Grade 8 Science
Living Environment Honors
Scope
Biology is the study of life and the Living Environment is the study of how all living organisms are related to one another, how they interact in their environments and how their interactions or actions impact the environment and the organisms in it. There are a few overarching ideas or themes of Biology, starting with cells. All living things are made of cells, cells are the basic units of structure and function of all living things, and all cells come from pre-existing cells. The other themes include levels of organization, genetics and heredity, reproduction, growth, regulation, unity and diversity, evolution, flow of energy, and homeostasis. We design each unit of study around these themes of biology. The lessons within each unit are designed to teach the specifics of each theme and help the students uncover and discover the importance of tying all of the themes together to reach the “big idea.”
Units
Unit — Scientific Inquiry
Essential Questions
How do scientists pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions?
How strong is the scientific evidence?
What are the tools of the scientist?
How do scientists use their tools and lap equipment to make accurate observations?
What is the goal of science?
Guiding Questions
What does science study or not study?
How do scientists test hypotheses?
How does a scientific theory develop?
What problem might arise if a researcher fails to control the relevant variables in an experiment?
What are the characteristics of living things?
How can life be studied at different levels?
How do living things and non-living things differ?
What is homeostasis and why is it so important?
What tools are used by biologists as separation techniques?
What are the differences between a compound light microscope and a stereoscope?
What is proper microscope usage?
What is the difference between magnification and resolution?
Why is the cover slip lowered onto a slide at a 45 degree angle?
How is a stain properly applied to a wet mount slide?
How does the diameter of the field of view differ between low and high power?
Resources
CK-12 Biology Flexbook
POGILS
Gizmo Laboratories
pHet labs
Various video clips
Howard Hughes Biointeractive activities
Skills Taught
Students will learn about the historical development of scientific concepts or about individuals who have contributed to scientific knowledge provides a better understanding of scientific inquiry and the relationship between science and society.
Students will understand that science provides knowledge, but values are also essential to making effective and ethical decisions about the application of scientific knowledge.
Interpretation of data may lead to the development of additional hypotheses, the formulation of generalizations, or explanations of natural phenomena.
Students will apply statistical analysis, when appropriate to test if chance alone explains the results.
Students will assess information between the predicted result contained in the hypothesis and actual result. They will reach a conclusion as to whether the hypothesis is supported or refuted.
Inquiry involves asking questions and locating, interpreting, and processing information from a variety of sources.
Inquiry involves making judgments about the reliability of the source and relevance of information.
Scientific explanations are accepted when they are consistent with experimental and observational evidence and when they lead to accurate predictions.
All scientific explanations are subject to change or improvement. This leads to increased knowledge of how things work in the living world. Hypotheses are valuable, even if they turn out not to be supported, because they may lead to further investigation
How to design and carry out a controlled experiment.
Claims should be questioned if the data is collected from a small sample size, is biased, or collected from a poorly designed experiment (not a controlled experiment).
Identify differences between scientific theories and laws.
Organize and analyze data through graphs and tables.
Students will learn how to identify and use various types of lab equipment.
Students will learn how to follow safety rules in the laboratory.
Students will learn the parts of a compound light microscope and how to use the microscope properly.
Students will learn how to use a microscope to accurately measure the length of microscopic organisms.
Students will learn how to make a wet mount slide and how to add stain to their slides.
Organisms maintain a dynamic equilibrium that sustains life.
Unit — Ecology
Essential Questions
Ecosystems contain living and nonliving factors which affect each other. Why is it important to preserve all components of an ecosystem?
Guiding Questions
How do we determine the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on an ecosystem?
How do we analyze the different levels of ecological organization in a biome?
How do the interactions of various organisms affect an ecosystem?
How is carrying capacity modified by a change in limiting factors?
How can you demonstrate the flow of energy through an ecosystem?
Where does the energy for life processes come from?
How efficient is the energy transfer among organisms in an ecosystem?
How does matter move within and among ecosystems?
How do the cycles of matter affect environmental conditions?
How do living organisms affect one another in their environments (symbiosis)?
How can you create a new community after an abrupt change through ecological succession?
How has the size of the human population changed over time?
What types of human activities can affect the biosphere?
What effects do human activities have on natural resources?
How are environmental resources classified?
What is the value of biodiversity?
What are the current threats to biodiversity?
What is the goal of conservation biology?
How does the greenhouse effect maintain the biosphere’s temperature range?
How have humans impacted the environment/biosphere?
How can humans slow or stop the damage that has occurred to the biosphere as a result of human activity (this will be specific to the type of activity and the damage it caused)?
Resources
CK-12 Biology Flexbook
POGILS
Gizmo Laboratories
pHet labs
Various video clips
Howard Hughes Biointeractive activities
Skills Taught
How to use mathematical representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.
