Course Title/Grade: Science 7

2017-2018 Course Syllabus

Prince Georges County Public Schools

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION COURSE INFORMATION

NAME: Sudeepta Sridhara COURSE NUMBER: Science 7

E-MAIL sudeepta.sridhara@pgcps.org CLASS TIME:

ADDRESS:

PLANNING TIME: 12:45-1:45 MEETING DAYS: MTWThF

SCHOOL: Charles Carroll Middle School ROOM: 210

SCHOOL PHONE 301-918-8640 STUDENT Textbook(s): iScience. (2016). Columbus,

NUMBER: TEXTBOOK/ONLINE OH: McGraw-Hill Education.
RESOURCES: Digital Resource: Discovery
Education Techbook Digital
Textbooks. (n.d.). Retrieved
December 01, 2016, from
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/admini
strators/curricular-resources/techbook/

Prerequisites: Prerequisite: Grade 6 Science

Course Description:
Science 7
Credits: 1.0

This course is designed to actively engage students in a comprehensive science program as they enrich their understanding to make
sense of the natural world through phenomenon-based instruction and the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) and
Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) of the Next Generation of Science Standards (NGSS). Seventh grade students will focus on Physical
Science and Life Science. The Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) for seventh grade includes: the structure and properties of matter, and
chemical reactions. Students will be able to provide molecular level accounts to explain states of matters and changes between
states, that chemical reactions involve regrouping of atoms to form new substances, and that atoms rearrange during chemical
reactions, structure and function, growth and development of organisms, organization for matter and energy flow in organisms, and
information processing. Students can gather information and use this information to support explanations of the structure and function
relationship of cells. Students are also able to apply an understanding of the design and the process of optimization in engineering to
chemical reaction systems. Students can construct an explanation for how environmental and genetic factors affect growth of
organisms. Students can connect this to the role of animal behaviors in reproduction of animals as well as the dependence of some
plants on animal behaviors for their reproduction. The CCCs infused in this course are patterns, cause and effect, scale proportion
and quantity, systems and system models, structure and function, energy and matter, and stability and change. Students are
expected to demonstrate proficiency in SEPs by developing and using models, analyzing and interpreting data, planning and carrying
out investigations, designing solutions, and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information. Students will be introduced to
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various STEM careers while in grades K-12. The content from this course will be assessed on the new 8th grade Maryland Integrated
Science Assessment (MISA).
PGCPS Science Policy: Middle School Science

Overview: The goal of grading and reporting is to provide the students with feedback that reflects their progress toward the
mastery of the indicators and objectives found in the Science curriculum documents.
Please note: The STEM fair process is designed for students to receive more than a single grade for the entire project. As
such, various components of the STEM fair process can be used as classwork, homework and/or assessments.

Grade Percentage
Factors Brief Description
Per Quarter
This may include but is not limited to activities that involve:
Developing and using models
Engaging in argument from evidence
Individual and whole class discussions
Planning and carrying out investigations
Projects (include parts of the STEM Fair process)
Classwork Mandatory: 20% of classwork must be relevant hands- 45%
on and lab experiences.
Asking questions (for science) and defining problems
(for engineering)
Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Constructing scientific explanations (for science) and
designing solutions (for engineering)

This may include but is not limited to assignments that

involve:
Developing and using models
Homework Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating 15%
information
Constructing scientific explanations (for science)
and designing solutions (for engineering)

This may include but is not limited to assessments that

involve:
Pre/post assessments, final exams, quizzes, final
essays/ reports, portfolios
Analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematics
and computational thinking
Assessment 40%
Oral or written evaluation that reflects the students
performance on a summary of a lesson, chapter or
unit
Final STEM Fair projects should also be a used as an
assessment grade. For students that do not
participate, teachers will develop an alternative

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 assignment to assess.

Course Title/Grade: Science 7

Course Sequence / At-A-Glance
Actual pacing may differ slightly due to individual school schedules/events, testing, and calendar modifications. The MS curriculum is
designed for the recommended 72-minute class period. In support of the shifts and demands of the Next Generation Science Standards,
the Science and Engineering Practices and the Crosscutting Concepts are integrated to deliver each topic.

Grade 7
Quarter 1 Quarter 2
(September 6, 2017- November 9, 2017) (November 10, 2017- January 25, 2018)

Unit 1- Using the Science and Engineering Practices to Unit 3 (cont.):

Make Sense of Our World:
Working and Thinking Like Scientists
Phenomena, Modeling, and Scientific Explanations
STEM Fair Preparation
Unit 2:
Simple Molecular Structure (MS-PS1-1)
The Impact of Synthetic Materials on Society (MS-
PS1-3)
Unit 3:
Cells: Structure and Function (MS-LS1-1, MS-LS1-2)
The Role of Photosynthesis in the Cycling of Matter
and Flow of Energy (MS-LS1-6)
Chemical Reactions and Energy Flow in Organisms
(MS-LS1-7)
Unit 4:
The Body as a System of Subsystems (MS-LS1-3)
The Work of Sensory Receptors (MS-LS1-8)
Unit 5:
Reproduction and Genetic Variation (MS-LS3-2)
The Effect of Gene Mutations (MS-LS3-1)
How Genetic Factors Affect the Growth of Organisms
(MS-LS1-5)

Systemic Literacy Task

Quarter 3 Quarter 4
(January 26, 2018- March 28, 2018) (March 29, 2018- June 13, 2018)

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 Unit 6: Unit 7:
The Probability of Survival (MS-LS4-4, MS-LS4-6) Comparing Modern Organisms and Fossil Organisms
Adaptations for Survival (MS-LS1-4) (MS-LS4-2)
Selective Breeding (MS-LS4-5) Relationships in Embryological Development Across
Multiple Species (MS-LS4-3)
Student Service Learning Project: Patterns in the Fossil Record (MS-LS4-1)
Design Solutions for Environmental Impact (Wild Rice) (MS- The Geologic Time Scale (MS-ESS1-4)
ESS3-1, MS-LS2-1, MS-LS2-2, MS-LS2-3, MS-LS2-4)

**The systemic literacy task will be conducted in the month of October for all middle school science courses in 2017.
Testing for 2017-2018- Eighth grade students will take the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA) in March 2018 with integrated field test items (no fault). This assessment
has replaced the Science MSA.

