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California is a state in transition. The old State Science Standards were created in 1998, revised in 2003, and reposted on the State Department of Education website in 2009. A new set of standards called the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) was adopted in 2013, and will be implemented at earliest in 2016-2017. The NGSS for all grade levels can be found here. The NGSS for Grade 7 can be found here.
The Standards for this year's class are shown below.
Cell Biology
1. All living organisms are composed of cells, from just one to many trillions, whose details usually are visible only
through a microscope. As a basis for understanding this concept, students know:
_____ a. cells function similarly in all living organisms.
_____ b . the characteristics that distinguish plant cells from animal cells, including chloroplasts and cell walls.
_____ c. the nucleus is the repository for genetic information in plant and animal cells.
_____ d. that mitochondria liberate energy for the work that cells do and that chloroplasts capture sunlight energy
for photosynthesis.
_____ e. cells divide to increase their numbers through a process of mitosis, which results in two daughter cells
with identical sets of chromosomes.
_____ f. that as multicellular organisms develop, their cells differentiate.
Genetics
2. A typical cell of any organism contains genetic instructions that specify its traits. Those traits may be modified by
environmental influences. As a basis for understanding this concept, students know:
_____ a. the differences between the life cycles and reproduction methods of sexual and asexual organsims.
_____ b. sexual reproduction produces offspring that inherit half their genes from each parent.
_____ c. an inherited trait can be determined by one or more genes.
_____ d. plant and animal cells contain many thousands of different genes and typically have two copies of every
gene. The two copies (or alleles) of the gene may or may not be identical, and one may be dominant in
determining the phenotype while the other is recessive.
_____ e. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the genetic material of living organisms and is located in the
chromosomes of each cell
.
Evolution
3. Biological evolution accounts for the diversity of species developed through gradual processes over many
generations. As a basis for understanding the concept, students know
:
_____ a. both genetic variation and environmental factors are causes of evolution and diversity of organisms.
_____ b. the reasoning used by Charles Darwin in reaching his conclusion that natural selection is the mechanism
of evolution.
_____ c. how independent lines of evidence from geology, fossils, and comparative anatomy provide the bases for
the theory of evolution.
_____ d. how to construct a simple branching diagram to classify living groups of organisms by shared derived
characteristics and how to expand the diagram to include fossil organisms.
_____ e. that extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the adaptive characteristics of a
species are insufficient for its survival.
Earth and Life History (Earth Sciences, Life on Earth)
4. Evidence from rocks allows us to understand the evolution of life. As a basis forunderstanding this concept:
students know:
_____ a. earth processes today are similar to those that occurred in the past and slow geologic processes have
large cumulative effects over long periods of time.
_____ b. the history of life on Earth has been disrupted by major catastrophic events, such as major volcanic
eruptions or the impacts of asteroids.
_____ c. that the rock cycle includes the formation of new sediment and rocks and that rocks are often (over)
found in layers, with the oldest generally on the bottom.
_____ d. that evidence from geologic layers and radioactive dating indicates Earth is approximately 4.6
billion years old and that life on this planet has existed for more than 3 billion years.
_____ e. fossils provide evidence of how life and environmental conditions have changed.
_____ f. how movements of Earth’s continental and oceanic plates through time, with associated
changes in climate and geographic connections, have affected the past and present distribution of organisms.
_____ g. how to explain significant developments and extinctions of plant and animal life on the
geologic time scale.
Structure and Function in Living Systems
5. The anatomy and physiology of plants and animals illustrate the complementary nature of structure and function. As a
basis for understanding this concept students know:
_____ a. plants and animals have levels of organization for structure and function, including cells, tissues, organs,
organ systems, and the whole organism.
_____ b. organ systems function because of the contributions of individual organs, tissues, and cells. The failure of
any part can affect the entire system.
_____ c. how bones and muscles work together to provide a structural framework for movement.
_____ d. how the reproductive organs of the human female and male generate eggs and sperm and how sexual
activity may lead to fertilization and pregnancy.
_____ e. the function of the umbilicus and placenta during pregnancy.
_____ f. the structures and processes by which flowering plants generate pollen, ovules, seeds, and fruit.
_____ g. how to relate the structures of the eye and ear to their functions.
Physical Principles in Living Systems (Physical Sciences)
6. Physical principles underlie biological structures and functions. As a basis for understanding this concept, students
know:
_____ a. visible light is a small band within a very broad electromagnetic spectrum.
_____ b. that for an object to be seen, light emitted by or scattered from it must be detected by the eye.
_____ c. light travels in straight lines if the medium it travels through does not change.
_____ d. how simple lenses are used in a magnifying glass, the eye, camera, telescope, and microscope.
_____ e. that white light is a mixture of many wavelengths (colors) and that retinal cells react differently to different
wavelengths.
_____ f. light can be reflected, refracted, transmitted, and absorbed by matter.
_____ g. the angle of reflection of a light beam is equal to the angle of incidence.
_____ h. how to compare joints in the body (wrist, shoulder, thigh) with structures used in machines and simple
devices (hinge, ball-and-socket, and sliding joints).
_____ i. how levers confer mechanical advantage and how the application of this principle applies to the
musculoskeletal system.
_____ j. that contractions of the heart generate blood pressure and that heart valves prevent backflow of blood in the
circulatory system.
Investigation and Experimentation
7. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for
understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own
questions and perform investigations. Students will:
_____ a. select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales,
microscopes, and binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data.
_____ b. use a variety of print and electronic resources (including the World Wide Web) to collect information
and evidence as part of a research project.
_____ c. communicate the logical connection among hypotheses, science concepts, tests conducted, data
collected, and conclusions drawn from the scientific evidence.
_____ d. construct scale models, maps, and appropriately labeled diagrams to communicate scientific
knowledge (e.g., motion of Earth’s plates and cell structure).
_____ e. communicate the steps and results from an investigation in written reports and oral presentations.
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