What a Middle School 7th grade science student

should know:
About Protists:
 Within cells, many of the basic functions of organisms—such as extracting energy
from food, getting rid of waste, movement and secreting waste—are carried out.
 The way in which cells function is similar in all living organisms.
 Even the simplest organisms have parts which enable them to move, take in food,
to reproduce and to detect the environment they are in.
 Euglena-moves by a flagellum, know for a unique feature-- an eye spot, some
contain chlorophyll and are common in fresh water.
 The amoeba moves by cytoplasmic streaming, surrounds food and engulfs it using
pseudopods.
 Paramecium is the most complex and specialized of the protists. It moves by cilia.
 Volvox is a colony of ciliates, some containing chlorophyll.

What a Middle School 7th grade science student

should know:
About Cells:
 All living things are composed of cells, from just one to many millions, whose
details usually are visible only through a microscope.
 A cell is the smallest part of any living thing.
 There are many parts of a cell. Each part of a cell completes a certain function for
the cell.
 These parts are found in plant and animal cells.
• Cell Membrane - forms the outer boundary of the cell and allows only certain
materials to move into or out of the cell
• Cytoplasm - a gel-like material inside the cell; it contains water and nutrients for
the cell
• Nucleus - directs the activity of a cell; it contains chromosomes with the DNA
• Nuclear Membrane -separates the nucleus from the cytoplasm
• Mitochondria - break down food and release energy to the cell
• Vacuoles - are storage areas for the cell
 Some organelles are found only in Plant cells. These organelles are:
• Cell Wall - provides structure to the plant cell
• Chloroplasts - contain chlorophyll that is make food for the plant cell
 What a Middle School 7th grade science student
should know:
About Human Body:
 Different body tissues and organs are made up of different kinds of cells.
 The cells in similar tissues and organs in other animals are similar to those in
human beings but differ somewhat from cells found in plants.
 Important levels of organization for structure and function include cells, tissues,
organs, organ systems, whole organisms and ecosystems.
 Specialized cells perform specialized functions in multi-cellular organisms.
 Groups of specialized cells cooperate to form a tissue, such as muscle.
 Different tissues are in turn grouped together to form larger functional units, called
organs.
 Organs group together to form systems and systems group together to form
organisms.
 Each type of cell, tissue, organ, organ system has a distinct structure and
functions that serve the organism as a whole.
 To burn food for the release of energy stored in it, oxygen must be supplied to
cells, and carbon dioxide removed. Lungs take in oxygen for the combustion of
food and eliminate the carbon dioxide produced.
 The urinary system disposes of dissolved waste molecules,
 the intestinal tract removes solid wastes,
 the skin and lungs aid in the transfer of thermal energy from the body.

 The circulatory system moves all these substances to or from cells where they are
needed or produced, responding to changing demands.
 The human body has a set of systems, which regulate the internal environment
and strive to give our cells the necessary conditions they need to function.
 These systems are made up of organs; each organ system functions in the human
body and works in cooperation with other systems to benefit the entire organism.
 The skeletal system provides the support for movement and protection of internal
organs.
 The muscular system creates the force that enables the body to move and carry
out different functions related to movement.
 The body’s circulatory, respiratory, digestive and urinary systems work in
combination to supply all cells with what they need to function properly and
remove wastes.
 The reproductive system enables the organism to make more of its kind.
 The immune system protects cells from microscopic invaders.
 The nervous system controls body processes by using electrical impulses via a
network of nerves.
 The endocrine system uses chemical messages called hormones, which are
released into the blood
and regulate many bodily processes.
 The endocrine and nervous systems are two control systems that keep the body in
balance (homeostasis).
 Body systems work together in maintaining a constant internal environment. When
the balance is disrupted, the body systems may not
function properly and human health can suffer.