Michigan Merit Curriculum (Grades 8-12)
B2.p1.C: Describe growth and development in terms of increase in cell number, cell size, and/or cell products. (prerequisite)
B2.p1.D: Explain how the systems in a multicellular organism work together to support the organism. (prerequisite)
Circulatory System
Digestive System
B2.p1.E: Compare and contrast how different organisms accomplish similar functions (e.g., obtain oxygen for respiration, and excrete waste). (prerequisite)
Cell Energy Cycle
Dichotomous Keys
Pollination: Flower to Fruit
B2.p2.A: Describe how organisms sustain life by obtaining, transporting, transforming, releasing, and eliminating matter and energy. (prerequisite)
Cell Structure
Osmosis
Paramecium Homeostasis
B2.p4.A: Classify different organisms based on how they obtain energy for growth and development. (prerequisite)
B2.p4.B: Explain how an organism obtains energy from the food it consumes. (prerequisite)
B2.p5.B: Identify the most common complex molecules that make up living organisms. (prerequisite)
B2.1.A: Explain how cells transform energy (ultimately obtained from the sun) from one form to another through the processes of photosynthesis and respiration. Identify the reactants and products in the general reaction of photosynthesis.
Cell Energy Cycle
Photosynthesis Lab
B2.1.B: Compare and contrast the transformation of matter and energy during photosynthesis and respiration.
B2.1.C: Explain cell division, growth, and development as a consequence of an increase in cell number, cell size, and/or cell products.
B2.2.D: Explain the general structure and primary functions of the major complex organic molecules that compose living organisms.
B2.2.E: Describe how dehydration and hydrolysis relate to organic molecules.
B2.2.f: Explain the role of enzymes and other proteins in biochemical functions (e.g., the protein hemoglobin carries oxygen in some organisms, digestive enzymes, and hormones).
B2.2.g: Propose how moving an organism to a new environment may influence its ability to survive and predict the possible impact of this type of transfer.
Natural Selection
Rabbit Population by Season
Rainfall and Bird Beaks - Metric
B2.3.A: Describe how cells function in a narrow range of physical conditions, such as temperature and pH (acidity), to perform life functions.
B2.3.d: Identify the general functions of the major systems of the human body (digestion, respiration, reproduction, circulation, excretion, protection from disease, and movement, control, and coordination) and describe ways that these systems interact with each other.
Circulatory System
Digestive System
B2.3.e: Describe how human body systems maintain relatively constant internal conditions (temperature, acidity, and blood sugar).
Circulatory System
Digestive System
Human Homeostasis
B2.3.f: Explain how human organ systems help maintain human health.
Circulatory System
Digestive System
B2.4.A: Explain that living things can be classified based on structural, embryological, and molecular (relatedness of DNA sequence) evidence.
Dichotomous Keys
Human Evolution - Skull Analysis
B2.4.B: Describe how various organisms have developed different specializations to accomplish a particular function and yet the end result is the same (e.g., excreting nitrogenous wastes in animals, obtaining oxygen for respiration).
B2.4.e: Explain how cellular respiration is important for the production of ATP (build on aerobic vs. anaerobic).
B2.4.g: Explain that some structures in the modern eukaryotic cell developed from early prokaryotes, such as mitochondria, and in plants, chloroplasts.
Cell Energy Cycle
Cell Structure
B2.4.h: Describe the structures of viruses and bacteria.
B2.5.B: Explain how major systems and processes work together in animals and plants, including relationships between organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and organisms. Relate these to molecular functions.
B2.5.C: Describe how energy is transferred and transformed from the Sun to energy-rich molecules during photosynthesis.
Cell Energy Cycle
Photosynthesis Lab
B2.5.e: Explain the interrelated nature of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in terms of ATP synthesis and degradation.
B2.5.f: Relate plant structures and functions to the process of photosynthesis and respiration.
Cell Energy Cycle
Photosynthesis Lab
B2.5.g: Compare and contrast plant and animal cells.
B2.5.h: Explain the role of cell membranes as a highly selective barrier (diffusion, osmosis, and active transport).
B2.5.i: Relate cell parts/organelles to their function.
