Curriculum / Global Curriculum / Grade 7

Grade 7 Science.

10textbooks

250lessons

111competencies

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The whole year, lesson by lesson.

Textbook 1Hypotheses, Multivariable Data, Scientific Claims, and the Engineering Design Cycle

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

From Question to Testable Hypothesis

Chapter 2

Method Selection, Risk, and Digital Data Collection

Chapter 3

Multivariable Data, Correlation, and Causation

Chapter 4

Evaluating Claims and Completing the Engineering Cycle

Textbook 2Atomic Structure, Elements, Compounds, Mixtures, and Reactions

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Protons, Neutrons, Electrons, and Atomic Identity

Chapter 2

Elements and the Periodic Table

Chapter 3

Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures

Chapter 4

Chemical Reactions Rearrange Atoms

Textbook 3Balanced Forces, Net Force, Energy Transformations, and Heat Transfer

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

Chapter 2

Investigating Net Force and Motion

Chapter 3

Energy Transformations Through Systems

Chapter 4

Conduction, Convection, and Radiation

Textbook 4Waves, Communication, Circuits, and Electromagnets

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Wave Properties in Sound and Communication

Chapter 2

Light, Materials, and Information

Chapter 3

Current, Voltage, Resistance, Series, and Parallel Circuits

Chapter 4

Electromagnets and an Engineered Magnetic System

Textbook 5Cell Organelles, Photosynthesis, Respiration, and Biological Organization

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Organelles and Cell Functions

Chapter 2

Photosynthesis

Chapter 3

Cellular Respiration

Chapter 4

Cells, Tissues, Organs, and Systems

Textbook 6Genes, Variation, Survival, Reproduction, and Population Change

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Genes Pass from Parents to Offspring

Chapter 2

Variation Within Populations

Chapter 3

Environment, Survival, and Reproduction

Chapter 4

Population Change Across Generations

Textbook 7Interdependence, Carbon, Water, Energy, and Ecosystem Feedback

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Interdependence and Multiple Causes

Chapter 2

The Carbon Cycle

Chapter 3

The Water Cycle Through Ecosystems

Chapter 4

Energy Pyramids, Cycles, and Feedback

Textbook 8Nervous, Endocrine, Reproductive, and Immune Systems

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Levels of Organization and the Nervous System

Chapter 2

The Endocrine System and Developmental Signaling

Chapter 3

Reproductive Anatomy, Puberty, Privacy, and Help-Seeking

Chapter 4

Immune Defense, Disease, and Adolescent Health Claims

Textbook 9Earth’s Interior, Plate Movement, Deep Time, and Stratigraphy

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Earth’s Internal Layers and Evidence

Chapter 2

Introductory Plate Movement and Geological Patterns

Chapter 3

Deep Time and Stratigraphy

Chapter 4

Major Transitions in Earth and Life History

Textbook 10Climate Systems, Stars, Galaxies, and Light as Evidence

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Latitude, Solar Heating, and Atmospheric Circulation

Chapter 2

Oceans, Landforms, and Regional Climate

Chapter 3

Stars, Galaxies, and the Structure of the Universe

Chapter 4

Light Carries Evidence from Space

Every coin is a 15-minute lesson.

Explained simply, shown with pictures, then put to the test. Stars are chapter reviews. The trophy is the final review.

See how a lesson works

Every competency, covered.

The 111 competencies set for Grade 7 Science, and every one has lessons behind it.

