AACA Curriculum Map
2015-16
Teacher: S. Merten
Unit: Life Science 7_GDRO
Growth, Development &
Reproduction of Organisms
Essential Questions
What overarching questions will guide
exploration in this unit?
What questions will help students connect to a
‘Big Idea’?
How does your essential question connect to
your assessments?
Learning Targets for Content:
What Students Should Know?
1)Vocabulary
2)Facts and Information
Grade: Middle School - 7
Content Area: SCIENCE – 7_GDRO
# of Instructional Days Needed: 10 weeks
Time frame (months/dates): Trimester 2-3
Common Core Standards to
be Taught and Assessed
During Unit
Common Core Standards: Reading
How do organisms grow develop, and reproduce?
How are traits passed from parents to offspring?
How have technologies changed the way humans influence
the inheritance of desired traits in orgs?
NGSS CORE DISCPLINARY IDEAS 



LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits
LS3.B: Variation of Traits
LS4.B: Natural Selection
RST-1) Cite specific textual evidence to
support analysis of science/technical
texts. (NOTES)___________________
RST-2) Determine central
ideas/conclusion of text; provide accurate
summary of the text distinct from prior
knowledge/ opinions. (summarize- NOTES)
RST-4) Determine meaning of symbols,
key terms, other domain-specific
words/phrases as they are used in
scientific/technical context. (VOCAB)
RST-7) Integrate quantitative/technical
information expressed in words in text w/
a version of that info expressed visually
(e.g., flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or
table). (LAB)_____________________
Common Core Standards: Writing
Learning Targets for Content:
What Students Should
Understand?
What broad topic will you cover? What major
subcategories will you spend time on?
What major underlying concepts do you want
students to understand by the end of the
unit?
NGSS-LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
§ Organisms reproduce, either sexually or asexually, and transfer their
genetic information to their offspring. (secondary to MS-LS3-2)
§ Animals engage in characteristic behaviors that increase the odds of
reproduction. (MS-LS1-4)
§ Plants reproduce in a variety of ways, sometimes depending on animal
behavior and specialized features (such as attractively colored flowers) for
reproduction. (MS-LS1-4)
NGSS- LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits
§ Genes are located in the chromosomes of cells, with each chromosome pair
containing two variants of each of many distinct genes. (MS-LS3-1)
§ Each distinct gene chiefly controls the production of specific proteins,
which in turn affects the traits of the individual (e.g., human skin color
7_SCI_Growth, Development and Reproduction of Organisms/2015-16/slm/reviii
W.1) Write arguments focused on
discipline-specific content. (a-e)______
W.2) Write informative/ explanatory
texts to examine a science topic and
convey ideas, concepts, and information
through the selection, organization, and
analysis of relevant content.__________
W.4) Produce clear & coherent writing:
development, organization, and style
appropriate to task, purpose, audience.
W.5 Plan, revise, edit writing.
W.7) Conduct short research project to
answer a question, draw on several
sources, & generate additional related
focused questions that allow for multiple
avenues of exploration.______________
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AACA Curriculum Map
2015-16
Teacher: S. Merten
Grade: Middle School - 7
Content Area: SCIENCE – 7_GDRO
results from the actions of proteins that control the production of the
pigment melanin). (MS-LS3-1)
§ Changes (mutations) to genes can result in changes to proteins, which can
affect the structures and functions of the organism and thereby change
traits. (MS-LS3-1)
§ Variations of inherited traits between parent and offspring arise from
genetic differences that result from the subset of chromosomes (and
therefore genes) inherited or (more rarely) from mutations. (MS-LS3-2)
NGSS-LS3.B: Variation of Traits
§ In sexually reproducing organisms, each parent contributes half of the
genes acquired (at random) by the offspring. Individuals have two of each
chromosome and hence two alleles of each gene, one acquired from each
parent. These versions may be identical or may differ from each other.
(MS-LS3-2)
§ In addition to variations that arise from sexual reproduction, genetic
information can be altered because of mutations. Though rare, mutations
may result in changes to the structure and function of proteins. Some
changes are beneficial, others harmful, and some neutral to the organism.
(MS-LS3-1)
NGSS-LS4.B: Natural Selection
§ In artificial selection, humans have the capacity to influence certain
characteristics of organisms by selective breeding. One can choose desired
parental traits determined by genes, which are then
passed on to offspring. (MS-LS4-5)
Learning Targets: Skills
What Students Should
Be Able to Do?
What skills do students need to be successful
in demonstrating mastery of the targets for
learning? What processes should they be able
to use well? What levels of thinking should
they be able to engage in around content?
NGSS Performance Expectations:
MS-LS1-4. Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific
reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal
behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of
successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively.
MS-LS3-1. Develop and use a model to describe why structural
changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect
proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to
the structure and function of the organism.
7_SCI_Growth, Development and Reproduction of Organisms/2015-16/slm/reviii
W.8) Gather relevant information from
multiple print and digital sources, using
search terms effectively; assess
credibility/ accuracy of sources; quote or
paraphrase data & conclusions of others
(avoid plagiarism, use standard citation
format)________________________
W.9) Draw evidence from informational
texts to support analysis, reflection and
research.________________________
NGSSScientific/Engineering Practices
SEP-5. Developing and using models.
SEP-4. Constructing explanations (for
science) and designing solutions (for
engineering).
SEP-6. Engaging in argument from
evidence.
