Grade 7 Life Science

Grade 7 Life Science

Grade 7 Life Science

Arlington Public Schools

Arlington Public SchoolsGrade 7 Life Science

Grade 7 Life Science

August 6, 2002

This curriculum guide is adapted from the Virginia Department of Education Sample Scope and Sequence Guide for Grade 7 Life Science found at:

This curriculum guide was developed under the supervision of Mark A. Johnston, Arlington Public Schools Science Supervisor.

1426 N. Quincy Street

Arlington, VA 22207

Phone: 703-228-6166

Special thanks go to the following teachers who contributed to the development of this guide:

Tobie Hendricks,

Dat Le, and

Amy Mertlbauer

Grade 7 Life Science Suggested Pacing Guide

Organizing Topic / Related Standards / Time Allotted
Investigation Skills and the Nature of Science / LS.1 / 9 weeks or 45 days
Investigating Cell Theory / LS.2, LS.1 / 2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Patterns of Cellular Organization / LS.3, LS.1 / 2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Heredity and Genetics / LS.13, LS.1 / 2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating the Classification of Organisms / LS.5, LS.1 / 2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Plants / LS.4a, LS.4c, LS.11a, LS.1 / 2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Photosynthesis / LS.6, LS.1 / 2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Animals / LS.4b, LS.5, LS.1 / 2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Energy Flow / LS.7, LS.1 / 2 weeks or 10 days
Investigation Populations / LS.8, LS.11b, LS.11c, LS.1 / 2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Communities / LS.9, LS.1 / 2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Adaptations and Change / LS.11, LS.10, LS.1 / 2 weeks or 10 days
Investigation Organic Evolution / LS.14, LS.1 / 2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating the Conservation of Living Resources / LS.12, LS.1 / 2 weeks or 10 days

TOTAL

/ 35 weeks or 175 days

Grade 7 Life Science Suggested Pacing Guide

1st Marking Period
Investigation Skills and the Nature of Science
-9 weeks or 45 days
2nd Marking Period
Investigating Cell Theory
-2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Patterns of Cellular Organization
-2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Heredity and Genetics
-2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Organic Evolution
2 weeks or 10 days / 3rd Marking Period
Investigating the Classification of Living Organisms
-2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Plants
-2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Photosynthesis
-2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Animals
-2 weeks or 10 days
4th Marking Period
Investigating Energy Flow
-2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Populations
-2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Communities
-2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating Adaptation and Change
-2 weeks or 10 days
Investigating the Conservation of Living Resources
-2 weeks or 10 days
Organizing
Topic / Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes / Related
SOL / Sample Classroom
Assessment Methods / Sample Resources
Investigation Skills and the Nature of Science
(A discrete introduction to specific science skills is not necessary, as all of the inquiry skills should be incorporated within the following topical areas. Teachers may consider introducing some of these skills in isolation or coordinated with mathematics, English, and history instruction.) / Students should be able to: /

LS.1

Student demonstrations

Classroom observations

Student laboratory reports (Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

Quizzes (Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

Tests (Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

/ Reading

All books have a Skills Handbook in the back. This gives information about scientific processes, small activities and lab safety.

Worksheets

There are a variety of worksheets in the Inquiry Skills Activity Book on the Resource Pro Disk.
Student Safety Test in Resource Pro

design a data table which includes space to organize all components of an investigation in a meaningful way, including levels of the independent variable, responses measured of the dependent variable, number of trials, and mathematical means.
identify what is deliberately changed in the experiment and what is to be measured as the dependent (responding) variable.
select appropriate tools for collecting qualitative and quantitative data. This requires students to recognize the metric units used in measuring volume, mass, and distance for the appropriate collection of quantitative data.
establish criteria to determine if a prediction has a plausible basis.
create concrete and mental models as ways to visualize explanations of ideas and phenomena.
Organizing
Topic / Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes / Related
SOL / Sample Resources
Investigation Skills and the Nature of Science
(Continued) / evaluate the design of an experiment and the events that occur during an investigation to determine which factors may affect the results of the experiment. This requires students to examine the experimental procedure and decide where or if they have made mistakes.
analyze the variables in an experiment and decide which ones must be held constant (not allowed to change) in order for the investigation to represent a fair test. This requires students to comprehend what “variables” are and to apply that idea in new situations related to the Life Science SOL concepts.
determine the specific component of an experiment to be changed as an independent variable and control the experiment by conducting trials for the experiment in which the independent variable is NOT applied. This requires the student to set up a standard to which the experimental results can be compared. The student must use the results of the controlled trials to determine whether the hypothesized results were indeed due to the independent variable. /

