Eighth Grade Science

Scientific Process Skills - 6th, 7th & 8th Grade

Inquiry

Students

• Generate scientific questions based on observations, investigations, and research.
• Design and conduct scientific investigations.
• Use tools and equipment (e.g., microscopes, spring scales, stop watches, models, thermometers, PH meters) appropriate to scientific investigations.
• Use metric measurement devices in scientific investigations.
• Construct charts and graphs from data and observations dealing with investigation.
• Identify patterns in data.

Inquiry Analysis and Communication

Students

• Analyze information from data tables and graphs to answer scientific questions.
• Evaluate data, claims, and personal knowledge through collaborative science discourse.
• Communicate and defend findings of observations and investigations
• Draw conclusions from sets of data from multiple trials of a scientific investigation.
• Use multiple sources of information to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, or data.

Reflection and Social Implications

Students

• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, and data.
• Describe limitations in personal and scientific knowledge regarding science concepts.
• Identify the need for evidence in making scientific decisions
• Evaluate scientific explanations based on current evidence and scientific principles.
• Demonstrate scientific concepts through various illustrations, performances, models, exhibits, and activities.
• Design solutions to scientific problems using technology.
• Describe the effect humans and other organisms have on the balance of the natural world.
• Describe what science and technology can and cannot reasonably contribute to society.
• Describe how science and technology have advanced because of the contributions of many people throughout history and across cultures.

Force and Motion

Constructing New Scientific Knowledge

• Generate scientific questions about the world based on observation.
• Design and conduct scientific investigations.
• Use tools and equipment appropriate to scientific investigations.
• Use metric measurement devices to provide consistency in an investigation.
• Use sources of information in support of scientific investigations.
• Write and follow procedures in the form of step-by-step instructions, formulas, flow diagrams, and sketches.

Reflecting on Scientific Knowledge

• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, or data.
• Describe limitations in personal knowledge.
• Show how common themes of science, mathematics, and technology apply in real-world contexts

Using Physical Science Knowledge: Motion of Objects

• Qualitatively describe and compare motion in two dimensions.
• Relate motion of objects to unbalanced forces in two dimensions.
• Describe the non-contact forces exerted by magnets, electrically charged objects, and gravity.
• Design strategies for moving objects by application of forces, including the use of simple machines.

Constructing New Scientific Knowledge

• Generate scientific questions about the world based on observation.
• Design and conduct scientific investigations.
• Use tools and equipment appropriate to scientific investigations.
• Use metric measurement devices to provide consistency in an investigation.
• Use sources of information in support of scientific investigations.
• Write and follow procedures in the form of step-by-step instructions, formulas, flow diagrams, and sketches.

Electricity and Magnetics

Constructing New Scientific Knowledge

• Generate scientific questions about the world based on observation.
• Design and conduct scientific investigations.
• Use tools and equipment appropriate to scientific investigations.
• Use metric measurement devices to provide consistency in an investigation.
• Use sources of information in support of scientific investigations.
• Write and follow procedures in the form of step-by-step instructions, formulas, flow diagrams, and sketches.

Reflecting on Scientific Knowledge

• Show how common themes of science, mathematics, and technology apply in real-world contexts.

Using Physical Science Knowledge: Matter and Energy

• Construct simple circuits and explain how they work in terms of the flow of current.
• Investigate electrical devices and explain how they work, using instructions and appropriate safety precautions.

Using Physical Science Knowledge: Changes in Matter

• Describe common energy transformations in everyday situations.

Using Physical Science Knowledge: Motion of Objects

• Describe the non-contact forces exerted by magnets, electrically charged objects, and gravity.
• Use electric currents to create magnetic fields, and explain applications of this principle.

Constructing New Scientific Knowledge

• Generate scientific questions about the world based on observation.
• Design and conduct scientific investigations.
• Use tools and equipment appropriate to scientific investigations.
• Use metric measurement devices to provide consistency in an investigation.
• Use sources of information in support of scientific investigations.
• Write and follow procedures in the form of step-by-step instructions, formulas, flow diagrams, and sketches.

Reflecting on Scientific Knowledge

• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, or data.
• Describe limitations in personal knowledge.
• Show how common themes of science, mathematics, and technology apply in real-world contexts
• Describe the advantages and risks of new technologies.
• Develop an awareness of and sensitivity to the natural world.
• Recognize the contributions made in science by cultures and individuals of diverse backgrounds.

Using Physical Science Knowledge: Matter and Energy

• Describe and compare objects in terms of mass, volume, and density.
• Explain when length, mass, weight, density, area, volume or temperature are appropriate to describe the properties of an object or substance.
• Classify substances as elements, compounds, or mixtures and justify classifications in terms of atoms and molecules.
• Describe the arrangement and motion of molecules in solids, liquids, and gases.

Using Physical Science Knowledge: Changes in Matter

• Describe common physical changes in matter: evaporation, condensation, sublimation, thermal expansion and contraction.
• Describe common chemical changes in terms of properties of reactants and products.
• Explain physical changes in terms of the arrangement and motion of atoms and molecules.

Reflecting on Scientific Knowledge

• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, or data.
• Describe limitations in personal knowledge.
• Show how common themes of science, mathematics, and technology apply in real-world contexts
• Describe the advantages and risks of new technologies.
• Recognize the contributions made in science by cultures and individuals of diverse backgrounds.

Using Physical Science Knowledge: Changes in Matter

• Describe common physical changes in matter: evaporation, condensation, sublimation, thermal expansion and contraction.
• Explain physical changes in terms of the arrangement and motion of atoms and molecules.
• Describe common energy transformations in everyday situations.

Using Physical Science Knowledge: Waves and Vibrations

• Explain how sound travels through different media.
• Explain how echoes occur and how they are used.
• Explain how light is required to see objects.
• Describe ways in which light interacts with matter.
• Describe the motion of vibrating objects.
• Explain how mechanical waves transfer energy.

Constructing New Scientific Knowledge

• Generate scientific questions about the world based on observation.
• Design and conduct scientific investigations.
• Use tools and equipment appropriate to scientific investigations.
• Use metric measurement devices to provide consistency in an investigation.
• Use sources of information in support of scientific investigations.
• Write and follow procedures in the form of step-by-step instructions, formulas, flow diagrams, and sketches.

Reflecting on Scientific Knowledge

• Describe limitations in personal knowledge.
• Show how common themes of science, mathematics, and technology apply in real-world contexts.
• Describe the advantages and risks of new technologies.
• Develop an awareness of and sensitivity to the natural world.

Using Physical Science Knowledge: Matter and Energy

• Explain when length, mass, weight, density, area, volume or temperature are appropriate to describe the properties of an object or substance.
• Describe the arrangement and motion of molecules in solids, liquids, and gases.

Using Physical Science Knowledge: Changes in Matter

• Describe common physical changes in matter: evaporation, condensation, sublimation, thermal expansion and contraction.
• Describe common chemical changes in terms of properties of reactants and products.
• Explain physical changes in terms of the arrangement and motion of atoms and molecules.