Eighth Grade Earth Science

1a. Curriculum Standard:

Students will demonstrate an increasing understanding of how the scientific enterprise operates.

P – Z – Reinforce

  1. Formulate questions and use appropriate concepts to guide scientific investigations and to solve real world problems

Q.Use ratios as a means of comparing very large/very small numbers
  1. Design and conduct a controlled scientific investigation
  2. Use technologies as tools in conducting investigations
  1. Construct and revise scientific explanations and models using logic and evidence
  2. Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and models for observed phenomena
  3. Select, communicate, and defend a scientific argument
  4. Compare and contrast how technology has shaped our lives both in the past and the present
  5. Select a science-related social problem and design a solution that reflects an understanding of basic science concepts and their application
  6. Demonstrate an understanding that science knowledge has, over time, accumulated most rapidly after acceptance of major new theories
  7. Explain how scientific knowledge is applied in the design and manufacture of products or technological processes

2a. Curriculum Standard: Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to use measuring instruments to gather accurate and/or precise information.

D, E, F – Reinforce

    1. Measure with both analog and digital electronic devices
    1. Estimate the error in measurements they make and use procedures to minimize those errors
    2. Describe ways in which technology has improved measuring instruments and their accuracy

2b. Curriculum Standard: Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to use technology to observe nature.

C, D – Reinforce

    1. Explore nature with technology
    1. Gather information that can only be obtained by using a technological tool

2c. Curriculum Standard:

Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to analyze, synthesize, and communicate scientific information using technology.

E – I – Reinforce

    1. Store data in an appropriate technological device
    2. Manipulate data on a database
    1. Analyze data graphically with technological assistance
    1. Communicate data through an electronic medium
    1. Quantitatively analyze experimental data

 

2d. Curriculum Standard:

Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to understand how technology is used to synthesize new products.

G, H, I – Reinforce

    1. Plan and conduct a scientific research project using technology
    2. Construct scientific models using common materials or standard laboratory equipment
    3. Create a model by locating and utilizing appropriate software programs

 

2e. Curriculum Standard:

Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to understand that science and technology can affect individuals, and that individuals in turn can affect science and technology.

D, E, F – Reinforce

    1. Describe immediate and long-term consequences of various alternative solutions for science and/or technology related issues
    1. Defend a personal decision made on a science- and/or technology-related issue
    2. Determine how technology affects their lives and predict how it might affect their future

      3. 2f. Curriculum Standard:

      Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to understand that progress in science and technology is controlled by societal attitudes and beliefs.

      D, E – Reinforce

      1. Illustrate, through example, that the knowledge produced through science and technology changes the way members of society think
      2. Demonstrate, by giving examples, the relationships between the maintenance and progress of society and scientific and technological advancement

3a. Curriculum Standard:

Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to recognize patterns and products of evolution, including genetic variation, specialization, adaptation, and natural selection.

N, O, R - Reinforce

    1. Develop appropriate food webs for the major biomes of the earth and accurately describe the major biogeochemical cycles which control the interactions between the biotic and physical worlds
    1. Construct a "timeline" that depicts how life forms change over time as they interact in and with the environment

P. Explain how new genetic traits can arise and become established in a

4a. Curriculum Standard:

Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to understand that the Earth is a unique member of our solar system, located in a galaxy, within the universe.

H – M – Master

H. Use a model to describe the location and motion of the Earth and its Moon in the solar system

I. Identify the other planets in the solar system on a diagram or in the night sky, and describe their motions, as well as the motion of the planetary moons and comets, space.com

    1. Describe the characteristics of Earth and other planets in the solar system in terms of their ability to support life
    1. Describe the current scientific theory relating to the origin and geologic evolution of the Earth and the solar system. http://www.nasa.gov/
    2. Explain phases of the Moon in terms of relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun
    1. Draw inferences from celestial and terrestrial observations relating frames of reference for time and Earth motion

4b. Curriculum Standard:

Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to understand that the Earth is a complex planet with five interacting systems, which consists of the solid Earth (lithosphere), air (atmosphere), water (hydrosphere), ice (cryosphere), and life (biosphere).

N, Q - Introduce

U, K – V – Master

    1. Use maps and globes to identify surface features of the Earth
    2. Establish a correlation between different locations using rock and fossil evidence
    3. Identify common soil conservation methods
    4. Relate common cycles such as the water cycle, the nitrogen cycle, and the carbon cycle to each other
    5. Describe the motions of ocean waters and identify their causes and effects on climate
    6. Identify the composition and physical characteristics of the atmosphere
    7. Explain the roles of water and weather in distributing the Sun's heat energy
    8. Explain weather-related phenomena such as thunderstorms, tornados, hurricanes, drought, or acid precipitation
    9. Use a variety of weather measurement instruments and recording methods
    1. Relate observed weather conditions to large and small scale weather systems

U. Demonstrate how living things alter the Earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere

V. Describe the relationship of plate tectonics to earthquakes and volcanism

4c. Curriculum Standard: Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to understand that the Earth contains a variety of renewable and non-renewable resources.

E – H – Reinforce

E. Investigate how human activities, such as reducing the amount of forest cover and increasing the amount and variety of chemicals released into the atmosphere have changed the Earth's land, ocean, and atmosphere. Global Science: Energy, Resources, Environment, Kendall Hunt – Erin Andrus; SciLinks (NSTA – Holt – web resource)
    1. Cite evidence that our fresh water supply is essential for life and also for most industrial processes
    2. Describe possible consequences of reducing or eliminating some of the Earth's natural resources
    3. Identify natural, as well as human-induced, factors which contribute to changes in the Earth's systems

 

5a. Curriculum Standard: Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to distinguish among materials by utilizing observable properties.

