Anatomy
Curriculum Essentials
Document
Boulder Valley School District
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
May 2012
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.
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BVSD Curriculum Essentials
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21st Century Skills in Science
Colorado's Description of 21st Century Skills
Colorado's description of 21st century skills is a synthesis of the essential abilities students must apply in
our rapidly changing world. Today’s students need a repertoire of knowledge and skills that are more
diverse, complex, and integrated than any previous generation. These skills do not stand alone in the
standards, but are woven into the evidence outcomes, inquiry questions, and application and are within
the nature of science. Science inherently demonstrates each of Colorado’s 21st century skills, as follows:
Critical Thinking and Reasoning
Science requires students to analyze evidence and draw conclusions based on that evidence. Scientific
investigation involves defining problems and designing studies to test hypotheses related to those
problems. In science, students must justify and defend scientific explanations and distinguish between
correlation and causation.
Information Literacy
Understanding science requires students to research current ideas about the natural world. Students must
be able to distinguish fact from opinion and truth from fantasy. Science requires a degree of skepticism
because the ideas of science are subject to change. Science students must be able to understand what
constitutes reliable sources of information and how to validate those sources. One key to science is
understanding that converging different lines of evidence from multiple sources strengthens a scientific
conclusion.
Collaboration
Science students must be able to listen to others’ ideas, and engage in scientific dialogs that are based on
evidence – not opinion. These types of conversations allow them to compare and evaluate the merit of
different ideas. The peer review process helps to ensure the validity of scientific explanations.
Self-Direction
Students in science must have persistence and perseverance when exploring scientific concepts. Students
must generate their own questions, and design investigations to find the answers. Students must be open
to revising and redefining their thinking based on evidence.
Invention
Scientists and engineers often have to think “outside the box” as they push the limits of our Designing
investigations and engineering new products involves a large degree of invention. current knowledge.
They must learn from their failures to take the next steps in understanding. Science students also must
integrate ideas from multiple disciplines to formulate an understanding of the natural world. In addition to
using invention to design investigations, scientists also use findings from investigations to help them to
invent new products.
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BVSD Curriculum Essentials
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High School Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology Overview
Course Description
Topics at a Glance
Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology provides
students an opportunity to explore the intricate
and sophisticated relationship between structure
and function in the human body. Topics of study
include the following: homeostasis, anatomical
and physiological disorders, biochemistry,
cytology, histology, and body systems. Laboratory
activities, including dissection of a mammal such
as the cat, will reinforce the concepts and
principles presented in the course.
Assessments
• Teacher generated assessments
•
Practical assessment
2. Life Science
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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Big Ideas for Anatomy
(Grade Level Expectations)
1.

Hierarchy of Life
Cytology
Histology
Energy
Relationship between Organ Systems
Biochemistry
Organ Systems
Relationship between Anatomy &
Physiology
Homeostasis and Health
Evolution
Effective Components of an Anatomy &
Physiology
Grade Level Expectations
Standard
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Cellular metabolic activities
are carried out by
biomolecules produced by
organisms.
The energy for life primarily
derives from the interrelated
processes of photosynthesis
and cellular respiration.
Cellular respiration allows
cells to utilize chemical
energy when these bonds are
broken.
Cells, tissues, organs, and
organ systems maintain
relatively stable internal
environments, even in the
face of changing external
environments.
Multicellularity makes
possible a division of labor at
the cellular level through the
expression of select genes,
but not the entire genome.
Evolution occurs as the
heritable characteristics of
populations change across
generations and can lead
populations to become better
adapted to their environment.
Human organ systems are
interrelated. Organ systems
are essential for homeostatic
maintenance. Organ systems’
anatomies directly relate to
physiology.
