Name of Unit: SMS G7 : Life Science
Stage 1 Desired Results
ESTABLISHED GOALS (G)
(MA Curriculum Frameworks
Standards)
7.MS-LS2-1. Analyze and
interpret data to provide
evidence for the effects of
periods of abundant and
scarce resources on the
growth of organisms and the
size of populations in an
ecosystem.
7.MS-LS2-2. Describe how
relationships among and
between organisms in an
ecosystem can be
competitive, predatory,
parasitic, and mutually
beneficial and that these
interactions are found across
multiple ecosystems.
[Clarification Statement: Emphasis
is on describing consistent patterns
of interactions in different
ecosystems in terms of relationships
among and between organisms.]
7.MS-LS2-3. Develop a
model to describe matter and
energy cycle among living and
nonliving parts of an
ecosystem and that both
matter and energy are
conserved through these
processes. [Clarification
Statement: Cycling of matter should
include the role of photosynthesis,
cellular respiration, and
decomposition, and, transfer among
producers, primary, secondary, and
tertiary consumers, and
decomposers. Models may include
food webs and food chains.State
Assessment Boundary:
Cycling of specific atoms (such as
carbon or oxygen), or the
biochemical steps of photosynthesis,
cellular respiration, and
decomposition are not expected in
state assessment.
7.MS-LS2-4. Analyze data to
provide evidence that
disruptions (natural or
human-made) to any physical
or biological component of an
ecosystem can lead to shifts
in all its populations.
[Clarification Statement: Focus
should be on ecosystems
characteristics varying over time,
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Template Adapted from 2011 Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe Used with Permission October 2011
CDSM G7 U7: Page 1 of 3
Grade Level: 7
Transfer (T)
Students will be able to independently use their learning to
Make personal and civic decisions that respect how living systems maintain
balance and stability, minimizing impact on factors that disturb stability. (ls)
Analyze mechanisms of cause and effect in natural and designed systems based
on physical and chemical principles.
Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS (U) ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS (Q)
Students will understand that
Students will keep considering.. .
Resources are distributed unevenly How does a disruption affect an
around the planet. ecosystem?
The organisms in an ecosystem are How can human impacts to an
interdependent/interconnected. ecosystem be prevented and
Population growth is limited by access to mitigated?
resources. How do organisms interact?
Disruptions to any physical or biological How can characteristic animal
component of an ecosystem can lead to behaviors and specialized plant
shifts in all its populations. structures affect animal and plant
Human activity impacts both the populations?
ecosystems they inhabit and do not
inhabit.
As human consumption of natural
resources increase, so do the negative
impacts on Earth.
Animals engage in characteristic
behaviors that increase the odds of
reproduction.
Acquisition
KNOWLEDGE (K) SKILLS (S)
Students will know Students will be skilled at
factors such as birth, death, and migration determining the meaning of key
impact the population size of a species terms within an ecosystem
competitive, predatory, parasitic, and collecting, graphing, and
mutually beneficial relationships analyzing data on changes in an
abiotic and biotic factors ecosystem
matter and energy cycling analyzing and developing a food
examples of animal behaviors that affect web that shows the flow of energy
the probability of animal reproduction, and cycling of matter through an
such as nest building, herding of animals, ecosystem
synthesizing information and
and vocalizations and colorful plumage
examples of plant structures that affect predicting the outcome to explain
the probability of plant reproduction, such overall impact of a disruption
as bright flowers, flower nectar and odors making inferences based on data
that attract insects that transfer pollen, to construct an argument that
human activities and technologies
and hard shells on nuts that squirrels bury
can be engineered to mitigate the
Vocabulary:
negative impact of increases in
Organism, habitat, abiotic, biotic, species,
human population and per capita
population, community, ecosystem, ecology,
consumption of natural resources
Biome, climate, desert, rainforest, grassland/
on the environment
savanna, deciduous forest, boreal forest/
Taiga, Tundra, Natural selection, adaptation, evaluating design solutions for
niche, competition, predation, predator, prey, protecting an ecosystem
symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism,
including disruptions such as parasitism, parasite, host, producer, calculating the change in the
hurricanes, floods, wildfires, oil spills, consumer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore,
and construction.]
growth and population size of a
scavenger, decomposer, food chain, food web, species (including humans) by
7.MS-LS2-5. Evaluate energy pyramid, desertification, Birth rate, analyzing and interpreting data
competing design solutions death rate, immigration, emigration, population with abundance and scarcity of
for protecting an ecosystem. density, limiting factor, carrying capacity, resources
Discuss benefits and Resources, greenhouse effect, Carbon cycle, determining factors that affect
limitations of each design.* biodiversity, keystone species, extinction, the probability of reproduction
[Clarification Statement: Examples endangered species, threatened species, analyzing and using the
of design solutions could include habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation, evidence from examples to
water, land, and species protection, poaching, captive breeding.
and the prevention of soil erosion. develop an argument of how
Examples of design solution animal behaviors and
constraints could include scientific, specialized plant structures
economic, and social affect the probability of
considerations.]
reproduction
7.MS-LS2-6(MA). Explain
how changes to the
biodiversity of an
ecosystemthe variety of
species found in the
ecosystemmay limit the
availability of resources
humans use. [Clarification
Statement: Examples of resources
can include food, energy, medicine,
and clean water.]

