Grade-Level Indicators
SCIENCE
Grade Seven
GRADE SEVEN
Earth and Space Sciences
Life Sciences
Physical Sciences
Science and Technology
Scientific Inquiry
Scientific Ways of Knowing
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Earth and Space Sciences
Students demonstrate an
understanding
about how Earth systems and processes interact in the geosphere
resulting in the habitability of Earth. This includes demonstrating
an understanding of the composition of the universe, the Solar
System and Earth. In addition, it includes understanding the properties
and the interconnected nature of Earth’s systems, processes that
shape the Earth and Earth’s history. Students also demonstrate
an understanding of how the concepts and principles of energy,
matter, motion and forces explain Earth systems, the Solar System,
and the Universe. Finally, they grasp an understanding of the
historical
perspectives, scientific approaches and emerging scientific issues
associated with the Earth and space sciences. |
|
Benchmark A. Describe how the
positions
and motions of the objects in the universe cause predictable and cyclic
events.
No indicators present for this benchmark. Benchmark B. Explain that the universe is composed of vast amounts of matter, most of which is at incomprehensible distances and held together by gravitational force. Describe how the universe is studied by the use of equipment such as telescopes, probes, satellites and spacecraft. No indicators present for this benchmark. Benchmark C. Describe interactions of matter and energy throughout the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere (e.g., water cycle, weather and pollution). Earth Systems 1.Explain the biogeochemical cycles which move materials between the lithosphere (land), hydrosphere (water) and atmosphere (air). 2.Explain that Earth’s capacity to absorb and recycle materials naturally (e.g., smoke, smog, sewage) can change the environmental quality depending on the length of time involved (e.g. global warming). 3. Describe the water cycle and explain the transfer of energy between the atmosphere and hydrosphere. 4. Analyze data on the availability of fresh water that is essential for life and for most industrial and agricultural processes. Describe how rivers, lakes and groundwater can be depleted or polluted becoming less hospitable to life and even becoming unavailable or unsuitable for life. 5. Make simple weather predictions based on the changing cloud types associated with frontal systems. 6. Determine how weather observations and measurements are combined to produce weather maps and that data for a specific location at one point in time can be displayed in a station model. 7. Read a weather map to interpret local, regional and national weather. 8. Describe how temperature and precipitation determine climatic zones (biomes) (e.g., desert, grasslands, forests, tundra, alpine). 9. Describe the connection between the water cycle and weather-related phenomenon (e.g., tornadoes, floods, droughts, hurricanes). Benchmark D. Identify that the lithosphere contains rocks and minerals and that minerals make up rocks. Describe how rocks and minerals are formed and/or classified. No indicators present for this benchmark. Benchmark E. Describe the processes that contribute to the continuous changing of Earth's surface (e.g., earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, erosion, mountain building and lithospheric plate movements). No indicators present for this benchmark. |
|
Life Sciences
Students will demonstrate an
understanding of how living systems function and how they interact with
the physical environment. This includes an understanding of the cycling
of matter and flow of energy in living systems. An understanding of the
characteristics, structure, and function of cells, of organisms and of
living systems will be developed as well as a deeper understanding of
the principles of heredity, biological evolution, and the diversity and
interdependence of life. Students will also demonstrate an
understanding of different historical perspectives, scientific
approaches and emerging scientific issues associated with the life
sciences. |
| Benchmark A. Explain that
the basic functions of organisms are carried out in cells and groups of
specialized
cells form tissues and organs; the combination of these cells make up
multicellular
organisms that have a variety of body plans and internal structures. Characteristics and Structure of Life 1. Investigate the great variety of body plans and internal structures found in multicellular organisms. Benchmark B. Describe the characteristics of an organism in terms of a combination of inherited traits and recognize reproduction as a characteristic of living organisms essential to the continuation of the species. Evolution Theory 8. Investigate the great diversity among organisms. Benchmark C. Explain how energy entering the ecosystems as sunlight supports the life of organisms through photosynthesis and the transfer of energy through the interactions of organisms and the environment. Diversity and Interdependence of Life 2. Investigate how organisms or populations may interact with one another through symbiotic relationships and how some species have become so adapted to each other that neither could survive without the other (e.g., predator–prey, parasitism, mutualistism, commensalism). 3. Explain how the number of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on adequate biotic (living) resources (e.g., plants, animals) and abiotic (non-living) resources (e.g., light, water, soil). 6. Summarize the ways that natural occurrences and human activity affect the transfer of energy in Earth’s ecosystems (e.g., fire, hurricanes, roads, oil spills). 7. Explain that photosynthetic cells convert solar energy into chemical energy that is used to carry on life functions or is transferred to consumers and used to carry on their life functions. Benchmark D. Explain how extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and its adaptive characteristics are insufficient to allow survival (as seen in evidence of the fossil record). Diversity and Interdependence of Life 4. Investigate how overpopulation impacts an ecosystem. 5. Explain that some environmental changes occur slowly while others occur rapidly (e.g., forest and pond succession, fires and decomposition). |
|
Physical Sciences
Students demonstrate an understanding of the
composition of physical systems and the concepts and principles
that describe and predict physical interations and events in the
natural world. This includes demonstrating an understanding of the
structure and properties of matter, the properties of materials and
objects, chemical reactions and the conservation of matter. In
addition, it includes understanding the nature, transfer and
conservation
of energy, as well as motion and the forces affecting motion, the
nature of waves and interactions of matter and energy. Students
also demonstate an understanding of the historical perspectives,
scientific approaches and emerging scientific issues associated
with the physical sciences. |
|
Benchmark A. Relate uses, properties
and
chemical processes to the behavior and/or arrangement of the small
particles
that compose matter.
