A complete 7th grade homeschool curriculum

1. Unit 1: Proportional RelationshipsThis unit is about one question asked five different ways: is the ratio between two quantities always the same? Your kid learns to check that using fraction unit rates, tables, graphs, and equations, then applies it to real percent problems like tax, tip, and discount.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Unit rate calculation with fractional quantitiesGiven a rate involving fractional quantities (e.g. 3/4 cup per 2/3 hour), compute the unit rate.
   • Constant of proportionality k derived from a tableGiven a table of paired values, determine the constant of proportionality k by computing y/x for each row.
   • Proportional versus non-proportional relationships identified across representationsGiven two representations of the same context (a table and a graph, or a table and a verbal description) that are NOT both provided directly, determine whether the underlying relationship is proportional by checking whether the ratio y/x is constant across all given pairs, not just the first pair or the visual shape of the graph.
   • The role of the origin in distinguishing proportional from linear-but-non-proportional graphsExplain why a straight-line graph that does not pass through the origin represents a non-proportional relationship, using the constant-ratio definition rather than the visual shape alone.
   • The equation y = kx as a representation of a proportional relationshipWrite the equation y = kx for a proportional relationship given a real-world context, a table, or a graph, identifying k correctly in each case.
   • The point (1, r) as the unit rate on a proportional graphInterpret the point (1, r) on a graph of a proportional relationship as showing the unit rate r.
   • Multi-step percent problems involving tax, tip, markup, and discountGiven a multi-step context involving tax, tip, markup, or discount, solve for the final amount, correctly identifying the original/base amount before calculating the percent.
   • The non-commutativity of sequential percent changes applied to an unfamiliar order-of-operations scenarioGiven a two-step scenario where an item is marked up then discounted (or discounted then marked up) by the same percent, determine whether the final price is the same in both orders and justify the answer using the structure of percent change, without having been shown this specific comparison during instruction.
   • Proportionality analysis applied to a pricing structure with a fixed cost, in a context not used during instructionGiven a completely unfamiliar real-world dataset (e.g. a utility bill with a flat fee plus a per-unit rate, presented as a table), determine whether it is proportional and, if not, identify what would need to change about the pricing structure to make it proportional.
2. Unit 2: Operations with Rational NumbersThis unit extends everything your kid knows about adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing to negative numbers, fractions, and decimals together. Every new move gets shown first as a movement on a number line before it becomes symbols. It ends with problems that deliberately mix all four operations, which will feel harder than anything before it — that's expected.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Additive inverse as a distance-preserving reflection across zero on the number lineGiven a point on a number line, state its additive inverse and explain why the two points are the same distance from zero.
   • Addition of rational numbers as directed movement on the number lineCompute the sum of two rational numbers with the same or different signs using a number-line movement model.
   • The equivalence of subtraction and addition of the inverse (p - q = p + (-q))Explain why subtracting a rational number is equivalent to adding its additive inverse, using two contrasted number-line diagrams.
   • The sign rule for multiplication of rational numbers, derived from a repeated-addition patternDerive the rule for the sign of a product of two rational numbers by extending the pattern of repeated addition to negative factors.
   • Multiplication and division of signed rational numbers, including fractions and decimalsApply the derived sign rules to compute products and quotients of rational numbers including fractions and decimals.
   • Fraction-to-decimal conversion via long division, including repeating decimalsConvert a fraction to its decimal form, determining whether the result terminates or repeats, using long division.
   • Multi-step rational-number word problems requiring selection of operations without contextual cuesSolve a multi-step word problem involving all four operations on rational numbers in a context not used during instruction (e.g., elevation change across multiple unrelated stops, or combined temperature and time-of-day shifts).
   • Justification of a signed-number operation rule using a self-constructed number-line diagramJustify a chosen sign rule (for addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) by constructing an original number-line diagram for a rational-number pair the student has not seen used with that rule before.
   • The distinction between absolute distance between two rational numbers and signed change from one to anotherDistinguish problems that require finding a difference in distance (absolute value of a difference) from problems that require finding a signed change, given a set of contextual word problems.
3. Unit 3: Expressions and Multi-Step EquationsHere arithmetic becomes algebra. Your kid learns that an equation is a statement that two things are equal, and every legal move has to keep both sides equal — like a balance scale. They simplify expressions first, then solve increasingly complex equations, then translate word problems into equations, then do the same with inequalities.11 skills ▸close ▾

   • Like terms in a linear expression with rational, including negative, coefficientsGiven a linear expression with rational coefficients, combine like terms correctly, including terms with negative coefficients.
   • The distributive property applied with a negative multiplierApply the distributive property to expand an expression like -3(2x - 5), including when the multiplier is negative.
   • Equivalence between an expanded and a factored form of the same linear expressionExplain why two differently-written expressions, one expanded and one factored, represent the same quantity for every value of the variable.
   • Two-step linear equations with rational coefficients, form px + q = rSolve a two-step equation with rational coefficients by undoing operations in reverse order, recording each step as a balance move on both sides.
   • Multi-step linear equations of form p(x + q) = r and equations with variables on both sidesSolve multi-step equations that require distributing and combining like terms before undoing operations, including equations with the variable on both sides.
   • Translation of a word problem into a px + q = r equationGiven a verbal description of a real situation, decide which quantity is unknown and write an equation of the form px + q = r that models it.
   • Arithmetic versus algebraic solution methods for the same word problemCompare an arithmetic (guess-check-reason) solution and an algebraic (equation) solution to the same word problem and judge which reveals the general relationship more clearly.
   • One-variable linear inequalities requiring a sign reversalSolve a one-variable inequality of form px + q > r or px + q < r, correctly reversing the inequality symbol when multiplying or dividing by a negative number.
   • The solution set of a linear inequality represented on a number lineGraph the solution set of a one-variable inequality on a number line and explain what the shading and endpoint mean about which numbers satisfy it.
   • Selecting between an equation and an inequality model for a novel real-world constraint problemGiven a completely unfamiliar multi-step scenario with extraneous numeric information, decide whether it calls for an equation or an inequality, then solve it and justify the choice.
   • Application of the equation-as-balance principle to an unfamiliar quantitative domainGiven a real-world balance scenario never used in instruction (e.g., a chemistry mixture or a multi-currency exchange), construct and solve an equation or inequality that models it and explain why the balance principle still applies.
4. Unit 4: Scale Drawings and Geometric ConstructionsThis is Unit 1's proportional relationships applied to shapes: a scale factor is just the constant of proportionality, applied to every length in a figure at once. The second half shifts to building triangles by hand with a compass, straightedge, and protractor, and figuring out when the given information locks in exactly one triangle.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Scale factor as a constant of proportionality applied to a single lengthGiven a scale drawing and its stated scale, compute the actual length of a labeled segment.
   • The relationship between a linear scale factor and the resulting area, computed via actual lengths rather than by squaring the scale factor directlyGiven a scale drawing, compute the actual area of a region by first finding actual side lengths, then applying an area formula.
   • The multiplicative (not additive) relationship between linear scale factor and area scale factorExplain why area scales by the square of the linear scale factor, using a grid-square count as evidence.
   • The defining property of a scaled copy: every corresponding length pair shares the same constant ratioDistinguish a true scaled copy of a figure from a figure that has been distorted (e.g., stretched in one direction, or altered by addition rather than multiplication).
   • Combining two scale ratios (original-to-actual and actual-to-new) to reproduce a figure at a new scaleGiven a scale drawing at one scale, produce an accurate redrawing of the same figure at a specified different scale.
   • Deriving a scale factor between two representations with no scale given, using measured corresponding distancesGiven two maps or drawings of the same unfamiliar region at different, unstated scales with no shared labeled reference length, determine the scale relationship between them using only measured distances.
   • The triangle inequality as the condition for SSS construction to succeedConstruct a triangle from three given side lengths using a compass and straightedge, and determine whether the construction is possible.
   • The conditions (SSS, SAS, ASA) under which a triangle is uniquely determined, versus conditions that permit more than one triangle or noneGiven two side lengths and the included angle (SAS), or two angles and the included side (ASA), construct the triangle with a protractor and ruler and state whether the given conditions determine a unique triangle.
   • Generalizing the existence/uniqueness rule for triangles beyond the SSS/SAS/ASA cases explicitly taughtGiven an unfamiliar set of three conditions on a triangle (a mix of side and angle constraints, including an SSA case not previously modeled), determine whether zero, one, or infinitely many triangles satisfy them, and justify the conclusion.
   • Discriminating between scale-factor problems and triangle-construction problems based on structural features of the prompt, not its position in the unitGiven a scale-drawing redrawing task and a triangle-construction task presented in mixed, unlabeled order, select and apply the correct procedure for each.
5. Unit 5: Angle Relationships and AreaFour angle relationships — complementary, supplementary, vertical, adjacent — become sources of equations to solve, using the same balance idea from Unit 3. Then area work extends from grade-6 polygons to circles and composite shapes, ending with surface area of solids made from triangles and quadrilaterals.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Complementary and supplementary angle equationsGiven a diagram of two angles labeled as complementary or supplementary, write an equation using a variable for the unknown angle and solve it.
   • Vertical and adjacent angle relationships in a crossing-lines figureGiven an unlabeled diagram of two lines crossing, identify which angle pairs are vertical and which are adjacent, and state the relationship (equal vs. sums to 180) that applies to each.
   • Multi-step reasoning across combined angle relationships (vertical, adjacent, supplementary) in a single figureGiven a multi-angle diagram with several lines crossing at one point and only one angle measure provided, write and solve a chain of equations to find every unknown angle, citing the specific relationship used for each step.
   • The invariance of the triangle angle sumExplain why the sum of the interior angles of any triangle is 180 degrees, using a torn-corner or parallel-line demonstration, rather than stating the rule as a memorized fact.
   • Circle area and circumference formulasCalculate the area and circumference of a circle given its radius or diameter, choosing the correct formula for what is asked.
