The Living Earth

Instructional Segment #3 (IS3)

Students will develop models of how changes in the physical environment trigger evolutionary changes that are recorded in the fossil record in IS3 (Evidence of Evolution). Students develop a model about how rock layers record evidence of evolution as fossils. Building on their learning from previous grades, they focus on effectively communicating this evidence and relating it to principles of natural selection.

Biology as The Living Earth – Semester 2

Below are short summaries of each instructional segment from the NGSS framework. In purple you will find suggestions on how to lean into the performance expectations through climate, environmental, or earth system science. 

Click here to download the Biology NGSS Overview PDF

Instructional Segment #4 (IS4)

Students develop macroscopic models of genetic inheritance in IS4 (Inheritance of traits). Students develop explanations about the specific mechanisms that enable parents to pass traits on to their offspring. They make claims about which processes give rise to variation in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) codes and calculate the probability that offspring will inherit traits from their parents. Topics might include how we have domesticated/altered the form of crops and farm animals (ex. could start with looking at current images of dogs, chickens, or crops then show images of what animals and crops used to look like for points of comparison and discussion); How these modifications have helped to provide more food for people, but have also caused many potential problems (e.g. overuse of antibiotics in animals and development of resistance and human impacts from meat consumption, increase in diseases which can wipe out crops because there is little genetic variation – bananas today are less tasty than in the past, etc.); Cover the differences between genetic versus behavioral changes (which are commonly misunderstood).

Other examples to consider include acclimation versus adaptation and how species require multiple generations to adapt (adaptation implies a genetic shift [ex. fish reproduce at younger ages than they used to] versus acclimation and the ability of organisms to survive in new environments even though they might not do as well [ex. baby penguins in Antarctica are used to being on snow or frozen rocks using their feathers to keep warm, but now with warmer conditions due to climate change the environment is muddy and their feathers don’t function as well so they shiver to warm up which requires more energy to keep warm than before]).

Instructional Segment #5 (IS5)

In IS5 (Structure, Function, and Growth), students zoom into the detailed mechanisms that enable all the previous interactions to occur. They focus on how cells use DNA to construct proteins, build biomass, reproduce, and create complex multicellular organisms. Teachers could teach students about biomass production that could tie back to carbon sequestration from the atmosphere (e.g. how many trees would have to be growing at this rate to absorb our excess carbon emissions); The role of key nutrients and proteins to grow our produce that make us rely more on fertilizers, however the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and degenerative agricultural practices are turning nutrient soil into dirt; Or how some crops are becoming less nutritious without the appropriate amount of nutrients and proteins as carbon dioxide emissions increase.

Students use models to create explanations of how cells use DNA to construct proteins, build biomass, reproduce, and create complex multicellular organisms. They investigate how these organisms maintain stability. This could include the Coronavirus, RNA, and how vaccines are created and how they work in the human body; Addressing whether climate change will likely cause more pandemics in future and why; How people and animals are migrating and interacting with one another and the environment; How climate change impacts the rate of mutation; Analyzing the rates of change currently; How heat tolerance or intense sunlight affect rates of photosynthesis through analyzing and creating models; Understanding how enzymes catalyze reactions and are heat sensitive; The direct link between DNA repair and heat tolerance (ex. Plants can get sunburn so teachers can also link this to humans and skin cancer risks); Or looking at how thermal tolerance and ocean acidification affect corals internal mechanisms related to coral bleaching.

Instructional Segment #6 (IS6)

As a capstone in IS6 (Ecosystem Stability and the Response to Climate Change), students return to the ecosystem scale and see how all these mechanisms interact in the face of Earth’s changing climate. Students use computer models to investigate how Earth’s systems respond to changes, including climate change. They make specific forecasts and design solutions to mitigate the impacts of these changes on the biosphere.

Topics might include connections back to biodiversity and genetic variation within a population; Exploring how more variations equal more ability and opportunities for adaptation; How evolution acts at different speeds for species with different lifespans (e.g. bacteria versus elephants – bacteria can evolve more quickly because of more generations in the same span of time compared to growth rates of elephants); Or reconnect back to looking at the importance of ecosystems and how if certain species don’t adapt then they can influence the food web and success of others species).