LS.1

Labs

PBL Scenario Labs

Paper Decomposition
Daphnia/Brine Shrimp
Seed Germination
Bacteria
Yeast
Insect Metamorphasis

Skills Lab 1: How to Use a Microscope
Skills Lab 2: Hoe to Use a Balance
The classic mystery box experiment is a good introduction to observation and making a hypothesis.

Arlington Public SchoolsGrade 7 Life Science

Grade 7 Life Science

Organizing
Topic / Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes / Related
SOL / Sample Resources
Investigation Skills and the Nature of Science
(Continued) / construct line graphs using data sets from experiments. This requires the student to recognize that a line graph is most appropriate for reporting continuous or real time data. This also requires a student to comprehend that points along the line that are not actual data points can be used to make predictions. Students should be able to interpret and analyze these graphs.
develop conclusions based on a data set and verify whether the data set truly supports the conclusion. This requires the student to cite references to the data that specifically support their conclusions. / LS.1 / Labs Cont.

This is an easy lab to help with graphing skills.
This website has a number of experiments and helpful lesson plans.
This lab was designed for teacher training but with modifications can work for middle school.

This is another graphing website with data to graph.

Other Resources
Prentice Hall website with interactive activities, article links and self-tests.
Organizing
Topic / Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes / Related
SOL / Sample Classroom
Assessment Methods / Sample Resources
Investigating Cell Theory / Students should be able to: /

LS.2

Student demonstrations

Classroom observations

Student laboratory reports (Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

Quizzes (Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

Tests (Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

Reading

Book C

Discovering Cells, Chapter 1.1

TR 1-1

Lesson Plan
Section Summary
Review and Reinforce

TR Transparencies

The Compound Microscope

Reading

Book C

Looking Inside Cells, Chapter 1.2

TR 1-2

Lesson Plan
Section Summary

Review and Reinforce

describe and sequence the major points in the development of the cell theory.
distinguish between the following cell organelles: cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, cell wall, and chloroplast.
correlate the structures of cell organelles with the their jobs and analyze how organelles perform particular jobs.
compare and contrast examples of plant and animal cells using the create concrete and mental models as ways to visualize explanations of ideas and phenomena.
differentiate between mitosis and meiosis.
design an investigation from a testable question related to animal and plant cells. The investigation may be a complete experimental design or may focus on systematic observation, description, measurement, and/or data collection and analysis. An example question is: “Do onion cells vary in shape or structure, depending on where they are found in the plant?”
Organizing
Topic / Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes / Related
SOL / Sample Classroom
Assessment Methods / Sample Resources
Investigating Cell Theory (Continued) / design an investigation from a testable question related to animal and plant cells. The investigation may be a complete experimental design or may focus on systematic observation, description, measurement, and/or data collection and analysis. An example question is: “Do onion cells vary in shape or structure, depending on where they are found in the plant?”
analyze and critique the experimental design of basic investigations related to animal and plant cells. This analysis and critique should focus on the skills developed in LS.1. Major emphasis includes the following: the clarity of predictions and hypotheses, the organization of data tables, use of metric measures, adequacy of trials and samples, the identification and use of variables, identification of constants, use of controls, displays of graphical data, and the support for conclusions.
apply the LS.1 science skills in the context of the content of this topic. /

LS.1

TR Transparencies

Exploring the Plant Cell
Exploring the Animal Cell

Student demonstrations

Classroom observations

Student laboratory reports (Teacher Resource book or Resource Pro CD)

