Download Grade 7 Course Description – Life Science UNIT 1 Cell

Milford Public Schools Curriculum
Department: SCIENCE
Course Name: Grade 7
Course Description – Life Science
UNIT 1 Cell Structure and Function
LEARNING GOALS
Enduring Understanding(s):
Essential Question(s):
Cells are the building blocks of life.
How does a cell carry out all of the activities of life?
The varieties of cell types which exist on earth contain
similarities and differences.
How does a cell’s structure vary depending on its
function?
Cells structures help them carry out life processes.
Cells organization and structures vary depending on
their function
Content:
Students will know…
* Characteristics of living things
* Cell theory
* Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes
* Unicellular vs. multicellular organisms
* Parts of cells (organelles, membranes)
* Plant vs. animal cells
* Types of animal cells
Skills
Students will be able to…
Differentiate between living and nonliving things.
Analyze how the invention of the microscope provided evidence that changed what we know about cells.
Define “living things” as made of cells.
Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Identify types (bacteria, yeast, algae, protist, fungi, plant, animal, etc.) and specific examples of unicellular and
multicellular organisms.
Identify the major structures found in cells (i.e., cell membrane, cell wall, cytoplasm, nucleus, chromosomes,
mitochondria, chloroplasts, ribosomes, vacuole, lysosome) and explain how the different structures in a cell
work together to carry out important life functions.
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Compare and contrast plant and animal cells in terms of structure and function.
Compare and contrast various types of animal cells in relation to structure and function.
Use a microscope to observe and locate cells and gather data on different type of cells.
Create a model of the cell that represents general cell structure and function.
Standards Addressed:
CT Science Frameworks
7.2 — Many organisms, including humans, have specialized organ systems that interact with each other
to maintain dynamic internal balance.
7.2.a
All organisms are composed of one or more cell; each cell carries on life-sustaining functions.
7.2.a.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.
7.2.a.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.
7.2.a.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.
7.2.a.4. The cell is filled with a fluid called cytoplasm; cells contain discrete membrane-enclosed structures
called organelles that perform specific functions that support the life of the organism. The structure of the
organelle is related to its function. § 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 that controls the flow of materials into and out of the cell.
Core Scientific Inquiry, Literacy and Numeracy Standards C.INQ. 1-10
NGSS:
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS1A: Structure and Function: All living things made up of cells
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UNIT 2 – Cell Processes
LEARNING GOALS
Enduring Understanding(s):
Essential Question(s):
All living things need to able to obtain materials from
the environment and to remove wastes.
How do cells exchange materials between the cell
itself and its environment?
All living things need to obtain and use energy to
survive.
How do organisms obtain and use matter and energy
in order to survive?
Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are
complimentary processes necessary to the survival of
most living things on Earth.
Content:
Students will know…
* Movement of materials in cells: (Diffusion, Osmosis, Active Transport)
* Photosynthesis
* Aerobic (cellular) respiration
* Anaerobic (fermentation) Respiration
Skills
Students will be able to…
Explain how and why cells exchange materials with their environment.
Identify the role of cell membrane in exchange of materials.
Compare and contrast active transport and passive transport in terms of types of materials and energy
requirements.
Explain how large particles can move into and out of cells.
Compare and contrasts osmosis and diffusion.
Investigate and analyze the effect of different environmental conditions on plant cells.
Identify examples of materials that move into the cells (i.e. oxygen, water) and out of cells (i.e. wastes and
carbon dioxide).
Identify sunlight as the primary energy source for plants.
Analyze methods used by scientists to study plants (van Helmont, Priestly, and Ingenhousz, Senebier.
Saussure) and how they contributed to our understanding of photosynthesis.
Identify the reactants (carbon dioxide, water, sunlight) and products (oxygen, and glucose) of photosynthesis.
Explain the role of chlorophyll in the process of photosynthesis.
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Illustrate how plants obtain the reactants necessary for photosynthesis and what happens to the food and
oxygen produced.
Conduct an experiment to study the production of oxygen during photosynthesis.
Investigate and analyze the effects of varying amounts of light on a plant leaf.
Summarize the events that take place during respiration.
Predict how the rate of cellular respiration might change under different conditions.
