High School

Biotechnology

Curriculum Essentials

Document

Boulder Valley School District

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

May 2012

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 2

Introduction

Science Curriculum Essentials in BVSD

In 2009, the Colorado Department of Education published the most recent version of the Colorado

Academic Standards.

This revision of the Boulder Valley School District Science Curriculum had three main goals:

align with the revised Colorado Academic Standards

maintain unique elements of our BVSD curriculum that reach beyond the standards

maintain a viable list of concepts and skills that students should master in each grade level or

course

Inquiry

A new organizational feature of the Colorado Academic Standards is the integration of science inquiry

skills with specific scientific concepts. Instead of having a separate standard for inquiry, the skills

associated with the process of scientific inquiry are embedded in the Evidence Outcomes for each

Grade Level Expectation. In addition, the nature and history of science has been integrated into the

Grade Level Expectations under “Nature of the Discipline”. This approach is echoed by the

Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas which

states that the skills or practices of inquiry and the core ideas “must be woven together in standards,

curricula, instruction, and assessments.”

Scientific inquiry remains a central focus of the revised BVSD Science Curriculum Essentials

Documents. The following definition from the National Science Education Standards serves as the

basis for our common understanding of how scientific inquiry is defined.

Scientific inquiry refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose

explanations based on the evidence derived from their work. Inquiry also refers to the activities of

students in which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an

understanding of how scientists study the natural world.

The following points serve to clarify the vision of what inquiry means in BVSD.

Inquiry involves five essential features, which are heavily integrated into the wording of Evidence

Outcomes in the Colorado Academic Standards. Students engaged in scientific inquiry should:

ask or respond to scientifically oriented questions

give priority to evidence

formulate explanations based on evidence

connect explanations to scientific knowledge

communicate and justify explanations

(Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards)

Inquiry based science instruction involves a continuum of learning experiences from teacher-led to

learner self-directed activities, including but not limited to hand-on labs. Hence, both a structured

assignment involving reading and written reflection and an open-ended, hands-on investigation could

be considered inquiry as long as they involve the five essential features identified above.

The ultimate goals of inquiry-based instruction are to engage learners, develop their conceptual

understanding of the natural world around them, and to overcome misconceptions in science.

Inquiry-based activities should balance students’ application of content knowledge, creativity and

critical thinking in order to analyze data, solve a problem or address a unique question.

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 3

Biotechnology Overview

Standard Big Ideas in Biotechnolgy (Grade Level Expectations)

2. Life Science 1. Research and application in the field of technology involve safe

laboratory practices, science process skills, and use of appropriate

technology.

2. Cellular metabolic activities are carried out by biomolecules produced

by organisms.

3. Physical and behavioral characteristics of an organism are influenced to

varying degrees by heritable genes, many of which encode instructions

for the production of proteins.

4. Biotechnology can be applied as a possible solution to many

problems facing human society, but the use of biotechnology can

also have associated risks.

Course Description

Students will explore the fundamental principles of

biotechnology and business applications. Units of

study include: plant tissue culturing; plant and

animal agriculture; DNA, RNA, and protein

technologies; genetic diagnostics; healthcare and

pharmaceuticals; food processing (GMO’s);

fermentation technology; energy and

environmental management; forensic science;

cloning; stem cells; and bioethics. Laboratory

activities reinforce concepts and principles

presented.

Topics at a Glance

• Scientific inquiry

• Laboratory techniques

• Basic biochemistry

• DNA structure and function

• Protein structure and function

• Biotechnology applications

• Bioethics

Assessments

10th grade TCAP

Science ACT

Teacher-created assessments

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 4

2. Life Science

Students know and understand the characteristics and structure of living things, the processes of life and how

living things interact with each other and their environment.

Prepared Graduates

The preschool through twelfth-grade concepts and skills that all students who complete the Colorado

education system must master to ensure their success in a postsecondary and workforce setting.

Prepared Graduate Competencies in the Life Science standard:

Analyze the relationship between structure and function in living systems at a variety of

organizational levels, and recognize living systems’ dependence on natural selection

Explain and illustrate with examples how living systems interact with the biotic and

abiotic environment

Analyze how various organisms grow, develop, and differentiate during their lifetimes

based on an interplay between genetics and their environment

Explain how biological evolution accounts for the unity and diversity of living organisms

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 5

Content Area: Science - High School Biotechnology

Prepared Graduates:

Engage in scientific inquiry by asking or responding to scientifically oriented questions, collecting and analyzing data, giving

priority to evidence, formulating explanations based on evidence, connecting explanations to scientific knowledge, and

communicating and justifying explanations

GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION

Concepts and skills students master:

1. Research and application in the field of technology involves safe laboratory practices, science process skills, and use of

appropriate technology

Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Students can:

a. Start and maintain a legal scientific notebook

b. Learn emergency procedures and the location of safety

hazards and emergency equipment

c. Conduct a controlled experiment

d. Analyze and report data

e. Conduct a variety of basic procedures, tests and assays

common to many biotechnology applications (use of

microscope, preparation of solutions, serial dilution,

preparation of growth media, sterile technique,

chromatography, gel electrophoresis, ELISA, spectrometry,

etc.)

f. Understand and apply appropriate safety procedures

g. Grow, maintain, and monitor bacteria and fungi

h. Learn microscope use for prepared and wet mount slides

Inquiry Questions:

1. What types of questions and hypotheses can be answered

by science?

2. What elements of design are critical in conducting a

scientific investigation?

3. How can we ensure that scientific investigations are both

safe and consistent with standard scientific practice?

4. What techniques and procedures are commonly used in

biotechnology? (e.g., Cloning, DNA Sequencing, PCR,

Electrophoresis, DNA fingerprinting, microarrays, ELISA,

etc.)

