6-8
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.
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Benchmark A
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.
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Grade band: 6-8
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Life Science A
Question type: Multiple choice
Bloom: Knowledge: List
Question: List in order from simplest to most complex how a multicellular organism is
organized.
a. Organs, tissues, specialized cells, organ systems
b. specialized cells, tissues, organs, organ systems
c. organ systems, tissues, specialized cells, organs
d. tissues, organs, specialized cells, organ systems
Rubric: B is the correct answer
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Grade band: 6-8
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Life Science A
Question type: Extended response
Bloom: Comprehension: Compare and Contrast
Question: Compare and contrast a typical plant and a typical animal cell by using the
Venn Diagram and the terms provided. Terms: Cell wall, chloroplast, cytoplasm,
Endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, mitochondrion, nucleus, vacuole,
Animal
Plant
Rubric: Correct answer:
Animal: lysosome
Plant: cell wall, chloroplast
Both: endoplasmic reticulum, vacuoles, cytoplasm, mitochondrion,
nucleus
4 points:
3 points:
2 points:
1 point:
0 Point:
All terms in correct areas of Venn Diagram
6 or 7 terms in correct areas of the Venn Diagram
4 or 5 terms in correct areas of the Venn Diagram
2or 3 terms in correct areas of the Venn Diagram
1 or 0 terms in correct area of Venn Diagram
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Grade band: 6-8
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Life Science A
Question type: Short answer
Bloom: Comprehension: Describe
Question: Complex animals exhibit two types of symmetry, radial and bilateral; describe
each type of symmetry.
Rubric:
2 points: An animal that has bilateral symmetry is one line can be drawn that divides it
into two symmetrical halves. It has radial symmetry if any line drawn through the center
divides it into two symmetrical halves.
1 point: Only get one response correct
0 point: Cannot describe symmetry
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Benchmark B
Describe the characteristics of an organism
in terms of a combination of inherited traits
and recognize reproduction as a
characteristic of living organisms essential
to the continuation of the species.
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Grade band: 6-8
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Life Science B
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Comprehension
Question: When sex cells combine to produce offspring, each sex cell will contribute
a. Half the normal number of chromosomes.
b. One fourth of the normal of chromosomes.
c. Twice the normal number of chromosomes
d. The normal number of chromosomes.
Rubric: A is the correct answer 1 point
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Grade band: 6-8
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Life Science B
Question type: Short Answer
Bloom: Comprehension : Distinguish
Question: Distinguish between asexual and sexual reproduction.
Rubric:
2 points: Asexual reproduction is a process by which a single organism produces a new
organism identical to itself (through budding or cell division). Sexual reproduction is a
process by which a new organism forms from the joining or fertilization of egg or sperm
from two separate individuals.
1 point: One of the above correctly identified
0 point: Not able to explain either process
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Grade band: 6-8
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Life Science B
Question type: Extended Response
Bloom: Comprehension: Explain
Question: A Scientist collects pet rabbits that live at sea level and moves them to the
mountains. Six years later he returns to the mountain area and observes that the rabbits
have much longer hair and longer legs and have developed larger lungs. Explain the
reasons for this observation.
Rubric:
4 points: The rabbits adapted to the environment of colder weather and less oxygen by
developing larger lungs and longer hair. Longer legs developed as a response to escape
from predators. Natural selection chose the traits that allowed the rabbits to survive and
selected against those traits that were not suited to the new environment.
3 points: Identified 2 of the 3 adaptations and talked about natural selection or survival
of the fittest.
2 points: Identified 1 if the 3 adaptations and mentioned natural selection.
1 point: Just identified adaptations or natural selection.
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Benchmark C
Explain how energy entering the ecosystems
as sunlight supports the life of organisms
through photosynthesis and the transfer of
energy through the interactions of
organisms and the environment.
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Grade band: 6-8
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Life Science C
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Analysis: analyze
Question: A primary consumer feeds on plants. A secondary consumer feeds on planteating animals. Look at the picture below of a food web. Base your answers on the
following diagram.
Rubric:
1. Which organism is the producer in this food chain?
a. Grass
b. Mouse
c. Rabbit
d. deer
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Grade band: 6-8
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Life Science C
Question type: Short Answer
Bloom: Analysis: identify
Question: Question: A primary consumer feeds on plants. A secondary consumer feeds
on plant-eating animals. Look at the picture below of a food web. Base your answers on
the following diagram.
In this food web, the rabbit is a ____________________________________________.
Rubric:
2 points: primary consumer
1 point: consumer
0 points: incorrect response or no response
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Grade band: 6-8
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Life Science C
Question type: Extended response
Bloom: Knowledge: Which and Why
Question: Question: A primary consumer feeds on plants. A secondary consumer feeds
on plant-eating animals. Look at the picture below of a food web. Base your answers on
the following diagram.
A decrease in the number of owls would most likely result in an increase number of
certain organisms. Which organisms would most likely increase and explain why.
Rubric:
4 points: There would be an increase in mice and rabbits because of the loss of a
secondary consumer, the owl. Because the owl is a predator of the mice and rabbits the
population of these primary consumers would increase.
3 points: 2 correct animals and an incorrect reason or one correct animal and a correct
reason.
2 points: One correct animal and an incorrect reason or one incorrect animal and a
correct reason.
1 point: One correct animal or the correct reason
0 points: incorrect answer or no response
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Benchmark D
Explain how extinction of a species occurs
when the environment changes and its
adaptive characteristics are insufficient to
allow survival (as seen in evidence of the
fossil record).
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Grade band: 6-8
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Life Science D
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Knowledge: identify
Question:
Most of what scientist know about extinct species is based on
a. sedimentary rock
b. variations
c. fossil record
d. natural selection
Rubric:
The correct answer is C
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