8th Grade Science Topics by Quarter
8th Grade Science: Pacing Guide
Quarter 1 Goals:
Goal 3: Earth Systems, Structures, and Processes
- Hydrosphere
- Oceans
- Water qualities & safety
- Human safety based on interventions (water quality standards)
Goal 6: Ecosystems
- Factors that affect populations
- Relationships between producers, consumers, decomposers
- Flow of energy in food webs (cycling of matter…H20, CO2, nitrogen, and Oxygen
Activities & Labs:
Quarter 2 Goals:
Goal 1: Matter: Properties and Change
- Elements, Compounds, & Mixtures
- Periodic Table of Elements (physical properties of elements)
- Physical & Chemical Changes
- Law of Conservation of Mass (balanced chemical equations)
Goal 2: Energy: Conservation and Transfer
- Environmental consequences of obtaining, transforming, and distributing energy
- Importance of conservation (impacts of depletion of energy resources- renewable & non-renewable)
Activities and labs:
Quarter 3 Goals:
Goal 4: Earth History
- Age of Earth using index fossils and order (relative dating and radioactive dating)
- Evidence of this history of Earth and its changing forms (ice cores, fossils, faults, igneous rock, comp of sedimentary rock)
Goal 7: Evolution and Genetics
- Biological classification system and theory of evolution
- Relationship between genetic variation and ability to adapt
Activities and Labs:
Quarter 4 Goals:
Goal 5: Structures and Functions of Living Organisms
- Characteristics of Viruses, Bacteria, Fungi, and Parasites relating to diseases
- Differences between epidemic and pandemic as relates to diseases
- Biotechnology (genetic info, careers, economic benefits, ethical issues, agriculture)
Goal 8: Molecular Biology
- How food provides energy and molecules for all organisms
- Healthy diet, exercise, and general health of the body (respiration and digestion relationship)
Activities and Labs: