Bibb County Pacing Guide – Science – Grade 7
The Habits of Mind & Nature of Science Standards are taught throughout the year in lab experiments and investigations.
Month
Aug
2 wks
Standards & Elements
Laboratory & Inquiry
Skills
S7CS2. Students will
use standard safety
practices for all
classroom laboratory
and field investigations.
S7CS3. Students will
have the computation
and estimation skills
necessary for analyzing
data and following
scientific explanations.
Science Grade 7
Content
Explain correct procedures
for using scientific
apparatus
• Describe appropriate
techniques in laboratory
situations
• Explain the correct
protocol for identifying and
reporting safety problems
and violations
• Analyze scientific data by
using, interpreting, and
comparing numbers in
several equivalent forms,
such as:
○ integers
○ fractions
○ decimals
○ percents
• Distinguish between the
mean, median, and mode of
scientific data
• Apply the metric system to
scientific investigations
• Convert between metric
units
• Analyze data to determine
valid conclusions
• Determine what degree of
precision is adequate, and
round off appropriately
• Describe the importance of
accuracy and precision and
their relationship to each
other
Vocabulary
Science
Difference
Observation
Temperature
Mixture
Prediction
Graph
Evidence
Properties
Scientific Equipment
Technology
Paradigm Shift
Analysis
Composition
Kelvin
Characteristics
Measurement
SEPUP
14, 17, 35-40, 43
30, 59-65, 77, 98
14-17, 35, 36, 39,
54
Page 1
Assessment
AugSept
4 weeks
Organization of Life
S7L1. Students will
investigate the diversity
of living organisms and
how they can be
compared scientifically.
a. Demonstrate the
process for the
development of a
dichotomous key
b. Classify organisms
based on physical
characteristics using a
dichotomous key of the
six kingdom system
(archaebacteria,
eubacteria, protists,
fungi, plants, and
animals).
S7L2. Students will
describe the structure
and function of cells,
tissues, organs, and
organ systems.
a. Explain that tissues,
organs, and organ
systems serve the needs
cells have for oxygen,
food, and waste
Science Grade 7
• Identify appropriate tools
for measuring objects
and/or substances
Organize scientific
information and determine
relationships shown in
representations, such as:
○ tables
○ charts
○ graphs
Organization of Life
Roles of major organ
systems
Interactions between the
major organ systems
Classification –
Organization of Life
Identification of organisms
using a dichotomous key
Comparison between six
kingdoms
Categorize cells and groups
of cells by levels of cellular
organization, such as:
○ cells are organized into
organs
○ organs are organized into
systems
○ systems are organized
into organisms
• Explain the role of the
functions of the tissues,
organs, and major organ
systems in the human body
and demonstrate
understanding of the
interactions of these
systems, such as:
○ digestion
Human Body
Circulatory
respiratory
excretory
skeletal
muscular
endocrine
digestive
nervous
Classify
Classification
Organism
diversity
physical features
key
dichotomy,
dichotomous key
taxonomy
kingdom
eubacteria
archeaobateria
protests
fungi
plants
animals
microorganisms
single-cell
multi-cellular
73, 75, 76
12, 15, 17, 18, 46
13, 15-18, 24
Page 2
-Students will use Graphic
Organizers or Thinking Maps to
understand levels of
organization
-Students will identify major
organs and their functions
-Students will create a power
point slide show depicting the
body systems and their
functions, and explaining how
organs work individually.
- Students will create a body
system book, describing the
basic function of each system
and a list of facts about the
systems. Students should list
diseases that can cause
malfunction of the organs and
systems to share with others.
-Resource:
www.sciencespots.net
Using Dichotomous Keys
-Taxonomy Project
-Interpreting GraphicsTaxonomy
-Fingerprint Classification
-Taxonomy, Classification, and
Dichotomous Keys activity with
Pamishan Creatures
Sept-Oct
5-6 wks
removal.
b. Explain the purpose of
the major organ systems
in the human body (i.e.,
digestion, respiration,
reproduction, circulation,
excretion, movement,
control, and
coordination, and for
protection from disease).
○ respiration
○ reproduction
○ circulation
○ excretion
○ movement
○ control
○ coordination
○ protection from disease
Structure & Function
of Cells
S7L2. Students will
describe the structure
and function of cells,
tissues, organs, and
organ systems.
organs into systems, and
systems into organisms.
a. Relate cell structures
(cell membrane,
nucleus, cytoplasm,
chloroplasts,
mitochondria) to basic
cell functions.
b. Explain that cells are
organized into tissues,
tissues into organs
c. Explain that cells take
in nutrients in order to
grow and divide and to
make needed materials.
