Skill plan for the Pennsylvania Keystone Exams - Biology
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Module
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Basic Biological Principles
BIO.A.1.1 - Explain the characteristics common to all organisms.
BIO.A.1.1.1: Describe the characteristics of life shared by all prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms.
BIO.A.1.1.1: Describe the characteristics of life shared by all prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms.
BIO.A.1.2 - Describe relationships between structure and function at biological levels of organization.
BIO.A.1.2.1: Compare cellular structures and their functions in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Understanding cells
Plant cells
Animal cells
BIO.A.1.2.1: Compare cellular structures and their functions in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Understanding cells
Plant cells
Animal cells
BIO.A.1.2.2: Describe and interpret relationships between structure and function at various levels of biological organization (i.e., organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and multicellular organisms).
BIO.A.1.2.2: Describe and interpret relationships between structure and function at various levels of biological organization (i.e., organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and multicellular organisms).
The Chemical Basis for Life
BIO.A.2.1 - Describe how the unique properties of water support life on Earth.
BIO.A.2.1.1: Describe the unique properties of water and how these properties support life on Earth (e.g., freezing point, high specific heat, cohesion).
BIO.A.2.1.1: Describe the unique properties of water and how these properties support life on Earth (e.g., freezing point, high specific heat, cohesion).
BIO.A.2.2 - Describe and interpret relationships between structure and function at various levels of biochemical organization (i.e., atoms, molecules, and macromolecules).
BIO.A.2.2.1: Explain how carbon is uniquely suited to form biological macromolecules.
BIO.A.2.2.1: Explain how carbon is uniquely suited to form biological macromolecules.
BIO.A.2.2.2: Describe how biological macromolecules form from monomers.
BIO.A.2.2.2: Describe how biological macromolecules form from monomers.
BIO.A.2.2.3: Compare the structure and function of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids in organisms.
BIO.A.2.2.3: Compare the structure and function of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids in organisms.
BIO.A.2.3 - Explain how enzymes regulate biochemical reactions within a cell.
BIO.A.2.3.1: Describe the role of an enzyme as a catalyst in regulating a specific biochemical reaction.
BIO.A.2.3.1: Describe the role of an enzyme as a catalyst in regulating a specific biochemical reaction.
BIO.A.2.3.2: Explain how factors such as pH, temperature, and concentration levels can affect enzyme function.
BIO.A.2.3.2: Explain how factors such as pH, temperature, and concentration levels can affect enzyme function.
Bioenergetics
BIO.A.3.1 - Identify and describe the cell structures involved in processing energy.
BIO.A.3.1.1: Describe the fundamental roles of plastids (e.g., chloroplasts) and mitochondria in energy transformations.
BIO.A.3.1.1: Describe the fundamental roles of plastids (e.g., chloroplasts) and mitochondria in energy transformations.
BIO.A.3.2 - Identify and describe how organisms obtain and transform energy for their life processes.
BIO.A.3.2.1: Compare the basic transformation of energy during photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
BIO.A.3.2.1: Compare the basic transformation of energy during photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
BIO.A.3.2.2: Describe the role of ATP in biochemical reactions.
BIO.A.3.2.2: Describe the role of ATP in biochemical reactions.
Homeostasis and Transport
BIO.A.4.1 - Identify and describe the cell structures involved in transport of materials into, out of, and throughout a cell.
BIO.A.4.1.1: Describe how the structure of the plasma membrane allows it to function as a regulatory structure and/or protective barrier for a cell.
BIO.A.4.1.1: Describe how the structure of the plasma membrane allows it to function as a regulatory structure and/or protective barrier for a cell.
BIO.A.4.1.2: Compare the mechanisms that transport materials across the plasma membrane (i.e., passive transport—diffusion, osmosis, facilitated diffusion; and active transport—pumps, endocytosis, exocytosis).
BIO.A.4.1.2: Compare the mechanisms that transport materials across the plasma membrane (i.e., passive transport—diffusion, osmosis, facilitated diffusion; and active transport—pumps, endocytosis, exocytosis).
BIO.A.4.1.3: Describe how membrane-bound cellular organelles (e.g., endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus) facilitate the transport of materials within a cell.
BIO.A.4.1.3: Describe how membrane-bound cellular organelles (e.g., endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus) facilitate the transport of materials within a cell.
BIO.A.4.2 - Explain mechanisms that permit organisms to maintain biological balance between their internal and external environments.
BIO.A.4.2.1: Explain how organisms maintain homeostasis (e.g., thermoregulation, water regulation, oxygen regulation).
BIO.A.4.2.1: Explain how organisms maintain homeostasis (e.g., thermoregulation, water regulation, oxygen regulation).
Cell Growth and Reproduction
BIO.B.1.1 - Describe the three stages of the cell cycle: interphase, nuclear division, cytokinesis.
BIO.B.1.1.1: Describe the events that occur during the cell cycle: interphase, nuclear division (i.e., mitosis or meiosis), cytokinesis.
The cell cycle
Mitosis
BIO.B.1.1.1: Describe the events that occur during the cell cycle: interphase, nuclear division (i.e., mitosis or meiosis), cytokinesis.
The cell cycle
Mitosis
BIO.B.1.1.2: Compare the processes and outcomes of mitotic and meiotic nuclear divisions.
BIO.B.1.1.2: Compare the processes and outcomes of mitotic and meiotic nuclear divisions.
BIO.B.1.2 - Explain how genetic information is inherited.
BIO.B.1.2.1: Describe how the process of DNA replication results in the transmission and/or conservation of genetic information.
BIO.B.1.2.1: Describe how the process of DNA replication results in the transmission and/or conservation of genetic information.
BIO.B.1.2.2: Explain the functional relationships between DNA, genes, alleles, and chromosomes and their roles in inheritance.
BIO.B.1.2.2: Explain the functional relationships between DNA, genes, alleles, and chromosomes and their roles in inheritance.
Genetics
BIO.B.2.1 - Compare Mendelian and non-Mendelian patterns of inheritance.
BIO.B.2.1.1: Describe and/or predict observed patterns of inheritance (i.e., dominant, recessive, co-dominance, incomplete dominance, sex-linked, polygenic, and multiple alleles).
Introduction to genetics
Punnett squares
BIO.B.2.1.1: Describe and/or predict observed patterns of inheritance (i.e., dominant, recessive, co-dominance, incomplete dominance, sex-linked, polygenic, and multiple alleles).
Introduction to genetics
Punnett squares
BIO.B.2.1.2: Describe processes that can alter composition or number of chromosomes (i.e., crossing-over, nondisjunction, duplication, translocation, deletion, insertion, and inversion).
BIO.B.2.1.2: Describe processes that can alter composition or number of chromosomes (i.e., crossing-over, nondisjunction, duplication, translocation, deletion, insertion, and inversion).
BIO.B.2.2 - Explain the process of protein synthesis (i.e., transcription, translation, and protein modification).
BIO.B.2.2.1: Describe how the processes of transcription and translation are similar in all organisms.
BIO.B.2.2.1: Describe how the processes of transcription and translation are similar in all organisms.
BIO.B.2.2.2: Describe the role of ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and the nucleus in the production of specific types of proteins.
BIO.B.2.2.2: Describe the role of ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and the nucleus in the production of specific types of proteins.
BIO.B.2.3 - Explain how genetic information is expressed.
BIO.B.2.3.1: Describe how genetic mutations alter the DNA sequence and may or may not affect phenotype (e.g., silent, nonsense, frame-shift).
BIO.B.2.3.1: Describe how genetic mutations alter the DNA sequence and may or may not affect phenotype (e.g., silent, nonsense, frame-shift).
BIO.B.2.4 - Apply scientific thinking, processes, tools, and technologies in the study of genetics.
BIO.B.2.4.1: Explain how genetic engineering has impacted the fields of medicine, forensics, and agriculture (e.g., selective breeding, gene splicing, cloning, genetically modified organisms, gene therapy).
BIO.B.2.4.1: Explain how genetic engineering has impacted the fields of medicine, forensics, and agriculture (e.g., selective breeding, gene splicing, cloning, genetically modified organisms, gene therapy).
Theory of Evolution
BIO.B.3.1 - Explain the mechanisms of evolution.
BIO.B.3.1.1: Explain how natural selection can impact allele frequencies of a population.
BIO.B.3.1.1: Explain how natural selection can impact allele frequencies of a population.
BIO.B.3.1.2: Describe the factors that can contribute to the development of new species (e.g., isolating mechanisms, genetic drift, founder effect, migration).
BIO.B.3.1.2: Describe the factors that can contribute to the development of new species (e.g., isolating mechanisms, genetic drift, founder effect, migration).
BIO.B.3.1.3: Explain how genetic mutations may result in genotypic and phenotypic variations within a population.
BIO.B.3.1.3: Explain how genetic mutations may result in genotypic and phenotypic variations within a population.
BIO.B.3.2 - Analyze the sources of evidence for biological evolution.
BIO.B.3.2.1: Interpret evidence supporting the theory of evolution (i.e., fossil, anatomical, physiological, embryological, biochemical, and universal genetic code).
BIO.B.3.2.1: Interpret evidence supporting the theory of evolution (i.e., fossil, anatomical, physiological, embryological, biochemical, and universal genetic code).
BIO.B.3.3 - Apply scientific thinking, processes, tools, and technologies in the study of the theory of evolution.
BIO.B.3.3.1: Distinguish between the scientific terms: hypothesis, inference, law, theory, principle, fact, and observation.
BIO.B.3.3.1: Distinguish between the scientific terms: hypothesis, inference, law, theory, principle, fact, and observation.
Ecology
BIO.B.4.1 - Describe ecological levels of organization in the biosphere.
BIO.B.4.1.1: Describe the levels of ecological organization (i.e., organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, and biosphere).
BIO.B.4.1.1: Describe the levels of ecological organization (i.e., organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, and biosphere).
BIO.B.4.1.2: Describe characteristic biotic and abiotic components of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
BIO.B.4.1.2: Describe characteristic biotic and abiotic components of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
BIO.B.4.2 - Describe interactions and relationships in an ecosystem.
BIO.B.4.2.1: Describe how energy flows through an ecosystem (e.g., food chains, food webs, energy pyramids).
BIO.B.4.2.1: Describe how energy flows through an ecosystem (e.g., food chains, food webs, energy pyramids).
BIO.B.4.2.2: Describe biotic interactions in an ecosystem (e.g., competition, predation, symbiosis).
BIO.B.4.2.2: Describe biotic interactions in an ecosystem (e.g., competition, predation, symbiosis).
BIO.B.4.2.3: Describe how matter recycles through an ecosystem (i.e., water cycle, carbon cycle, oxygen cycle, and nitrogen cycle).
BIO.B.4.2.3: Describe how matter recycles through an ecosystem (i.e., water cycle, carbon cycle, oxygen cycle, and nitrogen cycle).
BIO.B.4.2.4: Describe how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances (e.g., climate changes, introduction of nonnative species, pollution, fires).
BIO.B.4.2.4: Describe how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances (e.g., climate changes, introduction of nonnative species, pollution, fires).
BIO.B.4.2.5: Describe the effects of limiting factors on population dynamics and potential species extinction.
BIO.B.4.2.5: Describe the effects of limiting factors on population dynamics and potential species extinction.
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