Unit ‍Overview‍

In 7th grade, students are introduced to the hierarchy of an organism (cell – tissue – organ – organ system – organism) to formulate an understanding of how organisms gather and use information from the environment to perform life’s tasks. This relationship between structure and function is a fundamental framework for the future study of biology.

Standards

Next Generation Science Standards – Middle School (NGSS-MS):

LS1-1: Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells, either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells.

LS1-2: Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function.

Emphasize: cell functioning and the primary role of identified parts of the cell – nucleus, chloroplasts, mitochondria, cell membrane, cell wall

LS1-3: Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells

Emphasize: cells form tissues

Science and Engineering:

• Oral and written argument supported by evidence to support or refute an explanation or model
• Gather, read, synthesize information from multiple sources
• Assess credibility, accuracy and bias of source information

Crosscutting concepts:

• Phenomena that can be observed at one scale may not be observable at another scale
• Systems may interact and be a part of larger systems
• Complex and microscopic structures and systems can be visualized, modeled, and used to describe how their function depends on the relationships among its parts
• Engineering advances have led to important discoveries in virtually every field of science; these have led to development of industries and engineered systems
• Scientists are guided by habits of mind such as intellectual honesty, tolerance of ambiguity, skepticism, and openness to new ideas

California Science Standards:

Life Science Standards:

1a. Students know cells function similarly in all living organisms.

1b. Students know the characteristics that distinguish plant cells from animal cells, including chloroplasts and cell walls.

1c. Students know the nucleus is the repository for genetic information in plant and animal cells.

1d. Students know that mitochondria liberate energy for the work that cells do and that chloroplasts capture sunlight energy for photosynthesis.

Investigation and Experimentation Standards:

7a. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes, and binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data.

7b. Use a variety of print and electronic resources (including the World Wide Web) to collect information and evidence as part of a research project.

7d. Construct scale models, maps, and appropriately labeled diagrams to communicate scientific knowledge (e.g., motion of Earth’s plates and cell structure).

7e. Communicate the steps and results from an investigation in written reports and oral presentations.