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Maintains an inquiry-based learning
environment
Addresses concepts in depth
Provides students with multiple opportunities to
learn and timely feedback to help students
know what they need to improve upon
Explains concepts and problems in multiple
ways
Uses practical and written assessment to guide
instruction
Differentiates instruction to meet student needs
Draws out and actively engages the preexisting
understandings about anatomy and physiology
that students bring with them
Assists students in developing metacognitive
skills within the context of learning about
anatomy and physiology
Provides opportunities and support to apply
writing, reading, and mathematics skills in the
context of investigating anatomy and
physiology
Provides a safe, equitable and engaging
learning environment for all students
Technology Integration & Information Literacy
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Uses technology responsibly for communication
and transfer of ideas
Uses technology to gather, organize, analyze
and communicate about data
Collaborates with others to identify information
problems and to seek their solutions
Organizes and reports information in a variety
of complex ways including tables, graphs,
charts, reports, labeled diagrams
Evaluates the accuracy and objectivity of
various information sources (text, audio, video,
etc.)
Presents information in a variety of formats
including text, audio, pictures, video, dissection
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
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1. Physical Science
Students know and understand common properties, forms and changes in matter and energy.
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 Physical Science standard:
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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
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
5
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
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BVSD Curriculum Essentials
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Content Area: Science - High School Anatomy
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:
1. Cellular metabolic activities are carried out by biomolecules produced by organisms
Evidence Outcomes
Students can:
a. Understand that human life is dependent upon water and
its unique chemical and physical properties
b. Identify biomolecules and their precursors/building
blocks
c. Understand the relationship between dehydration
synthesis and hydrolysis of biomolecules
d. Analyze the body’s utilization of carbohydrates, lipids,
nucleic acids, and proteins
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21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Inquiry Questions:
1. What role does water play in human physiology?
2. Why is a diet diverse in macromolecules, minerals, and vitamins
essential to life?
3. How are hydrolysis and dehydration synthesis interrelated?
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.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Critically evaluate scientific explanations in popular media to
determine if the research methodology and evidence presented are
appropriate and sufficient to support the claims.
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
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Content Area: Science- High School Anatomy
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. The energy for life primarily derives from the interrelated processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Cellular respiration
allows cells to utilize chemical energy when these bonds are broken
Evidence Outcomes
Students can:
a. Understand the structure and function of common cell
organelles
b. Understand how cell structure is related to cellular
function
c. Explain how the bonds of carbon compounds are
broken to provide energy in the form of adenosine
triphosphate (ATP), which drives many chemical
reactions in the cell
d. Describe the role of the reactants and products of
cellular respiration
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21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Inquiry Questions:
1. What variables affect the rate of cellular respiration?
2. How does physical activity relate to cellular respiration?
Relevance and Application:
1. The experience of muscle fatigue after intense exercise is related to
anaerobic respiration in human muscle cells, and consequent lactic
acid formation.
2. There is a relationship between muscle fiber types, genetics, and
training.
3. Human cellular physiology is dependent on physical activity.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Recognize that the current understanding of cellular respiration has
developed over time.
2. Critically evaluate models for cellular respiration.
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
8
Content Area: Science - High School Anatomy
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:
3. Cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems maintain relatively stable internal environments, even in the face of changing external
environments
Evidence Outcomes
21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Discuss the hierarchal organization of life
b. Describe the structure and function of a cell membrane
as related to transport and permeability
c. Discuss how two or more body systems interact to
promote health for the whole organism
d. Analyze and interpret data related to the effectiveness
of feedback loops in maintaining homeostasis
e. Distinguish between causation and correlation in
epidemiological data regarding disrupted homeostasis in
particular diseases (such as diabetes and cancer)
f. Describe the role of the mitotic cell cycle in growth,
development, and repair within organisms
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Inquiry Questions:
1. Where and when are negative versus positive feedback loops
necessary for maintaining homeostasis?
2. How does homeostatic imbalance relate to disease processes?
3. How does a cell membrane’s structure affect processes such as
dialysis and nerve signal transmission?
Relevance and Application:
1. The disruption of homeostatic mechanisms may lead to disease, and
if severe enough, death.
2. Body systems are impacted by health and disease. For example,
atherosclerotic plaque inside a blood vessel can result in a heart
attack.
