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Knowledge and Skills Statement

Organisms and environments. The student knows how system are organized and function to support the health of an organism and how trait are inherited.

a classification of organisms whose cells are eukaryotic (have a nucleus and organelles), do not have cell walls, and which rely on consuming other organisms for food

the basic unit of life; a collection of organic matter (cytoplasm) surrounded by a membrane, containing biomolecules such as DNA and proteins, and which has the ability to metabolize and replicate itself

an organizational system in which each lower level is entirely subsumed in the successive upper level; each upper level is made up of one or more entire lower levels

specific variation in the characteristics of organisms received from a parent or ancestor by genetic transmission
 

a differentiated structure (such as a heart, kidney, roots, or leaves) consisting of cells and tissues and performing some specific function in an organism

bodily parts performing a function or cooperating in an activity

an individual form of life, such as a plant, animal, bacterium, protist, or fungus; a body made up of organs, organelles, or other parts that work together to carry on the various processes of life

a classification of organisms whose cells are eukaryotic (have a nucleus and organelles), have a cell wall, and which uses chlorophyll to make their own food through photosynthesis from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide

regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified whole

an aggregate of cells usually of a particular kind together with their intercellular substance which forms form one of the structural materials of a plant or an animal

Research

Lobo, Ingrid. (2008) Biological Complexity and Integrative Levels of Organization. Nature Education 1, no. 1 (2008):141

Summary: As this example illustrates, units of matter are organized and integrated into levels of increasing complexity; this is a concept referred to as integrative levels of organization. Integrative levels of organization allow researchers to describe the evolution from the inanimate to the animate and social worlds (Novikoff, 1945). Higher integrative levels are more complex and demonstrate more variation and characteristics than lower integrative levels. These levels are based upon a physical foundation, with the lowest level appearing to consist of subatomic particles. In order to study genetics, however, we don't need to consider objects as tiny as subatomic particles. Rather, the spectrum of integrative levels that ranges from macromolecules to populations is most relevant (Figure 1).