CALIFORNIA STANDARDS TEST

BIOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCE
(Blueprint adopted by the State Board of Education 10/2002)

California Department of Education
* Not assessed 1
** Alternate years
*** Fractional values indicate rotated standards (e.g., 1! " rotated every t#o years$ 1% " rotated every t&ree years'
CALIFORNIA CONTENT STANDARDS: BIOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCES
# of
Items
%
Cell Biology 9 !"#%
" T$e f%&'(me&t(l life )*o+esses of )l(&ts (&' (&im(ls 'e)e&' o& (
,(*iety of +$emi+(l *e(+tio&s t$(t o++%* i& s)e+i(li-e' (*e(s of t$e
o*g(&ism.s +ells" As ( /(sis fo* %&'e*st(&'i&g t$is +o&+e)t:
N/A
a. Students know cells are enclosed within semipermeable membranes
that regulate their interaction with their surroundings.
1
b. Students know enymes are proteins that catalye biochemical
reactions without altering the reaction e!uilibrium and the acti"ities of
enymes depend on the temperature# ionic conditions# and the p$ of
the surroundings.
1 or 2%%
c. Students know how pro&aryotic cells# eu&aryotic cells (including those
from plants and animals)# and "iruses differ in comple'ity and general
structure.
1 or 2%%
d. Students know the central dogma of molecular biology outlines the flow
of information from transcription of ribonucleic acid (()*) in the
nucleus to translation of proteins on ribosomes in the cytoplasm.
1
e. Students know the role of the endoplasmic reticulum and +olgi
apparatus in the secretion of proteins.
1
f. Students know usable energy is captured from sunlight by chloroplasts
and is stored through the synthesis of sugar from carbon dio'ide.
1
g. Students know the role of the mitochondria in ma&ing stored chemical,
bond energy a"ailable to cells by completing the brea&down of glucose
to carbon dio'ide.
1
h. Students know most macromolecules (polysaccharides# nucleic acids#
proteins# lipids) in cells and organisms are synthesied from a small
collection of simple precursors.
1
i.% Students know how chemiosmotic gradients in the mitochondria and
chloroplast store energy for *-. production.
)*%
/.% Students know how eu&aryotic cells are gi"en shape and internal
organiation by a cytos&eleton or cell wall or both.
)*%
Ge&eti+s 9 0"1%
2" 3%t(tio& (&' se4%(l *e)*o'%+tio& le(' to ge&eti+ ,(*i(tio& i& (
)o)%l(tio&" As ( /(sis fo* %&'e*st(&'i&g t$is +o&+e)t:
5
a. Students know meiosis is an early step in se'ual reproduction in which
the pairs of chromosomes separate and segregate randomly during
cell di"ision to produce gametes containing one chromosome of each
type.
1
b. Students know only certain cells in a multicellular organism undergo
meiosis.
1
c. Students know how random chromosome segregation e'plains the
probability that a particular allele will be in a gamete.
1
CALIFORNIA CONTENT STANDARDS: BIOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCES
# of
Items
%
d. Students know new combinations of alleles may be generated in a
ygote through the fusion of male and female gametes (fertiliation).
1
e. Students know why appro'imately half of an indi"idual0s 1)*
se!uence comes from each parent.
1
f. Students know the role of chromosomes in determining an indi"idual0s
se'.
1
g. Students know how to predict possible combinations of alleles in a
ygote from the genetic ma&eup of the parents.
1
0" A m%lti+ell%l(* o*g(&ism 'e,elo)s f*om ( si&gle -ygote6 (&' its
)$e&oty)e 'e)e&'s o& its ge&oty)e6 7$i+$ is est(/lis$e' (t
fe*tili-(tio&" As ( /(sis fo* %&'e*st(&'i&g t$is +o&+e)t:
0
a. Students know how to predict the probable outcome of phenotypes in a
genetic cross from the genotypes of the parents and mode of
inheritance (autosomal or 2,lin&ed# dominant or recessi"e).
1 or 2%%
b. Students know the genetic basis for 3endel0s laws of segregation and
independent assortment.
1 or 2%%
c.%Students know how to predict the probable mode of inheritance from a
pedigree diagram showing phenotypes.
)*%
d.%Students know how to use data on fre!uency of recombination at
meiosis to estimate genetic distances between loci and to interpret
genetic maps of chromosomes.
)*%
8" Ge&es (*e ( set of i&st*%+tio&s e&+o'e' i& t$e DNA se9%e&+e of
e(+$ o*g(&ism t$(t s)e+ify t$e se9%e&+e of (mi&o (+i's i&
)*otei&s +$(*(+te*isti+ of t$(t o*g(&ism" As ( /(sis fo*
%&'e*st(&'i&g t$is +o&+e)t:
!
a. Students know the general pathway by which ribosomes synthesie
proteins# using t()*s to translate genetic information in m()*.
1
b. Students know how to apply the genetic coding rules to predict the
se!uence of amino acids from a se!uence of codons in ()*.
1
c. Students know how mutations in the 1)* se!uence of a gene may or
may not affect the e'pression of the gene or the se!uence of amino
acids in an encoded protein.
1
d. Students know specialiation of cells in multicellular organisms is
usually due to different patterns of gene e'pression rather than to
differences of the genes themsel"es.
1
e. Students know proteins can differ from one another in the number and
se!uence of amino acids.
1
f.% Students know why proteins ha"ing different amino acid se!uences
typically ha"e different shapes and chemical properties.
)*%
* Not assessed !
** Alternate years
*** Fractional values indicate rotated standards (e.g., 1! " rotated every t#o years$ 1% " rotated every t&ree years'
CALIFORNIA CONTENT STANDARDS: BIOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCES
# of
Items
%
!" T$e ge&eti+ +om)ositio& of +ells +(& /e (lte*e' /y i&+o*)o*(tio&
of e4oge&o%s DNA i&to t$e +ells" As ( /(sis fo* %&'e*st(&'i&g
t$is +o&+e)t:
8
a. Students know the general structures and functions of 1)*# ()*# and
protein.
1 or 2%%
b. Students know how to apply base,pairing rules to e'plain precise
copying of 1)* during semiconser"ati"e replication and transcription
of information from 1)* into m()*.
1 or 2%%
c. Students know how genetic engineering (biotechnology) is used to
produce no"el biomedical and agricultural products.
1 or 2%%
d.%Students know how basic 1)* technology (restriction digestion by
endonucleases# gel electrophoresis# ligation# and transformation) is
used to construct recombinant 1)* molecules.
)*%
e.%Students know how e'ogenous 1)* can be inserted into bacterial
cells to alter their genetic ma&eup and support e'pression of new
protein products.
)*%
E+ology 5 "5%
1" St(/ility i& (& e+osystem is ( /(l(&+e /et7ee& +om)eti&g effe+ts"
As ( /(sis fo* %&'e*st(&'i&g t$is +o&+e)t:
a. Students know biodi"ersity is the sum total of different &inds of
organisms and is affected by alterations of habitats.
1
b. Students know how to analye changes in an ecosystem resulting from
changes in climate# human acti"ity# introduction of nonnati"e species#
or changes in population sie.
1
c. Students know how fluctuations in population sie in an ecosystem are
determined by the relati"e rates of birth# immigration# emigration# and
death.
1 or 2%%
d. Students know how water# carbon# and nitrogen cycle between abiotic
resources and organic matter in the ecosystem and how o'ygen cycles
through photosynthesis and respiration.
1 or 2%%
e. Students know a "ital part of an ecosystem is the stability of its
producers and decomposers.
1
f. Students know at each lin& in a food web some energy is stored in
newly made structures but much energy is dissipated into the
en"ironment as heat. -his dissipation may be represented in an energy
pyramid.
1
g.%Students know how to distinguish between the accommodation of an
indi"idual organism to its en"ironment and the gradual adaptation of a
lineage of organisms through genetic change.
