GEMS Correlations with the Florida Sunshine State Standards

Grade Level Expectations and Benchmarks for Science
Grades 6–8

Strand F: Processes of Life


Return to Sunshine State Standards Page


Standard 1: The student describes patterns of structure and function in living things

Benchmark SC.F.1.3.1: The student understands that living things are composed of major systems that function in reproduction, growth, maintenance, and regulation.

Sixth Grade

1. knows ways systems in an organism function and interact (for example, the muscular system provides the ability to move and is supported by the skeletal system when one is present.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Learning About Learning, Only One Ocean, Schoolyard Ecology

Seventh Grade

1. understands that the systems within living things respond to changes in the environment (for example, allergens and carcinogens).

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Acid Rain, Animals in Action, Environmental Detectives, Learning About Learning, Mapping Fish Habitats

Eighth Grade

1. understands that living things are composed of major systems that function in reproduction, growth, maintenance, and regulation.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Learning About Learning, Mapping Fish Habitats, Only One Ocean

Benchmark SC.F.1.3.4: The student knows that the levels of structural organization for function in living things include cells, tissues, organs, systems, and organisms.

Eighth Grade

1. knows some of the functions of some types of cells, tissues, organs, and systems in advanced organisms.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Learning About Learning, More Than Magnifiers, Only One Ocean

Benchmark SC.F.1.3.5: The student explains how the life functions of organisms are related to what occurs within the cell.

Sixth Grade

1. understands that there are structures with particular functions that are unique to certain types of cells (for example, plant cells have cell walls, animal cells do not).

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Learning About Learning

Benchmark SC.F.1.3.6: The student knows that the cells with similar functions have similar structures, whereas those with different structures have different functions.

Seventh Grade

1. understands that there are many similarities among the great diversity of living things.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Acid Rain, Animals in Action, Aquatic Habitats, Environmental Detectives, Microscopic Explorations, Only One Ocean

Benchmark SC.F.1.3.7: The student knows that behavior is a response to the
environment and influences growth, development, maintenance, and reproduction.


Sixth Grade

1. knows that behavior is a response to the environment.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Acid Rain, Animals in Action, Aquatic Habitats, Earthworms, Environmental Detectives, Mapping Animal Movements, Mapping Fish Habitats, Only One Ocean, Schoolyard Ecology

Seventh Grade

1. determines the behavioral responses of different organisms to common stimuli (for example, temperature, light, pressure, moisture).

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Acid Rain, Animals in Action, Earthworms, Environmental Detectives, Mapping Animal Movements, Mapping Fish Habitats, Only One Ocean

Eighth Grade

1. knows ways behaviors that are responses to the environment may alter the normal growth, development, maintenance, and reproduction of an organism.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Acid Rain, Animals in Action, Earthworms, Environmental Detectives, Mapping Animal Movements, Mapping Fish Habitats, Only One Ocean

Standard 2: The student understands the process and importance of genetic diversity.

Benchmark SC.F.2.3.1: The student knows the patterns and advantages of sexual and asexual reproduction in plants and animals.

Seventh Grade

1. knows the differences between and advantages of sexual and asexual reproduction.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Only One Ocean

Benchmark SC.F.2.3.3: The student knows that generally organisms in a population live long enough to reproduce because they have survival characteristics.

Sixth Grade

1. knows adaptations that aid in species survival (for example, protective coloration, hibernation, delayed implantation).

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Animals in Action, Aquatic Habitats, Environmental Detectives, Mapping Animal Movements, Mapping Fish Habitats, Only One Ocean, Schoolyard Ecology

Seventh Grade

1. knows the life cycles of a variety of organisms, including non-flowering and flowering plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Mapping Fish Habitats

Eighth Grade

1. knows ways organisms are adapted to their environment.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Acid Rain, Animals in Action, Earthworms, Environmental Detectives, Mapping Animal Movements, Mapping Fish Habitats, Only One Ocean

2. understands that species have characteristics that enable their populations to cycle within varying periods of time (minutes to hundreds of years).

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Acid Rain, Environmental Detectives, Mapping Fish Habitats, Only One Ocean

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