OSAT Biological Sciences (110) Practice Tests

Competencies 0001–0004 make up about 33% of the test. They ask you to understand the characteristics and biochemistry of the atoms and molecules necessary for life; understand the characteristics of cells and their structures and processes; understand photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and the flow of energy and matter in cells, and more.

• Competency 0001: Understand the characteristics and biochemistry of the atoms and molecules necessary for life. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and roles of common elements in living organisms (i.e., hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and phosphorous) and the properties of hydrogen, ionic, and covalent bonds; Demonstrate knowledge of the structures and functions of important macromolecules (i.e., carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids), their building blocks, and the significance of hydrolysis and dehydration synthesis reactions; Analyze the properties of water and the significance of these properties to living organisms; Apply knowledge of the relationship between the structure of DNA and RNA, including their functions; Apply knowledge of the relationship of structure and function to proteins, including enzymes, and the characteristics of enzyme action; Apply knowledge of OASS science and engineering practices related to the characteristics and biochemistry of the atoms and molecules necessary for life; Demonstrate knowledge of OASS crosscutting concepts between the characteristics and biochemistry of the atoms and molecules necessary for life and topics in biology and other scientific fields.
• Competency 0002: Understand the characteristics of cells and their structures and processes. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of cell theory, the characteristics and structures of various cells (e.g., prokaryotic cells, animal cells, plants cells, protists), and nonliving cell-like structures (e.g., viruses); Apply knowledge of the primary structure and function of various cellular structures (e.g., lysosomes, microtubules, cell membranes), including their interactions and involvement in cellular processes; Apply knowledge of the process of cell differentiation and the roles specialized cells play in the life-sustaining functions of multicellular organisms; Demonstrate knowledge of the importance of active and passive transport in maintaining homeostasis in cells and the relationships between these processes and cellular membranes; Demonstrate knowledge of types of cellular communication (e.g., endocrine, synaptic transmission, hormonal); Demonstrate knowledge of the eukaryotic cell cycle, including major events (e.g., DNA replication, mitosis, cytokinesis); Apply knowledge of how the events of the eukaryotic cell cycle are related to growth, maintenance, and repair, including the relationship of these events with the occurrence of cancer in organisms; Demonstrate knowledge of the differences between the processes of mitosis and meiosis, including their major events, functions, products, and errors (e.g., deletions, transmutations, inversions); Apply knowledge of OASS science and engineering practices related to the characteristics of cells and their structures and processes; Demonstrate knowledge of OASS crosscutting concepts between the characteristics of cells and their structures and processes and topics in biology and other scientific fields.
• Competency 0003: Understand photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and the flow of energy and matter in cells. Skills tested: Demonstrate an understanding of the sources of energy used by various types of organisms (e.g., archaea, bacteria, plants, animals); Demonstrate an understanding of photosynthesis, including the inputs and outputs of this process and the energy and matter transformations that occur; Apply knowledge of the process of cellular respiration and ATP production in aerobic and anaerobic conditions, including the factors that affect energy yield and storage; Apply knowledge of the significance of chloroplast and mitochondrion structure in relation to the processes of photosynthesis and respiration and of biochemical pathways of photosynthesis and respiration (e.g., Calvin cycle, glycolysis, Krebs cycle), including through the use of models; Apply knowledge of OASS science and engineering practices related to photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and the flow of energy and matter in cells; Demonstrate knowledge of OASS crosscutting concepts between the processes of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and the flow of energy and matter in cells and topics in biology and other scientific fields.
• Competency 0004: Understand organismal maintenance, growth, and reproduction. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of living organisms (e.g., differences between organisms and nonliving things) and the requirements needed to sustain life; Apply knowledge of the hierarchical organization of cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems in living organisms (e.g., blood and vessels of the circulatory system, xylem and phloem of the transport system), including those involved in maintaining homeostasis; Demonstrate knowledge of the physiological processes needed for the maintenance, growth, and reproduction in plants; Demonstrate knowledge of the physiological processes needed for the maintenance, growth, and reproduction in animals, including humans; Analyze the behavioral responses of organisms to internal and external stimuli (e.g., light, gravity, chemical concentrations) and the adaptive significance of these behaviors; Apply knowledge of the life cycles and development of various types of model organisms (e.g., insect, plant, vertebrate); Apply knowledge of OASS science and engineering practices related to organismal maintenance, growth, and reproduction; Demonstrate knowledge of OASS crosscutting concepts between organismal maintenance, growth, and reproduction and topics in biology and other scientific fields.