Compare and contrast the chemical reactions/equations for photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Investigate how exercise affects respiration and the amount of carbon dioxide produced.
Compare and contrast cellular respiration (aerobic respiration) and fermentation (anaerobic respiration) in
terms of reactants and products and amount of energy produced.
Standards Addressed:
CT Science Frameworks
7.2 Many organisms, including humans, have specialized organ systems that interact with each other
to maintain dynamic internal balance.
7.2.a. All organisms are composed of one or more cells; each cell carries on life sustaining functions.
7.2.a.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.
7.2.a.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.
7.2.a.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.
7.2.a.4. The cell is filled with a fluid called cytoplasm; cells contain discrete membrane-enclosed structures
called organelles that perform specific functions that support the life of the organism. The structure of the
organelle is related to its function.



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 that controls the flow of materials into and out
of the cell.
Core Scientific Inquiry, Literacy and Numeracy Standards C.INQ. 1-10
NGSS:
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS1.C: Organization For Matter Flow In Organisms
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UNIT 3 Reproduction and Cell Division
LEARNING GOALS
Enduring Understanding(s):
Essential Question(s):
Reproduction is essential to the survival of living
things.
How do living organisms make new living
organisms?
Cell reproduction contributes to the growth of an
organism and/or its population and contributes to the
diversity within a population.
Different types of living things reproduce in different
ways
Content
Students will know…
 Asexual reproduction
 The cell cycle
 Mitosis
 Sexual reproduction
 Plant reproduction (including Self-pollination and Cross pollination)
 Meiosis
 Sex chromosomes
 Plant and animal adaptations for reproductive success
Skills
Students will be able to…
Explain the major forms of asexual reproduction (e.g., binary fission, budding)
Understand the role of chromosomes in storing and transmitting genetic material.
Summarize the cell cycle and the process of mitosis.
Compare and contrast cell division in animal and plant cells.
Develop a model to explain the process of mitosis.
Distinguish between asexual and sexual reproduction and describe the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Identify examples of inherited traits in plants, humans, and other organisms.
Explain the process of self-pollination and cross pollination in plants and their similarities and differences.
Explain how the process of meiosis is used to create gametes with one half the normal number of
chromosomes.
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Recognize the chromosomal contribution of male and female sex cells during sexual reproduction.
Explain the process of sexual reproduction in terms of joining together male and female gametes to result in a
full set of chromosomes in the offspring.
Explain how traits are passed from parents to offspring in terms of genes and chromosomes.
Compare and contrast mitosis and meiosis in terms of purpose in organisms, process, number of daughter cells
produced and chromosome number in daughter cells.
Cite evidence, using specific examples, on how plant and animal adaptations lead to successful reproduction.
Recognize that behaviors and specialized features in both plants and animals increase the odds of reproduction
and the passing down traits for continuation of the species.
Standards Addressed:
CT Science Frameworks
7.2 Many organisms, including humans, have specialized organ systems that interact with each other to
maintain dynamic internal balance.
7.2 a.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.
7.2 a.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.
7.2.a.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.
7.2.a.4. The cell is filled with a fluid called cytoplasm; cells contain discrete membrane-enclosed structures
called organelles that perform specific functions that support the life of the organism. The structure of the
organelle is related to its function.
The nucleus contains the genetic materials (chromosomes), and it directs the cell activities, growth and
division.
8.2 Reproduction is a characteristic of living systems and it is essential for the continuation of every
species
8.2.a. Heredity is the passage of genetic information from one generation to another.
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1. Living organisms must reproduce to continue the existence of their species. Through reproduction new
individuals that 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.
4. Organisms grow by increasing the number of body cells. During mitosis, a body cell first duplicates the
chromosomes and then divides into two identical 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). 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. Mitosis and meiosis are similar processes in that they both result in the separation of existing cells into
new ones. They differ in that the germ cells produced during meiosis have only one copy of each
chromosome. When two germ cells unite during fertilization, the resulting zygote has two copies of each
chromosome, one from each parent, ensuring maternal and paternal genetic contribution.
7. Meiosis and gamete formation take place in the reproductive organs; testes in males produce the sperm
and ovaries in females produce the eggs.
8. 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.
9. 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).