Next Generation Science Standards Parents Guide

https://www.nextgenscience.org/ and https://www.nextgenscience.org/parentguides

As the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are implemented in PGCPS, they will enable students to: Develop a deeper
understanding of science beyond memorizing facts, and Experience similar scientific and engineering practices as those used by
professionals in the field.

How can you support your childs success?

Although this new approach to teaching and learning K12 science is different than the past, you can still actively support your
childs success in the classroom!

1. Speak to your childs teacher(s) or 2. Ask your childs teacher thoughtful 3. Learn how you can help the teacher(s)
principal about how these important questions based on the information reinforce classroom instruction at home.
changes affect your school. provided in this syllabus.

Next Generation Science Standards Performance Expectations (PEs)

Performance Expectations state what students should be able to do in order to demonstrate that they have met the standard, thus
providing the same clear and specific targets for curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Three Dimensional Learning (3D Learning)

The NGSS emphasizes three distinct, yet equally important dimensions that help students learn science. Each dimension is
integrated into the NGSS andcombinedthe three dimensions build a powerful foundation to help students build a cohesive
understanding of science over time.

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Dimension 1: Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs): The practices describe behaviors that scientists
engage in as they investigate and build models and theories about the natural world and the key set of engineering practices that
engineers use as they design and build models and systems. This dimension emphasizes that engaging in scientific investigation
requires not only skill but also knowledge that is specific to each practice.

1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

2. Developing and using models
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Dimension 2: Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs): Crosscutting concepts describe concepts that bridge disciplinary
boundaries, having explanatory value throughout much of science and engineering. These crosscutting concepts have application
across all domains of science; they are a way of linking the different domains of science. The Framework emphasizes that these
concepts need to be made explicit for students because they provide an organizational schema for interrelating knowledge from
various science fields into a coherent and scientifically based view of the world.

1. Patterns
2. Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation
3. Scale, proportion, and quantity
4. Systems and system models
5. Energy and matter: Flows, cycles, and conservation
6. Structure and function
7. Stability and change

Dimension 3: Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs): Disciplinary core ideas have the power to focus K12 science
curriculum, instruction, and assessments on the most important aspects of science. To be considered core, the ideas met at least
two of the following criteria and ideally all four:

Have broad importance across multiple sciences or engineering disciplines or be a key organizing concept of a single
discipline;
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 Provide a key tool for understanding or investigating more complex ideas and solving problems;
Relate to the interests and life experiences of students or be connected to societal or personal concerns that require
scientific or technological knowledge;
Be teachable and learnable over multiple grades at increasing levels of depth and sophistication.
Disciplinary ideas are grouped in four major domains: physical sciences; the life sciences; the earth and space
sciences; and engineering, technology and applications of science.

Physical Sciences (PS) Life Sciences (LS)

PS1: Matter and its interactions
PS2: Motion and stability: Forces and interactions
PS3: Energy
PS4: Waves and their applications in technologies for
information transfer
LS1: From molecules to organisms: Structures and processes
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, energy, and dynamics
LS3: Heredity: Inheritance and variation of traits
LS4: Biological evolution: Unity and diversity

Earth and Space Sciences (ESS) Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science (ETS)
ESS1: Earths place in the universe ETS1: Engineering design
ESS2: Earths systems ETS2: Links among engineering, technology, science, and society
ESS3: Earth and human activity

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PGCPS Science Policy: Science 7
Overview: The goal of grading and reporting is to provide the students with feedback that reflects their progress toward the
mastery of the indicators and objectives found in the Science curriculum documents.
Please note: The STEM fair process is designed for students to receive more than a single grade for the entire project. As
such, various components of the STEM fair process can be used as classwork, homework and/or assessments.

Parents please sign this page and return to the classroom teacher.

Grade Percentage
Factors Brief Description
Per Quarter
This may include but is not limited to activities that involve:
Developing and using models
Engaging in argument from evidence
Individual and whole class discussions
Planning and carrying out investigations
Projects (include parts of the STEM Fair process)
Classwork Mandatory: 20% of classwork must be relevant hands-on 45%
and lab experiences.
Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for
engineering)
Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Constructing scientific explanations (for science) and
designing solutions (for engineering)

This may include but is not limited to assignments that involve:

Developing and using models
Homework Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information 15%
Constructing scientific explanations (for science) and
designing solutions (for engineering)

This may include but is not limited to assessments that involve:

Pre/post assessments, final exams, quizzes, final
essays/ reports, portfolios
Analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematics and
computational thinking
Assessment 40%
Oral or written evaluation that reflects the students
performance on a summary of a lesson, chapter or unit
Final STEM Fair projects should also be a used as an
assessment grade. For students that do not participate,
teachers will develop an alternative assignment to assess.

______________________________ ________________________________ _____________

Students Name Parents/Guardians Signature Date