th
August
2 wks
Aug-
Sept
4 wks
Sept-
Oct
3 wks
*Scientific
Inquiry
Interdependence of Life:
Ecology
Energy Flow
& Nutrient
Cycling
Scientific
Method
Metric System
Science Process
Skills
What various procedures and skills are used to conduct scientific investigations?
How is the metric system used in scientific investigations?
Environmental conditions
Characteristics of biomes and communities
Categories of interdependence
Factors effecting survival of organisms
Interdependence of organisms
Identification of organisms using a dichotomous key
How is life like a web?
Why is it necessary for everything in an ecosystem work together?
How do you fit into the larger world?
How does a change in climate affect the living things in an environment?
How do the biomes of the world compare?
How can you use a dichotomous key?
Why is a dichotomous key useful?
Why can’t there be a sole survivor?
What effect does the environment have on an organism?
How does the environment affect us?
How do we all fit together?
How are organisms and their environment linked together?
What does modern science tell us about ecology?
*Students will define, explain and apply the scientific method.
*Students define, identify and use SI units.
*Students identify correct tools for determining mass, volume, temperature, density, and length.
*Students will collect and organize data.
*Students will make inferences and predictions from data provided from observations, graphs, and tables.
*Students will identify and apply safety procedures.
*Students will understand that abiotic factors can influence the survival of individuals and entire species.
*Students will be able to identify the characteristics of the Earth’s major biomes.
Transfer and recycling of matter
Energy transfer
Relationships between organisms
Interdependence of organisms
Where does the energy in my food come from?
How are we all related?
Why should the health and well-being of other organisms be important to me?
Where did all that energy come from?
Why are there so many different types of organisms?
How is the flow of energy like a circle?
How would you create a self-
*Students will understand that the sun is the major source of energy for all living things.
*Students will understand that energy is transferred from one organism to another.
Science prefixes and suffixes
*9 week pre-test (1)
* 9 week post-test (1)
*Labs: Scientific
Method/Safety/Metric
*Lab quizzes
*Performance Tests
*Paper and Pencil
Test
Standards and
Benchmarks
S7CS1
S7CS2
S7CS3
S7CS4
S7CS5 b
S7CS6
S7CS7
S7CS8
S7CS9 aquatic biome commensalisms community competitive deciduous desert ecosystem estuary freshwater habitat marine marsh mutually beneficial mutualism parasitism population predator savanna swamp taiga temperate forest terrestrial tropical rain forest tundra abiotic biotic carnivore competition consumer decomposer decomposition energy energy pyramid food web herbivore
*9 week pre-test (3)
* 9 week post-test (3)
*Paper and Pencil
Test
*Energy in Biomes
Project
*9 week pre-test (3)
* 9 week post-test (3)
*Paper and Pencil
Test
*Energy in Biomes
Project
S7L4 a, b, d
S7CS1 a, b
S7CS2 a, b, c
S7CS5 a, b
S7CS6 a, b, c
S7CS8 b
S7CS10 a, b, d
Complementary
S7L4 c, e
Labs
S7L1 a, b
S7L4 c, d, e
S7CS1 a, b
S7CS2 a, b, c
S7CS3 a, b, c
S7CS4 a, b
S6CS5 a, b, c, d
S7CS6 a, b, c, d, e, f, g
Complementary
S7L5 a

Environmental
Study – Scientific
Method
 Bird Study –
Dichotomous Key

Ecology Play

Dichotomous Key
 Dichotomous Key for
Biomes

Tree Identification

Oh Dear!

Calorie Lab
 Energy Transfer Lab with Popcorn

Owl Pellet

1 week CRCT Prep
Skills
Review
Oct-
Nov
4-5 wks
Structure
& Function of Cells
Cell structure
Cell functions
Levels of cellular organization sustaining community? host matter omnivore parasite photosynthesis prey producer recycle relationships respiration scavenger symbiosis
Why do we need to know about cells?
What are cells?
What do cells tell us about basic processes of life…life, death, reproduction, etc?
How do you explain the relationship between the structures and functions of cell organelles?
Can animal and plant cells function without sunlight?
Why is each part of the cell essential to survival?
How does a cell acquire the materials needed for life?
Why must cells absorb energy and nutrients?
How are cells like building blocks?
How is a living organism the sum of all its parts?
*Continuation of Scientific
Investigation Skills
*Students will explain the basic functions (purpose) of cells and cell structures.
*Students will use the microscope to observe and identify various cells and cell structures.
*Students will explain how cells are organized into larger systems (cells to tissue, tissue to organs, etc.) cell cell membrane chloroplast cytoplasm mitochondria nucleus nutrients organelles organism tissue
*9 week pre-test (1)
* 9 week post-test (1)
*Cell Model
*Cell function brochure
*Animal & Plant cell lab
*Lab quizzes
*Paper and Pencil
Test
S7L2 a, b, c
S7CS2 a, b, c
S7CS4 a, b, c
S7CS5 a, b
S7CS6 a, b, c
S7CS9 a, b, c, d
S7CS10
Complementary
S7L4 d

