7th Grade Advanced Science Summer Assignment
Fairhope Middle School
Purpose: To assess thinking and problem solving skills in Science
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All work should be neatly hand written, no computer generated work.
All questions should be answered in complete sentences.
Grammar rules should be followed.
The graph should include all parts needed for a complete graph.
Work should be reflective of beginning 7th grade level work.
All responses, including the graph, may be recorded on notebook paper.
Alternatively, you may use graph paper for the graph if you choose, but this
is not required.
 Each assignment will be graded using a Rubric and entered as
Classwork/Outside assignments. This category is 40% of your grade. These
three grades will be recorded in the first nine weeks of the new school year.
 Be sure to include your full name and the subject (Science) on EACH
sheet of paper you turn in.
Your summer Science Assignment is not complete unless you turn in all parts.
1. Part 1: Science Reading and Responses
2. Part 2: Effects of Pesticide DDT on Eggshells
3. Part 3: Comparing Growth Rates of Trees – Data Table and Graph Creation
Part 1: Science Reading and Responses
Page 1 of 4
Directions: Read the passage and answer the questions below.
Bat Adaptations
Bats live in different biomes throughout the world. But fruit bats – or “flying foxes,” as
they are often called – are found only in the tropical rain forests of Africa, India, Southeast Asia,
northern Australia, and some Pacific islands. The following passage describes the adaptations of
these bats.
Fruit Bats
Fruit bats are the largest bats in the world, with a wingspan of about 1.5 meters. A bat’s
wing is like a modified hand. It has four very long fingers and a shorter thumb. Leathery skin
stretches across the fingers and attaches to the leg. The fruit bat’s thumb and second finger have
claws that helps it grip objects and move around in the trees where it roosts during the day. The
bat also uses its claws to bring fruit to its mouth.
As you might expect, fruit bats feed mostly on fruit. A fruit bat’s canines – the pointed
teeth next to the front teeth – are very long. These teeth help the bat grab and hold onto fruit. Its
front teeth, or incisors, are short and strong for cutting through fruit skins. Tiny scrapers on the
bat’s tongue help remove fruit pulp from the skin. The bat’s flat back teeth, called molars, chew
and mash the pulp. Because the bat’s mouth opening is small, the pulp and juice do not dribble
out. The bat swallows the juice and pulp and spits out the skin and seeds. The bat often scatters
the seeds as it flies.
Fruit bats also eat flower nectar. Many tropical flowers that bloom at night have a sweet
scent, and fruit bats have a good sense of smell. When the bat lands on a flower, it rests its back
legs on the lower petals and grips the upper petals with its claws. The bat’s long, narrow muzzle
and thin, flexible tongue reach deep inside the flower. As the bat feeds pollen falls on its head.
The bat then carries the pollen to another flower.
Directions: Answer the following questions in detail on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Describe how a fruit bat’s claws help it survive.
2. Name the three types of teeth the fruit bat has. Describe the
function of each type of tooth.
3. Besides its teeth, how else is the fruit bat’s mouth adapted for
eating fruit?
4. What adaptations help the fruit bat feed on flower nectar?
5. How does the fruit bat help the plants it feeds on?
Page 2 of 4
Part 2: Effects of Pesticide DDT on Eggshells
Directions: Study the data table below and consider the following questions: What information is
the data table showing? What conclusions can you draw from the data? In paragraph form,
describe in detail two conclusions you have made from the data. Be sure to provide specific
evidence from the graph to support your conclusions.
Page 3 of 4
Part 3: Comparing Growth Rates of Trees – Data Table and Graph Creation
Directions: Read the paragraph below. Within the paragraph you will find information
describing the various growth rates of different species of trees over a 3-year period. Your task is
to take the data from the paragraph and create a completed data chart. Then, use this data chart
to create a graph of your choice that best visually compares the growth rates of the different tree
species. Both the chart and the graph should be neat and should include all necessary
components such as title, labels, etcetera.
Comparing Growth Rates of Trees
Some species of trees grow taller much more quickly than others. For example, an average
Oak tree grows to a height of 8 feet after one year, a height of 12 feet after two years, and a height
of 18 feet after 3 years. However, some trees such as Apple trees grow much more slowly. An
average apple tree will grow to the height of 1.5 feet after one year, a height of 3 feet after two
years, and a height of 4.5 feet after 3 years. And between these two extremes, there are many
other species of trees that have moderate growth rates. For example, an average Birch tree
grows to a height of 3 feet after one year, a height of 5.5 feet after two years, and a height of 10
feet after 3 years. An average Maple tree grows to a height of 2 feet after one year, a height of 4
feet after two years, and a height of 5 feet after 3 years. An average Aspen tree grows to a height
of 5 feet after one year, a height of 10 feet after two years, and a height of 15 feet after 3 years.
And, an average Dogwood tree grows to a height of 3 feet after one year, a height of 6 feet after
two years, and a height of 9 feet after 3 years. The different growth rates of these trees add to the
diversity of canopy height in a forest and thus help support a greater biodiversity of animals.
Page 4 of 4