3. The regulatory responses of autoimmune diseases such as Type I
diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis are different
than those of healthy immune systems.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Research and present findings about the results of dietary
deficiencies or excesses.
2. Research and present findings about how medical problems that
impact life span have changed throughout history due to altered
lifestyles and advances in medicine.
3. Differentiate between scientific evidence evaluated by the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) for drug approval and anecdotal evidence
shared among individuals or in magazines/newspapers that a food or
supplement is effective for a given problem.
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
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Content Area: Science - High School Anatomy
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:
4. Multicellularity makes possible a division of labor at the cellular level through the expression of select genes, but not the entire
genome
Evidence Outcomes
21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Understand that cellular structure is directly related to its
function
b. Discuss how tissue structure is directly related to its
function
c. Understand that organ systems’ structures are directly
related to cellular and histological function.
d. Identify interrelationships between human organ systems
e. Develop, communicate, and justify a scientific
explanation of how cells differentiate to form specialized
tissues
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Inquiry Questions:
1. How do cellular, tissue, and organ system functions relate to their
structures?
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, and medical
treatments.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Debate the ethical and political issues associated with stem cell
research and how these affect research.
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
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Content Area: Science - High School Anatomy
Standard: 2. Life Science
Prepared Graduates:
Explain how biological evolution accounts for the unity and diversity of living organisms
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION
Concepts and skills students master:
5. Evolution occurs as the heritable characteristics of populations change across generations and can lead populations to become better
adapted to their environment
Evidence Outcomes
21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Analyze how comparative anatomy supports the idea that
all species are related by common ancestry
b. Describe how evolutionary processes resulted in modern
human anatomy
Inquiry Questions:
1. How does studying mammalian anatomy support the idea that all
species are related?
2. What lines of evidence support the theory of human evolution
from a common ancestor shared with other primates?
Relevance and Application:
1. Overuse of antibiotics often results in bacterial resistance.
2. Species undergo natural selection due to environmental
pressures.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Understand that all scientific knowledge is subject to new findings
and that reproducible, corroborated, and converging line of data
yield a scientific theory.
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BVSD Curriculum Essentials
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Content Area: Science - High School Anatomy
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:
6. Human organ systems are interrelated. Organ systems are essential for homeostatic maintenance. Organ systems’
anatomies directly relate to physiology
Evidence Outcomes
21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies
Students can:
a. Understand and apply anatomical terminology related
to position, direction, movement, and planes
b. Describe and be able to use tools related to
investigation of anatomy and physiology
c. Perform dissection in a safe and respectful manner,
choosing proper tools
d. Describe basic structure and function of the four tissue
types.
e. Understand and describe interrelations between organ
systems
f. Describe several mechanisms that disrupt organ
system homeostasis
g. Identify and discuss specific structures and functions of
the skeletal, muscular, circulatory, digestive, and
respiratory systems
h. Identify general structures and functions of
integumentary, endocrine, nervous, urinary, and
reproductive systems
Inquiry Questions:
1. Why is the use of anatomical terminology important?
2. How is the study of mammalian anatomy, through
dissection, relevant to understanding human systems?
3. Why is the study of interrelationships between systems
important to understanding the basic functions of life?
4. How are the processes of diabetes and dehydration
related to each other?
5. How are the physiological processes of muscles, nerves,
and hormones related to each other?
Relevance and Application:
1. Anatomical position is significant in diagnosis of disease
and injury.
2. One must understand human anatomy and physiology to
make personal medical decisions.
3. Personal lifestyle choices impact the structure and
function of our bodies.
Nature of Discipline:
1. Medical personnel use common anatomical terminology to
discuss pathology.
2. Lifestyle and medical decisions are made daily. Being an
informed consumer ought to be dependent on an
understanding of anatomy and physiology.
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BVSD Curriculum Essentials
12
3. Earth Systems Science
Students know and understand the processes and interactions of Earth's systems and the structure
and dynamics of Earth and other objects in space.
