Bodies in Motion:
An exploration of human body systems

Essential Questions:

Project Description and Required Components:

    In Art class, students will create a three dimensional wire and plaster sculpture of a body in motion. They will research images of a person doing a physical activity of their choice, and use their picture to create a sculpture in the round representing their chosen activity. The statue will then be painted and mounted.

Reform and Reformers in the 19th Century

Essential Questions:

Project Description and Required Components:

Based on class work and individual research, students will identify a person who worked toward improving some social condition or who helped the lot of some disadvantaged group. Students will become these figures as they present their opinions to the community. Students will examine the motivation behind the person’s actions, what steps were taken to create change and the lasting implications of that person’s work. These findings will be presented in the form of a five-paragraph research paper. In a creative writing exercise, students will compose a letter from the perspective of their character. The letter will attempt to persuade an opposition group or leader to change his or her view. Students will also prepare a short one-two paragraph personal statement identifying a present day problem that needs reform. The identification of the problem will become the first steps towards creating a community service action plan.

Exhibition #1, November 21, 2011

Baking Bread:

How can I represent the structure, function and life cycle of a single-celled organism?
7^th Graders will apply their knowledge of single-celled organisms as they become bakers.

• Students will conduct experiments in order to understand why yeast is essential to bread and what conditions and recipes allow yeast to flourish and produce the best bread.
• Students will compare and contrast the essential cellular functions of cellular respiration, photosynthesis, and fermentation in written work and in a visual display.

June 15, 2011

7th Grade Overview

Can You Be Persuaded?

Advertising: Assuming the role of an advertising executive, students will create a visual advertisement and an accompanying sales pitch. In class students will examine a variety of advertising media and determine/analyze the effects to that media on the viewer. Using specific techniques, students will create their own advertisement. Students will also dissect a piece of media and evaluate how it effects the audience.
Public Speaking: Students will take on the role of a speech writer and composer for a major organization, charity, or political action group (something they are passionate about). Students will write a speech and compose music persuading their audience to vote, support or agree with their point of view. On Exhibition night, students will present their persuasive piece in the style of a Greek Oration.
In groups, students will record music at Ringo Studios, on their instrument of choice, and sell them at Exhibition. Community performances of the composition will also take place. In music the major music standards covered is Composing.
Standards Assessed: Language Arts- Composition and Media

Standard Assessed: Music- Composing and Playing Instruments

Community Health Fair:

Assuming the role of a Community Health Fair staff member, 7th Graders will apply their knowledge of the human body’s major organ systems and their contributions to Homeostasis (the body’s ability to maintain a constant internal state despite a constantly changing external environment).  Upon entering, guests will be provided with a symptom card and information which they will use to describe problems they are having.  Student’s will diagnose the cause of the disruption and advise the guest on how to return to homeostasis.

In Science: Students will work in groups of 4 to create a visual display of one organ system.  The display will highlight: functions, features and collaboration with other organ systems using pictures, diagrams and/or graphics all with written captions.
Standards Assessed: Life Science – Human Body Systems

In Art, the students will apply their knowledge of body proportions and construct a 3D model of a figure in action. They will research images of people practicing a sport activity, do some sketches, and build a wire and plaster statue of their sportsperson in action, paying close attention to body position and identifying which muscle groups are used.

In CSL, students, as ambassadors for good health,  will answer the question “How do we ensure food safety for ourselves and the enrivironment?” They will study the impact of industrial farming on our health and environment, and get a first hand experience of what it takes to run a sustainable farm by volunteering at The Project Farm in Lynn, MA. For exhibition night, students will distribute informative brochures that exhibit their understanding of industrial farming, and provide viewers with information about how to make informed decisions about food.
Standards Assessed: CSL- Exploring Community Needs, Meeting Community Needs, Observation, Reflection

In Wellness, students will look at their health habits in the categories of Mental Health, Physical Health/Fitness, Nutrition, Family, and Interpersonal. After reflecting and gathering data on these habits, students will create a Wellness Wheel.

Adventures of Olympic Proportions:

What are the conflicts that an athlete might face?  How do these conflicts relate to life beyond the arena or stadium?  Why is it important to experience and solve these conflicts?

In their exploration of present-tense verb conjugations, Foreign Language students will be creating an original comic strip inspired by French and Spanish comic book series.  In collaboration with 7th Grade Curriculum, students will also explore human anatomy and physiology, athletics, and expand their knowledge of description vocabulary.   The comic strips will portray the trials and successes of an original character as they participate in the Ancient Greek Olympic Games.
Standards Assessed: Global Studies- History; Foreign Languages: Describing people, places, and things; Expressing needs and emotions; Expressing agreement and disagreement; Presenting information in a brief report; Ask and answer questions.

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