8th GRADE SCIENCE
UNIT 3: LIFE
Essential Question:
How are we connected?
Guiding Questions:
1. What is life?
2. How do cells reproduce?
3. How are organisms classified?
4. How are traits inherited?
5. How are sex-linked traits and blood cells inherited?
6. How does mutation affects the survival of species?
7. How does pedigree help you trace your inherited traits?
8. How did life begin?
9. Why is genetics important?
NYS Standards and Indicators Assessed:
Living Environment Standard 4: Key Idea 4: The continuity of life is sustained
through reproduction and development.
P.I. 4.1 - Observe and describe the variations in reproductive patterns of
organisms, including asexual and sexual reproduction.
P.I. 4.2 - Explain the role of sperm and egg cells in sexual reproduction.
P.I 4.3 - Observe and describe cell division at the microscopic level and its
macroscopic effects.
NYS Common Core Standards for Literacy Assessed:
SL.8.1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues,
building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.8.5. Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify
information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest
RST.6-8.1 - Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical
texts.
WHST. 6-8.1 - Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
See alignment of standards and indicators to authentic task.
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
Authentic Performance Task(s):
Students will work in individually, in
small groups and as a class to research
and debate about (Stem Cells Research,
Cloning, Genetically Modified Organisms)
a.) identify what they know and what
they want to know about the topics
on ( stem cells research, Genetically
Modified Organisms ( GMO’s) , and
Clonning.)
b.) read and review informational texts (

articles, journals, websites, movies,
and blogs) ( individual and small
groups)
c.) write summaries/journals entries
about what they are learning from the
readings.
d.) decide on two positions ( class)
e.) take a position ( individual)
f.) prepare notes for debate ( individual)
g.) rehearse for debate ( in class or
Homework)
h.) debate ( U-shaped, or Teams)
i.) write an argumentative essay.
Alignment to NYS Common Core
Standards for Literacy:
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Grade 6-8
1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
Writing in Science Standards Grade 6-8
1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific
content.
a) Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue,
acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from
alternate or opposing claims, and organize the
reasons and evidence logically.
b) Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and
relevant, accurate data and evidence that
demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text,
using credible sources.
c) Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion
and clarify the relationships among claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
d) Establish and maintain a formal style.
e) Provide a concluding statement or section that
follows from and supports the argument presented.
Speaking and Listening Standards
1.Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions with diverse partners on grade 8
topics, tests and issues, building on others’ ideas
and expressing their own clearly.
a)
come to discussion prepared and having read;
explicitly draw on that preparation by referencing
evidence on the topic, text or issue to probe and
reflect on ideas under discussion.
b)
pose and respond to different questions with
elaboration and detail by making comments that
contribute to discussion.
4. Present claims and findings, emphasizing
salient points in a point in a focused , coherent
manner with relevant evidence, sound valid
reasoning, and well –chosen details; use
appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and
clear pronunciation.
Diagnostic and Pre/Post Assessments:
Have students respond to the essential question as a pre/post at the start and
end of the unit.
Formative Assessments:
1. Investigation design drafts (individual)
2. science notebook ( individual)
3. drafts of data analysis and conclusions (group)
4. practice quizzes (ungraded)
5. completed graphic organizers about reading (individual)
Summative Assessments:
1. final written controlled experiment
2. authentic task(oral/visual presentation)
3. portfolio
4. quizzes (graded)
5. interim assessments
6. unit test
TEACHING PLAN
Teaching and Learning Activities:
1. Use the essential question as a pre assessment. (individual journal entry)
2. Introduce unit vocabulary.
3. Use the guiding questions to do lessons related to reproduction and
heredity.
4. Conduct scientific investigations together related to reproduction and
heredity.
5. Select and read informational text in class.
6. Guide students in doing the authentic task.
7. Teach students about what a debate is and the rules for debate.
8. Use the essential question as post assessment (individual journal entry).
9. Have students select pieces for portfolio, reflect on selections and set
goals.
10. Administer unit test
Resources Needed:
8th Grade NY Science ( Glencoe)
Videos
Electronic Resources:
http://kids.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=109760
Stem Cells Basics
http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics1.asp
Important FAQ's from Stem Cells
http://www.umich.edu/stemcell/faq/
Debate Article on Times Magazine
http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,167245,00.html#
eHow.com - what are Stem Cells?
http://www.ehow.com/facts_6173359_stem-cell-kids.html
The Stem Cell Divide Article
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-humanbody/human-body/stem-cell-divide/
Types of Stem Cells Article
http://www.religioustolerance.org/res_stem1.htm
UNIT 3: Life
Essential Question: Is all life connected?
Week
Guiding Questions
1
1.What is life?
2. What are the
similarities and
differences of a plant
and animal cells?
Standards NYS
Assessed:
L.E. Std. 4 Key Idea 1
Week
2
Guiding
Questions
WEEKLY CALENDAR
Topics/Lessons
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
1. Individual response
 definitions of life
to essential question
 characteristics of
(pre)
life
2. Practice Quiz
 difference
(formative, ungraded)
between a plant
and animal cell






