Science
STANDARD ARTICULATED BY GRADE LEVEL
grade 8
The
goal in the development of the standard was to assure that the six strands and
five unifying concepts are interwoven into a fabric of science that represents
the true nature of science. Students have the opportunity to develop both the
skills and content knowledge necessary to be scientifically literate members of
the community.
Strands 1,
2, and 3 are designed to be explicitly taught and embedded within each
of the content Strands 4, 5, and 6, and are not intended to be taught in
isolation. The processes, skills, and content of the first three strands are
designed to “umbrella” and complement the content of Life Science, Physical
Science, and Earth and Space Science.
Strand 1:
Inquiry Process
Inquiry Process
establishes the basis for students’ learning in science. Students use
scientific processes: questioning, planning and conducting investigations,
using appropriate tools and techniques to gather data, thinking critically and
logically about relationships between evidence and explanations, and communicating
results.
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Concept 1: Observations, Questions,
and Hypotheses
Formulate predictions,
questions, or hypotheses based on observations. Locate appropriate resources.
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PO 1. Formulate questions based on observations
that lead to the development of a hypothesis.
(See M08-S2C1-01)
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PO 2. Use appropriate research information, not
limited to a single source, to use in the development of a testable
hypothesis.
(See W08-S3C6-01, R08-S3C1-06, and R08-S3C2-03)
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PO 3. Generate a hypothesis that can be tested.
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Concept 2: Scientific Testing (Investigating and Modeling)
Design and conduct
controlled investigations.
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PO 1. Demonstrate safe behavior and appropriate
procedures (e.g., use and care of technology, materials, organisms) in all
science inquiry.
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PO 2. Design a controlled investigation to
support or reject a hypothesis.
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PO 3. Conduct a controlled investigation to
support or reject a hypothesis.
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PO 4. Perform measurements using appropriate
scientific tools (e.g., balances, microscopes, probes, micrometers).
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PO 5. Keep a record of observations, notes,
sketches, questions, and ideas using tools such as written and/or computer
logs.
(See W08-S3C2-01 and
W08-S3C3-01)
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Concept 3: Analysis and Conclusions
Analyze
and interpret data to explain correlations and results; formulate new
questions.
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PO 1. Analyze data obtained in a scientific
investigation to identify trends.
(See M08-S2C1-08)
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PO 2. Form a logical argument about a correlation
between variables or sequence of events (e.g., construct a cause-and-effect
chain that explains a sequence of events).
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PO 3. Interpret data that show a variety of
possible relationships between two variables, including:
·
positive relationship
·
negative relationship
·
no relationship
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PO 4. Formulate a future investigation based on
the data collected.
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PO 5. Explain how evidence supports the validity
and reliability of a conclusion.
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PO 6. Identify the potential investigational
error that may occur (e.g., flawed
investigational design, inaccurate measurement, computational errors,
unethical reporting).
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PO 7. Critique scientific reports from
periodicals, television, or other media.
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PO 8. Formulate
new questions based on the results of a previous investigation.
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Concept 4: Communication
Communicate
results of investigations.
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PO 1. Communicate the results of an
investigation.
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PO 2. Choose an appropriate graphic
representation for collected data:
· line
graph
· double
bar graph
· stem
and leaf plot
· histogram
(See M08-S2C1-03)
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PO 3. Present analyses and conclusions in clear,
concise formats.
(See W08-S3C6-02)
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PO 4. Write clear, step-by-step instructions for
conducting investigations or operating equipment (without the use of personal pronouns).
(See W08-S3C3-01)
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PO 5. Communicate the results and conclusion of
the investigation.
(See W08-S3C6-02)
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Strand 2:
History and Nature of Science
Scientific investigation grows from the contributions
of many people. History and Nature of
Science emphasizes the importance of the inclusion of historical perspectives
and the advances that each new development brings to technology and human
knowledge. This strand focuses on the
human aspects of science and the role that scientists play in the development
of various cultures.
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Concept 1: History of Science as a Human Endeavor
Identify
individual, cultural, and technological contributions to scientific
knowledge.
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PO 1. Identify how diverse people and/or
cultures, past and present, have made important contributions to scientific
innovations (e.g., Watson and Crick [scientists], support Strand 4; Rosalind
Franklin [scientist], supports Strand 4; Charles Darwin [scientist], supports
Strand 4; George Washington Carver [scientist, inventor], supports Strand 4;
Joseph Priestley [scientist], supports Strand 5; Sir Frances Bacon
[philosopher], supports Strand 5; Isaac Newton [scientist], supports Strand
5).
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PO 2. Evaluate the effects of the following major
scientific milestones on society:
·
Mendelian Genetics
·
Newton’s
Laws
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PO 3. Evaluate the impact of a major scientific
development occurring within the past decade.
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PO 4. Evaluate career opportunities related to
life and physical sciences.
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Concept 2: Nature of Scientific Knowledge
Understand how science
is a process for generating knowledge.
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PO 1. Apply the following scientific processes to
other problem solving or decision making situations:
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·
observing
·
questioning
·
communicating
·
comparing
·
measuring
·
classifying
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·
predicting
·
organizing data
·
inferring
·
generating hypotheses
·
identifying variables
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PO 2. Describe how scientific knowledge is
subject to change as new information and/or technology challenges prevailing
theories.
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PO 3. Defend the principle that accurate record
keeping, openness, and replication are essential for maintaining an investigator’s
credibility with other scientists and society.
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PO 4. Explain why scientific claims may be
questionable if based on very small samples of data, biased samples, or
samples for which there was no control.
