Grade 7 Unit 1: Scientific Inquiry
Science relies on logic and creativity. Science is both a body of knowledge and a way of knowing—an intellectual
and social process that applies human intelligence to explaining how the world works. Scientific explanations are
developed using both observations (evidence) and what people already know about the world (scientific knowledge).
All scientific explanations are tentative and subject to change. Good science involves questioning, observing and
inferring, experimenting, finding evidence, collecting and organizing data, drawing valid conclusions, and undergoing
peer review. Understanding the scientific view of the natural world is an essential part of personal, societal, and ethical
decision making. Scientific literacy involves internalizing the scientific critical attitude so that it can be applied in everyday
life, particularly in relation to health, commercial, and technological claims.
Grade 7 Unit 2: Geology
Unit Overview: This unit studies the surface of planet Earth, as well as the natural phenomena that causes the surface to change over time. Students will be able to make different types of models representing the lithosphere that will best help them describe changes in the surface of the planet. In addition, they will analyze data from earthquakes and volcanoes, and charts that represent the long history of Earth, drawing conclusions about how these forces of nature provoke short-term, long-term, and permanent changes to the surface of the planet.
Learning Targets:
Distinguish between latitude and longitude and how they are used to identify locations on earth.
Compare and contrast map projections and their uses.
Identify the difference between a mineral and a rock.
Distinguish between the properties that are used to identify minerals.
Identify and differentiate the three classes of rocks.
Compare and contrast two ways that igneous rocks are formed.
Identify and describe igneous rocks by their minerals and textures.
Describe how different types of sedimentary rocks form.
Distinguish between the two main groups of sedimentary rock.
Describe how metamorphic rocks form.
Differentiate between foliated and unfoliated metamorphic rocks.
Identify processes that break rock apart.
Differentiate processes that chemically change rock.
Explain how soil evolves.
Distinguish between the agents of erosion and it's effects.
Describe how different kinds of fossils formed.
Describe the hypothesis of continental drift.
Identify evidence supporting continental drift.
Describe the process of seafloor spreading.
Apply the theory of plate tectonics to continental drift.
Explain how earthquakes are caused by a buildup of strain in Earth’s crust.
Essential Questions:
How do different natural phenomena change the surface of the Earth over time?
To what extent do natural occurrences affect the Earth over time?
How do scientists use data and technology to make predictions about natural phenomena?
How have environmental conditions influenced the changes in the Earth’s surface?
Upcoming Unit 1 Project: Due
Mini Lab # 1 – Landform Travel Journal
Task: Create a travelogue/journal entries about your trip from the west coast (California)US to the east coast (New York) US. Use only the map and landforms seen on the map on page 35 of the textbook. Describe what your journey would be like, what landforms would you encounter, what they would look like, how would you interact with them etc. You must include the following landforms: plains, plateaus, folded mountains, upwarped mountains, and fault-block mountains. Be creative, use lots of details, and include pictures. You must also include a cover page with a title of your journey.
_____ (10 Points) – The journal entries include the following landforms: plains, plateau, folded mountains, upwarped mountains, and fault-block mountains. These landforms are each described correctly.
_____(10 Points) –The journal entries are written in first person format.Writing is confident and clearly focused. It holds the reader’s attention. Relevant details enrich writing. Writing includes a strong, beginning, middle, and end with clear transitions and a focused closure. Consistent variety of sentence structure throughout.
_____ (5Points) – The journal entries are presented in a creative, colorful, and neat fashion. There are pictures, a cover page, a title, and it is neat throughout.
_____ Total (25 Points)
UPCOMING
UNIT 3: Energy and Matter
Unit Overview: Students will describe matter by its physical properties and will explain its behavior by using its chemical properties. Knowledge of physical and chemical changes will enable students to understand how matter and energy interact in many dynamic ways. As students understand these interactions between matter and energy, they should also be able to investigate and explain how pollutants enter and remain in the environment, and its consequences for living and nonliving things. Students should be able to propose ideas and ways to preserve a healthy living environment with a minimum amount of pollutants
Learning Targets:
I can explain how waves transport energy.
I can distinguish among transverse, compressional, and electromagnetic waves.
I can describe the properties of waves.
I can describe reflection, refraction, and diffraction of waves.
I can identify the properties of light waves.
I can describe the electromagnetic spectrum.
I can describe the types of electromagnetic waves that travel from the Sun to Earth.
I can explain human vision and color perception.
I can identify physical properties of matter.
I can explain why materials with different masses have different densities.
I can observe water displacement to determine volume.
I can describe characteristics of matter.
I can identify what makes up matter.
I can identify the parts of an atom.
I can compare the models that are used for atoms.
I can identify the characteristics of a compound.
I can compare and contrast different types of mixtures.
I can distinguish between substances and mixtures.
I can describe two different types of mixtures.
I can explain how solutions form.
I can describe different types of solutions.
I can compare acids and bases and their properties.
I can describe practical uses of acids and bases.
I can explain how pH is used to describe the strength of an acid or base.
I can describe how acids and bases react when they are brought together.
Essential Questions:
What makes matter?
How does matter behave? How does matter relate to energy?
How is energy transferred from one material to another?
How is energy transformed?
What materials are best to conserve and efficiently use energy?
To what extent do chemicals affect living and nonliving things?