Hypotheses, Multivariable Data, Scientific Claims, and the Engineering Design Cycle

21 competencies

Organize and interpret multivariable scientific data using tables, scaled graphs, spreadsheets, and digital sensors where feasible.
Distinguish correlation from causation and identify additional evidence needed to support a causal claim.
Trace multiple causes, effects, interactions, or feedback relationships within a scientific system.
Evaluate a scientific claim by checking evidence quality, source expertise, investigation method, limitations, and possible conflicts of interest.
Distinguish a scientific conclusion from a value judgment, policy preference, advertisement, or unsupported assertion.
Define a design problem with stated criteria, constraints, materials, risks, and intended users or environment.
Investigate material or structural properties relevant to the design problem.
Generate and document multiple design ideas using diagrams, models, or prototypes.
Select a design using evidence and explain the reasoning.
Build, test, record, revise, and communicate a complete design cycle.
Identify a trade-off or unresolved limitation without claiming the design is fully optimized.
Evaluate a scientific claim by checking the evidence presented.
Check whether the source has relevant expertise and whether the method is described clearly.
Identify possible financial, institutional, ideological, or personal conflicts of interest without assuming that a conflict automatically makes a claim false.
Compare a scientific claim with alternative explanations and determine what evidence would distinguish them.
Communicate a justified level of confidence rather than presenting every scientific conclusion as equally certain.
Formulate a testable hypothesis linking an independent variable to a measurable dependent variable.
Select and justify an investigation method appropriate to the scientific question.
Identify independent, dependent, and controlled variables and justify why each controlled variable matters.
Identify hazards, assess basic risks, and select reasonable control measures before investigation.
Plan and carry out an investigation using repeated trials, appropriate tools, consistent procedures, and digital data collection where feasible.

Atomic Structure, Elements, Compounds, Mixtures, and Reactions

12 competencies

Construct and revise models that represent matter, energy, information, or interactions across system components.
Compare a model with evidence and identify conditions under which the model succeeds or fails.
Describe an atom as containing protons, neutrons, and electrons.
Identify the relative charge and location of protons, neutrons, and electrons in a simplified atomic model.
Explain that the number of protons identifies an element.
Use atomic number to identify an element in the periodic table.
Describe the periodic table as an organized arrangement of elements rather than a random list.
Distinguish elements, compounds, and mixtures using particle composition.
Explain that atoms in a compound are joined, while substances in a mixture remain physically combined.
Use multiple forms of evidence to determine whether a chemical reaction likely occurred.
Use particle models to explain that chemical reactions rearrange atoms into new combinations.
Explain that atoms are conserved during a reaction even though the substances change.

Balanced Forces, Net Force, Energy Transformations, and Heat Transfer

25 competencies

Trace multiple causes, effects, interactions, or feedback relationships within a scientific system.
Define a design problem with stated criteria, constraints, materials, risks, and intended users or environment.
Investigate material or structural properties relevant to the design problem.
Generate and document multiple design ideas using diagrams, models, or prototypes.
Select a design using evidence and explain the reasoning.
Build, test, record, revise, and communicate a complete design cycle.
Identify a trade-off or unresolved limitation without claiming the design is fully optimized.
Distinguish balanced from unbalanced forces.
Determine the qualitative direction of net force when several forces act on an object.
Predict whether an object’s motion will remain unchanged or change based on the balance of forces.
Represent forces using labeled arrows without performing vector calculations.
Trace energy transformations through a device, organism, or physical process.
Explain that energy may change form while moving through a system.
Identify useful and dispersed energy qualitatively without formal conservation calculations.
Explain heat transfer through conduction.
Explain heat transfer through convection.
Explain heat transfer through radiation.
Compare conduction, convection, and radiation in real situations.
Formulate a testable hypothesis linking an independent variable to a measurable dependent variable.
Select and justify an investigation method appropriate to the scientific question.
Identify independent, dependent, and controlled variables and justify why each controlled variable matters.
Identify hazards, assess basic risks, and select reasonable control measures before investigation.
Plan and carry out an investigation using repeated trials, appropriate tools, consistent procedures, and digital data collection where feasible.
Interpret investigation results using patterns, comparisons, calculated summaries, and acknowledged measurement limitations.
Evaluate whether evidence supports the hypothesis and propose a method improvement grounded in a specific limitation.