Using scientific knowledge to generate and design solutions
a. Students design a solution that involves reducing the negative effects of human activities on the environment and biodiversity, and that relies on scientific knowledge of the factors affecting changes and stability in biodiversity.
Ex of factors include but are not limited to:
i. Overpopulation
ii. Overexploitation
iii. Habitat destruction
iv. Pollution
v. Introduction of invasive species
vi. Changes in climate
b. Students describe the ways the proposed solution decreases the negative effects of human activity on the environment and biodiversity along with the tradeoff of the solution.
Students evaluate the proposed solution for its impact on overall environmental stability and changes.
Students evaluate the cost, safety, and reliability, as well as social, cultural, and environmental impacts, of the proposed solution for a select human activity that is harmful to an ecosystem.
LS2.C, LS4.D
ETS1
HS-LS2-1, HS-LS2-2, HS-LS2-3, HS-LS2-4, HS-LS2-5, HS-LS2-6, HS-LS2-7, HS-LS2-8, HS-LS4-6
Unit — Chemistry of Life
Essential Questions
Why are chemical elements, compounds, and reactions important to living things?
What is the main difference between an organic and inorganic compound?
What are the properties of water that make it important to life?
What are the four groups of organic molecules, what are their monomers and what are their functions in living things?
How do enzymes work and why are they important?
Guiding Questions
What are the subatomic particles that make up an atom?
What are the 2 main types of chemical bonds?
Why are water molecules polar?
What are acidic solutions/basic solutions?
What is the difference between solutions and suspensions?
What does pH measure?
What are the functions of each of the organic molecules?
What happens to chemical bonds during chemical reactions?
Describe the role of energy in a chemical reaction?
What are enzymes and how are they important for living things?
How can a change in temperature or pH affect the functioning of an enzyme?
Resources
CK-12 Biology Flexbook
POGILS
Gizmo Laboratories
pHet labs
Various video clips
Howard Hughes Biointeractive activities
Skills Taught
Life is dependent on availability of an energy source and raw materials that are used in the basic enzyme-controlled biochemical processes of living organisms. These biochemical processes occur within a narrow range of conditions
Properties of Water
Polarity
Hydrogen bond
Solution
Solvent
Solute
Acid
Base
Adhesion
Cohesion
Organic Chemistry
Organic molecule
Monomer
Polymer
Polymerization
Dehydration synthesis
Hydrolysis
Carbohydrate
Lipid
Protein
Nucleic acid
Chemical Reactions
Metabolism
Chemical Reaction
Reactants
Products
Energy
Catalyst
Activation Energy
Enzyme
Substrate
Enzyme-substrate Complex
HS-PS1-2, HS-PS1-4, HS-PS1-7
HS-LS1-1, HS-LS1-2, HS-LS1-5, HS-LS1-6, HS-LS1-7
Unit — Cellular Biology
Essential Questions
What is a cell?
What is the cell theory?
How is a single-celled organism similar to and different from a multicellular organism, like a human?
What are the different types of cells and how are they different?
What are the functional units of cells?
How do cells maintain homeostasis?
Guiding Questions
How was the cell first discovered?
What are the exceptions to the cell theory?
What role does/did technology play in the study of and discovery of cells?
What is a plasma membrane composed of?
What is the function of the plasma membrane?
What is diffusion? Osmosis? How do these processes affect the overall maintenance of homeostasis of cells?
What are the differences between plant and animal cells?
How can cells identify and communicate with other cells?
Resources
CK-12 Biology Flexbook
POGILS
Gizmo Laboratories
pHet labs
Various video clips
Howard Hughes Biointeractive activities
Skills Taught
Living things are similar in that they rely on many of the same processes to stay alive, but are different in the ways that these processes are carried out.
Nonliving things lack certain features of living organisms; the ability to maintain cellular organization, carry out metabolic processes while maintaining internal stability (homeostasis), and pass on hereditary information through reproduction.
Different organisms have different ways to regulate their functions to maintain the level of organization necessary for life.
Living things are both similar to and different from each other and from nonliving things.
The continuity of life is sustained through reproduction and development.
Organisms maintain a dynamic equilibrium that sustains life.
Outline components of the Cell Theory including researchers, discoveries and major points.
Examine the characteristics of unicellular organisms.
Compare and contrast eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.
Relate organelle structures to the functions of cells of different organisms and differentiate between plant and animal cells.
Correlate how the structures of cell walls and cell membranes maintains cellular homeostasis.
Justify how surface area impacts cell size.
How indicators are used to test for the presence of specific substances.
HS-LS-1, HS-LS1-2