7th Grade (MS)

efm

Energy, Forces & Motion (P)

Curricula: Smithsonian STC-MS 

In 9 lessons, this kit allows students to develop conceptual understanding of Newton's 3 laws using equipment that is both familiar and developmentally appropriate. Daily life provides students with many experiences through which they can see evidence of forces and energy changes and observe how objects move. Students investigate different forces, how those forces change the motion of objects and energy, and the different forms energy can take.

Vocabulary Quizlets
 

7.1 Chemical Reactions and Matter (P)

Curricula: OSE MS 

During this unit students answer the question, “How can we make something new that was not there before?” Students develop models, conduct investigations on substances, and gather data to explore physical changes and chemical reactions.
   
 

7.2 Chemical Reactions and Energy (P)

Curricula: OSE MS 

In this unit students answer the question, “How can we use chemical reactions to design a solution to a problem?” They think about how to heat food without using typical methods, then construct a homemade flameless heater that heats food.
   
 

7.3 Metabolic Reactions (P)

Curricula: OSE MS 

In this unit students answer the question, “How do things inside our bodies work together to make us feel the way we do?” Using a case study approach, students explore what happens to food we eat after it enters our bodies.
   
eds

Earth's Dynamic Systems (E)

Curricula: Carolina Building Blocks of Science (BBS) 

How did that aquatic fossil end up on top of a mountain? In this unit's 12 lessons, students learn about gradual processes (erosion, deposition, plate motion, and fossilization) and catastrophic events (earthquakes, volcanoes) and how they contribute to changes on the earth's surface. Students track the transfer of energy, build models, and investigate mineral resources. Students conclude the unit with research on preparedness for catastrophic events

Vocabulary Quizlets
   
 

7.4 Matter Cycling and Photosynthesis (E)

Curricula: OSE MS

In this unit students answer the question, “Where does food come from, and where does it go next?” They conduct a series of investigations to figure out how plants can make food molecules and where plants get the matter and energy to do that.
   
 

7.6 Natural Resources and Human Impact (E)

Curricula: OSE MS

In this unit students answer the question, “How do changes in Earth’s system impact our communities and what can we do about it?” Using investigations, models, readings, and more, they explore how a changing climate affects different communities.
   
ei

Ecosystems and Their Interactions (L)

Curricula: Smithsonian STC-MS 

Ecosystems and Their Interactions (7) As the unit opens, pond ecosystems and butterfly ecosystems provide the launching pad for learning how various elements of systems interact. During the unit's 11 lessons, students build models and work with simulations to learn how the food web, predation, genetics, and the energy pyramid affect ecosystems. By the end of the unit, students apply their learning to timely issues such as invasive species, runoff and its impact on drinking water, and landslides.

Vocabulary Quizlets
 

7.5 Ecosystems Dynamics (L)

Curricula: OSE MS 

Students answer the question, “How does changing an ecosystem affect what lives there?” They investigate how palm oil production is endangering orangutans and try to design a new type of oil.
   
jQuery(window).load(function(){ //set color for mobile menu in safari $('#menubar #mobileNav').css({ 'background' : '#fff', 'color' : '#4c4c4c' }) })