Diffusion/Osmosis
Egg & Potato Lab

Cell Play

Classroom Cell/City
Project
 Microscope Lab
Cells
 Dissection Lab

Nov-
Dec
4-5 wks
Organization of
Life
Levels of cellular organization
Roles of major systems
Interaction of systems
Comparison between six kingdoms
How does the hierarchy of organization result in the complexity and diversity of organisms?
How the functions of organ systems interact?
What are the functions of each individual organ?
How do tissues, organs, and organ systems serve cells’ needs for oxygen, food, and waste removal?
How do the systems compare in different organisms?
How does reproduction vary among organisms?
*Continuation of Scientific
Investigation Skills
*Students will demonstrate the process of how living things are classified according to similar characteristics and apply these characteristics to classify common organisms using a dichotomous key.
* Students will recall and describe the function of common structures of organisms in each kingdom.
*Students will describe how organisms in each kingdom reproduce.
*Students will be able to explain the role of genes and chromosomes in the process of inheriting a specific trait during reproduction.
*Students will recognize that selective breeding can produce plants or animals with desired traits.
*Students will demonstrate how organisms in each kingdom obtain energy.
*Students will recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and species.
*Students will be able to distinguish between various symbiotic relationships and other interactions.
*Students will explain the purpose of tissues, organs, and organ systems serve the need for oxygen, food, and waste removal.
*Students will explain the roles of the major organ systems in the human body. animals archaebacteria cellular circulation classification control coordination dichotomous key digestion disease diversity eubacteria excretion fungi immunity movement organ organ system plants protist reproduction
*9 week pre-test (1)
* 9 week post-test (1)
*Taxonomy Project
*9 week pre-test (1-2)
* 9 week post-test (1-
2)
*Paper and Pencil
Test
*Identification and
Classification labs of specimens in different kingdoms
*Dissection lab
*Owl Pellet Lab
*Six Kingdoms foldable
*9 week pre-test (3)
* 9 week post-test (3)
*Paper and Pencil
Test
*Ultimate Guide to the Human Body
*Observing Human
Traits Lab
*Alien Lab
S7L2 c, d, e
S7CS1
S7CS2
S7CS4
S7CS6
S7CS8
S7CS9
Complementary
S7L2 a, b
S7L3 a
 Organ Debate
 System Foldable

Dichotomous/Scavenger
Hunt – 6
Kingdoms
 Most Wanted Poster
1 week CRCT Prep
Skills
Review
Jan-
Feb.
5 weeks
*Heredity Roles of genes
Roles of chromosomes
Inheritance of specific traits
Asexual and sexual reproduction of organisms
Selective breeding
Why are genes important in determining hereditary traits?
Why do I look the way I do?
How can I predict what traits will be passed on from one generation to another?
How is genetic material passed from parents to offspring?
How can a mutation be helpful?
Why is selective breeding important to me?
How are traits passed differently in asexual and sexual reproduction?
How can our knowledge of genetics be useful?
*Continuation of Scientific
Investigation Skills
*Continuation of Structure &
Function of cells
*Students will be able to compare and contrast sexual and asexual reproduction.
*Students will be able to explain the role of genes and chromosomes in the process of inheriting a specific trait. alleles asexual reproduction chromosome
DNA dominant gene genetic engineering genotype heredity heterozygous homozygous hybrid mutation offspring phenotype
*9 week pre-test (1)
* 9 week post-test (1)
*Build DNA Model
*Lab: chromosomes/Mitosis
*Mitosis Flow Chart
*Asexual vs. Sexual
Reproduction Venn
Diagram
*Paper and Pencil
Test
S7L3 a, b, c
S7CS1a, b
S7CS2 a, b, c
S7CS4 a, b, c
S7CS5 a, b
S7CS6 a, b, c
S7CS8 b, c
S7CS9 a, b, c, d, e, f, g
S7CS10
Complementary
S7L2 a, b

Selective Breeding
Lesson
 Genetic Creature

Feb-
Mar.
3 wks
*Biological
Evolution
Organisms change over time
Natural selection
Environmental conditions
Fossils
Evidence of change
How does the fossil record provide evidence of evolution?
How does natural selection affect the evolution of species on Earth?
What physical characteristics of organisms demonstrate/support/misconceptions the theory of evolution?
*Students will be able to explain how physical characteristics of organisms have changed over successive generations.
*Students will be able to describe how species have evolved due to natural selection.
*Students will investigate fossils and make conclusions about our environment.
Punnett square purebred recessive selective breeding sexual reproduction traits adaptation
Charles
Darwin evidence evolution fossil generation hypothesis inheritance natural selection sedimentary species theory variation
*9 week pre-test (3)
* 9 week post-test (3)
*Natural Selection
Lab
*Fossil Lab
S7L5 a, b, c
S7CS1
S7CS2
S7CS3
S7CS6
S7CS8
S7CS10
Complementary
S7L3 a
S7L4 c
 Peppered Moth Lab

Natural Selection Role
Play

Natural Selection Beak
Lab
Apr-
May
1 week
CRCT Prep
Skills
Review