Year at a glance
Ten monthly themes, 36 weeks. Tap a month for its goals, or a week for its skills and plans.
September: Welcome / My World and Maps
September sets up the routines that carry the year: a reading log, a word study notebook, a math talk routine and a writing portfolio. We learn how the world is mapped, how matter is built from particles, and how ratios and unit rates describe everything from recipes to road trips.
Reading & writing
Build reading and writing routines, tell theme from topic, use Greek roots and context clues, and write a personal narrative, an explanatory paragraph and a theme analysis
RL.7.2, RL.7.3, L.7.4a, L.7.4b, W.7.3, W.7.2
Math
Compute unit rates including rates with fractions, test tables for proportionality and find the constant of proportionality
7.RP.1, 7.RP.2a, 7.RP.2b, 7.RP.2c
Science
Model matter as particles, explain states of matter and phase changes with thermal energy, and tell physical from chemical changes
MS-PS1-1, MS-PS1-4, MS-PS1-2, MS-PS1-5
Social studies
Use latitude, longitude and map types; name continents, oceans and landforms; explain climate factors and population patterns
C3 D2.Geo.1.6-8, D2.Geo.2.6-8, D2.Geo.4.6-8, D2.Geo.5.6-8
- Week1Mapping Our WorldGreek roots geo and graph · Ratios and unit rates · Particles of matter · Map skills · 5 day plans
- Week2Continents and OceansRoots tele, phon, scope · Unit rates with fractions · Particle motion · Continents, oceans, landforms · 5 day plans
- Week3Climates and BiomesRoots therm, hydro, aqua · Proportional tables · Heat transfer · Climate zones and biomes · 5 day plans
- Week4People and PlacesRoots demo, polis, urb, civ · Constant of proportionality · Chemical changes · Population and culture · 5 day plans
October: Fall / Earth's Changing Surface
October looks at a planet that never sits still: the rock cycle, drifting plates, earthquakes and volcanoes, and the rock layers that record deep time. We read informational text with an eye for structure and central ideas, write an informative essay, and meet the first civilizations between the rivers and along the Nile.
Reading & writing
Identify text structures and central ideas, write objective summaries, cite evidence, compare two texts and evaluate author's purpose; write an informative essay
RI.7.5, RI.7.2, RI.7.1, RI.7.9, RI.7.6, W.7.2
Math
Recognize proportional relationships in graphs, interpret (0, 0) and (1, r), and solve percent problems including tax, tip, discount, markup, interest and percent change
7.RP.2a, 7.RP.2d, 7.RP.3
Science
Explain the rock cycle, plate tectonics and its evidence, earthquakes and volcanoes, and the relative age of rock layers
MS-ESS2-1, MS-ESS2-3, MS-ESS3-2, MS-ESS1-4
Social studies
Describe Mesopotamia and Egypt: rivers, irrigation, cities, writing, laws, rulers and achievements
C3 D2.Geo.2.6-8, D2.His.2.6-8, D2.Civ.3.6-8
- Week5Reading the RocksRoots terra and lith · Proportional graphs · Rock cycle · Mesopotamia's rivers · 5 day plans
- Week6Plates on the MoveRoots rupt and fract · Percents · Plate tectonics · Cuneiform and Hammurabi · 5 day plans
- Week7Earthquakes, Volcanoes and the NilePrefixes sub-, super-, trans- · Percent applications · Hazards · Ancient Egypt · 5 day plans
- Week8Deep Time and Picture WritingRoots chron and ann · Unit review · Rock layers · Egypt's achievements · 5 day plans
November: Family and Gratitude / Ecosystems
November connects the web of life to the webs of family and community. We study how energy and matter move through ecosystems and what happens when they change, learn to add, subtract, multiply and divide with negative numbers, write an argument essay with evidence, and visit the Indus Valley and ancient China.
Reading & writing
Write objective summaries, trace and evaluate arguments, compare how two authors argue; write an argument essay with a counterclaim and a family story
RL.7.2, RI.7.2, RI.7.8, RI.7.9, W.7.1, W.7.3
Math
Add, subtract, multiply and divide rational numbers, find distances with absolute value and solve multi-step problems
7.NS.1, 7.NS.2, 7.NS.3
Science
Explain energy flow and matter cycling in ecosystems, species interactions, resource limits and how changes ripple through food webs
MS-LS2-3, MS-LS1-6, MS-LS2-1, MS-LS2-2, MS-LS2-4
Social studies
Describe the Indus Valley and early China, from the Shang to the Han and the Silk Road, and compare harvest and gratitude traditions
C3 D2.Geo.5.6-8, D2.His.1.6-8, D2.Geo.7.6-8, D2.Geo.6.6-8
- Week9Living TogetherRoots bio and eco · Adding integers · Food webs · The Indus Valley · 5 day plans
- Week10Give Thanks, Give EvidenceRoots grat, bene, don · Subtracting integers · Matter cycles · Early China · 5 day plans
- Week11Family Stories and Food WebsRoots gen, pater, mater, frater · Multiplying and dividing · Ecosystem change · Qin, Han and the Silk Road · 5 day plans
December: Winter Holidays / Forces and Motion
December studies what makes things move and what makes stories move us. We learn Newton's laws, waves, light and sound, and finish with an engineering challenge; we simplify expressions and solve two-step equations; we study author's craft and write a narrative about a character who changes; and we meet Greece and Rome while comparing winter festivals around the world.
