7th Grade Life Science/Lab (20 Weeks)
This 20-week course will cover living things, cells, genetics, Earth changes, plants, animals, and the human body. This is what students in seventh grade are required to learn. This course is great for homeschooled students due to its flexibility.
Patricia Valdez Certified Teacher
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(205)
What's included
20 live meetings
16 hrs 40 mins in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Students will need an 2 to 3 hours devoted per week to homework. There will be reading which means it varies from person to person as to how long they will take to read the material. Also handouts for students to complete will be available and submit to the teacher through the outschool email. All homework is reviewed in class therefore it is important all homework be submitted prior to class via the Outschool student email, not the classroom. This keeps all students work private from everyone.Assessment
Students will be assessed with periodic practice online quizzes and students can record their results privately. Their grade is not solely on these results. Students grades are based on a point system. Each assignment turned in is logged into my grade book for accountability. The class reviews the homework orally during class time. If they have found an error, they may correct it as we go along. Class discussions, submitted assignments and oral assessments are what I base the student's grade on. Project and presentation will be peer assessed. I have an online rubric that students fill in and is privately submitted automatically. Presentations are required to receive a completed grade.Grading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
Beginner Level
Prerequisites: Excellent reader (6th-grade level), ability to follow instructions, writing/spelling ability (6th-grade level), and ability to work independently to complete assignments on time. This 20-week course will cover living things, cells, genetics, Earth changes, plants, animals, and the human body. This is what students in seventh grade should be learning at this level. During a class session, we will have homework, and lectures, discuss concepts, and watch a short YouTube video through screen sharing to simplify a concept. Then we spend the rest of the time open for questions and review. Students will use an Online Life Science Textbook as a resource. This FREE text is online to read and work on assignments. Students will have required homework to do weekly. This will require reading and completing tasks submitted to the instructor through the Outschool platform. Some labs will be done during class if we have time. Other labs or projects may be done outside class time but a picture or report must be submitted to show they have completed the assignment. I do enjoy teaching using manipulatives. I have students make models and do worksheets to help the learning experience. For example, we will construct a virus using straws, origami, and pipe cleaners. Students will get to do the DNA strawberry extraction lab during Genetics. Text is CPO Focus on Science, First edition, 2017 copyright This is in pdf format. Students do not need to sign in to the website. ***Please note I will not use the time to cover evolution or the Earth and life history. I prefer to skip these topics for time's sake.
Learning Goals
I want the students to be excited to learn about life from the microscopic to the macroscopic perspective on the Earth.
Syllabus
20 Lessons
over 20 WeeksLesson 1:
Study of Life and Measurements
Roles of a Scientist and Using metric and designing graphs will be studied in this lesson. 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Living Things and Interactions of Living Things
"What is a living system?" will be studied in this lesson.
Students will learn about habitats, populations and communities. 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Chemistry
Students will learn about elements, compounds and reactions. 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Physics
Students will learn about light and living things 50 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
The textbook is in pdf format meaning no login to a third party is needed. I do use YouTube videos via screen share.
I may show students some preserved specimens. If your child is sensitive to this. This may not be the class for them.
Please note that if any of the supplies may cause an allergic reaction feel free to substitute with something suitable for your student.
Pre-Requisites
Students should have the ability to read the text on their own. They do not need to read aloud unless they desire to. This is so that they can complete homework assignments.
Supply List
Materials: Note that this is a list of items we will use in future labs. We will not need them all on the first day. Colored pencils metric ruler Scissors Tape Different sheets of colored paper Magazines that have animal or plant photos Assorted pipe cleaners Straws Pop cycle sticks Assorted pom-poms of various sizes Clear plastic cups or clear glass jars food coloring tray Playdoh (assorted colors) or you can make your own if allergic to it. toothpicks fine steel wool fire starter (Bic lighter with a long end) long metal tongs 2 fresh eggs 2 slices of bread peanut butter (if allergic feel free to use plain butter) Jelly of any flavor strawberries (fresh or frozen) dishwashing liquid (Dawn pure essentials) sea salt Ziplock bags (quart size) small sieve measuring spoons measuring cups A few small shells, rocks, or fossils (optional) Variety of leaves of any kind variety of seeds for planting Box of cereal *Students do not need their own microscope. We will use online images or the instructor will show the students specimens with a computer microscope. I will have labs for the students to do either in class or at home. This is to fulfill their lab requirements for this course.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
CPO Life Science Text in pdf format doesn’t require logging into a third-party website.
YouTube will used in the classroom for lectures and homework through screen share.
Joined October, 2018
5.0
205reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Texas Teaching Certificate in Science
I have thirty-five years of teaching experience at the middle and high school levels. I have a Bachelor's degree in Biology and a minor in Art. Plus, I am a lifetime Texas-certified, a secondary teacher who still continues to learn online.
In recent years, I've taken several online courses to stay abreast of current Science developments or discoveries.
Vital Signs: Understanding What the Body Is Telling Us from the University of Pennsylvania
Drugs, drug use, drug policy, and health from the University of Geneva
Emerging Trends & Technologies in the Virtual K-12 Classroom from the University of California, Irvine
AMNH course The Dynamic Earth: A Course for Educators
Further background information can be found on my LinkedIn:
http://linkedin.com/in/patricia-valdez-14559ab3Reviews
Live Group Course
$17
weekly1x per week, 20 weeks
50 min
Completed by 1 learner
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-13
3-12 learners per class