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 Earth Systems Science standard:
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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
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
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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
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BVSD Curriculum Essentials
14
Standard
High School
1. Physical
Science
Grade Level Expectation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
2. Life Science
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
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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
Matter has definite structure that determines characteristic physical
and chemical properties
Matter can change form through chemical or nuclear reactions abiding
by the laws of conservation of mass and energy
Atoms bond in different ways to form molecules and compounds that
have definite properties
Energy exists in many forms such as mechanical, chemical, electrical,
radiant, thermal, and nuclear, that can be quantified and
experimentally determined
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
Matter tends to be cycled within an ecosystem, while energy is
transformed and eventually exits an ecosystem
The size and persistence of populations depend on their interactions
with each other and on the abiotic factors in an ecosystem
Cellular metabolic activities are carried out by biomolecules produced
by organisms
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.
Cells use the passive and active transport of substances across
membranes to maintain relatively stable intracellular environments
Cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems maintain relatively stable
internal environments, even in the face of changing external
environments
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
Multicellularity makes possible a division of labor at the cellular level
through the expression of select genes, but not the entire genome
Evolution occurs as the heritable characteristics of populations change
across generations and can lead populations to become better adapted
to their environment
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
15
Standard
Grade Level Expectation
High School (continued)
3. Earth Systems
1. The history of the universe, solar system and Earth can be inferred
Science
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
1. Weather is a result of complex interactions of Earth's atmosphere, land
Science
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, midocean 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
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BVSD Curriculum Essentials
16
Standard
Seventh Grade
2. Life Science
Grade Level Expectation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Sixth Grade
1. Physical
Science
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
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Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to
survive and have offspring in a specific environment
The human body is composed of atoms, molecules, cells, tissues,
organs, and organ systems that have specific functions and
interactions
Cells are the smallest unit of life that can function independently and
perform all the necessary functions of life
Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are important processes by
which energy is acquired and utilized by organisms
Multiple lines of evidence show the evolution of organisms over
geologic time
Human activities can deliberately or inadvertently alter ecosystems
and their resiliency
Organisms reproduce and transmit genetic information (genes) to
offspring, which influences individuals’ traits in the next generation
Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of
individual organisms, populations, and entire species
Organisms interact with each other and their environment in various
ways that create a flow of energy and cycling of matter in an
ecosystem
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
There are different forms of energy, and those forms of energy can be
changed from one form to another – but total energy is conserved
Distinguish between physical and chemical changes, noting that mass
is conserved during any change
Recognize that waves such as electromagnetic, sound, seismic, and
water have common characteristics and unique properties
Mixtures of substances can be separated based on their properties
such as solubility, boiling points, magnetic properties, and densities
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
Atoms may stick together in well-defined molecules or be packed
together in large arrangements. Different arrangements of atoms into
groups compose all substances.
The physical characteristics and changes of solid, liquid, and gas states
can be explained using the particulate model
Distinguish among, explain, and apply the relationships among mass,
weight, volume, and density
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
17
Standard
Fifth Grade
1. Physical
Science
2. Life Science
3. Earth Systems
Science
Grade Level Expectation
1.
1.
2.
1.
2.
3.
Fourth Grade
1. Physical
Science
2. Life Science
1.
1.
2.
3.
3. Earth Systems
Science
Third Grade
1. Physical
Science
2. Life Science
3. Earth Systems
Science
Second Grade
1. Physical
Science
2. Life Science
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
2.
3. Earth Systems
Science
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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
All organisms have structures and systems with separate functions
Human body systems have basic structures, functions, and needs
Earth and sun provide a diversity of renewable and nonrenewable
resources
Earth’s surface changes constantly through a variety of processes and
forces
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
Energy comes in many forms such as light, heat, sound, magnetic,
chemical, and electrical
All living things share similar characteristics, but they also have
differences that can be described and classified
Comparing fossils to each other or to living organisms reveals features
of prehistoric environments and provides information about organisms
today
There is interaction and interdependence between and among living
and nonliving components of systems
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
Matter exists in different states such as solids, liquids, and gases and
can change from one state to another by heating and cooling
The duration and timing of life cycle events such as reproduction and
longevity vary across organisms and species
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
Changes in speed or direction of motion are caused by forces such as
pushes and pulls.
