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GLEN RIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Curriculum Guide

Course Title: Life Science

Subject: Science

Grade Level: Grade Seven

Department/School: Science Department/ GRHS

Duration: Full Year

Number of Credits: N/A

Prerequisite: N/A

Elective or Required: N/A

Author: Erin Clark

Date Submitted: Summer 2004

Course Description

Seventh grade Life Science is an introductory course to Biology. Through many hands-on experiences and class work, students will become familiar with the traits of living things. They will learn about the structure of cells, viruses, and bacteria. Students will be able to distinguish between and know the characteristics of the five kingdoms of life. We will also explore basic genetics and the theories of evolution. In addition, students will learn how the systems of the body work and interact.

GLEN RIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SCIENCE MISSION STATEMENT

The Glen Ridge Public School’s science curriculum seeks to develop scientifically literate life-long learners through a program that fosters a spirit of wonder, intellectual curiosity and collaborative problem solving that is authentic, hands-on, inquiry based and developmentally appropriate. This is done through the study of Life, Physical, Earth and Environmental science.

Our students will use the scientific method to understand and respond to questions about science, technology, and societal and world problems. Students will be challenged and encouraged to take risks and to develop critical thinking skills as they apply to real-world experiences.

New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards

Science

STANDARD 5.1 (SCIENTIFIC PROCESSES) ALL STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP PROBLEM-SOLVING, DECISION-MAKING AND INQUIRY SKILLS, REFLECTED BY FORMULATING USABLE QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES, PLANNING EXPERIMENTS, CONDUCTING SYSTEMATIC OBSERVATIONS, INTERPRETING AND ANALYZING DATA, DRAWING CONCLUSIONS, AND COMMUNICATING RESULTS.

STANDARD 5.2 (SCIENCE AND SOCIETY) ALL STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW PEOPLE OF VARIOUS CULTURES HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, AND HOW MAJOR DISCOVERIES AND EVENTS HAVE ADVANCED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

STANDARD 5.3 (MATHEMATICAL APPLICATIONS) ALL STUDENTS WILL INTEGRATE MATHEMATICS AS A TOOL FOR PROBLEM-SOLVING IN SCIENCE, AND AS A MEANS OF EXPRESSING AND/OR MODELING SCIENTIFIC THEORIES.

STANDARD 5.4 (NATURE AND PROCESS OF TECHNOLOGY) ALL STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOP A CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURE AND PROCESS OF TECHNOLOGY.

STANDARD 5.5 (CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFE) ALL STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRUCTURE, CHARACTERISTICS, AND BASIC NEEDS OF ORGANISMS AND WILL INVESTIGATE THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE.

STANDARD 5.6 (CHEMISTRY) ALL STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRUCTURE AND BEHAVIOR OF MATTER.

STANDARD 5.7 (PHYSICS) ALL STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF NATURAL LAWS AS THEY APPLY TO MOTION, FORCES, AND ENERGY TRANSFORMATIONS

STANDARD 5.8 (EARTH SCIENCE) ALL STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRUCTURE, DYNAMICS, AND GEOPHYSICAL SYSTEMS OF THE EARTH.

STANDARD 5.9 (ASTRONOMY and SPACE SCIENCE) ALL STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ORIGIN, EVOLUTION, AND STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSE

STANDARD 5.10 (ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES) ALL STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENVIRONMENT AS A SYSTEM OF INTERDEPENDENT COMPONENTS AFFECTED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY AND NATURAL PHENOMENA.

Curriculum Description

UNIT I. EXPLORING AND CLASSIFYING LIFE

Standards 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Apply scientific methods to problem solving.

2. Measure with Scientific Units.

3. Apply safety rules when working in the lab.

4. Distinguish between living and nonliving.

5. Describe experiments about spontaneous generation.

6. Explain how scientific methods led to the idea of biogenesis.

7. Explain why how and why organisms are classified.

8. Describe how early scientists classified living things.

9. Explain how similarities are used to classify organisms.

10. Describe characteristics of the six kingdoms.

11. Use scientific names to find relationships between organisms.

12. Demonstrate how to use a dichotomous key.

Duration Time: 2-3 weeks

Activities:

- Mini-Lab of text: Collect data using a pan balance, p. 9

- Use the International System of Units Lab

- The “Duke” Activity: Scientific Method and Characteristics of Life

- CSI Video: Applying the Scientific Method

- Classifying: foods, videos, magazines, books, shoes

- Classifying Seeds Lab, p. 27

- Design a Lab, p.28

UNIT II: CELLS AND CELL PROCESSES

Standards 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Distinguish between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

2. Identify characteristics of bacteria cells from ch.7.

3. Identify names and functions of each part of animal and plant cells.

4. Compare and contrast animal and plant cells.

5. Compare tissues, organs and organ systems.

6. Explain the importance of observations made possible by the microscope.

7. Describe the basic parts and the use of a compound microscope.

8. State the three basic ideas of the cell theory.

9. Describe the discoveries of the scientists who were pioneers in working with cells.

10. Identify characteristics of viruses.

11. Examine the reproductive cycle of viruses.

12. List the differences among atoms, elements, molecules, and compounds.

13. Explain the relationship between chemistry and life science.

14. Compare and contrast organic and inorganic compounds and their relationship to life science.

15. Describe the structure of the cell membrane and its relationship to cell movement: osmosis, diffusion, active transport.