   • Decomposition strategies for composite figures involving circlesGiven a composite figure combining a circle with triangles and/or quadrilaterals, decompose it into named component shapes two different valid ways and compute the total area from either decomposition.
   • Surface area of polyhedra built from triangles and quadrilateralsCalculate the surface area of a three-dimensional figure composed of triangular and quadrilateral faces by identifying and summing the area of each distinct face.
   • Transfer of angle-relationship reasoning to unfamiliar contextsGiven a real-world scenario not resembling any diagram used in instruction (e.g. the angle between clock hands, or a compass bearing problem), determine which angle relationship applies and solve for the unknown angle.
   • Generalized decomposition strategy for surface area of scaled composite solidsGiven a novel composite solid combining a scaled copy of a shape from Unit 4 with new triangular faces, and no formula provided, determine a strategy to find its total surface area and justify why that strategy is valid for any solid built the same way.
6. Unit 6: Circles, Surface Area, and VolumeThis unit treats every geometry formula as a description of a physical action — going around a shape, wrapping it, or filling it up. It moves from circles (reconnecting pi to Unit 1's constant-ratio idea) through surface area built from actual paper nets, to volume with fractional dimensions, and closes with why volume scales by the cube of the scale factor for similar solids.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Circumference and area formulas for a circle (C = πd or 2πr; A = πr²)Given the radius or diameter of a circle, calculate its circumference and area using the correct formula for each.
   • Pi as a fixed ratio of circumference to diameterExplain why pi is the same fixed ratio for every circle, regardless of size, by connecting it to the constant-of-proportionality idea from Unit 1.
   • Surface area of prisms via netsGiven a net of a rectangular prism or triangular prism, calculate its total surface area by finding and summing the area of each face.
   • Surface area of pyramids via netsGiven a net of a pyramid, calculate its total surface area, distinguishing the base from the lateral (triangular) faces.
   • Volume of a rectangular prism with fractional edge lengthsGiven a rectangular prism with fractional edge lengths, calculate its volume by multiplying length, width, and height.
   • The independence of surface area and volume as measures of a solidGiven two solids with equal volume but different dimensions, determine whether their surface areas are also equal and justify the conclusion by relating it to how each formula depends on the arrangement of faces.
   • Solving V = lwh for an unknown dimensionGiven the volume of a rectangular prism and two of its three dimensions, solve an equation to find the missing dimension.
   • Solving a surface-area equation for an unknown dimensionGiven the surface area of a rectangular prism and all but one dimension, solve an equation to find the missing dimension.
   • The relationship between scale factor and volume ratio for similar solidsGiven two similar solids and their scale factor, predict the ratio of their volumes and explain why it is the cube of the scale factor rather than the scale factor itself.
   • Multi-step application combining surface area, volume, and dimension-solving on composite or unfamiliar solidsGiven a real-world composite figure (e.g., a grain silo as cylinder-plus-cone-like shape simplified to prism-plus-pyramid), plan and carry out a multi-step solution combining surface area, volume, and equation-solving from this unit.
7. Unit 7: Introduction to ProbabilityProbability here is just a proportion — a long-run rate of favorable outcomes over all outcomes — which is why it leans hard on Unit 1's rate language and Unit 2's fractions. It moves from single-event probability to experimental probability (and why it doesn't match theory with small samples) to compound events using sample spaces and tree diagrams.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Theoretical probability of a single event expressed as fraction, decimal, and percentGiven a context with a stated ratio of outcomes, state the theoretical probability of a specified outcome as a fraction, decimal, and percent.
   • The divergence between theoretical and experimental probability under small sample sizesExplain, using a specific numeric example from a class simulation, why an experimental probability computed from 20 trials can differ from the theoretical probability of the same event.
   • A probability model with outcomes assigned probabilities summing to oneDevelop a uniform or non-uniform probability model for a given chance process by assigning probabilities to each outcome so they sum to 1.
   • Agreement between a theoretical probability model and observed relative frequencyCompare a theoretical probability model against long-run relative frequencies collected from repeated trials of a chance process, and judge whether the model is a good fit.
   • The sample space of a two-stage compound eventConstruct a complete sample space for a two-stage compound event using a tree diagram or organized list.
   • Probability of a compound event as a fraction of the sample spaceCalculate the probability of a compound event from its sample space by counting favorable outcomes over total outcomes.
   • The structural difference between combining independent stage probabilities correctly versus combining them by additionDifferentiate between a compound-event context that requires multiplying stage probabilities and one that has been miscombined by adding them.
   • A simulation designed to estimate the probability of a novel compound eventDesign and carry out a simulation (using coins, number cubes, spinners, or a random-number generator) to estimate the probability of a compound event described in an unfamiliar real-world scenario.
   • The relationship between sample size and confidence in a probability modelGiven two proposed probability models for the same context, judge which better matches collected experimental data and justify the choice using the size of the sample.
8. Unit 8: Sampling and Statistical InferenceThe year's closing unit. Instead of computing a known probability, your kid now uses sample data to make a claim about a whole population — and learns that a sample is only as trustworthy as the process that produced it. They generate multiple samples, watch estimates bounce around, and use that bounce to judge whether two groups are really different.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Random vs. biased sampling methods and who gets over/under-representedGiven a description of a sampling method (e.g. survey students exiting the gym after a game, vs. survey every 20th name on the school roster), classify it as likely to produce a representative sample or a biased sample, and name which group is over- or under-represented.
   • The terms population, sample, random sampleState, from memory, the definitions of population, sample, and random sample using a given scenario.
   • Point estimates of a population proportion or mean from a single random sampleGiven one random sample's data (e.g. proportion of tagged fish, mean bag weight), compute a point estimate of the population characteristic and explain what the estimate does and does not tell you about the exact population value.
   • Sampling variability across repeated same-size samplesGiven a set of 8-10 simulated sample estimates from the same population, describe the spread of the estimates and explain why no single sample estimate should be treated as the exact population value.
   • Generating repeated random samples to bound a population estimateGenerate multiple random samples of a stated size from a given population (physical or simulated), record each sample's estimate, and use the collection of estimates to state a plausible range for the population characteristic.
   • Difference in means expressed as a multiple of MAD, for distributions with similar variabilityGiven two numerical data sets (e.g. heights of two grade levels) with similar variability, compare their distributions by expressing the difference in means as a multiple of the mean absolute deviation (MAD).
   • Informal visual and numerical judgment of whether two groups differ meaningfullyGiven two dot plots with visibly overlapping distributions, judge informally whether the groups differ meaningfully, and justify the judgment using both center and spread.
   • A complete original sampling plan: population, method, size, measurementDesign a complete sampling plan for a stated real-world question (define population, sampling method, sample size, and what will be measured) for a context never used during instruction.
   • Critique of a stated survey claim's sampling methodGiven a claim in a news-style headline about a survey result (e.g. "9 out of 10 dentists agree"), critique the sampling method implied by the claim and propose a specific improvement.

Try a real Mathematics 7: Proportional Reasoning and Rational Number Systems lesson, no account needed →

1. Unit 1: Tracing and Testing an ArgumentThis is where the vocabulary for the whole year gets built: claim, reason, evidence, counterclaim, and sufficiency (whether there's enough good evidence to actually support the claim). Your child learns one specific test for evidence — 'what would have to be different for this inference to be false?' — and practices it on short opinion texts before writing their own paragraph that answers an opposing view.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • The structure of claim and reason in a persuasive paragraphGiven a short persuasive paragraph, students identify which sentence states the claim and which sentences function as reasons.
   • The definitions of claim, reason, evidence, counterclaim, and sufficiencyStudents define claim, reason, evidence, counterclaim, and sufficiency using the class's working definitions, without notes.
   • The sufficiency of evidence in a marked persuasive text (relevance, amount, credibility)Given a persuasive text with claim, reasons, and evidence marked, students judge whether the evidence is sufficient using relevance, amount, and credibility, and justify the judgment in writing.
   • The argument structure and evidence sufficiency of a novel, unscaffolded persuasive textGiven an unfamiliar persuasive text with no criteria pre-marked, students locate the claim, trace its reasons and evidence, and evaluate sufficiency independently.
   • The necessity test for textual evidence supporting an inferenceStudents select the strongest textual evidence for a given inference by applying the filter question: what would have to be different if the inference were false.
   • The divergence between an argument's persuasiveness and its logical sufficiencyStudents compare two arguments that use overlapping evidence but reach different conclusions and explain why persuasiveness and logical sufficiency can diverge.
   • The counterclaim-acknowledgment structure in argumentative writingStudents write an argumentative paragraph stating a claim and explicitly acknowledging one counterclaim, using evidence to respond to it.
   • The sufficiency of evidence in an argument from a domain and era not covered in instructionGiven a brand-new persuasive text in an unfamiliar domain (e.g., a historical speech never discussed in class), students evaluate whether its evidence is sufficient and identify what additional evidence would be needed.
   • The generalizability of the sufficiency framework beyond persuasive-essay genreStudents propose what kind of new evidence would change their sufficiency judgment of an argument, generalizing the relevance/amount/credibility framework to a claim outside the persuasive-text genre entirely (e.g., a scientific or personal claim).
2. Unit 2: Two Sides, Same Facts: Comparing Points of ViewTwo honest, fact-checked accounts of the same event can still tell different stories — because of what each writer chose to include, leave out, and how they worded it. Your child reads two real short nonfiction pieces on one event and figures out where they diverge and why, using Unit 1's vocabulary on a harder case: nobody's lying, they just chose differently.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Unit 1 argument vocabulary (claim, evidence, sufficiency, counterclaim)Given a short review passage, students recall the definitions of claim, evidence, and sufficiency from Unit 1 with at least 80% accuracy on a warm-up quiz.
   • The distinction between point of view and purposeStudents distinguish an author's point of view from an author's purpose when given a single nonfiction paragraph.