)*%
* Not assessed %
** Alternate years
*** Fractional values indicate rotated standards (e.g., 1! " rotated every t#o years$ 1% " rotated every t&ree years'
CALIFORNIA CONTENT STANDARDS: BIOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCES
# of
Items
%
E,ol%tio& 9 !"#%
5" T$e f*e9%e&+y of (& (llele i& ( ge&e )ool of ( )o)%l(tio& 'e)e&'s
o& m(&y f(+to*s (&' m(y /e st(/le o* %&st(/le o,e* time" As (
/(sis fo* %&'e*st(&'i&g t$is +o&+e)t:
8
a. Students know why natural selection acts on the phenotype rather than
the genotype of an organism.
1
b. Students know why alleles that are lethal in a homoygous indi"idual
may be carried in a heteroygote and thus maintained in a gene pool.
1
c. Students know new mutations are constantly being generated in a
gene pool.
1
d. Students know "ariation within a species increases the li&elihood that
at least some members of a species will sur"i"e under changed
en"ironmental conditions.
1
e.% Students know the conditions for $ardy,4einberg e!uilibrium in a
population and why these conditions are not li&ely to appear in nature.
)*%
f.% Students know how to sol"e the $ardy,4einberg e!uation to predict
the fre!uency of genotypes in a population# gi"en the fre!uency of
phenotypes.
)*%
:" E,ol%tio& is t$e *es%lt of ge&eti+ +$(&ges t$(t o++%* i& +o&st(&tly
+$(&gi&g e&,i*o&me&ts" As ( /(sis fo* %&'e*st(&'i&g t$is
+o&+e)t:
!
a. Students know how natural selection determines the differential
sur"i"al of groups of organisms.
1
b. Students know a great di"ersity of species increases the chance that at
least some organisms sur"i"e ma/or changes in the en"ironment.
1
c. Students know the effects of genetic drift on the di"ersity of organisms
in a population.
1
d. Students know reproducti"e or geographic isolation affects speciation. 1
e. Students know how to analye fossil e"idence with regard to biological
di"ersity# episodic speciation# and mass e'tinction.
1
f.% Students know how to use comparati"e embryology# 1)* or protein
se!uence comparisons# and other independent sources of data to
create a branching diagram (cladogram) that shows probable
e"olutionary relationships.
)*%
g.% Students know how se"eral independent molecular cloc&s# calibrated
against each other and combined with e"idence from the fossil record#
can help to estimate how long ago "arious groups of organisms
di"erged e"olutionarily from one another.
)*%
* Not assessed (
** Alternate years
*** Fractional values indicate rotated standards (e.g., 1! " rotated every t#o years$ 1% " rotated every t&ree years'
CALIFORNIA CONTENT STANDARDS: BIOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCES
# of
Items
%
;$ysiology # 1"5%
9" As ( *es%lt of t$e +oo*'i&(te' st*%+t%*es (&' f%&+tio&s of o*g(&
systems6 t$e i&te*&(l e&,i*o&me&t of t$e $%m(& /o'y *em(i&s
*el(ti,ely st(/le <$omeost(ti+= 'es)ite +$(&ges i& t$e o%tsi'e
e&,i*o&me&t" As ( /(sis fo* %&'e*st(&'i&g t$is +o&+e)t:
1
a. Students know how the complementary acti"ity of ma/or body systems
pro"ides cells with o'ygen and nutrients and remo"es to'ic waste
products such as carbon dio'ide.
2/5%%%
b. Students know how the ner"ous system mediates communication
between different parts of the body and the body0s interactions with the
en"ironment.
1/5%%%
c. Students know how feedbac& loops in the ner"ous and endocrine
systems regulate conditions in the body.
1
d. Students know the functions of the ner"ous system and the role of
neurons in transmitting electrochemical impulses.
1
e. Students know the roles of sensory neurons# interneurons# and motor
neurons in sensation# thought# and response.
1/5%%%
f.% Students know the indi"idual functions and sites of secretion of
digesti"e enymes (amylases# proteases# nucleases# lipases)# stomach
acid# and bile salts.
)*%
g.%Students know the homeostatic role of the &idneys in the remo"al of
nitrogenous wastes and the role of the li"er in blood deto'ification and
glucose balance.
)*%
h.%Students know the cellular and molecular basis of muscle contraction#
including the roles of actin# myosin# 6a
72
# and *-..
)*%
i.% Students know how hormones (including digesti"e# reproducti"e#
osmoregulatory) pro"ide internal feedbac& mechanisms for
homeostasis at the cellular le"el and in whole organisms.
)*%
#" O*g(&isms $(,e ( ,(*iety of me+$(&isms to +om/(t 'ise(se" As
( /(sis fo* %&'e*st(&'i&g t$e $%m(& imm%&e *es)o&se:
8
a. Students know the role of the s&in in pro"iding nonspecific defenses
against infection.
1 or 2
(e"ery three years)
b. Students know the role of antibodies in the body0s response to
infection.
1
c. Students know how "accination protects an indi"idual from infectious
diseases.
1 or 2
(e"ery three years)
d. Students know there are important differences between bacteria and
"iruses with respect to their re!uirements for growth and replication#
the body0s primary defenses against bacterial and "iral infections# and
effecti"e treatments of these infections.
1
* Not assessed )
** Alternate years
*** Fractional values indicate rotated standards (e.g., 1! " rotated every t#o years$ 1% " rotated every t&ree years'
CALIFORNIA CONTENT STANDARDS: BIOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCES
# of
Items
%
e. Students know why an indi"idual with a compromised immune system
(for e'ample# a person with *81S) may be unable to fight off and
sur"i"e infections by microorganisms that are usually benign.
1 or 2
(e"ery three years)
f.% Students know the roles of phagocytes# B,lymphocytes# and -,
lymphocytes in the immune system.
)*%
I&,estig(tio& (&' E4)e*ime&t(tio& 1 #"#%
" S+ie&tifi+ )*og*ess is m('e /y (s>i&g me(&i&gf%l 9%estio&s (&'
+o&'%+ti&g +(*ef%l i&,estig(tio&s" As ( /(sis fo* %&'e*st(&'i&g
t$is +o&+e)t (&' (''*essi&g t$e +o&te&t i& t$e ot$e* fo%* st*(&'s6
st%'e&ts s$o%l' 'e,elo) t$ei* o7& 9%estio&s (&' )e*fo*m
i&,estig(tio&s" St%'e&ts 7ill:
a. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (such as computer,
lin&ed probes# spreadsheets# and graphing calculators) to perform
tests# collect data# analye relationships# and display data.
b. 8dentify and communicate sources of una"oidable e'perimental error.
c. 8dentify possible reasons for inconsistent results# such as sources of
error or uncontrolled conditions.
d. 9ormulate e'planations by using logic and e"idence.
e. Sol"e scientific problems by using !uadratic e!uations and simple
trigonometric# e'ponential# and logarithmic functions.
f. 1istinguish between hypothesis and theory as scientific terms.
g. (ecognie the usefulness and limitations of models and theories as
scientific representations of reality.
h. (ead and interpret topographic and geologic maps.
i. *nalye the locations# se!uences# or time inter"als that are
characteristic of natural phenomena (e.g.# relati"e ages of roc&s#
locations of planets o"er time# and succession of species in an
ecosystem).
/. (ecognie the issues of statistical "ariability and the need for
controlled tests.
&. (ecognie the cumulati"e nature of scientific e"idence.
l. *nalye situations and sol"e problems that re!uire combining and
applying concepts from more than one area of science.
m. 8n"estigate a science,based societal issue by researching the
literature# analying data# and communicating the findings. E'amples
of issues include irradiation of food# cloning of animals by somatic cell
nuclear transfer# choice of energy sources# and land and water use
decisions in 6alifornia.
* Not assessed *
** Alternate years
*** Fractional values indicate rotated standards (e.g., 1! " rotated every t#o years$ 1% " rotated every t&ree years'
CALIFORNIA CONTENT STANDARDS: BIOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCES
# of
Items
%
n. :now that when an obser"ation does not agree with an accepted
scientific theory# the obser"ation is sometimes mista&en or fraudulent
(e.g.# the .iltdown 3an fossil or unidentified flying ob/ects) and that the
theory is sometimes wrong (e.g.# .tolemaic model of the mo"ement of
the Sun# 3oon# and planets).
TOTAL 1# ##%
* Not assessed +
** Alternate years
*** Fractional values indicate rotated standards (e.g., 1! " rotated every t#o years$ 1% " rotated every t&ree years'