Formatted with clean page-breaks, high-contrast text, Cornell notes, and CER drafting lines.
WIDA 4.5 Science Literacy Bridge · Student Master Workbook
Grade 7 Science Academic Workbook
Name:
Period:
Date:
NGSS MS-LS1-6 / MS-LS1-7 · Life Science
Unit 1: Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration
1. Scientific Vocabulary & Academic Connectors
🌿 Tier 3 Science Terminology:
• Photosynthesis (photochemical sugar creation)
• Chloroplast (solar energy organelle)
• Mitochondria (cellular respiration engine)
• Glucose ($C_6H_{12}O_6$ energy molecule)
🔗 Tier 2 WIDA 4.5 Connectors:
• Consequently (as a direct result)
• Subsequent metabolization (following breakdown)
• Empirical observation verifies...
• Whereas / In contrast...
2. The Sentence Upgrader: Elevating to Level 4.5+
Level 3 Everyday Sentence "Plants take in sunlight and make food."
Level 4.5+ Bridging Goal "Autotrophic chloroplasts synthesize radiant solar photons to produce glucose, consequently releasing diatomic oxygen as a metabolic byproduct."
3. Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) Written Argument
Prompt: Explain how light intensity impacts oxygen production in aquatic elodea plants. (Must use consequently and empirical data verifies).
CLAIM (Assertion):
EVIDENCE (Data from Lab Trial 2):
REASONING (Scientific Principle & Chemical Process):
WIDA 4.5 Science Literacy Bridge · Student Master Workbook
Grade 7 Science Academic Workbook
Name:
Period:
Date:
NGSS MS-ESS2-1 / MS-ESS2-2 · Earth & Space Science
Unit 2: Plate Tectonics & Mantle Convection
1. Scientific Vocabulary & Nominalization Bank
🌋 Key Nouns & Processes:
• Lithosphere (rigid outer crustal plates)
• Asthenosphere (semi-fluid mantle layer)
• Subduction (dense oceanic plate sinking)
• Mantle Convection (thermal circulation)
🔄 Nominalization Transformations:
• plates collide $\rightarrow$ plate collision
• magma rises $\rightarrow$ thermal magma ascent
• rock subducts $\rightarrow$ oceanic crustal subduction
• heat transfers $\rightarrow$ kinetic thermal transference
2. The Sentence Upgrader: Elevating to Level 4.5+
Level 3 Everyday Sentence "Hot magma goes up and cold magma goes down to move the ground."
Level 4.5+ Bridging Goal "Thermal convection currents within the asthenosphere generate continuous lateral forces that perpetually propel lithospheric plates across Earth's surface."
3. Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) Written Argument
Prompt: Explain why deep oceanic trenches and volcanoes form at convergent plate boundaries. (Must include subduction and due to superior density).
CLAIM (Assertion):
EVIDENCE (Seismic & Trench Data):
REASONING (Density Differentials & Thermal Melting):
WIDA 4.5 Science Literacy Bridge · Student Master Workbook
Science CER Self-Scoring Rubric
WIDA 4.5 Reclassification Benchmark Checklist
📋 Student Self-Check Guide: Before turning in your scientific writing, check off each standard:
[ ] Objective Voice: Did I remove all personal pronouns (*I, me, my, we*) from my claim?
[ ] Quantitative Evidence: Did I include exact numbers with units (*°C, cm/yr, ppm, Joules*)?
[ ] Nominalized Language: Did I use nouns like photosynthesis, subduction, acceleration instead of basic verbs?
[ ] Connective Diversity: Did I use at least two: Consequently, Furthermore, Whereas, In contrast, Empirical data verifies?
Standard Developing (Level 3) Expanding (Level 4) Bridging Target (Level 4.5+)
CER Structure Missing evidence or reasoning. Has claim, data, and basic why. Complete 3-part structure linked to universal science laws.
Vocabulary Everyday words (*hot, move*). Basic science nouns (*magma*). Dense Tier 2/3 lexicon with Latin/Greek roots.
Connectors Uses *and, but, so*. Uses *because, also*. Uses *consequently, furthermore, whereas, empirical*.