   • Word choice as a signal of point of viewStudents explain how a specific word choice in a nonfiction text reveals the author's point of view, citing the sentence and naming the effect of that choice.
   • Selection of fact as a driver of differing point of view across two texts on one eventGiven two public-domain nonfiction texts on the same event, students compare the facts each author selected to include or omit and infer how that selection shapes point of view.
   • The Unit 1 sufficiency filter applied to competing evidence in a two-text comparisonStudents apply the Unit 1 sufficiency filter question to evaluate whether each side's evidence would survive if the opposing side's strongest fact were true.
   • Selection and framing as the source of disagreement between factually accurate textsGiven a text pair with no factual errors in either, students infer that disagreement must come from selection and framing rather than accuracy, and generate that explanation without being told it.
   • Strength of a stated counterclaim relative to the actual opposing positionStudents critique a peer's draft counterclaim paragraph, judging whether it names the opposing side's strongest point or a weak version of it.
   • An original comparative claim on a new pair of opposing-viewpoint texts, including counterclaim acknowledgmentStudents produce a comparative analysis essay on two novel public-domain texts, stating their own claim and acknowledging the strongest point from the rejected side.
3. Unit 3: A Perspective Sustained: Novel StudyYour child reads a full novel, chapter by chapter with discussion in between, and tracks one narrator's point of view across the whole book instead of one paragraph. They use Unit 1's inference test to argue what a character's real motive is at a key turning point, even when the book never says so directly.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • First-person vs. third-person limited narration in the novelGiven two passages from the novel, students identify whether the narrator is first-person or third-person limited and name one textual signal.
   • Narrator's limited access and its effect on shown causes of plot eventsStudents explain how the narrator's limited access to other characters' thoughts affects which causes of an event the reader is shown.
   • The inference-evidence filter applied to character motiveUsing the 'what would have to be different' filter, students select the strongest textual evidence for a character's motive at a given turning point from two competing quotes.
   • Change in a character's point of view across chapters of the novelStudents trace how a specific character's stated or implied point of view changes across three assigned chapters, citing one passage per chapter.
   • Character motive at an unmodeled turning point in the novelStudents infer a character's strongest motive at a turning point neither explicitly discussed in class nor covered by teacher-modeled examples.
   • Generalized principle of narrative omission applied to an unseen textStudents generalize the 'narrator leaves things out' principle to argue what a different, untaught novel's narrator likely omits, based on a short unseen excerpt.
   • Counterclaim-and-rebuttal paragraph structure for a literary motive argumentStudents write a counterclaim paragraph addressing one plausible alternative motive and rebut it using textual evidence, following the essay's required structure.
   • Unit 1 argument vocabulary: claim, evidence, counterclaim, sufficiencyStudents recall the definitions of 'claim,' 'evidence,' 'counterclaim,' and 'sufficiency' from Unit 1 without reference to notes.
   • Peer's textual evidence for a character motive claimStudents critique a peer's motive claim by identifying whether the cited evidence would survive the 'what would have to be different' filter.
4. Unit 4: Myths, Archetypes, and Cultural Point of ViewMyths are old and symbolic — 'the facts' in a myth are really a culture's values, not literal events. Your child learns archetype words (trickster, hero, hubris, nemesis) and compares two tellings of the same myth to figure out what each culture's version protects or cares about. They also look at similar patterns across unrelated cultures and resist the urge to assume one culture copied another.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Archetype patterns (trickster, hero, hubris/nemesis) in a single myth textGiven a single myth, students identify the specific sentence(s) whose presence signals the archetype pattern (trickster, hero, hubris/nemesis) at work.
   • Greek/Latin roots hubris, nemesis, -log-, -path- and derived wordsStudents state the correct definition of hubris, nemesis, and one word built from -log- or -path-, using the root's contribution to meaning.
   • Two tellings of the same myth (point of view differences)Given two tellings of the same myth, students compare how each version resolves the central conflict and identify the specific detail that differs.
   • Relationship between a specific textual difference and a culture's valuesStudents explain what a specific difference between two tellings of a myth reveals about each culture's values, connecting the textual detail to the value it protects.
   • Recurrence of archetype patterns across unrelated culturesGiven an archetype pattern found in three unrelated cultures' myths, students generate at least two possible explanations for why the pattern recurs, beyond 'one culture copied another.'
   • Theme as culturally situated rather than universalStudents critique a classmate's claim that a myth's theme is universal by pointing to a cultural detail the claim ignores.
   • Cultural values inferred from an unfamiliar myth's archetype and detailsGiven an unfamiliar myth from a culture not studied in this unit, students infer one likely cultural value using the archetype and detail-difference reasoning taught with studied myths.
   • Comparative essay structure with claim, evidence, and counterclaim addressed with evidenceStudents plan a comparative essay by organizing textual evidence from both tellings under a stated claim about cultural values, including a counterclaim paragraph that addresses the strongest objection with evidence.
   • Complete comparative essay on two myth tellings' point of view and cultural valuesStudents produce a complete comparative essay draft analyzing how two tellings of a myth differ in point of view and what that reveals about cultural values.
5. Unit 5: The Speaker's Stake: Poetry and InferenceA poem's speaker has a point of view too, and the poem's structure (line breaks, stanza breaks, form) and figurative language are evidence for that stance — not just decoration. Your child learns to tell the speaker apart from the poet, and to argue what a speaker's stance is using specific lines as proof, including comparing two poems that take opposite stances on a similar subject.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • The distinction between a poem's speaker and its poetGiven a poem with a clear persona, students distinguish the speaker from the poet and cite the specific line that makes the two non-identical.
   • Line breaks, stanza breaks, and form as structural choices in a poemStudents identify at least two structural choices (line break, stanza break, or form) in a given poem and state the literal effect each has on pacing or emphasis.
   • The modeled three-step reasoning chain linking a structural choice to a stance, on the same poem used to teach itGiven the exact structural terms and the exact poem used in the Day 1-3 worked examples, students apply the modeled three-step reasoning chain (identify choice, state literal effect, name it as evidence) to produce the speaker's stance, reproducing the taught routine step by step.
   • The relationship between a structural choice (e.g., short lines, an abrupt stanza break) and the speaker's inferred stanceStudents infer a speaker's stance toward the poem's subject from a specific structural choice, explaining why the opposite structural choice would suggest a different stance.
   • Figurative language as textual evidence for an inference about speaker stanceStudents infer a speaker's stance from a figurative-language detail (metaphor, personification, or connotation) and justify the inference using the strongest available line, rejecting a weaker line that merely mentions the same image.
   • Two speakers' contrasting stances on a shared theme, as an instance of point of viewGiven two poems on a related theme, students compare the two speakers' stances and explain that the difference is a choice about what to notice, not a factual disagreement.
   • The counterclaim-acknowledgment structure, at the 'address and rebut with evidence' levelStudents write a counterclaim paragraph that names an alternative reading of specific lines, addresses it directly, and rebuts it using textual evidence, meeting this unit's raised bar over Unit 1's 'name it' standard.
   • Speaker's stance in a wholly unfamiliar poemGiven an unfamiliar poem never discussed in class, students determine the speaker's stance and defend it using structural and figurative evidence without teacher scaffolding.
   • Structure-as-evidence for inference, generalized across genresStudents generalize the claim that structure functions as evidence for inference beyond poetry, predicting how the same filter question would apply to a genre not yet studied in this course (e.g., a staged play's line delivery).
6. Unit 6: Staged Conflict: Drama and Contrasting MotivesA play has no narrator to explain anything — dialogue and stage directions are the only evidence your child gets for what a character wants. They apply the same inference test from Unit 1 to a protagonist-versus-antagonist conflict, learn dramatic irony (when the audience knows something a character doesn't), and compare a filmed or staged version of a scene to the written script to see how a director's choices change what a viewer thinks about a character.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • The distinction between dialogue and stage directions as two separate categories of textual evidence in a scriptGiven a two-line stage direction and a line of dialogue from an unread scene of the assigned play, state what each contributes as evidence, without conflating the two.
   • The three basic formatting elements of a script page (character header, stage direction, dialogue), applied to a page not previously annotated in classLabel the character header, one stage direction, and one line of dialogue on a single unmarked script page, matching each to its correct category.
   • The inference filter question applied to a character's motive, evidenced by a specific line of dialogueApply the Unit 1 inference filter question ('what would have to be different for this inference to be false?') to a character's line of dialogue to test a proposed motive, in a scene read together in class.
   • Protagonist versus antagonist as contrasting points of view within one conflictDistinguish the protagonist's point of view from the antagonist's point of view in a central conflict of the play, citing at least one line from each character that reveals what each treats as important.
   • Dramatic irony as an information gap between audience and characterExplain what a moment of dramatic irony reveals to the audience that a specific character does not know, naming the exact information gap.
   • Director/actor staging choices as an added layer of point of view not present in the script text itselfCompare a filmed or staged version of a scene to its script, identifying at least one detail present in the production but absent from the script, and explain how that choice changes a viewer's read on a character's motive.
   • Justification of a character's motive using dialogue evidence filtered for sufficiencyGiven a conflict and character pair the class has never analyzed together, argue in writing which character's motive is more justified, using one piece of dialogue evidence that passes the inference filter and one that does not, explaining the difference.
   • Counterclaim rebuttal using dialogue evidence, at the 'rebut with evidence' rigor level specified in the course's rising counterclaim structureWrite a counterclaim rebuttal paragraph, within the summative essay, that answers the opposing character's strongest justification with a specific line of dialogue rather than only naming the objection.
   • Transfer of the dialogue-evidence inference method to an unfamiliar play textGiven a new short script excerpt from an unfamiliar play, generalize the inference-filter and dialogue-evidence method to identify a character's likely motive without teacher scaffolding.
