GRADE SEVEN SCIENCE A
Course Syllabus
Textbook Assignment: Focus On Life Science, Glencoe (Edition 2007), Part I, Chapters 1-6
 All assignments and assessments must meet a minimum of 70% accuracy for a “C” grade.
 Before beginning each chapter, review the “Get Ready to Read” section.
 Before beginning each lesson, review the Reading Guide: “What You’ll Learn and Why It’s
Important.”
Unit 1: Cell Biology
o Review the Unit Time Line of “West Coast and World Events,” pgs. 42-43.
Chapter 1
Chapter 1, pgs. 44-83, “Cell Structure and Function”
Big Idea: “The structures in a cell work together and ensure the survival of a cell.”
o Complete Academic Vocabulary.
o Read Lesson 1, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 48-54.
o Complete Lesson 1 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 55.
o Read Lesson 2, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 56-66.
o Complete Lesson 2 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 66.
o Complete Applying Math, “Practice Problems,” pg. 67.
o Read Lesson 3, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 68-72.
o Complete Lesson 3 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 72.
o Complete Standards Review, “Linking Vocabulary and Main Ideas, Using Vocabulary, and
Understanding Main Ideas,” pgs. 79-80.
o Complete “Standards Assessment,” pgs. 82-83.
Chapter 2
Chapter 2, pgs. 84-117, “From a Cell to an Organism”
Big Idea: “Nearly all the cells in an organism are genetically identical and are organized to work together.”
o Complete Academic Vocabulary.
o Read Lesson 1, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs.88-95.
o Complete Lesson 1 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 95.
o Complete Applying Math, “Practice Problems,” pg. 97.
o Read Lesson 2, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 98-107.
o Complete Lesson 2 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 107.
o Complete Standards Review, “Linking Vocabulary and Main Ideas, Using Vocabulary, and
Understanding Main Ideas,” pgs. 113-114.
o Complete “Standards Assessment,” pgs. 116-117.
GRADE SEVEN SCIENCE A
Course Syllabus
Unit 2: Reproduction and Genetics
o Review the Unit Time Line of “West Coast and World Events,” pgs. 120-121.
Chapter 3
Chapter 3, pgs. 122-167, “Reproduction of Organisms”
Big Idea: “Different Types of reproduction ensure the survival of different species.”
o Complete Academic Vocabulary.
o Read Lesson 1, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 126-133.
o Complete Lesson 1 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 133.
o Read Lesson 2, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 134-142.
o Complete Lesson 2 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 142.
o Read Lesson 3, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 143-149.
o Complete Lesson 3 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 149.
o Complete Applying Math, “Practice Problems,” pg. 150.
o Read Lesson 4, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 151-157.
o Complete Lesson 4 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 157.
o Complete Standards Review, “Linking Vocabulary and Main Ideas, Using Vocabulary, and
Understanding Main Ideas,” pgs. 163-164.
o Complete “Standards Assessment,” pgs. 166-167.
Chapter 4
Chapter 4, pgs. 168-201, “Genetics”
Big Idea: “Inherited genes determine an organism’s traits.”
o Complete Academic Vocabulary.
o Read Lesson 1, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 172-180.
o Complete Lesson 1 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 180.
o Complete Applying Math, “Practice Problems,” pg. 181.
o Read Lesson 2, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 182-190.
o Complete Lesson 2 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 190.
o Complete Standards Review, “Linking Vocabulary and Main Ideas, Using Vocabulary, and
Understanding Main Ideas,” pgs. 197-198.
o Complete “Standards Assessment,” pgs. 200-201.
GRADE SEVEN SCIENCE A
Course Syllabus
Unit 3: Evolution-Change over Time
o Review the Unit Time Line of “West Coast and World Events,” pgs. 204-205.
Chapter 5
Chapter 5, pgs. 206-239, “The Process of Evolution”
Big Idea: “Genetic changes occurring in populations can result in organisms suited for different environments.”
o Complete Academic Vocabulary.
o Read Lesson 1, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 206-217.
o Complete Lesson 1 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 217.
o Complete Applying Math, “Practice Problems,” pg. 218.
o Read Lesson 2, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 219-227.
o Complete Lesson 2 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 227.
o Complete Standards Review, “Linking Vocabulary and Main Ideas, Using Vocabulary, and
Understanding Main Ideas,” pgs. 235-236.
o Complete “Standards Assessment,” pgs. 238-239.
Chapter 6
Chapter 6, pgs. 240-275, “Evolution-Evidence of Change”
Big Idea: “Evidence from biology and paleontology provide evidence of change over time.”
o Complete Academic Vocabulary.
o Read Lesson 1, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 240-251.
o Complete Lesson 1 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 251.
o Read Lesson 2, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 252-256.
o Complete Lesson 2 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 256.
o Read Lesson 3, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 257-260.
o Complete Lesson 3 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 260.
o Complete Applying Math, “Practice Problems,” pg. 261.
o Read Lesson 4, and complete all “Reading Checks,” (green cylinders) and “Visual Checks,” (purple
cylinders) as they appear throughout each chapter, pgs. 262-265.
o Complete Lesson 4 Review, “Summarize and Standards Check,” pg. 265.
o Complete Standards Review, “Linking Vocabulary and Main Ideas, Using Vocabulary, and
Understanding Main Ideas,” pgs. 271-272.
o Complete “Standards Assessment,” pgs. 274-275.
GRADE SEVEN SCIENCE A
Academic Vocabulary
Academic Vocabulary
Complete a Circle Map for each of the academic vocabulary words assigned by your teacher.
Circle Map Categories
Dictionary Definition
Student Definition
Part of Speech
Meaningful Sentence
Illustration
What it is (examples)
What it isn’t (non examples)
Word Parts
Cognate
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Words/Word Family
Sentence from book
Chapter 1
process (pg. 50)
modify (pg. 62)
evidence (pg. 70)
Chapter 2
establish (pg. 90)
assign (pg. 100)
Chapter 3
vary (pg. 127)
specific (pg. 135)
network (pg. 144)
Chapter 4
method (pg. 174)
complex (pg. 184)
Chapter 5
diversity (pg. 211)
interpret (pg. 220)
Chapter 6
structure (pg. 246)
analogous (pg. 253)
prohibit (pg. 259)
differentiate (pg. 154)