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Strand 3:
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Science
in Personal and Social Perspectives emphasizes developing the ability to design
a solution to a problem, to understand the relationship between science and
technology, and the ways people are involved in both. Students understand the impact of science and
technology on human activity and the environment. This strand affords students the opportunity
to understand their place in the world – as living creatures, consumers,
decision makers, problem solvers, managers, and planners.
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Concept 1: Changes
in Environments
Describe the
interactions between human populations, natural hazards, and the environment.
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PO 1. Analyze the risk factors associated with
natural, human induced, and/or biological hazards, including:
·
waste disposal of industrial chemicals
·
greenhouse gases
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PO 2. Analyze possible solutions to address the
environmental risks associated with chemicals and biological systems.
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Concept 2: Science and Technology in Society
Develop viable
solutions to a need or problem.
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PO 1. Propose viable methods of responding to an
identified need or problem.
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PO 2. Compare solutions to best address an
identified need or problem.
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PO 3. Design and construct a solution to an
identified need or problem using simple classroom materials.
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PO 4. Compare risks and benefits of the following
technological advances:
·
radiation treatments
·
genetic engineering (See Strand 4 Concept 2)
·
airbags (See Strand 5 Concept 2)
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Strand 4: Life Science
Life
Science expands students’ biological understanding of life by focusing on the
characteristics of living things, the diversity of life, and how organisms and
populations change over time in terms of biological adaptation and
genetics. This understanding includes
the relationship of structures to their functions and life cycles,
interrelationships of matter and energy in living organisms, and the
interactions of living organisms with their environment.
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Concept 1:
Structure and Function in Living Systems
Understand the
relationships between structures and functions of organisms.
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No performance objectives at this grade level
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Concept 2: Reproduction and Heredity
Understand the basic
principles of heredity.
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PO 1. Explain the purposes of cell division:
·
growth and repair
·
reproduction
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PO 2. Explain the basic principles of heredity
using the human examples of:
·
eye color
·
widow’s peak
·
blood type
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PO 3. Distinguish between the nature of dominant
and recessive traits in humans.
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Concept 3: Populations of Organisms in an Ecosystem
Analyze the
relationships among various organisms and their environment.
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No performance objectives at this grade level
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Concept 4: Diversity, Adaptation, and Behavior
Identify structural
and behavioral adaptations.
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PO 1. Explain how an organism’s behavior allows
it to survive in an environment.
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PO 2. Describe how an organism can maintain a
stable internal environment while living in a constantly changing external
environment.
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PO 3. Determine characteristics of organisms that
could change over several generations.
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PO 4. Compare the symbiotic and competitive
relationships in organisms within an ecosystem (e.g., lichen, mistletoe/tree, clownfish/sea anemone,
native/non-native species).
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PO 5. Analyze the following behavioral cycles of
organisms:
·
hibernation
·
migration
·
dormancy (plants)
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PO 6. Describe the following factors that allow
for the survival of living organisms:
·
protective coloration
·
beak design
·
seed dispersal
·
pollination
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Strand 5: Physical Science
Physical
Science affords students the opportunity to increase their understanding of the
characteristics of objects and materials they encounter daily. Students gain an
understanding of the nature of matter and energy, including their forms, the
changes they undergo, and their interactions. By studying objects and the
forces that act upon them, students develop an understanding of the fundamental
laws of motion, knowledge of the various ways energy is stored in a system, and
the processes by which energy is transferred between systems and surroundings.
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Concept 1: Properties and Changes of Properties in
Matter
Understand physical
and chemical properties of matter.
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PO 1. Identify different kinds of matter based on
the following physical properties:
·
states
·
density
·
boiling point
·
melting point
·
solubility
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PO 2. Identify different kinds of matter based on
the following chemical properties:
·
reactivity
·
pH
·
oxidation (corrosion)
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PO 3. Identify the following types of evidence
that a chemical reaction has occurred:
·
formation of a precipitate
·
generation of gas
·
color change
·
absorption or release of heat
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PO 4. Classify matter in terms of elements,
compounds, or mixtures.
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PO 5. Classify mixtures as being homogeneous or
heterogeneous.
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PO 6. Explain the systematic organization of the
periodic table.
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PO 7. Investigate how the transfer of energy can
affect the physical and chemical properties of matter.
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Concept 2: Motion
and Forces
Understand the
relationship between force and motion.
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PO 1. Demonstrate velocity as the rate of change
of position over time.
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PO 2. Identify the conditions under which an
object will continue in its state of motion (Newton’s 1st Law of Motion).
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PO 3. Describe how the acceleration of a body is
dependent on its mass and the net applied force (Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion).
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PO 4. Describe forces as interactions between
bodies (Newton’s
3rd Law of Motion).
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PO 5. Create a graph devised from measurements of
moving objects and their interactions, including:
·
position-time graphs
·
velocity-time graphs
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Concept 3: Transfer of Energy
Understand that energy
can be stored and transferred.
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No performance objectives at this grade level
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Strand 6: Earth and Space Science
Earth
and Space Science provides the foundation for students to develop an
understanding of the Earth, its history, composition, and formative processes,
and an understanding of the solar system and the universe. Students study the
regularities of the interrelated systems of the natural world. In doing so,
they develop understandings of the basic laws, theories, and models that
explain the world (NSES, 1995). By studying the Earth from both a historical
and current time frame, students can make informed decisions about issues
affecting the planet on which they live.
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Concept 1: Structure
of the Earth
Describe
the composition and interactions between the structure of the Earth and its
atmosphere.
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No performance objectives at this grade level
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Concept 2: Earth’s Processes and Systems
Understand the
processes acting on the Earth and their interaction with the Earth systems.
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No performance objectives at this grade level
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Concept 3: Earth in
the Solar System
Understand
the relationships of the Earth and other objects in the solar system.
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No performance objectives at this grade level
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