BIOLOGY  GRADES  9  TO  12

Reference	Content Standards	Wetlands	Rainforest	The Digital Frog 2
I. Observing and Measuring
The student will:
A.	Identify similar or different characteristics in a given set of objects, organisms, or events	Use Organisms and Migration as examples	Use Organisms as examples	Dissection section
B.	Select qualitative (descriptive) or quantitative (numerical) observations in a given set of objects, organisms, or events	Use Organisms and Migration as examples	Use Organisms as examples	Dissection section
C.	Identify qualitative and quantitative changes given conditions before, during and after an event	None	None	None
D.	Use the appropriate SI units to measure objects, organisms, or events	None	None	None
II. Classifying
The student will:
A.	Use observable properties to classify a set of objects, organisms, or events	Use Organisms and Migration as examples	Organisms, Trees, Vines, Epiphytes	None
B.	Identify the properties on which a given classification system is based	Producers, Consumers, Decomposers, use Organisms and Migration as examples	Organisms, Trees, Vines, Epiphytes	None
C.	Place an object, organism or event into a classification system	Producers, Consumers, Decomposers, use Organisms and Migration (taxonomy)	Organisms, Plant Characteristics	None
IX. The Cell
A.	Cells are the fundamental unit of life, comprised of a variety of structures that perform functions, such as transport information and synthesis of molecules	None	None	None
B.	Cells function according to the information contained in DNA	None	None	None
C.	Cells can differentiate and may develop into complex multicellular organisms	None	None	None
X. The Molecular Basis of Heredity
A.	In all organisms, the instructions for specifying the characteristics of the organism are carried in DNA, and changes in DNA (mutations) occur spontaneously at low rates	None	None	None
B.	A sorting and recombination of genes in reproduction results in a great variety of possible gene combinations from the offspring of any two parents	None	None	None
XI. Biological Diversity
A.	Different species might look dissimilar, but the unity among organisms becomes apparent from an analysis of internal structures, the similarity of their chemical processes and the evidence of common ancestry	Use Organisms and Migration as examples	Organisms, Plant Characteristics, Animal Characteristics	None
B.	Diversity of species is developed through gradual processes over many generations. Species … success in a particular environment	Use Organisms and Migration (behavior), Plant Adaptations, Animal Adaptations	Organisms (behavior), Why Tropics Diverse?, Biodiversity Endangered	None
C.	Extinction occurs when the environment changes and the adaptive characteristics of a species are insufficient to its survival	None	New Species, Species Change	None
XII. The Interdependence of Organisms
A.	Matter on the earth cycles among the living and nonliving components of the biosphere	Nutrient Cycles: Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Water	Succession, Soils & Decomposition, Seasonality, Water Cycle, Productivity	None
B.	Energy flows through ecosystems in one direction	Food Chains, Web Energy, Photosynthesis, Web Game	Soils & Decomposition, Productivity	None
C.	Organisms both cooperate and compete in ecosystems	Food Chains, Web Game, Organisms, Migration	Organisms, Food, Habitat, Seed Dispersal, Pollination, Ant Symbiosis, Web Game, Niches, Dependency Types	None
D.	Living organisms have the capacity to produce populations of infinite size, but environments and resources limit population size	Animal Adaptations, Habitat	New Species, Species Change	None
XIII. Matter, Energy, and Organization in Living Systems
A.	The complexity and organization of organisms accommodates the need for obtaining, transforming, transporting, releasing, and eliminating the matter and energy used to sustain the organism	Photosynthesis, Food Chains, Web Energy, Web Game	Succession, Soils & Decomposition, Productivity	None
B.	As matter and energy flow through different levels of organization of living systems… Matter and energy are conserved in each change	Photosynthesis, Food Chains, Web Energy, Web Game	Succession, Soils & Decomposition, Productivity, Water Cycle	None
XIV. The Behavior of Organisms
A.	Organisms have behavioral responses to internal changes and to external stimuli	Plant Adaptations, Animal Adaptations, Organisms & Migration (behavior)	Organisms (behavior), Warning & Mimicry, Startle Displays	Behavior (Mating, Hibernation, Feeding, Vocalization, Jumping)
B.	Broad patterns of behavior exhibited by animals have adapted to ensure reproductive success	Animal Adaptations, Organisms & Migration (behavior)	Organisms (behavior), Warning & Mimicry, Startle Displays	Behavior (Mating, Hibernation, Feeding, Vocalization, Jumping)