Reading & writing
Analyze word choice, figurative language, tone and point of view; compare text with audio and with history; write a narrative with a turning point and a design report
RL.7.4, RL.7.6, RL.7.5, RL.7.7, RL.7.9, W.7.3, W.7.2
Math
Simplify, expand and factor linear expressions; write expressions from words; solve two-step equations from real situations
7.EE.1, 7.EE.2, 7.EE.4a
Science
Explain forces and Newton's laws, wave properties, light and sound, and use the engineering design cycle
MS-PS2-2, MS-PS4-1, MS-PS4-2, MS-ETS1-1, MS-ETS1-3
Social studies
Describe Greek city-states and democracy, the Roman Republic and Empire and their legacy; compare winter festivals
C3 D2.Civ.2.6-8, D2.Geo.6.6-8, D2.His.2.6-8
- Week12Forces All AroundRoots mot, mov, tract · Expressions · Forces and Newton's laws · Ancient Greece · 5 day plans
- Week13Light, Sound and StoryRoots lum, luc, son, aud · Equations · Waves · Winter festivals · 5 day plans
- Week14Rome and ReviewRoots struct and port · Equations review · Engineering challenge · Rome · 5 day plans
January: New Year / Cells and Body Systems
January starts fresh with the smallest units of life and the big ideas of self-government. We look inside cells and body systems, solve equations and inequalities, cite evidence in informative writing, and learn how governments work and what citizens do.
Reading & writing
Cite textual evidence, analyze how ideas interact, and write an informative piece with evidence from several sources
RI.7.1, RI.7.3, W.7.2, W.7.8
Math
Solve two-step equations and inequalities, graph solutions, and solve multi-step problems with rational numbers
7.EE.4a, 7.EE.4b, 7.EE.3
Science
Explain that living things are made of cells, describe cell parts and body systems, and classify organisms
MS-LS1-1, MS-LS1-2, MS-LS1-3, MS-LS4-2
Social studies
Explain the purposes of government, the US Constitution and three branches, rights and responsibilities of citizens, and local government
C3 D2.Civ.1.6-8, D2.Civ.3.6-8, D2.Civ.4.6-8, D2.Civ.2.6-8
- Week15Building Blocks of LifeRoots vit and viv · Equations review · Cells · Why government? · 5 day plans
- Week16Inside the CellRoots micro, macro, nucle · Inequalities · Cell parts · The Constitution · 5 day plans
- Week17Body SystemsRoots corp, derm, cardi, neur · Multi-step problems · Body systems · Citizens · 5 day plans
- Week18Classifying LifeRoots spec, vis, leg, jur · Equations and inequalities review · Classification · Local government · 5 day plans
February: Friendship / Weather and Climate
February pairs the science of weather with the skills of research. We learn how air masses and ocean currents shape weather and climate, use statistics to describe and compare data, research a historical figure with a friend, and study people whose friendships and courage changed history.
Reading & writing
Conduct a short research project, gather and cite credible sources, and present findings with evidence
W.7.7, W.7.8, RI.7.1, SL.7.4
Math
Understand sampling and inference, compare two populations with measures of center and variability, and read data displays
7.SP.1, 7.SP.2, 7.SP.3, 7.SP.4
Science
Explain how air masses and fronts cause weather, how oceans and the atmosphere move heat, and what shapes regional climates
MS-ESS2-5, MS-ESS2-6
Social studies
Study historically significant people, including Black History Month figures and Presidents' Day, and the friendships that shaped their work
C3 D2.His.3.6-8, D2.His.4.6-8, D2.Civ.14.6-8
- Week19Air on the MoveRoots ver and cred · Sampling · Air masses and fronts · Frederick Douglass · 5 day plans
- Week20Weather PatternsRoots scrib and dict · Inferences from data · Storms · Harriet Tubman and Lincoln · 5 day plans
- Week21Oceans, Climate and FriendshipRoots flu and spir · Comparing data sets · Ocean and climate · Friends who changed history · 5 day plans
- Week22Research FairRoots ques and sci · Statistics review · Climate zones review · Presentations · 5 day plans
March: Spring / Matter Cycles and Resources
March follows matter as it cycles through Earth's systems and follows people as they moved through the medieval and early modern world. We measure circles, areas and volumes, write complex sentences with precise vocabulary, and study the Maya, medieval Europe, the Islamic world and West Africa, and the Renaissance.
