West-Orange Cove ISD7th Grade Science – 2nd Six Weeks2012 - 2013

The second six weeks has 25 instructional days 10/1 – 11/2
10/5
Early Release
10/8
Parent conference / Major Concepts
During week 1 - 2, students will demonstrate and illustrate forces that affect motion in everyday life.
During week 3 - 4,students will contrast situations where work is done with different amounts of force to situations where no work is done and will illustrate the transformation of energy within an organism.
During week 5, students will know that matter has physical and chemical properties and can undergo physical and chemical changes by identifying that organic compounds contain carbon and other elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, nitrogen, or sulfur / Processes
  • Demonstrate safe practices during laboratory and field investigations as outlined in the Texas Safety Standards
  • Plan and implement comparative and descriptive investigations by making observations, asking well-defined questions, and using appropriate equipment and technology;
  • Collect and record data using the International System of Units (SI) and qualitative means such as labeled drawings, writing, and graphic organizers;
  • Analyze data to formulate reasonable explanations, communicate valid conclusions supported by the data, and predict trends.
  • Use models to represent aspects of the natural world and identify advantages and limitations of models such as size, scale, properties, and materials

In order to use time, resources, and hold students accountable for their own learning, we must agree to continue using:
  • Notebooking. Also, remember to refer back to files sent during the first six weeks to expand on the use of notebooks in the science classroom.
  • SMART objective posted and used daily. For example, the TEKs for the lesson (week or weeks) is….
  • Demonstrate and illustrate forces that affect motion in everyday life such as emergence of seedlings, turgor pressure, and geotropism. 7.7C.
  • The SMART objective for the 1st week may be written in the following way,
  • Today, we (or I, based on preference) will demonstrate and illustrate forces that affect motion in everyday life by watching the Force and Motion video to discover the forces that are at work when objects are in motion in a variety of different situations
  • The next day, the underlined part of the objective may change for the next part of the lesson such as Today, we (or I, based on preference) will demonstrate and illustrate forces that affect motion in everyday life by participating in the Forces Affecting Living Processes lab.
  • Developing Effective Science Lessons. During the first six weeks, we explored how to develop effective science lessons by referring to Figure 1.1. During the first six weeks, we focused on encouraging collaboration among students, having resources available that contribute to accomplishing the purpose of instruction, content being significant and worthwhile, providing appropriate connections to other areas, and creating a climate that encourages students to generate ideas and questions. As we continue to make an impact in the lives of children as they engage in the learning of science, we will focus on providing adequate time and structure for sense-making and wrap-up, enhancing the development of students’ understanding and problem solving through teacher’s questioning, providing content information that is accurate, and encouraging and valuing active participation of all.
  • Creating a Positive Learning Environment. During the first six weeks, we presented Table 4.1, from Designing Effective Science Instruction: What Works in Science Classrooms, showing how to create a positive learning environment. In the second six weeks, we will begin to explore one of the strategies presented in this book. Strategy 1: Believe All Students Can Learn- Show through your actions that you believe all students have the ability to learn p132 - 138.
  • Using technology and interactive games to support student engagement.
  • Collaborative grouping
  • Formative assessment in science and other formative assessment strategies that will work depending the needs of your class(once you are in the page, click on each formative assessment strategy to get more details)
  • Use of the 5E scientific model:
  • Engage
  • Explore
  • Explain
  • Elaborate
  • Evaluate
Using a rubric or a criteria chart generated with the students, go over the expectations in the science lab as it concerns to safety, active participation, homework, and research among others.
Week 1 and Week 2
October 1 – October 12
Learning Standards / Instruction / Resources / Products, Projects, Labs / Assessment
Force, motion, and energy. The student knows that there is a relationship among force, motion, and energy. The student is expected to:
Demonstrate and illustrate forces that affect motion in everyday life such as emergence of seedlings, turgor pressure, and geotropism. 7.7C
Organisms and environments. The student knows that a living organism must be able to maintain balance in stable internal conditions in response to external and internal stimuli. The student is expected to:
Describe and relate responses in organisms that may result from internal stimuli such as wilting in plants and fever or vomiting in animals that allow them to maintain balance.7.13B
Investigate how organisms respond to external stimuli found in the environment such as phototropism and fight or flight.7.13A / The study of force, motion, and energy in 7th grade is related to living systems. Force, motion, and energy are observed in living systems and the environment in several ways. Interactions between muscular and skeletal systems allow the body to apply forces and transform energy both internally and externally. Force and motion can also describe the direction and growth of seedlings, turgor pressure, and geotropism. Catastrophic events of weather systems such as hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes can shape and restructure the environment through the force and motion evident in them. Weathering, erosion, and deposition occur in environments due to the forces of gravity, wind, ice, and water.
In order to better understand how force, motion, and energy relate to living systems; we must have a good foundation of these terms and concepts. Also, we include TEKs 7.13A and 7.13B, organisms responding to external and internal stimuli, as an introduction because TEKs 7.7C begins to address geotropism – the response of plants to the force of gravity.