Standards NYS
Assessed:
L.E. Std. 4 Key Idea 1
life, cell, nucleus, cell
wall, cell membrane,
cytoplasm, golgi
body, endoplasmic
reticulum,
mitochondria,
chloroplast
Common Core Standards
RST 6-8. 1, WHST 6-8. 1, SL 8.1, 8.5
Topics/Lessons
3. How do cells
reproduce?
Key Vocabulary
Assessments
Key Vocabulary
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
Mitosis, meiosis,
Sexual reproduction 1. Drafts of written
report (formative)
interphase,
Stages of mitosis
2. Quiz (graded)
metaphase,
and meiosis
3.
Practice
Quizzes
anaphase, telophase,
Meiosis and sex cells
(ungraded)
zygote, fertilization,
Plant reproduction
haploid, diploid
Seedless plant
reproduction
Seed Reproduction
Common Core Standards
RST 6-8. 1, WHST 6-8. 1, SL 8.1, 8.5
Week
3
Guiding Questions
4. How are traits
inherited?
Topics/Lessons





Standards NYS
Assessed:
L.E. Std. 4 Key Idea 1
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
Definition of DNA 1. Interim Assessment:
 Plant and animal
DNA’s structure
cells
RNA’s structure
 Cell Reproduction(
Causes of
mitosis and meiosis)
mutation

DNA and RNA
Definition of
structure
genetics
 Causes of mutation
Key Vocabulary
Gene,
deoxyribonucleic
acid, ribonucleic
acid, cytosine,
guanine, thymine,
adenine, amino
acid
Common Core Standards
RST 6-8. 1, WHST 6-8. 1, SL 8.1, 8.5
Week
4
Guiding Questions
5. How are traits
inherited?
Topics/Lessons




Standards NYS
Assessed:
L.E. Std. 4 Key Idea 1
Principles of
genetics
Using probability
to make
predictions
Punnett square
Inheritance of
blood types
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
1. practice quizzes
(ungraded)
2. quizzes (graded)
Key Vocabulary
Genetics, heredity,
punnett square,
alleles, hybrid,
recessive gene,
dominant gene,
phenotype, and
genotype
Common Core Standards
RST 6-8. 1, WHST 6-8. 1, SL 8.1, 8.5
Week
5
Guiding Questions
6. How does
mutation affect the
survival of species?
Topics/Lessons





Standards NYS
Assessed:
L.E. Std. 4 Key Idea 1
Human genes
and mutations
Incomplete
dominance
Sex
determination
Sex- linked
disorders
Pedigree Trace
Traits
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
1. Science notebook
(formative)
2. Authentic Task
begins. Students will
work individually, in
small groups and as
whole class to
research and debate
about genetically
modified organism.
a. identify what they
know and want to
know about GMO’s.
(whole class)
b. read and review
informational texts(
articles, journals,
websites, movies,
blogs)
( individual and
groups)
Key Vocabulary
Mutation, incomplete
dominance, multiple
alleles, pylogenic
inheritance, sexlinked gene, pedigree
Common Core Standards
RST 6-8. 1, WHST 6-8. 1, SL 8.1, 8.5
Week
6
Guiding Questions
7.Why is genetics
important?
Topics/Lessons




Standards NYS
Assessed:
L.E. Std. 4 Key Idea 1
Importance of
genetic
engineering
Genetically
modified plants
and animals
Gene therapy
The human
genome project
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
1. science notebook
(formative)
2. Authentic task
continues. Students work
individually, in small
groups and as whole class
to research and debate
about genetically modified
organism.
Key Vocabulary
Genetic
Engineering,
Recombinant
DNA, Gene
Therapy,
Genetically
Modified Plant,
Human Genome
c. write summaries and
journal entries about what
they are learning from
reading ( individual)
d. decide on two positions
c. take a position (
individual)
e. prepare notes for
debate ( in class or HW)
Common Core Standards
RST 6-8. 1, WHST 6-8. 1, SL 8.1, 8.5
Week
Guiding Questions
7
8. STEM CELL
RESEARCH
QUESTION FOR
DEBATE - Chosen by
teacher
Standards NYS
Assessed:
L.E. Std. 4 Key Idea 1
Topics/Lessons





