DRAFT 7^th Grade Pacing Guide FOR 07-08 11/12/07

UNIT 1: PROPERTIES OF MATTER

C0. Describe matter and its properties.

C1. Describe the properties of common elements such as oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, iron, and aluminum.

CINQ1. Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation.

CINQ5. Use appropriate tools and techniques to make observations and gather data.

CINQ6. Use mathematical operations to analyze and interpret data.

DISTRICT EMBEDDED TASK: STAYING AFLOAT

UNIT 2: CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

C 2. Describe how the properties of simple compounds, such as water and table salt, are different from the properties of the elements of which they are made.

C 3. Explain how mixtures can be separated by using the properties of the substances from which they are made, such as particle size, density, solubility and boiling point.

Q1 Assessment

UNIT 3: CELLS

C 15. Describe the basic structures of an animal cell, including nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria and cell membrane, and how they function to support life.

C 25. Explain the similarities and differences in cell division in somatic and germ cells.

UNIT 4: GENETICS/REPRODUCTION

C 26. Describe the structure and function of the male and female human reproductive systems, including the process of egg and sperm production.

C 27. Describe how genetic information is organized in genes on chromosomes, and explain sex determination in humans

Q2 Assessment

UNIT 5: LIFE SYSTEMS: MUSCULO-SKELETAL

C 17. Explain how the human musculo-skeletal system supports the body and allows movement.

Q3 Assessment

UNIT 6: LIFE SYSTEMS: BIOCHEMICAL

C 16. Describe the structures of the human digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems, and explain how they function to bring oxygen and nutrients to the cells and expel waste materials.

ET: CMT Task Heartbeat

UNIT 7 MICROBES/FOOD PRESERVATION

C 21. Describe how freezing, dehydration, pickling and irradiation prevent food spoilage caused by microbes

ET: Food Preservation Project

. Q4 Assessment

Grades 6-8 Core Scientific Inquiry, Literacy and Numeracy How is scientific knowledge created and communicated?
Content Standards	Expected Performances
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY ¨ Scientific inquiry is a thoughtful and coordinated attempt to search out, describe, explain and predict natural phenomena. ¨ Scientific inquiry progresses through a continuous process of questioning, data collection, analysis and interpretation. ¨ Scientific inquiry requires the sharing of findings and ideas for critical review by colleagues and other scientists. SCIENTIFIC LITERACY ¨ Scientific literacy includes speaking, listening, presenting, interpreting, reading and writing about science. ¨ Scientific literacy also includes the ability to search for and assess the relevance and credibility of scientific information found in various print and electronic media. SCIENTIFIC NUMERACY ¨ Scientific numeracy includes the ability to use mathematical operations and procedures to calculate, analyze and present scientific data and ideas.	C INQ.1 Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation. C INQ.2 Read, interpret and examine the credibility of scientific claims in different sources of information. C INQ.3 Design and conduct appropriate types of scientific investigations to answer different questions. C INQ.4 Identify independent and dependent variables, and those variables that are kept constant, when designing an experiment. C INQ.5 Use appropriate tools and techniques to make observations and gather data. C INQ.6 Use mathematical operations to analyze and interpret data. C INQ.7 Identify and present relationships between variables in appropriate graphs. C INQ.8 Draw conclusions and identify sources of error. C INQ.9 Provide explanations to investigated problems or questions. C INQ.10 Communicate about science in different formats, using relevant science vocabulary, supporting evidence and clear logic.

Grade 7 Core Themes, Content Standards and Expected Performances
Content Standards	Expected Performances
Properties of Matter – How does the structure of matter affect the properties and uses of materials?(PHYS) 6.1 - Materials can be classified as pure substances or mixtures, depending on their chemical and physical properties. Mixtures are made of combinations of elements and/or compounds, and they can be separated by using a variety of physical means. Pure substances can be either elements or compounds, and they cannot be broken down by physical means.	C0. Describe matter and its properties. C 1. Describe the properties of common elements, such as oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, iron and aluminum. C 2. Describe how the properties of simple compounds, such as water and table salt, are different from the properties of the elements of which they are made. C 3. Explain how mixtures can be separated by using the properties of the substances from which they are made, such as particle size, density, solubility and boiling point.
Structure and Function – How are organisms structured to ensure efficiency and survival? (BIO) 7.2 - Many organisms, including humans, have specialized organ systems that interact with each other to maintain dynamic internal balance. All organisms are composed of one or more cells; each cell carries on life-sustaining functions.	C 15. Describe the basic structures of an animal cell, including nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria and cell membrane, and how they function to support life. C 25. Explain the similarities and differences in cell division in somatic and germ cells.
Heredity and Evolution – What processes are responsible for life’s unity and diversity? (BIO) 8.2 - Reproduction is a characteristic of living systems and it is essential for the continuation of every species. Heredity is the passage of genetic information from one generation to another. Some of the characteristics of an organism are inherited and some result from interactions with the environment.	C 26. Describe the structure and function of the male and female human reproductive systems, including the process of egg and sperm production. C 27. Describe how genetic information is organized in genes on chromosomes, and explain sex determination in humans.
Structure and Function – How are organisms structured to ensure efficiency and survival?(BIO) 7.2 - Many organisms, including humans, have specialized organ systems that interact with each other to maintain dynamic internal balance. Multicellular organisms need specialized structures and systems to perform basic life functions.	C 17. Explain how the human musculo-skeletal system supports the body and allows movement. C 16. Describe the structures of the human digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems, and explain how they function to bring oxygen and nutrients to the cells and expel waste materials. REQUIRED CMT EMBEDDED TASK: FEEL THE BEAT
Science and Technology in Society – How do science and technology affect the quality of our lives? 7.4 - Technology allows us to improve food production and preservation, thus improving our ability to meet the nutritional needs of growing populations. Various microbes compete with humans for the same sources of food.	C 21. Describe how freezing, dehydration, pickling and irradiation prevent food spoilage caused by microbes. DISTRICT EMBEDDED TASK: FOOD

7^th Grade Science

a. Matter and Properties

I

b. Quarter: One

II. Unit 1: Properties of Matter Unit Length 4 weeks

1. Unit #1 Introduction:

During this unit, students will realize that matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. That element’s are the basic building blocks of matter and can be identified by their physical and chemical properties. Furthermore, students will use the periodic table to gather information about the properties of oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, iron, and aluminum. Students will then be introduced to measurement skills needed to make observations and gather information and use mathematical operations to analyze and interpret data. In addition, students will identify questions to be answered through scientific investigation.

b. Standards for Unit #1:

• C0. Describe matter and its properties.
• C1. Describe the properties of common elements such as oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, iron, and aluminum.
• CINQ1. Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation.
• CINQ5. Use appropriate tools and techniques to make observations and gather data.
• CINQ6. Use mathematical operations to analyze and interpret data.

CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 1:u Mixtures are made of combinations of elements and/or compounds, and they can be separated by using a variety of physical means.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

1. Everything is made of matter. Matter has two fundamental properties: it has weight (mass) and it takes up space (volume).

2. All matter has a variety of properties, some of which are characteristic of the substance. Characteristic properties do not depend on the amount of the substance (as mass and volume do). Properties such as magnetic attraction, conductivity, density, pH, boiling point and solubility are characteristic properties that can be used to identify substances.

3. Solids, liquids or gases can be combined to form mixtures. In a mixture, each substance keeps its individual properties. In some mixtures, each of the components can be seen (for example, rocks, twigs, insects and leaves are visible components of soil); in other mixtures, the individual substances blend so well that they appear to be a single substance (for example, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide are mixed together to form air).

4. Mixtures can be separated using different methods, depending on the physical properties of the component substances. Filtering, evaporating, floating/settling, dissolving, and using magnets are all methods for separating mixtures based on the properties of their components.

5. Solutions are mixtures that appear to be single substances because particles have dissolved and spread evenly throughout the mixture. Not all separation methods are effective for separating the components of solutions.

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 2: u Pure substances can be either elements or compounds, and they cannot be broken down by physical means.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

1. All matter is made of particles called atoms that are too small to be seen without special magnification. For example, a gold ring can be broken into smaller and smaller pieces until the pieces are no longer visible.

2. All matter is made of different combinations of about 100 pure substances called elements. The smallest particle of an element is an atom. Iron is an example of an element that is made up of only iron atoms.

3. Each element has distinct characteristic properties. The Periodic Table of Elements is used to organize elements based on properties such as their reactivity, state of matter, conductivity or density. Element names are represented by letter symbols on the Periodic Table.

4. Some elements, such as iron (“Fe”) and aluminum (“Al”), are classified as metals because they have similar properties. Individual metallic elements have distinct characteristic properties (for example, sodium (“Na”) is a light, soft metal that is nonmagnetic, while iron is a magnetic metal that is denser than sodium and aluminum).

5. Some elements, such as carbon (“C”), hydrogen (“H”), oxygen (“O”) and chlorine (“Cl”), are classified as nonmetals. Carbon is a nonmetal that occurs in several different forms (graphite, diamond, and coal), each of which has distinct properties. Hydrogen and oxygen are nonmetals that are similar in that they are both gases; however, each gas has distinct characteristic properties.

6. Atoms can combine chemically to make a molecule of a new substance with new properties called a compound. A molecule is the smallest part of a compound and is made of atoms of different elements in specific amounts. Unlike mixtures, compounds cannot be separated using the physical properties of the component elements.

7. Compounds have different properties than the individual elements of which they are made. For example, table salt (NaCl) is a compound with different characteristic properties than the elements sodium and chlorine from which it is made; water (H₂0) is a compound with different characteristic properties than the elements hydrogen and oxygen from which it is made. Different amounts of the same elements can produce compounds with different properties (for example, water (H₂0) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂0₂).

8. In a chemical reaction, atoms can rearrange to form different molecules of new compounds. During photosynthesis, carbon dioxide (CO₂) is taken in by green plants and combined with water (H₂O). The carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms rearrange to make two new compounds: glucose (made of atoms of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen) and oxygen gas (made of atoms of oxygen).

9. In a chemical reaction, the same amount of matter (mass) is present at the start and the end, since the atoms are not created or destroyed but simply rearrange.

SCIENTIFIC LITERACY TERMINOLOGY: Characteristic property, mass, weight, volume, density, solubility, boiling point, mixture, solution, particle, atom, element, molecule, compound, metal, non-metal, chemical reaction

c. Essential Questions:

1. How can matter have mass and volume?

2. What is the difference between physical and chemical properties?

3. What are the basic elements?

4. How can elements have different properties?

5. How small is an atom?

d. Essential Content/Concepts:

1. Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space.

2. All matter has both physical and chemical properties.

3. The basic building blocks of matter are called elements.

4. Elements are represented by a symbol.

5. The smallest particle of element that has the properties of the element is called an

atom.

6. Elements are only made up of one type of atom.

7. The atoms of different elements, such as hydrogen, oxygen, iron, and aluminum, have different properties.

e. Essential Skills:

1. Use appropriate scientific tools to measure mass and volume in metric units.

2. Use mathematical operations to calculate volume and density.

3. Use the periodic table to gather information about the properties of common elements.

4. Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation.

f. Vocabulary

1. Matter 10. Periodic Table of the Elements

2. Mass 11. Triple Beam Balance

3. Volume 12. Graduated Cylinder

4. Density 13. Meter Stick

5. Length

6. Atoms

7. Elements

8. Physical properties

9. Chemical properties

g. Science Misconceptions

1. A gas does not have mass or take up space.

2. Large objects fall faster then smaller objects.

3. A “problem” is something that is done wrong in an experiment.

Activities:

1. Labs:

Matter and Properties

a. Measuring Length

b. Determining Mass and Volume

c. Making Sense of Density (Science Explorer, Chemical Building Blocks, teaching resources)

d. Metric Olympics

Measurement Notes, Measurement Chart

2. Reading for information

a. Measuring, Estimating Measurements, and Metric System (Unlocking Science Process Skills) pp. 40-51

b. Gold’s Glittery Rewards

c. Navy Relic

3. Web or Library research:

a. Element Project/Flip book (To identify properties of hydrogen, oxygen, iron, and aluminum.)

b. Metric Poster

Multimedia Presentations:

Elements, The (United Streaming Videos)

IV. Significant Tasks (ST) #/Title:

Significant Task 1: Post-it Lab (Lab packet)

a. Significant Task Introduction:

• The Post-it Significant Task will introduce students to the experimental process. Using the Erickson/Therrien Lab Packet students will identify and define variables for a scientific investigation. Write an appropriate procedure to solve the identified problem and conduct an investigation. Using suitable scientific tools the student will measure and use mathematical operations to collect data.
• Assessment: Lab Packet Rubric

b. Length/Timing: End of Unit One

c. Essential Questions:

1. How are variables identified?

2. Why should procedures be detailed?

3. What information belongs in a data table?

d. Assessment Tools (AT):

1. Lab

UNIT RESOURCES:

Readings, Texts, Materials, Videos

Example Assessment Questions:

I. 7^th Grade Science

a. Compounds and Mixtures

b. Quarter: 1

II. Unit #2: Compounds and Mixtures Unit Length: 6 weeks

a. Unit Introduction: During this unit, students will discover that the basic elements can be chemically combined to form simple compounds and these substances have different properties than those of the elements from which they are made. That many different combinations of elements are possible, making a variety of substances. Additionally, students will discover that substances can be physically combined forming a mixture. Those mixtures of simple substances can be separated using the properties from which they are made.

b. Standards for Unit #:

• C2. Describe how the properties of simple compounds, such as water and table salt, are different from the properties of the elements of which they are made.
• C3. Explain how mixtures can be separated by using the properties of the substances from which they are made, such as particle size, density, solubility and boiling point.
• CINQ1 Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation.
• CINQ3 Design and conduct appropriate types of scientific investigations to answer different questions.
• CINQ4 Identify independent and dependent variables, and those variables that are kept constant, when designing an experiment

CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 1:u Mixtures are made of combinations of elements and/or compounds, and they can be separated by using a variety of physical means.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

6. Everything is made of matter. Matter has two fundamental properties: it has weight (mass) and it takes up space (volume).

7. All matter has a variety of properties, some of which are characteristic of the substance. Characteristic properties do not depend on the amount of the substance (as mass and volume do). Properties such as magnetic attraction, conductivity, density, pH, boiling point and solubility are characteristic properties that can be used to identify substances.

8. Solids, liquids or gases can be combined to form mixtures. In a mixture, each substance keeps its individual properties. In some mixtures, each of the components can be seen (for example, rocks, twigs, insects and leaves are visible components of soil); in other mixtures, the individual substances blend so well that they appear to be a single substance (for example, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide are mixed together to form air).

9. Mixtures can be separated using different methods, depending on the physical properties of the component substances. Filtering, evaporating, floating/settling, dissolving, and using magnets are all methods for separating mixtures based on the properties of their components.

10. Solutions are mixtures that appear to be single substances because particles have dissolved and spread evenly throughout the mixture. Not all separation methods are effective for separating the components of solutions.

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 2: u Pure substances can be either elements or compounds, and they cannot be broken down by physical means.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

10. All matter is made of particles called atoms that are too small to be seen without special magnification. For example, a gold ring can be broken into smaller and smaller pieces until the pieces are no longer visible.

11. All matter is made of different combinations of about 100 pure substances called elements. The smallest particle of an element is an atom. Iron is an example of an element that is made up of only iron atoms.

12. Each element has distinct characteristic properties. The Periodic Table of Elements is used to organize elements based on properties such as their reactivity, state of matter, conductivity or density. Element names are represented by letter symbols on the Periodic Table.

13. Some elements, such as iron (“Fe”) and aluminum (“Al”), are classified as metals because they have similar properties. Individual metallic elements have distinct characteristic properties (for example, sodium (“Na”) is a light, soft metal that is nonmagnetic, while iron is a magnetic metal that is denser than sodium and aluminum).

14. Some elements, such as carbon (“C”), hydrogen (“H”), oxygen (“O”) and chlorine (“Cl”), are classified as nonmetals. Carbon is a nonmetal that occurs in several different forms (graphite, diamond, and coal), each of which has distinct properties. Hydrogen and oxygen are nonmetals that are similar in that they are both gases; however, each gas has distinct characteristic properties.

15. Atoms can combine chemically to make a molecule of a new substance with new properties called a compound. A molecule is the smallest part of a compound and is made of atoms of different elements in specific amounts. Unlike mixtures, compounds cannot be separated using the physical properties of the component elements.

16. Compounds have different properties than the individual elements of which they are made. For example, table salt (NaCl) is a compound with different characteristic properties than the elements sodium and chlorine from which it is made; water (H₂0) is a compound with different characteristic properties than the elements hydrogen and oxygen from which it is made. Different amounts of the same elements can produce compounds with different properties (for example, water (H₂0) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂0₂).

17. In a chemical reaction, atoms can rearrange to form different molecules of new compounds. During photosynthesis, carbon dioxide (CO₂) is taken in by green plants and combined with water (H₂O). The carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms rearrange to make two new compounds: glucose (made of atoms of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen) and oxygen gas (made of atoms of oxygen).

18. In a chemical reaction, the same amount of matter (mass) is present at the start and the end, since the atoms are not created or destroyed but simply rearrange.

SCIENTIFIC LITERACY TERMINOLOGY: Characteristic property, mass, weight, volume, density, solubility, boiling point, mixture, solution, particle, atom, element, molecule, compound, metal, non-metal, chemical reaction

c. Essential Questions:

1. How do compounds chemically combine?

2. What is the difference between a physical and a chemical change?

3. How can compounds have different properties than the elements that make them up?

4. How can a mixture be separated by using physical properties?

d. Essential Content/Concepts:

1. A compound is a substance made of two or more elements that are chemically combined.

2. A compound is represented by a chemical formula.

3. The smallest part of a compound is a molecule.

3. A substance that undergoes a physical change is still the same substance after the change.

4. A chemical change produces new substances with properties different than those of the original substances.

5. When elements are chemically combined, they form compounds, such as water and table salt that have properties that are different from the elements of which they are made.

6. A mixture is made of two or more substances that are not chemically combined.

7. Mixtures can be separated by physical properties such as particle size, density, solubility, and boiling point.

e. Essential Skills:

1. Separate substances in a mixture.

2. Compare and contrast the properties of water with those of hydrogen and oxygen.

3. Design and conduct appropriate types of scientific investigations to answer different questions.

4. Identify independent and dependent variables, and those variables that are kept constant, when designing an experiment

f. Vocabulary –

Compound, mixture, chemical change, physical change, solubility, boiling point, substance, molecule, chemical formula, solid , liquid, gas, rate of reaction,

g. Science Misconceptions

1. A physical change produces new substances.

2. A chemical change does not produce a new substance.

Activities

1. Labs:

1. Rate of Dissolving
2. Separating Sand, Salt, and Iron Inquiry Lesson
3. Separating sand, Salt, Iron Lab
4. NeoSci Elements, Mixtures and Compounds Lab

2. Reading for Information

a. A $3 Water Purifier That Could Save Lives

b. Phosphate Mines

3. Web or Library Research

a. “Compounds and Mixtures that Innovate” research compounds that have changed or advanced society. Examples are ceramics, plastics, Teflon, concrete, bronze, and steel

