Unit 2: Genetics & Evolution

Performance Expectations:

• 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-LS3-1: Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes my affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to structure and function of the organism.

• MS-LS3-2: Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation.

• MS-LS4-1: Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past.

• MS-LS4-2: Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern 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 increase some 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.

Essential Questions:

• How do scientists explain the diversity of life on Earth?

• What is the evidence supporting the theory of evolution?

• How do species change over time in response to changes in the environment?

• What are the genetic mechanisms controlling adaptation and heredity?

• How has human technology influenced the inheritance of traits in organisms?

Disciplinary Core Ideas, Science & Engineering Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, Supporting Standards:

• • MS-LS1-4

  • MS-LS1-5

  • MS-LS3-1

  • MS-LS3-2

  • MS-LS4-1

  • MS-LS4-2

  • MS-LS4-3

  • MS-LS4-4

  • MS-LS4-5

  • MS-LS4-6

Concepts & Skills:

The students will be able to...

• • Develop a model in which they identify the relevant components of making sense of a given phenomenon involving the relationship between mutations and the effects on the organism, including genes located on chromosomes, proteins, and traits of organisms.

  • Develop a model (e.g. Punnett Squares, diagrams, simulations) for a given phenomenon involving the differences in genetic variation that arise from sexual and asexual reproduction. In the model students identify and describe the relevant components, including: chromosome pairs, including genetic variants, in asexual and sexual reproduction (parents, offspring).

  • Organize data (e.g. using tables, graphs, charts, images) including the appearance of specific types of fossilized organisms in the fossil record as a function of time as determined by their locations in the sedimentary layers of the ages of rocks. Students organize the data in a way that allows for the identification, analysis, and interpretation of similarities and differences in the data.

  • Identify patterns between any given set of sedimentary layers and the relative ages of those layers. The time period during which a given fossil organism is present in the fossil record. Periods of time for which changes in the presence or absence of large numbers of organisms or specific types of organisms can be observed in the fossil record.

  • Analyze and interpret the data to determine evidence for the existence, diversity, extinction, and change in life forms throughout the history of the Earth, using the assumption that natural laws operate today as they would have in the past.

  • Articulate a statement that relates a given phenomenon to scientific ideas, including the following ideas about similarities and differences in organisms and their evolutionary relationships: Anatomical similarities and differences among organisms can be used to infer evolutionary relationships including: among modern organisms, between modern and fossil organisms.

  • Use evidence and reasoning to construct an explanation of the given phenomenon.

  • Identify and describe evidence (e.g. from students' own investigations, observations, reading material, archived data, simulations) necessary for constructing the explanation , including similarities and differences in anatomical patterns in and between.

  • Use reasoning to connect the evidence to support an explanation. Students describe the following chain of reasoning of the explanation: Organisms that share a pattern of anatomical features are likely to be more closely related than organisms that do not share a pattern of anatomical features.

  • Organize the given displays of pictorial data of embryos by developmental stage and by organism (e.g. early, middle, just prior to birth) to allow for the identification, analysis and interpretation of relationships in the data.

  • Analyze their organized pictorial displays to identify linear and nonlinear relationships.

  • Use patterns of similarities and changes in embryo development to describe evidence for relatedness among apparently diverse species, including similarities that are not evident in the fully formed anatomy.

  • Articulate a statement that relates the given phenomenon to scientific ideas about the cause and effect relationship between the inheritance of traits increasing the chances of successful reproduction and natural selection.

  • Identify and describe given evidence ( e.g. from students' own investigations, observations, reading materials, archived data) necessary for constructing the explanation, including: individuals in a species have genetic variation that can be passed on their offspring.

  • Use reasoning to connect the evidence and support an explanation that describes the relationship between genetic variation and success of organisms in a specific environment.

  • Gather information about at least two technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in plants and animals through artificial selection by choosing desired parental traits determined by genes, which are then often passed on to offspring.

  • Synthesize the information from the multiple sources to provide examples of how technologies have changed the ways that humans are able to influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.

  • Use the information to identify and describe how a better understanding of cause and effect relationships in how traits occur in organisms has led to advances in technology that provide a higher probability of being able to influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.