16. List the differences between producers and consumers.

17. Explain how the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration store and release energy.

Duration Time: 3-4 Weeks

Activities:

- Microscope Lab to learn the basic parts and operation of a microscope

- Cell Microviewer Lab

- Comparing Cells Lab, p. 46

- Research various viruses and create a fact sheet

- Build a Cell Model Lab and then create a poster

- Analogy of a Cell to a School

- Build a Model of an Atom

- Lab: The effect temperature has on diffusion/ Observing Diffusion, p. 75

- Lab: Observing Osmosis, p. 80

- Lab: Photosynthesis and Respiration, p.86

UNIT III: GENETICS

Standards 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Explain why mitosis is important.

2. Recognize, illustrate, and describe characteristics of the steps of mitosis.

3. Compare animal and plant cell mitosis.

4. List examples of asexual reproduction.

5. Identify the parts of a DNA molecule and its structure.

6. Identify the results of a mutation.

7. Explain how traits are inherited.

8. Distinguish between dominant and recessive traits.

9. Recognize Mendel’s role in the history of genetics.

10. Use a Punnett square to predict the results of crosses.

11. Compare and contrast the difference between an individual’s genotype and phenotype.

Duration Time: 8- 10 days

Activities:

- Mitosis Microscope Lab

- Mitosis Microviewer Lab

- Build a model of DNA

- Lab: Predicting Results, p. 133

- Lab: Mutations, p. 116

UNIT IV: ADAPTATIONS OVER TIME

Standards 5.1, 5.3, 5.5

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Describe Lamarck’s hypothesis of acquired characteristics and Darwin’s theory of natural selection.

2. Identify why variations in organisms are important.

3. Compare and contrast gradualism and punctuated equilibrium.

4. Identify the importance of fossils as evidence of evolution.

5. Explain how relative and radiometric dating are used to estimate the age of fossils.

6. List examples of five types of evidence for evolution.

7. Describe the differences among living primates.

8. Discuss the evolutionary history of modern primates.

Duration Time: 2-3 Weeks

Activities:

- Mini Lab: Relating Evolution to Species, p. 159

- Lab: Hidden Frogs (Survival of the Fittest), p. 162

- Mini Lab: Living without Thumbs (characteristics of primates), p. 171

- Lab: Recognizing Variation in a Population, p. 174

UNIT V: THE WORLD OF BACTERIA, PROTISTS, AND FUNGI

Standards 5.1, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.10

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Identify the characteristics of bacteria cells.

2. Compare and contrast aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.

3. Describe characteristics shared by all protists.

4. Compare and contrast the three groups of protists.

5. Distinguish structural features of animal like protists.

6. Explain why protists are so difficult to classify.

7. Identify characteristics shared by all fungi.

8. Classify fungi into groups based on their method of reproduction.

9. Differentiate between the imperfect fungi and all other fungi.

Duration Time: 2-3 Weeks

Activities:

- Lab: Observing Cyanobacteria

- Lab: Comparing Algae and Protozoans

- Identify structures of different types of animal-like protists

- Create a Fungus Field Guide

- Fact Sheet on a Bacterial Disease

UNIT VI: PLANT PROCESSES

Standard 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5, 5.6

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Identify characteristics common to all plants.

2. Explain which plant adaptations make it possible for plants to survive on land.

3. Compare and contrast vascular and nonvascular plants.

4. Identify three types of vascular tissue and their function.

5. Investigate the structure and functions of roots, stems and leaves.

6. Characteristics of seedless and seed plants.

7. Compare and contrast angiosperms and gymnosperms.

8. Compare and contrast monocots and dicots.

9. Investigate angiosperm reproduction.

10. Identify the structure and function of flowers.

11. Describe pollination, fertilization, seed dispersal and germination.

12. Compare and contrast photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

13. Recognize the events of the light dependent and light independent reactions.

Duration Time: 3 Weeks

Activities:

- Microviewer lab: Plants

- Lab: Plants as Medicine, p. 262

- Lab: Monocots vs. Dicots

- Poster: Structure of roots, stems and leaves

- Lab: Dissection of a Flower

- Lab: Germination Rate of Seeds

- Lab: Stomata in Leaves, p. 310

UNIT VII: CHARACTERISTICS AND SYSTEMS OF ANIMALS

Standard 5.5

A. Characteristics of Animals (5.5 A.1, A.2, A.3, B.1)

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Identify characteristics all animals have in common.

