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TITLE 19EDUCATION
PART 2TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY
CHAPTER 112TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR SCIENCE
SUBCHAPTER CHIGH SCHOOL
RULE §112.42Biology (One Credit), Adopted 2020

    (D) compare the structures of viruses to cells and explain how viruses spread and cause disease.

  (6) Science concepts--biological structures, functions, and processes. The student knows how an organism grows and the importance of cell differentiation. The student is expected to:

    (A) explain the importance of the cell cycle to the growth of organisms, including an overview of the stages of the cell cycle and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication models;

    (B) explain the process of cell specialization through cell differentiation, including the role of environmental factors; and

    (C) relate disruptions of the cell cycle to how they lead to the development of diseases such as cancer.

  (7) Science concepts--mechanisms of genetics. The student knows the role of nucleic acids in gene expression. The student is expected to:

    (A) identify components of DNA, explain how the nucleotide sequence specifies some traits of an organism, and examine scientific explanations for the origin of DNA;

    (B) describe the significance of gene expression and explain the process of protein synthesis using models of DNA and ribonucleic acid (RNA);

    (C) identify and illustrate changes in DNA and evaluate the significance of these changes; and

    (D) discuss the importance of molecular technologies such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gel electrophoresis, and genetic engineering that are applicable in current research and engineering practices.

  (8) Science concepts--mechanisms of genetics. The student knows the role of nucleic acids and the principles of inheritance and variation of traits in Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics. The student is expected to:

    (A) analyze the significance of chromosome reduction, independent assortment, and crossing-over during meiosis in increasing diversity in populations of organisms that reproduce sexually; and

    (B) predict possible outcomes of various genetic combinations using monohybrid and dihybrid crosses, including non-Mendelian traits of incomplete dominance, codominance, sex-linked traits, and multiple alleles.

  (9) Science concepts--biological evolution. The student knows evolutionary theory is a scientific explanation for the unity and diversity of life that has multiple lines of evidence. The student is expected to:

    (A) analyze and evaluate how evidence of common ancestry among groups is provided by the fossil record, biogeography, and homologies, including anatomical, molecular, and developmental; and

    (B) examine scientific explanations for varying rates of change such as gradualism, abrupt appearance, and stasis in the fossil record.

  (10) Science concepts--biological evolution. The student knows evolutionary theory is a scientific explanation for the unity and diversity of life that has multiple mechanisms. The student is expected to:

    (A) analyze and evaluate how natural selection produces change in populations and not in individuals;

    (B) analyze and evaluate how the elements of natural selection, including inherited variation, the potential of a population to produce more offspring than can survive, and a finite supply of environmental resources, result in differential reproductive success;

    (C) analyze and evaluate how natural selection may lead to speciation; and

    (D) analyze evolutionary mechanisms other than natural selection, including genetic drift, gene flow, mutation, and genetic recombination, and their effect on the gene pool of a population.

  (11) Science concepts--biological structures, functions, and processes. The student knows the significance of matter cycling, energy flow, and enzymes in living organisms. The student is expected to:

    (A) explain how matter is conserved and energy is transferred during photosynthesis and cellular respiration using models, including the chemical equations for these processes; and

    (B) investigate and explain the role of enzymes in facilitating cellular processes.

  (12) Science concepts--biological structures, functions, and processes. The student knows that multicellular organisms are composed of multiple systems that interact to perform complex functions. The student is expected to:

    (A) analyze the interactions that occur among systems that perform the functions of regulation, nutrient absorption, reproduction, and defense from injury or illness in animals; and

    (B) explain how the interactions that occur among systems that perform functions of transport, reproduction, and response in plants are facilitated by their structures.

  (13) Science concepts--interdependence within environmental systems. The student knows that interactions at various levels of organization occur within an ecosystem to maintain stability. The student is expected to:

    (A) investigate and evaluate how ecological relationships, including predation, parasitism, commensalism, mutualism, and competition, influence ecosystem stability;

    (B) analyze how ecosystem stability is affected by disruptions to the cycling of matter and flow of energy through trophic levels using models;

    (C) explain the significance of the carbon and nitrogen cycles to ecosystem stability and analyze the consequences of disrupting these cycles; and

    (D) explain how environmental change, including change due to human activity, affects biodiversity and analyze how changes in biodiversity impact ecosystem stability.


Source Note: The provisions of this §112.42 adopted to be effective April 28, 2021, 46 TexReg 2729

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