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Science and Technology/Engineering > Grade 8 > Life Science
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Science and Technology/Engineering | Grade : 8

Discipline - Life Science

Core Idea - Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

[8.LS.3.2] - Construct an argument based on evidence for how asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation. Compare and contrast advantages and disadvantages of asexual and sexual reproduction. Clarification Statements: Examples of an advantage of sexual reproduction can include genetic variation when the environment changes or a disease is introduced, while examples of an advantage of asexual reproduction can include not using energy to find a mate and fast reproduction rates. Examples of a disadvantage of sexual reproduction can include using resources to find a mate, while a disadvantage in asexual reproduction can be the lack of genetic variation when the environment changes or a disease is introduced.

Resources:

Predecessor Standards:

  • 3.LS.1.1
    Use simple graphical representations to show that different types of organisms have unique and diverse life cycles. Describe that all organisms have birth, growth, reproduction, and death in common but there are a variety of ways in which these happen.Clarification Statements: Examples can include different ways plants and animals begin (e.g., sprout from a seed, born from an egg), grow (e.g., increase in size and weight, produce a new part), reproduce (e.g., develop seeds, root runners, mate and lay eggs that hatch), and die (e.g., length of life); Plant life cycles should focus on those of flowering plants; Describing variation in organism life cycles should focus on comparisons of the general stages of each, not specifics. State Assessment Boundary: Detailed descriptions of any one organism’s cycle, the differences of “complete metamorphosis” and “incomplete metamorphosis,” or details of human reproduction are not expected in state assessment.

Successor Standards:

  • HS.LS.3.1
    Develop and use a model to show how DNA in the form of chromosomes is passed from parents to offspring through the processes of meiosis and fertilization in sexual reproduction. Clarification Statement: The model should demonstrate that an individual’s characteristics (phenotype) result, in part, from interactions among the various proteins expressed by one’s genes (genotype). State Assessment Boundary: Identification of specific phases of meiosis or the biochemical mechanisms involved are not expected in state assessment.

Same Level Standards:

  • RCA-ST.6-8.1
    Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, quoting or paraphrasing as appropriate. (See grades 6-8 Writing Standard 8 for more on quoting and paraphrasing.)
  • 8.LS.3.4
    Develop and use a model to show that sexually reproducing organisms have two of each chromosome in their cell nuclei, and hence two variants (alleles) of each gene that can be the same or different from each other, with one random assortment of each chromosome passed down to offspring from both parents. Clarification Statement: Examples of models can include Punnett squares, diagrams (e.g., simple pedigrees), and simulations. State Assessment Boundary: State assessment will limit inheritance patterns to dominant-recessive alleles only.