7^th grade curriculum/lesson plans
All Roman numerals represent chapters which have an open note chapter test.  Also each section under the Roman numerals have a homework assignment.
 
 

1. Scientific method

1. Definition of terms, observing, inferring, predicting, classifying
2. The scientific process
   1. Developing a hypothesis
   2. Designing an experiment
   3. Collecting data
   4. Drawing conclusions
   5. Communicating
   6. Bread mold lab
3. Safety in the laboratory
   1. Reviewing safety rules
   2. Signing of safety contract

2. Living things

1. The six things that classify something as living
   1. Cellular organization
   2. Chemicals of life
   3. Energy use
   4. Response to surroundings
   5. Growth and development
   6. Reproduction
2. Life comes from life
3. The needs of living things
   1. Water, food, living space and homeostasis
4. Classifying organisms
5. Discovering cells
   1. Review of microscope use
6. Looking Inside cells
   1. Flashcards
   2. Microscope lab
   3. Computer cell organelle lab day
   4. Labeling cell part diagram
   5. Cell quiz
   6. Review game for chapter 2
   7. Test on chapter 2

3. Cell processes and energy
   1. Chemical compounds inside cells
   2. The cell in the environment
      1. Diffusion
      2. Osmosis
      3. Active transport
   3. Photosynthesis
      1. Flashcards
      2. Quiz on photosynthesis
   4. Respiration
   5. Cell division
      1. Labeling cell division diagram
      2. Practice with cells
      3. Mitosis microscope lab
      4. Flashcards
      5. Quiz on mitosis
   6. Review game for chapter 3
   7. Test on chapter 3
4. Genetics and heredity
   1. Mendels work
   2. Probability and heredity
      1. Probability penny toss worksheet
      2. Class survey lab
   3. The cell and inheritance
      1. Marble lab
      2. Punnett square practice (daily)
      3. Punnett square quiz
      4. Meiosis practice sheet
      5. Meiosis practice with cells
      6. Meiosis quiz
   4. The DNA Connection
      1. Mutations
      2. How cells make proteins
   5. Review game for chapter 4
   6. Test on Chapter 4***
5. Modern Genetics
   1. Human inheritance*****
      1. Traits controlled by single genes
      2. Traits controlled by many genes
      3. Sex chromosomes
      4. Colorblindness
   2. Human genetic disorders*****
      1. Cystic fibrosis
      2. Sickle-cell disease
      3. Hemophilia
      4. Down syndrome
      5. Pedigrees
      6. Managing genetic disorders
      7. Family puzzle lab
   3. Advances in genetics
      1. Selective breeding
      2. Cloning
      3. Genetic engineering
   4. Review game on chapter 5
   5. Test on chapter 5
6. Changes over time
   1. Darwin’s theory
      1. Fossils
      2. Galapagos organisms
      3. Adaptations
      4. Evolution
      5. Natural selection
      6. Mouse lab
   2. Evidence of evolution
      1. Similarities in body structure
      2. Inferring species relationships
      3. DNA lab
   3. The fossil record
      1. How they form
      2. Determining how old a fossil is
      3. What do they tell us?
      4. Geologic time scale
      5. Mass extinctions
   4. Review game on chapter 6
   5. Test on chapter 6
7. Bones, Muscles and Skin
   1. Body organization and homeostasis
      1. Review of body organization (cells, tissues, organs, organ systems)
   2. The skeletal system
      1. Bones as a living organ
      2. Joints
      3. Taking care of your bones
   3. The muscular system
      1. Types of muscle
      2. How muscles work
   4. The skin
      1. Layers of the skin
      2. Where blood vessels are located
      3. What happens when you burn your skin
   5. Review game for chapter 14
   6. Test on chapter 14