Next Generation Science Standards, Middle School Life Science

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MS-LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

MS-LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

MS-LS3 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

  • MS-LS3-1 Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism.


MS-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity



  • MS-LS4-3 Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy.

  • MS-LS4-4 Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.

  • MS-LS4-5 Gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.

    Quadrats and Population Sampling video, ClosedCaptions

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