Vocabulary
Force, distance, motion, magnitude, friction, unbalanced force, balanced force, energy, Newton, resistance forces, gravity, emergence, turgor of pressure, geotropism
ENGAGE students daily by
  • Using Annotated Student Drawings, students will reflect on the question “What does the word Force makes you think about?” Students will share within the group and then choose a few to share with the class.
  • Having students arm wrestle to show balanced forces (when the same amount of force is applied by each person) and unbalanced forces (when one person wins). The students will learn the effects of unbalanced forces by sharing what they felt as they were winning or losing.
  • Using the Physics of Roller Coasters segment of the Physics of Motion video to have students discuss situations where work is done with different amounts of force.
  • Using the Force and Motion segment of the Physics of Motion video to have students discover the forces that are at work when objects are in motion in a variety of different situations.
ENGAGE / EXPLAIN the Turgor Pressure by doing the activity moving toothpicks, watching theTurgor Pressure in Cellary Stalksvideo clip and making observations. Students will understand that living organisms use turgor pressure inside their cells to hold the cells in shape - like a balloon blown up hard inside a sock or washing-up glove. If plants do not receive enough water, they will go limp because there is not enough pressure in the cells to maintain their shape.
  • Using Commit and Toss, students will write down their understanding of how forces affect motion in everyday life; based on students’ answers, the teacher will make adjustments to lesson, pacing, and/or reteach concepts students do not fully understand.
/
Use the following lessons to support students’ understanding and knowledgeby identifying the differences between elements and compounds
  • Science Starter 35Force and Motion
  • Science Starter 36Measuring and Graphing Motion (use if needed to review graphing with students)
Gateways to Science 7th
Judson Lab / Gateways Lab2.4Internal Forces that Change the Earth.
T.E 41 - 42
Students will work in groups to make observations, discuss, draw diagrams of models and write explanations of any changes that may occur to the surface of the Earth models as force is applied in various directions. Use BLM in CD or use SMART Notebook File
Gateways Lab 2.5 Forces Affecting Living Processes.
T.E 43 – 44
Students will work in partners for the first part of the lab. Then, students will work in groups to set up soaked corn seeds and soaked beans. Students will make observations, discuss, draw diagrams of models and write explanations of any changes that may occur during the emergence of seedlings. Students may make a foldable book to record observations daily. Due to the limited amount of time see noticeable change, students may watch a video showing emergence of seedlings
Turgor Pressure Lab. Students will understand how turgor pressure affects organisms. The teacher may use the turgor pressure PowerPoint presentation to facilitate students’ learning and lab procedures.
EXPLAIN/EVALUATE
Students will create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast forces in a roller coaster and forces that affect motion in everyday life such as emergence of seedlings, turgor pressure, and geotropism. / EVALUATE
Students will write an explanation and draw a diagram showing how the following examples are balanced or unbalanced forces:
a) A boy on a bike riding down the road
b) A bike parked on the sidewalk
c) A rock sitting on a cliff
Students will complete the Turgor Pressure lab report using observations, research, and other data.
Students will write down evidence of forces affecting our lives and living processes during the various observations, explorations, and videos.
Reflection –
Students will write down an explanation to the statement “Forces affect our everyday lives”
Week 3-4
October 15 - October 26
Learning Standards / Instruction / Resources / Products, Projects, Labs / Assessment
Force, motion, and energy. The student knows that there is a relationship among force, motion, and energy. The student is expected to:
Contrast situations where work is done with different amounts of force to situations where no work is done such as moving a box with a ramp and without a ramp, or standing still. 7.7A
Illustrate the transformation of energy within an organism such as the transfer from chemical energy to heat and thermal energy indigestion. 7.7B / Vocabulary
Work, force, distance, motion, energy, Newton, resistance forces, gravity, simple machines, pulley, lever, pivot, fulcrum, axle, inclined plane, wedge, screw
ENGAGE students daily by
Reviewing all about energy and forms of energy.
Using the A & D statement, students will discuss the following statement “THERE HAS TO BE AN ENERGY CHANGE TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!”
Providing students problem solving tasks to plan, design and implement using basic tools, simple materials and techniques. Students will review and understand tools and machines by their function.
Having students view the video Work, Energy, and the Simple Machine: Work and Energy to understand the principles associated with work and energy and how the simple machines are helpful to humans. Work to a scientist is only accomplished when an effort is used to move an object that has resistance.
Using This Too Shall Pass - Rube Goldberg Machine versionStudents will practice the graffiti writing technique to write down observations and wonderings about what they observe. Observations and wonderings include identifying simple machines, will explain the relationship between the force and the motion, and contrast the different situations where work is done with different amounts of force to situations where no work is done. Keep poster paper or construction paper where students wrote down observations and wonderings to have students reflect on learning at the end of the lesson.