4. Multimedia Presentations

a. Discovering the Elements Part II (57:12) United Streaming Videos

IV. Significant Tasks (ST)

Significant Task 2: Separation of a Mixture (Lab packet)

1. Significant Task Introduction: The Separation of a Mixture Task will reinforce the experimental process. Using the “Lab Packet” students will identify and define variables for a scientific investigation. Write an appropriate procedure to solve the identified problem and conduct an investigation. Using suitable scientific tools the student will measure and use mathematical operations to calculate volume and density in metric units and record data, drawing conclusions and assessing their validity. Assessment: Lab Packet Rubric

b. Length/Timing: End of Unit 2

c. Essential Questions:

1. How are variables identified?

2. Why should procedures be detailed?

3. What information belongs in a data table?

d. Assessment Tools (AT): Lab Packet

UNIT RESOURCES:

Readings, Texts, Materials, Videos

Example Assessment Questions:

1. Which of the following is a physical change?

a. the souring of milk b. the burning of oil c. the melting of ice d. the rusting of iron

2. Which process involves a chemical change?

a. dissolving sugar in water b. boiling water c. freezing water d. electrolysis of water

3. In making an omelet, which process involves a chemical change?

1. melting butter b. chopping onions c. frying eggs d. adding salt

4. A chemical change always

a. forms one or more substances c. absorbs heat

b. releases heat d. absorbs electricity

5. Describe what happens to a substance when it goes through a physical change.

6. A statue on the New Haven Green was originally a copper color. After being exposed to the air, it turned a greenish color. What kind of change happened? Explain your answer

I. Grade/Course Title: 7^th Grade Science

b. Quarter: Two

II. Unit #3: Cells Unit Length 6 weeks

a. Unit Introduction: During this unit students will discover that cells are the basic building blocks of life and each cell carries out life processes utilizing some common structures. These structures perform specific functions within the cell and function together to support life. Furthermore, cells come in many shapes and sizes and that cells have many different functions. Different types of cells have different organelles depending on the complexity of the cell. That all cells contain chromosomes that carry information needed to control the activities of the cell, to make new cells and new organisms. In addition, these cells reproduce through either mitosis or meiosis. These two different types of cell division have some similarities and differences depending on the type of cell that is dividing.

b. Standards for Unit #3

· C15. Describe the basic structures of an animal cell, including nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria and cell membrane, and how they function to support life.

· C25. Explain the similarities and differences in cell division in somatic and germ cells.

· CINQ6. Use appropriate tools and techniques to make observations and gather data.

• CINQ7. Identify and present relationships between variables in appropriate graphs.

CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 1: u All organisms are composed of one or more cells; each cell carries on life-sustaining functions.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

1. Living things have characteristics that distinguish them from nonliving things. Living things use energy, respond to their environment, grow and develop, produce waste and reproduce.

2. Organisms are made of tiny cells that perform the basic life functions and keep the organism alive. Many organisms (for example yeast, algae) are single-celled and many organisms (for example plants, fungi and animals) are made of millions of cells that work in coordination.

3. All cells come from other cells and they hold the genetic information needed for cell division and growth. When a body cell reaches a certain size, it divides into two cells, each of which contains identical genetic information. This cell division process is called mitosis.

4. The cell is filled with a fluid called cytoplasm; cells contain discrete membrane-enclosed structures called organelles. Each of the organelles performs a specific cellular function and it can be identified by its shape.

§ The nucleus contains the genetic materials (chromosomes), and it directs the cell activities, growth and division.

§ The mitochondrion contains enzymes that break down sugars and release chemical energy. One cell can contain hundreds of mitochondria.

§ The entire cell is surrounded by the plasma membrane which controls the flow of materials into and out of the cell.

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 1: u Heredity is the passage of genetic information from one generation to another.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

1. Living organisms must reproduce to continue the existence of their species. Through reproduction new individuals which resemble their parents are formed. All the organisms alive today arose from preexisting organisms.

2. All the cells in a multicellular organism result from a single fertilized egg cell, through a process of continuous cell divisions (mitosis). Instructions for how an organism develops are stored in DNA molecules which are part of the chromosomes inside the cell nucleus.

3. The chromosomes occur in matching pairs, and each cell in a multicellular organism contains the number of chromosomes that are typical of that species. For example, cells in human beings contain 23 pairs of chromosomes; 46 in all.

4. Organisms grow by increasing the number of body cells. During mitosis, a body cell first duplicates the chromosomes and then divides into two daughter cells, each one with a complete set of chromosomes.

5. Most multicellular organisms reproduce by sexual reproduction, in which new cells are produced by the combination of two germ cells (gametes). The cell division that produces the germ cells is called meiosis. During meiosis, matching chromosomes in each pair separate from each other so that each germ cell contains only half of the chromosomes of the original cell.

6. Meiosis and gamete formation takes place in the reproductive organs; testes in males produce the sperm and ovaries in females produce the eggs.

c. Essential Questions:

1. How do cells carry out life processes?

2. What is cell division?

3. Are there different types of cell division?

4. What are chromosomes?

5. What cell structures are vital for a cell to have?

6. What is mitosis and meiosis?

7. What is the difference between somatic and germ cells?

d. Essential Content/Concepts:

1. Cells are the basic building blocks all living things.

2. Cells have organelles that carry out life processes

3. Cells have a cell membrane; some cells have a cell wall.

4. Different types of cells have different organelles.

5. All cells have chromosomes that control the activities of the cell.

6. Cell division takes place in all cells.

7. Cell division varies with different cells.

e. Essential Skills:

1. To be able to use a microscope.

2. Compare and contrast cell structures

3. Compare and contrast the cell division in somatic and germ cells.

f. Vocabulary –

Organelle, cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria, microscope, cell division, somatic cell, germ cell, chromosomes, cell theory, diffusion, osmosis, mitosis, meiosis, asexual reproduction, sexual reproduction, unicellular, multi-cellular

g. Science Misconceptions

1. That all cells do not have the same basic structures.

2. That cells are not three dimensional.

3. That cell size is the same for all cells.

4. That more complex organisms have more chromosomes.

Activities:

Labs

Microscope Lab with Elodea leaf and cheek cells

1. compare and contrast cells
2. diffusion with Elodea (http://biology.arizona.edu/sciconn/lessons/mccandless/elodea.html)

Diffusion with an Egg

Observation of Protozoa

Frey “Exploring Cell Processes, Cell Biology Lab Kit”

Projects

Cell Mobile

Build a Three Dimensional Cell

Edible Cells

Poster project comparing different types of cells

http://www.kathimitchell.com/cells.html

Research

Bacteria found on or in the body.

Smallest living organism

Write a Biography of a cell

Reading for Information

Stem Cells to any Cell

A Fix for Injured Knees

IV. Significant Tasks (ST) Cell Flash Cards

a. Significant Task Introduction: This task gives students the opportunity to determine the value of using flash cards, self-examination and peer examination in learning vocabulary and factual information. It also incorporates hands-on materials with the visual appeal and support second many language learners need to become actively engaged in acquiring language. The language component builds on students’ knowledge of English syntax to reconstruct scrambled sentences containing key information and vocabulary for science. This lesson should work for the benefit of both native and non-native speakers of English.

b. Length/Timing: 4-5 class periods

c. Essential Questions: What are the parts of the cell?

d. Assessment Tools (AT): Notebooks, projects, assessments, and labs

UNIT RESOURCES:

Readings, Texts, Materials, Videos

Suggested Science Fair Topics

Example Assessment Questions

1. The basic unit of all living things is the _____.

a. nucleus b. cell c. organ d. chromosome

2. What do all cells have in common?

a. They carry out life processes b. They take part in fertilization

c. They reproduce sexually d. They are unable to reproduce

3. Variation in a new generation of organisms is the result of

1. sexual reproduction involving one parent
2. sexual reproduction involving two parents
3. asexual reproduction involving one parent
4. asexual reproduction involving two parents

4. The main parts of the cell are the cell membrane, the nucleus, and the _____.

a. plasma b. cytoplasm c. mitochondria d. ribosomes

5. When a cell divides, each chromosome makes a copy that is

a. identical to the original

b. slightly different from the original

c. very different from the original

d. a mutation of the original

6. Mitosis is a process of cell division which results in the production of two daughter cells from a single parent cell. The daughter cells are identical to one another and to the original parent cell. Place the following stages in the correct order, label the stages 1-4.

_____Anaphase: The centromeres divide. Sister chromatids separate and move toward the corresponding poles.

_____ Metaphase: The chromosomes align at the equitorial plate and are held in place by microtubules attached to the mitotic spindle and to part of the centromere.

 ______  Prophase: The chromatin, diffuse in interphase, condenses into chromosomes. Each chromosome has duplicated and now consists of two sister chromatids. At the end of prophase, the nuclear envelope breaks down into vesicles

_______Telophase: Daughter chromosomes arrive at the poles and the microtubules disappear. The condensed chromatin expands and the nuclear envelope reappears.

_______Cytokinesis: The cytoplasm divides, the cell membrane pinches inward ultimately producing two daughter cells.

7. Describe three ways in which plant cells differ from animal cells.

8. A certain virus attacks the mitochondria in cells. What would happen to a cell if all of its mitochondria were destroyed?

I. Grade/Course Title: 7^th Grade Science

a. Course Overview/Description: ______________________________________________________

b. Quarter: Two

II. Unit #4: Genetics and Reproduction Unit Length: 5 weeks

a. Unit Introduction: In this unit students will describe the structure and function of the human reproductive system including the production of two special reproductive cells. These cells are formed by a type of cell division called meiosis. That these cells contain only half the number of chromosomes found in other body cells and when these cells join through the process of fertilization they form one cell with a complete set of chromosomes. Furthermore, these chromosomes carry the genetic information necessary for the cells to function properly and the same genetic information also gives the individual, characteristics or traits. These traits are a combination of the parents resulting in variations from one generation to the next.

b. Standards for Unit #4

· C26. Describe the structure and function of the male and female human reproductive systems, including the process of egg and sperm production.

· C27. Describe how genetic information is organized in genes on chromosomes, and explain sex determination in humans.

• CINQ6. Use mathematical operations to analyze and interpret data.
• CINQ7. Identify and present relationships between variables in appropriate graphs.
• CINQ10. Communicate about science in different formats, using relevant science vocabulary, supporting evidence and clear logic.

CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 1: u Heredity is the passage of genetic information from one generation to another.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

7. Living organisms must reproduce to continue the existence of their species. Through reproduction new individuals which resemble their parents are formed. All the organisms alive today arose from preexisting organisms.

8. All the cells in a multicellular organism result from a single fertilized egg cell, through a process of continuous cell divisions (mitosis). Instructions for how an organism develops are stored in DNA molecules which are part of the chromosomes inside the cell nucleus.

9. The chromosomes occur in matching pairs, and each cell in a multicellular organism contains the number of chromosomes that are typical of that species. For example, cells in human beings contain 23 pairs of chromosomes; 46 in all.

10. Organisms grow by increasing the number of body cells. During mitosis, a body cell first duplicates the chromosomes and then divides into two daughter cells, each one with a complete set of chromosomes.

11. Most multicellular organisms reproduce by sexual reproduction, in which new cells are produced by the combination of two germ cells (gametes). The cell division that produces the germ cells is called meiosis. During meiosis, matching chromosomes in each pair separate from each other so that each germ cell contains only half of the chromosomes of the original cell.

12. Meiosis and gamete formation takes place in the reproductive organs; testes in males produce the sperm and ovaries in females produce the eggs.

13. In humans, the reproductive organs are in place at birth, but are readied to perform their reproductive functions by hormones released during adolescence. Males produce millions of sperm over the course of their adult life. Females are born with a finite number of immature eggs in the ovaries that are released one at a time in a monthly cycle.

14. In humans, if an egg is fertilized by a sperm in the female’s fallopian tube, the resulting zygote may develop into a fetus in the female uterus. If the egg is not fertilized, it will leave the female’s body in a monthly discharge of the uterine lining (menstrual cycle).

15. A segment of DNA that holds the information for a specific trait is called a gene. Each chromosome in a pair carries the same genes in the same place, but there are different versions of each gene.

16. In sexual reproduction, offspring of the same parents will have different combinations of genes and traits, creating genetic variability within the species. Sexual reproduction is the basis for the evolution of living organisms

CONTENT STANDARD 8.2 - continued

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 2: u Some of the characteristics of an organism are inherited and some result from interactions with the environment.

1. Gender in humans is a trait determined by genes carried by a special pair of chromosomes identified as “X” and “Y”. Female gametes have only an “X” chromosome; male gametes can have either an “X” or a “Y”. The sperm that fertilizes the egg determines the sex of the offspring: a zygote containing two X chromosomes will develop into a female and a zygote containing X and Y chromosomes will develop into a male.

