Introduction to Science 3rd Quarter: Cells

Introduction to Science 3rd Quarter

• The 3rd quarter typically focuses on life science, covering concepts about living organisms.

Life Science: Cells

• Cells are the fundamental units of life, responsible for various life processes.
• Cells are categorized as prokaryotic (lacking a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles) or eukaryotic (possessing a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles).
• Eukaryotic cells, found in plants, animals, fungi, and protists, are more complex than prokaryotic cells, often containing specialized components with distinct functions.
• Cell organelles have roles such as energy production (mitochondria), protein synthesis (ribosomes), DNA storage (nucleus), and waste removal.
• Cell membranes regulate what enters and exits the cell.
• Cell division is crucial for growth, repair, and reproduction of organisms.

Life Science: Genetics

• Genetics explores hereditary mechanisms and inheritance patterns.
• Genes, segments of DNA, transmit traits across generations.
• DNA's double helix structure carries genetic information.
• Chromosomes are DNA and protein structures that arrange and store DNA.
• Mendelian genetics describes basic heredity principles.
• Non-Mendelian inheritance patterns (incomplete dominance and codominance) exist beyond simple dominant/recessive mechanisms.
• DNA mutations create genetic variations that can contribute to evolution.

Life Science: Ecosystems

• Ecosystems involve interactions between living and non-living components.
• Biotic (living) components include organisms, and abiotic (non-living) components include factors like sunlight and water.
• Food chains and food webs demonstrate energy flow among organisms.
• Ecological interactions (predation, competition, and symbiosis) shape the ecosystem.
• Biodiversity, the variety of life, affects ecosystem health and stability.
• Energy flows through ecosystems in one direction, usually from the sun.

Life Science: Ecology

• Ecology examines the relationships between living organisms and their environment, studying populations, communities, ecosystems, and the biosphere.
• Ecological factors (climate, nutrients, and resources) determine ecosystem properties and balance.
• Ecological interactions (like competition and predation) influence ecosystem structure and dynamics.

Life Science: Adaptation

• Living organisms have adaptations enabling survival in specific environments.
• Adaptations can be structural, behavioral, or physiological traits.
• Natural selection favors individuals with advantageous traits.
• Adaptations, genetic mutations, and environmental changes contribute to life's diversity.

Life Science: Diversity of Organisms

• Various organisms exist across different kingdoms (plants, animals, fungi).
• Each kingdom possesses distinct characteristics and adaptations.
• Classification systems organize organisms based on shared traits and evolutionary history.
• Plant and animal adaptations exemplify this diversity.

Life Science: Evolution

• Evolution is the change in biological populations' characteristics over generations, driven by natural selection.
• Advantageous traits increase survival and reproduction rates.
• Evolution explains life's diversity.
• Common ancestry is crucial in understanding evolutionary relationships.
• Fossil records, comparative anatomy, and molecular biology provide evidence of evolution.

Physical Science (Potentially Covered in 3rd Quarter)

• Physical science topics (matter, energy, forces, motion) are often covered earlier in the year.
• Students could study chemical reactions, energy transformations, or simple machines.