7th grade

Earth & Cosmology
Activities:

Studying the history of people's perceptions of the world
Determining what a planet must be like for life to arise, and how suitable Earth is for life
Guessing places on Earth from photographs taken from Space
Making a clay model of the Earth
Answers to tricky questions about the Earth

The History of Life on Earth

Activities:

• Explore an illustrated timeline of life on Earth, from early microbes to modern humans
• Identify organisms that lived in specific periods by searching an interactive panorama
• Examine fossil images and match them to accurate reconstructions
• Discover how and where fossils are found in the real world, including practical paleontology tips

Activities:

The Dawn of Humanity
Activities:

Compare human and gorilla skeletons and identify features related to upright walking.
Examine DNA sequences and determine which living great ape is most closely related to humans.
Study archaeological finds and separate direct observations from possible interpretations.
Identify a deliberately shaped stone tool among ordinary pebbles.
Draw conclusions from traces of an ancient hearth.
Explore the primate family tree and distinguish common ancestors from side branches.
Arrange hominins in chronological order on an evolutionary timeline.
Match each hominin with the correct habitat, food, tools, and behavior.
Reconstruct scenes from different stages of human evolution.
Trace the spread of Homo sapiens across the world.
Compare familiar human habits with similar behaviors in other primates.
Combine evidence from anatomy, genetics, fossils, archaeology, and behavior to reconstruct the story of human evolution.

Prepare for a polar expedition by selecting the equipment needed to survive in polar deserts.
Observe changing landscapes during the journey and determine when the expedition reaches the polar region.
Compare an old polar hut with modern polar research stations and identify key differences.
Investigate a data leak at the polar station and identify which profession does not belong there.
Learn the rules of life at a polar research station, including food supply, waste management, and emergency procedures.
Explore the station interior and restore fallen flags on a world map by correctly marking the North Pole and the South Pole.
Use an interactive Earth model to investigate why polar day and polar night occur.
Analyze different explanations for polar cold and identify the scientifically accurate one.
Examine the Piri Reis map and evaluate claims about what it represents using critical thinking.
Identify animals of the Arctic and Antarctica and determine which ones may pose danger to humans.
Assess how visibility and risk change during a blizzard compared to clear conditions.
Read and analyze real student questions about polar regions and discuss possible scientific explanations.
Evaluate AI-generated images related to polar regions and identify inaccuracies.
Discuss a thought-provoking question about whether tropical conditions could ever return to the poles.
Review personal performance by checking the final expedition score and reflecting on completed tasks.

Activities:

Learn about the defining features of deserts and their biodiversity
Distinguish between animals from deserts, steppes, and savannas
Navigate a mini survival quest: how to prepare for a desert journey, respond to a sandstorm, and locate water
Tackle creative challenges such as growing melons in arid soil or spotting scientific inaccuracies in an image

Activities:

Identify which animals truly belong in urban environments across five global city habitats
Analyze traits that enable certain species to survive and thrive alongside humans
Interpret ecological hints explaining urban adaptation strategies
Locate and classify common urban weeds using an interactive digital field guide
Compare urban wildlife across climates and evaluate adaptation success in the final “Great Garbage Cup” task

Activities:

Evaluate the cleanliness of a meadow using bioindicators
Detect signs of an approaching storm during a summer swim
Choose the best spot for planting peonies in a country garden
Investigate why algae bloomed in a pond
Predict tomorrow’s weather using non-living indicators
Observe fireflies as indicators of ecosystem health
Use living organisms to forecast the weather
Find a copper deposit by identifying special wildflowers
Identify signs of natural disasters based on animal behavior
Understand why animals are often better than humans at sensing environmental change

Activities:

Explore illustrated case studies by clicking on interactive buttons, each opening a page with visuals and clear explanations.
Answer short questions: How is the symbiont transmitted? Is the relationship obligate or facultative? Does it represent mutualism, commensalism, or parasitism?
Earn points for correct answers (+1) and lose points for mistakes (–1). Progress is always visible on the screen.
Analyze benefits for each partner and drag the correct options into a large digital chart. Options can be flipped through with black arrows.
Reflect on a thought-provoking question: Are mitochondria and chloroplasts still symbionts, or should they be considered true organelles?

Activities:

Compare lichens with milk fungus and kombucha to discover what they all have in common.
Explain why these organisms are called composite and how cooperation creates something new.
Explore the internal structure of a lichen and describe the roles of the fungal and algal partners.
Analyze their relationship as both cooperative and competitive — a complex form of symbiosis.
Investigate how lichens reproduce and recognize soredia under magnification or visual clues.
Identify 11 lichen species using interactive morphological keys.