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SCIENCE - Grade 8 - Mr. Kumpa - Email: rkumpa@breweredu.org or Phone: 404-5700 ext. 5220
Class Overview
8th Grade Science continues the BCS middle school tradition of covering learning targets from most of the branches of science. The topics of the different Learning Targets are laid out below, though the order changes every year, along with links to corresponding National Standards.
Students will use Google Classroom to track and hand in assignments. *Parents can use the home work "Schedule" linked at the top of this page to track student assignments. I generally do NOT assign homework, BUT students will be responsible for finishing classwork at home if it's unfinished at the end of class. Also, there will be long-term projects throughout the year that students can work on for homework and during the weekends. Please check the home work Schedule if you are not sure if your student has anything they should be working on over the weekend.
PARENTS AND STUDENTS: Please contact me whenever you have any questions (rkumpa@breweredu.org) or 404-5700.
8th grade science learning targets
8th grade science learning targets
SCIENCE & ENGINEERING METHODS
Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution. NGSS: MS-ETS1-1
Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. NGSS: MS-ETS1-2
Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success. NGSS: MS-ETS1-3
Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved. NGSS: MS-ETS1-4
EARTH & SPACE SCIENCE
Understand the progression of the phases of the moon through a monthly cycle and that the rotation and revolution times are equal. Understand that the phases of the moon are caused by the position of the Earth, Sun and Moon. SCI.03.ESU.01.03 NGSS: MS-ESS1-1
LIFE SCIENCE
Understands the differences between multicellular and unicellular organisms. SCI.03.LSC.01.03 NGSS: MS-LS1-1
Understand how organisms use photosynthesis and cellular respiration to transfer energy. SCI.06.LSC.01.02 NGSS: MS-LS1-6 NGSS: MS-LS1-7
Understand the effects of sexual and asexual reproduction on the traits of the offspring. SCI.03.LSH.01.01NGSS: MS-LS3-1 NGSS: MS-LS3-2
Understand patterns of inheritance in determining genotype and phenotype. SCI.04.LSH.01.01
NGSS: MS-LS3-1 NGSS: MS-LS3-2 NGSS: MS-LS4-4 NGSS: MS-LS4-5 NGSS: MS-LS4-6
Understand how genetic variations lead to changes in the behavior and traits of offspring which may permit some of them to survive a changing environment. SCI.04.LBE.01.01 NGSS: MS-LS3-1 NGSS: MS-LS4-4 NGSS: MS-LS4-5 NGSS: MS-LS4-6
Understand how structural evidence is used to determine kinship among organisms and the identification of species. SCI.03.LBE.01.03 NGSS: MS-LS4-1 NGSS: MS-LS4-2 NGSS: MS-LS4-3
Understand why some organisms that once lived on Earth have completely disappeared. Understand how some extinct organisms are similar to organisms living on Earth today. SCI.05.LBE.01.03 NGSS: MS-LS4-1 NGSS: MS-LS4-2
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
Understand how to use speed to predict distance traveled and time of travels. Understand how motion is judged with respect to some other object. SCI.04.PSFM.01.03 NGSS: MS-PS3-1
Understand an unbalanced force acting upon an object changes its speed, direction of motion, or both. Understand balanced forces are static. Understand the role of friction in motion. SCI.02.PSFM.01.02 NGSS: MS-PS2-1 NGSS: MS-PS2-2 NGSS: MS-PS3-1
Understand forces can be exerted by contact, gravity, magnets, and electrically charged materials. SCI.03.PSFM.01.03 NGSS: MS-PS2 (2-1 thru 2-5) NGSS: MS-PS3-2
Understand the properties and uses of different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Understand the concept of wave intensity (energy delivered/area). Understand the properties of different types of radiation. SCI.04.EW.01.03 NGSS: MS-PS2-3 NGSS: MS-PS2-5 NGSS: MS-PS3-2 NGSS: MS-PS4-1
Understand waves act and interact. Understand the behavior of waves is caused by reflection, refraction, and absorption. Understand reflection and absorption of light produces color. SCI.03.EW.01.03 NGSS: MS-PS4-1 NGSS: MS-PS4-2
BCS 8th graders using digital microscopes to examine cell walls.
Learning Menu
Learning Menu
(Optional assignments & activities for extending your learning…)
FOR PARENTS: Click HERE for suggestions on keeping science learning going at home.
AstroSTEM AstroSTEM is a website devoted to space & science. You can sign up for free, then access tons of fun projects about science & technology related to space.
