Mississippi Science ZOO.6.4

ScienceGrades 9–12Zoology I and II

The Standard

ZOO.6: Students will understand the structure and function of phylum Echinodermata, and how they demonstrate the characteristics of living things.

Describe the sexual and asexual reproduction of starfish.

2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Phylum Echinodermata

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students explain how sea stars release eggs and sperm into water, where fertilization occurs. They describe how a larva becomes an adult and how some sea stars split to produce another animal.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can put spawning, fertilization, larva, and adult in order. They can explain that splitting can make a new sea star, while regrowing a lost arm usually repairs the original animal.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think fertilization happens inside the sea star or that larvae look like tiny adults. They may also think every broken arm grows into a new sea star.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: One sea star releases eggs into water. Another splits in two. Name each type of reproduction and explain why a broken arm does not always make a new sea star.

Lesson moves

Give pairs paper sea star cutouts; have them model splitting and regrowth, then mark which result is a new animal.
Ask students to write two sentences explaining the difference between splitting and repairing a lost arm.
Give groups cards labeled egg, sperm, fertilization, larva, and adult; race to put them in order and explain each step.
Show a photo of sea stars spawning in an aquarium; ask why releasing eggs and sperm into the water can produce offspring.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to ZOO.6.4, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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