Taos Middle School Grade 7 Science Curriculum Guidebook

Primary Grade Content Students in 7 th grade science are expected to primarily learn Life Sciences with a focus on cell development, genetics and life chemistry. By the end of 7 th grade, students should have learned how to: (Science Fair 101) - Use a variety of print and web resources to collect information, inform investigations, and answer a scientific question or hypothesis. - Use models to explain the relationships between variables being investigated. - Describe how bias can affect scientific investigation and conclusions. - Critique, analyze and evaluate procedures used to investigate a hypothesis and scientific explanations. - Understand how sample size and data analysis methods impact a scientific investigation, and how to select the right model to present the information. - Contributions of science to health technologies, human advancement, and medical practices. Grade Specific Content: - Students should know that chemical reactions are essential to life processes and should know what chemical reactions are essential to life processes. Students should know how substances react to form compounds with different properties.

Primary Grade Content/Grade Specific - How various forms of energy are transformed through organisms and ecosystems, and the impact of nature and mankind’s impact on the use of those energy sources. How forces impact living systems, including anatomical impacts in body systems. Identify the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem, biomes including New Mexico’s and describe the relationships and interactions among the components, environment, species to sustain life. Describe how the availability of resources and physical factors limit growth. Understand how diverse species fill all niches in an ecosystem. Know how to classify organisms: domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species. Reproduction is a characteristic of all living things and is essential to the continuation of a species, know the differences in reproduction, reproductive steps, and identification. Understand heredity, how characteristics are passed via inherited and acquired traits, to know that hereditary information is contained in genes what those genes do, and the location of those genes Describe biological diversity through traits, determine how those traits evolve and contribute to characteristics through heredity and environmental influences, including survival and extinction, and how this knowledge was determined. Understand that organisms are composed of cells and identify unicellular and multicellular organisms. Identify the functions of those cells, including structure, stimuli response, and items that can cause damage to cellular structure or function. Explain how organs are composed of tissues of different types of cells. Explain why Earth can support life, and how we use energy from the Sun in life processes. Understand how the remains of living things give us information about the history of Earth,

What Students Should Already Know Students should have learned in 6 th grade: - How to construct an experiment and present the data graphically. - How to produce a report with research (properly cited) to present their data. - How to present a hypothesis, analyze the data, and conclude while reflecting to the hypothesis. The students should know the value of repeating and validating the experiment, know the differences between dependent and independent variables, and review of scientific data by self and peers. - How to mathematically manipulate and present data from a scientific experiment/introduction to metric system for measurements. - Identification of the characteristics and properties of different substances, chemical and physical properties of matter. - General lab equipment identification - General lab safety Grade Specific Content: - General elements and compounds as they relate to life and Earth Sciences. - Energy/waves on Earth and Space/Gravity

What Students Should Already Know - Fossils/fossil records/fossil fuels and energy production Universe & solar system Earth structure/history/rock identification Weather and Climate Earth changes, relation to the Earth and to New Mexico Scientific knowledge and decisions, communications technologies and technologies as a whole.

Timeline Pacing The first 2 weeks of school should be a gauge of what knowledge your students have/retained and a general coverage of the basics. If the students do not possess this knowledge, a fast refresher course will have to be utilized. Recommended: - Quiz based on 6 th grade standards. (recommended: 6 th grade final semester exam) - Coverage of general lab equipment that you will use throughout the year to teach your content with test. - Scientific Method/Terms - Lab Safety/Quiz - Classroom rules/expectations/schedule - 1 st Lab: Measurement/Observation/Quantitative/Qualitative Data Collection - 1 st Lab Report with full disclosure of what is expected. - Establish Lab/Reading/Assignment Schedule * Lab activities should range between 3 and 5 days. There should be a pre-lab where students read and research on the lab activity, one class period to do the lab, and the post lab, where the data is reviewed, before requesting the lab report. If you haven’t done the lab before, allow one to

