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- THE BIG PICTURE OF BIOLOGY
- BIG IDEA 1: EVOLUTION
- 1A: Evolution - Change in Genetic Makeup
- 1B: Evolution by Common Descent
- 1C: Life Continues to Evolve
- 1D: Theories of the History of Life
- BIG IDEA 2: ORGANISMS USE ENERGY AND MOLECULES TO GROW, REPRODUCE, AND MAINTAIN HOMEOSTASIS
- 2A: PHOTOSYNTHESIS, CELLULAR RESPIRATION, AND ENERGY
- 2B: CELL HOMEOSTASIS - CELL MEMBRANE PROCESSES
- 2.C: HOMEOSTASIS - POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
- 2.D: Growth and dynamic homeostasis of a biological system are influenced by changes in the system’s environment.
- 2.E: Many biological processes involved in growth, reproduction and dynamic homeostasis include temporal regulation and coordination.
- BIG IDEA 3: LIVING SYSTEMS STORE, RETRIEVE, TRANSMIT, AND RESPOND TO INFORMATION
- 3.A: DNA TRANSCRIPTION AND TRANSLATION
- 3.B: GENE REGULATION - TRANSCRIPTION AND TRANSLATION
- 3C: GENETIC MUTATIONS AND VIRUSES
- 3D: CELL COMMUNICATION AND SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION
- 3E: ANIMAL BEHAVIOR AND NERVOUS SYSTEM
- BIG IDEA 4: BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS INTERACT IN COMPLEX WAYS
- 4A: BIOCHEMISTRY AND CELL BIOLOGY
- 4.B: Competition and cooperation are important aspects of biological systems.
- 4.C: Naturally occurring diversity among and between components within biological systems affects interactions with the environment.
- RESULTS AND RESOURCES
- AP BIO LABS: BIG IDEA 1 - EVOLUTION
- AP BIO LABS: BIG IDEA 2 -
- AP BIO LABS: BIG IDEA 3
- AP BIO LABS: BIG IDEA 4
Enduring understanding 1.B: Organisms are linked by lines of descent from common ancestry.
Organisms share many conserved core processes and features that are widely distributed among organisms today. These processes provide evidence that all organisms (Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya, both extant and extinct) are linked by lines of descent from common ancestry. Elements that are conserved across all domains of life are DNA and RNA as carriers of genetic information, a universal genetic code, and many metabolic pathways. The existence of these properties in organisms today implies that they were present in a universal ancestor and that present life evolved from a universal ancestor. Phylogenetic trees graphically model evolutionary history and can represent both acquired traits and those lost during evolution.
In eukaryotes, conserved core elements provide evidence for evolution. These features include the presence of a cytoskeleton, a nucleus, membrane-bound organelles, linear chromosomes and endomembrane systems.
In eukaryotes, conserved core elements provide evidence for evolution. These features include the presence of a cytoskeleton, a nucleus, membrane-bound organelles, linear chromosomes and endomembrane systems.
Essential knowledge 1.B.1: Organisms share many conserved core processes and features that evolved and are widely distributed among organisms today.
a. Structural and functional evidence supports the relatedness of all domains.
Evidence of student learning is a demonstrated understanding of each of the following:
1. DNA and RNA are carriers of genetic information through transcription, translation and replication. [See also 3.A.1 ]
2. Major features of the genetic code are shared by all modern living systems. [See also 3.A.1]
3. Metabolic pathways are conserved across all currently recognized domains. [See also 3.D.1]
b. Structural evidence supports the relatedness of all eukaryotes. [See also 2.B.3, 4.A.2]
To foster student understanding of this concept, instructors can choose an illustrative example such as:
• Cytoskeleton (a network of structural proteins that facilitate cell movement, morphological integrity and organelle transport)
• Membrane-bound organelles (mitochondria and/or chloroplasts)
• Linear chromosomes
• Endomembrane systems, including the nuclear envelope
Evidence of student learning is a demonstrated understanding of each of the following:
1. DNA and RNA are carriers of genetic information through transcription, translation and replication. [See also 3.A.1 ]
2. Major features of the genetic code are shared by all modern living systems. [See also 3.A.1]
3. Metabolic pathways are conserved across all currently recognized domains. [See also 3.D.1]
b. Structural evidence supports the relatedness of all eukaryotes. [See also 2.B.3, 4.A.2]
To foster student understanding of this concept, instructors can choose an illustrative example such as:
• Cytoskeleton (a network of structural proteins that facilitate cell movement, morphological integrity and organelle transport)
• Membrane-bound organelles (mitochondria and/or chloroplasts)
• Linear chromosomes
• Endomembrane systems, including the nuclear envelope
Essential knowledge 1.B.2: Phylogenetic trees and cladograms are graphical representations (models) of evolutionary history that can be tested.
a. Phylogenetic trees and cladograms can represent traits that are either derived or lost due to evolution.
To foster student understanding of this concept, instructors can choose an illustrative example such as:
b. Phylogenetic trees and cladograms illustrate speciation that has occurred, in that relatedness of any two groups on the tree is shown by how recently two groups had a common ancestor.
c. Phylogenetic trees and cladograms can be constructed from morphological similarities of living or fossil species, and from DNA and protein sequence similarities, by employing computer programs that have sophisticated ways of measuring and representing relatedness among organisms.
d. Phylogenetic trees and cladograms are dynamic (i.e., phylogenetic trees and cladograms are constantly being revised), based on the biological data used, new mathematical and computational ideas, and current and emerging knowledge.
To foster student understanding of this concept, instructors can choose an illustrative example such as:
- Number of heart chambers in animals
- Opposable thumbs
- Absence of legs in some sea mammals
b. Phylogenetic trees and cladograms illustrate speciation that has occurred, in that relatedness of any two groups on the tree is shown by how recently two groups had a common ancestor.
c. Phylogenetic trees and cladograms can be constructed from morphological similarities of living or fossil species, and from DNA and protein sequence similarities, by employing computer programs that have sophisticated ways of measuring and representing relatedness among organisms.
d. Phylogenetic trees and cladograms are dynamic (i.e., phylogenetic trees and cladograms are constantly being revised), based on the biological data used, new mathematical and computational ideas, and current and emerging knowledge.