Cell Structure
Paramecium Homeostasis
RNA and Protein Synthesis
B2.6.a: Explain that the regulatory and behavioral responses of an organism to external stimuli occur in order to maintain both short- and long-term equilibrium.
B2.6.d: Explain how higher levels of organization result from specific complex interactions of smaller units and that their maintenance requires a constant input of energy as well as new material. (recommended)
B2.6.e: Analyze the body's response to medical interventions such as organ transplants, medicines, and inoculations. (recommended)
B3.p1.A: Provide examples of a population, community, and ecosystem. (prerequisite)
Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Food Chain
Rabbit Population by Season
B3.p2.A: Describe common relationships among organisms and provide examples of producer/consumer, predator/ prey, or parasite/host relationship. (prerequisite)
Food Chain
Forest Ecosystem
Prairie Ecosystem
B3.p2.B: Describe common ecological relationships between and among species and their environments (competition, territory, carrying capacity, natural balance, population, dependence, survival, and other biotic and abiotic factors). (prerequisite)
Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Food Chain
Natural Selection
Pond Ecosystem
Prairie Ecosystem
B3.p2.C: Describe the role of decomposers in the transfer of energy in an ecosystem. (prerequisite)
B3.p3.A: Identify the factors in an ecosystem that influence fluctuations in population size. (prerequisite)
Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Food Chain
Pond Ecosystem
Rabbit Population by Season
B3.p3.B: Distinguish between the living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) components of an ecosystem. (prerequisite)
B3.p3.C: Explain how biotic and abiotic factors cycle in an ecosystem (water, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen). (prerequisite)
Cell Energy Cycle
Pond Ecosystem
B3.p3.D: Predict how changes in one population might affect other populations based upon their relationships in a food web. (prerequisite)
B3.p4.A: Recognize that, and describe how, human beings are part of Earth's ecosystems. Note that human activities can deliberately or inadvertently alter the equilibrium in ecosystems. (prerequisite)
Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Coral Reefs 2 - Biotic Factors
Pond Ecosystem
B3.1.B: Illustrate and describe the energy conversions that occur during photosynthesis and respiration.
Cell Energy Cycle
Photosynthesis Lab
B3.1.C: Recognize the equations for photosynthesis and respiration and identify the reactants and products for both.
Cell Energy Cycle
Photosynthesis Lab
B3.1.e: Write the chemical equation for photosynthesis and cellular respiration and explain in words what they mean.
Cell Energy Cycle
Photosynthesis Lab
B3.1.f: Summarize the process of photosynthesis.
Cell Energy Cycle
Photosynthesis Lab
Pond Ecosystem
B3.2.B: Describe energy transfer through an ecosystem, accounting for energy lost to the environment as heat.
B3.2.C: Draw the flow of energy through an ecosystem. Predict changes in the food web when one or more organisms are removed.
B3.3.A: Use a food web to identify and distinguish producers, consumers, and decomposers and explain the transfer of energy through trophic levels.
Forest Ecosystem
Prairie Ecosystem
B3.4.C: Examine the negative impact of human activities.
Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Coral Reefs 2 - Biotic Factors
Pond Ecosystem
B3.4.d: Describe the greenhouse effect and list possible causes.
Carbon Cycle
Greenhouse Effect - Metric
B3.4.e: List the possible causes and consequences of global warming.
Carbon Cycle
Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Greenhouse Effect - Metric
B3.5.e: Recognize that and describe how the physical or chemical environment may influence the rate, extent, and nature of population dynamics within ecosystems.
Food Chain
Rabbit Population by Season
B3.5.f: Graph an example of exponential growth. Then show the population leveling off at the carrying capacity of the environment.
Food Chain
Prairie Ecosystem
Rabbit Population by Season
B4.p2.A: Explain that the traits of an individual are influenced by both the environment and the genetics of the individual. Acquired traits are not inherited; only genetic traits are inherited. (prerequisite)
Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
Inheritance
Mouse Genetics (One Trait)
Mouse Genetics (Two Traits)
B4.1.B: Explain that the information passed from parents to offspring is transmitted by means of genes that are coded in DNA molecules. These genes contain the information for the production of proteins.
Mouse Genetics (One Trait)
Mouse Genetics (Two Traits)
RNA and Protein Synthesis
B4.1.c: Differentiate between dominant, recessive, codominant, polygenic, and sex-linked traits.