Nature of Matter 1. Investigate how matter can change forms but the total amount of matter remains constant. Benchmark B. In simple cases, describe the motion of objects and conceptually describe the effects of forces on an object. No indicators present for this benchmark. Benchmark C. Describe renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy (e.g., solar, wind, fossil fuels, biomass, hydroelectricity, geothermal and nuclear energy) and the management of these sources. No indicators present for this benchmark. Benchmark D. Describe that energy takes many forms, some forms represent kinetic energy and some forms represent potential energy; and during energy transformations the total amount of energy remains constant. Nature of Energy 2. Describe how an object can have potential energy due to its position or chemical composition and can have kinetic energy due to its motion. 3. Identify different forms of energy (e.g., electrical, mechanical, chemical, thermal, nuclear, radiant and acoustic). 4. Explain how energy can change forms but the total amount of energy remains constant. 5. Trace energy transformation in a simple closed system (e.g., a flashlight). |
|
Science and Technology
Students should recognize that science and
technology are interconnected and that using technology involves
assessment of the benefits, risks and costs. Students should build
scientific and technological knowledge as well as the skills required
to design and construct devices. In addition, they should develop the
processes to solve problems and understand that problems may be solved
in several ways. |
| Benchmark A. Give examples of how technological
advances, influenced by scientific knowledge, affect the quality of
life. Understanding Technology 1. Explain how needs, attitudes and values influence the direction of technological development in various cultures. 2. Describe how decisions to develop and use technologies often put environmental and economic concerns in direct competition with each other. 3. Recognize that science can only answer some questions and technology can only solve some human problems. Benchmark B. Design a solution or product taking into account needs and constraints (e.g., cost, time, trade-offs, properties of materials, safety and aesthetics). Abilities To Do Technological Design 4. Design and build a product or create a solution to a problem given two constraints (e.g., limits of cost and time for design and production, supply of materials and environmental effects). |
|
Scientific Inquiry
Students will develop scientific habits of mind as
they use the processes of scientific inquiry to ask valid questions and
to gather and analyze information. They will understand how to develop
hypotheses and make predictions. They will be able to reflect on
scientific practices as they develop plans of action to
create and evalutate a variety of conclusions. Students will also
demonstrate the ability to communicate their findings to others. |
| Benchmark A. Explain that there are differing sets
of procedures for guiding scientific investigations and procedures are
determined
by the nature of the investigation, safety considerations and
appropriate
tools. Doing Scientific Inquiry 1. Explain that variables and controls can affect the results of an investigation and that ideally one variable should be tested at a time; however it is not always possible to control all variables. 2. Identify simple independent and dependent variables. 3. Formulate and identify questions to guide scientific investigations that connect to science concepts and can be answered through scientific investigations. 4. Choose the appropriate tools and instruments and use relevant safety procedures to complete scientific investigations. Benchmark B. Analyze and interpret data from scientific investigations using appropriate mathematical skills in order to draw valid conclusions. Doing Scientific Inquiry 5. Analyze alternative scientific explanations and predictions and recognize that there may be more than one good way to interpret a given set of data. 6. Identify faulty reasoning and statements that go beyond the evidence or misinterpret the evidence. 7. Use graphs, tables and charts to study physical phenomena and infer mathematical relationships between variables (e.g., speed, density). |
|
Scientific Ways of Knowing
Students realize that the current body of scientific knowledge must be based on evidence, be predictive, logical, subject to modification, and limited to the natural world. This includes demonstrating an understanding that scientific knowledge grows and advances as new evidence is discovered to support or modify existing theories, as well as to encourage the development of new theories. Students will reflect on ethical scientific practices and demonstrate an understanding of how the current body of scientific knowledge reflects the historical and cultural contributions of women and men who provide us with a more reliable and comprehensive understanding of the natural world. |
| Benchmark A. Use skills of scientific inquiry
processes (e.g., hypothesis, record keeping, description and
explanation). No indicators present for this benchmark. Benchmark B. Explain the importance of reproducibility and reduction of bias in scientific methods. Ethical Practices 1. Show that the reproducibility of results is essential to reduce bias in scientific investigations. 2. Describe how repetition of an experiment may reduce bias. Benchmark C. Give examples of how thinking scientifically is helpful in daily life. Science and Society 3. Describe how the work of science requires a variety of human abilities and qualities that are helpful in daily life (e.g., reasoning, creativity, skepticism, openness). |
| All of the information on this site
is available in pdf and/or Word format at the Ohio
Department of Education Web Site at http://www.ode.state.oh.us/
|
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