Eighth Grade Science/ Health - ELL

SDE Course Code: 0807

MNPS Course Code: SCI0807Y

 

Course Description:

 

In a sheltered environment, the seventh grade science curriculum centers on the District’s science standards. The concepts in the eighth grade are the Earth, Life and Physical sciences, with a special emphasis on investigations and experimentation in each area, as well as appropriate observance of safety guidelines.  Earth science topics include understandings of continental drift, geologic time, and the identification of rocks and minerals.  Life science covers concepts related to the interaction of living and nonliving things, principles of inheritance, and methods used to classify living things.  Physical science concepts relate to understanding the interactions of matter, the influence of forces and motion on objects, and the principles of simple machines.  Appropriate use of metric measuring devices and mathematical manipulations are also a major curriculum component.

 

Course of Study:

·        Life Science

o       Describe interactions between living things and their environment.

o       Identify the major biomes of the world.

o       Understands the basic principles of inheritance.

o       Examine differences between dominant and recessive traits.

o       Investigate the relationship among DNA, genes, chromosomes, and the genetic code of life.

o       Explore careers related to biotechnology.

o       Identify characteristics used by scientists to classify organisms into different categories. 

·        Earth and Space Science

o       Understand the characteristics of the earth’s layers and the locations of major plates.

o       Describe the forces and processes that shape the earth.

o       Investigate the characteristics of minerals and their uses.

o       Describe the rock cycle.

o       Investigate how human activities affect the earth’s land, oceans, and atmosphere.

o       Examine various types of energy resources and their importance to man.

o       Analyze approaches to conserving energy and natural resources. 

·        Physical Science

o       Distinguish between speed and velocity.

o       Demonstrate an understanding of Newton’s three laws of motion.

o       Identify factors that influence gravitational force between objects.

o       Identify simple machines and their uses.

o       Understand the differences between acids and bases and how indicators are used.

o       Differentiate between physical and chemical changes.

o       Understand what a chemical equation represents.

Standards:

 

MNPS standards for Eighth grade science can be accessed at:
http://www.mnps.org/PageFactory.aspx?PageID=3353

State Eighth grade science standards can be found at:  http://www.tennessee.gov/education/ci/cistandards2001/sci/ciscig68stand.htm

 

Textbook:

 

Tennessee Holt Science & Technology; Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2003 (grade 8)

 

Recommended/Required Resources:

o       Laboratory facility with access to a source of water, and electricity for lab activities; required.

o       Various types of lab equipment and apparatus for inquiry investigations; required

o       Access to computers that are web-accessible; recommended.

o       Properties of Matter, Science and Technology Concepts for Middle Schools, Carolina Biological Supply; recommended.

o       Energy Machines, and Motion, Science and Technology Concepts for Middle Schools, Carolina Biological Supply; recommended.

o       Catastrophic Events, Science and Technology Concepts for Middle Schools, Carolina Biological Supply; recommended.