Welcome to Grade 7
Disciplinary Core Idea: Ecosystems (MS-LS2)
Look below to learn more about our Matter and Energy in Ecosystems unit and to find select lessons and instructional materials related to the teaching and learning of this disciplinary core idea.
About this unit
Matter and Energy in Ecosystems is the last of nine units taught at this grade level. During this unit, students take on the role of ecologists and figure out why a sealed biodome mysteriously crashed despite following the advice of experts.
Review Step 1: Watch this video >
This video explains just a few of the topics students learn about throughout the entire year.
Review Step 2: Download the Unit Guide
Before diving into the lessons below, use review this guide to get a big picture understanding of how this unit is organized, the key questions that guide learning, and how the storyline develops across chapters.
Lessons about Ecosystems
Amplify Science California is a multi-modal program, not a traditional textbook. Therefore, multiple components are utilized in the teaching and learning of the NGSS standards.
Review Step 3: Watch this video >
This video explains the instructional materials used to teach.
Review Step 4: Download lessons and instructional materials
Scroll down to find select lessons and instructional materials used in teaching Ecosystems. Below each description, you’ll find links to download the PDFs your committee requested.
Teacher’s Reference Guide
Available digitally and in print, our unit-specific reference guides are chock full of helpful resources, including scientific background knowledge, planning information and resources, color-coded 3-D Statements, detailed lesson plans, tips for delivering instruction, and differentiation strategies.
Classroom Slides
These customizable PowerPoints are available for every lesson of the program and make delivering instruction a snap with visual prompts, colorful activity instructions, investigation set-up videos and animations, and suggested teacher talk in the notes section of each slide.
Materials Kits
Our kits include enough non-consumable materials to support 200 student uses. In other words, you have enough materials to support all five periods and small groups of 4-5 students each. Plus, our unit-specific kits mean you just grab the tub you need and then put it all back with ease.
Simulations and Practice Tools
Our digital Simulations and Practice Tools are powerful resources for exploration, data collection, and student collaboration. They allow students the ability to explore scientific concepts that might otherwise be invisible or impossible to see with the naked eye.
Consumable Notebooks
Available for every unit, our Student Investigation Notebooks contain instructions for activities and space for students to record data and observations, reflect on ideas from texts and investigations, and construct explanations and arguments.
Student Edition Hardcover
This durable Student Edition is grade-level specific and contains all of the articles that students refer to throughout the year. Districts may choose to pair these traditional student texts with our digital student experience or new 2-volume consumable notebook set.
Coming Soon
Unlike other publishers, we don’t make you wait until your next adoption to get the latest and greatest from Amplify. We’re always launching new and exciting features. What’s more, we’ll push them out to you even after you adopt us!
Navigating the program
In addition to reviewing the “printed” resources above, we invite you to explore our program digitally.
Watch the video to the right plus the ones below showing you how to navigate our digital platform. Then following the instructions below. >
- Click the orange button below to access the platform.
- Choose Teacher to continue.
- Select Grade 7 from the drop-down menu.
- Click on the Matter and Energy in Ecosystems unit to find your program materials.
Navigating a Core Unit
Core units introduce a real-world problem and support students as they figure out the anchoring phenomenon and gain an understanding of the unit’s DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs.
Navigating Classwork and Reporting
Classwork is our new online grading tool that gives you quick and easy access to unreviewed work, student portfolios of work, and automatically generated differentiation groups.