7. Unit 7: Evaluating SourcesUp to now your child has judged whether an argument's evidence is good. Now they judge whether the SOURCE carrying that evidence can be trusted — using four checks: who's behind it and what qualifies them, how recent it needs to be, whether a second source actually confirms it or just repeats it, and whether it's a first-hand or second-hand account. They also learn that judging one source and judging a whole set of sources together are two different jobs.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Authority as a credibility criterion tied to a specific claimGiven a single source, students state who the author or publisher is and what credential or role qualifies them to make this specific claim.
   • Primary vs. secondary source classificationStudents classify a given source as primary or secondary based on the source's relationship to the event or claim it describes.
   • Currency as a claim-dependent, not universal, criterionStudents explain why a source's currency (how recent it is) matters or does not matter for a specific claim, distinguishing claims where recency changes reliability from claims where it does not.
   • Corroboration versus citation as distinct relationships between two sourcesGiven two sources making the same factual claim, students determine whether the second source corroborates the first or merely repeats/cites it without independent verification.
   • Synthesis of multi-format sources on one research questionStudents synthesize information about one research question drawn from a text, a data chart, and an audio transcript into a single written summary of what is known and disputed.
   • Sufficiency as a property of a source SET rather than a single sourceStudents apply the Unit 1 sufficiency filter question to a set of three or more sources, judging whether the set together gives enough evidence to justify a claim, not whether any single source does.
   • Credibility ranking and written justification across a disagreeing source setGiven four sources on a shared research question that partially disagree, students rank the sources by credibility and justify each ranking decision in writing using authority, currency, and corroboration vocabulary precisely.
   • Diagnostic application of credibility criteria to an unrehearsed source pairGiven a brand-new research question and two brand-new sources never seen in this unit, students independently identify which credibility criterion is most in doubt and explain what additional information would resolve that doubt.
   • Generalization of credibility criteria beyond the taught source formatsStudents generalize the authority-currency-corroboration framework to evaluate a non-text source type not explicitly taught, such as a podcast episode or an infographic, and justify their adapted criteria.
   • Unit 1 vocabulary: sufficiency and counterclaimStudents recall the definitions of sufficiency and counterclaim from Unit 1 accurately when prompted at the opening of Day 1.
8. Unit 8: The Research Argument: Position, Evidence, CounterclaimThis is the year's final project: a research paper with a claim that could genuinely be argued either way, evidence pulled from at least three credible sources, and a counterclaim your child actually rebuts with evidence rather than just names. New skills here are limited to what hasn't been taught yet — picking a real debatable question, paraphrasing with proper attribution, avoiding plagiarism, and weaving three sources into one argument instead of summarizing them one at a time.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • The difference between a genuinely debatable research question and a settled-fact or single-answer questionGiven a topic, formulate a research question that a credible source-based argument could genuinely dispute, distinguishing it from a settled-fact question.
   • Lateral reading as a method for verifying source credibilityApply lateral reading (checking an organization's identity and funding outside the source page itself) to judge whether a given source is credible for a specific claim.
   • Paraphrase with attribution versus plagiarized restatementParaphrase a source sentence in original wording and attach correct in-text attribution, distinguishing this from plagiarized restatement.
   • Sufficiency of a multi-source evidence set, applied from the Unit 1 sufficiency conceptJudge whether a set of three sources is sufficient evidence for a claim by identifying whether each source contributes distinct evidence or merely repeats another.
   • Synthesis of multiple sources into one claim-driven paragraphSynthesize evidence from three sources into a single paragraph organized around the claim rather than organized source-by-source.
   • Rebuttal of a counterclaim using cited evidence, the top stage of the Unit 1-6 counterclaim progressionGiven a claim and its strongest counterclaim, write a rebuttal that cites specific evidence responding to the counterclaim's actual reasoning, not merely restating disagreement.
   • Criteria for a fair test between disagreeing sources on an unfamiliar topicGiven two real, previously unseen sources that disagree on a topic outside their own research question, infer what evidence would constitute a fair test of the disagreement.
   • Counterclaim-handling technique in a professionally published argumentative textGiven a professionally published op-ed never discussed in class, identify how the author acknowledges and responds to a counterclaim, and compare that move to the student's own draft.
   • The Unit 1 argument vocabulary set (claim, evidence, counterclaim, sufficiency)Recall the definitions of claim, evidence, counterclaim, and sufficiency from Unit 1 with correct usage in a new sentence.
   • The name/address/rebut-with-evidence classification applied to a peer's draft writingEvaluate whether a peer's counterclaim paragraph names, addresses, or rebuts with evidence, citing the specific sentence that supports the judgment.

Try a real Reading Arguments, Writing Positions: Grade 7 English Language Arts lesson, no account needed →

1. Unit 1: Cells: The Unit of LifeYour child learns that everything alive is built from cells, and that what's inside a cell determines what it can do. They'll compare simple cells (like bacteria) to complex ones (like their own), learn what each major cell part does, and actually look at real specimens through a microscope. It ends with them preparing their own slide and writing an argument for what type of cell they're looking at, based only on what they can see.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Cell theory (all organisms made of cells; cell is basic unit of life; cells come from pre-existing cells)State the three claims of cell theory and identify which historical observation supports each claim.
   • Prokaryotic vs. eukaryotic cell structureClassify a given cell image as prokaryotic or eukaryotic based on presence or absence of a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
   • Structure-function relationship in the mitochondrionExplain how the folded structure of the mitochondrial inner membrane relates to its function of energy release.
   • Organelle structure-function within a whole cell modelConstruct a labeled model of a plant or animal cell showing at least five organelles and their functions.
   • Unicellular vs. multicellular organizationCompare a photograph of an unfamiliar single-celled organism to a photograph of an unfamiliar multicellular tissue and infer which is unicellular based on structural cues, not prior labeling.
   • The distinction between magnification and resolution in microscopyExplain why increasing magnification without increasing resolution fails to reveal more detail in a specimen.
   • Wet-mount slide preparation procedurePrepare a wet-mount slide of a household specimen following a multistep procedure without skipping or reordering steps.
   • Use of observational evidence versus recalled fact in a CER argument about cell typeJudge whether a peer's cell drawing and CER explanation correctly use observed structures, not memorized textbook facts, as evidence.
   • Inference of organelle presence from organism functionGenerate a prediction about what internal structures an entirely new, never-discussed organism's cells must contain, given only a description of what that organism does (e.g., photosynthesizes, moves fast, stores fat).
2. Unit 2: Body Systems as Interacting SubsystemsSame idea as Unit 1, at a bigger scale: cells team up into tissues, tissues into organs, organs into systems, and the interesting part is what actually crosses between systems. The core content is digestion, circulation, breathing, and the nervous system, and how a problem in one shows up as a symptom somewhere else entirely. It ends with your child tracing a swallowed meal through at least three systems and then applying that same reasoning to a symptom they've never discussed.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Structure-function relationship in organ tissue (e.g., villi in small intestine, alveoli in lungs)Given a diagram of an unfamiliar organ, students explain why its tissue structure fits its function, using at least two structural features.
   • The cell-tissue-organ-organ system hierarchyStudents place cell, tissue, organ, and organ system in the correct hierarchical order and state what each level is made of.
   • Nutrient transport across the digestive-circulatory system interfaceStudents trace the path of a specific nutrient molecule from the small intestine into the bloodstream and identify which two systems interact to move it.
   • Gas exchange between alveoli and capillariesStudents diagram gas exchange at the alveolus, showing oxygen and carbon dioxide moving in opposite directions between air and blood.
   • Cross-system causes of an unfamiliar symptomGiven a symptom the class has not discussed (e.g., dizziness after standing quickly, or numb fingers in cold), students propose and justify which two systems most plausibly interact to cause it.
   • Reflex (nervous) versus hormonal response timing and durationStudents compare a nervous-system reflex response to a hormonal (endocrine) response to the same stimulus type, identifying speed and duration differences.
   • Multi-system flow-model of digestion, gas exchange, and circulation for a single mealStudents construct a labeled flow-model showing matter and energy moving through at least three interacting body systems for a swallowed meal.
   • Generalized principle that separating gas-carrying and nutrient-carrying pathways prevents harmful mixingGiven a totally novel organism's organ description (e.g., a fictional animal's single mixing organ for air and blood), students predict a likely health consequence and justify it using the matter-versus-mixing principle from human circulation.
   • Claim-evidence structure of an informational text on organ systemsStudents summarize the main claim and supporting evidence of a grade-level text on organ transplant rejection, distinguishing the text's evidence from their own outside knowledge.
   • Validity of matter/energy transfer arrows in a systems flow-modelStudents critique a peer's flow-model draft by checking whether every arrow represents an actual transfer of matter or energy rather than a vague connection.
3. Unit 3: Photosynthesis and Respiration: The Energy StoryThis is the chemistry underneath the last two units: how plants make food (photosynthesis) and how living things release energy from food (respiration), and why these two reactions are mirror images of each other. Your child works through both word equations with physical models, then runs a real investigation at home — sealed jars with a plant in light and in darkness, watched with a carbon dioxide color indicator — and has to explain their own data against the equations they learned.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • The photosynthesis word equation (reactants and products)State the word equation for photosynthesis, naming carbon dioxide, water, glucose, and oxygen as reactants and products.
   • The cellular respiration word equation (reactants and products)State the word equation for cellular respiration, naming glucose and oxygen as reactants and carbon dioxide, water, and released energy as products.
   • The reverse-direction relationship between the photosynthesis and respiration equationsExplain why the chemical structures of the photosynthesis and respiration equations are mirror images, using the same atoms in reversed roles.
   • Photosynthesis and respiration as distinguishable processes in unfamiliar real-world scenariosClassify a given real-world scenario (e.g., a sealed terrarium, a submerged aquatic plant, a hibernating animal) as primarily evidence of photosynthesis, respiration, or both occurring.
   • The path of a single carbon atom from ingested food through the body and out as exhaled CO2Trace a single labeled carbon atom's path from a sandwich's bread through digestion, cellular respiration, and exhalation, identifying every location it visits.