Waves, Communication, Circuits, and Electromagnets

23 competencies

Define a design problem with stated criteria, constraints, materials, risks, and intended users or environment.
Investigate material or structural properties relevant to the design problem.
Generate and document multiple design ideas using diagrams, models, or prototypes.
Select a design using evidence and explain the reasoning.
Build, test, record, revise, and communicate a complete design cycle.
Identify a trade-off or unresolved limitation without claiming the design is fully optimized.
Apply amplitude, frequency, wavelength, reflection, absorption, and transmission to sound or light phenomena.
Explain how sound waves support communication and how source, medium, and receiver affect the signal.
Explain how light may be reflected, absorbed, or transmitted by materials.
Analyze how wave properties affect the transfer of energy or information qualitatively.
Distinguish current, voltage, and resistance as different measurable circuit quantities.
Measure current and voltage safely in simple circuits using appropriate meters or simulations.
Compare series and parallel circuit structures and behavior.
Predict qualitative circuit changes when components are added, removed, or rearranged.
Construct an electromagnet and explain that electric current can produce magnetism.
Investigate how one controlled factor affects electromagnet strength.
Formulate a testable hypothesis linking an independent variable to a measurable dependent variable.
Select and justify an investigation method appropriate to the scientific question.
Identify independent, dependent, and controlled variables and justify why each controlled variable matters.
Identify hazards, assess basic risks, and select reasonable control measures before investigation.
Plan and carry out an investigation using repeated trials, appropriate tools, consistent procedures, and digital data collection where feasible.
Interpret investigation results using patterns, comparisons, calculated summaries, and acknowledged measurement limitations.
Evaluate whether evidence supports the hypothesis and propose a method improvement grounded in a specific limitation.

Cell Organelles, Photosynthesis, Respiration, and Biological Organization

9 competencies

Construct and revise models that represent matter, energy, information, or interactions across system components.
Compare a model with evidence and identify conditions under which the model succeeds or fails.
Identify major cell organelles and describe their introductory functions.
Explain the functions of the cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, and selected plant-cell structures.
Explain photosynthesis as a cellular process using light energy to produce sugar from carbon dioxide and water, releasing oxygen.
Explain cellular respiration as a cellular process releasing usable energy from food using oxygen and producing carbon dioxide and water.
Compare photosynthesis and cellular respiration without treating them as exact reverse processes in every detail.
Explain how cells form tissues, tissues form organs, and organs cooperate in systems.
Use structure and function to compare selected specialized cells, tissues, organs, and systems.

Genes, Variation, Survival, Reproduction, and Population Change

10 competencies

Organize and interpret multivariable scientific data using tables, scaled graphs, spreadsheets, and digital sensors where feasible.
Trace multiple causes, effects, interactions, or feedback relationships within a scientific system.
Construct and revise models that represent matter, energy, information, or interactions across system components.
Explain that genes influence traits and pass from parents to offspring.
Explain that an organism inherits a combination of genetic information from its parents.
Describe how genetic and environmental influences may interact in producing an observable trait.
Describe variation within a population.
Explain that environmental conditions may affect which individuals survive and reproduce.
Explain that population characteristics may gradually change across generations when survival and reproduction differ.
Distinguish changes in individuals during life from changes in population characteristics across generations.

Interdependence, Carbon, Water, Energy, and Ecosystem Feedback

9 competencies

Distinguish correlation from causation and identify additional evidence needed to support a causal claim.
Trace multiple causes, effects, interactions, or feedback relationships within a scientific system.
Construct and revise models that represent matter, energy, information, or interactions across system components.
Explain ecosystem interdependence across organisms and abiotic factors.
Trace carbon through photosynthesis, feeding, respiration, decomposition, oceans, soil, and atmosphere qualitatively.
Trace water through organisms, atmosphere, soil, surface water, and groundwater qualitatively.
Connect food webs, energy pyramids, carbon cycling, and water cycling within one ecosystem model.
Identify positive or negative feedback in a simplified ecosystem example.
Explain why ecosystem changes may have several interacting causes rather than one isolated cause.