Relevance and Application:

1. Biotechnology employs a wide variety of techniques that

are applied to both basic research and applications.

2. Safe practices in the lab extend to safe practices in the

workplace.

Nature of the Discipline:

1. The scientific method involves formulating a hypothesis,

designing experiments to test the hypothesis, and

evaluating the data to determine if the results support the

hypothesis.

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 6

Content Area: Science - High School Biotechnology

Standard: 2. Life Science

Prepared Graduates:

Analyze the relationship between structure and function in living systems at a variety of organizational levels, and recognize living

systems’ dependence on natural selection

GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION

Concepts and skills students master:

2. Cellular metabolic activities are carried out by biomolecules produced by organisms

Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Students can:

a. Identify biomolecules such as carbohydrates, proteins and

nucleic acids and their precursors/building blocks

b. Understand the structure and function of proteins and the

role of enzymes as catalysts

c. Test enzyme activity at different concentrations or use a

test to identify various macromolecules in solution

d. Describe the basic structure and function of DNA

e. Synthesize a compound using combinatorial chemistry

Inquiry Questions:

1. How are rates of enzyme activity in cells affected by

various factors such as concentration, pH or temperature?

2. How does one know that enzymes speed up chemical

reactions?

3. How does the shape of a protein relate to its function?

4. How does the structure of DNA support its functions?

5. How does cell signaling and cell division relate to the

health of a cell/organism?

Relevance and Application:

1. Apply knowledge of biomolecular structure and activity to

make consumer decisions, especially about diet with

respect to saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, essential

and nonessential amino acids, and simple and complex

carbohydrates.

2. Recognize that many biomolecules can be made in the lab

and have the exact same structure and function as ones

made by living organisms.

3. Apply knowledge of cell signaling, cell division, and

biomolecules to discuss possible treatments of cancer.

Nature of the Discipline:

1. Recognize that there are many career opportunities in the

field of biotechnology.

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 7

Content Area: Science - High School Biotechnology

Standard: 2. Life Science

Prepared Graduates:

Analyze how various organisms grow, develop, and differentiate during their lifetimes based on an interplay between genetics and

their environment

GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION

Concepts and skills students master:

3. Physical and behavioral characteristics of an organism are influenced to varying degrees by heritable genes, many of which

encode instructions for the production of proteins

Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Students can:

a. Analyze and interpret evidence that genes are functional

portions of DNA

b. Analyze and interpret data on the processes of DNA

replication, transcription, translation, and gene

regulation, and show how these processes are common

to all organisms

c. Recognize that proteins carry out most cell activities and

mediate the effect of genes on physical and behavioral

traits in an organism

d. Use examples to explain how genetic mutations can

benefit, harm, or have neutral effects on an organism

Inquiry Questions:

1. Why is it possible for a cell from one species to express

genes from another species as in genetically modified

organisms?

Relevance and Application:

1. Recombinant DNA technology has many uses in society such

as the development of new medical therapies and increased

production of drugs.

2. Selective breeding differs from genetic modification, yet

shares a common goal.

3. There are benefits and risks to having genetically modified

organisms in the food supply.

4. DNA replication errors may affect phenotype.

5. Genome sequences provide clues to important biological

questions.

6. The practical applications of DNA technology affect our lives

in many ways (e.g., medical applications, pharmaceutical

products, forensic evidence, environmental clean-up, and

agricultural applications).

Nature of the Discipline:

1. Recognize that private and public laboratories perform

research on genetically modified organisms. Discuss the

ethical implications and the funding of such research.

2. Understand that scientists work from the assumption that

basic principles for genetics apply to all organisms.

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 8

Content Area: Science - High School Biotechnology

Standard: 2. Life Science

Prepared Graduates:

Explain and illustrate with examples how living systems interact with the biotic and abiotic environment

GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION

Concepts and skills students master:

4. Biotechnology can be applied as a possible solution to many problems facing human society, but the use of biotechnology can

also have associated risks

Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies

Students can:

a. Be able to explain, using evidence, that the principles of

cloning are based upon the majority of an organism’s cells

maintaining a full complement of the genome

b. Explain the benefits and risks of genetically modified

organisms

c. Describe the benefits and costs of using biotechnology to

solve environmental problems

d. Understand and debate the ethical issues concerning

biotechnology

Inquiry Questions:

1. Why is it possible to clone a whole organism from an

undifferentiated cell?

2. Why do researchers seek stem cells for the development

of potential treatments for medical conditions?

Relevance and Application:

1. Stem cells may be used to treat medical conditions such

as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, torn cartilage, and

damaged hearts.

2. Recent research and insights into DNA and genes have

changed aspects of society such as: the criminal justice

system, food supply, and medical treatments.

3. DNA cloning permits production of multiple copies of a

specific gene or other DNA segments.

4. There are many career opportunities in the field of

biotechnology.

Nature of the Discipline:

1. Debate the advantages and disadvantages of

bioengineering (cloning and genetically modifying

organisms) in the food supply.

2. Debate the ethical and political issues associated with

stem cell research and how these affect research.

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 9

Prepared Graduate Competencies in Science The preschool through twelfth-grade concepts and skills that all students who complete the Colorado

education system must master to ensure their success in a postsecondary and workforce setting.