Teachers will facilitate students’ learning and discovery to reinforce skills and concepts
EXPLORE / EXPLAIN- Introduce the students to Rube Goldberg. He was an US cartoonist who created cartoon pictures of complicated machines to do simple tasks. Students will identify the simple machine in the drawing, explain the relationship between the force and the motion as demonstrated by their labeled simple machines, and contrast the different situations in the picture(s) where work is done with different amounts of force to situations where work is done. Drawing is included in SMART Notebook File. /
Use the following lessons to support students’ understanding and knowledgeby identifying the differences between elements and compounds
  • Science Starter 38Work
  • Science Starter 39Energy Transformation
  • Science Starter 113Simple Machines
Gateways to Science 7th
Simple Machines
Transfer of Energy
Rube Goldberg
Teachers’ Domain
The Energy Story / Gateways 7th grade Lab 2.2 Energy Transformations
T.E 33 - 37
Students will participate in this lab to better understand energy transformations. . Use BLM 1-2 in CD to show lab stations and BLM 3 – 4 to ELABORATE on energy transfer.SMART Notebook Fileonce CD is available)
EXPLAIN
Students will create a graphic organizerto describe energy transformation.
Gateways 7th grade Lab 2.6 Simple Machines and Work
T.E 45 - 47
Students will follow safety procedures as they conduct lab. Students will EXPLORE / EXPLAIN force and work as they participate in this lab and use various tools. Use BLM 9-11 in CD or SMART Notebook Fileonce CD is available)
EXPLAIN
Students will create a foldable book to include the vocabulary word, definition, and a diagram. It is important to remember that students better learn the vocabulary definition based on lab experiences not copying from the textbook. / EVALUATE
Using the Rube Goldberg's pictures (included in SMART Notebook Fileor teacher may select own pictures) student groups:
  • will identify and label the simple machines embedded in the larger machine
  • explain the relationship between the force and the motion as demonstrated by their labeled simple machines
  • contrast the different situations in the picture(s) where work is done with different amounts of force to situations where no work is done
  • groups will explain their findings in the group’s picture.
EVALUATE
Students will complete an energy concept map
Reflection
Students will create a story applying what they have learned about energy transfer, work and simple machines that people may use in everyday life.
Week 5
October 29 – November 2
Learning Standards / Instruction / Resources / Products, Projects, Labs / Assessment
Matter and energy. The student knows that matter has physical and chemical properties and can undergo physical and chemical changes. The student is expected to:
Identify that organic compounds contain carbon and other elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, nitrogen, or sulfur. 7.6A / Vocabulary
Matter, organic compounds, elements, atoms, inorganic compounds, chemical formula, chemical bonds, carbohydrates, lipids
ENGAGE students daily by
Reviewing that all things consists of matter.
  • Asking the students to reflect about their previous learning about elements. Think-Pair-Share If you were to be asked to rank the elements in order of importance, which elements would be at the top of the list? Of course, there are lots of elements that are important for everyday life but let’s limit the list to just five. The following is a suggested list. Students will EXPLAIN their answers
Having students watch Carbon: The chemistry of living things
to get an overview of the importance of carbon. Students will
identify characteristics of organic compounds.
  • Using Organic Compounds Notebook file and Chemistry: It’s all about building blocks to have students get an understanding of organic compounds. Students will take notes to be able to identify the characteristics of organic compounds.
Teachers will facilitate students’ learning and discovery to reinforce skills and concepts by
  • Making observations, using inference and prediction skills as teacher and students conduct organic compounds lab to show students how to identify these compounds in the food we eat.
/ Organic Compounds
Building block of Organic Compounds
Online Demonstration of testing for Organic Compounds / Cells contain many organic molecules. These molecules are essential to life. Many of them are acquired from the food we eat. In this lab students will study organic compounds such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Students will conduct own lab following this organic compounds lab. If not all materials are available, use this lab.
EXPLAIN
Before the day students participate in the lab, students will use a sheet of notebook or scratch paper and pen or pencil. Students write down 3,2,1:
3 things they learned, 2 things they have a question about, and 1 thing they want the (you) the instructor to know. Collect these as students leave class, and before introducing the lab address the most frequently asked questions from this activity with the class.
Students will build models of different organic compounds using the molecular kits (modified – using toothpicks and Styrofoam balls or marbles and play dough or other materials you see fit) to determine what element they have in common and determine how many atoms of each element are in each molecule
ELABORATE: Have students bring various products with nutrition information from home. Using these products, students will work in groups to create a poster to display findings about the organic or inorganic compounds found in everyday life products. Students write a short explanation of why the product is considered an organic compound. / EVALUATE
Students will demonstrate mastering and understanding of organic compounds by creating a comic strip, poster, rap, poem, or story. If needed, use the following scenario as a starting point:Students are concerned with the various research studies about obesity in the world. If you wanted to reduce the amount of fat in your diet, what foods would you avoid?
Students will create a Frayer Model related to organic compounds and inorganic compounds.
Reflection-
Students will write down their response to “We are known as carbon based life forms”

SMART Objective