Download Grade 7 Standard 2.1 Organisms

Curriculum Guide
Grade 7 – Science Standard 2.1
Life Science.2.1 - Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to survive and have offspring in a specific environment.
Related Colorado Department of Education Sample Units:
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Adaptations Of Life Over Time (Concepts: change, evidence, time, extinction, traits, adaptation, interaction, survival, reproduction, environment, theory,
biological evolution, diversity, organisms, differential survival, reproductive success, evolution, resistance, genetic traits, species
Essential Questions - 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies (District):
1. What is the relationship between an organism’s traits and its potential for survival
and reproduction?
2. How is the use of the word "adaptation” different in everyday usage than in biology?
3. What are some reasons why a given organism with specific traits may or may not
survive to have offspring in a certain environment?
4. What are some adaptations to help species survive and have reproductive success?
5. What determines which traits help an organism survive in its environment?
6. How does our knowledge of how organisms adapt to their environment help us
modify organisms for human benefit?
7. What causes a species to go extinct?
8. What happens to a system when a species becomes extinct?
Evidence Outcomes (District):
a. Develop, communicate, and justify an evidence-based explanation for why a given
organism with specific traits will or will not survive to have offspring in a given
environment.
b. Analyze and interpret data about specific adaptations to provide evidence and
develop claims about differential survival and reproductive success.
c. Use information and communication technology tools to gather information from
credible sources, analyze findings, and draw conclusions to create and justify an
evidence-based scientific explanation.
d. Use computer simulations to model differential survival and reproductive success
associated with specific traits in a given environment.
Academic Vocabulary (District):
adaptation
biological
diversity
environmental
evolution
extinction
genetic trait
genetics
interaction
offspring
organism
population
reproduction
species
survival
time
trait
Assessment (District):
1. Use the Exit Ticket found below.
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Endangered Exit Ticket
2, 5, & 8. Assessments are built into the lessons.
3. The answers to the discussions questions found toward the end of the lesson plan
can be used as assessment. Also, there is a writing assignment with rubric built into
the lesson.
4. Toward the bottom of the lesson is a heading called Analysis Questions. There are
four ideas that could be used for assessment to this activity.
6. The DNA models will be assessed for accuracy.
7. Determine accuracy of information presented in the Vokis. Assessment is also
suggested in the lesson.
Suggested Activities/Strategies (District):
1. Students describe characteristics of the horseshoe crab and specify how living
fossils like the horseshoe crab differ from most other species. Have them list several
strategies that can be undertaken by humans to protect endangered species and
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Resources/Technology (District):
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Adaptations in Cold Environments Video
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Animal Adaptations Video
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Plant Adaptations Video
provide at least one example of species interconnectedness, as well as how the
population decline of one species adversely affects another species.
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Endangered Relationships
2. Follow the link and download Variation and Natural Selection. Students explore why
variation is important to the survival of a species. They identify examples of discrete
and continuous variation and distinguish inherited and environmental causes of
variation.
3. Investigating Natural Selection: Students explain natural selection in terms of how
certain individuals survived and passed on their genetic information. They relate
natural selection to current happenings (antibiotic resistance, endangered species.)
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3. Natural Selection Lesson Plan
4. Natural Selection Candy Lab: Model the idea of natural selection by using the
student preferences for different types of candy over others.
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4. Natural Selection Candy Activity
5. Evolution by Natural Selection Lab: Principles of natural selection are demonstrated
by a simulation of how different adaptations contribute to differences in survival and
reproductive success, which results in changing frequencies of genotypes in the
populations.
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5. Evolution by Natural Selection Student
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5. Evolution by Natural Selection Teacher
6. Edible DNA: Students identify the six main parts of a DNA molecule and correctly
pair DNA bases together in a model.
7. Voki Animal: Download Voki and register at voki.com. Have the students create their
own animal species and learn how to write the animal type and name (genus species.)
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7. Voki Animals
8. The Perfect Cow Lesson: This lesson focuses on how and why humans have been
so successful in selectively breeding cattle, while also exploring the limitations and
consequences of this success.
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8. The Perfect Cow Lesson
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Free Clip Art
Free PowerPoints
Free Interactive Games
Free I-pad Apps
Serendip Website
Stickleback Evolution
The Science Queen
Animal Adaptations Resources