Prepared Graduates:

Observe, explain, and predict natural phenomena governed by Newton's laws of motion,

acknowledging the limitations of their application to very small or very fast objects

Apply an understanding of atomic and molecular structure to explain the properties of matter, and

predict outcomes of chemical and nuclear reactions

Apply an understanding that energy exists in various forms, and its transformation and conservation

occur in processes that are predictable and measurable

Analyze the relationship between structure and function in living systems at a variety of

organizational levels, and recognize living systems’ dependence on natural selection

Explain and illustrate with examples how living systems interact with the biotic and abiotic

environment

Analyze how various organisms grow, develop, and differentiate during their lifetimes based on an

interplay between genetics and their environment

Explain how biological evolution accounts for the unity and diversity of living organisms

Describe and interpret how Earth's geologic history and place in space are relevant to our

understanding of the processes that have shaped our planet

Evaluate evidence that Earth’s geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere interact as a

complex system

Describe how humans are dependent on the diversity of resources provided by Earth and Sun

Engage in scientific inquiry by asking or responding to scientifically oriented questions, collecting and

analyzing data, giving priority to evidence, formulating explanations based on evidence, connecting

explanations to scientific knowledge, and communicating and justifying explanations.

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 10

Standard Grade Level Expectation

High School

1. Physical

Science

1. Newton’s laws of motion and gravitation describe the relationships

among forces acting on and between objects, their masses, and

changes in their motion – but have limitations

2. Matter has definite structure that determines characteristic physical

and chemical properties

3. Matter can change form through chemical or nuclear reactions abiding

by the laws of conservation of mass and energy

4. Atoms bond in different ways to form molecules and compounds that

have definite properties

5. Energy exists in many forms such as mechanical, chemical, electrical,

radiant, thermal, and nuclear, that can be quantified and

experimentally determined

6. When energy changes form, it is neither created not destroyed;

however, because some is necessarily lost as heat, the amount of

energy available to do work decreases

2. Life Science 1. Matter tends to be cycled within an ecosystem, while energy is

transformed and eventually exits an ecosystem

2. The size and persistence of populations depend on their interactions

with each other and on the abiotic factors in an ecosystem

3. Cellular metabolic activities are carried out by biomolecules produced

by organisms

4. The energy for life primarily derives from the interrelated processes of

photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Photosynthesis transforms the

sun’s light energy into the chemical energy of molecular bonds.

Cellular respiration allows cells to utilize chemical energy when these

bonds are broken.

5. Cells use the passive and active transport of substances across

membranes to maintain relatively stable intracellular environments

6. Cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems maintain relatively stable

internal environments, even in the face of changing external

environments

7. Physical and behavioral characteristics of an organism are influenced

to varying degrees by heritable genes, many of which encode

instructions for the production of proteins

8. Multicellularity makes possible a division of labor at the cellular level

through the expression of select genes, but not the entire genome

9. Evolution occurs as the heritable characteristics of populations change

across generations and can lead populations to become better adapted

to their environment

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 11

Standard Grade Level Expectation

High School (continued)

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. The history of the universe, solar system and Earth can be inferred

from evidence left from past events

2. As part of the solar system, Earth interacts with various

extraterrestrial forces and energies such as gravity, solar phenomena,

electromagnetic radiation, and impact events that influence the

planet’s geosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere in a variety of ways

3. The theory of plate tectonics helps to explain geological, physical, and

geographical features of Earth

4. Climate is the result of energy transfer among interactions of the

atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere

5. There are costs, benefits, and consequences of exploration,

development, and consumption of renewable and nonrenewable

resources

6. The interaction of Earth's surface with water, air, gravity, and

biological activity causes physical and chemical changes

7. Natural hazards have local, national and global impacts such as

volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and thunderstorms

Eighth Grade

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Weather is a result of complex interactions of Earth's atmosphere, land

and water, that are driven by energy from the sun, and can be

predicted and described through complex models

2. Earth has a variety of climates defined by average temperature,

precipitation, humidity, air pressure, and wind that have changed over

time in a particular location

3. The solar system is comprised of various objects that orbit the Sun

and are classified based on their characteristics

4. The relative positions and motions of Earth, Moon, and Sun can be

used to explain observable effects such as seasons, eclipses, and Moon

phases

5. Major geologic events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mid-

ocean ridges, and mountain formation are associated with plate

boundaries and attributed to plate motions

6. Geologic time, history, and changing life forms are indicated by fossils

and successive sedimentation, folding, faulting, and uplifting of layers

of sedimentary rock

7. Complex interrelationships exist between Earth’s structure and natural

processes that over time are both constructive and destructive

8. Water on Earth is distributed and circulated through oceans, glaciers,

rivers, ground water, and the atmosphere

9. Earth’s natural resources provide the foundation for human society’s

physical needs. Many natural resources are nonrenewable on human

timescales, while others can be renewed or recycled

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 12

Standard Grade Level Expectation

Seventh Grade

2. Life Science 1. Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to

survive and have offspring in a specific environment

2. The human body is composed of atoms, molecules, cells, tissues,

organs, and organ systems that have specific functions and

interactions

3. Cells are the smallest unit of life that can function independently and

perform all the necessary functions of life

4. Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are important processes by

which energy is acquired and utilized by organisms

5. Multiple lines of evidence show the evolution of organisms over

geologic time

6. Human activities can deliberately or inadvertently alter ecosystems

and their resiliency

7. Organisms reproduce and transmit genetic information (genes) to

offspring, which influences individuals’ traits in the next generation

8. Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of

individual organisms, populations, and entire species

9. Organisms interact with each other and their environment in various

ways that create a flow of energy and cycling of matter in an

ecosystem

Sixth Grade

1. Physical

Science

1. Identify and calculate the direction and magnitude of forces that act on

an object, and explain the results in the object’s change of motion

2. There are different forms of energy, and those forms of energy can be

changed from one form to another – but total energy is conserved

3. Distinguish between physical and chemical changes, noting that mass

is conserved during any change

4. Recognize that waves such as electromagnetic, sound, seismic, and

water have common characteristics and unique properties

5. Mixtures of substances can be separated based on their properties

such as solubility, boiling points, magnetic properties, and densities

6. All matter is made of atoms, which are far too small to see directly

through a light microscope. Elements have unique atoms and thus,

unique properties. Atoms themselves are made of even smaller

particles

7. Atoms may stick together in well-defined molecules or be packed

together in large arrangements. Different arrangements of atoms into

groups compose all substances.

