What are we learning?

Lab Safety, Equipment & Measurement

What to expect in this unit?

A review of lab safety practices and equipment/measurement applicable to 8th grade science. Students will take separate assessments on safety and equipment/measurement.

Why does this unit matter?

Students will be working with chemicals and fire in Unit 2.

What are we learning?

The organic chemistry unit is a cross-disciplinary introduction to chemistry that targets ideas in the context of living systems. The unit is centered around the question, "How does food provide my body with energy?" Under that broad question, we focus further on 4 key questions:

1. How do food molecules compare to each other?

2. What do organisms do with food?

3. Where does the energy in food come from?

4. How is food used for energy?

What to expect in this unit?

Students will utilize a combination of lab experiments, model building and scientific writing (CER's) to help them make sense of and ultimately answer the key questions.

Why does this unit matter?

After this unit, students will have a deeper understanding of the chemical/biological processes and energy transformations which drive living organisms.  In addition, students are able to make connections to what they observe in daily life.

What are we learning?

The  genetics unit is an introduction to genetics that is organized around three clusters of ideas:  heredity, variation within and between species, and natural selection. The unit is centered around the driving question, "Why Do Organisms Look the Way They Do?" Under that broad question, we focus further on 4 key questions:

1. What is heredity?

2. How is DNA like a code?

3. How has technology improved science's understanding of inheritance?

4. How have living things changed over time?

What to expect in this unit?

This is mostly a project-based unit. Students will investigate various question prompts through class activities and research on the computer. In addition, students will learn terminology and basic concepts of Mendelian Inheritance.

Why does this unit matter?

With improvements in genetic technologies, this field of science is having an increasing impact on human health. Many health conditions and diseases can be treated or possibly cured using genetic technology. At the same time, debates continue about the importance and ethics of some genetic research and applications.

What are we learning?

This unit focuses on plate tectonics and builds on key conceptual understandings from previous years such as the conservation of matter, convection, and energy transfer. The unit enhances students' understandings of science practices such as developing scientific explanations and using physical models to explore phenomena. As in previous units, there is a focus on 4 key questions:

1. How is the Earth's surface changing?

2. What causes the features on Earth's surface?

3. How are tectonic plates changing?

4. How does plate tectonics explain Earth's features?

What to expect in this unit?

This is mostly a project-based unit. Students will investigate the science concepts that shape the surface of our Earth through physical models and interactive digital resources. The unit ends with a culminating engineering product utilizing an earthquake simulator.

Why does this unit matter?

Earth and space sciences are one of the fastest growing fields. It is vital for society to better understand and make decisions in how humans interact with the Earth.