   • Energy flow versus matter cycling in a living systemDifferentiate the one-way flow of energy through a system from the cycling and reuse of matter, using labeled diagrams of both a carbon atom's path and an energy unit's path.
   • A prediction for CO2 indicator color change under light versus dark plant conditionsGenerate a testable prediction for what will happen to a CO2 indicator's color in sealed jars containing a plant in light versus a plant in darkness.
   • Graphed CO2 concentration data from a light-vs-dark plant investigationInterpret graphed CO2 concentration data from the household investigation to support or refute a claim about whether a plant respires in darkness.
   • Energy flow versus matter cycling, applied to an unfamiliar biological systemConstruct a written scientific explanation distinguishing energy flow from matter cycling in a completely novel system never discussed in class (e.g., a compost pile, a deep-sea vent community).
   • The global consequence of photosynthesis ceasing, reasoned from the photosynthesis and respiration equationsPredict what would happen to atmospheric oxygen levels over decades if every photosynthetic organism on Earth stopped functioning simultaneously, justifying the prediction from the two chemical equations.
4. Unit 4: Ecosystems: Matter and Energy in CommunitiesThis zooms Unit 3's two reactions out to a whole ecosystem: producers doing photosynthesis, consumers and decomposers doing respiration, all connected in food webs and energy pyramids. The unit spends real time on the single stickiest idea in the whole course — that energy does not cycle back the way matter does — and ends with your child building an original energy pyramid and matter diagram from a real dataset they've never seen before.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Trophic level classification within a food chainGiven a set of feeding relationships, students correctly place organisms into trophic levels (producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, decomposer).
   • Food web diagram construction from ecosystem descriptionStudents construct a food web diagram from a written description of feeding relationships among 6-8 organisms in a named ecosystem.
   • The 10% energy transfer rule and its biological causeStudents explain why usable energy decreases by roughly 90% at each successive trophic level, citing heat loss and metabolic use.
   • Percentage transfer calculation from biomass data using proportional reasoningGiven biomass data for a real ecosystem's trophic levels, students calculate the percentage of energy transferred between two adjacent levels.
   • The distinction between one-way energy flow and cyclic matter movement in ecosystemsStudents distinguish energy flow from matter cycling by identifying which of a set of ecosystem diagrams correctly shows each, and explaining why energy cannot cycle back.
   • Decomposer function as the mechanism completing matter cyclingStudents explain how decomposers return matter to an ecosystem by connecting decomposer cellular respiration to nutrient release into soil and air.
   • Carrying capacity and limiting factors in a real population datasetGiven real population data for an organism in a bounded habitat, students identify the limiting factor(s) constraining carrying capacity and justify the choice with evidence from the data.
   • Indirect trophic effects of keystone species removal in an unfamiliar food webStudents predict and justify the likely direct and indirect effects on a food web if a named keystone species is removed, using the web's structure as evidence.
   • The relationship between a textual claim and quantitative/graphical evidence about ecosystem disturbanceStudents read a grade-appropriate scientific text about a real ecosystem disturbance and identify how the text's central claim about ecosystem stability is supported by data presented in an accompanying chart.
   • Synthesis of energy-pyramid construction, matter-cycling diagramming, and disturbance argument for a novel real ecosystemUsing a real published dataset, students construct an original energy pyramid and matter-cycling diagram for an ecosystem not covered in class, and write an evidence-based argument evaluating a proposed disturbance to it.
5. Unit 5: Population DynamicsThis unit takes carrying capacity and limiting factors — mentioned loosely in Unit 4 — and makes 'population' its own subject. Your child learns to tell density-dependent limits (like competition) from density-independent ones (like a storm), reads growth graphs, and studies predator-prey cycles as one population's ups and downs lagging behind another's. Nearly every lesson is anchored to a real graph, never a term without its picture.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Carrying capacity and limiting factors as shown on a population graphGiven a population dataset, state the carrying capacity shown by the graph and identify at least one limiting factor named in the data.
   • Density-dependent versus density-independent limiting factorsClassify a given limiting factor as density-dependent or density-independent based on whether its effect changes with population size.
   • The mechanism linking resource availability, competition, and slowing growth rate near carrying capacityExplain why a population's growth rate slows as it approaches carrying capacity, using the relationship between resource availability and competition.
   • Population-growth graphs constructed from tabular dataConstruct a labeled population-growth graph from a provided data table, correctly plotting points and identifying the growth phase.
   • The lag pattern in predator-prey population cycles versus single-species logistic growthCompare a predator-prey population cycle to a single-species logistic growth curve, identifying what the predator curve's lag reveals about cause and effect.
   • Emergence of limiting factors in a novel, untaught ecosystem scenarioGiven a novel, previously unseen ecosystem scenario (e.g., an invasive species introduced to an island with no natural predators), predict which limiting factors will emerge and justify the prediction using population concepts from this unit.
   • Claim-evidence-reasoning argument about a population's future trajectoryWrite a claim-evidence-reasoning argument predicting a population's near-term trajectory from a real dataset, citing specific data points as evidence and naming a limiting-factor mechanism as reasoning.
   • The claim that population crashes always indicate an external problemEvaluate a claim that a population crash is always evidence that 'something went wrong,' using density-dependent and density-independent factor concepts to judge whether the claim holds for a natural predator-prey cycle.
6. Unit 6: Reproduction and HeredityThis unit answers the question Unit 5 left hanging: why do individuals within a population differ at all? Your child moves from real examples (bacteria splitting, rabbits mating) to genes, alleles, and chromosomes, using physical allele cards before switching to symbolic Punnett squares. A tricky stretch in the middle (days 14-16) has them work out on their own why full siblings from the same parents can differ, before being told the answer. It ends by tying a computed ratio, real offspring data, and individual variation together in one written piece.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Sexual vs. asexual reproduction and the variation each producesGiven descriptions of five organisms' reproduction (e.g., a bacterium splitting, a strawberry plant runner, two rabbits mating), classify each as sexual or asexual reproduction and predict whether offspring will be genetically identical or variable.
   • Genes, alleles, and chromosomes as discrete units of inherited informationState that chromosomes are made of many genes, and each gene can exist as different alleles, using a labeled diagram of a chromosome pair.
   • Dominant/recessive patterns and simple Punnett square predictionComplete a monohybrid Punnett square for a given single-gene cross (e.g., Bb x Bb) and state the predicted genotype and phenotype ratios of offspring.
   • Dominant/recessive patterns and simple Punnett square predictionGiven a new organism and trait not used in instruction, assign appropriate allele letters, set up a monohybrid Punnett square, and calculate the offspring ratio.
   • Genetic variation among offspring of the same parentsExplain why two full siblings from the same two parents can have different genotypes and phenotypes, connecting this to the random combination of alleles at fertilization.
   • Probability prediction versus observed sample data in genetic crossesCompare a real offspring-count data sample against a predicted Punnett square ratio and explain any mismatch in terms of sample size, not in terms of the prediction being wrong.
   • Life cycles across species as patterns of reproduction and variationGiven a life cycle diagram from an organism never discussed in class (e.g., a fern or a jellyfish), identify the generational pattern of reproduction and infer whether variation is introduced sexually, asexually, or both.
   • Inferring dominance and genetic explanation from population-level trait ratio dataGiven a population trait dataset unlike any used in the unit (different organism, different trait, no letters assigned), design a plausible genetic explanation for the observed trait ratio, including proposing which allele is likely dominant, and justify the choice with evidence from the data.
   • The relationship between genetic prediction, population data, and individual variationWrite an explanation connecting a computed Punnett square prediction, a real offspring dataset, and the reason individual offspring vary, integrating vocabulary from Units 5 and 6.
7. Unit 7: Natural Selection and AdaptationThis unit answers how a whole population changes over generations without any single individual changing. It fuses Unit 6's mechanism (genes and heritable variation) with Unit 5's population frame (competition, limited resources): variation that already exists, plus some individuals surviving and reproducing better than others, shifts what's common in the next generation. It leans hard on real datasets — peppered moths, guppy color, antibiotic resistance — to fight the idea that organisms adapt on purpose because they need to.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Pre-existing heritable variation as the raw material for selectionGiven a scenario with a population and an environmental change, state which pre-existing heritable trait already varies in that population, without inventing a new trait.
   • Differential survival and reproduction as the mechanism of population-level trait changeExplain, using a specific taught example (peppered moth or antibiotic resistance), why differential survival changes the proportion of a trait in the next generation rather than changing any individual.
   • Trait-frequency change calculated from population count dataGiven a two-generation trait-frequency table for an unfamiliar organism and environment, calculate the change in percentage of a trait and classify whether the pattern is consistent with selection.
   • Acclimation versus adaptation as distinct time scales and mechanismsCompare an individual organism's lifetime acclimation (e.g., an animal growing a thicker coat one winter) with a population's multi-generational adaptation, identifying what differs between the two.
   • A full natural-selection argument built from an unfamiliar datasetConstruct a written, evidence-based explanation of a novel trait-frequency dataset that names the pre-existing variation, the selective pressure, and the resulting frequency shift, and explicitly rules out an individual-effort explanation.
   • The intentionality misconception in natural selection explanationsCritique a claim in a fictional student's argument that states 'the moths turned darker because they needed to hide,' identifying the specific logical step that misattributes intention to individuals.
   • Lines of evidence for natural selection and their respective limitsDistinguish, across three types of evidence (fossil record, comparative anatomy, direct observation of resistant bacteria), what each type can and cannot show about natural selection.
   • Generalizing the natural-selection argument structure to an invented systemUsing a completely unfamiliar organism-environment scenario (e.g., a fictional beetle on a fictional planet) with a supplied trait-frequency table, generate a full selection argument and identify what additional data would strengthen or weaken it.