Science relies on logic and creativity. Science is both a body of knowledge and a way of knowing—an intellectual
and social process that applies human intelligence to explaining how the world works. Scientific explanations are
developed using both observations (evidence) and what people already know about the world (scientific knowledge).
All scientific explanations are tentative and subject to change. Good science involves questioning, observing and
inferring, experimenting, finding evidence, collecting and organizing data, drawing valid conclusions, and undergoing
peer review. Understanding the scientific view of the natural world is an essential part of personal, societal, and ethical
decision making. Scientific literacy involves internalizing the scientific critical attitude so that it can be applied in everyday
life, particularly in relation to health, commercial, and technological claims.
- I will communicate information in a variety of ways.
- I can use available technology to gather information.
- I can create models to represent information.
- I can formulate questions independently using appropriate references for guidance.
- I can draw conclusions based on information or observation.
Grade 7 Unit 2: Geology
Unit Overview: This unit studies the surface of planet Earth, as well as the natural phenomena that causes the surface to change over time. Students will be able to make different types of models representing the lithosphere that will best help them describe changes in the surface of the planet. In addition, they will analyze data from earthquakes and volcanoes, and charts that represent the long history of Earth, drawing conclusions about how these forces of nature provoke short-term, long-term, and permanent changes to the surface of the planet.
Learning Targets:
Distinguish between latitude and longitude and how they are used to identify locations on earth.
Compare and contrast map projections and their uses.
Identify the difference between a mineral and a rock.
Distinguish between the properties that are used to identify minerals.
Identify and differentiate the three classes of rocks.
Compare and contrast two ways that igneous rocks are formed.
Identify and describe igneous rocks by their minerals and textures.
Describe how different types of sedimentary rocks form.
Distinguish between the two main groups of sedimentary rock.
Describe how metamorphic rocks form.
Differentiate between foliated and unfoliated metamorphic rocks.
Identify processes that break rock apart.
Differentiate processes that chemically change rock.
Explain how soil evolves.
Distinguish between the agents of erosion and it's effects.
Describe how different kinds of fossils formed.
Describe the hypothesis of continental drift.
Identify evidence supporting continental drift.
Describe the process of seafloor spreading.
Apply the theory of plate tectonics to continental drift.
Explain how earthquakes are caused by a buildup of strain in Earth’s crust.
Essential Questions:
How do different natural phenomena change the surface of the Earth over time?
To what extent do natural occurrences affect the Earth over time?
How do scientists use data and technology to make predictions about natural phenomena?
How have environmental conditions influenced the changes in the Earth’s surface?
Upcoming Unit 1 Project: Due
Mini Lab # 1 – Landform Travel Journal
Task: Create a travelogue/journal entries about your trip from the west coast (California)US to the east coast (New York) US. Use only the map and landforms seen on the map on page 35 of the textbook. Describe what your journey would be like, what landforms would you encounter, what they would look like, how would you interact with them etc. You must include the following landforms: plains, plateaus, folded mountains, upwarped mountains, and fault-block mountains. Be creative, use lots of details, and include pictures. You must also include a cover page with a title of your journey.
_____ (10 Points) – The journal entries include the following landforms: plains, plateau, folded mountains, upwarped mountains, and fault-block mountains. These landforms are each described correctly.
_____(10 Points) –The journal entries are written in first person format.Writing is confident and clearly focused. It holds the reader’s attention. Relevant details enrich writing. Writing includes a strong, beginning, middle, and end with clear transitions and a focused closure. Consistent variety of sentence structure throughout.
_____ (5Points) – The journal entries are presented in a creative, colorful, and neat fashion. There are pictures, a cover page, a title, and it is neat throughout.
_____ Total (25 Points)
UPCOMING
UNIT 3: Energy and Matter
Unit Overview: Students will describe matter by its physical properties and will explain its behavior by using its chemical properties. Knowledge of physical and chemical changes will enable students to understand how matter and energy interact in many dynamic ways. As students understand these interactions between matter and energy, they should also be able to investigate and explain how pollutants enter and remain in the environment, and its consequences for living and nonliving things. Students should be able to propose ideas and ways to preserve a healthy living environment with a minimum amount of pollutants
Learning Targets:
I can explain how waves transport energy.
I can distinguish among transverse, compressional, and electromagnetic waves.
I can describe the properties of waves.
I can describe reflection, refraction, and diffraction of waves.
I can identify the properties of light waves.
I can describe the electromagnetic spectrum.
I can describe the types of electromagnetic waves that travel from the Sun to Earth.
I can explain human vision and color perception.
I can identify physical properties of matter.
I can explain why materials with different masses have different densities.
I can observe water displacement to determine volume.
I can describe characteristics of matter.
I can identify what makes up matter.
I can identify the parts of an atom.
I can compare the models that are used for atoms.
I can identify the characteristics of a compound.
I can compare and contrast different types of mixtures.
I can distinguish between substances and mixtures.
I can describe two different types of mixtures.
I can explain how solutions form.
I can describe different types of solutions.
I can compare acids and bases and their properties.
I can describe practical uses of acids and bases.
I can explain how pH is used to describe the strength of an acid or base.
I can describe how acids and bases react when they are brought together.
Essential Questions:
What makes matter?
How does matter behave? How does matter relate to energy?
How is energy transferred from one material to another?
How is energy transformed?
What materials are best to conserve and efficiently use energy?
To what extent do chemicals affect living and nonliving things?