Nervous, Endocrine, Reproductive, and Immune Systems

21 competencies

Evaluate a scientific claim by checking evidence quality, source expertise, investigation method, limitations, and possible conflicts of interest.
Explain the organization of the human body from cells to tissues, organs, and organ systems.
Identify major structures of the nervous system and describe their introductory functions.
Explain how sensory information, the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles contribute to a response.
Distinguish voluntary responses from reflex responses at an introductory level.
Identify major endocrine glands and explain that hormones act as chemical signals.
Explain how nervous and endocrine coordination differ in speed and duration at a qualitative level.
Identify major structures of the male and female reproductive systems using accurate biological vocabulary.
Explain the general biological functions of reproductive organs without advanced reproductive physiology.
Explain how biological changes during puberty relate broadly to reproductive-system maturation and hormonal signaling.
Apply factual principles of development variation, hygiene, privacy, safety, and reliable help-seeking.
Identify the skin, mucus, stomach acid, and other physical or chemical barriers as first-line defenses against pathogens.
Explain that immune cells and responses help identify and respond to harmful pathogens.
Distinguish infectious diseases from noninfectious diseases.
Compare common routes of infectious-disease transmission and prevention.
Evaluate an adolescent health claim using source expertise, evidence, method, purpose, and conflict-of-interest checks.
Evaluate a scientific claim by checking the evidence presented.
Check whether the source has relevant expertise and whether the method is described clearly.
Identify possible financial, institutional, ideological, or personal conflicts of interest without assuming that a conflict automatically makes a claim false.
Compare a scientific claim with alternative explanations and determine what evidence would distinguish them.
Communicate a justified level of confidence rather than presenting every scientific conclusion as equally certain.

Earth’s Interior, Plate Movement, Deep Time, and Stratigraphy

11 competencies

Construct and revise models that represent matter, energy, information, or interactions across system components.
Compare a model with evidence and identify conditions under which the model succeeds or fails.
Identify Earth’s crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core and describe their broad properties.
Explain that evidence about Earth’s interior comes from seismic waves, density, magnetic evidence, laboratory studies, and material behavior rather than direct observation alone.
Describe Earth’s outer solid layer as broken into moving plates at an introductory level.
Connect broad plate movement to patterns of earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, and ocean-floor features.
Explain that internal heat contributes to geological activity without developing a complete mantle-convection or plate-driving model.
Explain deep time as the immense span of Earth history revealed through rocks and fossils.
Apply stratigraphic principles to interpret sequences of layers and geological events.
Identify broad major transitions in Earth and life history without requiring complete formal-period memorization.
Explain that the geological record is incomplete and contains gaps, disturbance, erosion, and preservation bias.

Climate Systems, Stars, Galaxies, and Light as Evidence

14 competencies

Organize and interpret multivariable scientific data using tables, scaled graphs, spreadsheets, and digital sensors where feasible.
Construct and revise models that represent matter, energy, information, or interactions across system components.
Compare a model with evidence and identify conditions under which the model succeeds or fails.
Explain how latitude affects solar heating patterns.
Explain how oceans store and redistribute heat.
Explain how prevailing winds and atmospheric circulation redistribute heat and moisture qualitatively.
Explain how elevation, landforms, distance from water, and surface properties affect regional climate.
Interpret introductory climate data involving temperature, precipitation, latitude, elevation, or ocean influence.
Describe the universe as containing galaxies, stars, planetary systems, gas, dust, and large-scale structure.
Describe a star as a distant luminous object and the Sun as one star among many.
Explain that galaxies contain enormous numbers of stars and that the Milky Way is Earth’s home galaxy.
Explain that light carries information from distant objects.
Use brightness, color, spectra as introductory evidence, and apparent position to infer basic information about stars without developing stellar physics.
Compare astronomical distance scales descriptively using astronomical units, light-years, and relative scale models.

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The whole year, lesson by lesson.

Textbook 1Hypotheses, Multivariable Data, Scientific Claims, and the Engineering Design Cycle

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

From Question to Testable Hypothesis

Chapter 2

Method Selection, Risk, and Digital Data Collection

Chapter 3

Multivariable Data, Correlation, and Causation

Chapter 4

Evaluating Claims and Completing the Engineering Cycle

Textbook 2Atomic Structure, Elements, Compounds, Mixtures, and Reactions

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Protons, Neutrons, Electrons, and Atomic Identity

Chapter 2

Elements and the Periodic Table

Chapter 3

Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures

Chapter 4

Chemical Reactions Rearrange Atoms

Textbook 3Balanced Forces, Net Force, Energy Transformations, and Heat Transfer

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

Chapter 2

Investigating Net Force and Motion

Chapter 3

Energy Transformations Through Systems

Chapter 4

Conduction, Convection, and Radiation

Textbook 4Waves, Communication, Circuits, and Electromagnets

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Wave Properties in Sound and Communication

Chapter 2

Light, Materials, and Information

Chapter 3

Current, Voltage, Resistance, Series, and Parallel Circuits

Chapter 4

Electromagnets and an Engineered Magnetic System

Textbook 5Cell Organelles, Photosynthesis, Respiration, and Biological Organization

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Organelles and Cell Functions

Chapter 2

Photosynthesis

Chapter 3

Cellular Respiration

Chapter 4

Cells, Tissues, Organs, and Systems

Textbook 6Genes, Variation, Survival, Reproduction, and Population Change

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Genes Pass from Parents to Offspring

Chapter 2

Variation Within Populations

Chapter 3

Environment, Survival, and Reproduction

Chapter 4

Population Change Across Generations

Textbook 7Interdependence, Carbon, Water, Energy, and Ecosystem Feedback

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Interdependence and Multiple Causes

Chapter 2

The Carbon Cycle

Chapter 3

The Water Cycle Through Ecosystems

Chapter 4

Energy Pyramids, Cycles, and Feedback

Textbook 8Nervous, Endocrine, Reproductive, and Immune Systems

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Levels of Organization and the Nervous System

Chapter 2

The Endocrine System and Developmental Signaling

Chapter 3

Reproductive Anatomy, Puberty, Privacy, and Help-Seeking

Chapter 4

Immune Defense, Disease, and Adolescent Health Claims

Textbook 9Earth’s Interior, Plate Movement, Deep Time, and Stratigraphy

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Earth’s Internal Layers and Evidence

Chapter 2

Introductory Plate Movement and Geological Patterns

Chapter 3

Deep Time and Stratigraphy

Chapter 4

Major Transitions in Earth and Life History

Textbook 10Climate Systems, Stars, Galaxies, and Light as Evidence

4 chapters · 25 lessons

Chapter 1

Latitude, Solar Heating, and Atmospheric Circulation

Chapter 2

Oceans, Landforms, and Regional Climate

Chapter 3

Stars, Galaxies, and the Structure of the Universe

Chapter 4

Light Carries Evidence from Space

Every competency, covered.

The 111 competencies set for Grade 7 Science, and every one has lessons behind it.

Hypotheses, Multivariable Data, Scientific Claims, and the Engineering Design Cycle

