractive or repulsive and their magnitude depend on the charges, current and
magnetic strengths involved, as well as the distance between the two interacting objects
(MS-PS2-3). In the same way, gravity is also an attractive force between two objects
and the magnitude depends on the distance between two interacting objects and the
mass of each object (MS-PS2-4). These forces can be felt by objects, because of the
fields surrounding objects, even though the interacting objects may not be in contact
with one another (MS-PS2-5).
Real-World Examples:
Explain why a 2-ton truck and a 1400 pound car collide with the same force, using
Newtons third law as your scientific reasoning.
Investigate the differences in the motion of a small marble and a more massive golf
ball and explain why the inertia for each of the two objects differs.
Construct an electromagnet and investigate how to increase and decrease the
strength of the electromagnet, using batteries and copper wire.
Explain where magnetic fields are strongest, using the shape and formation of the
magnetic field lines as your evidence.
Construct a Rube Goldberg machine that demonstrates the three laws of motion
and incorporates magnetic forces to the machines sequence of events.