Unit Unity and Diversity of Microbes
Length
of Unit
wks
Core Content/POS
SC-HS-3.4.7
Students will:
 classify organisms
into groups based on
similarities;
 infer relationships
based on internal and
external structures
and chemical
processes.
Biological classifications are
based on how organisms are
related. Organisms are
classified into a hierarchy of
groups and subgroups based
on similarities that reflect
their relationships. Species is
the most fundamental unit of
classification. Different
species are classified by the
comparison and analysis of
their internal and external
structures and the similarity
of their chemical processes.
DOK 2
Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions
Terms:
Virus, Prion, Pathogen, Bacteria, Prokaryote, Eukaryote, Cell wall, Protist
fungi
Students will:
SC-H-UD-S-9
Students will compare internal, external and metabolic characteristics of
organisms in order to classify them into groups using taxonomic nomenclature
to describe and justify these classifications
SC-H-UD-S-10
Students will compare the structures and functions of viruses to cells and
describe the role of viruses in causing a variety of diseases or conditions (e.g.,
AIDS, common cold, smallpox, warts)
USING INFORMATION PROVIDED DETERMINE IF SPECIFIC EXAMPLES ARE LIVING OR
NON-LIVING
Properties of Life
1. I can list the characteristics of living things (5).
Cell organization, Metabolism, Homeostasis, Reproduction, Heredity
2. I can explain the life cycle of a living organism. (Beginning, Growth, Maturity,
Decline & Death)
3. I know the cell theory and can use it to tell the difference between living
things and non-living things.
LEARNING TARGET : DESIGN AND/OR CREATE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION TO ANSWER
SC-HS-3.4.6
Students will understand that in
all organisms and viruses, the
instructions for specifying the
characteristics are carried in
nucleic acids. The chemical and
structural properties of nucleic
acids determine how the
genetic information that
underlies heredity is both
encoded in genes and
replicated.
A QUESTION
Scientific Method, Lab techniques/safety, Microscopy
1. I can focus an object on low, medium and high power using the compound
light microscope.
2. I can determine the total magnification of an optical system
3. I know the lab safety guidelines in biology class and understand why they
are important and necessary.
4. I can list the steps of the scientific method and can define: hypothesis,
dependent, independent, and control
variables.
LEARNING TARGET: COMPARE AND CONTRAST KINGDOMS AND MAKE CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN PHYLA AND THEIR
Activities/Assessments/
Resources
Gram staining activity/demo
Bacterial growth lab
Antibiotic resistance lab
Wanted poster Project
Literacy Standards Key Ideas
and Details
 Antibiotic Resistance Lab
Literacy Standards Craft and
Structure:
 Interactive Word Wall
 Concept map
 Frayer Model
 Venn Diagram
 Graffiti Wall
Literacy Standard Integration of
knowledge and Ideas
Literacy Standards Range of
Reading and Level of Text
Complexity:
 Active Reading Guide
 Article Analysis
Literacy Standard Text Types
and Purposes:
 Antibiotic Resistance Lab
Literacy Standard Productive
and Distribution of Writing
 Wanted Poster
Literacy Standard Research to
Present and Build knowledge

Wanted Poster
1
EVOLUTIONARY ADVANTAGES
Viruses & Bacteria
1. I can describe the structure and function of a virus. (Non-living)
2. I can compare and contrast lytic and lysogenic viruses.
3. I understand how HIV/AIDS works and the impact it has on society.
4. I can describe the structure and function of bacteria.
5. I understand that bacteria can be helpful or harmful and both have a
significant impact on the world.
Literacy Standard Range of
Writing:
 Reflective Writing
 Reader’s Response
 Admit/Exit Slip
 Double Entry Organizer
Essential Questions
 What are the major distinctions between prokaryotic and eukaryotic
cells.
 What are the two major groups of prok?
 How are Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria different?
 What are three ways that bacteria reproduce and adapt?
 Why is a virus not considered a living organism?
 What are two ways that a virus can reproduce?
 What are viroids and prions?
 What are important roles of bacteria and viruses?
 What are 2 ways bacteria cause disease?
 How does antibiotic resistance develop?
 Why are viral diseases difficult to cure?
 What types of organisms are classified as Protists?
 What characteristics do Protists share with other organisms like Fungi,
Plants and animals? What makes them different?
 What are seven diseases Protist cause?
 How do Protist have a significant impact on the environment?
 What are five examples of ways that humans use Protists in industry?
 What are three characteristics Fungi share?
 What two symbiotic partnerships do Fungi form?
 What are some common ways human use Fungi?
How are Fungi ecologically important?
What are some Diseases Fungi cause in humans?
2
Unit Cell Functions: Basic Unit of Life
Length
of Unit
wks
Core Content/POS
Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions
Activities/Assessments/
Resources
SC-HS-3.4.7
Students will:
 classify organisms
into groups based on
similarities;
 infer relationships
based on internal and
external structures
and chemical
processes.
