7th GRADE SCIENCE
**************************Description**************************************
Throughout the school year students will be studying a broad range of
science curriculum with a particular emphasis on life science. We will
begin the year by learning about the nature of science followed by a unit
on the characteristics of living things. We will also study units on cell
structure and functions, the five kingdoms of life, heredity, evolution and
ecology.
Over the course of the year I will also be presenting students with
opportunities to perform scientific inquiry labs that could count as their
8th grade science work sample. The state is phasing in the work
sample portion of the state standards. This year 7th graders are
expected to complete four domains of a complete
work sample. We will be focusing on developing a question,
experimental design and collecting data. and analyzing the
data-drawing conclusions.
******************************Classroom Expectations*******************
It is the responsibility of everyone in the classroom to help create and
maintain a positive learning environment in which all members feel
safe, secure, and valued as unique individuals. It is the teacher’s role to
help students develop an awareness of other people’s needs, and to
guide student’s in selecting appropriate behavior to fit different social
situations.
EXPECTATIONS :
Safety
Honor
Attitude
Respect
Excellence
Students having difficulty following these expectations will be issued
one verbal warning before being removed from class to reflect on their
actions. Students will fill out a self-evaluation form and conference with
the teacher before they are readmitted to class. If inappropriate behavior
is reoccurring a parent conference and behavior contract may be
necessary.
***********************************Labs********************************
I believe that the best way for students to learn science is to do science.
For this reason I attempt to provide students with many opportunities for
hands-on science experiences. While I believe these experiences are
extremely valuable to students there are always risks involved. For this
reason I have a lab safety contract that must be signed by both the
student and their guardian before a student will be allowed to participate
in lab. Students who miss class during a lab day are expected to
make-up the missing lab either before or after school unless other
arrangements have been made with the teacher.
***********************Assignments**********************************
Middle school is a time for students to accept more responsibility for
their own learning as well as develop habits and attitudes that will
enable them to be successful in high school, college, and their future
careers. For this reason we will be working throughout the school year
to develop good work habits. The following guidelines will help students
be successful in science class.
* Assignment Board: Student assignments are given a due date and
recorded on the assignment board in class. Students are expected to
record the assignment and due date on their assignment sheet which
is kept in the front of their notebook.
* Deadlines:It is the students responsibility to budget their time in order
to complete assignments and turn them in on time. Incomplete, or late
work is not accepted! However, students will be given three extension
coupons per term for use when family conflict or emergencies arise.
* Homework:Students will be given homework assignments throughout
the year. Some of these assignments will be specific assignments that
are due at the beginning of the following class period. Other
assignments will be long term and will require students to turn in
pieces as they are completed.Once again, no late work will be accepted
without an extension coupon.
* Absences: Students are expected to make up all assignments given
while they are absent! It is the student’s responsibility to check with the
teacher to find out what needs to be made up, negotiate deadlines, and
ask for additional help when needed. As a general rule students will be
given the same number of days that they were absent to make up work
that was missed. In the case of unusually long absences I will make
arrangements with individual students as needed.
*******************************Grading*********************************
Grades will be based on points assigned to daily work, homework,
quizzes, tests, projects, and warm-ups. In addition students will be
given daily energy points based on their ability to follow classroom
expectations and contribute positively to the class. Student grades will
be based on the percentage of points earned out of the total possible
points. The following is a breakdown of my grading scale:
90-100% = A
80-90% = B
70-80% = C
60-69% = D
59% and below = F
Grades will be posted on the web at
http://schools.4j.lane.edu/kennedy/egpteachwebfiles/belonger/index.html
Students will be given a grade printout showing missing assignments
and their current grade approximately every three weeks. Students will
be assigned to share their grade printout with their guardian(s).
Guardian signatures on these grade printouts will count towards a
student's overall grade. Guardians will be notified by mail or telephone
when a student drops below a C
Thank you for your time. If you have any questions or concerns feel free
to contact me at the number or email listed below. I will get back to you
as soon as possible.
belonger@4j.lane.edu a_cbelonger@netzero.net
Work: 687-3241
Home: 683-6896
****************************************************************************
Oregon Science Common Curriculum Goals & Content Standards (8th
grade
Benchmark) Students who complete the 7th grade should be able to
meet the
following Oregon Science Standards:
Unifying Concepts and Processes
*Identify a system’s inputs and outputs. Explain the effects of changing the system’s
components.
*Compare and contrast structures and functions in physical and
biological examples.
Life Science
*Find a correlation between plant and animal organ systems and
describe the varied function of each system.
*Classify organs by the system to which they belong.
*Identify organ systems at work during a particular activity and
describe their effect on each other, e. g., running increases the
activity of the circulatory,respiratory, muscular, skeletal and
nervous systems but decreases activity in the digestive system.
*Distinguish between asexual and sexual reproduction.
*Identify traits which are inherited and those which are acquired
through interaction with environment.
*Use simple laws of probability to predict patterns of heredity.
*Demonstrate knowledge of concepts of single gene for single trait;
probability outcomes regarding coin tosses and monohybrid crosses.
*Explain, in simple terms, the mechanisms by which chromosomes carry
genes from parent to offspring during asexual and sexual reproduction.
*Recognize that genes carry the traits that will be observed in the offspring.
History and Nature of Science
*Identify in scientific investigations examples of the use of logic, respect for the rules of
evidence, openness to criticism and public reporting of methods and procedures
Life Science Topics
Cells Classification
Nature of Science Ecology of Life
Evolution Plant and Animal Kingdoms
Genetics Salmon life cycle
Science Processes and Projects
* Ecosystem Research and Management * Concept and Mind Mapping
* Nature Illustrations * Scientific Inquiry
* Communication with words and drawings * Field Data Collecting
* Oral Presentations * Reading in the content area
* The Nature of Science
* Using technology for collecting, manipulating and presenting data.