21 competencies

Organize and interpret multivariable scientific data using tables, scaled graphs, spreadsheets, and digital sensors where feasible.
Distinguish correlation from causation and identify additional evidence needed to support a causal claim.
Trace multiple causes, effects, interactions, or feedback relationships within a scientific system.
Evaluate a scientific claim by checking evidence quality, source expertise, investigation method, limitations, and possible conflicts of interest.
Distinguish a scientific conclusion from a value judgment, policy preference, advertisement, or unsupported assertion.
Define a design problem with stated criteria, constraints, materials, risks, and intended users or environment.
Investigate material or structural properties relevant to the design problem.
Generate and document multiple design ideas using diagrams, models, or prototypes.
Select a design using evidence and explain the reasoning.
Build, test, record, revise, and communicate a complete design cycle.
Identify a trade-off or unresolved limitation without claiming the design is fully optimized.
Evaluate a scientific claim by checking the evidence presented.
Check whether the source has relevant expertise and whether the method is described clearly.
Identify possible financial, institutional, ideological, or personal conflicts of interest without assuming that a conflict automatically makes a claim false.
Compare a scientific claim with alternative explanations and determine what evidence would distinguish them.
Communicate a justified level of confidence rather than presenting every scientific conclusion as equally certain.
Formulate a testable hypothesis linking an independent variable to a measurable dependent variable.
Select and justify an investigation method appropriate to the scientific question.
Identify independent, dependent, and controlled variables and justify why each controlled variable matters.
Identify hazards, assess basic risks, and select reasonable control measures before investigation.
Plan and carry out an investigation using repeated trials, appropriate tools, consistent procedures, and digital data collection where feasible.

Atomic Structure, Elements, Compounds, Mixtures, and Reactions

12 competencies

Construct and revise models that represent matter, energy, information, or interactions across system components.
Compare a model with evidence and identify conditions under which the model succeeds or fails.
Describe an atom as containing protons, neutrons, and electrons.
Identify the relative charge and location of protons, neutrons, and electrons in a simplified atomic model.
Explain that the number of protons identifies an element.
Use atomic number to identify an element in the periodic table.
Describe the periodic table as an organized arrangement of elements rather than a random list.
Distinguish elements, compounds, and mixtures using particle composition.
Explain that atoms in a compound are joined, while substances in a mixture remain physically combined.
Use multiple forms of evidence to determine whether a chemical reaction likely occurred.
Use particle models to explain that chemical reactions rearrange atoms into new combinations.
Explain that atoms are conserved during a reaction even though the substances change.

Balanced Forces, Net Force, Energy Transformations, and Heat Transfer

25 competencies

Trace multiple causes, effects, interactions, or feedback relationships within a scientific system.
Define a design problem with stated criteria, constraints, materials, risks, and intended users or environment.
Investigate material or structural properties relevant to the design problem.
Generate and document multiple design ideas using diagrams, models, or prototypes.
Select a design using evidence and explain the reasoning.
Build, test, record, revise, and communicate a complete design cycle.
Identify a trade-off or unresolved limitation without claiming the design is fully optimized.
Distinguish balanced from unbalanced forces.
Determine the qualitative direction of net force when several forces act on an object.
Predict whether an object’s motion will remain unchanged or change based on the balance of forces.
Represent forces using labeled arrows without performing vector calculations.
Trace energy transformations through a device, organism, or physical process.
Explain that energy may change form while moving through a system.
Identify useful and dispersed energy qualitatively without formal conservation calculations.
Explain heat transfer through conduction.
Explain heat transfer through convection.
Explain heat transfer through radiation.
Compare conduction, convection, and radiation in real situations.
Formulate a testable hypothesis linking an independent variable to a measurable dependent variable.
Select and justify an investigation method appropriate to the scientific question.
Identify independent, dependent, and controlled variables and justify why each controlled variable matters.
Identify hazards, assess basic risks, and select reasonable control measures before investigation.
Plan and carry out an investigation using repeated trials, appropriate tools, consistent procedures, and digital data collection where feasible.
Interpret investigation results using patterns, comparisons, calculated summaries, and acknowledged measurement limitations.
Evaluate whether evidence supports the hypothesis and propose a method improvement grounded in a specific limitation.

