Iowa+Core+Standards+and+Benchmarks

Life Science - Grades 6-8
====Life science is concerned with the study of living organisms and their interactions with each other and their environments. Life science examines the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and classification of living things. Specialized disciplines of life sciences are grouped by the type of organism being studied: botany is the study of plants, zoology the study of animals, microbiology the study of microscopic organisms.====

====Life science instruction must include the inquiry knowledge and skills described in the inquiry section of the Science Core Curriculum. Instruction should be engaging and relevant and strong connections must be made to students’ lives.====

Essential Concepts and/or Skills

 * || **Understand and apply knowledge of the basic components and functions of cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.** ||


 * || **Understand and apply knowledge of how different organisms pass on traits (heredity).** ||

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 * || **Understand and apply knowledge of the complementary nature of structure and function and the commonalities among organisms.**


 * || **Understand and apply knowledge of:**
 * interdependency of organisms, changes in environmental conditions, and survival of individuals and species.
 * the cycling of matter and energy in ecosystems. ||


 * || **Understand and demonstrate knowledge of the social and personal implications of environmental issues.** ||


 * || **Understand and apply knowledge of the functions and interconnections of the major human body systems including the breakdown in structure or function that disease causes.** ||