Science Benchmark Clarification, Instruction, and Assessment

Science Benchmark Clarification, Instruction, and Assessment
Strand: III. Use Scientific Knowledge from the Life Sciences in Real-World Contexts
Content Standard: 1. All students will apply an understanding of cells to the functioning of multi-
cellular organisms; and explain how cells grow, develop, and reproduce. (Cells)
Benchmark
Explain how multi-cellular organisms grow, based on how cells grow and reproduce
(SCI.III.1.HS.1).
Benchmark Clarification
The cell is the basic unit of life and comes from preexisting cells.
Students will use their knowledge of cell theory to:
• Explain mitosis, meiosis, and differentiation and how they relate to growth in a multi-
cellular organism
• Explain that respiration provides energy for making cell components
• Describe how the chemical composition of cells originates from outside the cell, such as
the products of digested food, which are used as the building blocks by the cell to
synthesize more complex chemicals
• Show how growth of multi-cellular organisms is the result of an increase in the number
of cells, not just a change in their size
Key Concepts (voc.)
Specialized functions of cells:
• respiration
• protein synthesis
• mitosis
• meiosis
Basic molecules for cell growth:
• simple sugars
• amino acids
• fatty acids
See Respiration SCI.III.2.HS.3.
See Meiosis SCI.III.3.HS.2.
See Cells SCI.III.2.MS.4.
06/21/01
1Basic chemicals, molecules, and atoms:
• water
• minerals
• carbohydrates
• fats and lipids
• nucleic acids
• ...