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Life Science Pacing Guide
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Two-week summary of major instructional content and skills • 36 instructional weeks
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Week(s)Unit / TextMajor ContentMajor Skills and Assessments
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Weeks 1–2Unit 1: Nature of Science• Introduction — 5 days
• Scientific Method — lesson days 1–5 of 8		Become oriented to science-class rules and procedures; identify independent and dependent variables, control groups, and experimental groups in scientific investigations.
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Weeks 3–4Unit 1: Nature of Science• Scientific Method — lesson days 6–8 of 8
• Metric System — 4 days
• Review — 3 days		Identify experimental variables/groups; define metric prefixes, complete metric conversions, and measure with metric tools; review Unit 1 concepts for Test 1.
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Weeks 5–6Unit 1: Nature of Science
Unit 2: Cells		• Unit 1 Exam — 1 day
• Biotic vs Abiotic — 2 days
• Chararistics of Life — 3 days
• Introduction to Microscopes — 3 days
• Cell Types — lesson days 1–1 of 4		Demonstrate Unit 1 knowledge on the exam; distinguish biotic/abiotic factors and living/nonliving characteristics; use microscopes and proper lab procedures; compare prokaryotic/eukaryotic cells and use evidence/CER reasoning about characteristics of life and viruses.
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Weeks 7–8Unit 2: Cells• Cell Types — lesson days 2–4 of 4
• Cell structure — 1 day
• Cell Transport — 4 days
• Unit 2 Review — lesson days 1–2 of 3		Use optical microscopes; compare prokaryotic/eukaryotic cells; support claims with evidence/CER; explain cell-membrane structure/function and passive/active transport; test passive transport in a lab; review Unit 2 concepts.
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Weeks 9–10Unit 2: Cells
Unit 3: Cell Cycle, Mitosis and Meiosis		• Unit 2 Review — lesson days 3–3 of 3
• Unit 2 Test — 1 day
• Cell Cycle — 1 day
• Mitosis — 5 days
• Meiosis — lesson days 1–2 of 4		Complete Unit 2 review/test; describe the cell cycle and mitosis; distinguish chromatin, chromatids, and chromosomes; describe meiosis and genetic diversity.
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Weeks 11–12Unit 3: Cell Cycle, Mitosis and Meiosis
Unit 4: Metabolic Reactions		• Meiosis — lesson days 3–4 of 4
• Review — 5 days
• Unit 3 Test — 1 day
• Unit 4 Vocabulary intro — 1 day
• LP1 Day 1 Activate Learning — 1 day		Describe meiosis and genetic diversity; review and demonstrate Unit 3 mastery; review Unit 4 vocabulary; develop evidence-based models linking organs/body systems to M’Kenna’s symptoms.
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Weeks 13–14Unit 4: Metabolic Reactions• LP1 Day 2 — 1 day
• LP2 Day 1 — 1 day
• LP2 Day 2 — 1 day
• Quiz and Poster Project Day — 1 day
• Digestive System Reading and Review — 1 day
• LP Day 4 Analyzing Grahan Cracker Data — 1 day
• LP 5 Saliva, Crackers and Enzyme Lab — 3 days
• Poster Project Day — lesson days 1–1 of 2		Ask questions from M’Kenna’s doctor’s note and develop evidence-based organ/body-system models; analyze food-molecule data related to intestinal absorption and feces; explain mechanical/chemical digestion and saliva; complete quiz/poster work.
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Weeks 15–16Unit 4: Metabolic Reactions• Poster Project Day — lesson days 2–2 of 2
• Gallery Walk-project presentations — 1 day
• Digestive System Measurement Activity — 1 day
• DS Practice Test — 1 day
• LP 5 Day 2 Saliva Lab — 1 day
• LP 6 Food Molecule Data — 1 day
• LP 7 Eliminate Possible Conditions — 1 day
• LP 8 Solve the Case/CER — 1 day
• Unit 4 Review — lesson days 1–2 of 4		Present the poster project and review digestive-system concepts; practice measurement; explain amylase-mediated carbohydrate breakdown; investigate substance changes and digestive-system function; write a CER to solve the case; complete the practice test and continue Unit 4 review.
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Weeks 17–18Unit 4: Metabolic Reactions• Unit 4 Review — lesson days 3–4 of 4
• Unit 4 Test — 1 day
• Midterm Review and midterms — 7 days		Review Unit 4, demonstrate mastery on the Unit 4 summative assessment, and review Units 1–4 for the Midterm Exam.
