8th Grade Science

These are the units that will be covered this year in 8th Grade Physical Science class:

Unit 1: Investigation and Experimentation

Unit 2: Motion and Forces

Unit 3: Density and Buoyancy

Unit 4: Chemistry

Unit 5: Earth Science and Astronomy

Unit 6: Nutrition

Unit 7: Endocrine System

Unit 8 Sexual Education

Unit 1: Investigation and Experimentation: This unit focuses on the scientific method. Students will create testable questions, participate in hypothesis writing, writing good procedures, collecting data, determining qualitative versus quantitative data, graph quantitative data, and write good conclusions. Students are expected to take Cornell Notes, and to participate in experiments which support project-based learning. . Students will submit their work electronically.

Unit 2: Motion and Forces: This unit focuses on Motion (reference point, speed, velocity, acceleration) and Forces (types of forces, drawing force arrow diagrams, and calculating net force). A number of small experiments will be conducted which allow students to collect data from objects that speed up, slow down, and stay at a constant speed. This data will be analyzed, and conclusions made as to why objects have certain motions under specific circumstances. The culminating project will be the Balloon Powered Car Project. Students

will submit their work to Miss. Smith via the internet.

Unit 3: Density and Buoyancy: The students will measure mass, volume, and calculating density of both regular and irregular shape. Students will participate in an experiment to find the buoyancy of objects and predicting whether the objects will float or sink. The

culminating project is the Boat Experiment.

Unit 4: Astronomy: This unit focuses on objects in space, which includes: planets, moons, asteroids, meteoroids, stars, galaxies and

the use of measurements in space. The culminating project will be a Comic Book or a Comic PowerPoint. Students are expected to

be creative while incorporating facts and terms noted in the unit. Notebooks will be submitted for an end-of-the-semester grade.

Curriculum Night:

Unit 5: Chemistry: Students will understand such topics as Describing Matter, Changes of State, the Periodic Table, Identifying the different types of Mixtures, Identifying Acids and Bases, the Atom, Elements, Compounds, Chemical Bonding, Mass Conservation and Balancing Chemical Equations.

Unit 6: Sex Education: The teacher has been provided with scripted course material as per San Diego Unified, in accordance with

State regulations. Additional information regarding the course will be provided to parents during the week before the Unit is scheduled to begin.

Unit 7: Engineering: Students will create either a bridge or a tower using toothpicks and glue. Their creation must conform to specific dimensions which will be detailed in the unit. The bridges/towers will be placed under stress to see which design is superior. Students are expected to write a formal conclusion analyzing their work and that of the winning team.

Notebooks will be submitted for an end-of-the-semester grade.

How to make your Google site: