A. DNA stores and transmits genetic information. Genes are sets of instructions encoded in the structure of DNA.
B. Genetic information is passed from generation to generation by DNA in all organisms and accounts for similarities in related individuals.
C. Manipulation of DNA in organisms has led to commercial production of biological molecules on a large scale and genetically modified organisms.
D. Reproduction is characteristic of living things and is essential for the survival of species.
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Also Assesses:
- Clarification :
Students will describe the process of DNA replication and/or its role in the transmission and conservation of genetic information.
Students will describe gene and chromosomal mutations in the DNA sequence.
Students will explain how gene and chromosomal mutations may or may not result in a phenotypic change.
Students will explain the basic processes of transcription and/or translation, and their roles in the expression of genes.
Students will explain that the basic components of DNA are universal in organisms.
Students will explain how similarities in the genetic codes of organisms are due to common ancestry and the process of inheritance.
- Content Limits :
Items requiring the analysis of base pairs for gene mutations are limited to changes in a single gene.
Items may refer to but will not assess the cell cycle, mitosis, and/or meiosis.
Items will not require memorization of specific conditions resulting from chromosomal mutations.
Items may refer to the process of meiosis in the context of mutations but will not assess meiosis in isolation.
Items addressing transcription or translation will not require specific knowledge of initiation, elongation, or termination. - Stimulus Attributes :
Scenarios requiring the use of a codon table must include the codon table. - Response Attributes :
None specified - Prior Knowledge :
Items may require the student to apply scientific knowledge described in the NGSSS from lower grades. This benchmark requires prerequisite knowledge of SC.7.L.16.1 and SC.7.L.16.4.
SC.912.L.16.4 Explain how mutations in the DNA sequence may or may not result in phenotypic change. Explain how mutations in gametes may result in phenotypic changes in offspring.
SC.912.L.16.5 Explain the basic processes of transcription and translation, and how they result in the expression of genes.
SC.912.L.16.9 Explain how and why the genetic code is universal and is common to almost all organisms.
- Test Item #: Sample Item 1
- Question:
Genes for medically important proteins can be cloned and inserted into bacteria, as shown in the diagram below.
Why can bacteria recognize a human gene and then produce a human protein?
- Difficulty: N/A
- Type: MC: Multiple Choice
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Lesson Plans
Original Student Tutorial
Perspectives Video: Experts
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Virtual Manipulatives
Original Student Tutorials Science - Grades 9-12
Learn how to identify explicit evidence and understand implicit meaning in a text…
You began your life as a single cell and you now have trillions of cells. Even though a cell only uses a portion of its DNA, each cell contains the same set of DNA instructions. How is it possible that DNA can be copied so that every cell gets the same set of instructions? By the end of this tutorial you should be able to describe how DNA is copied and explain how this process allows cells to have identical genetic information.
Student Resources
Original Student Tutorial
Learn how to identify explicit evidence and understand implicit meaning in a text…
You began your life as a single cell and you now have trillions of cells. Even though a cell only uses a portion of its DNA, each cell contains the same set of DNA instructions. How is it possible that DNA can be copied so that every cell gets the same set of instructions? By the end of this tutorial you should be able to describe how DNA is copied and explain how this process allows cells to have identical genetic information.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Tutorials
This tutorial discusses the process of mitosis in detail, describing the events that occur during interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telephase. The process of DNA replication is also explained.
Type: Tutorial
This Khan Academy video reviews the basic processes of DNA replication and protein synthesis. It then goes on to explain how the terms chromosome, chromatin, and chromatid, relate to each other.
Type: Tutorial
This Khan Academy video briefly describes DNA replication and then goes into a thorough explanation of both transcription and translation.
Type: Tutorial
DNA replication is the process of producing two identical replicas from one original DNA molecule. This tutorial will help you to understand the process of DNA replication and the factors involved in the replication process.
This challenging tutorial addresses the concept at a high level of complexity.
Type: Tutorial
This tutorial will help you to understand how nucleotides are added to the leading and lagging strands of DNA during replication.
This challenging tutorial addresses the concept at a high level of complexity.
Type: Tutorial
Your body is made of cells -- but how does a single cell know to become part of your nose, instead of your toes? The answer is in your body's instruction book: DNA. Joe Hanson compares DNA to a detailed manual for building a person out of cells -- with 46 chapters (chromosomes) and hundreds of thousands of pages covering every part of you.
Type: Tutorial
This tutorial will help the learners to understand structure of DNA and how this structure allows for accurate replication.
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This tutorial will help learners understand the process of DNA replication, including the enzymes involved. Learners will be able to recognize that an exact copy of DNA must be created prior to cell division.
Type: Tutorial
Virtual Manipulatives
DNA is the genetic material of all known living organisms and some viruses. DNA contains two stands wrapped around each other in a helix, and these stands are held in place by four chemicals called bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). The bases pair up with each other in a specific manner to form units called base pairs - adenine always pairs with thymine, and cytosine always pairs with guanine.
In this game your job is to first make exact copies of a double-stranded DNA molecule by correctly matching base pairs to each strand, and to then determine which organism the DNA belongs to.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
In this activity students will recognize that DNA polymerase is responsible for the process of DNA replication, during which a double-stranded DNA molecule is copied into two identical DNA molecules. DNA ploymerase catalyze the polymerization of deoxyribonucleotides alongside a DNA strand, which they read and use as a template. The newly-polymerized molecule is complementary to the template strand.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
Parent Resources
Tutorials
This tutorial discusses the process of mitosis in detail, describing the events that occur during interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telephase. The process of DNA replication is also explained.
Type: Tutorial
This tutorial will help the learners to understand structure of DNA and how this structure allows for accurate replication.
Type: Tutorial
Virtual Manipulatives
DNA is the genetic material of all known living organisms and some viruses. DNA contains two stands wrapped around each other in a helix, and these stands are held in place by four chemicals called bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). The bases pair up with each other in a specific manner to form units called base pairs - adenine always pairs with thymine, and cytosine always pairs with guanine.
In this game your job is to first make exact copies of a double-stranded DNA molecule by correctly matching base pairs to each strand, and to then determine which organism the DNA belongs to.
Type: Virtual Manipulative
In this activity students will recognize that DNA polymerase is responsible for the process of DNA replication, during which a double-stranded DNA molecule is copied into two identical DNA molecules. DNA ploymerase catalyze the polymerization of deoxyribonucleotides alongside a DNA strand, which they read and use as a template. The newly-polymerized molecule is complementary to the template strand.
Type: Virtual Manipulative