Characteristics of
animals
Animal
classification
Invertebrates
Vertebrates
Life cycles of
animals
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
1. Science notebook or
report
2. Quizzes (graded)
3. Authentic task
continues. Students will
work individually, in small
groups and as whole class
to research and debate
about genetically modified
organism.
4. Rehearse for debate ( in
class or HW)
5. Debate ( u-shaped or
teams)
6. Write position papers
Key Vocabulary
Sexual
reproduction,
asexual
reproduction,
gametophyte
stage. Sporophyte
stage, vascular
plants,
pollination,
gymsnosperm
reproduction
symmetry,
asymmetry,
vertebrates,
invertebrates,
metamorphosis,
and chordate
Common Core Standards
RST 6-8. 1, WHST 6-8. 1, SL 8.1, 8.5
Week
Guiding Questions
8
9. What are your
strengths and
struggles in learning
science skills and
processes?
10. What goals can
you set to improve
your earning in the
next unit?
Standards NYS
Assessed:
L.E. Std. 4 Key Idea 1
Topics/Lessons



reflection
setting goals
strengths and
weaknesses
Assessments
Key Vocabulary
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
1. Authentic task
reflection, goals
continues. Students will
work individually and in
groups to design an
investigation that will solve
a problem using a compound
machine:
 present their project
to their class by
creating an oral
presentation, poster,
or powerpoint
(group)
 write a reflection on
learning that also
addresses the
question, “What
changes to your
design are
essential?”
(individual)
2. Post Assessment
3. Portfolio
4. Unit test
Common Core Standards
RST 6-8. 1, WHST 6-8. 1, SL 8.1, 8.5
Name____________________________ Class ____________ Date __________________
Pre/Post Assessment
Unit 3: Life
I. Multiple Choice questions. Choose the best answer for each item.
1. Which term identifies a single unit of hereditary information?
(1) egg cell (2) sperm cell
(3) nucleus
(4) gene
2. The main function of hormones in the human body is to
(1) identify and destroy microbes
(2) regulate body functions
(3) transport blood to cells
(4) store energy
3. Which human organ system produces sperm or egg cells?
(1) digestive system (2) nervous system (3) respiratory system (4) reproductive
system
4. Cancer is best described as:
(1) a type of genetic engineering
(2) the merging of sex cells
(3) abnormal cell division
(4) tissue that stops growing
5. The diagram below shows a life process taking
place within a cell.
Which life process is shown?
(1) reproduction (2) digestion
(3) respiration
(4) locomotion
6. Which term identifies a group of cells that work together to perform a similar
function?
(1) molecule (2) organ
(3) organism
(4) tissue
7. What are genes composed of?
(1) offspring
(2) DNA
(3) cells
(4) traits
8. An organism is born with a genetic abnormality not present in any of its
ancestors. This abnormality is most likely the result of
(1) circulation
(2) competition (3) mutation
(4)
respiration
9. Some one-celled organisms can reproduce by the process of
(1) hormone secretion
(2) metamorphosis
(3) fertilization
division
(4) cell
10. Which structure is found in a plant cell but not in an animal cell?
(1) cell wall (2) cell membrane
(3) cytoplasm
(4) nucleus
11. What is the outermost structure in a plant cell?
(1) cell membrane (2) cytoplasm
(3) cell wall
chloroplast
(4)
12. In humans, a trait can be determined by one pair or many pairs of
(1) genes
(2) microbes
(3) cells
(4) organs
13. The diagram below shows four living
organisms.
Which statement about the organisms
shown is accurate?
(1) They are all single celled and have similar organs.
(2) They are all single celled and have identical organs.
(3) They are all multicellular and have similar organs.
(4) They are all multicellular and have identical organs.
14. Which sequence correctly shows the levels of increasing organization in the
human body?
(1) tissues → cells → organ systems → organs
(2) cells → tissues → organs → organ systems
(3) organs → organ systems → cells → tissues
(4) organ systems → organs → tissues → cells
15. The series of diagrams below shows a single-celled organism and its
offspring that resulted from cell division over a period of 20 hours.
If the organisms continue to reproduce asexually at this same rate, how many
organisms will there be after 30 hours?
(1) 6
(2) 7
(3) 8
(4) 16
16. Each body cell of a goldfish contains 94 chromosomes. How many
chromosomes are contained in a goldfish sex cell?
(1) 23
(2) 47
(3) 94
(4) 188
17. The drawing below represents a pair of chromosomes.
The area labeled “bands” shows the location of
(1) egg cells (2) sperm cells (3) reproductive hormones
(4) specific genes
18. A scientist crosses two different varieties of corn to produce a single variety
that has traits from both parents. This technique is an example of
(1) competition (2) natural selection (3) selective breeding (4) ecological
succession
19. What advantage does a species that reproduces sexually have over a
species that reproduces asexually?
(1) There is greater variation among the offspring.
(2) The offspring are identical to the parents.
(3) Only one parent is necessary for reproduction.
(4) No sex cells are needed for reproduction
