New Jersey Science — Grade 7
Comprehensive Course Syllabus
Course Overview
Our New Jersey Grade 7 Science course is designed around the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Science (NJSLS-S) and the New Jersey Grades 6–8 Model Curriculum Framework.
New Jersey’s Science standards are organized as a Grades 6–8 middle-school band, rather than as completely separate statewide standards for each grade. The NJDOE model curriculum provides a Grade 7 scope and sequence centered on Chemical Reactions & Matter, Metabolic Reactions, Waves & Information Transfer, and Earth’s Resources & Human Impact. Scientific investigation, modeling, data analysis, engineering design, and evidence-based reasoning are integrated throughout the course.
Scientific Investigation & Engineering Practices
Scientific Questions
Students develop investigable questions based on observations, patterns, and real-world scientific phenomena.
Planning Investigations
Students design investigations by identifying variables, collecting evidence, selecting tools, and developing appropriate procedures.
Data Collection
Students collect quantitative and qualitative data and organize observations in tables, graphs, and other scientific representations.
Scientific Models
Students develop, use, test, and revise models to explain scientific systems and processes.
Evidence-Based Reasoning
Students use evidence and scientific reasoning to develop explanations, evaluate claims, and communicate conclusions.
Matter & Atomic Structure
Properties of Matter
Students investigate physical and chemical properties that can be used to identify and compare substances.
Atoms
Students develop models showing that matter is composed of atoms and explore the basic structure of atoms.
Elements
Students learn how elements are identified and organized and how their properties relate to their atomic structure.
Molecules
Students explore how atoms combine to form molecules and other structures with different properties.
Chemical Formulas
Students interpret simple chemical formulas to understand which elements make up a substance.
Chemical Reactions
Physical vs. Chemical Changes
Students distinguish physical changes from chemical reactions by examining observable evidence.
Evidence of Chemical Reactions
Students identify evidence such as temperature changes, gas production, color changes, precipitate formation, or other observable changes.
Chemical Reaction Models
Students use models to represent how atoms rearrange during chemical reactions.
Conservation of Matter
Students learn that atoms are rearranged during chemical reactions and that the total number of atoms remains conserved.
Chemical Equations
Students develop an introductory understanding of how chemical equations represent reactants and products.
Thermal Energy & Chemical Processes
Temperature
Students distinguish temperature from thermal energy and use measurements to analyze changes in matter.
Thermal Energy Transfer
Students investigate how thermal energy moves between objects or systems because of temperature differences.
Endothermic Processes
Students explore processes that absorb thermal energy from their surroundings.
Exothermic Processes
Students investigate processes that release thermal energy into their surroundings.
Chemical Energy
Students explore how energy can be stored in chemical systems and released during chemical reactions.
Metabolic Reactions & Living Systems
Cellular Systems
Students investigate how cells function as systems and how their parts work together to support life.
Matter & Energy in Organisms
Students explore how organisms obtain and transform matter and energy to support growth, repair, movement, and other life processes.
Food & Energy
Students investigate how food provides matter and energy that organisms can use through chemical processes.
Cellular Respiration
Students develop an age-appropriate model of how cells break down food molecules and release usable energy.
Photosynthesis
Students explain how plants use light energy to produce energy-rich molecules and how this process contributes to matter cycling.
Body Systems & Interacting Subsystems
Cells to Organisms
Students explain how cells work together to form tissues, organs, and larger biological systems.
Human Body Systems
Students investigate major body systems and their roles in maintaining life.
Interacting Systems
Students analyze how body systems work together rather than functioning independently.
Matter & Energy in Body Systems
Students explore how oxygen, nutrients, water, and other materials move through interacting body systems.
Systems Models
Students create models showing relationships among cells, organs, body systems, matter, and energy.
Waves & Their Properties
What Are Waves?
Students develop models to understand waves as patterns that transfer energy from one location to another.
Wave Amplitude
Students investigate amplitude and its relationship to the amount of energy carried by a wave.
Wavelength
Students identify wavelength and examine how it describes the spatial pattern of a wave.
Frequency
Students investigate frequency as the number of wave cycles occurring within a given amount of time.
Wave Speed
Students explore relationships among wavelength, frequency, and wave behavior.
Wave Interactions & Information Transfer
Reflection
Students investigate how waves reflect when they encounter surfaces or boundaries.
Absorption
Students explore how materials absorb wave energy and how absorption affects wave behavior.
Transmission
Students investigate how waves can pass through different materials.
Wave Interactions with Materials
Students use models to explain why waves behave differently when they encounter different substances.
Sound & Communication
Students explore how waves can be used to transmit sound and information.
Earth’s Resources
Natural Resources
Students identify Earth’s mineral, energy, water, and other natural resources and examine how they are distributed.
Mineral Resources
Students explore how geological processes create and distribute mineral resources.
Energy Resources
Students compare renewable and nonrenewable energy resources and examine their advantages and limitations.
Water Resources
Students investigate groundwater, surface water, water availability, and factors affecting access to clean water.
Resource Distribution
Students analyze why natural resources are unevenly distributed across Earth.
Human Impact on Earth’s Systems
Human Population
Students investigate how population growth affects natural resources and Earth’s systems.
Resource Consumption
Students examine how individual and societal consumption affects water, energy, land, and other resources.
Pollution
Students investigate how human activities can introduce pollutants into air, water, and land.
Ecosystem Impacts
Students explore how changes to physical and biological components of ecosystems affect organisms and populations.
Environmental Monitoring
Students learn how scientists collect and analyze environmental data to identify changes and impacts.
Climate Change & Environmental Systems
Earth’s Climate
Students examine factors that influence climate and how Earth’s systems interact to produce climate patterns.
Evidence of Climate Change
Students analyze scientific evidence and data showing changes in Earth’s climate over time.
Human Influences
Students investigate how human activities can influence atmospheric composition, energy use, and climate systems.
Climate Data
Students interpret temperature, precipitation, atmospheric, and other climate-related datasets.
Climate Change Impacts
Students explore potential effects of changing climate conditions on ecosystems, resources, communities, and Earth’s systems.
Natural Hazards & Risk Reduction
Natural Hazards
Students investigate earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, severe storms, landslides, wildfires, and other natural hazards.
Hazard Data
Students analyze historical records, maps, graphs, models, and measurements to identify hazard patterns.
Forecasting Hazards
Students explore how scientists use data and models to forecast potential natural hazards.
Risk Assessment
Students evaluate how the location, population, infrastructure, and environment can influence the consequences of natural hazards.
Mitigation Strategies
Students investigate engineering, technology, planning, and community strategies for reducing hazard impacts.
Also Covered in This Course
Teaching Methodology
Our Grade 7 Science classes focus on phenomena-based learning, chemical reactions, matter, energy, life science, waves, Earth resources, climate, environmental science, engineering, and scientific reasoning. Students learn through:
Learning Outcomes
By the end of Grade 7, students will be able to:
Assessment & Progress Tracking
Student progress is evaluated through: