• Genetics & Heredity 

  • Asexual & Sexual Reproduction 

    • Examples organisms for each

    • Advantages & Disadvantages 

  • Inheritance of Traits 

    • Definition and examples of Traits

    • Difference between genotypes and phenotypes

    •  Punnett Squares

  • Selective Breeding 

    • Plant examples

    • Animal examples 

• Ecology & Interactions 

  • Definition and examples of abiotic and biotic factors

  • Cycling of matter 

    • Water cycle 

    • Carbon cycle

  • Organism relationship categories 

    • Mutualism

    • Commensalism 

    • Parasitism 

    • Competition 

    • Predator - prey

  • Flow of energy (Food chains & Food Webs)

    • Producers, Consumers and Decomposers 

  • Features of Ecosystems (location, availability of food and resources)

    • Terrestrial - deserts, grasslands, tropical rain forests, temperate forests, taigas and tundras

    • Aquatic - freshwater, estuaries and marine ecosystems

  • Impact of human activity 

    • Pollution 

    • Habitat destruction 

• Science and Engineering Practices

  • Practice 1: Asking Questions and Defining Problems

  • Practice 2: Developing and Using Models

  • Practice 3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

  • Practice 4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data

  • Practice 5: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

  • Practice 6: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

  • Practice 7: Engaging in Argument from Evidence

  • Practice 8: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communication Information

Traits are physical characteristics that:

• can be different between individuals. 

• are connected to genes (DNA). 

• are passed on in families.  

Have as many family members as possible complete this survey of traits and discuss the similarities and differences.  You can use Google to look up each characteristic (detached earlobes, dimples, etc).

Have lots of fun learning about Selective Breeding (the ways that humans can influence the traits in other living things).  Click this link to follow the simulation.  Take notes of what you learn.  

Take a nature walk through a trail, your neighborhood, or your backyard, and record a list of 8 biotic and 8 abiotic things you see.  Remember to look carefully: 

• Sometimes abiotic factors may be really small (bugs, fungi, etc.)

• Sometimes abiotic factors may be invisible/abstract (climate, humidity, etc.)

To learn about the Water Cycle and how it affects ecosystems, read through this worksheet and:

• Write a three-sentence summary of the paragraph. 

• Fill in all of the blanks to label the parts of the water cycle. 

• DOUBLE CHECK YOURSELF - to see how much you understand and retain about the Water Cycle - take this quick Quiz.

There are many large ecosystems on Earth.  Some are large terrestrial (land) ecosystems called Biomes.  Others are large aquatic (water) ecosystems. 

Whether terrestrial or aquatic, large ecosystems have common features that distinguish them: location, availability of resources, availability of food, and types of organisms.  Some additional features of terrestrial biomes include climate and precipitation.

WEB QUEST:  Use the internet to learn about the common features of some terrestrial biomes.  

Click here and complete the chart by searching and reading about each of the terrestrial biomes listed.  

TRIVIA:  Which terrestrial biome most closely matches our environment in Georgia?  

Use what you learned in the web quest to form a clear and comprehensive explanation of why you chose your answer.    

MINI-PROJECT:  After watching the video above about the ways that humans impact the environment:

• Interview one of your parents or guardians about potential changes that can be made in your home. 

• Make a list of at least five changes that can be made.  

• From what you learned, designate each change as having an impact on the air, land, or water.  

• Choose one change to implement for one week.  

  • With your parent's help, make a plan for how your family will make the change.  

    • What tools, materials, or decisions will be necessary?

    • How will the family hold each other accountable?

• Keep a daily journal for one week about the change. 

• After one week, write a paragraph explaining the following:

  • how easy or difficult it was to make the change. 

  • how do you think it impacted the environment. 

  • how did it feel to execute the change?

  • whether or not your family will continue with the change.