8. The physical characteristics and changes of solid, liquid, and gas states

can be explained using the particulate model

9. Distinguish among, explain, and apply the relationships among mass,

weight, volume, and density

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 13

Standard Grade Level Expectation

Fifth Grade

1. Physical

Science

1. Mixtures of matter can be separated regardless of how they were

created; all weight and mass of the mixture are the same as the sum

of weight and mass of its parts

2. Life Science 1. All organisms have structures and systems with separate functions

2. Human body systems have basic structures, functions, and needs

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Earth and sun provide a diversity of renewable and nonrenewable

resources

2. Earth’s surface changes constantly through a variety of processes and

forces

3. Weather conditions change because of the uneven heating of Earth’s

surface by the Sun’s energy. Weather changes are measured by

differences in temperature, air pressure, wind and water in the

atmosphere and type of precipitation

Fourth Grade

1. Physical

Science

1. Energy comes in many forms such as light, heat, sound, magnetic,

chemical, and electrical

2. Life Science 1. All living things share similar characteristics, but they also have

differences that can be described and classified

2. Comparing fossils to each other or to living organisms reveals features

of prehistoric environments and provides information about organisms

today

3. There is interaction and interdependence between and among living

and nonliving components of systems

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Earth is part of the solar system, which includes the Sun, Moon, and

other bodies that orbit the Sun in predictable patterns that lead to

observable paths of objects in the sky as seen from Earth

Third Grade

1. Physical

Science

1. Matter exists in different states such as solids, liquids, and gases and

can change from one state to another by heating and cooling

2. Life Science 1. The duration and timing of life cycle events such as reproduction and

longevity vary across organisms and species

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Earth’s materials can be broken down and/or combined into different

materials such as rocks, minerals, rock cycle, formation of soil, and

sand – some of which are usable resources for human activity

Second Grade

1. Physical

Science

1. Changes in speed or direction of motion are caused by forces such as

pushes and pulls.

2. Life Science 1. Organisms depend on their habitat’s nonliving parts to satisfy their

needs

2. Each plant or animal has different structures or behaviors that serve

different functions

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Weather and the changing seasons impact the environment and

organisms such as humans, plants, and other animals

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 14

Standard Grade Level Expectation

First Grade

1. Physical

Science

1. Solids and liquids have unique properties that distinguish them

2. Life Science 1. Offspring have characteristics that are similar to but not exactly like

their parents’ characteristics

2. An organism is a living thing that has physical characteristics to help it

survive

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Earth’s materials can be compared and classified based on their

properties

Kindergarten

1. Physical

Science

1. Objects can move in a variety of ways that can be described by speed

and direction

2. Objects can be sorted by physical properties, which can be observed

and measured

2. Life Science 1. Organisms can be described and sorted by their physical

characteristics

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. The sun provides heat and light to Earth

Preschool

1. Physical

Science

1. Objects have properties and characteristics

2. There are cause-and-effect relationships in everyday experiences

2. Life Science 1. Living things have characteristics and basic needs

2. Living things develop in predictable patterns

3. Earth Systems

Science

1. Earth’s materials have properties and characteristics that affect how

we use those materials

2. Events such as night, day, the movement of objects in the sky,

weather, and seasons have patterns

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 15

Academic Vocabulary

Standard 2: abiotic, action potential, active transport, adaptation, aerobic respiration, amino acid,

anaerobic respiration, anatomy, anecdotal evidence, asexual reproduction, ATP (adenosine triphosphate),

autoimmune disease, autotroph, bias, binary fission, biodiversity, bioengineering, biogeography, biology,

biomimicry, biomolecule, biosphere, body system, brain, carbohydrate, carcinogen, carrying capacity,

causation, cell, cell division, cell membrane, cellular respiration, characteristic, chloroplast, chromosome,

classification, circulatory system, common ancestor, communicable disease, community, comparative

anatomy, complex carbohydrate, conservation of energy, conservation of matter, constant, consumer,

controlled experiment, correlation, cotransport, crossing over, cycle, data, decomposer, decomposition,

dependent variable, development, dialysis, differentiate, digestive system, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid),

DNA replication, DNA transcription, DNA translation, dominant, ecosystem, el Niño, embryo, embryology,

encode, endosymbiosis, energy transformation, environment, enzyme, epidemiological, error, eukaryote,

eutrophication, evidence, evolution, experiment, explanation, exponential growth, falsifiable,

fermentation, food chain, food web, fossil, fruit, function, gene, gene expression, genetically modified

organism, genetics, genome, genotype, germination, habitat, heart, heredity, heritable, heterotroph,

hierarchical, homeostasis, hormone, hypothesis, independent assortment, independent variable,

inheritance, internal balance, interspecific, intestines, intracellular, intravenous, invertebrate,

investigation, keystone species, kidneys, law, life cycle, lipid, liver, lungs, macromolecule, macroscopic,

marine, mediate, meiosis, membrane, metabolic, methodology, microscopic, mitochondria, mitosis,

molecule, multicellular, muscular system, mutation, natural selection, negative feedback,

neurotransmitter, niche, non-native, nucleic acid, nutrient, ophthalmic, optimum, organism, organ, organ

system, osmosis, osmotic regulation, osmotically balanced, parasite, passive transport, permeable,

persistence, pH, phenotype, photosynthesis, phytoplankton, pollination, population, positive feedback,

primary producer, primary succession, prokaryote, protein, qualitative, quantitative, receptor, recessive,

recombinant DNA, reproduction, research-based evidence, RNA (ribonucleic acid), saturated fatty acid,

selective breeding, selectively permeable, sexual reproduction, secondary succession, skepticism, simple

carbohydrate, speciation, species, stem cell, structure, symbiotic, system, testable question, theory,

tissue, trophic level, turgor pressure, unicellular, unsaturated fatty acid, wetlands,