Most human traits are inherited from parents, but some are the result of environmental conditions. For example, eating and exercising habits may affect the body mass and shape of individuals in the same family.

c. Essential Questions:

1. How do humans reproduce?

2. Why are the reproductive structures different in males and females?

3. What are the reproductive cells called?

4. What are chromosomes and how do they carry genetic information?

5. How are reproductive cells formed?

6. What are characteristics or traits?

7. How are offspring different than their parents?

8. How are sex and variations determined?

d. Essential Content/Concepts:

1. The male reproductive system produces the sperm cell

2. The female reproductive system produces the egg cell.

3. Chromosomes carry the genetic information to produce new organisms.

4. The two reproductive cells carry half the chromosomes necessary for human

development.

5. Fertilization is the process that joins the two special reproductive cells.

6. The offspring is not identical to either parent, but has traits of both.

7. Sexual reproduction leads to variation in the next generation.

e. Essential Skills:

1. Explain the differences between mitosis and meiosis.

2. Describe the male and female reproductive system.

3. Explain the difference between dominant and recessive genes.

4. Describe how variations can be determined through genetics.

5. Describe how chromosomes determine sex.

6. Use the information in a Punnett Square.

f. Vocabulary –

sex cells, sperm, egg, uterus, testes, ovaries, fallopian tube, sperm duct, genetics, traits, dominant, recessive, chromosomes, genes, Punnett square, heredity, Mendel, meiosis, mitosis, genetic disorder, genetic diseases, genotype, phenotype

g. Science Misconceptions

1. Traits are inherited from one parent.

2. Development of the offspring takes place in the stomach.

3. Environmentally caused characteristics can be passed to offspring.

4. Meiosis does not differ from mitosis.

5. The role of chance and probability in heredity.

Activities:

Labs:

Flower Fertilization and Flower Dissection

Mendelian Crosses

Bug Builders/Model Making

Punnett Squares

Probability Exercises

Tracing Traits

http://www.teachersdomain.org/resources/tdc02/sci/life/repro/lp_reproduce/

Projects:

Genetic Disorder Research Project

Reading for Information:

Clone Wars

UNIT RESOURCES:

Readings, Texts, Materials, Videos

Suggested Science Fair Topics

Example Assessment Questions

1. In humans, each egg and each sperm contain

1. 23 chromosomes b. 46 chromosomes c. 69 chromosomes d. 529 chromosomes

2. Identical twins happen once in 250 births. How many pairs of these twins might be at a school with 2,750 students?

a. 1 b. 11 c. 22 d. 250

3. Where do fertilization and implantation, respectively, take place?

a. uterus, fallopian tube b. fallopian tube

c. uterus, vagina d. fallopian tube, uterus

4. If there are 14 chromosomes in pea plant cells, how many chromosomes are present in a sex cell of a pea plant?

a. 21 b. 14. c. 7 d. 4

5. Use a Punnett square to determine the possible genotypes of the offspring of a BB x Bb cross.

a. all BB b. BB, Bb c. BB, Bb, bb d. all bb

6. Which sex chromosomes do females have? Which do males have?

7. How are sex cells different from other body cells?

I. Grade/Course Title: 7^th Grade Science

Quarter: 3

II. Unit #5: LIFE SYSTEMS: MUSCULO-SKELETAL Unit Length: 10 weeks

a. Unit Introduction: The human body is a complex organism that is made up of a number of different body systems. Each system carries out a specific life process contributing to the body as a whole. The muscular and skeletal systems work with one another to support and move the body. The skeletal system consists of bones, cartilage, and connective tissue and supports the body and protects internal organs. The muscular system consists of muscles that help the body move and aids in circulation, digestion, and respiration.

b. Standards for Unit #5

· C17. Explain how the human muscular-skeletal system supports the body and allows movement.

· CINQ2 Read, interpret and examine the credibility of scientific claims in different sources of information.

· CINQ10 Communicate about science in different formats, using relevant science vocabulary, supporting evidence and clear logic.

CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 2: u Multicellular organisms need specialized structures and systems to perform basic life functions.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

1. Systems consist of parts that interact with and influence each other. Parts of a system work together to make the whole entity work. Similarly, each part of an animal body has a specific job to do, and all the different parts work together to support life.

2. Although all cells have similar basic structures, in multicellular organisms cells have specialized shapes that enable them to perform specific roles (for example, muscle, nerve, and skin cells can be identified by their distinct shapes).

3. Groups of similar cells are organized in tissues that have specific functions (for example, providing support, connecting parts, carrying messages, protecting internal and external surfaces).

4. Different tissues work together to form an organ, and organs work together as organ systems to perform essential life functions.

5. The human skeletal system includes bones joined together by ligaments. The skeletal system functions to shape and support the body, protect internal organs, enable movement, form blood cells, and store minerals such as calcium and phosphorous.

6. Joints are places where two bones come together and body movement can occur. The structure of a joint (for example, ball and socket, hinge or pivot) determines the kind of movement possible at that point.

7. The human muscular system includes skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscles. The skeletal muscles are attached to bones by tendons and they are responsible for the movement of the body. The cardiac muscle is responsible for the pumping action of the heart and the smooth muscles are related to the movement of the internal organs.

8. The muscular and skeletal systems interact to support the body and allow movement.

c. Essential Questions:

1. How does the body move?

2. What type of tissue make up bones?

3. How are bones joined together?

4. How do muscles move the skeletal system?

5. How many different types of muscles are there?

d. Essential Content/Concepts:

1. The skeletal system supports and protects the body.

2. Bones store minerals, allow movement and make blood cells.

3. Where one bone meets another bone, a joint is formed.

4. Bones are moved by muscles.

5. Bones consist of specialized cells.

6. Bones are held together by tissues called ligaments.

7. Muscles are attached to bones by tendons.

8. Muscles are masses of tissue that contract to move bones or organs.

9. Voluntary muscles are controlled by our will.

10. Involuntary muscles are not under our conscious control.

11. There are two types of involuntary muscles, cardiac and smooth.

e. Essential Skills:

1. Identify the major organs of the skeletal system.

2. Describe four functions of bones.

3. Describe three joints.

4. List three types of muscle.

5. Describe how skeletal muscles move bones.

6. Interpret scientific claims in different sources of information.

f. Vocabulary

Bones, muscles, cartilage, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscle cell, bone cell, tissue, organ, organ system, voluntary muscle, involuntary muscle, cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, skeletal muscle. Flexor, extensor, gliding joint, ball and socket joint, hinge joint, bone marrow, connective tissue

g. Science Misconceptions

1. Individuals can control involuntary muscles.

2. Bones do not consist of living cells.

3. The heart is not composed of muscle.

4. That the body systems are not interdependent.

Activities:

Labs:

Broken Bones

Bon-e Voyage

http://www.defyinggravity.net/

Mr. Bones, Foss Human Body

http://sv.berkeley.edu/showcase/pages/bones.html

Pickled Bones

Projects:

Create a poster illustrating three muscle types and three movable joints.

