| Living Systems COURSE MATRIX |
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SYNOPSIS |
SCIENCE
CONTENT |
THINKING
PROCESSES |
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1. |
LIVING CELLS |
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Students study four related
human-body transport systems that
provide all the cells water, food,
gas exchange, and waste disposal.
The structures and functions of the
circulatory, respiratory, digestive,
and excretory systems are explored
through a variety of multimedia
activities. Students observe and<
analyze an investigation on gastric
juice in the stomach. |
• Cells require water, food, gases, and
waste removal to live.
• In humans, oxygen is transported
to the blood and carbon dioxide is
transported from the blood in the
respiratory system.
• In the human circulatory system,
blood transports resources to the cells
and wastes from the cells.
• The digestive system breaks down
complex substances into simple ones.
• Kidneys filter wastes from blood and
convert them into urine for excretion.
• The respiratory, circulatory, digestive,
and excretory systems work together
to ensure that cells receive the
resources they need. |
• Use print and video resources to
gather information about multiple
human organ systems.
• Describe structure and function
relationships in a variety of organs in
a system.
• Describe the sequence of events in
complex relationships in human
organ systems.
• Observe and communicate the results
of an experiment on digestion.
• Identify the dependent and
controlled variables in an experiment. |
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2. |
VASCULAR PLANTS |
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Students investigate the transport
system in vascular plants and learn
about the specialized structures,
xylem and phloem tubes. Students
design and conduct a scientific
investigation and discover that
leaves play an important role in
the transport of water to cells
in vascular plants. They use
multimedia resources to gather
information about plants. They
collect and classify plant leaves,
based on appropriate criteria. |
• Life happens in cells.
• Vascular plants have two transport
systems, one to transport water and
minerals from roots to leaves, and one
to transport sugar from leaves to cells
that need it.
• In vascular plants, water and minerals
are transported to cells in xylem
tubes; sugar is transported to cells in
phloem tubes.
• Vascular bundles are arranged in
predictable patterns of veins in the
leaves of vascular plants.
• Scientists classify objects and
information by organizing them into
groups with similar attributes. |
• Classify objects (e.g., rocks,
plants, leaves) in accordance with
appropriate criteria.
• Plan and conduct an investigation to
find out how water gets to the cells in
a vascular plant.
• Use appropriate tools to measure
mass and volume in an experiment.
• Use mathematics to analyze
investigation results.
• Organize and communicate findings. |
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3. |
SUGAR AND CELLS |
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Students analyze an experiment
to determine the conditions
under which plants produce food
(photosynthesis). They design an
investigation to determine what
conditions are needed to activate an
organism (yeast) and are introduced
to the process by which plant and
animal cells obtain energy from
food (cellular respiration). They
design and conduct an experiment
to determine the sugar content of
common foods. |
• Chlorophyll absorbs sunlight.
• Photosynthesis requires carbon
dioxide, water, and light.
• Photosynthesis produces sugar and
oxygen gas.
• Plant and animal cells break down
sugar and oxygen into carbon dioxide
and water to obtain energy (cellular
respiration).
• Animals obtain six classes of
nutrients from food: protein,
carbohydrate, fat, minerals, vitamins,
and water.
• The volume of gas produced by yeast
is proportional to the amount of
sugar present. |
• Observe and describe evidence of
yeast’s cellular respiration.
• Plan and conduct an investigation
to fi nd out how much sugar is in
different breakfast cereals.
• Use appropriate tools to measure
mass, volume, and temperature in an
experiment.
• Use mathematics to analyze
investigation results.
• Organize and communicate results
of an experiment using years as an
indicator of sugar.
• Identify the dependent and
controlled variables in an experiment. |
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page 3
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