Waves, Communication, Circuits, and Electromagnets

23 competencies

Define a design problem with stated criteria, constraints, materials, risks, and intended users or environment.
Investigate material or structural properties relevant to the design problem.
Generate and document multiple design ideas using diagrams, models, or prototypes.
Select a design using evidence and explain the reasoning.
Build, test, record, revise, and communicate a complete design cycle.
Identify a trade-off or unresolved limitation without claiming the design is fully optimized.
Apply amplitude, frequency, wavelength, reflection, absorption, and transmission to sound or light phenomena.
Explain how sound waves support communication and how source, medium, and receiver affect the signal.
Explain how light may be reflected, absorbed, or transmitted by materials.
Analyze how wave properties affect the transfer of energy or information qualitatively.
Distinguish current, voltage, and resistance as different measurable circuit quantities.
Measure current and voltage safely in simple circuits using appropriate meters or simulations.
Compare series and parallel circuit structures and behavior.
Predict qualitative circuit changes when components are added, removed, or rearranged.
Construct an electromagnet and explain that electric current can produce magnetism.
Investigate how one controlled factor affects electromagnet strength.
Formulate a testable hypothesis linking an independent variable to a measurable dependent variable.
Select and justify an investigation method appropriate to the scientific question.
Identify independent, dependent, and controlled variables and justify why each controlled variable matters.
Identify hazards, assess basic risks, and select reasonable control measures before investigation.
Plan and carry out an investigation using repeated trials, appropriate tools, consistent procedures, and digital data collection where feasible.
Interpret investigation results using patterns, comparisons, calculated summaries, and acknowledged measurement limitations.
Evaluate whether evidence supports the hypothesis and propose a method improvement grounded in a specific limitation.

Cell Organelles, Photosynthesis, Respiration, and Biological Organization

9 competencies

Construct and revise models that represent matter, energy, information, or interactions across system components.
Compare a model with evidence and identify conditions under which the model succeeds or fails.
Identify major cell organelles and describe their introductory functions.
Explain the functions of the cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, and selected plant-cell structures.
Explain photosynthesis as a cellular process using light energy to produce sugar from carbon dioxide and water, releasing oxygen.
Explain cellular respiration as a cellular process releasing usable energy from food using oxygen and producing carbon dioxide and water.
Compare photosynthesis and cellular respiration without treating them as exact reverse processes in every detail.
Explain how cells form tissues, tissues form organs, and organs cooperate in systems.
Use structure and function to compare selected specialized cells, tissues, organs, and systems.

Genes, Variation, Survival, Reproduction, and Population Change

10 competencies

Organize and interpret multivariable scientific data using tables, scaled graphs, spreadsheets, and digital sensors where feasible.
Trace multiple causes, effects, interactions, or feedback relationships within a scientific system.
Construct and revise models that represent matter, energy, information, or interactions across system components.
Explain that genes influence traits and pass from parents to offspring.
Explain that an organism inherits a combination of genetic information from its parents.
Describe how genetic and environmental influences may interact in producing an observable trait.
Describe variation within a population.
Explain that environmental conditions may affect which individuals survive and reproduce.
Explain that population characteristics may gradually change across generations when survival and reproduction differ.
Distinguish changes in individuals during life from changes in population characteristics across generations.

Interdependence, Carbon, Water, Energy, and Ecosystem Feedback

9 competencies

Distinguish correlation from causation and identify additional evidence needed to support a causal claim.
Trace multiple causes, effects, interactions, or feedback relationships within a scientific system.
Construct and revise models that represent matter, energy, information, or interactions across system components.
Explain ecosystem interdependence across organisms and abiotic factors.
Trace carbon through photosynthesis, feeding, respiration, decomposition, oceans, soil, and atmosphere qualitatively.
Trace water through organisms, atmosphere, soil, surface water, and groundwater qualitatively.
Connect food webs, energy pyramids, carbon cycling, and water cycling within one ecosystem model.
Identify positive or negative feedback in a simplified ecosystem example.
Explain why ecosystem changes may have several interacting causes rather than one isolated cause.

