Secondary - Seventh Grade
Growth in Science Teaching (GIST) Activities
Standard I: Students will understand the structure of matter.
Objective 1: Describe the structure of matter in terms of atoms and molecules.
Students probe a clay ball to determine the size, shape and location of an object hidden inside,
thus recreating Rutherford’s efforts with his gold-foil experiment.
- ILO 1: Use science process and thinking skills.
- ILO 5: Demonstrate awareness of social and historical aspects of science.
Objective 2: Accurately measure the characteristics of matter in different phases.
Students construct a working definition of density based on their observations and investigations.
- ILO 1: Use science process and thinking skills.
- ILO 4: Communicate effectively using science language and reasoning.
Objective 3: Investigate the motion of particles.
Standard II: Students will understand the relationship between properties of matter and the Earth’s structure.
Objective 1: Examine the effects of density and particle size on the behavior of materials in mixtures.
Students calculate the density of several materials found on Earth.
- ILO 1: Use science process and thinking skills.
- ILO 3: Demonstrate understanding of science concepts and principles.
Students use information collected in “Calculating Densities of Earth’s Materials” to predict layering
phenomena based on density differences.
- ILO 1: Use science process and thinking skills.
- ILO 3: Demonstrate understanding of science concepts and principles.
Objective 2: Analyze how density affects Earth's structure.
Based on observable evidence, students make inferences about Earth’s internal structure.
- ILO 1: Use science process and thinking skills.
- ILO 4: Communicate effectively using science language and reasoning.
To prepare for an understanding of seismic readings and interpretations, students investigate an
object embedded in a clay ball.
- ILO 1: Use science process and thinking skills.
- ILO 4: Communicate effectively using science language and reasoning.
Using supplied seismic data, students make inferences about Earth’s internal structure and adjust
the model they developed in “What’s Up Down There?” above.
- ILO 4: Communicate effectively using science language and reasoning.
- ILO 6: Demonstrate understanding of the nature of science.
Combining information from the “Layered Separations” activity in Objective 1 above and the model
of Earth’s interior structure developed by the students in the “Earthquake Data Analysis” above,
students make further inferences about the relative densities of Earth’s interior layers.
- ILO 4: Communicate effectively using science language and reasoning.
- ILO 6: Demonstrate understanding of the nature of science.
A summative exercise that looks at our current understanding of Earth’s interior structure.
- ILO 3: Demonstrate understanding of science concepts and principles.
- ILO 5: Demonstrate awareness of social and historical aspects of science.
Standard III: Students will understand that the organs in an organism are made of cells that have structures and perform specific life functions.
Objective 1: Observe and describe cellular structures and functions.
Objective 2: Identify and describe the function and interdependence of various organs and tissues.
Standard IV: Students will understand that offspring inherit traits that make them more or less suitable to survive in the environment.
Objective 1: Compare how sexual and asexual reproduction passes genetic information from
parent to offspring.
- How Many Traits Are There?
Using personal phenotypic traits, students determine their genotypes.
- ILO 1: Use science process and thinking skills.
- ILO 3: Demonstrate understanding of science concepts, principles and systems.
Objective 2: Relate the adaptability of organisms in an environment to their inherited traits and
structures.
Students make and hide camouflaged paper butterflies which “predators” then have the
opportunity of finding. The results are graphed.
- ILO 1: Use science process and thinking skills.
- ILO 3: Demonstrate understanding of science concepts, principles and systems.
Standard V: Students will understand that structure is used to develop classification systems.
Objective 1: Classify based on observable properties.
Objective 2: Use and develop a simple classification system
Using a variety of beans, students create a dichotomous key.
- ILO 1: Use science process and thinking skills.
- ILO 6: Demonstrate understanding of the nature of science.
Objective 3: Classify organisms using an orderly pattern based upon structure