Organisms depend on their habitat’s nonliving parts to satisfy their
needs
Each plant or animal has different structures or behaviors that serve
different functions
Weather and the changing seasons impact the environment and
organisms such as humans, plants, and other animals
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
18
Standard
First Grade
1. Physical
Science
2. Life Science
Grade Level Expectation
1.
Solids and liquids have unique properties that distinguish them
1.
Offspring have characteristics that are similar to but not exactly like
their parents’ characteristics
An organism is a living thing that has physical characteristics to help it
survive
Earth’s materials can be compared and classified based on their
properties
2.
3. Earth Systems
Science
Kindergarten
1. Physical
Science
1.
1.
2.
2. Life Science
1.
3. Earth Systems
Science
Preschool
1. Physical
Science
2. Life Science
1.
3. Earth Systems
Science
1.
2.
1.
2.
1.
2.
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Objects can move in a variety of ways that can be described by speed
and direction
Objects can be sorted by physical properties, which can be observed
and measured
Organisms can be described and sorted by their physical
characteristics
The sun provides heat and light to Earth
Objects have properties and characteristics
There are cause-and-effect relationships in everyday experiences
Living things have characteristics and basic needs
Living things develop in predictable patterns
Earth’s materials have properties and characteristics that affect how
we use those materials
Events such as night, day, the movement of objects in the sky,
weather, and seasons have patterns
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
19
Academic Vocabulary
Standard 2: action potential, active transport, adaptation, aerobic respiration, amino acid, anaerobic
respiration, anatomy, anecdotal evidence, ATP (adenosine triphosphate), autoimmune disease, bias,
binary fission, bioengineering, biology, biomimicry, biomolecule, body system, brain, carbohydrate,
carcinogen, causation, cell, cell division, cell membrane, cellular respiration, characteristic, chromosome,
classification, circulatory system, common ancestor, communicable disease, comparative anatomy,
complex carbohydrate, conservation of energy, conservation of matter, constant, controlled experiment,
correlation, cotransport, crossing over, cycle, data, dehydration synthesis, dependent variable,
development, dialysis, differentiate, digestive system, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), DNA replication, DNA
transcription, DNA translation, dominant, electron transport chain, embryo, embryology, encode,
endosymbiosis, energy transformation, enzyme, epidemiological, error, eukaryote, evidence, evolution,
experiment, explanation, falsifiable, fermentation, function, gene, gene expression, genetics, genome,
genotype, heart, heredity, heritable, hierarchical, homeostasis, hormone, hydrolysis, hypothesis,
independent assortment, independent variable, inheritance, internal balance, intestines, intracellular,
intravenous, invertebrate, investigation, kidneys, law, life cycle, lipid, liver, lungs, macromolecule,
macroscopic, marine, mediate, meiosis, membrane, membrane potential, metabolic, methodology,
microscopic, mitochondria, mitosis, molecule, multicellular, muscular system, mutation, natural selection,
negative feedback, neurotransmitter, nucleic acid, nutrient, ophthalmic, optimum, organism, organ,
organ system, osmosis, osmotic regulation, osmotically balanced, parasite, passive transport, permeable,
pH, phenotype, population, positive feedback, potassium pump, prokaryote, protein, qualitative,
quantitative, receptor, recessive, recombinant DNA, reproduction, research-based evidence, RNA
(ribonucleic acid), saturated fatty acid, selective breeding, selectively permeable, sexual reproduction,
skepticism, simple carbohydrate, speciation, species, stem cell, structure, symbiotic, system, testable
question, theory, tissue, unicellular, unsaturated fatty acid
Word
Action potential
Active transport
Adaptation
Aerobic respiration
Amino Acid
Anaerobic respiration
Anatomy
Anecdotal evidence
ATP (adenosine
triphosphate)
Autoimmune disease
Bias
Binary fission
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Definition
a short-lasting event in which the electrical membrane potential of a cell
rapidly rises and falls, following a consistent trajectory
the movement of a substance against its concentration gradient (from low
to high concentration), which requires energy
a change by which an organism becomes better suited to its environment
the metabolic process that uses oxygen to break down food and release
energy
of a class of about twenty organic compounds which form the basic
constituents of proteins and contain both acid and amine groups
the metabolic processes by which organisms degrade organic compounds
in the absence of O2 to yield energy
the science of the shape and structure of organisms and their parts
short account of a particular incident or event that is not scientific or is
hearsay and therefore considered unreliable
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
an immune system response to antigens in a person’s own tissue
statistical sampling or testing error caused by systematically favoring some
outcomes over others
