Class Overview
Welcome to an exciting year of discovery in 8th Grade Science! This course explores key concepts in physical science, earth and space science, and life science, while developing critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Students will engage in hands-on activities, experiments, and real-world applications designed to spark curiosity and deepen scientific understanding.
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What We’ll Learn This Year:
Our curriculum follows the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and prepares students for the STAAR Science Assessment in the spring.
Units of Study
Lab Safety
Science lab safety procedures
Safety equipment use and rules
Force & Motion
Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion in action (sports, vehicle safety, amusement park rides, tectonic activity, rocket launches)
Calculating acceleration using force and mass (Newton’s Second Law)
Weather
How energy from the Sun interacts with the atmosphere and hydrosphere to influence weather and climate
Global wind patterns and their effect on local weather
Ocean currents, air masses, and storm formation
Waves
Characteristics of waves: amplitude, frequency, and wavelength
Electromagnetic spectrum and its applications (e.g., radiation therapy, wireless technology, X-rays)
Space
Life cycle of stars and classification using the H-R diagram
Galaxies: spiral, elliptical, irregular; location of Earth in the Milky Way
Scientific evidence for theories on the origin of the universe
Chemistry
Classification of matter: elements, compounds, homogeneous mixtures, and heterogeneous mixtures
Properties of water: cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension
Acids, bases, and pH in relation to water
Law of Conservation of Mass and rearrangement of atoms in chemical reactions
Periodic table use to identify atoms in chemical reaction
Cells
Structure and function of plant and animal cell organelles
How cell functions support the health of an organism
Survival of the Fittest
Genes, inherited traits, and variations in species
Adaptations that increase survival and reproductive success
Organisms & Environment (Succession)
Primary and secondary succession and its effect on biodiversity
How biodiversity contributes to ecosystem stability
Plate Tectonics
Movement of tectonic plates and their effect on Earth’s surface
STAAR Review
Targeted review of readiness and supporting standards
Properties of Matter
pH scale and chemical properties of substances
Natural Events & Global Climate
How natural events (volcanoes, meteor impacts) and human activity (deforestation, greenhouse gases) affect climate
The carbon cycle