3 rd Week 4 th Week Scientific Experimentation/Inquiry Method/Science Fair is required at Taos Middle School, the majority of the Standards and Benchmarks describe activities covered by Science Fair. The progression timeline is integrated with the pacing guide, so therefore, many of the Science Fair activities can be started at the third week. At the same time, to get kids interested with the science lab process, the students can be introduced to a simple lab, such as measuring different objects, refreshing their metric system practice. NM Science Standards and Benchmarks: (these particular benchmarks and the Common core standards that refer to Science will be repeated throughout the year every time a lab and lab report is produced) Strand I: Scientific Thinking and Practice Standard I: Understand the processes of scientific investigations and use inquiry and scientific ways of observing, experimenting, predicting, and validating to think critically. Benchmark I: Use scientific methods to develop questions, design and conduct experiments using appropriate technologies, analyze and evaluate results, make predictions, and communicate findings. 1. Use a variety of print and web resources to collect information, inform investigations, and answer a scientific question or hypothesis. 2. Use models to explain the relationships between variables being investigated. Benchmark II: Understand the processes of scientific investigation and how scientific inquiry

3 rd week 4 th week (continued) 1. Describe how bias can affect scientific investigation and conclusions. 2. Critique procedures used to investigate a hypothesis. 3. Analyze and evaluate scientific explanations. Benchmark III: Use mathematical ideas, tools, and techniques to understand scientific knowledge. 1. Understand that the number of data (sample size) influences the reliability of a prediction. 2. Use mathematical expressions to represent data and observations collected in scientific investigations. 3. Select and use an appropriate model to examine a phenomenon. Strand III: Science and Society, Standard I: Understand how scientific discoveries, inventions, practices, and knowledge influence, and are influenced by, individuals and societies. Benchmark I: Explain how scientific discoveries and inventions have changed individuals and societies. 1. Analyze scientific contributions to health related to personal decisions: smoking, drugs, alcohol, and sexual activity. * ELS Chapter 22 2. Analyze how technologies have been responsible for advances in medicine (e. g. , vaccines, antibiotics, microscopes, DNA technologies). 3. Describe how scientific information can help individuals and communities respond to health emergencies (e. g. , CPR, epidemics, HIV, bio-terrorism). *Most of this should have been covered in activities within the first few weeks, these weeks can be used to catch up. Recommended Activities: Observation Lab/Measurement Lab, Measurement Conversions, Early Science Fair Brainstorming Practices Recommended Reading: Glencoe Ch 1: Nature of Science or Exploring Life

5 th Week 6 th Week Science Fair activities can run throughout as time permits up until the time before the local fair via the timeline. These activities can run concurrently. NM Science Standards and Benchmarks: Strand II: Content of Science Standard III (Earth and Space Science): Understand the structure of Earth, the solar system, and the universe, the interconnections among them, and the processes and interactions of Earth’s systems. Benchmark II: Describe the structure of Earth and its atmosphere and explain how energy, matter, and forces shape Earth’s systems. 1. Understand how the remains of living things give us information about the history of Earth, including: • layers of sedimentary rock, the fossil record, and radioactive dating showing that life has been present on Earth for more than 3. 5 billion years. 2. Understand how living organisms have played many roles in changes of Earth’s systems through time (e. g. , atmospheric composition, creation of soil, impact on Earth’s surface). 3. Know that changes to ecosystems sometimes decrease the capacity of the environment to support some life forms and are difficult and/or costly to remediate. Recommended Activity: Rock Identification Lab/ Rock Activities Recommended Reading: Glencoe Chapter 2: Minerals, Chapter 3 Rocks, ELS: Ch. 27: Cycles in Nature Recommended Testing: http: //www. helpteaching. com/tests/330237/sedimentary-rock-classification

7 th Week 8 th Week NM Science Standards and Benchmarks: Strand II: Content of Science Standard II (Life Science): Understand the properties, structures, and processes of living things and the interdependence of living things and their environments. Benchmark I: Explain the diverse structures and functions of living things and the complex relationships between living things and their environments. 7. Know how to classify organisms: domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species. Recommended Activity: Life Classification Poster http: //www. shellyssciencespot. com/Worksheets/Classification/Classificatio n. Poster. Project. pdf Recommended Reading: Glencoe Chapter 8: Life’s Structure and Classification Exploring Life Science Chapter 4: Classification of Living Things Recommended Testing: http: //mrscienceut. net/Classification%20 Worksheets. pdf

9 th Week Review Recommended Testing: Refer to Test. Maker to produce Test Review of the previous 9 weeks.

