Essential Key Concept List

Essential Content List
7th Grade Life Science
Darren Hanson & Amber Dorsey
Last Updated:  7/5/09

By the end of the 7th grade students will know the following Essential Key Concepts and vocabulary terms.

1.    You will know that scientists use the scientific method to solve problems.  (2)
a.    Questioning – developing a question over a topic or issue that you want to know more about.
b.    Research – use all available tools of research to learn more about the topic you want to know more about.
c.    Problem – turn your question into a testable problem.
d.    Hypothesis – take the problem you developed and turn it into a “if…..then…” statement to predict the answer to your question.
e.    Experiment – a procedure that allows you to study your hypothesis under controlled conditions.
f.    Data – the numerical information collected during the experiment.
g.    Analysis – put your data into graph form and be able to explain verbally what it shows.
h.    Conclusion – a written summary that proves or disproves your hypothesis base on the data you collected.

2.    You will know that all living things are made up of one or more cells. (4)
a.    Biogenesis – the theory that living things come from living things.
b.    Spontaneous Generation – the theory that living things come from non-living things.
c.    Louis Pasteur – a French scientist who disproved the theory of spontaneous generation.
d.    Robert Hooke – used the microscope to discover cells and give them their name.

3.    You will know the parts of the animal and plant cell and know their function. (4) & (1)
a.    Organelles – structures inside the cell that are enclosed in a membrane and perform a specific task.
b.    Cell Wall – found in plant cells only, protective outer covering found just outside the cell membrane.
c.    Chloroplast – found in plant cells only, an organelle that contains chlorophyll, which is used to do photosynthesis.
d.    Cell membrane – found in both plant and animal cells, picky outer boundary that surrounds and protects the cell.
e.    Nucleus – found in both plant and animal cells, structure in a eukaryotic cell that contains the genetic material (DNA)
f.    DNA – found in both plant and animal cells, genetic material that contains the info for an organism to grow, maintain and reproduce.
g.    Ribosomes – found in both plant and animal cells, organelle that produces protein.
h.    Golgi Bodies – found in both plant and animal cells, organelle that transports proteins out of the cell.
i.    Vacuole – found in plant cells, storage area in the cell.
j.    Endoplasmic Reticulum – found in both plant and animal cells, moves information.
k.    Lysosome – found in animal cells, gets rid of waste.
l.    Mitochondria – found in both plant and animal cells, the powerhouse of the cell

4.    You will know that all organisms go through reproduction. (1) & (4)
a.    Mitosis – the production of body cells.
b.    Meiosis – the production of sex cells.
c.    Sperm – male gamete
d.    Egg – female gamete
e.    Asexual Reproduction – only one parent is involved (budding, fission)
f.    Sexual Reproduction – the joining of an egg and sperm (fertilization)

5.    You will know that the traits are passed from parent to offspring. (1) & (4)
a.    Genes – a unit of heredity passed from parent to offspring.
b.    Gregor Mendel – the father of Genetics
c.    Punnett Square – a tool used show the probability of the passing of traits from parent to offspring.
d.    Chromosome – the condensing of the DNA double helix to an X form just before it splits in reproduction.
e.    Cloning – a group of organisms or cells produced asexually from on ancestor to which they are genetically identical.

6.    You will demonstrate how to group items based on certain characteristics. (1) & (4)
a.    Aristotle – first one to begin the idea or classifying organisms, started with three groups.
b.    Carolous Linnaeus – developed binominal nomenclature, a “two name” naming system.
c.    Binominal nomenclature – a two name system using the genus and species name of an oganism.
d.    Dichotomous Key – a series of questions, with only two, answers that can be used to help identify an organism’s genus and species.

Cells are classified into 2 groups
a.    Eukaryote – “true kernel”, has membrane bound organelles.
b.    Prokaryote – “before kernel”, organelles have NO membranes.
Organisms are divided into 6 kingdoms based on characteristics.
a.    Animal – multicellular, can not make their own food. (heterotroph)
b.    Plantae – multicellular, makes their own food. (autotroph)
c.    Archaea – unicellular, can live in extreme environments.
d.    Protista – unicellular, has no structure.
e.    Fungi – multicellular except yeasts, has a nucleus and a cell wall but no nucleus.
f.    Bacteria – unicellular, has no nucleus, reproduce by dividing into two.

7.    You will know the various kinds of unicellular organisms.  (4)
a.    Microscopic – can not be seen with the naked eye.
b.    Unicellular – made up with only one cell.
c.    Virus – considered to be non-living, has genetic material enclosed in a protein coat.
d.    Bacteria – unicellular without a nucleus, simplest kind of life on earth.
i.    Bacilli – rod shaped bacteria
ii.    Sprilili – spiral shaped bacteria
iii.    Cocci – spherical shaped bacteria
e.    Decomposer – recycles dead, decaying matter.
f.    Parasite – one organism that lives off another organism while hurting the host cell.
g.    Producer – converts sunlight into chemical energy. (autotroph)
h.    Consumer – obtains energy by eating other living things. (heterotroph)
i.    Protista – unicellular organism, has no structure.

8.    You will know how cells capture and release energy. (4)

a.    Photosynthesis –    6 H2O + 6 CO2 + sun light   >>>>   C6H12O6 + 6 O2
b.    Respiration -    C6H12O6 + 6 O2  >>>>>   6 H2O + 6 CO2 + chemical energy
c.    Fermentation – the process by which cells release energy without oxygen.

9.    You will demonstrate the ability to compare the adaptations, structure and functions of various multi-cellular organisms. (1) & (4)

a.    Plants obtain energy through photosynthesis.
i.    Plants store energy in chloroplasts.
ii.    Plants respond to various stimuli within the environment.
1.    Gravity – all plants have a sense of up and down, roots grow down and stems grow up.
2.    Touch – some plants will wrap around objects as they grow.
3.    Light – plants grow towards light
iii.    Transpiration – the movement of water vapor out of a plant and into the air.
iv.    Vascular – long tube-like tissues which water and nutrients move from one part of the plant to another.
v.    Non-Vascular -  plants with no vascular tissue.
vi.    Organ System – cells to tissues to organs to a system.
b.    Animals obtain energy by eating other organisms.
i.    Predator – animals that hunt other animals and eats them.
ii.    Prey – An animal that other animals hunt and eat.
iii.    Animals adapt to their environment to survive.
iv.    Animals are classified into two groups:  Invertebrates & Vertebrates
1.    Invertebrates – animals with no backbone
v.    Vertebrates – animals with backbones