Critically analyze and evaluate a scientific claim.

Write scientific hypotheses in the form of if…then statements.

Use information about the characteristics of life, and prokaryotes and eukaryotes to justify if viruses are living or nonliving.

Evaluate statements for their validity in relationship to concepts of evolution, including previous scientific ideas.

Evaluate why it is hard to define a species by identifying where species are in the process of speciation, including types of reproductive isolation. 

Apply the process of natural selection to novel examples.

Construct and analyze a phylogenetic tree or cladogram. 

Analyze evidence of evolution.

How is science a changing process and what makes “good” science?

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

What evidence shows that different species are related?

Explain why cells divide, including the relationship between surface area, volume, and the limitations of cell size.

Describe the stages of the cell cycle (G1, S, G2, M) and the role of cytokinesis in producing daughter cells.

Compare cell division in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including the processes of binary fission and mitosis.

Diagram and model mitosis, showing how chromosome number and type are distributed to daughter cells.

Explain the function of stem cells (embryonic and adult) and describe current or potential medical applications.

Analyze how the cell cycle is regulated and how disruptions, including carcinogens, can lead to cancer, tumors, and metastasis.

How do organisms live and grow?

What are the potential applications and challenges related to stem cell research?

How does understanding cancer help us understand normal cells?

Extract DNA from living cells.

Build a model of DNA and show semi-conservative replication.

Use 3D models to show how cells make proteins via translation.

Identify how mutations cause changes to the levels of protein structure. 

How does DNA determine traits?

How are characteristics of one generation passed to the next?

Explain the relationship between cells, chromosomes, and DNA, including haploid vs. diploid cells, homologous chromosomes, chromatids, somatic cells, and gametes.

Compare and contrast meiosis and mitosis, describing each stage of meiosis and how meiosis produces genetic variation through independent assortment, crossing over, and fertilization.

Analyze patterns of inheritance, including Mendel’s laws, dominant and recessive alleles, genotypes, phenotypes, and the outcomes of monohybrid and dihybrid crosses using Punnett squares.

Interpret more complex inheritance patterns, such as incomplete dominance, codominance, pleiotropy, polygenic traits, X-linked traits, and linked genes, including pedigree analysis.

Evaluate the role of sexual and asexual reproduction in evolution, heritable variation, and adaptation, explaining why variation is important to natural selection.

Apply genetic concepts to real-world examples, including karyotypes and the influence of the environment on phenotypes.

How does the process of meiosis and the patterns of inheritance create the genetic variation that drives evolution and influences traits?

Define recombinant DNA and explain its role in genetic engineering.

Explain why plasmids are used as vectors in gene cloning.

Describe applications of gene cloning in medicine and agriculture.

Explain how gene therapy can treat genetic disorders.

Summarize PCR and gel electrophoresis and explain how they distinguish DNA samples.

Set up and interpret results from a gel electrophoresis experiment.

How does biotechnology allow humans to alter genetic information?

Explain how the body maintains homeostasis through the coordinated functions of organ systems.

Describe the structure and function of enzymes, explain how they speed up chemical reactions, and analyze how factors like temperature, pH, and inhibitors affect their activity.

Describe the structure and function of the digestive system, including organs, accessory organs, and specialized structures like teeth, tongue, and villi.

Differentiate between mechanical and chemical digestion and explain how enzymes facilitate the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Explain nutrient absorption, metabolism, and the role of the liver and gut bacteria in maintaining homeostasis.

Describe the structure and function of the human excretory system and its role in maintaining homeostasis.

How do enzymes, digestion, nutrient absorption, and excretion work together to maintain homeostasis in the human body?

Explain the structure and function of cell membranes and how passive and active transport, including diffusion, osmosis, transport proteins, and vesicle-mediated processes, move substances across membranes.

Analyze how cells maintain water and solute balance in different environments, including the roles of aquaporins and contractile vacuoles.

Describe the structures and functions of respiratory systems and explain how gas exchange meets the metabolic needs of organisms.

Explain the mechanics of breathing and gas transport in humans, including the role of hemoglobin and regulation of respiratory rate.

Describe the pathway of blood through the heart and vessels, distinguishing between systole and diastole, and explain how the cardiovascular system maintains blood flow and pressure.

Explain the components and functions of blood, including red blood cells, clotting, and the impact of cardiovascular health factors on circulation.

How do cells, the respiratory system, and the circulatory system work together to transport materials and maintain homeostasis in the body?

Use or create a model to show how cellular respiration and photosynthesis are connected and both support life.

Use representations to pose scientific questions about what mechanisms and structural features allow organisms to capture, store and use free energy.

Graph the effects of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis.

How do organisms obtain and use energy?

Measure and discuss the impact of your own ecological footprint (WebQuest)

Identify and describe several ecosystem services

Define Population and factors that impact population growth

Define Community and discuss how organisms within a community interact

Explain food webs and ecological pyramids

Describe the stages of ecological succession

Discuss the impact of global warming

Diagram and explain the carbon cycle (37.19).

Measure the water quality to determine the trophic state of Lake Massapoag, Sharon MA and discuss the impact of nutrient inflow to aquatic ecosystems

How is life dependent on the interactions of organisms and resources in an ecosystem?