8. Unit 8: Building the Evidence Case: Synthesis Across ScalesNo new biology gets taught here — this is the year's capstone, where your child uses vocabulary and ideas from every prior unit (cell, energy flow, population, heredity, natural selection) to build one evidence argument for how two species are related. The real skill is judging whether several independent kinds of evidence — anatomy, embryos, cells, energy use, population data, heredity — actually point the same direction, or whether one line contradicts the rest.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Homologous structures as evidence of common ancestryGiven two fossil or anatomical diagrams of related organisms, identify homologous structures shared between them.
   • Convergence of multiple independent lines of evidence (multi-scale evidence argument)Explain why anatomical similarity alone is weaker evidence for evolutionary relationship than anatomical similarity plus matching cellular, energetic, and heredity evidence.
   • Patterns of change, diversity, and extinction in the fossil recordInterpret a fossil-record data table showing changes in a trait's frequency over geologic time layers.
   • The six evidence categories used to build a multi-scale argumentClassify a piece of evidence (anatomical, embryological, cellular/molecular, energetic, population, or heredity) by which course scale it belongs to.
   • Common ancestry versus alternative explanations for shared traitsCompare two competing explanations for a set of species similarities (common ancestry versus convergent evolution/coincidence) and judge which the evidence better supports.
   • Convergence and contradiction among lines of evidence in a written argumentGiven a completed multi-scale evidence argument, judge whether the four lines of evidence actually converge or whether one line contradicts the others.
   • An original multi-scale evidence argument for a chosen species pairFor a self-selected species pair never discussed in class, research and select evidence from at least three of the course's scales and construct a written argument for their evolutionary relationship, defended against a specified counter-explanation.
   • Predictions of disconfirming or confirming multi-scale evidence for an unfamiliar species claimGiven a novel claim about two unrelated organisms sharing a surprising trait, generate a testable prediction of what evidence would need to exist across scales to support or refute common ancestry.
   • Cumulative vocabulary from Units 1-7Recall the definitions of at least four evidence-scale vocabulary terms drawn from Units 1, 3-4, 5, and 6-7 (e.g., homologous structure, trophic level, carrying capacity, allele).

Try a real Life Science: Systems, Energy, and Change lesson, no account needed →

1. Unit 1: Byzantium: Rome's Geographic and Political AfterlifeThis unit opens on familiar ground — Rome, which your child met last year. The big question: why did the eastern half of Rome survive a thousand years longer than the west, and is 'Byzantium' really Rome continued, or a new thing wearing Rome's name? Along the way your child builds the two toolkits — reading different kinds of maps, and checking whether a historical source can be trusted — that get reused all year without being retaught.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Constantinople's chokepoint location between the Bosporus Strait and the Sea of MarmaraGiven a physical map of the Bosporus and Sea of Marmara, students identify Constantinople's site as a chokepoint controlling land and sea routes between Europe and Asia.
   • The dual effect of chokepoint geography on trade wealth and vulnerability to invasionStudents explain how a strait location produces BOTH trade wealth and military vulnerability, using Constantinople as the case.
   • Map types: physical, political, and thematic/choropleth mapsStudents classify a set of unlabeled maps (physical, political, thematic/choropleth) by the kind of information each is built to show.
   • Sourcing moves: author, purpose, audience, and what is missing from a historical accountStudents compare a Byzantine chronicler's account and a foreign traveler's account of Constantinople to identify what each writer's purpose led them to include or omit.
   • Justinian's Code as a reorganization, not replacement, of Roman legal traditionStudents infer why Justinian's Code preserved and reorganized Roman law rather than replacing it outright.
   • The fusion of religious and political authority in the Byzantine emperor's roleStudents explain how Byzantine emperors used the church as an arm of the state (caesaropapism) rather than a separate institution.
   • The relative weight of geographic versus political explanations for Constantinople's survivalUsing three primary sources and a map, students generate an argument about whether Constantinople's millennium of survival was mainly geographic or mainly political, weighing evidence for both.
   • Chokepoint geography as a transferable spatial concept beyond ConstantinopleGiven a new, unstudied strait city (e.g., Gibraltar, Malacca, or Hormuz) on a map, students predict what economic and military pressures it would face, applying the chokepoint concept without being told to.
2. Unit 2: The Islamic World: Trade, Law, and Learning Across Three ContinentsThis unit follows the Arabian Peninsula's geography into Islam's early spread, then follows the caliphates as they build the biggest connected trade network of the medieval world — by land on the Silk Road, by sea across the Indian Ocean. The throughline is syncretism: how Islamic law and Arabic language absorbed and were reshaped by Persian, Byzantine, Indian, and African custom as they spread. The Five Pillars are studied as a framework that unified a very diverse empire, not as devotional content.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Arabian Peninsula physical geography and its relationship to early Islamic trade and settlement patternsExplain how Arabian Peninsula geography (desert, oasis towns, Mecca's location on trade routes) shaped the conditions for Islam's emergence and early spread.
   • The Five Pillars of Islam as a historical/social unifying frameworkDescribe the Five Pillars as a social and political framework that unified converts across regions, without characterizing them as devotional practice.
   • Caliphates as political successor states borrowing and modifying Byzantine and Persian administrative institutionsClassify a set of historical developments (legal codes, tax systems, administrative offices) as continuations of prior empires versus new caliphate institutions.
   • Structural similarities and differences between Silk Road and Indian Ocean trade networksCompare Silk Road overland trade and Indian Ocean maritime trade using the shared vocabulary of entrepot, tribute, middleman, and terms of trade.
   • Syncretism as demonstrated by Islamic law blending with local legal and social custom in a specific conquered regionExplain how Islamic law absorbed and reshaped local custom in a conquered region, using the concept of syncretism.
   • Syncretism as a general pattern of cultural and legal blending, transferred beyond the taught Islamic-law caseApply the concept of syncretism to a trade or belief-blending scenario set in a region not covered in this unit's instruction.
   • The House of Wisdom as an institutional mechanism for knowledge preservation and cross-cultural transmissionInfer why the House of Wisdom's location and function allowed it to preserve and transmit Greek, Persian, and Indian knowledge rather than losing it.
   • Competing secondary-source explanations for rapid early caliphate expansionCorroborate two secondary sources that offer different explanations for why the caliphates expanded so quickly, identifying where they agree, disagree, and why.
   • The geographic path and content of goods, ideas, and technology moving along Silk Road and Indian Ocean networksConstruct an annotated map of the Silk Road and Indian Ocean trade routes, correctly plotting three goods, one idea, and one technology that moved along them.
   • Terms-of-trade reasoning generalized to an untaught trade networkGiven an unfamiliar medieval trade network described in a short passage (not Silk Road or Indian Ocean), predict which goods likely moved as prestige items versus bulk commodities and justify the prediction using terms-of-trade reasoning taught in this unit.
3. Unit 3: Medieval West Africa: Ghana, Mali, and SonghaiThree trading kingdoms across the Sahel, one after another — Ghana, then Mali, then Songhai — built almost entirely on the gold-salt trade. Your child studies Timbuktu as a center of trade and Islamic learning, and how Islam blended with existing local practice under rulers like Mansa Musa. The central problem here is that most written accounts of Mali come from outside visitors, while West Africa's own history survives mainly through oral tradition carried by griots — so the unit is as much about weighing evidence as it is about the kingdoms themselves.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • The gold-salt weight-for-weight exchange rate and the geographic scarcity that produced itStudents explain why gold from the forest zone and salt from the Sahara were exchanged weight-for-weight, given a map of resource zones.
   • The physical geography of the Sahel and the trans-Saharan trade routesStudents locate and label the Sahara, Sahel, and savanna/forest zones and the trans-Saharan trade routes on a blank map.
   • The succession of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai as trade-based statesStudents sequence Ghana, Mali, and Songhai and identify what each state controlled or added to the gold-salt trade system.
   • Syncretism between Islam and traditional West African practice in MaliStudents classify specific practices described in Mali (legal, religious, ceremonial) as primarily Islamic, primarily traditional West African, or a syncretic blend of both.
   • The comparative reliability and limits of griot oral tradition versus outsider-authored written accounts of MaliStudents compare what a griot's oral account and an Arab traveler's written account of Mali each reveal and each omit, given two paired excerpts.
   • The causes of the imbalance between outsider-authored and West African-authored written records of MaliStudents infer why most surviving written accounts of Mali were authored by outsiders rather than West Africans themselves, using evidence about literacy, writing systems, and record-keeping.
   • The relationship between trade-route dependence and the durability of a state's wealthStudents evaluate whether Mali under Mansa Musa can be called wealthy given that its wealth depended on controlling a single trade route.
   • The combined and separate evidentiary value of griot oral tradition and outsider written accounts about MaliStudents write a two-paragraph comparison of what a griot's account and a written outsider's account each contribute and each lack, citing specific details from both.
   • The general principle that oral and written historical sources have complementary, non-overlapping evidentiary limitsGiven a new pair of sources about a different medieval trade state, students generalize the principle that oral and written sources have complementary but non-overlapping limits.
4. Unit 4: Imperial China: A Self-Sufficient EmpireThis unit asks a pointed question: why would a place with almost everything it needs still bother trading at all? Your child studies China's internal geography — the North China Plain, the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, the Grand Canal connecting them, mountains and deserts on the frontiers — and connects that geography to a government that could feed, defend, and rule itself without depending on outsiders. Then comes the dynastic cycle, the Mandate of Heaven, the civil service exam bureaucracy, and the Confucian-versus-Legalist argument about why people obey rulers at all.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • China's internal river-and-plain geography (North China Plain, Yellow/Yangtze Rivers, Grand Canal)Students label and explain how the North China Plain, Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, and the Grand Canal connect food production to political unity, on a physical map.
   • The causal link between China's barrier geography and its degree of self-sufficiency, contrasted with West AfricaStudents explain why China's mountain and desert borders reduced pressure to trade compared to West Africa's more open trade-dependent geography.
