SZ1: Students will derive the phylogeny of animal taxa (monophyletic clades in a cladogram) using informative characteristics.
Construct a classification of representative animal taxa including: Porifera, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Annelida, Rotifera, Mollusca, Arthropoda (Mandibulata, Chelicerata, and Crustacea), Bryozoa, Brachiopoda, Echinodermata, Hemichordata, Urochordata, Cephalochordata, and Vertebrata.
Place taxa in a phylogenetic (evolutionary) context and provide data to support hypotheses of relationships.
Construct a graphical representation of animal evolution (cladogram) Recognize characters that are shared and derived, uniting taxa Interpret graphical representations of animal evolution (cladograms)
Recognize types of data used to test hypotheses of relationships.
SZ2: Students will explain the evolutionary history of animals over the geological history of Earth.
Outline the geological history of Earth and discuss the major environmental changes that have occurred over time.
Explain the concepts evolution, adaptation, natural selection, convergence, and speciation.
Describe the fossil record of the animals including discussing the Cambrian Explosion and major extinction events.
SZ3. Students will compare form and function relationships within animal groups (clades) and across key taxa.
Explain the similarities and differences among major body plans (e.g., asymmetry, radial and bilateral symmetry).
Compare and contrast taxa based on morphological and genetic characters.
Relate important structural changes to key functional transitions.
Dissect representative taxa and describe their internal anatomy and the function of major organ systems and organs and relate to cell specializations.
SZ4: Students will assess how animals interact with their environment including key adaptations found within animal taxa.
Discuss morphological and physiological adaptations relative to ecological roles.
Relate animal adaptations, including behaviors, to the ecological roles of animals.
Explain various life cycles found among animals (e.g., polyp and medusa in cnidarians; multiple hosts and stages in the platyhelminthe life cycle; arthropod metamorphosis; egg, tadpole, adult stages in the amphibian life cycle).
SZ5: Students will evaluate the relationships between humans and other animals.
Describe the effects of human activities such as habitat destruction, over hunting, introduced species, and pollution on animal biodiversity.
Explain the importance of species diversity to the biological resources needed by human populations including food, medicine, and natural aesthetics.
Compare and contrast how humans can preserve animal diversity in captive and natural environments with regard to habitat creation and conservation, research, legislation, animal enrichment, diet, medical, breeding programs and management of genetic diversity at local and global levels.
Investigate how moral, legal, societal, political, and economic decisions impact animal diversity with short-term and long-term effects.