10. 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.
11. 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.
Core Scientific Inquiry, Literacy and Numeracy Standards C.INQ. 1-10
NGSS:
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms: How do organisms grow and develop?
LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits: How are the characteristics of one generation related to the previous
generation?
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UNIT 4 – Genetics and Heredity
LEARNING GOALS
Enduring Understanding(s):
All living organisms have genetic information that
determines traits that are passed down from one
generation to the next.
It is possible to predict traits that are passed from one
generation to the next.
Essential Question(s):
How are characteristics from one generation passed
to the next generation?
How can individuals form the same species have
different characteristics?
Genetic information is stored in genes found on
chromosomes, and these genes are responsible for
inheritance of traits.
Some of the characteristics of an organism are
inherited and some result from interactions with the
environment.
Content:
Students will know…
* History of Genetics
* DNA, Genes, Chromosomes and Alleles
* Genotype vs. Phenotype
* Probability and Genetics
* Genes to traits
* Environmental Influences on traits
* Mutations
Skills
Students will be able to…
Define traits as the observable characteristics of living things, providing examples.
Identify examples of traits of an organism that might vary within the same species.
Describe the experiments of Gregor Mendel and his contributions to the history of genetics.
Explain how genes and alleles are related to both genotype and phenotype in organisms.
Compare and contrast dominant and recessive alleles.
Identify examples of dominant and recessive traits in pea plants.
Explain how probability can be used to predict possible genotypes in offspring.
Predict geneotypes and phenotypes of offspring in simple genetic crosses using Punnett squares.
Describe examples of non-Mendelian inheritance of traits (incomplete dominance, one gene-many traits, many
genes-one trait.)
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Explain how environmental factors can influence traits; providing specific examples of traits that are
influenced by environmental factors.
Trace and explain the important events that lead to the understanding of the structure of DNA.
Analyze the basic structure of a DNA molecule.
Develop a model to explain how DNA molecules can be copied.
Explain the relationship between genes, DNA and proteins.
Model how DNA can be translated to RNA.
Outline the basic steps in translating DNA into protein and identify the cell structures involved.
Recognize that genetic mutations can be harmful, helpful, or (most often) have no effect on the observable
traits of an organism.
Compare and contrast the different types of mutations and their resulting impacts on the traits of an organism.
Standards Addressed:
CT Science Frameworks
8.2 Reproduction is a characteristic of living systems and it is essential for the continuation of every species
8.2.a. 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 pre-existing
organisms.
8.2.a.10. 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.
8.2.a.11. 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.
8.2.b. 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.
2. 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.
Core Scientific Inquiry, Literacy and Numeracy Standards C.INQ. 1-10
NGSS:
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms: How do organisms grow and develop?
LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits: How are the characteristics of one generation related to the previous generation?
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UNIT 5 - The Musculoskeletal System
LEARNING GOALS
Enduring Understanding(s):
Essential Question(s):
The structure and functions of muscularskeletal systems are interrelated for support
and movement of the body.
How does the muscular-skeletal systems work
together to help us perform our daily activities?
Content:
Students will know…
* Relationships among cells, tissues and organs
* Structure and function of the human skeletal and muscular systems
* Interactions between skeletal and muscular systems
Skills
Students will be able to…
Investigate and explain the basic structure and function of the human skeletal system.
Differentiate between the structures and range of motion associated with ball, socket and hinge joints and
relate human joints to simple machines.
Differentiate among skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscles in terms of structure and function.
Demonstrate how the muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones interact to support the human body and allow
movement.
Compare the structure and function of the human skeletal-muscular system to that of other animals.
Analyze causes and effects of skeletal-muscular system injuries.
Standards Addressed:
CT Science Frameworks
7. 2 Many organisms, including humans, have specialized organ systems that interact with each other to
maintain dynamic internal balance.
7.2.b. Multicellular organisms need specialized structures to perform basic functions.
7.2.b.4. Different tissues work together to form an organ, and organs work together as organ systems to
perform essential life functions.
7.2.b.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.
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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.
Core Scientific Inquiry, Literacy and Numeracy Standards C.INQ. 1-10
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UNIT 6 - The Circulatory, Respiratory, Digestive and Excretory Systems
LEARNING GOALS
Enduring Understanding(s):
Essential Question(s):
The circulatory, respiratory, digestive and excretory
systems work together to deliver oxygen and nutrients
to the cells and to remove waste materials from the
cells.
How do the circulatory, respiratory, digestive and
excretory systems work together in the human body?
Freezing, dehydration, pickling, and irradiation
prevent food spoilage caused by microbes.
How does every cell in an organism get what it needs
and remove what it does not?
Why is food preservation important?
Content:
Students will know…
The structure and function of the human respiratory system (nose, trachea, bronchi and lungs)
The structure and function of the major parts of the human circulatory system (heart, arteries, veins and
capillaries)
The components of blood (plasma, red and white blood cells, and platelets) and their functions
The structure and function of the digestive system
Food spoilage and preservation
The structure and function of the excretory system
Skills
Students will be able to…
Identify and describe the major parts of the human respiratory system and explain in writing the function of
each part (nasal cavity, trachea, bronchi, lungs and diaphragm).
Identify and describe the major parts of the human circulatory system and explain in writing the function of
each part (heart, veins, arteries and capillaries).
Design and conduct controlled variable experiments to analyze the interaction between the circulatory and
respiratory systems as the demand for oxygen changes.
Identify and describe the major parts of the human digestive system and explain in writing the function of each
part.
Identify and describe the major parts of the excretory system and explain in writing the function of each part.
Explain different methods of food preservation and why they are used.
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Standards Addressed:
CT Science Frameworks
7.2 Many organisms, including humans, have specialized organ systems that interact with each other to
maintain dynamic internal balance.
Multi cellular organisms need specialized structures and systems to perform basic life functions
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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. The blood is made 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. The nervous, immune and excretory systems interact with the digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems
to maintain the body’s dynamic internal balance (homeostasis).
Core Scientific Inquiry, Literacy and Numeracy Standards C.INQ. 1-10
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UNIT 7 – Nervous System
LEARNING GOALS
Enduring Understanding(s):
Essential Question(s):
The nervous, immune, and excretory systems
interact with the digestive respiratory and
circulatory systems to maintain homeostasis
(body’s dynamic internal balance) and survive.
How do living organisms make sense of their world?
How does the interdependence of the nervous system
and other body systems help animals survive?
Content:
Students will know…
Structure and function of the nervous system
Structure and function the human brain
Structure and function of the immune system
Skills
Students will be able to…
Identify the basic structures of the nervous system and their functions.
Compare and contrast the somatic nervous system with the autonomic nervous system.
Identify and describe the parts of the human brain.
Explain how severe injuries to the spinal cord or brain can affect other parts of the body.
Relate understandings of the nervous system to how various technologies work
(nerve transmission to cell towers).
Investigate human sensory interactions with the environment.
Trace how sensory receptors transmit signals to the brain and then how they are processed by the brain either
for behavior or storage.
Create a diagram or model to explain how a feedback mechanism works.
Explain how the nervous system interacts with the immune, respiratory, circulatory systems to help animals
respond to changes in the environment.
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Standards Addressed:
CT Science Frameworks
7.2 Many organisms, including humans, have specialized organ systems that interact with each other to
maintain dynamic internal balance
7.2 b. 14 The nervous, immune and excretory systems interact with the digestive, respiratory and
circulatory systems to maintain the body’s dynamic internal balance (homeostasis).
Core Scientific Inquiry, Literacy and Numeracy Standards C.INQ. 1-10
NGSS:
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS1.D: Information Processing
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UNIT 8 - History of the Earth, Energy in the Earth’s System
LEARNING GOALS
Enduring Understanding(s):
Essential Question(s):
The Earth’s surface is constantly changing due to
internal and external forces.
How and why does the Earth’s surface change over
time?
Scientists use physical and biological evidence to
explain how Earth’s surface has changed over time.
What evidence do we have that the Earth has changed
over time?
Content
The student will know…
The Earth has a core, mantle, and crust with distinctive features which helps to shape the Earth.
Fossils, climate and physical shape are evidence to explain the theory of plate movement.
Plate interactions at boundaries result in folding, faulting, uplifting.
Most volcanoes and earthquakes are located at tectonic plate boundaries where plates come together or move
apart.
Glaciers reshape the land beneath by scraping, carving, transporting and depositing soil and rock.
Weathering and erosion work together create changes of the Earth’s surface.
Skills
Students will be able to…
Illustrate and describe, the composition of the three major layers of the Earth’s interior.
Identify and explain forces that change the Earth’s surface including plate tectonics.
Sequence the movement of Earth’s plates over time.
Compare and contrast the major agents of erosion and deposition of sediments.
Observe, analyze and interpret data about the location and frequency of earthquakes and volcanoes.
Analyze relationships among common geological features (trenches, mountains, earthquakes, volcanoes)
and the location of plate boundaries.
Explain how glacial processes shape the surface of the Earth over time.
Provide geological evidence for past glacial events.
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Explain using models how weathering and erosion change the surface of the land over time.
Predict what the Earth’s surface might look like in the future based on understandings of weathering, erosion
and glaciation.
Standards Addressed:
CT Science Frameworks
7.3 Landforms are the results of the interaction of constructive and destructive forces over time.
7.3a Volcanic activity and the folding and vaulting of rock layers during the shifting of the Earth’s crust
affects the formation of mountains, ridges and valleys.
1. Earth’s surface features, such as mountains, volcanoes and continents, are the constantly changing result of
dynamic processes and forces at work inside the earth.
2. The solid Earth has a core, mantle and crust, each with distinct properties.
3. Earth’s crust is broken into different “tectonic plates” that float on molten rock and move very slowly.
Continental drift is driven by convection currents in the hot liquid mantle beneath the crust.
4. The presence of plant and animal fossils of the same age found around different continent shores, along
with the matching coastline shapes of continental land masses, provides evidence that the continents were
once joined.
5. Tectonic plates meet and interact at divergent, convergent or transform boundaries. The way in which the
plates interact at a boundary affects outcomes such as folding, faulting, uplift or earthquakes.
6. The folding and faulting of rock layers during the shifting of the earth’s crust causes the constructive
formation of mountains, ridges and valleys.
7. Mountain formation can be the result of convergent tectonic plates colliding, such as the Appalachians and
the Himalayas; mountains may also be formed as a result of divergent tectonic plates moving apart and
causing rifting as in East Africa or Connecticut.
8. Most volcanoes and earthquakes are located at tectonic plate boundaries where plates come together or
move apart from each other. A geographic plot of the location of volcanoes and the centers of earthquakes
allows us to locate tectonic plate boundaries.
9. The geological makeup of Connecticut shows evidence of various earth processes, such as continental
collisions, rifting, and folding that have shaped its structure GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT
7.3.b. Glaciation, weathering and erosion change the Earth’s surface by moving materials from place to place.
1. Earth’s surface is constantly being shaped and reshaped by natural processes. Some of these processes, like
earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, produce dramatic and rapid change. Others, like weathering and
erosion, usually work less conspicuously over longer periods of time.
2. Glaciers form in areas where annual snowfall is greater than the seasonal melt, resulting in a gradual buildup of snow and ice from one season to the next.
3. Glaciers increase and decrease in size over long periods of time, depending on variations in Earth’s climate.
4. Glaciers move slowly, spreading outward across a region or moving down a slope.
5. Moving glaciers reshape the land beneath them by scraping, carving, transporting and depositing soil and
rock.
6. Glacial landforms have identifiable shapes. Connecticut’s landscape provides many examples of glacial
movement and deposition.
7. Weathering and erosion work together as destructive natural forces. Both are forces that break down rock
into small particles called sediments.
8. Weathering is caused by physical, chemical or biological means. Rock properties, such as hardness,
porosity or mineral content, influence susceptibility to weathering.
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9. Erosion loosens and transports sediment formed by weathering. Moving water and wind cause changes to
existing landforms and create new land forms such as valleys, floodplains, plateaus, canyons, caves, dunes
Core Scientific Inquiry, Literacy and Numeracy Standards C.INQ. 1-10
NGSS:
Disciplinary Core Ideas
ESS1.C: History of the Planet Earth
ESS2.A: Earth’s Materials and Systems
ESS2.B: Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions
Revised 1/22/2016
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