2. Distinguish between invertebrates and vertebrates.

3. Describe characteristics of sponges and cnidarians.

4. List characteristics of flatworms and roundworms.

5. Identify characteristics of mollusks.

6. Identify the characteristics of segmented worms.

7. Determine the characteristics that are used to classify arthropods.

8. List the characteristics of echinoderms.

9. List the characteristics of chordates and vertebrates.

Duration Time: 1-2 Weeks

Activities:

- Project: List the characteristics of each animal phyla, include labeled examples and pictures

B. Skeletal System, Muscular System, and Skin (5.1, 5.2 B.1, 5.2 B.2, 5.3, 5.4 A.1, 5.4 B.1, 5.5 A.1, 5.5 A.2, 5.5 A.3, 5.5 B.1, 5.5 B.2, 5.5 B.3)

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Identify five functions of the skeletal system.

2. Label the bones of the human skeleton.

3. Describe the structure of a typical bone.

4. Compare and contrast movable and immovable joints.

5. Identify the major functions of the muscular system.

6. Compare and contrast the three types of muscles.

7. Explain how the muscle action results in the movement of body parts.

8. Distinguish between the layers of the skin: epidermis and dermis.

9. Identify the skin’s functions.

10. Explain how the skin protects the body from disease and how it heals itself.

Duration Time: 2-3 Weeks

Activities:

- Lab: Similar Skeletons, p. 502

- Research: The effects of UV rays on the skin

- Simon Says: Identifying scientific names of the skeleton

- Poster: Structures of the skin

C. Nutrients and Digestion 5.1, 5.3, 5.5 A.1, 5.5 A.2, 5.5 A.3, 5.6 A.1, 5.6 A.2, 5.6 B.1, 5.6 B.2)

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Distinguish among the six classes of nutrients.

2. Identify the importance of each type of nutrient.

3. Explain the relationship between diet and health.

4. Distinguish the differences between mechanical and chemical digestion.

5. Investigate the role of enzymes in digestion.

6. Identify the organs of the digestive system and what takes place in each.

7. Trace the path of food from the mouth to the body cells.

8. Examine a series of fast food meals and identify the nutrients present in each meal.

9. Explain how homeostasis is maintained in digestion.

Duration Time: 1-2 Weeks

Activities:

- Fast Food Facts

- Cracker Lab: Amylase in Action

- Food Pyramid Collage

- Lab: Identifying Vitamin C Content, p. 522

- Lab: Particle Size and Absorption, p. 530

D. Circulation (5.1, 5.3, 5.5 A.1, 5.5 A.2, 5.5 A.3, 5.6 A.4)

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Compare and contrast arteries, veins, and capillaries.

2. Identify the structure of the human heart.

3. Explain how blood moves through the heart.

4. Identify the functions of pulmonary and systemic circulation systems.

5. Identify the parts and functions of blood.

6. Explain why blood types are checked before a transfusion.

7. Discuss the process of blood clotting.

8. Give examples of diseases of blood.

9. Describe the functions of the lymphatic system.

10. Identify where lymph comes from.

11. Explain how lymph organs help fight infections.

Duration Time: 2 Weeks

Activities:

- Lab: The Heart as a Pump, p.549

- Stethoscope Lab

- Research: Heart/Blood/Circulatory Diseases

E. Respiration and Excretion (5.1, 5.3, 5.5 A.1, 5.5 A.2, 5.5 A.3)

Objectives:

Each student will be able to:

1. Describe the functions of the respiratory system.

2. Explain how oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged in the lungs and in tissues.

3. Identify the structures of the respiratory system.

4. Identify the pathway of air in and out of the lungs.

5. Explain the effects of smoking on the respiratory system.

6. Distinguish between the excretory and urinary systems.

7. Describe the structure of the kidneys.

8. Describe how the kidneys work.

9. Explain what happens when urinary organs don’t work.

Duration Time: 2-3 Weeks

Activities:

- Lab: Lung Model

- Lab: Kidney Structure

- Research: Diseases of the Respiratory and Urinary System

Texts, Resources, and/or Literature:

Life Science, Glencoe Laboratory Manual

Life Science, Glencoe Video Labs

Life Science, Glencoe Study Guide and Reinforcement Manual

Life Science, Glencoe Mind Jogger

Life Science, Glencoe Transparencies

Life Science, Glencoe ExamView Pro Testmaker CD-ROM

Science Online: www.life.msscience.com