North Carolina State Standards
- Science Competency Goals, Grade 7
The Middle Grades chapter of North Carolina's Science
Standard Course of Study describes Competency Goals,
the first two of which apply to all middle-school grades,
involving scientific inquiry and technological design,
and are described in DITC's
Shared Competency Goals page. "Designing technological
solutions and pondering benefits and risks should be
an integral part of the middle-school science experience."
North Carolina's Science Competency Goals 3-7 (pages
75-78) are unique to grade 7 and include topics related
to the Atmosphere (Goal 3) and the Human Body (Goal
4) as a System. DITC's best fit with the NC Competency
Goals can be found in Goal 6 as it involves hands-on
investigations and study of Motion and Forces, Simple
Machines, and Mechanical Advantage.
Competence Goal 6: Forces & Motion - The
learner will conduct investigations, use models, simulations
... to build an understanding of motion and forces.
Learning By Design (LBD) curriculum holds two units
that address Goal 6. The first two items relate to understanding
how simple machines work and offer mechanical advantage.
This is the main topic of the LBD
Machines That Help unit. The remaining four items
in Goal 6 refer to ideas of forces and motion, which
Vehicles in Motion unit squarely addresses. With
that activity, students design a collection of self-propelled
model cars that can climb hills and go long distances.
6.01 Demonstrate ways that simple
machines can change forces.
6.02 Analyze simple machines for mechanical
advantage and efficiency.
6.03 Evaluate motion
in terms of Newton's Laws.
6.05 Describe and measure quantities
that characterize moving objects regarding Time, Distance,
Mass, Force, Velocity, Center of Mass, Acceleration.
6.06 Investigate and analyze
the real-world interactions of balanced and unbalanced
Competence Goal 4: Human Body System
4.01 Analyze how human body systems
interact to provide for the needs of the human organism.
Describe how systems within the human body are defined
by the functions they perform.
4.03 Explain how the structure of an organ
is adapted to perform specific functions.
4.04 Evaluate how systems in the human
body help regulate the internal environment.
4.05 Analyze how an imbalance in homeostatis
may result from a disruption in any human system.
Competence Goal 3: Atmosphere
3.04 Evaluate how humans impact air
quality including financial and economic trade-offs.