a method of asexual reproduction, involves the splitting of a parent cell
into two approximately equal parts
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
19
Bioengineering
Biology
Biomimicry
Biomolecule
Body system
Brain
Carbohydrate
Carcinogen
Causation
Cell
Cell division
Cell membrane
Cellular respiration
Characteristic
Chromosome
Classification
Circulatory system
Common ancestor
Communicable disease
Comparative anatomy
Complex carbohydrate
Conservation of energy
Conservation of matter
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the use of biological processes and organisms in service to humans such as
to produce drugs and foodstuffs or to recycle waste
the scientific study of living organisms
the examination of nature, its models, systems, processes, and elements
to emulate or take inspiration from in order to solve human problems
sustainably
any organic molecule that is produced by a living organism: proteins,
carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids
a group of organs or structures within the body that work together to
perform one or more specific functions
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
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
a cancer‐causing substance or agent
the act that produces an effect, where the effect is understood to be a
consequence of the act
the smallest structural and functional unit of an organism
the process in reproduction and growth by which a cell divides to form
daughter cells
the semipermeable, lipid bi-layer membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of
a cell
the series of metabolic processes by which living cells produce energy
through the oxidation of organic substances
a feature that helps to identify, tell apart, or describe recognizably; a
distinguishing trait
a thread‐like structure found in the nuclei of most living cells, carrying
genetic information in the form of genes
the systematic grouping of organisms into categories on the basis of
evolutionary or structural relationships between them; taxonomy
the body system that circulates blood through the body, consisting of the
heart and blood vessels
an organism (usually extinct) that is an ancestor of two different
organisms (extinct or modern) which are not ancestors of each other
a disease that can be communicated from one person to another
the study of anatomical features of animals of different species
molecules formed of repeating units of either mono saccharides (single
sugars) or disaccharides (double sugars) joined together by glycosidic
bonds
a principle stating that the total energy of an isolated system remains
constant regardless of changes within the system
a principle in classical physics stating that the total mass of an isolated
system is unchanged by interaction of its parts
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
20
Constant
Controlled experiment
Correlation
Cotransport
Crossing over
Cycle
Data
Dehydration synthesis
Dependent variable
Development
Dialysis
Differentiate
Digestive system
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic
Acid)
DNA replication
DNA transcription
DNA translation
Dominant
Ecosystem
Electron transport chain
Embryo
Embryology
Encode
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an experimental or theoretical condition, factor, or quantity that does not
vary or that is
regarded as invariant in specified circumstances
an experiment that isolates the effect of one variable on a system by
holding constant all
variables but the one under observation
a measurable and predictable relationship
the simultaneous or sequential passive transfer of molecules or ions across
biological membranes in a fixed ratio
a process occurring during meiosis wherein two chromosomes pair up and
exchange segments of their genetic material
a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order
factual information (as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for
reasoning, discussion, or calculation
a type of condensation reaction in which monomers join together into
polymers while losing water molecules
the observed or measured variable in an experiment or study whose
changes are determined by the presence of one or more independent
variables
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
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
to change during development from a generalized form to more specialized
forms
body system consisting of the alimentary canal and digestive glands and
responsible for the ingestion, digestion, and absorption of food
a substance which is present in the cell nuclei of nearly all living organisms
and is the carrier of genetic information
the process of copying DNA that starts with one double-stranded DNA
molecule and produces two identical copies of the molecule
the process of creating an equivalent RNA copy of a sequence of DNA
the first stage of protein biosynthesis, during which messenger RNA
(mRNA) produced in transcription is decoded to produce a specific amino
acid chain
an allele that produces the same phenotypic effect whether inherited with
a homozygous or heterozygous allele
a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical
environment
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
an organism in its early stages of development, especially before it has
reached a distinctively recognizable form
