Syllabus—Ms. Annie Forman 2017-2018
Course Title: 7th Grade Life Science
Course Description: Topics in life science include ecology, cell biology, genetics, evolution and human anatomy and physiology, through the lens of scientific inquiry and students’ curiosity. We regard the classroom as a laboratory and use the greater Seaside area outdoors as much as possible.
Faculty: Ms. Forman
Email:
Website: classroom.google.com (your student will set this account up during the first week of school)
Text/Course Materials: Holt Science and Technology: Life Science, 2007, supplementary handouts
Common Core State Standards Learned in this Course:
6-8.RST.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
6-8.RST.2 Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
6-8.RST.7 Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
6-8.WST.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content
6-8.WST.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes.
6-8.WST.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
Middle School Life Science Standards Learned in this Course:
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.
MS-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 f unction.
MS-LS1-3. Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells.
MS-LS1-4. Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively.
MS-LS1-5. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
MS-LS1-6. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.
MS-LS1-7. Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as this matter moves through an organism.
MS-LS1-8. Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories.
MS-LS2-1. Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
MS-LS2-2. Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
MS-LS2-3. Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
MS-LS2-5. Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.
MS-LS3-1. Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism.
MS-LS3-2. Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation.
MS-LS4-1. Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past.
MS-LS4-2. Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.
MS-LS4-3. Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy.
MS-LS4-4. Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.
MS-LS4-5. Gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.
MS-LS4-6. Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time.
GRADING
Grading Policies: Student’s grade is based on an average of the three categories below:
Class Assignments / Tests and Quizzes / ProjectsIncludes, but not limited to:
· note summaries
· science logs
· labs
· Friday fives / Includes:
· Assessments completed at the beginning, middle and end of each unit or sub-unit / Includes:
· DNA Model
· Natural Selection Research Project
· Local Ecological Knowledge Survey Project
How are assignments graded? Daily and weekly assingments are graded on a 20 point scale.
See the chart below:
Minus (--) / Check Minus (✓--) / Check (✓) / Check Plus (✓+) / Plus (+)10/20 / 13-14/20 / 15-16/20 / 17-19/20 / 20/20
Work has not been attempted / Work is mostly complete, but contains many errors. It is obvious that student did not read instructions. / Work is totally complete but contains many errors, and instructions have not been followed accurately. / Work is totally complete with few errors, and all instructions have been followed accurately. / Work is totally complete with zero errors, and extra effort has been put in to take the assignment “above and beyond”. The student has applied thoughts and connections from his or her own life.
How are projects graded? Projects are graded similarly to daily and weekly assignments, however projects are usually on a 50--100 point scale.
How can I check my grade? Grades are updated every 2 weeks on Synergy. You can get your access ID from Mrs. Gilligan in the office.
HOMEWORK
How often will we have homework? You will almost always have homework Monday through Thursday nights if you do not finish the work during class.
When is the homework due? All homework assignments are due on the Friday of the week that they are assigned.
Can I turn in homework late? You may submit late work at any time, but late work must be submitted directly to the teacher after school Monday through Thursday from 3:15 pm to 4:00 pm.
ABSENCES
If I am sick or absent for any reason, can I make up the work that I missed?
Absolutely! But like any late work, these assignments must be submitted after school. The reason for this is so that you can focus on the present work during class time.
What is the easiest way to find what I missed?
The best source to find weekly plans and work is at: classroom.google.com (GOOGLE CLASSROOM) we will set up your student’s login for this website during the first week of school! This is a blog that contains a time line with posts containing assignments and daily activities!
STUDENT SUPPLIED MATERIALS
· A folder or binder to take homework home
· #2 pencils
TEACHER SUPPLIED MATERIALS
· Yellow, two pocket TABLE FOLDER (this stays in the classroom)
· Supplements and handouts
CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS
· Be present
· Bring a pencil
· Be attentive to safety hazards
COURSE CALENDAR
This course is built around the Next Generation Science Standard’s four performance standards. These have been turned into four major units throughout the three terms.
Dates for beginning and end of each unit are detailed in the course calendar below.
THINGS TO REMEMBER:
· A pre-assessment (graded but not entered to student’s final grade) will be conducted on the first day of each major unit.
· Formative assessments (quizzes) will be conducted throughout the unit.
· A summative assessment will be conducted at the end of each unit.
September 5—8Week 1.1 / September 11—November 30
Fall Term
Weeks 1.2—1.13
· Class introduction
· Class procedures
· Scientific method
· Thinking like a biologist
· Microscope use
· Lab safety / From Molecule to Organism: Structures and Processes
· Understand that living things are made up of cells
· Compare and contrast difference between cell types
· Analyze the effect of structure on plant’s reproductive ability
· Understand how food is converted to energy
· Gather information on living organism’s use of the nervous system to respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain
December 4—15
Beginning of Winter Term
Weeks 2.1—2.2 / January 2—March 8
Winter Term
Weeks 2.3—2.13
Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
· Develop understanding of how traits are passed to future generations
· Study how genetic variation may result in harmful, beneficial or neutral circumstances among living organisms
· Compare and contrast asexual vs. sexual reproduction
· Major project: DNA model / Biological Evolution: Unit and Diversity
· Research patterns in the fossil record
· Connect evidence of beneficial traits within a population with increase of probability of survival
· Observe the effects of technology on inheritance of desired traits
· Analyze similarities of embryological development among living organisms
· Temperature study #3
· Major project: Natural Selection Research Project
March 12—22
Begin Spring Term
Weeks 3.1 and 3.2 / April 2—June 14
Spring Term
Weeks 3.3—3.13
NSRP (Natural Selection Research Project)
The student will:
1. Conduct his or her own research using both web and literary sources
2. Find and present evidence that describes how adaptations increase the organism’s probability of survival
3. Analyze and explain whether the animal’s adaptations are PHYSICAL or BEHAVIORAL
4. Interpret scientific writing to understand the focus species.
5. Present his or her knowledge through multiple checks for understanding, including:
· An informational poster
· A scientific research paper (1—2 pages, formatted CORRECTLY!!)
· An oral presentation of understanding with computer visual component (3--5 minutes) / Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics Relationships in Ecosystems
· Work and learn like a field ecologist
· Ecosystem dynamics
· Cycles of matter and energy