DPI Standards – Biology Education (for General Zoology students) 1. Characteristics of organisms Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Know Properties of living organisms, including: Acquire and use energy and materials General Biology Reports, projects, exams Sense and respond to stimuli Reproduce and develop Organization 2. Life cycles of organisms Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Parasitic life cycles Zoology Exams, Lab practicals Identify stages of animal life cycles Identify stages of plant life cycle Botany Oral/written pres, exams 3. Organisms and their environment Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Physiological adaptations of organisms Zoology Exams, Lab practicals Biotic and abiotic factors in the environment Ecology Exams, Reports, journal Anatomical adaptations of organisms Botany Oral/written pres, exams 4. Structure and function of living things Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Plant structure and growth Botany Oral/written pres, exams Organization of the animal body Zoology Exams, Lab practicals Animal organs and systems Dissection of several phyla of animals 5. Reproduction and heredity Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Complete a Punnett square General Biology Exams, reports Plant Sexual and asexual reproduction Botany Oral/written pres, exams Animal reproductive modes Zoology Exams, Lab practicals Mendelian genetics Genetics and Evolution Discussions, exams, Patterns in inheritance papers Meiosis and sexual reproduction Build a pedigree 6. Regulation and behavior Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Homeostasis General Biology Exams, Environmental Factors Ecology Exams, Reports, journal Organismal factors Zoology Exams, Lab practicals 7. Populations and ecosystems Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Population characteristics, including Population dynamics Ecology Exams, Reports, journal Nutrient cycling Trophic structure Exotic species Growth curves 8. Diversity and adaptations of organisms Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Natural selection General Biology Reports, projects, exams Measure diversity of a population Characteristics of plant phyla Botany Oral/written pres, exams Identification of common flora Characteristics of animal phyla Zoology Exams, Lab practicals Identification of common fauna Principals and practices of biological classification 9. The cell Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Biomembranes Cell and Molecular Biology Lab Reports, exams Animal cell structure Cell-cell interactions Cell and organelle function Mitosis and cytokinesis Organization of the nucleus Demonstrate proper use of the microscope Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells Botany Oral/written pres, exams Plant cell structure 10. The molecular basis of heredity Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Central Dogma of Biology General Biology Reports, projects, exams DNA structure and replication Genes and how they work Genetics and Evolution Discussions, exams, Control of gene expression papers Genetic mutations Genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics Gene and DNA technology Prepare DNA for analysis and General Biology Reports, projects, exams Run a PCR/electrophoresis 11. Biological evolution Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Genes within natural populations Genetics and Evolution Discussions, exams, papers Evidence for evolution General Biology Reports, projects, exams The origin of species Genetics and Evolution Discussions, exams, Processes of evolution papers 12. The interdependence of organisms Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Predator-prey interactions Ecology Exams, Reports, journal Community Ecology, including Ecological succession The concept of the ecological niche Competitive interactions Parasite -host interactions Zoology Exams, Lab practicals 13. Matter, energy, and organization in living systems Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Understand life process in living organisms, including: Ecological pyramids Ecology Exams, Reports, journal Nutrient cycling Cellular Respiration Cell and Molecular Biology Lab Reports, exams Metabolic Pathways and Enzymes Basic Biochemistry General Biology Reports, projects, exams Plant Photosynthesis Botany Oral/written pres, exams 14. The behavior of organisms Knowledge and skills for this standard Course(s) where each Sample performance knowledge or skill is assessment where most assessed developed in program Evolution of nervous systems Zoology Exams, Lab practicals Adaptation of animal senses Behavioral ecology Ecology Exams, Reports, journal Evolution of Behaviors Plant Behaviors/responses Botany Oral/written pres, exams .