Science (7th Grade)

Course Description:

This  year long course, Middle School Comprehensive Science (7th Grade)  is the second in a series of three consecutive middle school science classes. It builds on concepts introduced in the first course of the series, including the disciplines of life science, physical science, and earth-space science. In addition, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts are integrated throughout the course.

Course Details:

Course Title (District): Science (7th Grade)
Course Title (NCES SCED) : Science (grade 7)
Course Provider : Montague Area Public Schools
Content Provided By : Michigan Virtual
Online Instructor Provided By : Montague Area Public Schools
Standards Addressed : Common Core State Standards
Alignment Document : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A1VlepIoNwdwMAV3w9-jqebUFJCq-Jq8/view?usp=sharing
Academic Terms : Year Long
NCES SCED Code :
Subject Area : Life and Physical Sciences
Course Identifier : Science (grade 7)
Course Level : Elem/Middle School (Prior to Secondary)
Available Credit : 1.0
Sequence : 1 of 1

How To Enroll:

Enrollment Website : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1U-YFSFkRlPHVqrFpNQGgj8H1oEmGhaYSV6i3kIbYlMY/edit?ts=611abbc8
Email : [email protected]
Phone : (888) 889-2840

Students and Parents: It is important to work closely with your local school counselor or registrar to follow the school's enrollment procedures. By clicking the "Start Registration Request" button below, you will be able to notify the school of your interest in registering for the online course. However, it is the responsibility of the district or school to review the registration request and approve or deny the request. Please make a note to follow up with your school after submitting a registration request.

Start Registration Request

Additional Course Information:

Additional Cost: $0.0

Additional Cost Description:

NA

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• explain the roles and relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in the process of energy transfer throughout a food web;

• state the law of conservation of energy and describe the various forms of energy as well as how they transform;

• diagram the path of energy transfer through biotic and abiotic systems.

•cite evidence supporting energy transformation to demonstrate that energy cannot be created or destroyed;

•plan, carry out, and analyze a scientific investigation;

•compare and/or contrast relationships between organisms, such as mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, predation, and competition;

•analyze the effects of the removal or addition or organisms on predation and competition in an ecosystem;

•identify various limiting factors (abiotic and biotic) in an ecosystem and predict the long-term effects of limiting factors on a local ecosystem;

•explain how genetic variations and the environment influence evolution;

•identify and describe the layers of Earth and the interactions among them;

•investigate the effects of temperature, pressure, and density on the core of Earth.

•define the three main types of rock and apply rock characteristics to identify rock types;

•explore how the rock cycle creates new rock types from existing rock types and explain how Earth's surface is built up and torn down through the rock cycle;

•describe the characteristics of the molten layers of Earth explain the causes of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mountain formation, and ocean basins;

•explain the causes and effects of deforestation, desertification, and urbanization;

•analyze human impact on the Earth;

•describe the electromagnetic spectrum, properties of waves, and common uses for electromagnetic waves;

•recognize that light waves move in straight lines unless they travel into a transparent material, or medium, which may cause the light wave to bend;

•describe the three states of matter (solid, liquid, and gas) and recognize that adding or removing heat may cause a change of state;

•recognize environmental changes that may impact the survival of a species and explain how a species' inability to adapt may contribute to its extinction;

•explore biotechnology as a larger field composed of cloning, genetic engineering, and artificial selection;

•explain that every organism requires a set of instructions that specifies its traits and explore the patterns of inheritance that outline these traits;

•explain how Punnett squares are used to determine genotypic and phenotypic probabilities;

•compare and contrast the processes of mitosis and meiosis.

iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses

Academic Content Standards and Assessments Rating Comments
The goals and objectives clearly state what the participants will know or be able to do at the end of the course. The goals and objectives are measurable in multiple ways. Fully Met Each lesson begins with an Introduction where objectives are listed. These objectives are measured in diverse ways.
The course content and assignments are aligned with the state’s content standards, Common Core curriculum, or other accepted content standards set for Advanced Placement® courses, technology, computer science, or other courses whose content is not included in the state standards. Partially Met State standards are linked through the Course Information -> Welcome link.
The course content and assignments are of sufficient rigor, depth and breadth to teach the standards being addressed. Fully Met
Information literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum. Fully Met Students read and interpret visual/written information. Students use verbal and written discussion skills.
Multiple learning resources and materials to increase student success are available to students before the course begins. Fully Met Discovery Ed video log-in information is provided up-front. Most other support resources are provided as the students progress through the course.
Course Overview and Introduction Rating Comments
Clear, complete course overview and syllabus are included in the course. Fully Met
Course requirements are consistent with course goals, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met
Information is provided to students, parents and mentors on how to communicate with the online instructor and course provider. Fully Met This information is clearly included in a "Help! How do I….?" tab.
Legal and Acceptable Use Policies Rating Comments
The course reflects multi-cultural education, and the content is accurate, current and free of bias or advertising. Fully Met Course is approached from diverse persepctives (historical, cultural, societal).
Expectations for academic integrity, use of copyrighted materials, plagiarism and netiquette (Internet etiquette) regarding lesson activities, discussions, and e-mail communications are clearly stated. Fully Met MVS Acceptable Use
Privacy policies are clearly stated. Fully Met MVS Policy
Instructor Resources Rating Comments
Online instructor resources and notes are included. Fully Met Welcome messages for mentors and students as well as images are included under an "Instructor Only" tab.
Assessment and assignment answers and explanations are included. Fully Met Florida Virtual answer keys are provided in this tab as well.
Accessing Course Effectiveness Rating Comments
The course provider uses multiple ways of assessing course effectiveness. Fully Met
The course is evaluated using a continuous improvement cycle for effectiveness and the findings used as a basis for improvement. Fully Met
Course Updates Rating Comments
The course is updated periodically to ensure that the content is current. Fully Met
Certification Rating Comments
Course instructors, whether faceto-face or virtual, are certificated and “highly qualified.” The online course teacher possesses a teaching credential from a state-licensing agency and is “highly qualified” as defined under ESEA. Fully Met
Instructor and Student Support Rating Comments
Professional development about the online course delivery system is offered by the provider to assure effective use of the courseware and various instructional media available. Fully Met
The course provider offers technical support and course management assistance to students, the course instructor, and the school coordinator. Fully Met
Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, have been provided professional development in the behavioral, social, and when necessary, emotional, aspects of the learning environment. Fully Met
Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, receive instructor professional development, which includes the support and use of a variety of communication modes to stimulate student engagement online. Fully Met
The provider assures that course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, are provided support, as needed, to ensure their effectiveness and success in meeting the needs of online students. Fully Met
Students are offered an orientation for taking an online course before starting the coursework. Fully Met
Instructional and Audience Analysis Rating Comments
Course design reflects a clear understanding of all students’ needs and incorporates varied ways to learn and master the curriculum. Fully Met Curriculum is differentiated and includes cross-curricular concepts.
Course, Unit and Lesson Design Rating Comments
The course is organized by units and lessons that fall into a logical sequence. Each unit and lesson includes an overview describing objectives, activities, assignments, assessments, and resources to provide multiple learning opportunities for students to master the content. Fully Met Students cover 3 units arranged into successive lessons.
Instructional Strategies and Activities Rating Comments
The course instruction includes activities that engage students in active learning. Fully Met Lessons are interactive, differentiated, and engaging.
The course and course instructor provide students with multiple learning paths, based on student needs that engage students in a variety of ways. Fully Met Students participate in numerous types of activities and have the option to complete the course in an "advanced track".
The course provides opportunities for students to engage in higher-order thinking, critical reasoning activities and thinking in increasingly complex ways. Fully Met Scientific concepts are framed in personal as well as societal persepctives instead of just discussed as a topic.