Reading & writing
Use precise vocabulary and figurative language, write simple, compound and complex sentences correctly, and determine word meanings with roots and context
L.7.1b, L.7.3a, L.7.4, L.7.5
Math
Find circumference and area of circles, area of composite figures, volume of prisms, and understand angle relationships and cross sections
7.G.4, 7.G.6, 7.G.5, 7.G.3
Science
Explain the water cycle, the rock and carbon cycles, and the uneven distribution of natural resources
MS-ESS2-4, MS-ESS2-1, MS-ESS3-1
Social studies
Describe the Maya, medieval Europe, the Islamic Golden Age and West African kingdoms, and the Renaissance and Age of Exploration
C3 D2.His.2.6-8, D2.Geo.7.6-8, D2.Geo.8.6-8
- Week23Round and RoundRoots cycl and circ · Circles · The water cycle · The Maya · 5 day plans
- Week24Shaping Earth and SentencesRoots form and morph · Composite area · Rock and carbon cycles · Medieval Europe · 5 day plans
- Week25Resources and RoutesRoots nat and sol · Volume · Natural resources · Islamic Golden Age and West Africa · 5 day plans
- Week26New Ideas, New WorldsRoots nov and reg · Angles and cross sections · Resources review · Renaissance and exploration · 5 day plans
April: Earth and Environment / Human Impact
April asks how people change the planet and how we can choose well. We study human impact on Earth's systems and design solutions, learn surface area and scale drawings, take notes and write an argument for change, and learn the economics of scarcity, markets and trade around Earth Day.
Reading & writing
Take organized notes from several sources and write an argument with a clear claim, evidence, a counterclaim and a strong conclusion
W.7.8, W.7.1, RI.7.8
Math
Find surface area of prisms, solve scale drawing problems, draw geometric figures and construct triangles
7.G.6, 7.G.1, 7.G.2
Science
Explain how population growth and consumption affect Earth's systems, design solutions to reduce impact, and understand factors in global temperature change
MS-ESS3-4, MS-ESS3-3, MS-ESS3-5
Social studies
Explain scarcity and choice, supply and demand, specialization and trade, and basic money and budget decisions
C3 D2.Eco.1.6-8, D2.Eco.2.6-8, D2.Eco.14.6-8, D2.Eco.7.6-8
- Week27FootprintsRoots pop and vor · Surface area · Population and consumption · Scarcity · 5 day plans
- Week28Water and WasteRoot duc · Scale drawings · Pollution and solutions · Supply and demand · 5 day plans
- Week29Earth Day ActionRoots serv and vert · Triangles and constructions · Design a solution · Trade · 5 day plans
- Week30Climate and ChoicesRoots cap and mit · Geometry review · Global temperature · Money and budgets · 5 day plans
May: Oceans / Inventors and Technology
May dives into the ocean and into the inventions that connect the world. We study waves and signals, design and test devices, learn probability, read fluently and write a final narrative, and trace technology from the printing press to the internet and the global connections it created.
Reading & writing
Read fluently with expression, write a narrative with strong pacing and dialogue, and compare a text with its film or audio version
RL.7.10, W.7.3, RL.7.7
Math
Understand probability as a number from 0 to 1, build probability models, run simulations and find probabilities of compound events; review the year
7.SP.5, 7.SP.6, 7.SP.7, 7.SP.8
Science
Describe ocean waves and wave energy, compare digital and analog signals, and complete an engineering design cycle
MS-PS4-1, MS-PS4-3, MS-ETS1-2, MS-ETS1-4
Social studies
Compare technology then and now, study inventors of the industrial age, and explain global connections through trade and communication
C3 D2.His.2.6-8, D2.His.3.6-8, D2.Geo.7.6-8, D2.Eco.14.6-8
- Week31Ocean WavesRoots mar and nav · Probability basics · Ocean waves · Printing press to internet · 5 day plans
- Week32SignalsRoots tech and mech · Probability models · Digital and analog · Industrial inventors · 5 day plans
- Week33Design ChallengeRoot vent · Compound events · Engineering cycle · Global connections · 5 day plans
- Week34Explorers of the DeepRoots voc and log · Probability and year review · Ocean exploration · Global citizenship · 5 day plans
June: Review and Celebration
June looks back at a year of growth. We replay favorite investigations, review every strand of math with games, read independently and share favorites, and finish with a year-in-review portfolio and celebration.
Reading & writing
Read independently and share book recommendations; write a year-in-review reflection with specific evidence of growth
RL.7.10, W.7.10, SL.7.4
Math
Mixed review of ratios, rational numbers, expressions and equations, geometry and statistics through games and stations
7.RP, 7.NS, 7.EE, 7.G, 7.SP
Science
Review the year's investigations and explain the big ideas of matter, Earth's systems, life and forces
MS-PS1, MS-ESS2, MS-LS2, MS-PS2
Social studies
Review the year's civilizations and government and economics ideas; my year in review
C3 D2.His.2.6-8, D2.Civ.2.6-8