Research:

Create a Pamphlet of Common Sports Injuries and Ways to Prevent Them

Bone and Muscle Diseases

Create a timeline for Surgical Techniques

Reading For Information:

How to Fly Like a Bat

IV. Significant Tasks (ST) #/Title: Chicken wing Dissection Significant Task

a. Significant Task Introduction: Muscles and bones work together as levers for movement of body parts. The muscles of the body are under the conscious control of your sensor somatic nervous system if the system is intact. Motor nerves cause the contraction of striated muscles of your body. Muscles work in antagonistic to flex and extend the bones. All vertebrates have similar body plans because of common ancestors in evolution. Studying the body of another vertebrate is useful to understanding your own body.

b. Length/Timing: End of Unit

c. Essential Questions: How do bone and muscles work together to move the body?

d. Assessment Tools (AT): Lab Observation

UNIT RESOURCES:

Readings, Texts, Materials, Videos

Suggested Science Fair Topics

Example Assessment Questions

1. Which body system provides for movement of the body?

a. digestive b. circulatory c. muscular d. endocrine

2. Which group lists three parts of the skeletal system?

a. heart, stomach, brain b. bones, nerves, blood

c. tendons, nerves, brain d. cartilage, ligaments, bones

3. Which type of muscle is found only in the heart?

a. voluntary b. smooth c. cardiac d. involuntary

4. Which activity is most likely to be controlled by smooth muscle?

a. breathing b. walking c. chewing d. thinking

5. Which body system supports and protects other body systems?

a. digestive b. skeletal c. muscular d. endocrine

6. The diagram below best demonstrates that:

A. the skeleton protects body organs

B. bones are held together by joints and ligaments

C. muscles and bones work together to move body parts

D. cartilage protects and cushions bones

7. Imagine that you are building a robot. Your robot will have a skeleton similar to a human skeleton. If the robot needs to be able to move a limb in all directions, what kind of joint would be needed? Explain your answer.

8. Describe some of the muscle action needed to pick up a book. Include flexors and extensors in your description.

I. Grade/Course Title: 7^th Grade Science

a. Course Overview/Description: ______________________________________________________

b. Quarter: Four

II. Unit #6 LIFE SYSTEMS: BIOCHEMICAL Unit Length 5 weeks

a. Unit Introduction: The human body is a complex organism that is made up of a number of different body systems. Each system carries out a specific life process contributing to the body as a whole. The digestive, respiratory, and circulatory systems work in concert to provide our cells with nutrients and oxygen needed for energy production, growth, and repair. The digestive system breaks down food in the digestive tract into nutrients that can be transported by the circulatory system. The respiratory system provides oxygen from the air to the blood and returns the waste product carbon dioxide from the blood to the air. The circulatory system supplies the vital nutrients to all cells of the body.

b. Standards for Unit #6

· C 16. Describe the structures of the human digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems, and explain how they function to bring oxygen and nutrients to the cells and expel waste materials.

• CINQ1. Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation.
• CINQ4. Identify independent and dependent variables, and those variables that are kept constant, when designing an experiment.
• CINQ8. Draw conclusions and identify sources of error

CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 2: u Multicellular organisms need specialized structures and systems to perform basic life functions.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

9. Systems consist of parts that interact with and influence each other. Parts of a system work together to make the whole entity work. Similarly, each part of an animal body has a specific job to do, and all the different parts work together to support life.

10. Although all cells have similar basic structures, in multicellular organisms cells have specialized shapes that enable them to perform specific roles (for example, muscle, nerve, and skin cells can be identified by their distinct shapes).

11. Groups of similar cells are organized in tissues that have specific functions (for example, providing support, connecting parts, carrying messages, protecting internal and external surfaces).

12. Different tissues work together to form an organ, and organs work together as organ systems to perform essential life functions.

13. The major parts of the human respiratory system are the nose, trachea, bronchi and lungs. This system is responsible for breathing and exchange of gases between the body and its surroundings.

14. The major parts of the human circulatory system are the heart, arteries, veins and capillaries. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs for gas exchange; the left side of the heart pumps the oxygenated blood around the body.

15. The blood is made up of plasma, red and white blood cells, and platelets. Its main role is to carry small food molecules and respiratory gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) to and from cells. Blood cells are also responsible for destroying invading particles, preventing diseases, and stopping bleeding after injuries.

16. The respiratory and circulatory systems work together to provide all cells with oxygen and nutrients. When the body’s need for oxygen changes, the circulatory and respiratory systems respond by increasing or decreasing breathing and heart rates. These changes can be measured by counting breaths, heartbeats or pulses per minute.

17. The major parts of the human digestive system are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine. This system is responsible for breaking down food, absorbing nutrients and water, and eliminating waste. The liver and pancreas support the functions of the major digestive organs by producing and releasing digestive liquids into the digestive tract.

18. The nervous, immune and excretory systems interact with the digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems to maintain the body’s dynamic internal balance (homeostasis).

c. Essential Questions:

1. How does the digestive system break down food?

2. How do different enzymes work on different foods?

3. How do nutrients enter the blood stream?

4. What are the components of the digestive system?

5. How do nutrients and oxygen enter the cell?

6. What are the components of the circulatory system?

7. How does blood move through the arteries and veins?

8 How is oxygen exchanged in the alveoli?

d. Essential Content/Concepts:

1. The digestive system breaks down food that can be absorbed into the blood.

2. The digestive system consists of the digestive tract and the accessory organs.

3. Accessory organs produce digestive enzymes that are released into the digestive tract.

4. The digestive system breaks down food by physical and chemical means.

5. The circulatory system transports needed nutrients to all body cells and carries away cell waste products.

6. The components of the circulatory system are the heart, blood, arteries, veins, and capillaries.

7. The capillaries allow exchange between blood and cells in other tissues.

8. Blood is a liquid tissue that consists of plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

9. The heart is a muscle that contracts regularly to pump blood throughout the body.

10. The respiratory system provides oxygen to the body.

11. The components of the respiratory are the trachea, bronchi, and air sacs.

12. Respiratory gases are exchanged in the alveoli.

e. Essential Skills:

