Key Idea 4:  The continuity of life is sustained through reproduction and development.
4.1  Observe and describe the variations in reproductive patterns of organisms, including sexual and asexual reproduction.
Major Understandings	Suggested Activity
4.1a  Some organisms reproduce asexually.  Other organisms reproduce sexually. Some organisms can reproduce both sexually and asexually.
4.1b  There are many methods of asexual reproduction, including division of a cell into two cells, or separation of part of an animal or plant from the parent, resulting in the growth of another organism.
4.1c  Methods of sexual reproduction depend upon the species.  All methods involve the merging of sex cells to begin the development of a new individual.  In many species, including plants and humans, eggs and sperm are produced.
4.1d  Fertilization and/or development in organisms may be internal or external.
4.2  Explain the role of sperm and egg cells in sexual reproduction.
Major Understandings	Suggested Activity
4.2a  The male sex cell is the sperm.  The female sex cell is the egg.  The fertilization of an egg by a sperm results in a fertilized egg.
4.2b  In sexual reproduction, sperm and egg each carry one-half of the genetic information for the new individual.  Therefore, the fertilized egg contains genetic information from each parent.
4.3  Observe and describe developmental patterns in selected plants and animals (e.g., insects, frogs, humans, seed-bearing plants).
Major Understandings	Suggested Activity
4.3a  Multicellular organisms exhibit complex changes in development, which begin after fertilization.  The fertilized egg undergoes numerous cellular divisions that will result in a multicellular organism, with each cell having identical genetic information.
4.3b  In humans, the fertilized egg grows into tissue which develop into organs and organ systems before birth.
4.3c  Various body structures and functions change as an organism goes through its life cycle.
4.3d  Patterns of development vary among animals. In some species, the youing resemble the adult, while in others they do not.  Some insects and amphibians undergo metamorphosis as they mature.
4.3e  Patterns of development vary among plants. In seed-bearing plants, seeds contain stored food for early development.  Their later development into adulthood is characterized by varying patterns of growth from species to species.
4.3f  As an individual organism ages, various body structures and functions change.
4.4  Observe and describe cell division at the microscopic level and its macroscopic effects.
Major Understandings	Suggested Activity
4.4a  In multicellular organisms, cell division is responsible for growth, maintenance, and repair.  In some one-celled organisms, cell division is a method of asexual reproduction.
4.4b  In one type of cell division, chromosomes are duplicated and then separated into two identicial and complete sets to be passed to each of the two resulting cells.  In this type of cell division, the hereditary information is identical in all the cells that result.
4.4c  Another type of cell division accounts for the production of egg and sperm cells in sexually-reproducing organisms.  The eggs and sperm resulting from this type of cell division contain one-half of the hereditary information.
4.4d.  Cancers are a result of abnormal cell division.