compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including their complexity, and compare and contrast scientific explanations for cellular complexity;

Reading/Media Literacy. Students use comprehension skills to analyze how words, images, graphics, and sounds work together in various forms to impact meaning. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater depth in increasingly more complex texts. Students are expected to:

compare and contrast how events are presented and information is communicated by visual images (e.g., graphic art, illustrations, news photographs) versus non-visual texts;

investigate homeostasis through the cellular transport of molecules; and

analyze how messages in media are conveyed through visual and sound techniques (e.g., editing, reaction shots, sequencing, background music);

compare the structures of viruses to cells and explain how viruses spread and cause disease.

compare and contrast coverage of the same event in various media (e.g., newspapers, television, documentaries, blogs, Internet); and

Science concepts--biological structures, functions, and processes. The student knows how an organism grows and the importance of cell differentiation. The student is expected to:

evaluate changes in formality and tone within the same medium for specific audiences and purposes.

explain the importance of the cell cycle to the growth of organisms, including an overview of the stages of the cell cycle and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication models;

Writing/Writing Process. Students use elements of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) to compose text. Students are expected to:

explain the process of cell specialization through cell differentiation, including the role of environmental factors; and

plan a first draft by selecting the correct genre for conveying the intended meaning to multiple audiences, determining appropriate topics through a range of strategies (e.g., discussion, background reading, personal interests, interviews), and developing a thesis or controlling idea;

relate disruptions of the cell cycle to how they lead to the development of diseases such as cancer.

Science concepts--mechanisms of genetics. The student knows the role of nucleic acids in gene expression. The student is expected to:

structure ideas in a sustained and persuasive way (e.g., using outlines, note taking, graphic organizers, lists) and develop drafts in timed and open-ended situations that include transitions and the rhetorical devices used to convey meaning;

identify components of DNA, explain how the nucleotide sequence specifies some traits of an organism, and examine scientific explanations for the origin of DNA;

revise drafts to improve style, word choice, figurative language, sentence variety, and subtlety of meaning after rethinking how well questions of purpose, audience, and genre have been addressed;

edit drafts for grammar, mechanics, and spelling; and

describe the significance of gene expression and explain the process of protein synthesis using models of DNA and ribonucleic acid (RNA);

revise final draft in response to feedback from peers and teacher and publish written work for appropriate audiences.

identify and illustrate changes in DNA and evaluate the significance of these changes; and

Writing/Literary Texts. Students write literary texts to express their ideas and feelings about real or imagined people, events, and ideas. Students are responsible for at least two forms of literary writing. Students are expected to:

discuss the importance of molecular technologies such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gel electrophoresis, and genetic engineering that are applicable in current research and engineering practices.

write an engaging story with a well-developed conflict and resolution, interesting and believable characters, and a range of literary strategies (e.g., dialogue, suspense) and devices to enhance the plot;

Science concepts--mechanisms of genetics. The student knows the role of nucleic acids and the principles of inheritance and variation of traits in Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics. The student is expected to:

write a poem using a variety of poetic techniques (e.g., structural elements, figurative language) and a variety of poetic forms (e.g., sonnets, ballads); and

analyze the significance of chromosome reduction, independent assortment, and crossing-over during meiosis in increasing diversity in populations of organisms that reproduce sexually; and

write a script with an explicit or implicit theme and details that contribute to a definite mood or tone.

predict possible outcomes of various genetic combinations using monohybrid and dihybrid crosses, including non-Mendelian traits of incomplete dominance, codominance, sex-linked traits, and multiple alleles.

Science concepts--biological evolution. The student knows evolutionary theory is a scientific explanation for the unity and diversity of life that has multiple lines of evidence. The student is expected to:

Writing/Expository and Procedural Texts. Students write expository and procedural or work-related texts to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for specific purposes. Students are expected to:

analyze and evaluate how evidence of common ancestry among groups is provided by the fossil record, biogeography, and homologies, including anatomical, molecular, and developmental; and

write an analytical essay of sufficient length that includes:

effective introductory and concluding paragraphs and a variety of sentence structures;

examine scientific explanations for varying rates of change such as gradualism, abrupt appearance, and stasis in the fossil record.

rhetorical devices, and transitions between paragraphs;

Science concepts--biological evolution. The student knows evolutionary theory is a scientific explanation for the unity and diversity of life that has multiple mechanisms. The student is expected to:

a controlling idea or thesis;

analyze and evaluate how natural selection produces change in populations and not in individuals;

an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context; and

analyze and evaluate how the elements of natural selection, including inherited variation, the potential of a population to produce more offspring than can survive, and a finite supply of environmental resources, result in differential reproductive success;

relevant information and valid inferences;

analyze and evaluate how natural selection may lead to speciation; and

write procedural or work-related documents (e.g., instructions, e-mails, correspondence, memos, project plans) that include:

analyze evolutionary mechanisms other than natural selection, including genetic drift, gene flow, mutation, and genetic recombination, and their effect on the gene pool of a population.

Science concepts--biological structures, functions, and processes. The student knows the significance of matter cycling, energy flow, and enzymes in living organisms. The student is expected to:

organized and accurately conveyed information; and

explain how matter is conserved and energy is transferred during photosynthesis and cellular respiration using models, including the chemical equations for these processes; and

reader-friendly formatting techniques;