Hello and Welcome to 7th grade science!
This quarter we will be focusing on what it means to be a great scientist. Your seventh grader will have my for 1/4 of the school year for science. They will then rotate teachers as the quarter changes. We will cover several core tenants of curiosity and science practices such as;
Asking questions
Developing and using models
Planning and carrying out investigations
Analyzing and interpreting data
Engaging in arguments from evidence
Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Course Description
Seventh grade science students, during this quarter, will focus on ecosystems with an emphasis on interactions within ecosystems, flow of energy and matter, and population dynamics within systems. Seventh graders will complete formative assessments along the way that help prepare them for their summative assessments. Rockford Middle School uses a grading policy of formative assessments accounting for 30% of their final grade while summative assessments account for the remaining 70%.
Standards
This course is aligned with the Minnesota Standards/National for science, last updated in 2019.
During their quarter with me, students will address the following benchmarks from the Minnesota Science Standards.
7L.2.1.1.1 Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.** (P: 4, CC: 2, CI: LS2)
7L.3.1.1.3 Develop and use a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem. (P: 2, CC: 5, CI: LS2)
7L.3.2.1.2 Construct an explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms. (P: 6, CC: 2, CI: LS1)
7L.4.1.2.1 Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes in physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.* (P: 7, CC: 7, CI: LS2)
7L.4.1.2.2 Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity or ecosystem services.* (P: 7, CC: 2, CI: LS2, ETS2)
Students will have access to a Google Classroom page that will have the most up to date information regarding classwork. I will also send out emails if there is an upcoming project or test for your child. Please email me with any questions you may have.
Thanks!