Word Definition

Abiotic not associated with or derived from living organisms; abiotic factors in an

environment include such items as sunlight, temperature, wind patterns, and

precipitation

Action potential a short-lasting event in which the electrical membrane potential of a cell

rapidly rises and falls, following a consistent trajectory

Active transport the movement of a substance against its concentration gradient (from low to

high concentration), which requires energy

Adaptation a change by which an organism becomes better suited to its environment

Aerobic respiration the metabolic process that uses oxygen to break down food and release energy

Amino Acid of a class of about twenty organic compounds which form the basic

constituents of proteins and contain both acid and amine groups

Anaerobic

respiration

the metabolic processes by which organisms degrade organic compounds in the

absence of O2 to yield energy

Anatomy the science of the shape and structure of organisms and their parts

Anecdotal evidence short account of a particular incident or event that is not scientific or is hearsay

and therefore considered unreliable

Asexual

reproduction

reproduction without the fusion of gametes

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 16

ATP (adenosine

triphosphate)

An adenosine-derived nucleotide, C10H16N5O13P3, that contains high-energy

phosphate bonds and is used to transport energy to cells for biochemical

processes, including muscle contraction and enzymatic metabolism, through its

hydrolysis to ADP

Autoimmune

disease

an immune system response to antigens in a person’s own tissue

Autotroph an organism that is able to make its own food

Bias statistical sampling or testing error caused by systematically favoring some

outcomes over others

Binary fission a method of asexual reproduction, involves the splitting of a parent cell into

two approximately equal parts

Biodiversity the variability among living organisms on the earth, including the variability

within and between species and within and between ecosystems

Bioengineering the use of biological processes and organisms in service to humans such as to

produce drugs and foodstuffs or to recycle waste

Biogeochemical Relating to the relationship between the geochemistry of a region and the

animal and plant life in that region

Biogeography the relationship between organisms and the geography of the region where the

organisms occur

Biology the scientific study of living organisms

Biomimicry the examination of nature, its models, systems, processes, and elements to

emulate or take inspiration from in order to solve human problems sustainably

Biomolecule any organic molecule that is produced by a living organism: proteins,

carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids

Biosphere the part of the earth and its atmosphere in which living organisms exist or that

is capable of supporting life

Body system a group of organs or structures within the body that work together to perform

one or more specific functions

Brain the portion of the vertebrate central nervous system that is enclosed within the

cranium, continuous with the spinal cord, and composed of gray matter and

white matter. It is the primary center for the regulation and control of bodily

activities, receiving and interpreting sensory impulses, and transmitting

information to the muscles and body organs. It is also the seat of

consciousness, thought, memory, and emotion

Carbohydrate any of a group of organic compounds that includes sugars, starches, celluloses,

and gums and serves as a major energy source in the diet of animals. These

compounds are produced by photosynthetic plants and contain only carbon,

hydrogen, and oxygen, usually in the ratio 1:2:1

Carcinogen a cancer‐causing substance or agent

Carrying capacity the maximum population size that can be supported by the available resources

of a given area

Causation the act that produces an effect, where the effect is understood to be a

consequence of the act

Cell the smallest structural and functional unit of an organism

Cell division the process in reproduction and growth by which a cell divides to form

daughter cells

Cell membrane the semipermeable, lipid bi-layer membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a

cell

Cellular respiration the series of metabolic processes by which living cells produce energy through

the oxidation of organic substances

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 17

Characteristic a feature that helps to identify, tell apart, or describe recognizably; a

distinguishing trait

Chloroplast a structure in algal and green plant cells which contains chlorophyll and in

which photosynthesis takes place

Chromosome a thread‐like structure found in the nuclei of most living cells, carrying genetic

information in the form of genes

Classification the systematic grouping of organisms into categories on the basis of

evolutionary or structural relationships between them; taxonomy

Circulatory system the body system that circulates blood through the body, consisting of the heart

and blood vessels

Common ancestor an organism (usually extinct) that is an ancestor of two different organisms

(extinct or modern) which are not ancestors of each other

Communicable

disease

a disease that can be communicated from one person to another

Community a group of interdependent plants or animals growing or living together or

occupying a

specified habitat

Comparative

anatomy

the study of anatomical features of animals of different species

Complex

carbohydrate

molecules formed of repeating units of either mono saccharides (single sugars)

or disaccharides (double sugars) joined together by glycosidic bonds

Conservation of

energy

a principle stating that the total energy of an isolated system remains constant

regardless of changes within the system

Conservation of

matter

a principle in classical physics stating that the total mass of an isolated system

is unchanged by interaction of its parts

Constant an experimental or theoretical condition, factor, or quantity that does not vary

or that is regarded as invariant in specified circumstances

Consumer an organism that cannot make its own food and must eat in order to survive

