Standard 1:  Knows about the diversity and unity that characterize life

Interval Benchmark 1: Knows regulation and behavior

a:

Understands how an organism's ability to regulate its internal environment enables the organism to obtain and use resources, grow, reproduce, and maintain stable internal conditions while living in a constantly changing external environment

b:

Understands organisms react to internal and external stimuli through behavioral response patterns which are determined by heredity or from past experience

Interval Benchmark 2: Knows the diversity and adaptations of organisms

a:

Understands evidence that supports the idea that there is unity among organisms despite the fact that some species look very different

b:

Knows species acquire many of their unique characteristics through biological adaptation

	Standard 2:  Understands the genetic basis for the transfer of biological characteristics from one generation to the next

Interval Benchmark 1: Knows reproduction and heredity

a:

Knows reproduction is a characteristic of all living things and is essential to the continuation of a species

b:

Understands asexual and sexual reproduction

c:

Understands a species comprises all organisms that can mate with one another to produce fertile offspring

d:

Knows characteristics of an organism can be described in terms of a combination of traits which are inherited or result from interactions with the environment

e:

Knows that over a period of time, variations occur as a result of genetic information passed from one generation to the next

f:

Knows heredity information is contained in genes located on chromosomes of each cell

	Standard 3:  Knows the general structure and functions of cells in organisms

Interval Benchmark 1: Knows the structure and function in living systems

a:

Knows ways in which living things can be classified

b:

Knows each plant or animal has different structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction

c:

Understands levels of organization in living organisms, including cells, tissues, organs, systems, and the complementary nature of structure and function at each level

	Standard 4:  Understands how species depend on one another and on the environment for survival

Interval Benchmark 3: Knows populations, resources, and environments

a:

Understands characteristics of habitats, communities, populations, ecosystems, and how they are related

b:

Understands factors that regulate population growth

c:

Understands ways in which species interact and depend on one another

Interval Benchmark 4: Knows populations and ecosystems

a:

Knows the main external source of energy is the sun

b:

Knows the transfer of energy is essential to all living organisms

c:

Knows organisms serve different functions in the transfer of energy in the food chain

d:

Understands how matter is recycled within living systems

	Standard 6:  Understands the basic concepts of the evolution of the species

Interval Benchmark 1: Knows species extinction, fossil evidence, and rate of extinction

a:

Understands the concept of extinction and its importance in biological evolution

b:

Knows natural selection leads to organisms that are well suited for survival in particular environments, so that when an environment changes, some inherited characteristics become more or less advantageous for survival