Science Strand III: Standard 2: SCI.III.2.1 Using Scientific Knowledge in Life Science Grade: HS Organization of Living Things - All students will use classification systems to describe groups of living things, investigate and explain how living things obtain and use energy; and analyze how parts of living things are adapted to carry out specific functions. Benchmark 1: Classify major groups of organisms to the kingdom level. Constructing and Reflecting: SCI.I.1.4– Gather and synthesize information from books and other sources of information. SCI.I.1.5– Discuss topics in groups by making clear presentations, restating or summarizing what others have said, asking for clarification or elaboration, and taking alternative perspectives and defending a position. SCI.II.1.1- Justify plans or explanations on a theoretical or empirical basis. SCI.II.1.2- Describe some general limitations of scientific knowledge. Vocabulary / Key Concepts Context Kingdom categories: • Protist • Fungi • Moneran • Animal • Plant Common local representatives of each of the five major kingdoms: • Paramecium • Amoeba • Yeast • Mushroom • Bacteria • Archaebacteria (new since Megose) • Frog • Rat • Geranium • Tree Characteristics for classification: • Cell wall • Cell membrane • Organelle • Single-celled • Multi-cellular Knowledge and Skills Resources • Benchmark Clarification: Classifications are not etched in stone. They change over time. Many classification systems can be used to organize living things into groups with similar characteristics. Students will: • Identify and describe the characteristics used to place organisms into each kingdom. • Discuss the dynamic (changeable) nature of our classification system Videoconferences Available For more information, see www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl or call Janine Lim 471-7725x101 or email jlim@remc11.k12.mi.us III.2.HS.1: Classification from the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden SCoPE Unit - Taxonomy of Evolution Students explain how species change over time through the mechanisms of natural selection. Students analyze evidence for evolution and determine evolutionary relationships among selected animal groups. They create a timeline to examine the evolutionary development of complex organisms and species diversity. Students research the historical development of the theory of biological evolution and the controversy that continues to surround this theory. Students learn that biological classifications are based upon evolutionary relationships. • The Electronic Naturalist – Bundles and Bumps – Variety of evergreens – excellent lesson plus extensions on the variety and differences between pines, firs, spruces and more. See appendix or go to the website. http://www.enaturalist.org/topic.htm?topic_ID=74 • The Electronic Naturalist – Lichen or Not – Nice lesson on symbiotic relationships and the variety of lichens in our environment. Excellent internet links to lichen images. See appendix or go to website. http://www.enaturalist.org/topic.htm?topic_ID=106 • Michigan Teachers Network Resources http://mtn.merit.edu/mcf/SCI.III.2.HS.1.html • The Tree of Life Web Project (ToL) is a collaborative effort of biologists from around the world. On more than 3000 World Wide Web pages, the project provides information about the diversity of organisms on Earth, their evolutionary history (phylogeny), and characteristics. AWESOME!! http://phylogeny.arizona.edu/tree/phylogeny.html • UC Berkeley – taxonomy web – EXCELLENT resource – what did you do without this tool??? Viruses, Archaea, Bacteria, Eukaryotes (Animals, Plants, Protists, Fungi http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/taxaform.html • http://www.earthlife.net/ - online encyclopedia of life – not complete but useful. Instruction Using preserved and live organisms and a list of characteristics associated with the major kingdoms, have the students sort the organisms into the appropriate kingdom groups. Summarize the problems encountered with placing organisms into groups based solely on visible physical characteristics. Generate ideas on other possible ways used to classify organisms. Corresponds to standard I.1.5 Instruction II Explain the use of the organizers below and how students can use them to classify organisms according to the system in use. (3 kingdoms vs. 5 kingdoms) Assessment • Given a set of 10 or more organisms, classify the organisms into the appropriate kingdom. Explain reasons for placement of each organism into its kingdom. Criteria Apprent. Basic Meets Exceeds Correctness of classification Places six or fewer organisms in the correct kingdom. Places nine organisms in the correct kingdom. 20 Places seven to eight organisms in the correct kingdom. 30 Places more than nine organisms in the correct kingdom. 50 Explains accurately the reason(s) for placing six or fewer organisms into their proper kingdoms. Explains accurately the reason(s) for placing seven or eight organisms into their proper kingdoms. Explains accurately the reason(s) for placing nine organisms into their proper kingdoms. Explains accurately the reason(s) for placing more than nine organisms into their proper kingdoms. 40 50 Accuracy of explanation 20 30 40 Teacher Notes: Focus Question: What specific characteristics are used to divide organisms into the major kingdoms? Investigate and explain how living things obtain and use energy. The relationship between life and energy is complex. While the generalization that living things need energy to survive is satisfactory at one level of understanding, it fails to convey the crucial role energy plays in all aspects of life, from the molecular to the population level. At the elementary level students can compare and contrast food, energy and environmental needs of selected organisms, such as beans, corn or aquarium life. In the middle and high school, the focus is more specific on the concept that plants make and store food. Scientists speak of the flow of energy through the environment. Almost all life on the earth is sustained by energy from the sun. This energy is transformed and moved from location to location, but doesn't disappear. Plants capture the sun's energy and use it to produce energy rich organic molecules that we call food. The food molecules then serve as energy sources for plants and ultimately animals. In animals, organic food molecules are chemically broken down and carried through the circulatory system to cells, cytoplasm, and eventually to mitochondria. This is, most often the site of final energy release through the process known as cellular respiration. The chemical process of photosynthesis occurs at the cellular level and is capable of converting light energy into molecular energy. Animals are dependent on plants for this first important step in the flow of energy. In plants, light energy is captured by chloroplasts or chlorophyll and is converted to chemical energy through the making of organic food molecules when water and carbon dioxide are chemically combined to make sugar and oxygen. These sugars (organic compounds) formed in photosynthesis are used for the plant's metabolic processes and maybe ultimately be used as food for animals. The chemical process of respiration is also cellular. Cellular respiration releases stored molecular energy so the energy can be used for other life processes. Both plants and animals respire. The acquisition and use of energy by living things is a very abstract idea for students at all levels. Students tend to develop a vague and very broad definition of energy that is inconsistent with the scientific definition. This imprecise definition interferes with the acquisitions of the biological understanding of energy and its importance in a living system.