Chicken Genetics
Inheritance
Mouse Genetics (One Trait)
Mouse Genetics (Two Traits)
B4.1.d: Explain the genetic basis for Mendel's laws of segregation and independent assortment.
B4.1.e: Determine the genotype and phenotype of monohybrid crosses using a Punnett Square.
Chicken Genetics
Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
Mouse Genetics (One Trait)
Mouse Genetics (Two Traits)
B4.2.C: Describe the structure and function of DNA.
B4.2.E: Propose possible effects (on the genes) of exposing an organism to radiation and toxic chemicals.
Evolution: Natural and Artificial Selection
B4.2.f: Demonstrate how the genetic information in DNA molecules provides instructions for assembling protein molecules and that this is virtually the same mechanism for all life forms.
B4.2.g: Describe the processes of replication, transcription, and translation and how they relate to each other in molecular biology.
B4.3.C: Explain how it might be possible to identify genetic defects from just a karyotype of a few cells.
Human Karyotyping
Evolution: Mutation and Selection
B4.3.f: Predict how mutations may be transferred to progeny.
Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Evolution: Natural and Artificial Selection
B4.4.a: Describe how inserting, deleting, or substituting DNA segments can alter a gene. Recognize that an altered gene may be passed on to every cell that develops from it and that the resulting features may help, harm, or have little or no effect on the offspring's success in its environment.
Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Evolution: Natural and Artificial Selection
B4.4.c: Explain how mutations in the DNA sequence of a gene may be silent or result in phenotypic change in an organism and in its offspring.
Evolution: Natural and Artificial Selection
B5.p1.B: Define a population and identify local populations. (prerequisite)
Food Chain
Rabbit Population by Season
B5.p1.D: Explain the importance of the fossil record. (prerequisite)
Human Evolution - Skull Analysis
B5.p2.A: Explain, with examples, that ecology studies the varieties and interactions of living things across space while evolution studies the varieties and interactions of living things across time. (prerequisite)
Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Evolution: Mutation and Selection
B5.1.A: Summarize the major concepts of natural selection (differential survival and reproduction of chance inherited variants, depending on environmental conditions).
Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Evolution: Natural and Artificial Selection
Inheritance
Microevolution
Natural Selection
Rainfall and Bird Beaks - Metric
B5.1.B: Describe how natural selection provides a mechanism for evolution.
Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Evolution: Natural and Artificial Selection
Microevolution
Rainfall and Bird Beaks - Metric
B5.1.c: Summarize the relationships between present-day organisms and those that inhabited the Earth in the past (e.g., use fossil record, embryonic stages, homologous structures, chemical basis).
Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Human Evolution - Skull Analysis
B5.1.d: Explain how a new species or variety originates through the evolutionary process of natural selection.
Evolution: Mutation and Selection
B5.1.e: Explain how natural selection leads to organisms that are well suited for the environment (differential survival and reproduction of chance inherited variants, depending upon environmental conditions).
Evolution: Natural and Artificial Selection
Inheritance
Rainfall and Bird Beaks - Metric
B5.1.f: Explain, using examples, how the fossil record, comparative anatomy, and other evidence supports the theory of evolution.
Human Evolution - Skull Analysis
B5.1.g: Illustrate how genetic variation is preserved or eliminated from a population through natural selection (evolution) resulting in biodiversity.
Rainfall and Bird Beaks - Metric
B5.2.a: Describe species as reproductively distinct groups of organisms that can be classified based on morphological, behavioral, and molecular similarities.
Dichotomous Keys
Human Evolution - Skull Analysis
B5.2.b: Explain that the degree of kinship between organisms or species can be estimated from the similarity of their DNA and protein sequences.
B5.3.A: Explain how natural selection acts on individuals, but it is populations that evolve. Relate genetic mutations and genetic variety produced by sexual reproduction to diversity within a given population.
Microevolution
Rainfall and Bird Beaks - Metric
B5.3.d: Explain how evolution through natural selection can result in changes in biodiversity.
Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Evolution: Natural and Artificial Selection
Rainfall and Bird Beaks - Metric
B5.3.e: Explain how changes at the gene level are the foundation for changes in populations and eventually the formation of new species.
Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Correlation last revised: 7/19/2021