Controlled

experiment

an experiment that isolates the effect of one variable on a system by holding

constant all variables but the one under observation

Correlation a measurable and predictable relationship

Cotransport the simultaneous or sequential passive transfer of molecules or ions across

biological membranes in a fixed ratio

Crossing over a process occurring during meiosis wherein two chromosomes pair up and

exchange segments of their genetic material

Cycle a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order

Data factual information (as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for

reasoning, discussion, or calculation

Decomposer an organism that breaks down organic materials in the environment

Decomposition breakdown or decay of organic materials

Dehydration

synthesis

a type of condensation reaction in which monomers join together into polymers

while losing water molecules

Dependent variable the observed or measured variable in an experiment or study whose changes

are determined by the presence of one or more independent variables

Development the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological

unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple

to a more complex level

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 18

Dialysis the separation of smaller molecules from larger molecules or of dissolved

substances from colloidal particles in a solution by selective diffusion through a

semipermeable membrane

Differentiate to change during development from a generalized form to more specialized

forms

Digestive system body system consisting of the alimentary canal and digestive glands and

responsible for the ingestion, digestion, and absorption of food

DNA

(Deoxyribonucleic

Acid)

a substance which is present in the cell nuclei of nearly all living organisms and

is the carrier of genetic information

DNA replication the process of copying DNA that starts with one double-stranded DNA molecule

and produces two identical copies of the molecule

DNA transcription the process of creating an equivalent RNA copy of a sequence of DNA

DNA translation the first stage of protein biosynthesis, during which messenger RNA (mRNA)

produced in transcription is decoded to produce a specific amino acid chain

Dominant an allele that produces the same phenotypic effect whether inherited with a

homozygous or heterozygous allele

Ecosystem a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment

El Niño an irregularly occurring and complex series of climatic changes affecting the

equatorial Pacific region and beyond every few years, characterized by the

appearance of unusually warm, nutrient-poor water off northern Peru and

Ecuador, typically in late December

Electron transport

chain

in respiration, a series of carriers through which electrons of initial high energy

are converted to a lower energy state with the capture of the released energy

as ATP; occurs in the mitochondria in eukaryotic cells

Embryo an organism in its early stages of development, especially before it has reached

a distinctively recognizable form

Embryology the branch of biology and medicine concerned with the study of embryos and

their development

Encode action of a gene that provides the instructions for making a protein

Endosymbiosis relationship in which an organism lives within the body or cells of another

organism

Energy

transformation

to convert energy from one form to another

Environment the complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and living

things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately

determine its form

Enzyme a substance produced by a living organism that acts as a catalyst to bring

about a specific biochemical reaction

Epidemiological Relating to epidemiology -- the branch of science that deals with the study of

the causes, distribution, and control of disease in populations

Error difference between a computed or measured value and a true or theoretically

correct value

Eukaryote an organism, either unicellular or multicellular, in which the nucleus of the cell

is bound by a membrane

Eutrophication excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due

to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life

Evidence information acquired through objective experience

Evolution a gradual process in which something changes into a different form

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 19

Experiment a test under controlled conditions that is made to examine the validity of a

hypothesis or determine the efficacy of something previously untried

Explanation a statement based on scientific evidence and logical argument about causes

and effects or relationships between variables

Exponential growth growth of an organism, a part of an organism, or a population of organisms

which, when graphed, produces an exponential or logarithmic curve. Such a

rate occurs, for example: during the exponential growth phase, when a

population of bacterial (or other) cells divide at a constant rate so that the total

number of cells doubles with each division

Falsifiable the possibility that an assertion could be shown untrue

Fermentation an anaerobic (without oxygen) cellular process in which organic foods are

converted into simpler compounds, and chemical energy (ATP) is produced

Food chain a succession of organisms in an ecological community that constitutes a

continuation of food energy from one organism to another as each usually

consumes a lower member and in turn is preyed upon by a higher member

Food pyramid a graphic representation of the structure of a food chain, depicted as a pyramid

having a broad base formed by producers and tapering to a point formed by

end consumers. Between successive levels, total biomass decreases as energy

is lost from the system.

Food web a complex of interrelated food chains in an ecological community

Fossil a remnant or trace of an organism of a past geologic age such as a skeleton or

leaf

Fruit the ripened ovary or ovaries of a seed‐bearing plant

Function the role or purpose of a structure

Gene hereditary unit consisting of a sequence of DNA that occupies a specific location

on a chromosome and determines a particular characteristic in an organism

Gene expression The conversion of the information from the gene into mRNA via transcription

and then to protein via translation resulting in the phenotypic manifestation of

the gene. Gene expression of the nonprotein coding genes such as the rRNA

and tRNA genes, involves only transcription and not translation.

Genetically modified

organism

an organism whose genome has been altered by the technique of genetic

modification

Genetics the branch of biology that deals with heredity, especially the mechanisms of

hereditary transmission and the variation of inherited characteristics among

similar or related organisms

Genome the complete set of genes in an organism

Genotype a set of alleles that determines the expression of a particular characteristic or

trait ; if a gene for a particular character or trait exists in two allelic forms(e.g.

A and a), there could be three possible genotypes for a particular character:

AA, Aa, and aa.

Germination the beginning of development of a seed after a period of dormancy or rest

Habitat the area or environment where an organism or ecological community normally

lives or occurs

Hardy-Weinberg

Equation

equation describing the frequency of alleles is a population in which the

frequency of alleles is at equilibrium: In the simplest case of a single locus with

two alleles: the dominant allele is denoted A and the recessive a and their

frequencies are denoted by p and q; freq(A) = p; freq(a) = q; p + q = 1. If the

population is in equilibrium, then we will have freq(AA) = p2 for the AA

homozygotes in the population, freq(aa) = q2 for the aa homozygotes, and

freq(Aa) = 2pq for the heterozygotes.