Structure and Function of
Cells
Levels of cellular
organization
Cell structure and function
Demonstrate understanding
of how cells take in nutrients
in order to grow, divide, and
make needed
materials
• Correlate cell structures to
basic cell function, such as:
○ cell membrane
○ nucleus
○ cytoplasm
○ chloroplast
○ mitochondria
Science Grade 7
www.biologycorner.com
-Classifying Shoes
Pg 201 Holt Textbook
Cells
Tissues
Organs
organ systems
organism
structure
function
role
cell wall
nucleus
cytoplasm
chloroplasts,
mitochondria
needs
survival
transport
oxygen
food
nutrients
waste
waste removal
osmosis
diffusion
cell division microscope
slides
12-19, 38-46
Page 3
-Construct a chart detailing the
six kingdoms; including major
characteristics of each kingdom
with a list of at least three
organisms belonging to that
kingdom.
-Students will identify parts of
the prokaryotic and eukaryotic
cells by creating a diagram or
foldable comparing and
contrasting each type of cell.
-Students will identify cells
organelles through illustrations
(draw, label, color) and discuss
the function of each organelle.
Compare plant and animal cells
and explain why plant cells have
3 additional organelles
(chloroplasts, large vacuole, &
cell wall).
-Students will create a
3-D cell model and book giving a
description of each cell
organelle function.
“The incredible edible cell” –
resource: www.sciencespots.net
-Lab: Students will conduct an
animal/plant cell microscope lab
of the cheek cells and elodea
leaf lab. Student will compare
the differences between the two
cells and answer questions from
worksheet.
Resources:
www.biologycorner.com
-Students will complete a
worksheet that describes a city,
comparing to organelles and
extend their knowledge by using
other analogies (school, house,
factory, etc…)
Resources:
www.biologycorner.com
Oct –
Nov
6 wks
Biological Traits &
Heredity
S7L3. Students will
recognize how
biological traits are
passed on to
successive
generations.
Recognize that
selective breeding
can produce plants or
animals with desired
traits.
Compare and
contrast that
organisms reproduce
asexually and
sexually (bacteria,
protists, fungi, plants
& animals).
Explain the role of
genes and
chromosomes in the
process of inheriting
a specific trait.
Science Grade 7
Explain the role of genes
and chromosomes in the
process of inheriting a
specific trait
• Compare and contrast
asexual and sexual
reproduction for organisms,
such as:
○ animals
○ plants
○ fungi
○ bacteria
○ protists
• Demonstrate
understanding that selective
breeding can produce plants
or animals with desired
traits
55-66, 69, 100
Page 4
Dec-Jan
5 wks
Ecology
S7L4 Students will
examine the
dependence of
organisms on one
another and their
environments.
c. Recognize that
changes in
environmental conditions
can affect the survival of
both individuals and
entire species.
d. Categorize
relationships between
organisms that are
competitive or mutually
beneficial.
e. Describe the
characteristics of Earth’s
major terrestrial biomes
(i.e. tropical rain
forest, savannah,
temperate, desert, taiga,
tundra, and mountain)
and aquatic
communities (i.e.
freshwater, estuaries,
and marine).
Science Grade 7
Environmental Conditions
Characteristics of biomes
and communities
Factors effecting survival of
organisms
Interdependence of
organisms
Transfer and recycling of
matter
Energy transfer
Relationships between
organisms
Interdependence of
organisms
• Predict how changes in
environmental conditions
can affect the survival of
both individuals and entire
species
• Categorize relationships
between organisms that are
competitive or mutually
beneficial, such as:
○ predator/prey
○ competition
○ commensalism
• Compare and contrast the
characteristics of Earth’s
major terrestrial and aquatic
biomes:
○ tropical rain forest
Organism
Dependence
interdependence
independence
food
fuel
nutrients
food chain
food web
predator
prey
producer
consumer
decomposer
matter transfer
recycle
environment
energy flow
sunlight
solar energy
energy source
chemical energy
mechanical energy,
survival
endangered,
threatened
extinct
competition
mutually beneficial
Symbiosis
mutualism,
commensalisms,
parasitism
capacity
population
community
ecosystem
biome
77, 79, 83-85
72, 73, 79, 84,
87, 88
-Interpreting Ecological Data
www.biologycorner.com
-Identify consumers, producers
in a food web
Food Web
www.biologyconer.com
-Students will create their own
mural of a food webs in
relationship to the different
biomes
-Technology Integration
Exploring Biomes
www.sciencespot.net
-Diorama of Biomes
and/or Poster detailing the
environmental factors of each
biome
-Students will create a haiku
poem about commensalisms,
mutualism or parasitism.
-Use a Graphic Organizer to
compare and contrast the three
types of symbiotic relationships
-Comparing Ecosystem Group
Project
www.biologycorner.com
Internet resource http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/
-Exploring Biodiversity using the
“Hula Hoop” outdoor activity.
Page 5
○ savannah
○ temperate
○ desert
○ taiga
○ tundra
○ mountain
○ freshwater
○ estuaries
○ marine
Jan-Feb
5 wks
Energy Flow & Nutrient
Cycling
S7L4 Students will
examine the
dependence of
organisms on one
another and their
environments.
a. Demonstrate in a
food web that matter
is transferred from
one organism to
another and can
recycle between
organisms and their
environments.
b. Explain in a food web
that sunlight is the
source of energy and
that this energy moves
from organism to
Science Grade 7
Energy Flow and Nutrient
Cycling
Transfer and recycling of
matter
Energy transfer
Relationship between
organisms
Evaluate how matter is
transferred in a food web
from one organism to
another, such as:
○ from producer to
consumer
○ from consumer to
consumer
○ from consumer to
decomposer
• Demonstrate
understanding of how
matter can recycle between
organisms and their
biotic
abiotic
atmosphere,
biodiversity
biomass
species
biosphere,
characteristic
terrestrial
tropical rain forest,
savannah
temperate, desert, taiga
tundra
mountain
aquatic community,
freshwater
estuary
marine
http://www.woodrow.org/teacher
s/bi/2000/
Ethnobotany/schoolyard_ecolog
y.html
78-80
78, 79, 81
72, 73, 79, 84,
87, 88
Page 6
-Students will analyze how the
flow of energy is like our money.
(Example:
Our dollars come
from one source- The
US mint. They are
then transferred from
one person to
another, each person
using the money for
their own needs. On
average, only 10% is
transferred to others
in need or “given to
charity.”)
March
4 wks
organism.
d. Categorize
relationships between
organisms that are
competitive or
mutually beneficial.
environments
Demonstrate understanding
that energy that originates
from the Sun moves from
organism to
organism within a food web
Evidence of Evolution
S7L5 –Students will
examine the evolution of
living organisms through
inherited
characteristics that
promote survival of
organisms and the
survival of successive
generations of their
offspring.
a. Explain that physical
characteristics of
organisms have
changed over
successive
generations (e.g.
Darwin’s finches and
peppered moths of
Manchester).
b. Describe ways in
which species on earth
have evolved due to
natural selection.
c. Trace evidence that
the fossil record found in
sedimentary rock
provides evidence for
the long history of
changing life forms.
Organisms change over
time
Science Grade 7
Natural selection
Environmental conditions
Fossils
Evidence of change
Explain how physical
characteristics of organisms
have changed over
successive generations,
some examples may
include:
○ Darwin’s finches
○ peppered moths
• Demonstrate
understanding of the
processes of natural
selection
• Determine how the
reproduction and survival of
species is impacted by
natural selection, some
examples may include:
○ mimicry
○ camouflage
○ venom
• Demonstrate
Evolution
inherited
characteristics,
inference
biodiversity,
endangered,
threatened
extinct
successive generations
offspring
parent
Darwin
natural selection
fossil
fossil evidence
fossil record
geologic record,
vestigial structures,
sedimentary rock
89-101
-“Design a Better Beak” Activity
http://www.pbs.org/safarchive/4_
class/45_pguides/
pguide_1001/44101_beaks.html
-Model Natural Selection using
the Natural Selection Activity
-Examine the fossil record for
evidence of changing life form
history.
-Peppered Moth Activity
(Paper)
Technology Integration
-Peppered Moth Simulation
www.biologycorner.com
-Students will construct an
illustration dictionary for the
vocabulary words in the chapter
-Students will create a poster
that will show the future
evolution of a current species.
Page 7
understanding that the fossil
record found in sedimentary
rock provides evidence for
evolution
Science Grade 7
Page 8
Science Grade 7
Page 9