The course provides options for the instructor to adapt learning activities to accommodate students’ needs. Fully Met While the course content is not modifiable, assignments and assessments can be modified to meet learners' diverse needs.
Readability levels, written language assignments and mathematical requirements are appropriate for the course content and grade-level expectations. Fully Met Yes, and audio/visual examples are provided to aid in this.
Communication and Interaction Rating Comments
The course design provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student interaction, including opportunities for timely and frequent feedback about student progress. Fully Met Students can complete oral reports. Instructors can leave feedback on individual assignments for students post-completion.
The course design includes explicit communication/activities (both before and during the first week of the course) that confirms whether students are engaged and are progressing through the course. The instructor will follow program guidelines to address non-responsive students. Partially Met Progress check points are included in the grade book for progress report purposes. No guidelines are set in the course for non-responsive students.
The course provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student and student-student interaction to foster mastery and application of the material. Fully Met Inquiry activities are included. Projects are independently completed, and offer no accomodation for group work.
Resources and Materials Rating Comments
Students have access to resources that enrich the course content. Fully Met Numerous resources are provided in the lessons to reinforce content.
Evaluation Strategies Rating Comments
Student evaluation strategies are consistent with course goals and objectives, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met Assessments are aimed at assessing the objectives outlined in each lesson.
The course structure includes adequate and appropriate methods and procedures to assess students’ mastery of content. Fully Met
Feedback Rating Comments
Ongoing, varied, and frequent assessments are conducted throughout the course to inform instruction. Fully Met Yes, assessments are matched to a 7th grade performance level.
Assessment strategies and tools make the student continuously aware of his/her progress in class and mastery of the content. Fully Met Students can follow their progress through the "My Grades" tab.
Assessment Resources and Materials Rating Comments
Assessment materials provide the instructor with the flexibility to assess students in a variety of ways. Fully Met Assessments are differentiated.
Grading rubrics are provided to the instructor and may be shared with students. Fully Met If the instructor needs grading rubrics, they are available through MVS.
The grading policy and practices are easy to understand. Fully Met
Course Architecture Rating Comments
The course architecture permits the online instructor to add content, activities and assessments to extend learning opportunities. Fully Met
The course accommodates multiple school calendars; e.g., block, 4X4 and traditional schedules. Fully Met The students have options for pacing.
User Interface Rating Comments
Clear and consistent navigation is present throughout the course. Fully Met
Rich media are provided in multiple formats for ease of use and access in order to address diverse student needs. Fully Met Yes, media is available in video, written, audio, etc.
Technology Requirements and Interoperability Rating Comments
All technology requirements (including hardware, browser, software, etc...) are specified. Fully Met Linked in the course through http://www.mivhs.org/Support/Technical-Requirements
Prerequisite skills in the use of technology are identified. Fully Met
The course uses content-specific tools and software appropriately. Fully Met
The course is designed to meet internationally recognized interoperability standards. Fully Met MVS Policy
Copyright and licensing status, including permission to share where applicable, is clearly stated and easily found. Fully Met MVS Policy
Accessibility Rating Comments
Course materials and activities are designed to provide appropriate access to all students. The course, developed with universal design principles in mind, conforms to the U.S. Section 504 and Section 508 provisions for electronic and information technology as well as the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility guidelines (WCAg 2.0). Fully Met MVS Policy
Data Security Rating Comments
Student information remains confidential, as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Fully Met

Review Conducted By: Michigan Virtual
Date of Review: 04/08/2014

Module 01: Matter and Energy (Food Chains and Webs; Transformation of Energy; Law of Conservation of Energy)

Module 02: Interdependence of Life (Biological Interactions; Limiting Factors; Evidence of Change; Evolution and Natural Selection)

Module 03: The Earth (Geological Age; Layers of the Earth; Plate Tectonics)

Segment One Collaboration Activity

Segment One Exam

Module 04: Patterns of Change (Processes that Shape the Earth; Heat Flow Inside the Earth; Human Impact on the Earth) 

Module 05: Energy Resources (Electromagnetic Spectrum; Properties of Light; Phases of Matter; Adaptation to the Environment)

Module 06: Heredity and Genetics (Biotechnology; Heredity; Patterns of Inheritance; Mitosis and Meiosis)

Segment Two Collaboration Activity

Segment Two Exam

Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends Random Draw Date Enrollment Drop Date Course Starts Course Ends # of Seats Course Fee Potential Additional Costs
Drop Policy Completion Policy Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends
Students can use chat, email or private message system within the course to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance.