Grade Six

Life Sciences

Students demonstrate an understanding of how living systems function and how they interact with the physical environment. This includes an understanding of the cycling of matter and flow of energy in living systems. An understanding of the characteristics, structure and function of cells, organisms and living systems will be developed. Students will also develop a deeper understanding of the principles of heredity, biological evolution, and the diversity and interdependence of life. Students demonstrate an understanding of different historical perspectives, scientific approaches and emerging scientific issues associated with the life sciences.

Benchmark A: [6-8] Characteristics and Structure of Life
Explain that the basic functions of organisms are carried out in cells and groups of specialized cells form tissues and organs; the combination of these cells make up multicellular organisms that have a variety of body plans and internal structures.

Benchmark B: [6-8] Diversity and Interdependence of Life
Analyze plant and animal structures and functions needed for survival and describe the flow of energy through a system that all organisms use to survive.

Benchmark C: [6-8] Diversity and Interdependence of Life
Compare changes in an organism's ecosystem/habitat that affect its survival.

Indicators
Characteristics and Structure of Life1. Explain that many of the basic functions of organisms are carried out by or within cells and are similar in all organisms.

2. Explain that multicellular organisms have a variety of specialized cells, tissues, organs and organ systems that perform specialized functions.

3. Identify how plant cells differ from animal cells (e.g., cell wall and chloroplasts).

Heredity 4. Recognize that an individual organism does not live forever; therefore reproduction is necessary for the continuation of every species and traits are passed on to the next generation through reproduction.

5. Describe that in asexual reproduction all the inherited traits come from a single parent.

6. Describe that in sexual reproduction an egg and sperm unite and some traits come from each parent, so the offspring is never identical to either of its parents.

7. Recognize that likenesses between parents and offspring (e.g., eye color, flower color) are inherited. Other likenesses, such as table manners are learned.

Diversity and Interdependence of Life8. Describe how organisms may interact with one another.