Unit 1: Matter and Movement

Summary

In this unit, students are introduced to matter and energy as they learn about how scientists and engineers design materials with specific properties to address a wide range of societal needs. They begin by investigating the relationship between forces and motion, and then move on to the basic structure of matter, including how energy changes matter in physical and chemical changes.

CASE STUDY 1: Mass and Motion

Students use the phenomenon of the mass of a baseball and its motion to analyze how objects transfer energy in a collision, tracing how energy changes from one form to another in an energy system and then exploring the relationship between an object’s mass and its speed.

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Lesson 1

I can define the vocabulary and concepts for case study 1 in order to prepare for my first Socratic dialogue of 8th grade science!

Lesson 2

I can boldly share my ideas and actively listen to the ideas of others in my first Socratic seminar of 8th grade science!

Lesson 3

I can write a testable question to guide my first lab exploration.

Lesson 4

I can develop the plan for my first lab.

Lesson 5

I can analyze the results from my first lab experiment of 8th grade.

Lesson 6

I can sythesize the findings of all the lab groups in the first lab experiment.

CASE STUDY 2: Chemical Reactions

In the second lesson, students use the phenomenon of how concrete is made to support their analysis of how chemical reactions produce new substances with different properties.

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Lesson 7

I can explain the new structures in place to support collaboration in my lab group.

Lesson 8

I can boldly share my ideas and actively listen to the ideas of others in a Socratic seminar!

Lesson 9

I can identify the signs that a chemical reaction has taken place.

Lesson 10

I can create a visual model to represent conservation of mass in a chemical reaction.

CASE STUDY 3: Polymer Structure and Function

Students explore the investigative phenomenon of why some sports balls bounce higher than others to investigate how the amount of reactants can influence the properties of the products in a chemical reaction. They connect the molecular structure of a polymer bouncy ball with its property of bounciness.