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Weeks 19–20Unit 5: Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration• Intro to Photosythesis Vocabulary — 2 days
• Photosynthesis Notes — 2 days
• Leaf Foldable — 3 days
• Photosynthesis Graphic Organizer — 1 day
• Cellular Respiration Edpuzzle — 1 day
• Cellular Respiration — lesson days 1–1 of 3		Master Unit 5/photosynthesis vocabulary; describe photosynthesis, chloroplast structure, ATP/ADP, and leaf parts/functions; review cellular respiration and its vocabulary, mitochondria, stages, and fermentation.
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Weeks 21–22Unit 5: Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration• Cellular Respiration — lesson days 2–3 of 3
• Cellular Respiration vs Photosynthesis — 1 day
• Autumn Leaves Lesson — 1 day
• Phenology Tree Project — 2 days
• Photosynthesis/Cellular Respiration Lab Activity — 2 days
• Review — lesson days 1–2 of 4		Describe cellular respiration and fermentation; compare photosynthesis and respiration; explain why leaves change color; collect phenology data; model both processes and analyze results; review for the Unit 5 assessment.
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Weeks 23–24Unit 5: Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
Unit 6		• Review — lesson days 3–4 of 4
• Unit 5 Test — 1 day
• Phenology Tree Data Collection #1 — 1 day
• Unit 6 Vocabulary Lesson — 1 day
• DNA Structure — 1 day
• DNA Replication — 3 days
• DNA Quiz — 1 day		Finish Unit 5 review/test; collect phenology data; learn Unit 6/DNA vocabulary and DNA structure/function; describe DNA replication; review DNA concepts on the quiz.
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Weeks 25–26Unit 6• DNA Review — 1 day
• DNA Models — 1 day
• RNA and Proetein Synthesis — 1 day
• Mutations — 1 day
• Genetics Vocabulary Lesson — 1 day
• Punnett Squares Lesson and Practice — 2 days
• Review — 2 days
• Unit 6 Test — 1 day		Model DNA and distinguish purines/pyrimidines; describe transcription; identify mutation types; introduce Mendel/genetics; perform Punnett-square crosses; review and demonstrate Unit 6 mastery.
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Weeks 27–28Unit 7• Intro to Evolution — 3 days
• Natural Selection & Evolution — 4 days
• Artificial Selection — 1 day
• Fossils — 2 days		Describe Darwin and scientists who influenced him; explain reproduction, natural selection, adaptations, artificial selection/selective breeding; explain fossils as evidence for evolution.
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Weeks 29–30Unit 7• Comparative Anatomy — 2 days
• Review & Adaptations — 1 day
• Embryology — 2 days
• Evidence of Evolution — 3 days
• Phenology Tree Lab and project — 2 days		Use comparative anatomy and embryology as evidence for evolution; review adaptations, species/speciation, and overall evidence; collect the second phenology tree data set and continue research/data-collection skills.
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Weeks 31–32Unit 7
Unit 8: Human Impact		• Review — 3 days
• Unit 7 Test — 1 day
• Intro to Climate Change — 2 days
• Floods and Droughts (Activate Learning) — 1 day
• Long-term Effects of Climate Change — 1 day
• Tree Data Collection #3 — 1 day
• Solutions to Climate Change — 1 day		Review and demonstrate Unit 7 mastery; explain causes/effects and long-term effects of climate change; connect warmer temperatures, evaporation, droughts, and floods; collect tree data; identify climate-change solutions.
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Weeks 33–34Unit 8: Human Impact• State Testing — 2 days
• Phenology Wheel Project work time — 1 day
• Albedo Lesson — 1 day
• Climate Change Activity — 1 day
• Soil Lab (Activate Learning app) — 2 days
• Phenology Tree Data Collection #4 — 1 day
• Unit 8 Review — 2 days		Complete state testing; transfer phenology data to the wheel project; explain albedo and global climate change; connect increased temperature to evaporation/water vapor; interpret moisture/evaporation and atmospheric water-vapor movement; review Unit 8.
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Weeks 35–36Unit 8: Human Impact• Unit 8 Test — 1 day
• Finals Review — 3 days
• Final Exam — 1 day		Complete the Unit 8 Test addressing water-vapor movement and drought/flood patterns; review how cooler ocean water and landforms affect water-vapor delivery; complete the Final Exam.
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