7th Grade Life Science

Middle School Life Science Course Syllabus

Challenge to Excellence

2018-2019

Quarter 1

Unit 1: Introduction to Life Science and Science Safety

    • Describe characteristics of all living things.
    • Practice safe procedures in the science laboratory.

Unit 2: Cells

    • Describe the major organelles and their functions.
    • Differentiate between plant cells, animals cells, and single-celled organisms.
    • Describe the processes of cellular respiration and photosynthesis.

Unit 3: Reproduction

    • Differentiate between sexual and asexual reproduction.
    • Describe how new cells are formed through mitosis, meiosis, and fertilization.
    • Describe the basic structure of DNA and its location within the cell.

Quarter 2

Unit 4: Heredity and Genetics

    • Explain how genetic information is transmitted to the next generation.
    • Predict phenotype and genotype of offspring based on the genotype of the parents.
    • Interpret data on the transmission of genetic information.

Unit 5: Evolution and Change

    • Develop and explanation for why a given organism with specific traits will or will not survive in a given environment.
    • Model survival and reproductive success associated with specific traits in a given environment using simulations.
    • Interpret and analyze data from the fossil record to support a claim that organisms and environments have changed over time.
    • Research and critique the evidence regarding the causes and effects of a mass extinction event.

Quarter 3

Unit 6: Organism Relationships

    • Compare and contrast the flow of energy with the cycling of matter in ecosystems.
    • Describe the relationships between producers, consumers, and decomposers.
    • Design and describe how energy flows through a food web.

Unit 7: Biomes

    • Describe the climate and locations of earth’s major biomes.

Unit 8: Environmental Issues

    • Interpret and analyze data about changes in environmental conditions that affect populations in an ecosystem.
    • Give examples of how humans can alter ecosystems.
    • Identify bias in a variety of media when researching environmental issues.

Quarter 4

Unit 9: Human Body

    • Describe the structure and function of systems in the human body.