BELLE VERNON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

GENERAL SYLLABUS OUTLINE

**This syllabus is subject to change**

Course Name:

General Science

Grade:

7

1.)

Course Description:

The seventh grade general science course is designed to familiarize students with concepts in the realms

of life science, earth science, technology, chemistry, and ecology.  The spectrum of concepts taught

demands an interdisciplinary approach.  Multiple modes of presentation, motivation, and evaluation will

be used.  Students will be expected to design experiments, synthesize hypotheses, collect, tabulate,

and analyze data.  Students will be expected to decode, analyze, and paraphrase selected reading

material.

2.)

Learning Standards:

3.1

Unifying Themes of Science

3.2

Inquiry and Design

3.3

Biological Science

3.4

Physical Science, Chemistry and Physics

3.5

Earth Science

4.1

Watersheds and Wetlands

4.2

Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources

4.3

Environmental Health

4.4

Agriculture and Society

4.5

Integrated Pest Management

4.6

Ecosystems and their Interactions

4.7

Threatened, Endangered and Extinct Species

4.8

Humans and the Environment

4.9

Environmental Health

3.)

Student Objectives:

3.1.7     Unifying Themes

v

Explain the parts of a simple system and their relationship to each other.

v

Describe the use of models as an application of scientific or technological concepts.

v

Identify patterns as repeated processes or recurring elements in science and technology.

v

Explain scale as a way of relating concepts and ideas to one another by some measure.

v

Identify change as a variable in describing natural and physical systems.

3.2.7     Inquiry and Design

v

Explain and apply scientific and technological knowledge.

v

Apply process knowledge to make and interpret observations.

v

Identify and use the elements of scientific inquiry to solve problems.

v

Know and use the technological design process to solve problems.

3.3.7     Biological Sciences

v

Describe the similarities and differences that characterize diverse living things.

v

Describe the cell as the basic structural and functional unit of living things.

v

Know that every organism has a set of genetic instructions that determines its inherited

traits.

v

Explain the basic concepts of natural selection.

3.4.7     Physical Science, Chemistry, and Physics

v

Describe concepts about the structure and properties of matter.

v

Relate energy sources and transfers to heat and temperature.

v

Identify and explain the principles of force and motion.

v

Describe essential ideas about the composition and structure of the universe and the

earth's place in it.

3.5.7     Earth Sciences

v

Describe earth features and processes.

v

Recognize earth resources and how they affect everyday life.

v

Describe basic elements of meteorology.

v

Explain the behavior and impact of the earth's water systems.

4.1.7     Watersheds and Wetlands

v

Explain the role of the water cycle within a watershed.

v

Understand the role of the watershed.

v

Explain the effects of water on the life of organisms in a watershed.

v

Explain and describe characteristics of a wetland.

v

Describe the impact of watersheds and wetlands on people.

4.2.7     Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources

v

Know that raw materials come from natural resources.

v

Examine the renewability of resources.

v

Explain natural resource distribution.

v

Describe the role of recycling and waste management.

4.3.7     Environmental Health

v

Identify environmental health issues.

v

Describe how human action affect the health of the environment.

v

Explain biological diversity.

4.4.7     Agriculture and Society

v

Explain society's standard of living in relation to agriculture.

v

Investigate how agricultural science has recognized the various soil types found in

Pennsylvania.

v

Explain agricultural systems' use of natural and human resources.

v

Explain the improvement of agricultural production through technology.

4.5.7     Integrated Pest Management

v

Explain benefits and harmful effects of pests.

v

Explain how pest management affects the environment.

v

Explain various integrated pest management practices used in society.

4.6.7       Ecosystems and their Interactions

v

Explain the flows of energy and matter from organism within an ecosystem.

v

Explain the concepts of cycles.

v

Explain how ecosystems change over time.

4.7.7     Threatened, Endangered, and Extinct Species

v

Describe diversity of plants and animals in ecosystems.

v

Explain how species of living organisms adapt to their environment.

v

Explain natural or human actions in relation to the loss of species.

4.8.7     Humans and the Environment

v

Describe how the development of civilization relates to the environment.

v

Explain how people use natural resources.

v

Explain how human activities may affect local, regional, and national environment.

Explain the importance of maintaining the natural resources at the local, state, and

national levels.

4.9.7     Environmental Laws and Regulations

v

Explain the role of environmental laws and regulations.

4.)

Course Text:

v  Glencoe Science (Level Green)

5.)

Major Units or Themes:  (Include the following)

v     Basic Earth Science

Study and Apply the Scientific Method

Understanding and Using Metric Units

Develop Graphing Skills

v     Focused Earth Science

Understand Plate Tectonics

Link Tectonics with Earthquakes and Volcanoes

Identify Mountain-Building Processes

v     Heredity and Life Interactions

Explain How Traits are Inherited

Describe Genetic Disorders

Evaluate Advances in Genetics

v     Waves, Sound, and Light

Explain the Relationship Among Waves, Energy, and Matter

6.)

Teaching Methods:

7.)

Assessment:

v     Lecture/Discussion

v     Quizzes

v     Guided Practice

v     Tests

v     Demonstration (Teacher)

v     Graded Homework

v     Demonstration (Student)

v     Student Projects

v     Oral Presentations

v     Extra Credit Projects

v     Concept Mapping

v     Active Reading, Decoding, Inferring, and Analyzing

v     Science Journals