Competencies 0005–0007 make up about 26% of the test. They ask you to understand the characteristics of biomes, ecosystems, and their inhabitants; understand the flow of matter and energy in organisms and ecosystems; understand the impact of human activities on the environment and society.

• Competency 0005: Understand the characteristics of biomes, ecosystems, and their inhabitants. Skills tested: Analyze relationships among organisms in a community (e.g., competition, predation, parasitism); Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of major types of biomes (e.g., terrestrial, aquatic) and ecosystems and their components (e.g., flora, fauna), including the abiotic and biotic factors that shape these types of communities; Demonstrate an understanding of factors that affect population size and growth rate (e.g., carrying capacity, limiting factors) and the use of sampling methods and mathematical models (e.g., growth curves) related to characteristics of populations; Apply knowledge of the process of ecological succession and stability and change in ecosystems in response to variations in abiotic and biotic factors; Analyze the effect of biome degradation and destruction (e.g., climate changes, deforestation, introduction of invasive species) on individual species, ecological relationships, and biosphere stability; Apply knowledge of OASS science and engineering practices related to the characteristics of biomes, ecosystems, and their inhabitants; Demonstrate knowledge of OASS crosscutting concepts between the characteristics of biomes, ecosystems, and their inhabitants and topics in biology and other scientific fields.
• Competency 0006: Understand the flow of matter and energy in organisms and ecosystems. Skills tested: Analyze the ways in which organisms obtain, transform, transport, and release matter and energy; Analyze the implications of the conservation of energy and matter for living systems; Demonstrate an understanding of the relationships of organisms in ecosystems (e.g., primary producers, consumers, decomposers); Demonstrate an understanding of how energy and matter move through the trophic levels of ecosystems (e.g., 10% rule); Compare the strengths and limitations of pyramid and web models (e.g., biomass, numbers, energy) and their representation of the flow of matter and energy in ecosystems; Apply knowledge of biogeochemical cycles (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, water) and the movement of matter through abiotic and biotic reservoirs in ecosystems, including the use of models; Demonstrate an understanding of the role of bacteria in nutrient cycling in ecosystems (e.g., nitrogen fixation, decomposition, weathering of rock, photosynthesis); Apply knowledge of OASS science and engineering practices related to the flow of matter and energy in organisms and ecosystems; Demonstrate knowledge of OASS crosscutting concepts between the flow of matter and energy in organisms and ecosystems and topics in biology and other scientific fields.
• Competency 0007: Understand the impact of human activities on the environment and society. Skills tested: Apply knowledge of renewable and nonrenewable resources and the long- and short-term effects on the environment that result from their use; Demonstrate knowledge of the types and sources of environmental pollution; the effects of pollution on natural populations, communities, and ecosystems; and remediation methods; Analyze recent developments in biology and biotechnology (e.g., medical technology, genetic engineering, wastewater treatment), including their societal implications; Analyze the role of science and technology in local, national, and global challenges (e.g., habitat fragmentation, introduction of invasive species, overharvesting, acid rain), including the methods for preventing, mitigating, and reversing the impacts caused by human activities on the environment; Demonstrate knowledge of the importance and implications of influencing factors (e.g., nutrition, public health, loss of ecosystem services) on human population dynamics, including the use of models; Apply knowledge of OASS science and engineering practices related to the impact of human activities on the environment and society; Demonstrate knowledge of OASS crosscutting concepts between the impact of human activities on the environment and society and topics in biology and other scientific fields.

Competencies 0008–0010 make up about 26% of the test. They ask you to understand the molecular basis of inheritance; understand the inheritance and variation of traits; understand natural selection, adaptation, and the diversity of life.