Quizzes (Teacher Resource book or Resource Pro CD)

Tests (Teacher Resource book or Resource Pro CD) /

Reading

Book C

The Cell in Its Environment, Chapter 1.4

TR 1-4

Lesson Plan
Section Summary
Review and Reinforce

Lab C1

Cell Membranes and Permeability

TR Transparencies

Passive and Active Transport

Web Site

Prentice Hall Website with interactive activities, article links and self-test

differentiate between unicellular organisms and multicellular organisms. Students should be able to name common examples of both.
compare and contrast how unicellular and multicellular organisms perform various life functions. This includes the application of knowledge about systems in organisms.
model how materials move into and out of cells in the processes of osmosis, diffusion, and active transport. This includes creating and interpreting three dimensional models and/or illustrations demonstrating the processes involved. Students should be able to analyze the components of these models and diagrams, and communicate their observations and conclusions.
compare and contrast the various basic life functions of an organism, including respiration, waste removal, growth, irritability and reproduction and explain the role that each life function serves for an organism.
differentiate among cells, tissue, and organs. /

LS.3

Organizing
Topic / Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes / Related
SOL / Sample Classroom
Assessment Methods / Sample Resources
Investigating Patterns of Cellular Organization
(Continued) / Students should be able to:
analyze and critique the experimental design of basic investigations related to the understanding of cellular organization with emphasis on observations of cells and tissue. This analysis and critique should focus on the skills developed in LS.1. Major emphasis includes the following: the clarity of predictions and hypotheses, the organization of data tables, use of metric measures, adequacy of trials and samples, the identification and use of variables, identification of constants, use of controls, displays of graphical data, and the support for conclusions. /

LS.1

apply the LS.1 science skills in the context of the content of this topic.
Organizing
Topic / Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes / Related
SOL / Sample Classroom
Assessment Methods / Sample Resources

Investigating Plants

/ Students should be able to: /

Student demonstrations

Classroom observations

Student laboratory reports (Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

Quizzes (Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

Tests (Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

Reading

Book A, 4-1 & 4-2
Book A, 4-5

Worksheets

Resource Pro CD

R & R 1-1

Enrichment 4-1

Labs

PBL Seed Germination

This experiment investigates different tropisms.
Skills Lab, Which Way is Up? Book A, p. 167.

explain that there is a specific range or continuum of conditions that will meet the life needs of plants.
explain how plants obtain the materials and energy that they need. / LS.4a
understand that plants may respond to light by growing toward it or away from it (a behavior known as phototropism). / LS.11a
relate the responses of plants to daily, seasonal, or long-term events. / LS.11
create plausible hypotheses about the effect that changes in available materials and energy might have on particular life processes in plants.
design an investigation from a testable question related to plant life needs. The investigation may be a complete experimental design or may focus on systematic observation, description, measurement, and/or data collection and analysis. / LS.4a,c
Organizing
Topic / Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes / Related
SOL / Sample Classroom
Assessment Methods / Sample Resources

Investigating Plants

(Continued)

/ analyze and critique the experimental design of basic investigations related to plant needs. This analysis and critique should focus on the skills developed in LS.1. Major emphasis includes the following: the clarity of predictions and hypotheses, the organization of data tables, use of metric measures, adequacy of trials and samples, the identification and use of variables, identification of constants, use of controls, displays of graphical data, and the support for conclusions. /

LS.4a,c

/ Labs Cont.

Students design a system to help with airborne seed dispersal.