the branch of biology and medicine concerned with the study of embryos
and their development
action of a gene that provides the instructions for making a protein
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
21
Endosymbiosis
Energy transformation
Enzyme
Epidemiological
Error
Eukaryote
Evidence
Evolution
Experiment
Explanation
Falsifiable
Fermentation
Function
Gene
Gene expression
Genetics
Genome
Genotype
Heart
Heredity
Heritable
Hierarchical
Homeostasis
Hormone
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relationship in which an organism lives within the body or cells of another
organism
to convert energy from one form to another
a substance produced by a living organism that acts as a catalyst to bring
about a specific biochemical reaction
Relating to epidemiology -- the branch of science that deals with the study
of the causes, distribution, and control of disease in populations
difference between a computed or measured value and a true or
theoretically correct value
an organism, either unicellular or multicellular, in which the nucleus of the
cell is bound by a membrane
information acquired through objective experience
a gradual process in which something changes into a different form
a test under controlled conditions that is made to examine the validity of a
hypothesis or determine the efficacy of something previously untried
a statement based on scientific evidence and logical argument about
causes and effects or relationships between variables
the possibility that an assertion could be shown untrue
an anaerobic (without oxygen) cellular process in which organic foods are
converted into simpler compounds, and chemical energy (ATP) is produced
the role or purpose of a structure
hereditary unit consisting of a sequence of DNA that occupies a specific
location on a chromosome and determines a particular characteristic in an
organism
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.
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
the complete set of genes in an organism
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.
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
genetic transmission of characteristics from parent to offspring
able to be inherited
classified or arranged according to various criteria into successive ranks or
grades
the ability or tendency of an organism or cell to maintain internal
equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes
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
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
22
Hydrolysis
Hypothesis
Independent
assortment
Independent variable
Inheritance
Internal balance
Intestines
Intracellular
Intravenous
Invertebrate
Investigation
Kidneys
Law
Life cycle
Lipid
Liver
Lungs
Macromolecule
Macroscopic
Marine
Mediate
Meiosis
Membrane
Membrane potential
7/31/2017
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−).
a tentative explanation for an observation
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.
a manipulated variable in an experiment or study whose presence or
degree determines the change in the dependent variable
genetic transmission of characteristics from parent to offspring
balance within an organism of its internal environment
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
occurring or existing within the cell
the administration of substances, such as medication, directly into the
veins
an animal such as an insect or mollusk
a detailed inquiry or systematic examination
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
a phenomenon of nature that has been shown to invariably occur
whenever certain conditions exist or are met
the course of developmental changes in an organism from fertilized zygote
to maturity when another zygote can be produced
any of a class of organic compounds that are fatty acids or their
derivatives and are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents
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
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
a very large molecule, such as a polymer or protein, consisting of many
smaller structural units linked together
large enough to be perceived or examined by the unaided eye
of or pertaining to the oceans
to cause or effect through an indirect medium or agent
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
a thin layer of tissue covering a surface or lining a cavity, space or organ
the voltage difference (or electrical potential difference) between the
interior and exterior of a cell
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
23
Metabolic
Methodology
Microscopic
Mitochondria
Mitosis
Molecule
Multicellular
Muscular system
Mutation
Natural selection
Negative feedback
Neurotransmitter
Nervous system
Nucleic acid
Nutrient
Ophthalmic
Organ
Organ system
Organism
Osmosis
7/31/2017
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
means, technique, or procedure; method
too small to be seen by the unaided eye but large enough to be studied
under a microscope
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
a type of cell division in which daughter cells have the same number and
kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus
the simplest unit of a chemical compound that can exist, consisting of two
or more atoms held together by chemical bonds
describes organisms consisting of more than one cell
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