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 20

Heart the chambered muscular organ in vertebrates that pumps blood received from

the veins into the arteries, thereby maintaining the flow of blood through the

entire circulatory system

Heredity genetic transmission of characteristics from parent to offspring

Heritable able to be inherited

Heterotroph an organism that consumes other organisms or the products of other

organisms as food

Hierarchical classified or arranged according to various criteria into successive ranks or

grades

Homeostasis the ability or tendency of an organism or cell to maintain internal equilibrium

by adjusting its physiological processes

Hormone a regulatory substance produced in an organism and transported in tissue

fluids such as blood or sap to stimulate specific cells or tissues into action

Hydrolysis a chemical process in which a certain molecule is split into two parts by the

addition of a molecule of water. One fragment of the parent molecule gains a

hydrogen ion (H+) from the additional water molecule. The other group collects

the remaining hydroxyl group (OH−).

Hypothesis a tentative explanation for an observation

Independent

assortment

the random arrangement and separation of chromosomes during meiosis,

giving all possible combinations in equal frequency. This process explains the

random distribution in the gametes of genes or homologous chromosomes.

Independent

variable

a manipulated variable in an experiment or study whose presence or degree

determines the change in the dependent variable

Inheritance genetic transmission of characteristics from parent to offspring

Internal balance balance within an organism of its internal environment

Interspecific referring to interactions between individuals or populations of two or more

different species

Intestines the portion of the alimentary canal extending from the stomach to the anus

and, in humans and other mammals, consisting of two segments, the small

intestine and the large intestine

Intracellular occurring or existing within the cell

Intravenous the administration of substances, such as medication, directly into the veins

Invertebrate an animal such as an insect or mollusk

Investigation a detailed inquiry or systematic examination

Keystone species a species that has a disproportionate effect on its environment relative to its

biomass. Such species affect many other organisms in an ecosystem and help

to determine the types and numbers of various other species in a community

Kidneys pair of organs in the dorsal region of the vertebrate abdominal cavity

functioning to maintain proper water and electrolyte balance, regulate

acid‐base concentration, and filter the blood of metabolic wastes, which are

then excreted as urine

La Niña a cooling of the water in the equatorial Pacific, which occurs at irregular

intervals and is associated with widespread changes in weather patterns

complementary to those of El Niño, but less extensive and damaging in their

effects

Law a phenomenon of nature that has been shown to invariably occur whenever

certain conditions exist or are met

Life cycle the course of developmental changes in an organism from fertilized zygote to

maturity when another zygote can be produced

Lipid any of a class of organic compounds that are fatty acids or their derivatives

and are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 21

Liver a large, reddish‐brown, glandular vertebrate organ located in the upper right

portion of the abdominal cavity that secretes bile and is active in the formation

of certain blood

Logistic growth Growth rates regulated by internal and external factors that establish an

equ librium with environmental resources. When graphed these growth rates

appear as an S curve.

Lungs the two spongy, saclike respiratory organs in most vertebrates, occupying the

chest cavity together with the heart and functioning to remove carbon dioxide

from the blood and provide it with oxygen

Macromolecule a very large molecule, such as a polymer or protein, consisting of many smaller

structural units linked together

Macroscopic large enough to be perceived or examined by the unaided eye

Marine of or pertaining to the oceans

Mediate to cause or effect through an indirect medium or agent

Meiosis the process of cell division in sexually reproducing organisms that reduces the

number of chromosomes in reproductive cells from diploid to haploid, leading

to the production of

Membrane a thin layer of tissue covering a surface or lining a cavity, space or organ

Membrane potential the voltage difference (or electrical potential difference) between the interior

and exterior of a cell

Metabolic of, relating to, or resulting from metabolism -- the chemical processes

occurring within a living cell or organism that are necessary for the

maintenance of life

Methodology means, technique, or procedure; method

Microscopic too small to be seen by the unaided eye but large enough to be studied under

a microscope

Mitochondria spherical or elongated organelles (bound by a double membrane) in the

cytoplasm of nearly all eukaryotic cells, containing genetic material and many

enzymes important for cell metabolism, including those responsible for the

conversion of food to usable energy

Mitosis a type of cell division in which daughter cells have the same number and kind

of chromosomes as the parent nucleus

Molecule the simplest unit of a chemical compound that can exist, consisting of two or

more atoms held together by chemical bonds

Multicellular describes organisms consisting of more than one cell

Muscular system the body system that is composed of skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle

tissue and functions in movement of the body or of materials through the body,

maintenance of posture, and heat production

Mutation a change in genetic structure which results in a variant form and may be

transmitted to subsequent generations

Natural selection the process by which organisms adapted to their environment tend to survive

and transmit their genetic characteristics in increasing numbers to succeeding

generations while those less adapted tend to have fewer offspring

Negative feedback feedback that reduces the output of a system, such as the action of heat on a

thermostat to limit the output of a furnace or the action of the human body’s

homeostatic mechanisms to increase perspiration and blood flow to the surface

of the skin when the temperature begins to rise

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 22

Neurotransmitter a chemical substance, such as acetylcholine or dopamine, that transmits nerve

impulses across a synapse

Nervous system

the system of cells, tissues, and organs that regulates the body's responses to

internal and external stimuli. In vertebrates it consists of the brain, spinal cord

and nerves

Niche the function or position of an organism or population within an ecological

community

Non-native organisms that originated in a different region than the ecosystem they

currently inhabit

Nucleic acid any of a group of complex compounds found in all living cells and viruses,

composed of purines, pyrimidines, carbohydrates, and phosphoric acid. Nucleic

acids in the form of DNA and RNA control cellular function and heredity

Nutrient any substance that can be metabolized by an organism to give energy and

build tissue

Ophthalmic of or relating to the eye

Organ structure of the body that performs a particular function

Organ system a system of organs that work together to perform a specific function or set of

related functions (ex: circulatory system)