   • The Mandate of Heaven as political justificationStudents explain the Mandate of Heaven as a recurring justification dynasties used both to claim power and to explain a predecessor's fall.
   • The stages of the dynastic cycle (rise, peak, decline, collapse) as evidenced by economic and political indicatorsGiven new population, tax, and unrest data from an unfamiliar dynasty, students classify each rise-and-fall stage of the dynastic cycle.
   • Confucian and Legalist justifications for obedience to governmentStudents compare Confucianism and Legalism as competing answers to the question of why people should obey the state.
   • The civil service exam system and centralized bureaucracyStudents explain how the civil service exam let the Chinese state staff a large bureaucracy without relying on hereditary nobility.
   • The tribute system as controlled, state-run tradeStudents explain how the tribute system let China control contact with outsiders while still gaining goods and prestige.
   • Sourcing and perspective in Tang/Song primary source excerptsGiven a source document from a Tang or Song era, students identify who likely wrote it and what interest that person had in the events described.
   • The relative weight of economic versus political causes in the dynastic cycleStudents construct an evidence-based claim about whether the dynastic cycle was primarily an economic or a political pattern, using population, tax, and unrest data.
   • Transferability of the tribute-system model to a geography unlike China'sStudents evaluate whether a modern nation-state facing a resource-scarce, trade-dependent geography could realistically adopt China's tribute-system approach.
5. Unit 5: Feudal Japan: Adapting a Neighbor's ModelJapan sits close enough to Tang China to borrow writing, Buddhism, and court ideas, but far enough away to reshape all of it. This unit follows that selective borrowing, then turns to something Japan built that China never did: a warrior class organized around land and personal loyalty rather than a written civil-service bureaucracy. Your child compares the two systems directly using one steady framework, then argues which one leaned more on personal loyalty and which leaned more on written law.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Relative location of Japan to Tang China across the Sea of JapanGiven a map of the Sea of Japan and Tang China's coast, students state the approximate sailing distance and identify which geographic feature made contact possible but difficult.
   • Specific cultural features of Heian-period JapanStudents classify a list of specific Japanese cultural features (kanji, Buddhist temples, court ranks, native language, Shinto shrines) as borrowed from China, native to Japan, or a blend of both.
   • The mechanism of selective cultural borrowing between Japan and Tang ChinaStudents explain why Japan borrowed selectively from China rather than adopting Tang institutions wholesale, citing at least one specific rejected or altered element.
   • The feudal loyalty chain in Kamakura-period JapanStudents construct a diagram of the loyalty chain (emperor, shogun, daimyo, samurai) showing what each level controlled and owed the level above it.
   • The general logic of land-based loyalty obligations in a feudal structureGiven a new scenario describing a land dispute between two unnamed lords with vassals, students identify which feudal role each party occupies and predict who owes loyalty to whom.
   • Specific instances of Shinto-Buddhist syncretism in JapanStudents sort a list of specific religious practices (shrine visits, funeral rites, festivals, meditation) as primarily Shinto, primarily Buddhist, or practiced as a blend.
   • Bushido and the Confucian scholar-official ideal as two codes of conduct for a ruling or serving classStudents compare the bushido code to the Confucian scholar-official ideal from Unit 4, identifying one shared value and one value unique to each.
   • Government structure, land ownership, and source of ruling authority in feudal Japan versus Tang/Song ChinaStudents complete a two-column comparison chart contrasting Japan's and China's government structure, land ownership, and source of a ruler's authority.
   • The relative weight of personal loyalty versus codified law in Japan's feudal system compared to China's bureaucratic systemUsing their completed comparison chart, students write a paragraph arguing whether Japan's or China's system depended more on personal loyalty versus written law, supporting the claim with specific chart evidence.
   • The evidentiary gap between bushido's formal codification and earlier samurai behaviorStudents identify what type of source (chronicle, legal code, art, archaeological record) would be needed to determine whether bushido applied to samurai behavior before its formal codification.
6. Unit 6: Mesoamerica: Civilization Without the NetworkFive units in a row have shown trade networks explaining political power. This unit removes that variable entirely. The Maya and the Aztec built calendar systems, engineered cities, and ran a tribute empire, with no draft animals, no wheeled transport, and zero contact with Afro-Eurasia. Your child uses the government vocabulary built since Unit 1 as a contrast tool: which features of a state actually depend on outside trade contact, and which don't need it at all. The unit ends by asking whether isolation is what made European contact so catastrophic.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Mesoamerican physical geography (highland vs. lowland zones)Label the highland/lowland regions of Mesoamerica on a physical map and explain why lowland rainforest and highland valley produce different farming and settlement patterns.
   • Absence of draft animals and wheeled transport as a causal factorExplain why the absence of draft animals and wheeled transport shaped Mesoamerican trade, construction, and travel, using at least two specific consequences.
   • Maya city-state political structureClassify Maya city-states as a decentralized political structure, distinguishing them from the centralized bureaucracies studied in China and Byzantium.
   • Maya calendar and astronomical systemInterpret the Maya Long Count calendar and astronomical observations as evidence of mathematical and scientific achievement independent of Afro-Eurasian contact.
   • Chinampas and lake-based agriculture in TenochtitlanExplain how Tenochtitlan's chinampa system solved the problem of farming on a lake, connecting the engineering solution to the population it supported.
   • Aztec tribute empire vs. Chinese centralized bureaucracy, trade dependenceCompare the Aztec tribute empire's method of control (indirect rule, tribute extraction) with the centralized bureaucracy of Tang/Song China on the dimension of trade dependence.
   • The relationship between network isolation and civilizational advancementGenerate a written argument, using evidence from two civilizations not directly compared in instruction, defending whether 'isolated' and 'advanced' can both be true of one society.
   • Asymmetry of surviving Maya vs. Aztec primary sourcesInfer why the historical record contains far more Aztec voice (codices, Spanish-recorded interviews) than Maya voice from before contact, given differing conquest timelines and documentation.
   • Differential disease impact from Afro-Eurasian contact (virgin-soil epidemics)Explain why European diseases caused catastrophic mortality in Mesoamerica but not the reverse, using the concept of isolation from a shared disease pool.
7. Unit 7: Medieval Europe: Fragmentation, Faith, and RecoveryAfter Rome fell in the west, nothing replaced it as a single empire. This unit asks how Europe rebuilt order without a strong central government, using land, personal loyalty, and the Church instead. Your child compares Europe's mountain-and-river-broken geography to Byzantium's more unified Mediterranean coastline, follows feudalism and manorialism as the daily-life system that filled the gap, and studies the Church as a political and economic power, not only a belief system. The Crusades reopen contact with Byzantium and the Islamic world — bringing back both trade goods and the Black Death.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Western European physical geography (mountains, rivers) as a driver of political fragmentation, contrasted with Byzantine geographic coherenceGiven a physical map of western Europe, explain how mountain ranges and river systems fragmented political control compared to Byzantium's more unified Mediterranean geography.
   • The reciprocal obligations of feudalism and manorialism (land for loyalty, protection for labor)Describe the mutual obligations that bound lord, vassal, and peasant within the feudal and manorial system.
   • The three estates (clergy, nobility, peasantry) as a social classification systemClassify a described medieval European person (by role and activity) into one of the three estates, using the same criteria and category set taught in the same lesson.
   • The Church's political and economic power (land ownership, tithes, canon law courts) as distinct from its religious roleExplain how the medieval Church functioned as a political and economic institution, using evidence of land ownership, taxation, and court authority.
   • The Church's dual role, evaluated against specific primary-source evidenceArgue, using a feudal-obligation document and a Church financial record, whether the Church acted more as a spiritual authority or an economic power in a given case.
   • The Crusades as a mechanism reopening Afro-Eurasian trade contact for EuropeInfer why the Crusades reopened trade contact between Europe and the Byzantine/Islamic world, using Unit 1-2 trade route maps as evidence.
   • Trade-route transmission of the Black Death as a consequence of Crusades-era reconnectionExplain how reopened trade routes during the Crusades era served as the transmission path for the Black Death into Europe.
   • Structural causes of urban/commercial revival (trade access, surplus, protection), compared across two unconnected historical contextsCompare the causes of urban revival in medieval Europe with the causes of a trade-hub city's growth in a previously studied, unrelated region.
   • The conditions (location, surplus, self-governance) that produce a guild-based money economy, applied to an unstudied hypothetical townGenerate a plausible explanation for why a specific medieval European town, given only its geographic and political description, did or did not develop a guild-based money economy.
   • The relative weight of internal feudal/Church reorganization versus external Crusades-era contact in Europe's medieval recoveryConstruct a written argument, citing feudal-obligation, Church, and Crusade-trade documents plus Unit 1-2 content, on whether Europe's recovery came mainly from internal reorganization or external contact.
8. Unit 8: Renaissance and the Beginnings of Global ExchangeThis is where the whole year comes together. Your child places all seven regions studied this year side by side for the first time, then traces how recovered knowledge, borrowed technology, and Italy's trade position combined to spark the Renaissance — and how that burst of change launched voyages that connected the world, unevenly. Nothing here is presented as a purely European invention: printing, the compass, gunpowder, and the texts recovered through the House of Wisdom all trace back to earlier units, and the unit's central question forces your child to weigh synthesis against invention using actual evidence.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Italian city-states' Mediterranean trade position as entry point for recovered knowledgeExplain how Italian city-states' position in Mediterranean trade routes made them the entry point for texts and ideas recovered from the Islamic world.
   • Printing press diffusion in Europe versus Song China printing technologyCompare the spread of the printing press in Europe to the spread of printing technology in Song China, identifying what changed and what stayed the same.
   • Regional origins of compass, astrolabe, and gunpowder weaponsIdentify the regions of origin for the compass, astrolabe, and gunpowder-based weapons used by European voyagers.
   • Geographic and economic motives for Portuguese and Spanish voyagesExplain why Portuguese and Spanish voyages of the 1400s targeted the West African coast and later the Americas, using geography and trade motive.