10 th Week 11 th week NM Science Standards and Benchmarks: Strand II, Standard II, Benchmark III: Understand the structure of organisms and the function of cells in living systems. 3. Understand that many basic functions of organisms are carried out in cells, including: • growth and division to produce more cells (mitosis) • specialized functions of cells (e. g. , reproduction, nerve-signal transmission, digestion, excretion, movement, transport of oxygen). 4. Compare the structure and processes of plant cells and animal cells. 5. Describe how some cells respond to stimuli (e. g. , light, heat, pressure, gravity). 6. Describe how factors (radiation, UV light, drugs) can damage cellular structure or function. Recommended Activity: Producing Cell Models, Cheek Swabbing/Cell Observation Recommended Reading: Glencoe Chapter 9: Cell Processes ELS: Chapter 3: Cells, Tissues and Organ Systems Recommended Testing: Refer to Test. Maker or Book/Book Sources

12 th Week NM Science Standards and Benchmarks: Strand II, Standard II, BM IIII: Structure of Organisms 1. Understand that organisms are composed of cells and identify unicellular and multicellular organisms. 2. Explain how organs are composed of tissues from different types cells (skin, bone, muscle, heart, etc. ). Function of Cells 3. Understand that many basic functions of organisms are carried out in cells, including: • growth and division to produce more cells (mitosis) • specialized functions of cells (e. g. , reproduction, nerve-signal transmission, digestion, excretion, movement, transport of oxygen). 4. Compare the structure and processes of plant cells and animal cells. 5. Describe how some cells respond to stimuli (e. g. , light, heat, pressure, gravity). 6. Describe how factors (radiation, UV light, drugs) can damage cellular structure or function. Recommended Activity Link: Cell Division: http: //www. pbslearningmedia. org/resource/lsps 07. sci. life. stru. celldivision/cell -division/ http: //www. exploratorium. edu/traits/cell_explorer. html Recommended Reading: Chapter 10: Cell Reproduction ELS: Chapter 3: Cells, Tissues and Organ Systems Recommended Testing: See Test. Maker, Book or Book Resources

13 th Week 14 th week NM Science Standards and Benchmarks Strand II, Standard II Benchmark II: Understand how traits are passed from one generation to the next and how species evolve. 5. Understand that some characteristics are passed from parent to offspring as inherited traits and others are acquired from interactions with the environment. 6. Know that hereditary information is contained in genes that are located in chromosomes, including: • determination of traits by genes • traits determined by one or many genes • more than one trait sometimes influenced by a single gene. 7. Describe how typical traits may change from generation to generation due to environmental influences (e. g. , color of skin, shape of eyes, camouflage, shape of beak). 8. Explain that diversity within a species is developed by gradual changes over many generations 9. Know that organisms can acquire unique characteristics through naturally occurring genetic variations. 10. Identify adaptations that favor organism survival in their environments (e. g. , camouflage, beak shape). 11. Understand the process of natural selection. 12. Explain how species adapt to changes in the environment or become extinct and that extinction of species is common in the history of living things. 13. Know that the fossil record documents appearance, diversification, and extinction of many life forms.

15 th Week 16 th week NM Science Standards and Benchmarks Strand II: Standard I (Physical Science): Understand the structure and properties of matter, the characteristics of energy, and the interactions between matter and energy. Benchmark II: Explain the physical processes involved in the transfer, change, and conservation of energy. 1. Know how various forms of energy are transformed through organisms and ecosystems, including: • sunlight and photosynthesis • energy transformation in living systems (e. g. , cellular processes changing chemical energy heat/motion) • effect of mankind’s use of energy /other activities on living systems (e. g. , global warming, water quality). Strand II, Standard III, Benchmark II 2. Understand how living organisms have played many roles in changes of Earth’s systems through time (e. g. , atmospheric composition, creation of soil, impact on Earth’s surface). Recommended Activity: Bird Beak Adaptation http: //www. wfu. edu/biology/albatross/activity/mandibles. htm Recommended Reading: Glencoe Chapter 12: Adaptations Over Time, ELS Ch. 23: Genetics Recommended Testing: See Test. Maker, Book or Book Resources

17 th Week 18 th week (Semester) Recommended Activity: Review all previously covered material, issuing of Semester Exam. *Science Fair can be tested via requirement of the rough draft of the research/experimental paper. Recommended Reading: ELS Ch. 26 Interactions Among Living Things Recommended Testing: Semester Exam covering previous 18 weeks.