SEP-8. Obtaining, evaluating, and
communicating information.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS1.B: Growth and Development of
Organisms
LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits
LS3.B: Variation of Traits
LS4.B: Natural Selection
Crosscutting Concepts
-Cause & Effect
-Structure & Function
Links Among ETS Application
-Interdependence of Science,
Engineering, and Technology
- Influence of Engineering,
Technology, and Society on Science &
the Natural World
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AACA Curriculum Map
2015-16
Teacher: S. Merten
Grade: Middle School - 7
Content Area: SCIENCE – 7_GDRO
MS-LS3-2. Develop and use a model to describe why sexual
reproduction results in offspring with identical information and
sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation.
MS-LS4-5. Gather and synthesize information about the
technologies that have changed the way humans influence the
inheritance of desired traits in organisms. *
Assessments
Formative: What will you accept as evidence
throughout the unit that students understand
the content central to the unit as it is taught?
What types of opportunities will students
have to practice applying new content or skills
to continue development toward mastery?
When will descriptive feedback be given to
students during the unit?
Summative: What product or performance will
students produce to demonstrate mastery?
Who is the audience for this assessment?
What assessment methods will be used to
measure progress toward learning targets?
Formative: [guided readings, entry slips, exit slips, etc]
Guided Reading – associated with text
Review & Reinforce WSs
Enrich worksheet(s) – ex/ Nature vs Nurture
Research Worksheets
Summative:
Lesson – Influences for Reproductive Success
SA Continue previous organism research to add:
 How does (animal) behavior affect the probability of successful
reproduction?
o (What characteristic behavior does parent exhibit to
prepare for offspring? How are young cared for? )
 How do plant specialized structures affect the probability of
successful reproduction of plants?
o How does animal behavior influence flora reproduction
success?
Quiz- Animal behavior influences reproduction success: animal, plant
Lesson Heredity: Inheritance : asexual, sexual reproduction
Review & Reinforce WS – Ch 3.1 (Mendel’s work); Ch 3.2 Probability
Quiz- asexual vs sexual reproduction; Mendel’s Work (Ch 3.1); Probability
(Ch 3.2)
SA-Lab/Poster: Paper Pet Family (sexual variation) + Expansion (asexual
reproduction)
Lesson - Variation in Traits
Quiz- Variation in traits
SA- Poster/ Model of genetic variation of previous organism that would be:
helpful, neutral, or harmful to organism’s survival.
Lesson - Influence of Society on Desired Traits
7_SCI_Growth, Development and Reproduction of Organisms/2015-16/slm/reviii
Which standards are
measured in these
assessments?
SEP-2 Develop and Using Models to
describe phenomena.
SEP.5 Use Math & Computational
Thinking.
SEP-7 Engaging in Argument from
Evidence
SEP-8 Obtaining, Evaluating, and
Communicating W.7, W.8]
ETS2.A: Interdependence of Science
Engineering, Technology- (Identify &
explain how science knowledge drives
science & technology development [IL
13B.3a]
ETS2.B- Influence of engineering,
technology, society on science and
the natural world. [Identify important
contributions to science and technology
that have been made by individuals or
groups [IL13B.3b]
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AACA Curriculum Map
2015-16
Teacher: S. Merten
Grade: Middle School - 7
Content Area: SCIENCE – 7_GDRO
SA- PodCast-Communicate explanations of ways technologies enable humans
to influence the inheritance of certain traits in plants and animals.
Activities
What activities will students engage in to
connect them to content?
What opportunities for practice will students
use to help them progress toward learning
targets?
How will activities be differentiated based on
student needs, readiness levels, or interests?
SA-Film- GATTACA: Film / text comparison WIS
SA- UNIT TEST
ENGAGE- Take a class Survey Lab/ Family Pedigree
Cornell Notes : text, video clips
Guided Reading- aligned w/ text
Video field trip: Animal Behavior, Genetics: Science of Heredity
Flipped Classroom- Video clips as homework, bellwork, classwork:
BrainPop: asexual reproduction, pollination, heredity, DNA-body blueprint,
genetics, probability, genetic mutation, cloning, dolly
BrainPop Games: Crazy Pet Shop
CrashCourse Biology Video clips: Animal Behavior #25, Plants & Bees #38,
Herdity #9, DNA Structure & Replication #10,
Concord.org: modeling transcription, modeling translation, mutations
Classwork/Research SDL: Britannica: selected articles for human influence
of traits.
Review & Reinforce WS- text chapter sections
Enrich worksheet(s)- text chapter sections
Lab Investigations: Class Survey, Genetics w/ a Smile, Unimonster, Paper
Pet Family
Quizzes- text chapter sections
Technology: digital presentation
Film: GATTACA , The Island + comparison writing
Miscellaneous Notations
What specific materials or
equipment are needed during this
unit?
RESOURCES
Text: + Resources Science Explorer:
Bacteria to Plants;
Cells and Heredity
7_SCI_Growth, Development and Reproduction of Organisms/2015-16/slm/reviii
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AACA Curriculum Map
2015-16
Teacher: S. Merten
Grade: Middle School - 7
Content Area: SCIENCE – 7_GDRO
BrainPop Access, Britannica access
ART Integration
Organism Digital Presentation, Paper Pet Poster
TECHNOLOGY Integration
PH Video Field Trips: What is Life, Heredity, Modern Genetics
Flipped Classroom/ BrianPop – Genetics, Heredity, Natural Selection
Britannica: Various links for student research- Selective Breeding
Video Film: GATTACA, The Island
Materials for this template are based on the work of Heidi Hayes Jacobs, Rick
Stiggins, and Carol Anne Tomlinson
Template created by Dr. Megan Stanton-Anderson, 2009
7_SCI_Growth, Development and Reproduction of Organisms/2015-16/slm/reviii
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