IXL IXL now offers both Science & Social Studies activities! The Eighth Grade Science page has tons of optional activities! Section G is what we should be studying right now. So if you want to be more prepared for your freshman year, try those. Please, MAKE SURE YOU ARE SIGNED IN!
You are likely to have no idea how to do some of the skills/questions. But like all other IXL activities, if you take a guess & get it wrong, IXL will then walk you through step-by-step on how to do it. Then just apply those steps to the follow up questions.
You can also explore Sections A, B & C if you’re looking for basic science stuff that should be more of a review, but also interesting.
Or you can try anything you want! I’m not the boss of you-- EXPLORE!
Answer this writing prompt on a GoogleDoc that you share with me, in a program that lets you draw, in a video response, or just in the body of an email:
You’ve probably spent a lot of time at home lately. You may have noticed that some things in everyday life are harder than you thought, whether it’s something you tried to do, or something you’ve noticed a parent or other family member doing. How could you invent something that would make life easier for people? What would you invent and why? Design your invention, describing how it would work. Include a labeled drawing or diagram if you can.
Document your impact on the environment--water use, energy use, food consumption, and waste/trash--for several days. Develop a model to explain how your use of resources affects the environment. Identify ways to reduce your impact on the environment and use your model to explain to someone else how your changes will affect the environment.
Make a scientific illustration. Select a mechanical object with multiple connected parts and practice drawing it with as many details as possible from different angles. Label as many parts as you can, including arrows or symbols that show how they move. (For example: Take the top off of your toilet tank & flush it once or twice. Could you draw out everything you see & how it all connects and moves together?) As you draw, think about all of the parts and how they work together. What would happen if any of the details were changed?
If you do it on paper, take pictures & send those to me!
Scratch Learn/practice computer coding!
If you want to save your projects & SHARE them, you need a free account, so if you don’t have one, click JOIN SCRATCH at the top of the screen & create an account.
Then start playing! There are tons of videos, project suggestions, starter programs, partially built code. There are also thousands of created projects that you can make a copy of & start recoding & tweaking to see how they work & how you can change them.
SHARE anything you create with me so I can see it!
YouTube What about watching a video?! Below are 3 video suggestions. Watch any or all of them. When you’re done, send me your answer(s) to the 3 Questions below the video links.
Amazing At Home Science Experiments
(1) SUMMARIZE the video. What happened in it? What were the main points or ideas they tried to get across?
(2) WHAT DID YOU LEARN? Tell me something new that you learned, Did you learn more than one thing?
(3) LIKE IT? Was it cool? Did you enjoy it? Why? Why not?
NASA Projects NASA has a huge page full of interesting & awesome projects & experiments for families to try at home!
Some are super simple but fun (like this Ring Wing Glider).
Others are more intense, but no less interesting (like this Water Filtration Challenge).
Send me pictures or videos of you (& hopefully your family) trying something!
Khan Academy Just because you’re not in school doesn’t mean you can’t go to class! Khan Academy has tons of science videos from all subjects and all different learning levels. Try learning something brand new, or just review. It’s up to you. Either way, show/tell me what you learned!
EcoMaine Since you & your fam have been home so much lately, you might have noticed how much garbage &/or recycling you all are producing. EcoMaine has a page dedicated to learning & activities all about waste & recycling. Click the link above & try something!
Audiobooks! The link takes you to a USA Today article that outlines all of the different places offering free audio books during self-isolation. It doesn’t have to be science-related, just listen to a book while you’re drawing or painting or resting. Keep learning & keep yourself entertained!
Coronavirus Finally, for those of you who aren’t sick of hearing about it, or aren’t too freaked out by the thought of it, how about learning some more about the virus responsible for the state of the world today? The link above takes you to a Washington Post article about the virus & why it seems to spread “exponentially”. It also includes some nice visual simulations. Check it out, then write to me or send me a video telling me what you thought about it.
About me
Sorry to admit it, but I'm originally from "away." I grew up in NJ. I attended College of the Atlantic where I studied Philosophy. I then transferred to the University of Maine to get my degree in Education. The 2020-21 school year will be my 20th year teaching middle school. I spend my evenings and summers working with the RiSE Center at the University of Maine researching how to improve STEM education at the middle school level, and every year I include my students in research projects to try to increase student learning and engagement in the science classroom. I'm married with 2 kids and a dog, and most of our free time is spent at the beach.
Resources
Help students and parents help themselves by making resources easily accessible.
A DAY GOOGLE CLASSROOM
B DAY GOOGLE CLASSROOM
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