MS.SFI: Structure, Function, and Information Processing

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.

Cell Types
Embryo Development

MS-LS1-2: Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways the parts of cells contribute to the function.

Cell Energy Cycle
Cell Structure
Cell Types
Osmosis
RNA and Protein Synthesis

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

Cell Types
Circulatory System
Digestive System
Senses

MS-LS1-8: Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories.

Reaction Time 1 (Graphs and Statistics)
Senses

MS.MEO: Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems

MS-LS1-6: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.

Cell Energy Cycle
Food Chain
Photosynthesis Lab
Plants and Snails
Pond Ecosystem

MS-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.

Cell Energy Cycle
Dehydration Synthesis
Digestive System

MS-LS2-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.

Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Coral Reefs 2 - Biotic Factors
Food Chain
Forest Ecosystem
Pond Ecosystem
Prairie Ecosystem
Rabbit Population by Season
Rainfall and Bird Beaks - Metric

MS-LS2-3: Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

Carbon Cycle
Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Coral Reefs 2 - Biotic Factors
Food Chain
Forest Ecosystem
Pond Ecosystem
Prairie Ecosystem

MS-LS2-4: Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Coral Reefs 2 - Biotic Factors
Food Chain
Forest Ecosystem
Pond Ecosystem
Prairie Ecosystem
Rabbit Population by Season
Rainfall and Bird Beaks - Metric

MS.IRE: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

MS-LS2-2: Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.

Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Coral Reefs 2 - Biotic Factors
Food Chain
Forest Ecosystem
Pond Ecosystem
Prairie Ecosystem

MS-LS2-5: Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.

GMOs and the Environment

MS.GDR: Growth, Development, and Reproduction of Organisms

MS-LS1-4: Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively.

Flower Pollination
Honeybee Hive

MS-LS1-5: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.

Fast Plants^® 1 - Growth and Genetics
Growing Plants
Inheritance
Measuring Trees
Seed Germination
Temperature and Sex Determination - Metric

MS-LS3-1: Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism.

Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Genetic Engineering
Human Karyotyping

MS-LS3-2: Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation.

Chicken Genetics
Fast Plants^® 1 - Growth and Genetics
Fast Plants^® 2 - Mystery Parent
Inheritance
Mouse Genetics (One Trait)
Mouse Genetics (Two Traits)

MS-LS4-5: Gather and synthesize information about technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.

Evolution: Natural and Artificial Selection
GMOs and the Environment
Genetic Engineering

MS.NS: Natural Selection and Adaptations

MS-LS4-1: Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past.

Human Evolution - Skull Analysis

MS-LS4-2: Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.

Cladograms
Embryo Development
Human Evolution - Skull Analysis

MS-LS4-3: Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy.

Embryo Development

MS-LS4-4: Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals' probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.

Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Evolution: Natural and Artificial Selection
Microevolution
Natural Selection
Rainfall and Bird Beaks - Metric

MS-LS4-6: Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time.

Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Evolution: Natural and Artificial Selection
Microevolution