Laura Woods
Beck International Academy
Room 701
Phone: 864-355-1481
Email: lwoods@greenville.k12.sc.us
BECK VISION STATEMENT:
The mission of Beck International Academy is to meet the needs of our diverse student body in an environment that nurtures, accepts, and encourages all students to make empowering choices to impact their academic success.
COURSE TITLE: Science 7
TEXTBOOK: SAVVAS Elevate Science Grade 7
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Students in 7th grade continue to deepen their knowledge of science concepts through more complex investigations and explanations. The concepts studied begin with matter and each unit builds upon itself until we reach the ecosystem.
Seventh grade students continue to develop investigative skills started in K-6 and increase these skills through generating their own questions, recognizing and explaining the relationships among concepts being studied, and begin drawing their own conclusions based on scientific evidence discovered through exploration, research, and inquiry.
Students will explore these topics:
Lab Safety and Science and Engineering Practices
Chemical Nature of Matter – atoms, matter classifications, properties and changes in matter (8 weeks)
Energy – How do mass, speed and position affect kinetic and potential energy of objects? How is energy transferred from one object to another? (6 weeks)
From Molecules to Organisms – How do organisms interact with other organisms in the physical environment to obtain matter and energy? (3 weeks)
Ecosystem Dynamics – How does matter and energy move through an ecosystem? How is the health of an ecosystem determined? (9 weeks)
Earth and Human Activity – How does surface processes and human activity affect Earth temperature and systems? (9 weeks)
The standards provide the foundation for a curriculum that is based on a rich and wide variety of learning experiences that actively engage students and accommodate a broad range of student learning styles through varied materials and instructional strategies. Students should observe, interact with materials and with people, and ask questions as they explore new concepts and expand their knowledge.
COURSE OUTLINE / INSTRUCTIONAL UNITS FOR THE YEAR:
Standards can be accessed on the NGSS website listed below:
https://www.nextgenscience.org/search-standards?keys=&tid%5B%5D=106
TEACHING METHODS AND STRATEGIES:
Although we use an integrated approach to Science instruction, we will also be utilizing Google Classroom as well as an online based text called SAVVAS as well as various text based resources in class. A typical week will include a variety of instructional formats: lecture, small group instruction, independent reading, laboratory work, webquests, and research. Using a variety of instructional strategies as well as specific learning targets, students will extend and refine their learning with activities designed to promote higher levels of thinking such as analysis and evaluation.
ASSESSMENTS AND GRADING FOR SCIENCE 7:
These are the procedures for recording student progress. Students are assessed using both formative and summative assessments. Daily class assignments, tests, projects, group work, labs, and quizzes will be included in these assessments. Students will receive interim progress reports and quarterly report cards.
The district-wide grading scale is as follows:
100 - 90 A
89 - 80 B
79 - 70 C
69 - 60 D
59 - 50* F
*Grading Floor is a 50.
MATERIALS & SUPPLIES:
Students will need...
Chromebook
Loose-leaf notebook paper
pencils
pens
Markers or colored pencils
Folder
SCHOOL-WIDE DISCIPLINE PLAN 5 Step Plan
Step 1: Warning to student
Step 2: Parent contact
Step 3: Detention with parent contact
Step 4: Detention with parent contact
Step 5: Referral to office
HONOR CODE AND PLAGIARISM:
I adhere to our school honor code and plagiarism policy.
Cheating or copying of work belonging to another person is a violation of school rules as well as personal ethics. Both the lender and borrower will receive zeros on the work, and parents will be notified. Plagiarism is cheating. Examples of plagiarism include:
Copying and pasting from the Internet or copying directly from books or magazines without properly citing the source.
Copying another student’s work, turning in another student’s work, or having another student do the work.
Buying papers on the Internet.
PARENT COMMUNICATION:
Parents, teachers, and students work together to promote learning. The absolute best way to reach me is by email. Email is checked throughout the day and is much faster than a phone call. However, some issues are best discussed by phone. Calls during the instructional day are directed to my voicemail and will be returned within 24 hours of receipt. Please ensure you have access to Parent Portal in order to view your student’s grades on a regular basis.