Other Resources

Transparency A13
Student friendly information about plants.
Prentice Hall website with interactive activities, article links and self-tests.

apply the LS.1 science skills in the context of the content of this topic. / LS.1
Organizing
Topic / Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes / Related
SOL / Sample Classroom
Assessment Methods / Sample Resources

Investigating Animals

/ Students should be able to: /

Student demonstrations

Classroom observations

Student laboratory reports

Quizzes

Tests

/ Reading

Book B, Chapter 1
Book B, Sect. 5-2

Worksheets

Resource Pro CD

R & R 1-1
Enrichment 1-1
R & R 5-2

Labs

Discover Activity Book B, p. 16
PBL: Insect Metamorphosis
An experiment using sow bugs and varying temperature.

distinguish between the needs of plants and animals.
explain that there is a specific range or continuum of conditions that will meet the needs of animals.
explain how animals obtain the materials that they need. /

LS.4b

relate the responses of animals to daily, seasonal, or long-term events. /

LS.11

explain that animals may respond to cold conditions with a period of lowered metabolism (a behavior know as hibernation). /

LS.11a

create plausible hypotheses about the effect that changes in available materials might have on particular life processes in animals.
design an investigation from a testable question related to animal life needs. The investigation may be a complete experimental design or may focus on systematic observation, description, measurement, and/or data collection and analysis. /

LS.4b

Organizing
Topic / Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes / Related
SOL / Sample Classroom
Assessment Methods / Sample Resources
Investigating Animals
(Continued) / analyze and critique the experimental design of basic investigations related to animal needs. This analysis and critique should focus on the skills developed in LS.1. Major emphasis includes the following: the clarity of predictions and hypotheses, the organization of data tables, use of metric measures, adequacy of trials and samples, the identification and use of variables, identification of constants, use of controls, displays of graphical data, and the support for conclusions. / LS.4b / Labs Cont.

This is a lab studying biological clocks in humans and student alertness.

Prentice Hall website with interactive activities, article links and self-tests.

apply the LS.1 science skills in the context of the content of this topic. / LS.1
Organizing
Topic /

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes

/ Related
SOL / Sample Classroom
Assessment Methods / Sample Resources
Investigating the Classification of Organisms / Students should be able to: /

LS.5

Student demonstrations

Classroom observations

Student laboratory reports

(Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

Quizzes(Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

Tests (Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

Reading

Book A, Sect 1-3, 1-4

Worksheets

R & R, Sect 1-3

Labs

Lab A-1: Developing a Classification of Seeds
Shoe Classification-(Appendix II)

 Students investigate using clay models

Other Resources

Overhead 3: Seven Levels of Classification
Informative website.
Prentice Hall website with interactive activities, article links and self-tests.

compare and contrast key features and activities between organisms.
arrange organisms in a hierarchy according to similarities and differences in features.
explain that information about physical features and activities is arranged in a hierarchy of increasing specificity. The levels in the accepted hierarchy include kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species.
categorize examples of organisms as representatives of the kingdoms and recognize that number of kingdoms is subject to change.
recognize scientific names as part of a binomial nomenclature.
apply the LS.1 science skills in the context of the content of this topic. /

LS.1

Organizing
Topic / Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes / Related
SOL / Sample Classroom
Assessment Methods / Sample Resources

Investigating Photosynthesis

/ Students should be able to: /

Student demonstrations

Classroom observations

Student laboratory reports (Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

Quizzes (Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

Tests (Available either the Teacher Resources Book or Resource Pro CD)

/ Reading

Book A : Sect 1 & 2
Book C: Sect 1

Student Worksheets

R & R, p.A97
Enrichment, p.A98
Photosynthesis flowchart

Labs

Compare starch levels with varying concentrations of CO2

Skills Lab: Sect 4-1: Eye on Photosynthesis

Book A: p. 118 or Resource Disk
describe the process of photosynthesis in terms of raw materials and products generated.
identify and describe the organelles involved in the process of photosynthesis.
describe that chlorophyll is a chemical in chloroplasts that can absorb or trap light energy.
relate that energy is a basic need of all living things. Photosynthesizing organisms obtain their energy from the sun.
explain how organisms utilize the energy stored from the products of photosynthesis.
relate the importance of photosynthesis to the role of producers as the foundation of food webs.
design an investigation from a testable question related to photosynthesis. The investigation may be a complete experimental design or may focus on systematic observation, description, measurement, and/or data collection and analysis. /

LS.6