20. What are produced in both the male and female reproductive systems in
humans?
(1) sperm (2) nutrients
(3) fertilized eggs (4) sex cells
II. Short Response
21. The diagram below shows cells from two
different organisms. Several major cell
structures are labeled.
State two reasons why cell B is classified as a
plant cell. [2]
(1) ________________________________________________
(2) ________________________________________________
Base your answers to questions 22 and 23 on the diagram below and on your
knowledge of science. The diagram shows a process that occurs in a male
organism. Four stages in the process are labeled A, B, C, and D.
22. What type of cell is formed in this male organism at stage D? [1]
__________________________________________
23. How does the number of chromosomes in the cell at A typically compare to
the number of chromosomes in one of the cells at D? [1]
______________________________________________________________________________
Base your answers to questions 24 and 25 on the diagram below and on your
knowledge of science. The diagram represents the sexual reproduction of
rabbits.
24. Identify the sex cell labeled A and the sex of the rabbit that produced cell A.
[1]
Cell A: _________________________________
Sex of rabbit: ____________________________
25. Explain why the offspring is not genetically identical to either parent. [1]
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
26. The Punnett square below shows a cross between a pea plant with green
pods (GG) and a pea plant with yellow pods (gg). All of the offspring have green
pods (Gg).
Explain why the offspring with Gg genes for pod color look the same as a pea
plant with GG genes for pod color. [1]
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Base your answers to questions 27 and 28 on the information and chart below
and on your knowledge of science.
Inheritance of Color Blindness
Gender in humans is determined by a pair of sex chromosomes. A female has
two X chromosomes and a male has one X and one Y chromosome. A recessive gene
that causes color blindness is located on the X chromosome. When a male inherits
this gene, he will be color-blind because the Y chromosome does not contain a gene
for color blindness.
In order for a female to be color-blind, she must inherit the recessive gene on
both X chromosomes. If she has the gene on only one chromosome, she is not
colorblind.
She is called a carrier because she can pass this gene along to her
offspring. The pedigree chart shows the children and grandchildren of a female
carrier and a male who is not color-blind.
27. How many children did the original parents have? [1] ____________
28. What is the total number of children and grandchildren who are colorblind in this family? [1] ____________
29. Pea plants can produce round or wrinkled peas. The genes for round and
wrinkled peas are:
R = round (dominant)
r = wrinkled (recessive)
Complete the Punnett Square below, which shows a cross between a hybrid
round-pea plant (Rr) and a wrinkled-pea plant (rr). [1]
30.The Punnett square below shows the probability of blood types in the
offspring of two parents. One parent’s blood type genes are AB and the other
parent’s blood type genes are Ao.
Based on this Punnett square, identify the expected percentage of offspring in
each of the four blood types. [1]
Blood
Blood
Blood
Blood
type
type
type
type
A: ________________%
AB: _______________%
B: ________________%
O: ________________%
31. The diagrams below show the development process of a beetle and an
alligator.
Identify one way in which the development process of the beetle differs from
that of the alligator. [1]
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Essay Writing Assessment
Stem Cell Research
Embryonic stem cells are extracted directly from an embryo before the embryo's cells
begin to differentiate. At this stage the embryo is referred to as a "blastocyst." There are about
100 cells in a blastocyst, a very large percentage of which are stem cells, which can be kept alive
indefinitely, grown in cultures, where the stem cells continue to double in number every 2-3 days.
A replicating set of stem cells from a single blastocyst is called a "stem cell line" because the
genetic material all comes from the same fertilized human egg that started it. President Bush
authorized federal funding for research on the 15 stem cell lines available in August 2001. Other
stem cell lines are also available for research but without the coveted assistance of federal
funding.
Those who value human life from the point of conception, oppose embryonic stem cell
research because the extraction of stem cells from this type of an embryo requires its destruction.
In other words, it requires that a human life be killed. Against this, embryonic research advocates
argue that the tiny blastocyst has no human features. Further, new stem cell lines already exist
due to the common practice of in vitro fertilization.
Is it ok for the government to support the use of
embryonic stem cells for scientific research?
State your claim and support it with evidence from your knowledge of science.
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