SC15.BIO.14

Science (2015) Grade(s): 09-12 - Biology

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Cause and Effect

Students know:

Organisms can produce enormous numbers of offspring.
These offspring must compete for limited resources.
These offspring also have genetic differences that are observed as phenotypic trait variations.
The offspring whose phenotypes provide the best chance to survive to adulthood and reproduce will pass on the highest frequency of their traits (and therefore genetic differences) to the next generation.
The process of directed breeding to produce offspring with desired traits is called selective breeding or artificial selection.

Students are able to:

Analyze and interpret data to recognize a pattern in changes in populations over time.
Analyze different sources of evidence.
Interpret the validity of data.
Read and construct a graph.
Recognize examples of artificial selection.
Predict phenotypic adaptations as a result of changing environments.
Compare organisms derived from artificial selection with their wild ancestors, who were products of natural selection.

Students understand that:

Natural selection leads to adaptation—to a population dominated by organisms that are anatomically, behaviorally, and physiologically well suited to survive and reproduce in a specific environment.
Survival and reproduction of organisms that have an advantageous heritable trait leads to an increase in the proportion of individuals in future generations that have the trait and to a decrease in the proportion of individuals that do not.
The distribution of traits in a population can change when conditions change.
Artificial selection allows humans to produce plants or animals with desired traits.