• Competency 0008: Understand the molecular basis of inheritance. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the structure of and the relationship between DNA, alleles, genes, and chromosomes; Apply knowledge of the mechanism of DNA replication and the types and causes of mutations that can occur during this process; Apply knowledge of protein synthesis, including the processes of transcription and translation and the structure and function of mRNA and tRNA; Demonstrate an understanding of the control of gene expression in prokaryotes (e.g., lac operon in E. coli) and in eukaryotes; Demonstrate an understanding of genetic engineering techniques and tools (e.g., electrophoresis, sequencing, using bacterial plasmids) and their roles in the basic discoveries of molecular genetics; Apply knowledge of the role of genetic engineering in the production of valuable medical treatments and commercial products (e.g., human insulin, genetically modified organisms, CRISPR-Cas9); Apply knowledge of OASS science and engineering practices related to the molecular basis of inheritance; Demonstrate knowledge of OASS crosscutting concepts between the molecular basis of inheritance and topics in biology and other scientific fields.
• Competency 0009: Understand the inheritance and variation of traits. Skills tested: Apply knowledge of the roles of DNA, RNA, genes, and chromosomal behavior, including on patterns of inheritance of traits (e.g., codominance, sex linkage, multiple alleles, polygenic traits); Analyze the significance of historic pea plant experiments and their implications regarding basic principles of heredity (e.g., unit factors, dominance, segregation, independent assortment); Apply knowledge of genetics to explain connections between genotype and phenotype, including the use of models (e.g., Punnett squares, pedigree charts); Apply principles of probability to genotype and phenotype combinations in offspring, including for traits that are complete dominant, incomplete dominant, codominant, sex linked, and polygenic; Demonstrate an understanding of the role of nonnuclear inheritance (e.g., mitochondrial DNA, chloroplast DNA); Demonstrate knowledge of the sources and types of mutations leading to genetic disorders (e.g., PKU, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia) and the techniques used to determine the presence of human genetic diseases; Apply knowledge of OASS science and engineering practices related to the inheritance and variation of traits; Demonstrate knowledge of OASS crosscutting concepts between the inheritance and variation of traits and topics in biology and other scientific fields.
• Competency 0010: Understand natural selection, adaptation, and the diversity of life. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of the theory of evolution and of natural selection; Analyze proposed mechanisms of evolution (e.g., gradualism, punctuated equilibrium) and the scientific evidence supporting evolutionary change (e.g., fossil record, comparative anatomy, biochemistry, molecular biology, drug-resistant bacteria); Apply knowledge of the factors necessary for adaptation to occur (e.g., genetic variation, phenotypic variation, survival of the fittest), including the cause-and-effect relationship between natural selection and adaptation; Analyze the adaptive significance of various reproductive strategies (e.g., development of seeds, internal fertilization), including the influence of group behavior on reproduction and the comparison of asexual and sexual reproduction; Demonstrate knowledge of the factors that contribute to speciation (e.g., geographic isolation, reproductive isolation); Apply knowledge of population genetics and the factors that affect the frequencies of alleles in a population over time (e.g., natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow) to explain evolutionary change or stasis in populations; Demonstrate knowledge of basic taxonomy, criteria used to classify organisms, (e.g., morphology, biochemical comparisons, dichotomous keys), and biological systematics and models (e.g., binomial nomenclature, phylogenetic trees, cladograms); Apply knowledge of OASS science and engineering practices related to natural selection, adaptation, and the diversity of life; Demonstrate knowledge of OASS crosscutting concepts between natural selection, adaptation, and the diversity of life and topics in biology and other scientific fields.

Competency 0011 makes up about 15% of the test. They ask you to analyze a lesson plan and student work sample for a learning standard in the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science or the Next Generation Science Standards and describe differentiated instructional strategies that address student needs. Constructed-response assignment.

• Competency 0011: Analyze a lesson plan and student work sample for a learning standard in the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science or the Next Generation Science Standards and describe differentiated instructional strategies that address student needs. Skills tested: Apply knowledge of standards-based learning goals for biology content; Analyze student work samples from a biology lesson, citing specific evidence to identify strengths and needs; Describe differentiated instructional strategies based on identified strengths and needs; Describe the potential impacts of this analysis on future instruction for specific students, for specific units of study, and for a teacher's general instructional practice.