Biological classifications are
based on how organisms are
related. Organisms are
classified into a hierarchy of
groups and subgroups based
on similarities that reflect
their relationships. Species is
the most fundamental unit of
classification. Different
species are classified by the
comparison and analysis of
their internal and external
structures and the similarity
of their chemical processes.
DOK 2
Terms:
Prokaryotic, eukaryotic, osmosis, diffusion, active, passive transport, permeability,
homeostatsis, cell membrane, endocytosis, exocytosis,
Draw, label and color two types
of cells: Cell comparison lab
SC-HS-3.4.2
Students will understand that
most cell functions involve
chemical reactions. Food
molecules taken into cells react
to provide the chemical
constituents needed to
synthesize other molecules.
Both breakdown and synthesis
are made possible by a large
set of protein catalysts, called
enzymes. The breakdown of
some of the food molecules
enables the cell to store energy
in specific chemicals that are
Learning Targets: USE THE LANGUAGE OF SCIENCE TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST
Cell lab: view cells and their
diversity via microscope
DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHEMICAL USED BY LIVING ORGANISMS
Biochemistry
1. I can compare and contrast proteins, carbohydrates and lipids.
2. I can describe how the structure (lock and key) of enzymes affects the function
of enzymes.
3. I can describe three properties of water – polar/non-polar, expands when
frozen, high specific heat,
cohesion/adhesion
Learning Tagets: MAKING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN CELLULAR STRUCTURES,
FUNCTIONS AND PROCESSES TO DESCRIBE THE
CELLS ABILITY TO PERFORM METABOLISM AND MAINTAIN HOMEOSTASIS AND
SYNTHESIZE PROTEINS
Cytology
1. I can identify basic cell structures and describe what each cell structure does.
(Cell membrane, Cytoplasm,
Nucleus, Ribosomes, Mitochondrion, Chloroplasts, Cell wall, Vacuoles,
Endoplasmic reticulum)
2. I know the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
The Plasma Membrane
1. I can describe the structure of the plasma membrane.
2. I know the difference between diffusion and osmosis (passive transport).
3. I can identify different types of active transport (endocytosis & exocytosis).
Students will:
Understand cellular transport processes and how it relates to homestasis.
Essential Questions
 What are the major distinctions between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
 How were cells discovered?
 What defines cell shape and size
 What enable eukaryotes to perform more specialized functions than
prokaryotes?
 How cellular structures relate to functions of the cell?
Egg Osmosis lab
Gummy worm demo
Literacy Standards Key
Ideas and Details
 Enzyme Lab
 Carb Lab
Literacy Standards Craft and
Structure:
 Interactive Word Wall
 Concept map
 Frayer Model
 Venn Diagram
 Graffiti Wall
Literacy Standard Integration
of knowledge and Ideas
 Mitosis Lab
 Osmosis Lab
Literacy Standards Range of
Reading and Level of Text
Complexity:
 Active Reading Guide
 Article Analysis
Literacy Standard Text
Types and Purposes:
 Stem cell debate
3
used to carry out the many
functions of the cell
SC-HS-3.4.3
Students will:
 describe cell
regulation (enzyme
function, diffusion,
osmosis,
homeostasis);
 predict consequences
of internal/external
environmental change
on cell
function/regulation.
Cell functions are regulated.
Regulation occurs both
through changes in the
activity of the functions
performed by proteins and
through selective expression
of individual genes. This
regulation allows cells to
respond to their internal and
external environments and to
control and coordinate cell
growth and division.
DOK 2



How does the cell membrane help the cell maintain homeostasis?
How does the cell membrane restrict the exchange of substances?
What are functions of membrane proteins?
Literacy Standard
Production and Distribution
of Writing
Literacy Standard Research
to Present and Build
knowledge
 How does Surface
area to volume ratio
affect cells?
Literacy Standard Range of
Writing:
 Reflective Writing
 Reader’s Response
 Admit/Exit Slip
 Double Entry
Organizer
SC-HS-4.6.5
Students will describe and
explain the role of carboncontaining molecules and
chemical reactions in energy
transfer in living systems.
Living systems require a
continuous input of energy to
maintain their chemical and
physical organization since
the universal tendency is
toward more disorganized
states. The energy for life
primarily derives from the
Sun. Plants capture energy
4
by absorbing light and using
it to break weaker bonds in
reactants (such as carbon
dioxide and water) in
chemical reactions that result
in the formation of carboncontaining molecules. These
molecules can be used to
assemble larger molecules
(e.g., DNA, proteins, sugars,
fats). In addition, the energy
released when these
molecules react with oxygen
to form very strong bonds
can be used as sources of
energy for life processes.
DOK 3
5
Unit Heredity
Length
of Unit
wks
Core Content/POS
SC-HS-3.4.5
Students will:

explain the relationship
between sexual
reproduction (meiosis)
and the transmission of
genetic information;
 draw conclusions/make
predictions based on
hereditary
evidence/data
(pedigrees, punnet
squares).
Multicellular organisms,
including humans, form from
cells that contain two copies
of each chromosome. This
explains many features of
heredity. Transmission of
genetic information through
sexual reproduction to
offspring occurs when male
and female gametes, that
contain only one
representative from each
chromosome pair, unite.
