A student expectation is directly related to the knowledge and skills statement, is more specific about how students demonstrate their learning, and always begins with a verb. Student expectations are further broken down into their component parts, often referred to as “breakouts.”
Vertical alignment shows student expectations in the same subject area at different grade levels that are related to or build upon one another.
identify and illustrate how living organisms depend on each other through food chains.
create and describe food chains identifying producers and consumers to demonstrate how animals depend on other living things; and
identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain and predict how changes in a food chain such as removal of frogs from a pond or bees from a field affect the ecosystem;
describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy through food webs, including the roles of the Sun, producers, consumers, and decomposers; and
Patterns are regular sequences that can be found throughout nature.
A food web model shows patterns in the flow of energy from producers to consumers and the cycling of matter back into the system by decomposers.
A system is a whole made of parts that work together. It has components and boundaries. It can interact with or be part of other systems.
Nutrients are cycled through the biosphere (system). They are incorporated into the tissues of producers (part) and consumed by consumers (part). When organisms die, those nutrients are cycled back into the soil by decomposers (part) and made available to be used again.
Matter and energy are conserved, changing forms but maintaining quantities. Energy flows within a system or between systems through transfers and transformations. Matter is cycled within systems through physical and chemical processes.
Matter is cycled and energy flows through the biosphere. Matter in the tissues of producers provides energy to consumers. When organisms die, the matter is cycled back into the soil by decomposers and made available to be used again. Energy flows into the system from the Sun and leaves the system as heat generated by metabolic processes.
Stability describes a system that does not change at the observed scale. In a stable system, a small disturbance will die out and the system will return to a stable state. Change in the system can come from modifying a factor or condition.
Sustainability refers to the ability of the ecosystem to maintain stability over a long period based on the predictable flow of energy and cycling of matter. Ecosystems remain sustainable if matter is not removed from the system and the energy inputs and outputs are not adversely affected.
Math.7.1.D communicate mathematical ideas, reasoning, and their implications using multiple representations, including symbols, diagrams, graphs, and language as appropriate
Math.7.12.C compare two populations based on data in random samples from these populations, including informal comparative inferences about differences between the two populations
ELAR.7.5.F make inferences and use evidence to support understanding
ELAR.7.5.H synthesize information to create new understanding
ELAR.7.6.C use text evidence to support an appropriate response
TA.7.1.B analyze the patterns and sequences found in flowcharts