GEMS Correlations with the Florida Sunshine State Standards

Grade Level Expectations and Benchmarks for Science
Grades 3-5

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.1.2.1: The student knows that the human body is made of systems with structures and functions that are related.

Fourth Grade

1. knows that complex animals have specialized organs to carry out life processes.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Aquatic Habitats, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology

Fifth Grade

1. understands how body systems interact (for example, how bones and muscles work together for movement).

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Only One Ocean

Benchmark SC.F.1.2.2: The student knows how all animals depend on plants.

Third Grade

1. understands the various ways that animals depend on plants for survival (for example, food, shelter, oxygen).

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Buzzing a Hive, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology

Benchmark SC.F.1.2.3: The student knows that living things are different but share similar structures.

Third Grade

1. knows the common and distinguishing characteristics of groups of vertebrate animals (mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians).

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Aquatic Habitats, On Sandy Shores

2. understands similarities and differences among plants.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Buzzing a Hive, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology

3. understands that although plants and animals are different, they also share common characteristics (for example, they both have structures for reproduction, respiration, and growth).

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Buzzing a Hive

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

Benchmark SC.F.2.2.1: The student knows that many characteristics of an organism are inherited from the parents of the organism, but that other characteristics are learned from an individual’s interactions with the environment.

Fifth Grade

1. knows that many characteristics of an organism are inherited from the genetic ancestors of the organism (for example, eye color, flower color).

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Fingerprinting

2. knows that some characteristics result from the organism’s interactions with the environment (for example, flamingos eat a certain crustacean that causes their feathers to be pink).

Appropriate GEMS Teacher Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Schoolyard Ecology, Terrarium Habitats