1. Identify major components of the circulatory, respiratory, and digestive system.

2. Draw conclusions from data collected in an experiment.

f. Vocabulary

Digestive tract, esophagus, stomach, small intestines, large intestines, colon, accessory organs, enzymes, feces, heart, blood, plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets arteries, veins, capillaries, lymph, trachea, bronchi, alveoli,

g. Science Misconceptions

1. The difference in size between a cell and a molecule.

2. Blood is blue in color.

3. That the stomach is the only part of the digestive system.

4. That all digestion is mechanical.

Activities:

Labs:

Trading Places

Projects:

Travel Brochure of the Body Systems

Multimedia:

Blood Bits

http://www.blood.co.uk/pages/bbits.htm

Reading For Information:

Chew For Health

IV.. Significant Tasks (ST): Feel The Beat

a. Significant Task Introduction: In this investigation, students will explore how different movements (e.g., walking, climbing steps, lifting weights, or hand-clapping) affect pulse rate. Students will also identify independent and dependent variables, and those variables that are kept constant, when designing an experiment. They will keep a detailed and organized record of your experimental design, data collection and analysis in their science notebook and draw conclusions and identify sources of error in the experimental process.

b. Length/Timing: End of the unit

c. Essential Questions:

Why does the heart beat faster with different movements?

d. Assessment Tools (AT): Lab Report

UNIT RESOURCES:

Readings, Texts, Materials, Videos

Suggested Science Fair Topics

Example Assessment Questions

I. Grade/Course Title: 7^th Grade Science

a. Course Overview/Description: ______________________________________________________

b. Quarter: Four

II. Unit #7 MICROBES/FOOD PRESERVATION Unit Length: 5 weeks

a. Unit Introduction: Certain microorganisms or microbes can be harmful to humans and food production. When a microbe enters an organism and reproduces an infection, contamination and food spoilage can result causing serious problems. These infections can be transmitted from one organism to another. Microbes can be controlled through several approaches, leading to removing them, killing them, or preventing them from growing. These control measures change or alter the abiotic factors needed for growth of the microbe.

b. Standards for Unit #7

· C 21. Describe how freezing, dehydration, pickling and irradiation prevent food spoilage caused by microbes.

· CINQ6. Use mathematical operations to analyze and interpret data.

· CINQ7. Identify and present relationships between variables in appropriate graphs.

· CINQ9. Provide explanations to investigated problems or questions.

CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)

CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT: u Various microbes compete with humans for the same sources of food.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

1. Microorganisms (microbes) are microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, yeast and mold, that are found almost everywhere: in air, soil and water, inside our bodies and in our foods.
2. Bacteria are single-celled organisms that differ from other single-celled organisms in that they do not have organelles such as a nucleus, mitochondrion or chloroplast.
3. Bacteria are an essential component of any food web because they break down complex organic matter into simple materials used by plants. Some bacteria can produce their own food through photosynthesis and others are consumers that compete for foods that humans eat.
4. Some bacteria can be beneficial to humans. Certain bacteria live symbiotically in the digestive tracts of animals (including humans) and help break down food. Other bacteria are used by humans to purify waste water and to produce foods such as cheese and yogurt.
5. Some bacteria are harmful to humans. They can spoil food, contaminate water supplies and cause infections and illness.
6. Food preservation methods are based on creating conditions that kill the bacteria or inhibit their growth. Food preservation methods include removing moisture by dehydration or salting, removing oxygen by vacuum-packing, lowering pH by pickling, lowering temperature by refrigerating or freezing, and destroying the bacterial cells by irradiation or heat (pasteurizing and cooking).
7. Throughout history, humans have developed different methods to ensure the availability of safe food and water to people around the world.

c. Essential Questions:

1. How can heat prevent microbes from growing?

2. Can microbes cause diseases?

3. What factors are necessary for microbial growth?

d. Essential Content/Concepts:

1. Microbes are very small organisms.

2. Certain microbes can cause diseases.

3. Diseases from microbes can be passed from one organism to another.

4. Some microbes are helpful to the environment.

5. Freezing slows the growth of microbes.

6. Irradiation kills microbes.

7. Altering abiotic factors limits reproduction in organisms.

e. Essential Skills:

1. Describe different methods that prevent food spoilage.

2. Identify relationships between variables in graphs.

3. Describe factors needed for microbial growth.

f. Vocabulary

microbe, microscope, infectious disease, freezing, dehydration, pickling, irradiation, food spoilage, abiotic factors, transmitted

g. Science Misconceptions

1. Microbes limit themselves to certain things.

2. Microbes are all harmful.

3. Microbes and viruses are one and the same.

4. Food spoilage is not caused by microbes.

Activities:

Labs:

Microscope Lab with prepared bacteria cells

http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/vlabs/bacterial_id/shockframe/shockframe_a1.html

Bacteria Gathering Lab

http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=1167

http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2002/5/

Projects:

Develop a timeline for different types of food preservation techniques

Design a Brochure (Microsoft Publisher), outlining food preservation techniques

Food Safety and Quality Projects

(http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM522)

Research:

Introduction to Bacteria

Reading for Information:

Don’t Eat That Sandwich

Where Have All The Bees Gone?

IV.. Significant Tasks (ST) #/Title: Food Spoilage Significant Task

a. Significant Task Introduction: A major way that people prevent food spoilage is through spices. For example, the list of ingredients on the jar of pickles includes vinegar, salt, sugar~ and spices. Do these ingredients help preserve the pickles? This task will help the students answer this question can spices be used to control food spoilage.

b. Length/Timing:

c. Essential Questions: Can food spoilage be controlled?

d. Assessment Tools (AT): Lab report

UNIT RESOURCES:

Readings, Texts, Materials, Videos

Suggested Science Fair Topics

Example Assessment Questions

1. Infectious diseases are caused by

a. microorganisms b. poor diet c. allergies d. chemicals in the environment

2. Which of the following methods may be used to kill harmful bacteria in food?

a. freezing and refrigeration b. wrapping and freezing

c. wrapping and bottling d. pasteurizing and sterilizing

3. Disinfection is a method used to

a. control infectious diseases b. increase the number of bacteria

c. increase the rate of spoilage d. spread diseases

4. Describe two ways your life was affected by bacteria today.

5. Modern soaps contain chemicals that kill bacteria. Describe one good outcome and one bad outcome of the use of these antibiotics.

6. Describe how pickling can be used to prevent food spoilage.