8th Grade Science

 

 

8th Grade Units (Based upon Next Generation Science Standards):

Week 1

  • Me to a Tee
  • Classroom Bingo
  • Safety Map of the Classroom
  • Decoupage Interactive Science Notebook

ALT 3 – Matter

  • AST 3.1 – Inquiry: Analyze and interpret data to make conclusions about the structure and properties of matter.
    • Reading Articles About Matter
    • How Matter and the Universe Came to be
    • The Big Bang (video) – Lawrence Krauss & Michio Kaku
    • Evolution of Atomic Theory Presentations while audience takes Cornell Notes
    • Evolution of atomic theory Kahoot
    • Search for the Elements (video)
  • AST 3.2 – Engineering: Design, construct, test and evaluate a solution to a defined problem, using appropriate tools and materials.
  • The NEW periodic table song
  • Periodic table battleship (game)

ALT 4 – Chemical Reactions

  • Mystery Socks Lab – Teach about making observations
  • Bubble Gum Lab – Teach about making measurements & recording quantitative & qualitative data
  • Molecules Matter (Chapter 1, Lesson 1)
  • Molecules in Motion (Chapter 1, Lesson 2)
  • Chemical reactions (video)
  • Outer Space Molecule Chase (game) Learn how atoms combine to make molecules which have unique properties which are good to use for particular tasks. Bugs on the Run, can also be played by early finishers.
  • Absolute Zero (video)
  • Properties of Water – Poster & Summary
  • Baking Soda & Vinegar Lab
  • Dry Ice Lab

ALT 5 – Earth in Space

  • Extension – Connecting gap between the origin of matter and the formation of our solar system
    • Universe question presentations
  • AST 5.1 – Inquiry: Analyze and interpret data to determine the scale of the solar system.
  • AST 5.6 – Construct and Present Arguments: Use evidence to support claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and dependent upon the masses of the objects.
    • Create a poster with impact craters on the Earth’s moon to indicate argument.
  • AST 5.2 – Engineering: Design, construct, & test a lander that can safely land upright, regardless of acceleration due to gravity.
  • Tides
  • Seasons

ALT 6 – Change Over Time: In Earth’s Organisms

  • Supporting information to help students understand the age of rocks and the Earth’s climate.
  • AST 6.5 – Construct a scientific explanation based  on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth’s 4.6 billion year old history.
  • AST 6.1 – Inquiry: Analyze and interpret data to determine patterns in the fossil record that demonstrate the change of life forms over time, as well as diversification of life and the extinction events that have occurred.
  • AST 6.2 – Engineering: Design, construct, test and evaluate a solution to a particular problem.
  • AST 6.3 – Read and use informational text about evolution to answer relevant questions.
    • Present to the class about signs of human evolution, mutations, etc…
  • AST 6.4 – Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions
  • AST 6.6 – Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms & between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.

ALT 7 – Natural Selection: Explain how organisms change over time in response to environmental changes.

  • AST 7.1 – Inquiry: Analyze and interpret data to make conclusions about principles of natural selection.
  • AST 7.2 – Engineering: Design, construct, & test and evaluate a solution to a particular problem.
  • AST 7.3 – Read and use informational text about natural selection to answer relevant questions.
  • AST 7.4 – Develop & use a model to describe why changes to genes may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism.
  • AST 7.5 – Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases & decreases of specific traits in populations over time.
  • AST 7.6 – Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how variations of genetic traits in a population increases some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.
  • AST 7.7 – Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
  • AST 7.8 – Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy.
  • AST 7.9 – Gather & synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.

ALT 1 – Scientific Inquiry

ALT 2 – Engineering Design