Mississippi Science MAQ.6

Standard Cluster

Students will investigate characteristics of aquatic invertebrates. Characterize aquatic representatives of the following taxa: Protozoa (e.g., foraminiferans, radiolarians, amoeba, and paramecium), Porifera, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Annelida, Rotifera, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Bryozoa, Brachiopoda, and Echinodermata. Identify characteristics that are shared and derived using graphical representations of animal evolution (i.e., cladograms and phylogenetic trees) and develop cladograms and phylogenetic trees. Develop a dichotomous classification key to be used in the identification of sample aquatic invertebrates. Compare and contrast major body plans (e.g., asymmetry, radial, bilateral symmetry, acoelomate, pseudocoelomate, and eucoelomate). Explain various life cycles found among animals (e.g., polyp and medusa in cnidarians, multiple hosts and stages in the platyhelminthic life cycle, and arthropod metamorphosis). Dissect representative taxa (e.g., clam and squid), collect data, compare their internal and external anatomy, analyze, explain, and communicate results. Using key morphological and physiological adaptations found within animal taxa, assess how animals interact with their environment to determine their ecological roles. Enrichment: Given a niche in a specific environment, use an engineering design process to design an animal, listing characteristics based on your knowledge of shared and derived characters, internal and external anatomy, and how the animal would adapt morphologically and physiologically relative to its ecological role and specific environment. *

2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Invertebrate Consumers