Mitosis and Meiosis

• Cellular reproduction is a great topic for 7th grade biology.Ablestock.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
  
  What is the difference between mitosis and meiosis? Mitosis is a type of cellular reproduction where the number of chromosomes is reduced by half through the separation of homologous chromosomes in a diploid cell. Meiosis is a process of asexual reproduction in which the cell divides in two, producing a replica, with an equal number of chromosomes in a haploid cell.
  
  

Yeast

• Researching yeast is a great way to learn about how living things use energy.Ablestock.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
  
  Does yeast metabolize sugar and produce a gas? Research the properties of yeast and why it is considered to be a live substance. Using test tubes, sugar, warm water and balloons, see if the tubes containing yeast mixed with sugar produce a gas, which will fill up the balloons. If the balloons inflate, then the yeast uses the energy in sugar to produce carbon dioxide.
  
  

Osmosis

• Be careful when working with beakers.Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images
  
  Demonstrate osmosis. Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane. A demonstration of osmosis would be to put a plastic bag full of water and starch inside a beaker with plain water and inside a beaker with salt water. Observe what happens to the liquids and the bag itself and explain why this occurred.
  
  

Ecosystems

• Plants and animals depend on each other for survival.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Describe how plants and animals are dependent on each other. Plants provide food and shelter for animals and they regulate the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Plants are crucial for animal health. Plants depend on animals for nutrients and pollination. Animals also provide carbon dioxide with which plants make food. When animals die, they decompose and become a natural fertilizer for plants.
  
  

Plant Germination

• Soil and Seeds - Perfect Together!Seiya Kawamoto/Lifesize/Getty Images
  
  Can a seed germinate without soil? Research seed germination. Using baggies, wet paper towels, wet newspapers, and seeds, students can research plant germination. By putting seeds into a baggie containing wet newspaper, one containing wet paper towels, and one with just water, students can observe the properties of germination and how soil hastens plant growth.
  
  

Genetic Variation

• Research each of the three primary sources of genetic variation and find examples of each in everyday life. The three primary sources of genetic variation are mutations, gene flow and sex. Students may research each type to find examples, such as the unique characteristics in fruit or animals caused by a mutation, or the inherited physical traits of parents.