Unit 5 — LS: Growth and Development; energy flow
Description
This unit focuses on the structures and processes that enable growth and development in organisms, with particular emphasis on energy flow through living systems. Students examine how plants and animals reproduce, factors affecting growth, and the movement of energy from the Sun through photosynthesis into organisms. The unit integrates understanding of how food is broken down and rearranged through cellular processes to support growth and release energy.
Essential Questions
- What characteristics do plants and animals have to increase reproduction?
- What factors can affect the growth of a plant?
- How do plants create their own food?
- How does energy move through organisms?
Learning Objectives
- Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.
- Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and release energy as matter moves through an organism.
- Know the behaviors that increase the odds of reproduction in animals.
- Know the ways plants reproduce.
- Know the genetic and environmental factors that affect the growth of organisms.
- Diagram the process of photosynthesis.
- Understand the movement of food through organisms and the process of cellular respiration.
Supplemental Resources
- Graphic organizers for tracking energy and matter flows through photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
- Markers and chart paper for creating diagrams of photosynthesis and food movement through organisms.
- Index cards and pocket folders for organizing knowledge about reproduction behaviors and growth factors.
- Highlighters for marking key textual evidence in informational passages about energy and matter cycles.
No core standards aligned for this unit.
Students read science and technical texts to gather and analyze information about matter and its properties, citing textual evidence to support conclusions and integrating information presented in diverse formats including diagrams, graphs, and models.
Students apply ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world problems related to properties of matter, and use abstract and quantitative reasoning and mathematical modeling to analyze data from chemical and physical processes.
Formative Assessments
- Observation of student diagrams showing photosynthesis and energy flow.
- Analysis of student explanations using textual evidence to support understanding of reproduction and growth factors.
- Model development activities demonstrating how food is rearranged through chemical reactions in organisms.
- Questioning and discussion of how genetic and environmental factors affect plant and animal growth.
Summative Assessment
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Benchmark Assessment
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Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding through a labeled diagram with teacher-provided word bank, a recorded verbal explanation of photosynthesis and energy flow, or a simplified model using manipulatives or drawings. Visual supports such as diagrams showing the sun-to-organism energy pathway may be provided.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
Students may benefit from graphic organizers and partially completed diagrams to scaffold their understanding of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and energy flow, reducing the cognitive load of capturing complex processes from scratch. Providing vocabulary support with visual representations of key terms—such as photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and reproduction—can help students access and retain content-specific language. Where written output is a barrier, allow students to demonstrate understanding of growth factors or reproductive behaviors through labeled diagrams, oral explanation, or teacher-scribed responses. Breaking multi-step model-building tasks into smaller, sequenced stages with frequent check-ins will support processing and help students build toward a complete understanding.
Section 504
Students should be given extended time to complete diagram-based and written explanation tasks connected to energy flow and growth processes. Preferential seating during direct instruction and discussions about photosynthesis or cellular respiration can reduce distraction and improve focus. Providing a print copy of any diagrams or models displayed on the board ensures students can reference visual content without divided attention.
ELL / MLL
Teachers should provide visual supports throughout the unit, including labeled diagrams of the photosynthesis process and energy flow pathways, to make abstract content tangible and accessible. Key vocabulary related to this unit—such as photosynthesis, glucose, reproduction, and cellular respiration—should be introduced with visual cues, context-rich examples, and opportunities for repeated use before students are expected to apply the terms independently. Simplified, step-by-step directions for model-building or diagramming tasks, paired with a bilingual glossary or home-language support where available, will help students engage with unit content more fully.
At Risk (RTI)
Connecting unit concepts to observable, real-world examples—such as how a plant grows toward light or how animals seek food—can help students build entry points into abstract ideas like energy flow and cellular processes. Providing partially completed diagrams or sentence frames for scientific explanations gives students a structured starting point, reducing barriers while still engaging them with key content. Chunking the unit's progression from photosynthesis to cellular respiration into smaller conceptual steps, with brief checks for understanding between each, helps students build confidence and consolidate knowledge before moving forward.
Gifted & Talented
Students who have demonstrated mastery of foundational concepts in photosynthesis and cellular respiration can be encouraged to explore the interdependence of these processes at a systems level, examining how energy loss occurs at each stage of transfer through an ecosystem. Extending into the biochemistry of how specific molecules are rearranged during chemical reactions—beyond the introductory model required of all students—offers appropriate depth and rigor. Students may also investigate how genetic and environmental variables interact to influence growth outcomes across different species or ecosystems, designing their own inquiry questions and using varied sources, including research-level texts or community science data, to support an evidence-based argument.