SC-HS-3.5.1
Students will:
 predict the impact on
species of changes to
1) the potential for a
species to increase
its numbers, (2) the
genetic variability of
offspring due to
mutation and
recombination of
Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions
Terms:
Cell division , mitosis, meiosis, gametes, somatic, sex cell, crossing over,
chromosome, chromatid, centromere, pedigree, heredity, haploid, diploid,
phenotype, genotype, protein synthesis
Activities/Assessments/
Resources
Penny probability lab
Microscope lab
Karyotyping activity
Blood typing simulation
LEARNING TARGET : USE THE DNA MODEL TO ILLUSTRATE THE PROCESSES OF
REPLICATION AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS AND
PREDICT THE OUTCOME WHEN THESE PROCESSES DO NOT OCCUR CORRECTLY
Molecular Genetics
1. I can model the basic structure and function of the DNA
molecule.
2. I can demonstrate the process of DNA replication.
3. I can describe the cell cycle.
4. I can predict the effect of DNA changes when they occur.
(Mutation)
5. I can illustrate how proteins are synthesized and how the
manufacture of proteins effects the
expression of genes in living things.
ILLUSTRATE HOW GENETIC INFORMATION IS PASSED FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE
NEXT AND HOW
GENETIC MUTATION CAN INFLUENCE INHERITED TRAITS
Meiosis
1. I can describe the function of meiosis.
2. I can describe the process of meiosis.
3. I can predict how genetic variation is caused by meiosis.
USE MODELS AND DATA PRESENTATIONS TO PREDICT THE INFLUENCE OF GENES AND
CHROMOSOMES ON
THE TRAITS OF HUMANS AND OTHER ORGANISMS
Heredity
1. I can describe the structure and function of chromosomes.
2. I can identify a human karyotype and analyze it for the presence or absence
of a genetic disorder.
3. Using Punnett squares I can show how genotypes and phenotypes are
related. (Segregation and Independent
Assortment)
4. I recognize that there are other types of inheritance (Continuous variation,
Literacy Standards Key Ideas
and Details
 Karyotype Lab
Literacy Standards Craft and
Structure:
 Interactive Word Wall
 Concept map
 Frayer Model
 Venn Diagram
 Graffiti Wall
Literacy Standard Integration of
knowledge and Ideas
 Pedigree production and
analysis
Literacy Standards Range of
Reading and Level of Text
Complexity:
 Active Reading Guide
 Article Analysis
Literacy Standard Text Types
and Purposes:
 Genetic Engineering
Debate
Literacy Standard Productive
and Distribution of Writing
 Genetics Case Study
Literacy Standard Research to
Present and Build knowledge
 Genetic disease research
6
genes, (3) a finite
supply of the
resources required
for life, or (4) natural
selection;
 propose solutions to
real-world problems
of endangered and
extinct species.
Species change over time.
Biological change over time
is the consequence of the
interactions of (1) the
potential for a species to
increase its numbers, (2) the
genetic variability of
offspring due to mutation and
recombination of genes, (3) a
finite supply of the resources
required for life and (4)
natural selection. The
consequences of change
over time provide a scientific
explanation for the fossil
record of ancient life forms
and for the striking molecular
similarities observed among
the diverse species of living
organisms. Changes in DNA
(mutations) occur
spontaneously at low rates.
Some of these changes make
no difference to the
organism, whereas others
can change cells and
organisms. Only mutations in
germ cells have the potential
to create the variation that
changes an organism’s
future offspring.
DOK 3
Sex-linked, Multiple alleles,
Incomplete dominance, Co-dominance)
Students will:
Essential Questions
 In asexual reproduction, how does the offspring compare to the
parent?
 Why do cells divide?
 How do cells prepare for division?
 What are the phases of the cell cycle?
 How does cancer relate to the cell cycle?
 What are the four stages of mitosis?
 What are factors that control cell growth and division?
 How do feedback signals affect the cell cycle?
 In sexual reproduction, how do the offspring compare to the parent?
 Why are chromosomes important to an organism?
 How does the function of mitosis differ from that of meiosis?
 What are three mechanisms of genetic varation?
 What patterns of heredity were explained by Gregor Mendel?
 How can mathematical probability be used in genetics?
 What information does a pedigree show?
 How do heredity and the environment interact to influence phenotypes?
 What composes the genetic material?
 How is information organized into a DNA molecule?
 What is the central dogma of molecular biology?
 For what purposes are genes and/or proteins manipulated?
 What ethical issues arise with the uses of gene technology?
and presentation
Literacy Standard Range of
Writing:
 Reflective Writing
 Reader’s Response
 Admit/Exit Slip
 Double Entry Organizer
SC-HS-3.4.1
Students will explain the role
of DNA in protein synthesis.
7
Cells store and use
information to guide their
functions. The genetic
information stored in DNA
directs the synthesis of the
thousands of proteins that
each cell requires. Errors that
may occur during this
process may result in
mutations that may be
harmful to the organism.
DOK 3
8