D, E - Reinforce

  1. Obtain reliable and valid quantitative data through careful and skilled use of measuring instruments
  1. Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative properties based upon observations of a substance

F, G, H – Introduce

  1. Experiment to determine specific properties of substances that are useful in identification of the substance such as:
  1. Use derived measurements of objects or substances to determine non-observable properties.
  1. Describe, compare, and classify:

 

5b Curriculum Standard: Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to understand that matter is composed of dynamic interactive units or particles and that all the properties and changes in matter can be explained in terms of the forces involved in the interactions of these units.

E, F, G, H - Introduce

  1. Explain that the arrangement, configuration and/or motion of atoms, molecules, and ions of a particular substance determine the structure and, thus, the properties of that substance
  2. Recognize that groups of elements have similar properties because of their atomic structure and have been organized in a Periodic Table
  3. Identify and describe each state of matter, including plasma, in terms of the arrangement and motion of its particulate units
  4. Demonstrate that it takes time for substances to change or interact and that these rates are affected by such factors as temperature, pressure, and change of state

5c. Curriculum Standard: Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to understand the relationships among different types and forms of energy.

G, H, I, J, K, L, M - Introduce

  1. Collect observations to show that transformations of energy involve the production of heat
  2. Describe or sketch how energy is released when the nuclei of some atoms undergo fission or fusion
  3. Experimentally perform the transformation of one energy form to another

J. Explain quantitatively exchanges of energy within a system

K. Investigate and explain the range of energy released in different transformations

L. Use basic measurement to study increases and decreases in an energy system to determine conservation of energy

M. Describe momentum and conduct an experiment to illustrate conservation of momentum

5d. Curriculum Standard: Students will demonstrate an increasing understanding of how electrical and magnetic systems interact with matter and energy.

D - G – Introduce

  1. Investigate and measure the responses of different materials to electrical forces
  2. Construct a simple series, parallel or compound circuit
  3. Measure all circuit values in a compound circuit
  4. Demonstrate the relationship between electrical and magnetic fields of force

5e. Curriculum Standard: Students will demonstrate an increasing understanding of how an unbalanced force exerted on an object causes a change in the state of rest or motion of that object in the direction of the unbalanced force.

G, H, J - Introduce

  1. Observe, describe, and identify basic properties of waves (transverse and longitudinal), e.g. Seismic Waves and the Slinky: A Guide for Teachers from eas.perdue.edu/~braile.
  2. Demonstrate the relationships among change in motion, applied force, and mass of an object
  3. Identify and experimentally explore forces acting at a distance

 

5f. Curriculum Standard: Students will demonstrate an increasing understanding that energy can be transmitted by waves, using light and sound as examples

F, I, J – Introduce

  1. Distinguish among amplitude, wavelength, and frequency of longitudinal and transverse waves

I. Identify and distinguish among the various forms of electromagnet radiation

J. Determine the speed of a wave using wave length and frequency

5g. Curriculum Standard: Students will demonstrate an increasing understanding that heat is the product of many natural processes.

C, D – Introduce

  1. Formulate a series of explorations that distinguish between heat and temperature
  2. Examine the relationship between the effects of heating and cooling and the motion of the molecules of the substance being heated or cooled

6a. Curriculum Standard: Students will demonstrate an increasing ability to recognize parts of any object or system, and understand how the parts interrelate in the operation of that object or system.

D, E, F, G - Reinforce

  1. Demonstrate and describe how parts of a system influence each other, including feedback
  2. Demonstrate how systems include processes as well as parts

F. Show how one system can be part of another system, and how systems influence each other

G. Predict how certain changes in the system will/will not affect the operation of the system

 

 

6b. Curriculum Standard: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the meaning of stability and change and will be able to identify and explain change in terms of cause and effect.

E – Introduce

  1. Distinguish among cyclic (e.g. seasons), linear (e.g. distance/time) and irregular (e.g. weather) changes and give examples of each

    2. F, G, H – Reinforced

  2. Identify and describe varying rates of change and measure selected rates
  3. Recognize one form of stability as opposing changes occurring at the same rate (dynamic equilibrium) and cite several examples of that type of stability

H. Quantify certain changes and use a mathematical expression to determine past or future states of the system

6c. Curriculum Standard: Students will understand the meaning of models, their appropriate use and limitations, and how models can help them in understanding the natural world.

E – I – Reinforce

  1. Distinguish among physical (e.g. DNA), mathematical (e.g. D=RT), and conceptual (e.g. atom) models and give examples of each
  2. Use different models to represent the same object or process

    3.  

  3. Use a computer and mathematical model to determine values of variables beyond the range of phenomena observed in the laboratory
  4. Compare and explain differences in values obtained using a mathematical model and those obtained in the laboratory
  5. Illustrate how models allow scientists to better understand the natural world

6d. Curriculum Standard: Students will increasingly quantify their interactions with phenomena in the natural world, use these results to understand differences of scale in objects and systems, and determine how changes in scale affect various properties of those objects and systems.

E – Introduce

  1. Calculate from direct measurements, many of the derived measurements of objects such as density, velocity, inner and surface areas, volumes, perimeters, and changes in heat content

    2. F – J – Reinforced

  2. Calculate averages and ranges of measurement values for certain properties or processes in a system
  3. Correlate the mathematical relationships among length, area, volume, surface area, mass, etc.
  4. Convert data collected from measurements into graphs and derive mathematical relationships from the data and graphs
  5. Determine the degree of error in any measurement given the accuracy of the instruments used
  6. Express relationships among measurements in the form of a ratio, proportion, or percentage when appropriate