a change in genetic structure which results in a variant form and may be
transmitted to subsequent generations
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
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
a chemical substance, such as acetylcholine or dopamine, that transmits
nerve impulses across a synapse
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
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
any substance that can be metabolized by an organism to give energy and
build tissue
of or relating to the eye
structure of the body that performs a particular function
a system of organs that work together to perform a specific function or set
of related functions (ex: circulatory system)
a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function
independently
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)
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
24
Osmotic regulation
Osmotically balanced
Parasite
Passive transport
Permeable
pH
Phenotype
Population
Positive feedback
Potassium pump
Prokaryote
Protein
Qualitative
Quantitative
Receptor
Recessive
Recombinant DNA
Reproduction
Research-based
evidence
RNA (ribonucleic acid)
Saturated fatty acid
Selective breeding
7/31/2017
the process of regulating water potential in order to keep fluid and
electrolyte balance within a cell or organism relative to the surrounding
a solution whose ion concentration is the same as another solution so
osmosis will not take place between the two solutions
an organism that grows, feeds, and is sheltered on or in a different
organism while contributing nothing to the survival of its host
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
capable of being permeated or passed through
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
the observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism, as
determined by both genetic makeup and environmental influences
all the organisms that constitute a specific group or occur in a specified
habitat
feedback that results in amplification or growth of the output signal
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
microscopic single-celled organism that has neither a distinct nucleus with
a membrane nor other specialized organelles
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
involving distinctions, descriptions, or comparisons based on qualities that
can be observed without measurement (e.g. color, shape, appearance)
involving distinctions, descriptions, or comparisons that can be quantified
or measured
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.
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
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
the sexual or asexual process by which organisms generate new
individuals of the same kind; procreation
data derived from sound scientific research methods. It is noted as
research-based to differentiate from anecdotal or circumstantial evidence
(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
a fatty acid whose carbon chain cannot absorb any more hydrogen atoms;
found chiefly in animal fats
the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
25
Selectively permeable
Sexual reproduction
Skepticism
Simple carbohydrate
Speciation
Species
Stem cell
Structure
Symbiotic
System
Testable question
Theory
Tissue
Unicellular
Unsaturated fatty acid
7/31/2017
describes a membrane that will allow certain molecules or ions to pass
through it by diffusion and occasionally specialized "facilitated diffusion"
reproduction by the union or fusion of two differing gametes
a doctrine that suspends judgment until there is sufficient scientific
evidence to believe a claim
monosaccharides (single sugars) and disaccharides (double sugars)
the origination of new species
a fundamental category of taxonomic classification, ranking below a genus
or subgenus and consisting of related organisms capable of interbreeding
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
any identifiable part of an organism
a close prolonged association between two organisms in which both benefit
a group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a
complex whole
a question that can tested in a scientific investigation
a set of statements or principles devised to explain a large set of data and
has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted
aggregation of morphologically similar cells and associated intercellular
matter acting together to perform one or more specific functions in the
body
consisting of a single cell
a fatty acid whose carbon chain can absorb additional hydrogen atoms
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
26
Anatomy
Anatomy
S26
Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology provides students an opportunity to explore the intricate and
sophisticated relationship between structure and function in the human body. Topics of study include the
following: homeostasis, anatomical and physiological disorders, biochemistry, cytology, histology, and body
systems. Laboratory activities, including dissection of a mammal such as the cat, will reinforce the concepts and
principles presented in the course.
1 Semester
[Course Fees]
5
[Elective Required]
Inactive
Science
8/1/2001
8/1/2012
[NCAA]
[Hear]
[Subject Area]
[NonAcademic]
[StateID]
Natural Science
7/31/2017
BVSD Curriculum Essentials
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