Clarification Statement - S.MS.LS.1.1.CS:
Emphasis is on developing evidence that living things are made of cells, distinguishing between living and non-living cells, and understand ing that living things may be made of one cell or many and varied cells.

Science and Engineering Practices - 6-8.SEP3.3:
Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence that can meet the goals of the investigation.

Disciplinary Core Ideas - S.MS.LS.1.1.DCI:
LS1.A: Structure and Function •All living things are made up of cells, which is the smallest unit that can be said to be alive. An organism may consist of one single cell (unicellular) or many different numbers and types of cells (multicellular).

Crosscutting Concepts - CC7.6:
Phenomena that can be observed at one scale may not be observable at another scale.

Clarification Statement - S.MS.LS.1.2.CS:
Emphasis is on the cell functioning as a whole system and the primary role of identified parts of the cell, specifically the nucleus, chloroplasts, mitochondria, cell membrane, and cell wall.

Assessment Boundary - S.MS.LS.1.2.AB:
Assessment of organelle structure/function relationships is limited to the cell wall and cell membrane. Assessment of the function of the other organelles is limited to their relationship to the whole cell. Assessment does not include the biochemical deta

Science and Engineering Practices - 6-8.SEP2.3:
Develop and use a model to describe phenomena.

Disciplinary Core Ideas - S.MS.LS.1.2.DCI:
LS1.A: Structure and Function •Within cells, special structures are responsible for particular functions, and the cell membrane forms the boundary that controls what enters and leaves the cell.

Crosscutting Concepts - CC4.4:
Complex and microscopic structures and systems can be visualized, modeled, and used to describe how their function depends on the relationships among its parts, therefore complex natural structures/systems can be analyzed to determine how they function.

Clarification Statement - S.MS.LS.1.3.CS:
Emphasis should be on the function and interactions of the major body systems (e.g. circulatory, respiratory, nervous, musculoskeletal).

Assessment Boundary - S.MS.LS.1.3.AB:
Assessment is focused on the interactions between systems not on the functions of individual systems.

Science and Engineering Practices - 6-8.SEP6.3:
Construct a scientific explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from sources (including the students’ own experiments) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and wil

Disciplinary Core Ideas - S.MS.LS.1.3.DCI:
LS1.A: Structure and Function •In multicellular organisms, the body is a system of multiple interacting subsystems. These subsystems are groups of cells that work together to form tissues and organs that are specialized for particular body functions.

Crosscutting Concepts - CC3.4:
Systems may interact with other systems; they may have sub-systems and be a part of larger complex systems.

Assessment Boundary - S.MS.LS.1.8.AB:
Assessment does not include mechanisms for the transmission of this information.

Science and Engineering Practices - 6-8.SEP8.1:
Gather, read, and synthesize information from multiple appropriate sources and assess the credibility, accuracy, and possible bias of each publication and methods used, and describe how they are supported or not supported by evidence.

Disciplinary Core Ideas - S.MS.LS.1.8.DCI:
LS1.D: Information Processing •Each sense receptor responds to different inputs (electromagnetic, mechanical, chemical), transmitting them as signals that travel along nerve cells to the brain. •(NYSED) Plants respond to stimuli such as gravity (geotropism) and light (phototropism).

Crosscutting Concepts - CC2.5:
Cause and effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in natural or designed systems.