Organism a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function

independently

Osmosis the movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from an area

of high water potential (low solute concentration) to an area of low water

potential (high solute concentration)

Osmotic regulation the process of regulating water potential in order to keep fluid and electrolyte

balance within a cell or organism relative to the surrounding

Osmotically

balanced

a solution whose ion concentration is the same as another solution so osmosis

will not take place between the two solutions

Parasite an organism that grows, feeds, and is sheltered on or in a different organism

while contributing nothing to the survival of its host

Passive transport a kind of transport by which ions or molecules move along a concentration

gradient, which means movement from an area of higher concentration to an

area of lower concentration, which does require chemical energy

Permeable capable of being permeated or passed through

Persistence the ability of living systems to resist external fluctuations

pH p(otential of) H(ydrogen); a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution,

numerically equal to 7 for neutral solutions, increasing with increasing alkalinity

and decreasing with

Phenotype the observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism, as

determined by both genetic makeup and environmental influences

Photosynthesis biochemical process of transforming light energy into stored chemical energy in the form of glucose; chemical formula 6CO2 + 6H20 + light energy → 6O2 +

C6H12O6

Phytoplankton the collection of small or microscopic photosynthetic organisms, including algae

and protozoans, that float or drift in great numbers in fresh or salt water,

especially at or near the surface, and serve as primary producers in aquatic

ecosystems

Pollination transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma of a plant

Population all the organisms that constitute a specific group or occur in a specified habitat

Positive feedback feedback that results in amplification or growth of the output signal

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 23

Potassium pump a mechanism that involves energy-dependent pumping of potassium or the

active transport of the potassium ion (K+) across a biologic membrane using

the energy of K+-activated adenosine triphosphatase

Primary producer an organism that produces organic compounds from atmospheric or aquatic

carbon dioxide, principally through the process of photosynthesis, with

chemosynthesis being much less important

Primary succession one of two types of biological and ecological succession of plant life, occurring

in an environment in which new substrate devoid of vegetation and usually

lacking soil, such as a lava flow or area left from retreated glacier, is deposited

Prokaryote microscopic single-celled organism that has neither a distinct nucleus with a

membrane nor other specialized organelles

Protein any of a class of nitrogenous organic compounds that consist of large

molecules composed of one or more long chains of amino acids and are an

essential part of all living organisms

Qualitative involving distinctions, descriptions, or comparisons based on qualities that can

be observed without measurement (e.g. color, shape, appearance)

Quantitative involving distinctions, descriptions, or comparisons that can be quantified or

measured

Receptor Physiology: a specialized cell or group of nerve endings that responds to

sensory stimuli. Biochemistry: a molecular structure or site on the surface or

interior of a cell that binds with substances such as hormones, antigens, drugs,

or neurotransmitters.

Recessive an allele that does not produce a characteristic effect when present with a

dominant allele; a trait that is expressed only when the determining allele is

present in the homozygous condition

Recombinant DNA genetically engineered DNA prepared by transplanting or splicing genes from

one species into the cells of a host organism of a different species. Such DNA

becomes part of the host's genetic makeup and is replicated

Reproduction the sexual or asexual process by which organisms generate new individuals of

the same kind; procreation

Research-based

evidence

data derived from sound scientific research methods. It is noted as research-

based to differentiate from anecdotal or circumstantial evidence

RNA (ribonucleic

acid)

(Ribonucleic Acid) – a substance in living cells which carries instructions from

DNA for controlling the synthesis of proteins and in some viruses carries

genetic information

Saturated fatty acid a fatty acid whose carbon chain cannot absorb any more hydrogen atoms;

found chiefly in animal fats

Secondary

succession

one of two types of biological and ecological succession of plant life, occurring

on substrate that previously supported vegetation before an ecological

disturbance such as forest fire, tsunami, flood, destroyed the plant life

Selective breeding the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits

Selectively

permeable

describes a membrane that will allow certain molecules or ions to pass through

it by diffusion and occasionally specialized "facilitated diffusion"

Sexual reproduction reproduction by the union or fusion of two differing gametes

Skepticism a doctrine that suspends judgment until there is sufficient scientific evidence to

believe a claim

Simple

carbohydrate

monosaccharides (single sugars) and disaccharides (double sugars)

Speciation the origination of new species

5/8/2012 BVSD Curriculum Essentials 24

Species a fundamental category of taxonomic classification, ranking below a genus or

subgenus and consisting of related organisms capable of interbreeding

Stem cell an undifferentiated cell of a multicellular organism that is capable of giving rise

to indefinitely more cells of the same type, and from which certain other kinds

of cell arise by differentiation

Structure any identifiable part of an organism

Symbiotic a close prolonged association between two organisms in which both benefit

System a group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a

complex whole

Testable question a question that can tested in a scientific investigation

Theory a set of statements or principles devised to explain a large set of data and has

been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted

Tissue aggregation of morphologically similar cells and associated intercellular matter

acting together to perform one or more specific functions in the body

Trophic level each of several hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, consisting of organisms

sharing the same function in the food chain and the same nutritional

relationship to the primary sources of energy

Turgor pressure turgor pressure or turgidity is the main pressure of the cell contents against

the cell wall in plant cells and bacteria cells, determined by the water content

of the vacuole, resulting from osmotic pressure

Unicellular consisting of a single cell

Unsaturated fatty

acid

a fatty acid whose carbon chain can absorb additional hydrogen atoms

Wetlands those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a

frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal

circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life

in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs

and similar areas