19 th Week 20 th week NM Science Standards and Benchmarks Strand II, Standard II, Benchmark III 1. Understand that organisms are composed of cells and identify unicellular and multicellular organisms. 2. Explain how organs are composed of tissues of different types of cells (e. g. , skin, bone, muscle, heart, intestines). Recommended Activities: Germ Transmission using Glow Germ Recommended Reading: Glencoe Chapter 13: Circulation and Immunity, ELS Ch: 17: Circulatory System, Ch. 21: Immune System Recommended Testing: See Test. Maker/Book Resources

21 st Week 22 nd week NM Science Standards and Benchmarks Strand II, Standard II, Benchmark III, Performance Standards 1, 2 Recommended Activity: Where does your food go? http: //www. lesley. edu/Work. Area/Download. Asset. aspx? id=9200 Recommended Reading: Glencoe Chapter 14: Digestion, Respiration and Excretion ELS Ch. : Chapter 16: Digestive System, Chapter 18: Respiratory and Excretory Systems Recommended Testing: See Test. Maker/Book Resources

23 rd Week 24 th week NM Science Standards and Benchmarks Strand II, Standard II, Benchmark III, Performance Standards 1, 2 Recommended Activity: http: //www. nsbri. org/default/Documents/Education. And. Training/Middle. Schoo l/Muscles/MB_Guide. pdf Recommended Reading: Glencoe Chapter 15: Support, Movement and Responses, ELS: Chapter 15: Skeletal and Muscular Systems Recommended Testing: See Test. Maker/Book Resources

25 th Week 26 th week NM Science Standards and Benchmarks Strand II, Standard II, Benchmark II, Performance Standards 1 -13 Recommended Activity : Refer to either book. Recommended Reading: Glencoe Chapter 16: Regulation and Reproduction, ELS Ch. 19: Nervous and Endocrine Systems, Chapter 20: Reproduction and Development Recommended Testing: See Test. Maker/Book Resources

27 th Week – 3 rd 9 Weeks Review of previous 9 weeks readings and activities in preparation for 9 weeks test. Recommended Reading: Start Glencoe Chapter 17: Plants, or ELS: Chapter 8: Plants without Seeds Recommended Testing: 9 weeks exam of previous 9 weeks.

28 th Week NM Science Standards and Benchmarks Strand II, Standard II, Benchmark III, Performance Standard 4 Recommended Activity: Best method for germinating bean seeds and growing those seeds into actual plants that can be studied. Recommended Reading: Glencoe Chapter 17: Plants, ELS: Chapter 8: Plants without Seeds, Chapter 9: Plants With Seeds Recommended Testing: See Test. Maker/Book Resources

29 th week 30 th Week NM Science Standards and Benchmarks Strand II, Standard II, Benchmark I, Performance Standards: 1. Identify living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem and describe relationships among these components. 2. Explain biomes (i. e. , aquatic, desert, rainforest, grasslands, tundra) and describe the New Mexico biome. 3. Explain how individuals of species that exist together interact with their environment to create an ecosystem (e. g. , populations, communities, niches, habitats, food webs). 4. Explain the conditions and resources needed to sustain life in specific ecosystems. 5. Describe how the availability of resources and physical factors limit growth (e. g. , quantity of light and water, range of temperature, composition of soil) and how the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles contribute to the availability of those resources to support living systems. 6. Understand how diverse species fill all niches in an ecosystem. Strand II, Standard III, Benchmark II, Performance Standard: 3. Know that changes to ecosystems sometimes decrease the capacity of the environment to support some life forms and are difficult and/or costly to remediate. * These chapters are in preparation for 8 th grade, while some examination of these topics should be explored, and are assigned in general by the Standards and Benchmarks, these are prep topics for 8 th grade. Recommended Activity Link: http: //www. science-class. net/archive/scienceclass/Lessons/Ecology/Ecosystems_Biomes/Miniecosystem. pdf Recommended Reading: Glencoe Chapter 18: Interactions of Living Things, Chapter 19: Conserving Resources, ELS Ch. 2: The Nature of Life, Chapter

31 st week 32 nd Week NM Science Standards and Benchmarks Strand II, Standard I Benchmark I: Know the forms and properties of matter and how matter interacts. 1. Explain how matter is transferred from one organism to another and between organisms and their environment (e. g. , consumption, the water cycle, the carbon cycle, the nitrogen cycle). 2. Know that the total amount of matter (mass) remains constant although its form, location, and properties may change (e. g. , matter in the food web). 3. Identify characteristics of radioactivity, including: • decay in time of some elements to others • release of energy • damage to cells. 4. Describe how substances react chemically in characteristic ways to form new substances (compounds) with different properties (e. g. , carbon and oxygen combine to form carbon dioxide in respiration). 5. Know that chemical reactions are essential to life processes. Recommended Activity Link: http: //www. strangematterexhibit. com/ , http: //www. learningscience. org/psc 2 apropchangmatter. htm Recommended Reading: Glencoe Chapter 20: Properties and Changes of Matter Glencoe Chapter 22: States of Matter Recommended Testing: See Test. Maker/Book Resources

32 nd Week 33 rd week NM Science Standards and Benchmarks Strand II: Standard I, Benchmark I, Performance Standard 1, 2 Strand II, Standard I Benchmark II: Explain the physical processes involved in the transfer, change, and conservation of energy. 1. Know how various forms of energy are transformed through organisms and ecosystems, including: • sunlight and photosynthesis • energy transformation in living systems (e. g. , cellular processes changing chemical energy heat/ motion) • effect of mankind’s use of energy and other activities on living systems (e. g. , global warming, water quality). Recommended Activity: http: //www. glencoe. com/sites/common_assets/science/virtual_labs/CT 13. html Recommended Reading: Glencoe Chapter 24: Energy and Energy Resources Recommended Testing: See Test. Maker/Book Resources

34 th Week 36 th week - Semester Review previous lessons from beginning of school year until present for final end of the year exam to determine the total learning spectrum. Recommended Activity Link Recommended Reading: Glencoe Chapters 21: Substances, Mixtures and Solubility and 23: Newton’s Laws of Motion for extra credit. Recommended Testing: Comprehensive Semester/Final Exam

Resources There are numerous resources that can be utilized within this lesson plan. While grading is a tedious job, it is vital towards pacing the students progress within the plan, and with assuring that the students are progressing in the reading, writing and skills areas of Science. The majority of these resources come with answer keys or suggestions on how to streamline the grading process. Resource Link Science Buddies (not for science fair) http: //www. sciencebuddies. org/science-fairprojects/teacher_resources. shtml#scienceactivities Education. org (not for science fair) http: //www. education. com/worksheets/middleschool/earth-science/ Middle School Science Activities and Lesson Plans http: //middleschoolscience. com/ The Science Spot http: //www. sciencespot. net/Pages/classroom. html Flinn Middle School Lab Safety (English Contract) http: //www. flinnsci. com/media/396480/safety_contr act_ms. pdf Flinn Middle School Lab Safety (Spanish Contract and Quiz) http: //www. flinnsci. com/media/396486/safety_contr act_ms_sp. pdf Help Teaching Worksheets and Tests (requires free sign-in) http: //www. helpteaching. com/free-scienceworksheets. htm Science Spot http: //sciencespot. net/ Math Drills Conversion and Measurements http: //www. math-drills. com/measurement. shtml

Additional Resources There are two books available for 7 th grade: the traditional green book that goes with the remaining 6 th and 8 th grade sets (Glencoe) and the Prentice Hall Green book which covers extra material not covered in the traditional books. Resource Link NGSS Life Science http: //www. ngsslifescience. com/biology_lesson_pla ns_meiosis_and_genetics. html Lesson Plans Inc. (Biology Lesson Plans) http: //www. lessonplansinc. com/science. php? /biolog y/lessonplans/C 133/ Lesley University Middle School Science Activities http: //www. lesley. edu/middle-school/science-activity -plans/ Glencoe Resources http: //www. glencoe. com/sites/new_mexico/teacher/ science/index. html Exploratorium http: //www. exploratorium. edu/explore/life-science