Course Theme & Essential
Question: Life Science is the study of
the origins, diversity, and complexities of living organisms. This course encourages students to
investigate what distinguishes living things, what they need to stay alive, and
how various living organisms accomplish this task. It also enables them to understand the
interconnectedness of living things within our physical environment, the areas
of study in both Grades 6 and 7. In
enhancing students’ appreciation of themselves and their well-being, Life
Science helps them answer the questions, How are we similar to and different
from other life that exists on our living planet, our biosphere?
Broad Concepts of Life
Science: Students will understand the basic standards
which comprise the Massachusetts Frameworks for Life Science.
·
Characteristics of Living Things
·
Structure and Function of Cells
·
Major body Systems
·
Reproduction and Heredity
·
Evolution and Biodiversity
·
Organisms and their environments
·
Energy and Living Things
·
Changes in Ecosystems over Time
Specific Content: While the specific order of topics is
flexible depending on what is currently happening to build “real life”
connections with the subject, students will know
·
That all organisms are composed of cells
·
All cells must carry out basic life functions
·
Various criteria for comparing and contrasting animal and plant cells
·
Basic description of the
organizational hierarchy of life on earth
·
Classification system of organizing living things into the six Kingdoms
of Life
·
In what ways geological fossils and anatomy are the bases for the
theory of evolution
·
That hereditary information, stored in genes, is passed from one
generation to the next
·
Various criteria for comparing sexual with asexual reproduction
·
How organisms interact and have various roles within an ecosystem to
enable the ecosystem to survive
·
The roles of producer, consumer, and decomposer organisms in
contributing to the transfer of energy within an ecosystem
·
Examples of how genetic variation and environmental factors interact
and cause evolution and diversity
·
The major biological processes of respiration and photosynthesis
·
The general functions of major body systems
Specific Skills to be
Developed: Over the three years of middle school
science, students will develop ever deeper approaches to the following
skills. At the seventh-grade level,
students will continue to develop the following skills. Students will be able to
·
Apply the scientific method
·
Conduct and design simple experiments for exploratory purposes
·
Develop interpretive and extrapolation skills
·
Analyze and draw conclusions
·
Accurate reporting of scientific data and results through lab reports
·
Integrate science and technology skills
·
Keep an organized notebook
·
Develop independent research skills
·
Convey ideas in an intelligent, sequential, understandable manner
Materials:
·
Life Science, Holt, Reinhart, and Winston, 2003
·
On-line student resources, such as www.hrw.com,
which is the web adjunct to the basic textbook, and other links (see below)
Teaching Methods:
·
Laboratory experiments
·
Demonstrations
·
Class discussion
·
Lecture
·
Small group work
·
Independent study
·
Cooperative learning
·
Internet research
·
New scientific/ technology instrumentation
Integration of Technology:
·
PowerPoint will be used for presentation of independent research
projects
·
WebQuests used for research
Integration of Writing:
·
Laboratory reports requiring students to analyze data and draw
conclusions
·
Open-response test questions requiring analysis, prediction, inference,
and conclusions
·
Journal writing
Grading & Assessment:
·
Tests and quizzes consisting of content, open-response, and
critical-thinking questions
·
Projects assessed by rubrics
·
Model building
·
Power-Point presentations
·
Homework is assigned multiple times per week