(9-12) A3

Science Curriculum Preview Committee Clarification of Learning Results

Revised 04/07/04

9-12

A3: Analyze the basic characteristics of living things, including their need for food water, and gases and the ability to reproduce.

Curriculum Organizing Questions

What basic needs do organisms have at all levels of complexity?

What process are carried out by most organisms, regardless of complexity?

How does the complexity of organisms accommodate their needs for sustaining life?

How are human cells like those of other organisms of varying complexity?

What is "food"?

How do cells reproduce?

Elaboration
All self-replicating life forms are composed of cells. SFAA p. 62. Within every cell are specialized parts for the transport of materials, energy transfer, protein building, waste disposal , information feedback, and even movement. Benchmarks 5C2.

Specific Ideas

Organisms may vary significantly in complexity but basic needs and basic processes are similar.

It is at the cell level that many of the basic functions of organisms are carried out: protein synthesis, extraction of energy from nutrients, replication, and so forth. SFAA p. 62.

Most cells in multicellular organisms perform some special functions that others do not. Benchmarks 5C2.

The specific ways organisms sutain life vary with complexity.

Food provides molecules that serve as fuel and building material for all organisms. Benchmarks 5E1 (6-8).

Developmental & Instructional Implications
The school science definition of food, as organic compounds which organisms can use as a source of energy for metabolic processes, is not consistently used even by science educators. Moreover, the word "food" , when used in science lessons, is used in a variety of ways both by teachers and in textbooks. Students appear to consider food as anything useful taken into an organism's body, including water, minerals and, in the case of plants, carbon dioxide or even sunlight. After learning science ideas, pupils appear to revert to their naive concepts. Driver's book has an extensive section on the misconceptions regarding plant nutrition and gas exchange on pages 30-34 and on reproduction on pages 48-53.

Examples

Back to Big Ideas Grid A Back to Standard A Back to Index

Curriculum Organizing Questions	What basic needs do organisms have at all levels of complexity? What process are carried out by most organisms, regardless of complexity? How does the complexity of organisms accommodate their needs for sustaining life? How are human cells like those of other organisms of varying complexity? What is "food"? How do cells reproduce?
Elaboration	All self-replicating life forms are composed of cells. SFAA p. 62. Within every cell are specialized parts for the transport of materials, energy transfer, protein building, waste disposal , information feedback, and even movement. Benchmarks 5C2.
Specific Ideas	Organisms may vary significantly in complexity but basic needs and basic processes are similar. It is at the cell level that many of the basic functions of organisms are carried out: protein synthesis, extraction of energy from nutrients, replication, and so forth. SFAA p. 62. Most cells in multicellular organisms perform some special functions that others do not. Benchmarks 5C2. The specific ways organisms sutain life vary with complexity. Food provides molecules that serve as fuel and building material for all organisms. Benchmarks 5E1 (6-8).
Developmental & Instructional Implications	The school science definition of food, as organic compounds which organisms can use as a source of energy for metabolic processes, is not consistently used even by science educators. Moreover, the word "food" , when used in science lessons, is used in a variety of ways both by teachers and in textbooks. Students appear to consider food as anything useful taken into an organism's body, including water, minerals and, in the case of plants, carbon dioxide or even sunlight. After learning science ideas, pupils appear to revert to their naive concepts. Driver's book has an extensive section on the misconceptions regarding plant nutrition and gas exchange on pages 30-34 and on reproduction on pages 48-53.
Examples