Unit Overview – Animal Structures and Functions

The big picture stuff:

Students have been exploring the hierarchy of cells to tissues to organs to organ systems to organisms. The last unit focused on this progression in plants. This one focuses on animals, then introduces the interdependence between plants and animals in the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

Next Generation Science Standards – Middle School (NGSS-MS):

LS1-1: Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells, either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells.

Emphasize: living things are made of cells, living things can be made of one or more than one cell or type of cell

LS1-3. Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells.

Emphasize: the conceptual understanding that cells form tissues and tissues form organs specialized for particular body functions.

Core ideas: In multicellular organisms, the body is a system of multiple interacting subsystems. These subsystems are groups of cells that work together to form tissues and organs that are specialized for particular body functions.

LS1-7. Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as this matter moves through an organism.

Emphasize: molecules are broken apart and put back together and that in this process, energy is released. Do not include details of the chemical reactions for photosynthesis or respiration.

Core ideas: Within individual organisms, food moves through a series of chemical reactions in which it is broken down and rearranged to form new molecules, to support growth, or to release energy. Cellular respiration in plants and animals involve chemical reactions with oxygen that release stored energy. In these processes, complex molecules containing carbon react with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and other materials.

Science and Engineering:

• Oral and written argument supported by evidence to support or refute an explanation or model
• Develop and use a model to describe phenomena.
• Science knowledge is based upon logical connections between evidence and explanations.

Crosscutting concepts:

• Systems may interact with other systems; they may have sub-systems and be a part of larger complex systems.
• Cause and effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in natural systems.
• Science knowledge can describe consequences of actions but does not make the decisions that society takes.

California Science Standards:

Life Science Standards:

5a. Students know plants and animals have levels of organization for structure and function, including cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and the whole organism.

5b. Students know organ systems function because of the contributions of individual organs, tissues, and cells. The failure of any part can affect the entire system.

5c. Students know how bones and muscles work together to provide a structural framework for movement.

5g. Students know how to relate the structures of the eye and ear to their functions.

Investigation and Experimentation Standards:

7a. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes, and binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data.

7c. Communicate the logical connection among hypotheses, science concepts, tests conducted, data collected, and conclusions drawn from the scientific evidence.

7d. Construct scale models, maps, and appropriately labeled diagrams to communicate scientific knowledge (e.g., motion of Earth’s plates and cell structure).