Nervous, Endocrine, Reproductive, and Immune Systems

21 competencies

Evaluate a scientific claim by checking evidence quality, source expertise, investigation method, limitations, and possible conflicts of interest.
Explain the organization of the human body from cells to tissues, organs, and organ systems.
Identify major structures of the nervous system and describe their introductory functions.
Explain how sensory information, the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles contribute to a response.
Distinguish voluntary responses from reflex responses at an introductory level.
Identify major endocrine glands and explain that hormones act as chemical signals.
Explain how nervous and endocrine coordination differ in speed and duration at a qualitative level.
Identify major structures of the male and female reproductive systems using accurate biological vocabulary.
Explain the general biological functions of reproductive organs without advanced reproductive physiology.
Explain how biological changes during puberty relate broadly to reproductive-system maturation and hormonal signaling.
Apply factual principles of development variation, hygiene, privacy, safety, and reliable help-seeking.
Identify the skin, mucus, stomach acid, and other physical or chemical barriers as first-line defenses against pathogens.
Explain that immune cells and responses help identify and respond to harmful pathogens.
Distinguish infectious diseases from noninfectious diseases.
Compare common routes of infectious-disease transmission and prevention.
Evaluate an adolescent health claim using source expertise, evidence, method, purpose, and conflict-of-interest checks.
Evaluate a scientific claim by checking the evidence presented.
Check whether the source has relevant expertise and whether the method is described clearly.
Identify possible financial, institutional, ideological, or personal conflicts of interest without assuming that a conflict automatically makes a claim false.
Compare a scientific claim with alternative explanations and determine what evidence would distinguish them.
Communicate a justified level of confidence rather than presenting every scientific conclusion as equally certain.

Earth’s Interior, Plate Movement, Deep Time, and Stratigraphy

11 competencies

Construct and revise models that represent matter, energy, information, or interactions across system components.
Compare a model with evidence and identify conditions under which the model succeeds or fails.
Identify Earth’s crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core and describe their broad properties.
Explain that evidence about Earth’s interior comes from seismic waves, density, magnetic evidence, laboratory studies, and material behavior rather than direct observation alone.
Describe Earth’s outer solid layer as broken into moving plates at an introductory level.
Connect broad plate movement to patterns of earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, and ocean-floor features.
Explain that internal heat contributes to geological activity without developing a complete mantle-convection or plate-driving model.
Explain deep time as the immense span of Earth history revealed through rocks and fossils.
Apply stratigraphic principles to interpret sequences of layers and geological events.
Identify broad major transitions in Earth and life history without requiring complete formal-period memorization.
Explain that the geological record is incomplete and contains gaps, disturbance, erosion, and preservation bias.

Climate Systems, Stars, Galaxies, and Light as Evidence

14 competencies

Organize and interpret multivariable scientific data using tables, scaled graphs, spreadsheets, and digital sensors where feasible.
Construct and revise models that represent matter, energy, information, or interactions across system components.
Compare a model with evidence and identify conditions under which the model succeeds or fails.
Explain how latitude affects solar heating patterns.
Explain how oceans store and redistribute heat.
Explain how prevailing winds and atmospheric circulation redistribute heat and moisture qualitatively.
Explain how elevation, landforms, distance from water, and surface properties affect regional climate.
Interpret introductory climate data involving temperature, precipitation, latitude, elevation, or ocean influence.
Describe the universe as containing galaxies, stars, planetary systems, gas, dust, and large-scale structure.
Describe a star as a distant luminous object and the Sun as one star among many.
Explain that galaxies contain enormous numbers of stars and that the Milky Way is Earth’s home galaxy.
Explain that light carries information from distant objects.
Use brightness, color, spectra as introductory evidence, and apparent position to infer basic information about stars without developing stellar physics.
Compare astronomical distance scales descriptively using astronomical units, light-years, and relative scale models.