Grade 7: It’s Alive… or Is It?
In science with Mr. Steve Collins, Grade 7 students recently began their study of biology by exploring a foundational question: what makes something alive?
Working in teams, students examined a range of items, including a pile of stones, a flame, a chopped carrot, a potato, yeast, a virus, and a fern. As they discussed each example, students considered the characteristics shared by living things and what criteria they might use to decide if something was alive.
Rather than focusing on a single correct answer, the activity encouraged students to think like scientists, share their reasoning, and explore a question that is more complex than it first appears.
This work will serve as a foundation as students continue their study of biology, including learning about cells, using microscopes to observe organisms, and exploring topics such as classification and genetics.
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
