St. Mary’s Catholic Academy
Year 7 Science: Unit 1 – Cells and interdependence Differentiated outcomes
SOLO taxonomy
Unistructural: simple and obvious connections are made, but their significance is not grasped.
Multi structural: a number of connections may be made, but the meta-connections between them are missed, as is their significance for the
whole.
Relational level: the student is now able to appreciate the significance of the parts in relation to the whole
Extended abstract level: the student is making connections not only within the given subject area, but also beyond it, able to generalise and
transfer the principles and ideas underlying the specific instance.
Learning intention (PoS) and lesson
W
Uni/multi-structural
2.
How living things differ from non-living
things. (they move, respond to the world
around them, need food, get energy from
food, get rid of waste, grow and
reproduce, although in some cases they
may not show it in an obvious way
Identify examples as living and nonliving
3.
cells are the fundamental unit of living
organisms,
Describe all living things (and once living
things) as being made up of cells.
Identify living and non-living things
based on the common feature of being
made of cells.
Explain that all the living parts of an
organism are made up of cells.
Describe the evidence that shows living
organisms are made up of cells.
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X
Relational
A/Z
Extended abstract
Explain why in a given example where
one or more of the processes is not
obvious can be classified as living, for
example, a plant where nutrition,
movement and responsiveness are not
obvious.
Identify living and non-living things
based on the common feature of being
made of cells.
Describe the functions that all cells carry
out.
Explain why all cells do not look the
same
Explain how Scientists can tell if
something is or has been living (cells)
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4. including how to observe, interpret and
record cell structure using a light
microscope
Correctly set up a microscope to view a
slide successfully and safely.
Describe how to safely use a
microscope.
Draw an image they have observed
using a microscope.
Give examples of cells that show there is
a variety of different size and shape
cells.
Estimate the size of very small objects.
Make a slide.
Explain how Scientists can use
different lenses to produce more and
less magnified images
Calculate actual size from a
microscopic image
Explain why a microscope must be used
to view cells.
5.
The similarities between plant and animal
cells
Describe the typical animal and plant
cell models.
Describe that most animal cells have a
nucleus, cytoplasm and cell membrane.
Describe that plant cells have a nucleus,
cytoplasm, cell membrane, cell wall,
vacuole and, in green cells, chloroplasts.
Identify a typical cell as being 3-D.
Explain why plant cells have chloroplasts
and cell walls.
Explain why cells have a vacuole
Compare and contrast animals and
plants explaining why they need to
have different cell organelle.
Describe the specific functions that the
components of the cell perform.
Name and describe some examples of
specialised cells.
Explain how chemicals can move in and
out of cells.
Explain how they are specialised to
carry out their specific functions.
Explain the term diffusion
Make the shape of a typical cell as 3-D.
6. the functions of the cell wall, cell
membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, vacuole,
mitochondria and chloroplasts
the role of diffusion in the movement of
materials in and between cells
CMH/SEPT 2014
State the components of the cell that
perform specific functions.
Match the components with their
functions.
Identify the characteristic features that
nearly all cells share – membrane,
cytoplasm and nucleus.
Identify chemicals that need to go into
cells and chemicals that need to leave
cells.
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7. the structural adaptations of some
unicellular organisms
the heirarchical organisation of
multicellular organisms; from cells to
tissues to organisms
Identify a unicellular organism - when
presented with a range of organisms
classify each as either a unicellular or a
multicellular organism.
Identify ways in which it is different to a
multicellular organism cell
Identify ways in which a unicellular cell is
different to a multicellular organism cell
Explain how we know that all living
things are made up of cells, from a single
cell to many millions of cells.
Describe structural adaptations of
unicellular organisms
e.g. Bacteria DNA not in nucleus so
they can reproduce faster
Describe a tissue as a collection of
similar cells
Identify organs in the human body
9. reproduction in humans, including the
structure and function of the male and
female reproductive systems,
Identify and name the reproductive cells
and organs
Describe fertilization as the fusion of egg
and sperm
Describe the functions of the
reproductive organs
Describe fertilization as the fusion of 2
cell nuclei
Describe egg and sperm cells
Explain how the foetus obtains the
materials it needs for growth
Explain how egg and sperm are
specialized
Describe how they carry information
for the development of new life
10. menstrual cycles, gametes,
fertilisation, gestation and birth, to
include the effect of maternal lifestyle on
the foetus through the placenta
Describe the changes in the uterus
throughout the menstrual cycle
Identify the importance of the placenta
in supplying food for the developing
foetus
Identify activities that the mother can do
that may harm her unborn baby
Describe some stages of foetal
development
Identify plant sex cells and their location
Describe how fertilization occurs in
plants through insect pollination and
seed dispersal
Describe the changes that occur during
the menstrual cycle
Explain how the foetus obtains the
materials it needs for growth
Explain why activities of mother can
affect an unborn child
Describe the structure of a plant
Describe adaptations of a plant and
explain how this helps plant
reproduction
Explain the importance of plant
reproduction through insect
pollination in terms of human food
security
Describe how organisms within a
habitat compete for resources.
Identify the effect of change in
population of one organism on an
To explain how all organisms in a food
web are effected by the change in
11. reproduction in plants, including
flower structure, wind and insect
pollination, fertilisation, seed and fruit
formation and dispersal, including
quantitative investigation of some
dispersal mechanisms
the importance of plant reproduction
through insect pollination in human food
security
12. KS2
13. the interdependence of organisms in
an ecosystem, including food webs and
CMH/SEPT 2014
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insect pollinated crops
14. how organisms affect, and are
affected by, their environment, including
the accumulation of toxic materials
CMH/SEPT 2014
Explain how energy is transferred
through a food web.
To explain how organisms within a
habitat can be linked together in food
chains/food webs.
To explain how population numbers can
change over time, as a result of both
seasonal changes and predator/prey
relationships
Identify that energy flows through a
food chain
Identify adaptations of organisms within
an ecosystem and explain how it helps
them to survive
ecosystem
Describe the effect of change in insect
population on the interdependence of
organisms
population of an organism
Explain why the amount of energy
passed on at each trophic level
decreases
Explain how toxic materials might
spread through the organisms within an
ecosystem
Explain why the amount of energy
passed on at each trophic level
decreases
Explain what is meant by
bioaccumulation