6th Grade Life Science
Life’s Structure and Function
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Apply scientific methods in problem solving
Demonstrate how to measure using scientific units
Distinguish between living and non-living things
Identify what living things need to survive
Describe experiments about spontaneous generation
Explain how scientific methods led to the idea of biogenesis
Describe how early scientists classified living things
Explain the system of binomial nomenclature
Demonstrate how to use the dichotomous key
Identify names and functions of each part of a cell
Explain how a nucleus is important in a cell
Compare tissues, organs and organ systems
Compare the differences between the compound light microscope and the electron
microscope
Summarize the discoveries that led to the development of the cell theory
Explain how a virus makes copies of itself
Identify the benefits of vaccines
Investigate some uses of viruses
List the differences among atoms, elements, molecules, and compounds
Describe the function of a selectively permeable membrane
Explain how the processes of diffusion and osmosis move molecules in living cells
Explain how passive transport and active transport differ
List the differences between producers and consumers
Explain how the processes of photosynthesis and respiration store and release energy
Describe how cells get energy from glucose through fermentation
Explain why mitosis is important
Examine the steps of mitosis
Compare mitosis in plant and animal cells
List two examples of asexual reproduction
Describe the stages of meiosis and how sex cells are produced
Explain why meiosis is needed for sexual reproduction
Name the cells that are involved in fertilization
Explain how fertilization occurs in sexual reproduction
Identify the parts of a DNA molecule and its structure
Explain how DNA copies itelf
Describe the structure and function of each kind of RNA
Explain how traits are inherited
Identify Mendel\s role in the history of genetics
Use a Punnett square to predict the results of crosses
Compare and contrast between an individual’s genotype and phenotype
Explain how traits are inherited by incomplete dominance
Compare multiple alleles and polygenic inheritance and give examples of each
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Describe two human genetic disorders and how they are inherited
Explain how sex-linked traits are passed to offsprings
Evaluate the importance of advances in genetics
Sequence the steps in making genetically engineered organisms
Describe Lamarck’s hypothesis of acquired characteristics and Darwin’s theory of
natural selection
Identify why variations in organisms are important
Compare and contrast gradualism and punctuated equilibrium
Identify the importance of fossils as evidence of evolution
Explain how relative and radioactive dating are used to estimate the age of fossils
List examples of five types of evidence for evolution
Describe the differences among living primates
Identify the adaptations of primates
Discuss the evolutionary history of modern primates
From Bacteria to Plants
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Identify the characteristics of bacterial cells
Compare and contrast aerobic and anaerobic organisms
Identify some ways bacteria are useful
Determine the importance of nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Explain how some bacteria can cause human diseases
Describe the characteristics shared by all protists
Compare and contrast the three groups of protists
List examples of each of the three protist groups
Explain why protist are so difficult to classify
Identify the characteristics shared by all fungi
Classify fungi into groups based on their methods of reproduction
Differentiate between the imperfect fungi and all other fungi
Identify characteristics common to all plants
Explain which plant adaptations make it possible for plants to survive on land
Compare and contrast vascular and nonvascular plants
Distinguish between seedless nonvascular plants and seedless vascular plants
Identify the importance of some vascular and nonvascular plants
Identify the characteristics of seed plants
Explain the structure and function of stems, roots, and leaves
Describe the main characteristics and importance of gymnosperms and angiosperms
Compare similarities and differences between monocots and dicots
Distinguish between the two types of plant reproduction
Describe the two stages in a plant’s life cycle
Examine the life cycles of a moss and a fern
Explain why spores are important to seedless plants
Identify some special structures used by ferns for reproduction
Examine the life cycles of typical gymnosperms and angiosperms
Identify the structure and function of the flowers
Discuss methods of seed dispersal of seed plants
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Explain how plants take in and give off gases
Compare and contrast photosynthesis and respiration
Discuss why photosynthesis and respiration are important
Identify the relationship between a stimulus and a tropism in plants
Compare and contrast long-day and short-day plants
Explain how plant hormones and responses are related
Animal Diversity
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Identify characteristics common to most animals
Determine how animals meet their needs
Distinguish between vertebrates and invertebrates
Describe the characteristics of sponges and cnidarians
Explain how sponges and cnidarians obtain food and oxygen
Determine the importance of living coral reefs
List the characteristics of flatworms and roundworms
Distinguish between free-living and parasitic organisms
Identify disease-causing flatworms and roundworms
Identify the characteristics of mollusks
Describe gastropods, bivalves, and cephalopods
Explain the environmental importance of mollusks
Identify the characteristics of segmented worms
Describe the structure of an earthworm and how it takes in and digests food
Explain the importance of segmented worms
Determine the characteristics used to classify arthropods
Explain how the structure of the exoskeleton relates to its function
Distinguish between complete and incomplete metamorphosis
List the characteristics of echinoderms
Explain how sea stars obtain and digest food
Discuss the importance of echinoderms
List the characteristics of all chordates
Identify characteristics shared by vertebrates
Differentiate between ectotherms and endotherms
List the characteristics of the three classes of fish
Explain how fish obtain food and oxygen and reproduce
Describe the importance and origin of fish
Describe the adaptations of amphibians have living in the water and living on land
List the kinds of amphibians and the characteristics of each
Explain how amphibians reproduce and develop
List the characteristics of reptiles
Explain how reptile adaptations enable them to live on land
Explain the importance of the amniotic egg
Identify the characteristics of birds
Identify the adaptations that birds have for flight
Explain how birds reproduce and develop
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Explain the characteristics of mammals and explain how they have enabled mammals
to adapt to different environments
Distinguish among monotremes, marsupials, and placentals
Explain why many species of mammals are becoming threatened and endangered
Identify the differences between innate and learned behavior
Explain how instincts and reflexes help organisms survive
Identify examples of imprinting and conditioning
Explain why behavioral adaptations are important
Describe how courtship behavior increases reproductive success
Explain the importance of social behavior and cyclic behavior.
Human Body Systems
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Identify the functions of the skeletal system.
Compare and contrast movable and immovable joints.
Identify the major function of the muscular system.
Compare and contrast the three types of muscles
Explain how muscle action results in the movement of body parts.
Distinguish between the epidermis and the dermis of the skin.
Identify the skin’s functions.
Explain how skin protects the body from disease and how it heals itself.
Distinguish among the six classes of nutrients.
Explain the relationship between diet and health.
Distinguish between mechanical digestion and chemical digestion.
Identify the organs of the digestive system and what takes place in each.
Explain how homeostasis is maintained in digestion.
Compare and contrast arteries, veins, and capillaries.
Explain how blood moves through the heart.
Identify the functions of the pulmonary and systemic circulation systems.
Identify the parts and functions of blood.
Explain why blood types are checked before a blood transfusion.
Give examples of diseases of blood.
Describe functions of the lymphatic system.
Identify where lymph comes from.
Explain how lymph organs help fight infections.
Describe the functions of the respiratory system.
Explain how oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged in the lungs and in tissues.
Identify the pathway of air in and out of the lungs.
Explain the effects of smoking on the respiratory system.
Distinguish between the urinary and excretory system.
Describe how the kidneys work.
Explain what happens when urinary organs don’t work.
Describe the basic structure of a neuron and how an impulse moves across a synapse.
Compare the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Explain how drugs affect the body.
List the sensory receptors in each sense organ.
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Explain what type of stimulus each sense organ responds to and how.
Explain why healthy sense organs are needed.
Explain how hormones function.
Identify different endocrine glands and the effects of the hormones they produce.
Describe how a feedback system works in your body.
Identify the functions of the reproductive system.
Compare and contrast the major structures of the male and female reproductive
systems.
Sequence the stages of the menstrual cycle.
Describe the fertilization of the human egg.
List the major events in the development of an embryo and fetus.
Describe the developmental stages of infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
Describe the natural defenses your body has against disease.
Explain the differences between an antigen and an antibody.
Compare and contrast passive and active immunity.
Describe the work of Pasteur, Koch, and Lister in the discovery and prevention of
disease.
Identify disease caused by viruses and bacteria.
List sexually transmitted diseases, their causes, and treatments.
Explain how HIV affects the immune system.
Define noninfectious diseases and list causes of them.
Describe the basic characteristics of cancer.
Explain what happens during an allergic reaction.
Explain how chemicals in the environment can be harmful to humans.
Ecology
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Identify places where life is found on Earth.
Define ecology.
Observe how the environment influences life.
Identify methods for estimating population sizes.
Explain how competition limits population growth.
List factors that influence changes in population size.
Describe how organisms obtain energy for life.
Explain how organisms interact.
Recognize that every organism occupies a niche.
Identify common abiotic factors in most ecosystems.
List the components of air that are needed for life.
Explain how climate influences life in an ecosystem.
Explain the importance of Earth’s water cycle.
Diagram the carbon cycle.
Recognize the role of nitrogen in life on Earth.
Explain how organisms produce energy-rich compounds.
Describe how energy flows through ecosystems.
Recognize how much energy is available at different levels in a food chain.
Explain how ecosystems change over time.
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Describe how new communities begin in areas without life.
Compare pioneer species and climax communities.
Explain how climate influences land environments.
Identify seven biomes on Earth.
Describe the adaptations of organisms found in each biome.
Compare flowing freshwater and standing freshwater ecosystems.
Identify and describe important saltwater ecosystems.
Identify problems that affect aquatic ecosystems.
Compare renewable and nonrenewable resources.
List uses of fossil fuels.
Identify alternatives to fossil fuel use.
Describe types of air pollution.
Identify causes of water pollution.
Explain methods that can be used to prevent erosion.
Recognize ways you can reduce your use of natural resources.
Explain how you can reuse resources to promote conservation.
Describe how many materials can be recycled.