The Practice of Science

Define a problem from the eighth grade curriculum using appropriate reference materials to support scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific investigations of various types, such as systematic observations or experiments, identify variables, collect and organize data, interpret data in charts, tables, and graphics, analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions. 

[6.N.1.3-types of investigations; 7.N.1.3-types of investigations; 7.N.1.4-IV vs. DV; 8.N.1.3-“results support”; 8.N.1.4-hypothesis]

The Practice of Science

Differentiate replication (by others) from repetition (multiple trials). 

[6.N.1.2-replication; 6.N.1.4-replication; 8.N.1.2-experimental design]

The Practice of Science

Describe the methods used in the pursuit of a scientific explanation as seen in different fields of science such as biology, geology, and physics.

[7.N.3.2-models; 8.N.1.5-scientific explanations; 8.E.5.10-technology]

The Characteristics of Science Knowledge

Explain that scientific knowledge is durable because it is open to change as new evidence or interpretations are encountered.

[7.N.1.6-empirical evidence; 7.N.1.7-debate & confirmation; 7.N.2.1-changing knowledge; 8.N.1.6-scientific investigations]

The Role of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses, and Models

Recognize and explain the difference between theories and laws and give several examples of scientific theories and the evidence that supports them. 

[6.N.3.1-theory; 8.N.3.2-modification of theories]

Earth in Space and Time

Distinguish the hierarchical relationships between planets and other astronomical bodies relative to solar system, galaxy, and universe, including distance, size, and composition. 

[8.E.5.1-distances; 8.E.5.2-galaxies]

Earth in Space and Time

Describe and classify specific physical properties of stars: apparent magnitude (brightness), temperature (color), size, and luminosity (absolute brightness). 

[8.E.5.6-model of solar properties]

Earth in Space and Time

Compare and contrast the properties of objects in the Solar System including the Sun, planets, and moons to those of Earth, such as gravitational force, distance from the Sun, speed, movement, temperature, and atmospheric conditions. 

[8.E.5.4-role of gravity; 8.E.5.8-historical models]

Earth in Space and Time

Explain the impact of objects in space on each other including:

1. The Sun on the Earth including seasons and gravitational attraction

2. The Moon on the Earth, including phases, tides, and eclipses, and the relative position of each body.

Earth Structures

Identify the patterns within the rock cycle and relate them to surface events (weathering and erosion) and sub-surface events (plate tectonics and mountain building). 

[6.E.6.1-weathering & erosion; 6.E.6.2-landforms; 7.E.6.6-human impact]

Earth Structures

Explain and give examples of how physical evidence supports scientific theories that Earth has evolved over geologic time due to natural processes. 

[7.E.6.3-methods of dating]

Earth Structures

Explore the scientific theory of plate tectonics by describing how the movement of Earth's crustal plates causes both slow and rapid changes in Earth's surface, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and mountain building. 

[7.E.6.1-Earth’s layers; 7.E.6.7-convection & effects]

Earth Systems and Patterns

Differentiate and show interactions among the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. 

[6.E.7.2-water cycle; 6.E.7.3-global patterns; 6.E.7.6-weather vs. climate; 6.E.7.9-atmosphere]

Earth Systems and Patterns

Explain how energy provided by the sun influences global patterns of atmospheric movement and the temperature differences between air, water, and land. 

[6.E.7.1-heat transfer]

Properties of Matter

Classify and compare substances on the basis of characteristic physical properties that can be demonstrated or measured; for example, density, thermal or electrical conductivity, solubility, magnetic properties, melting and boiling points, and know that these properties are independent of the amount of the sample. 

[8.P.8.3-density]

Properties of Matter

Recognize that there are a finite number of elements and that their atoms combine in a multitude of ways to produce compounds that make up all of the living and nonliving things that we encounter. 

[8.P.8.1-particle motion; 8.P.8.6-periodic table; 8.P.8.7-sub-atomic particles; 8.P.8.8-acids, bases, & salts; 8.P.8.9-mixtures vs. pure substances]

Changes in Matter

Differentiate between physical changes and chemical changes. 

[8.P.9.1-conservation of mass; 8.P.9.3-controlling reaction rate with temperature]

Forms of Energy

Illustrate that the sun's energy arrives as radiation with a wide range of wavelengths, including infrared, visible, and ultraviolet, and that white light is made up of a spectrum of many different colors. 

[8.E.5.11-electromagnetic spectrum]

Forms of Energy

Recognize that light waves, sound waves, and other waves move at different speeds in different materials. 

[7.P.10.2-reflection, refraction, absorption]

Energy Transfer and Transformations

Investigate and describe the transformation of energy from one form to another. 

[6.P.11.1-potential vs. kinetic; 7.P.11.3-conservation of energy]

Energy Transfer and Transformations

Observe and describe that heat flows in predictable ways, moving from warmer objects to cooler ones until they reach the same temperature.

[7.P.11.1-temperature/state change]

Forces and Changes in Motion

Investigate and describe types of forces including contact forces and forces acting at a distance, such as electrical, magnetic, and gravitational. 

[6.P.13.2-gravity; 8.P.8.2-weight vs. mass]

Forces and Changes in Motion

Investigate and describe that an unbalanced force acting on an object changes its speed, or direction of motion, or both. 

[6.P.12.1-distance vs. time]

Organization of Living Organisms

Describe and identify patterns in the hierarchical organization of organisms from atoms to molecules and cells to tissues to organs to organ systems to organisms.

Organization of Living Organisms

Investigate and explain the components of the scientific theory of cells (cell theory): all organisms are composed of cells (single-celled or multi-cellular), all cells come from pre-existing cells, and cells are the basic unit of life. 

[6.L.14.3-cell processes]

Organization of Living Organisms

Compare and contrast the structure and function of major organelles of plant and animal cells, including cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, chloroplasts, mitochondria, and vacuoles.

Organization of Living Organisms

Identify and investigate the general functions of the major systems of the human body (digestive, respiratory, circulatory, reproductive, excretory, immune, nervous, and musculoskeletal) and describe ways these systems interact with each other to maintain homeostasis. 

[6.L.14.6-infectious agents]

Diversity and Evolution of Living Organisms

Analyze and describe how and why organisms are classified according to shared characteristics with emphasis on the Linnaean system combined with the concept of Domains.

Diversity and Evolution of Living Organisms

Explore the scientific theory of evolution by recognizing and explaining ways in which genetic variation and environmental factors contribute to evolution by natural selection and diversity of organisms. 

[7.L.15.1-fossil evidence; 7.L.15.3-adaptation or extinction]

Heredity and Reproduction

Understand and explain that every organism requires a set of instructions that specifies its traits, that this hereditary information (DNA) contains genes located in the chromosomes of each cell, and that heredity is the passage of these instructions from one generation to another.

[7.L.16.2-punnet squares, 7.L.16.3-mitosis & meiosis]

Interdependence

Compare and contrast the relationships among organisms such as mutualism, predation, parasitism, competition, and commensalism. 

[7.L.17.1-food web; 7.L.17.3-limiting factors]

Matter and Energy Transformations

Cite evidence that living systems follow the Laws of Conservation of Mass and Energy. 

[8.L.18.1-photosynthesis; 8.L.18.2-cellular respiration; 8.L.18.3-carbon cycle]