7.MS-ESS3-4. Construct an
argument supported by
evidence that human activities
and technologies can mitigate
the impact of increases in
human population and per
capita consumption of natural
resources on the
environment. [Clarification
Statement: Arguments should be
based on examining historical data
such as population graphs, natural
resource distribution maps, and
water quality studies over time.
Examples of negative impacts can
include changes to the amount and
quality of natural resources such as
water, mineral, and energy supplies.]
7.MS-LS1-4. Construct an
explanation, based on
evidence for how
characteristic animal
behaviors and specialized
plant structures increase the
probability of successful
reproduction of animals and
plants. [Clarification Statement:
Examples of animal behaviors that
affect the probability of animal
reproduction could include nest
building to protect young from cold,
herding of animals to protect young
from predators, and vocalization of
animals and colorful plumage to
attract mates for breeding. Examples
of animal behaviors that affect the
probability of plant reproduction

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Template Adapted from 2011 Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe Used with Permission October 2011
CDSM G7 U7: Page 2 of 3
could include transferring pollen or
seeds; and, creating conditions for
seed germination and growth.
Examples of plant structures that
affect the probability of plant
reproduction could include bright
flowers attracting butterflies that
transfer pollen, flower nectar and
odors that attract insects that
transfer pollen, and hard shells on
nuts that squirrels bury.]
[Assessment Boundary: Assessment
does not include natural selection.]

Practices:
Engaging in argument from
evidence
Developing and Using Models
Analyzing and Interpreting
Data
Constructing Explanations
and Designing Solutions
Engaging in Argument
from Evidence

Stage 2 - Evidence
Evaluative Criteria Assessment Evidence
CURRICULUM EMBEDDED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT (PERFORMANCE
TASKS)
Students will create an infographic to visually display data and information
related to their biome and ecosystem. This will include Biome map, climate
stats, description of plant and animal life and how they have adapted to the
climate. They will also include a food web and energy pyramid, symbiotic
relationships, and have graphs and visuals to show trends in predator prey
relationships, population sizes, birth rate/death rate, etc. To tie in our human
impact unit they will be investigating and selecting an environmental problem
within their ecosystem/biome as a result of human actions. They will need to
evaluate and describe potential solutions to solving this problem.
This project will have checkpoints built into the unit so they research and gather
information as we go through the unit. In the end they will work with a group to compile it
in a visually appealing digital display.

OTHER EVIDENCE:
Individual check points for Curriculum Embedded Performance Assessment
Field Guide - Individual Assessment
Quizzes
Graph interpretation activities

Stage 3 - Learning Plan

Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction (L)

Resources:
biointeractive.org
venngage.com
Books: Interactive Science Massachussetts Grade 7 Pearson

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Template Adapted from 2011 Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe Used with Permission October 2011
CDSM G7 U7: Page 3 of 3