   • Whose voice is missing in Spanish versus Indigenous accounts of first contactAnalyze a set of primary source excerpts (a Spanish account and an Indigenous account of first contact) to determine whose voice is missing or minimized.
   • Costs and benefits of the Columbian Exchange for named groupsExplain the costs and benefits of the Columbian Exchange for at least two named groups, using specific goods, diseases, or organisms as evidence.
   • Seven-region comparison across government structure, trade dependence, geography, and beliefConstruct a seven-region comparison chart classifying each region's government structure, trade dependence, geography's role, and belief system, using vocabulary built across the year.
   • Unequal benefits of cross-regional contact and exchange across the medieval worldArgue, using evidence from at least three regions studied this year, whether contact and exchange benefited societies equally.
   • Government-structure vocabulary applied to an unstudied societyApply the course's government-structure vocabulary (theocracy, tribute state, feudalism, centralized bureaucracy, city-state) to classify an unfamiliar 15th-century society not studied this year, given a short descriptive passage.
   • Central claim of a secondary source on the Columbian ExchangeSummarize the central claim of a secondary-source article on the Columbian Exchange, distinct from the student's own opinion.

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1. Unit 1: Fueling and Maintaining the BodyThis opens the course by treating the body as something you run day to day, not a shape to manage. It covers four areas — food, sleep, movement, and cleanliness — and for each one teaches the actual mechanism behind the advice, not just the rule.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Macronutrient categories (carbohydrate, protein, fat) and their bodily functionsStudents classify foods by macronutrient category and state the bodily function each category serves.
   • Nutrition label structure (serving size, nutrient amount, percent daily value)Given the same four-step routine modeled on Day 4 (serving size, calories, nutrient amount, percent daily value), students locate and state each value on a label matching the modeled format.
   • Nutrition label structure (serving size, nutrient amount, percent daily value)Students interpret serving size, nutrient amount, and percent daily value on an unfamiliar nutrition label to answer function-based questions.
   • Circadian rhythm and the effect of sleep timing on alertnessStudents explain why identical total sleep duration produces different next-day alertness depending on sleep timing relative to circadian rhythm.
   • Screen-use displacement of sleep via circadian disruptionStudents infer, from two contrasting logs with equal total hours, that late screen use displaces sleep and disrupts circadian timing.
   • Distribution of physical activity across a week versus massed activity eventsStudents differentiate a habit-built daily activity pattern from an event-based exercise pattern using an unfamiliar weekly log.
   • Pathogen transmission chains and the interrupting function of specific hygiene habitsStudents trace an unfamiliar pathogen transmission scenario and name the specific hygiene habit that interrupts it.
   • Cross-domain connections among food, sleep, screen, and activity habits and their underlying bodily mechanismsGiven a fictional student's unseen combined food, screen, sleep, and activity logs, students generate a written revision plan citing at least three specific changes and the bodily mechanism each addresses.
   • Restriction-and-appearance framing versus function framing of nutrition and sleep claimsStudents evaluate whether a health claim about food or sleep uses restriction/appearance framing versus function-based framing.
2. Unit 2: Preventing Injury and IllnessThis unit's core claim is that staying safe is mostly about what you do in advance, not how fast you react in the moment. It covers home fire safety, road and pedestrian safety, online safety, and shared-equipment hygiene, all through that same 'before vs. during' lens.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Pathogen transmission routes (droplet, contact, shared-object) and the hygiene practice that interrupts eachGiven a description of how a specific pathogen spreads (droplet, contact, or shared object), students identify the transmission route and match it to the correct hygiene practice that interrupts it.
   • The incubation period and asymptomatic/pre-symptomatic transmission timelineStudents explain why a person can transmit a pathogen before showing any symptoms, using the exposure-incubation-symptom-contagious timeline.
   • The distinction between preparatory (before) and reactive (during) safety actionsStudents distinguish a 'before the danger' prevention action from a 'during the danger' response action across fire, road, online, and hygiene scenarios.
   • A personal fire escape plan for a specific household layoutGiven a new, unscripted home-safety scenario, students generate a fire-prevention escape plan that includes at least one preparatory action and one escape action, in a household layout not covered in class.
   • The relationship between reaction time, speed, and stopping distanceStudents calculate the relationship between reaction time and stopping distance using a provided speed/distance data table, and use it to judge whether a described driver or pedestrian had enough time to avoid a collision.
   • Personal information and the point of first request for it in an online exchangeStudents identify what counts as 'personal information' in a realistic online message and locate the exact point in an unfamiliar conversation where a stranger requests it.
   • The distinction between a risk factor and a protective factorGiven any of the four unit scenario types (fire, road, online, hygiene), students classify a described factor as a risk factor or a protective factor and justify the classification by explaining its effect on likelihood of harm.
   • The risk-factor/protective-factor framework, generalized beyond home/road/online/hygiene contextsStudents generalize the risk-factor/protective-factor framework to a workplace or public-space scenario never discussed in class, and construct a plausible risk factor and matching protective factor for it.
   • Identifying a trusted adult and constructing an opening disclosure statementGiven a scenario depicting an unsafe situation across any unit topic, students identify a specific trusted adult who could help and draft the exact first sentence they would say to report the concern.
   • The difference between naming a risk factor versus naming the resulting harmStudents critique a peer-written scenario response to identify whether it named an actual risk factor or only restated the harm/injury itself.
3. Unit 3: Substances and the Developing BrainThis covers nicotine and vaping through actual brain biology — how the reward pathway works and how nicotine hijacks it — rather than through scare tactics. It also covers real advertising tricks and a specific four-step way to say no.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • The dopamine reward pathway as activated by nicotine versus by foodExplain how nicotine activates the same dopamine reward pathway that food activates, and identify the difference in intensity and persistence.
   • Addiction as neuroadaptation (tolerance and withdrawal), not a willpower deficitDefine addiction as a change in what a brain requires to feel normal (tolerance and withdrawal), distinguishing it from a description of weak willpower.
   • Vocabulary: tolerance, withdrawal, dependenceRecall the terms tolerance, withdrawal, and dependence with accurate definitions.
   • Advertising tactics used in vape/nicotine marketing and the risk-perception distortion each producesClassify specific advertising techniques in a redacted vape or nicotine ad (flavor naming, packaging color, social media influencer framing) by which risk-perception distortion each is designed to produce.
   • The relationship between an advertisement's implied biological claim and the addiction information it omitsGiven a novel, previously unseen vape advertisement, explain the biological claim the ad implies and identify what it omits about addiction and brain development.
   • The four-step refusal skill scriptExecute the four-step refusal script (name it, state a reason, offer an alternative, exit) in a low-stakes practiced scenario.
   • The four-step refusal script applied to unrehearsed peer-pressure scenariosApply the refusal script to a scenario involving social pressure from a friend that was not modeled in class, adapting the wording to fit.
   • Exposure and protective factor, reapplied from injury contexts to substance-access contextsCompare exposure and protective factors (Unit 2 vocabulary) as they apply to substance access specifically, versus their earlier application to injury risk.
   • Accurate, accessible sources of help for nicotine use (school counselor, national quitline, trusted adult)Identify at least two accurate sources of help for a student who is using nicotine or knows a friend who is, distinguishing them from unreliable sources found through casual search.
   • The abstract structure of refusal skills, generalized beyond substance-specific contextsGeneralize the refusal-skill structure to predict how it could apply to a pressure situation entirely unrelated to substances (e.g., being pressured to cheat or exclude someone).
4. Unit 4: Emotional Regulation, Friendship, and Getting HelpThis closes the semester by showing that three skills your kid learned separately — spotting pressure, handling stress, and asking for help — are actually one skill used in three places. It adds friendship patterns, indirect pressure (exclusion, jokes, silence), and how to tell normal stress from stress that needs an adult.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Characteristics of healthy versus unhealthy friendship patterns, including indirect pressureGiven a written scenario, students classify a friendship pattern as healthy or unhealthy using at least two pieces of textual evidence.
   • The mechanism by which indirect and direct peer pressure both shift a person's sense of normal behaviorStudents explain why indirect pressure (exclusion, jokes, silence) can produce the same behavior change as direct pressure, using the concept of 'what feels normal.'
   • The four-step refusal-script structure, generalized from Unit 3's substance-specific versionStudents recall the four generalized refusal-script steps (name it, say no, give a reason or none, offer an alternative or exit) from memory.
   • Application of the generalized refusal script to an untaught social-pressure contextGiven a novel non-substance peer-pressure scenario never used in instruction, students produce a complete refusal-script response applying all four steps.
   • Criteria distinguishing normal stress from unhealthy stress requiring professional involvementStudents distinguish normal stress from unhealthy stress in a scenario by checking duration, function, and physical signs against a criteria list.
   • The shared four-step structure underlying substance refusal and social-pressure refusalStudents compare the substance-refusal script from Unit 3 and the social-pressure refusal script from this unit, identifying which specific words change and which structural steps stay fixed.
   • Criteria for identifying a disclosure that requires adult routing versus one that does notGiven a scenario where a friend discloses a worrying situation using indirect language, students decide whether the situation requires routing to a trusted adult, justified by specific scenario evidence.
   • Generalization of the help-seeking protocol beyond the categories taught (friendship, substances, stress)Students generate a decision rule that applies the help-seeking protocol to a completely novel category of problem not covered in this unit (e.g., a stranger online, a family issue), justifying why the same rule applies.
   • The trusted-adult help-seeking protocol stepsStudents recall the trusted-adult help-seeking protocol steps as formalized in Unit 2, stating them without a scenario attached.
   • Selection and application of the correct framework among three taught frameworks based on scenario featuresGiven three novel scenarios (emotional conflict, subtle pressure, friend disclosure) on the summative, students select and justify which of the three frameworks (stress criteria, refusal script, help-seeking protocol) applies to each and execute it.

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