Julia Landon College Preparatory and Leadership

Development School
Curriculum Paper

Course Title: Comprehensive Science 2 Adv. & Gifted

Teacher: Mr. John Manias

Mission Statement: Our Mission at the Julia Landon College Preparatory and
Leadership
Development School is to create college bound students
with a deep
commitment to public service and a true understanding
of their
leadership skills within the global community.

Course Overview:
The seventh grade science curriculum centers on Florida’s Sunshine State
Standards. The concepts in the seventh grade are the Earth, Space and
Physical sciences, with a special emphasis on investigations and
experimentation in each area, as well as appropriate observance of safety
guidelines.

Seventh grade students will be using the Holt Science and Technology text
book. The book can be viewed online at www.my.hrw.com. All Classes will
follow the 5 E science model which is explained as follows:

Students engage by
• demonstrating background knowledge on a topic
• viewing and questioning a discrepant or novel (surprising) event
• pondering an essential, open-ended question or problem-based scenario
• participating in a discovery activity

Students explore by
• experiencing an inquiry activity or investigation introducing one or more
concepts
• sharing ideas
• building common knowledge base
• identifying further questions
• analyzing and interpreting data from inquiry activity
• planning and preparing a directed or guided inquiry activity

Students explain by
• sharing interpretations of data with other students and the teacher
• building mental and/or concrete models
• writing about concepts
• creating vocabulary maps and graphic organizers.

Students extend by
• applying what they have learned to new problems or situations
• clarifying concepts and explanations with teachers and other sources of
scientific knowledge by reading, researching, and discussing
Students evaluate understanding by
• reviewing what they have learned
• completing short-answer and extended response items and scoring them
with a rubric
• organizing information needed for the unit performance task
• discussing written items and performance tasks with others and the teacher
• taking quizzes and tests

Course Outline:
First Nine Weeks: Changes in Matter
• Practice and Characteristics of Science
• Properties of Matter
• Physical and chemical changes in matter
Second Nine Weeks | Energy & Space
• Energy Transformation
• Forms of Energy
• Space
• Stars and Galaxies
Third Nine Weeks | Genetics
• Cellular Reproduction
• Heredity
• Genetic Engineering
• Diversity and Evolution
Fourth Nine Weeks | Interdependence
• Energy Flow in Ecosystems
• Interdependence
• Cycles
• Photosynthesis and Respiration

Student Evaluation:
Weekly Grade Sheet/Bellringers: 15%
Class Assignments: 20 %
Home Work: 10 %
Labs: 30 %
Quizzes/Tests: 25%

Rubrics will be posted in class and online for students before any projects and
labs.

Educational Materials:
Students are required to have a 1 inch 3-ring binder with dividers. The
dividers will be separate the notebook into sections: bell ringers, class
assignments, notes, home work, labs and tests/quizzes.

Homework/Late Work Policy:

Team 7A will accept home work one day late with a deduction of points.

Make-up Work Policy:

All assignments will be posted online on either the teacher’s blog and/or
online grade book. It is the student’s responsibility to get make-up work from
their teachers. Absent student will be given the same numbers of days they
were out to complete make-up work.

Grade Recovery Policy:

Students will be offered grade recovery as outlined in the Duval County Pupil
Progression Plan found on the Duval County Public Schools web page.

Parent/Teacher Conferences:
Conferences will be held during team 7A’s planning period.

Tutoring Schedule:
TBA

Grading Scale:
Students will be evaluated in accordance with the standard Duval County
Public Schools’ grading scale.

Progress Reports:
In addition to report cards issued at the end of each quarter, students will
receive 2 progress reports each quarter. Students earning a grade of “D” or
“F” on a progress report will be required to return the progress report signed
by the parent/guardian within two days.