Seventh & Eighth Grade Science Curriculum Objectives

2010 - 2011

Nature of Science

1. Formulating questions & hypothesizing.
2. Planning & critiquing investigations.
3. Conducting investigations.
4. Developing & evaluating explanations.

Life Science Cells, Human Heredity, Evolution/Natural Selection, Human Health Disease (S7-8:31; S5-640; S7-8:40; S5-6:39; S7-8:39; S7-8:41)

1. Student demonstrates understanding of cells and cell membrane by conducting experiments that investigate how different concentrations of materials (inside and outside a cell) will cause water to flow into or out of cells.
2. Student demonstrates understanding of cells and cell membrane by examining cells under a microscope and identifying cell wall and chloroplasts, and by comparing the function of a common cell structure, such as membrane in all cells, with the function of a unique structure, such as chloroplasts in plant cells.
3. Student demonstrates understanding of cells and cell membrane examining cells under a microscope, identifying the nucleus and explaining the relationship between genes (located in the nucleus) and traits.
4. Student demonstrates their understanding of cell reproduction by explaining that cells come only from other living cells and that genes duplicate in the process of cell division producing an identical copy of the original cell for growth and repair.
5. Student demonstrates understanding of Human Heredity by identifying that an offspring’s traits are determined by combining the sex cells (female egg and male sperm) of the parents AND by explaining how traits are passed on from the instructions of one or more genes that are inherited from the parents.
6. Student demonstrates understanding of Evolution/Natural Selection by explaining, through engaging in simulations, how a variation in a characteristic (trait) enables an organism to survive in a changing environment, identifying that traits occur randomly, and explaining that advantageous traits of organisms are passed on through reproduction.
7. Student understands how human body systems are organized and function together and explains how the human body responds to environmental or biological factors to maintain internal equilibrium.
8. Student understands Human Health/Disease by explaining how a variety of microbes (e.g., virus, bacteria, fungi) and toxic materials can interfere with body systems and cause harm.
9. Student understands Human Health/Disease by explaining the specialized function of white blood cells in the circulatory system.
10. Student understands ecosystems by analyzing the major biomes of earth.

Physical Science Physical Change, Properties of a Gas, Heat Energy, Density, Force and Motion S7-8:14, S7-78:23; S7-8:13; S5-6:9; S7-8:9; S7-8:19; S7-8:21; S7-8:22; S5-6:26; S5-6:24; S7-8:24; S5-6:25

1. Student demonstrates understanding of Physical Change by constructing their own models that represent the states of matter at the molecular level.
2. Student demonstrates understanding of Physical Change by explaining the effect of increased and decreased heat energy on the motion and arrangement of molecules.
3. Student demonstrates understanding of Properties of a Gas by using real world examples (tires, balloons, soda), predict and by explaining the effect that a change in one variable (pressure, temperature or volume) will have on the others.
4. Student demonstrate understanding of Heat Energy by creating a diagram, model, or analogy to explain differences among conduction, convection, and radiation, and by using their visual to explain how heat energy travels in different directions and through different materials by each method of energy transfer.
5. Student demonstrates understanding of density by investigating and developing conclusions that explain how the relative volume or mass of an object affects the density of the object.
6. Student demonstrates understanding of density by calculating the density of regularly and irregularly shaped objects.
7. Student understands the flow of energy in a system by explaining the real world application of how energy can be transferred from one form to another and that heat is produced in these transformations. Student understands that energy can be potential or kinetic.
8. Student demonstrates understanding of the relationship between force, mass and motion by designing investigations that illustrate the effect of a change in mass or velocity on an object’s momentum.
9. Student demonstrates understanding of the relationship between force, mass and motion by describing and explaining how the acceleration of an object is proportional to the force on the object and inversely proportional to the mass of the object.
10. Student demonstrates understanding of force by diagramming or describing, after observing a moving object, the forces acting on the object before and after it is put into motion (Students include in their diagram or description, the effect of these forces on the motion of the object).
11. Student demonstrates understanding of force by describing and explaining the effects of gravitational force on objects and identifying evidence that the force of gravity is relative to the mass of objects and their distance apart.
12. Student demonstrates understanding of electromagnetic forces by exploring and explaining devices that demonstrate the magnetic effects of electricity and the electric effects of moving magnets and by exploring and explaining the relationship between the device and the magnetic or electric effect it produces.
13. Student demonstrates understanding of electrical energy by building an electric circuit and explaining the transfer of electrical energy into heat, light, and sound, leaving the system, but not destroyed and predicting the effect of a change in voltage in the circuit system.
14. Students explore, describe and explain the behavior of charged objects (static electricity) in terms of charges and equilibrium.
15. Student demonstrates understanding of magnetism by identifying real world objects that demonstrate and utilize a magnetic force field acting over a distance and distinguishing between objects affected by magnetic force and objects affected by other non-contact forces, using evidence to explain this principle.

Environmental Science Ecosystems, Natural Resource Management, Water Cycle (S7-8:36; S5-6:49; S7-8:49; S7-8:14; S7-8:48)

1. Student identifies factors that impact a local ecosystem and identifies an abiotic or biotic change in that ecosystem, predicting the short and long-term effects of this change and drawing conclusions about the stability of the system (e.g., local river study).
2. Student demonstrates understanding of natural resource management by investigating natural resources in the community and monitoring/managing them for responsible use.
3. Student demonstrates understanding of natural resource management by identifying a human activity in a local environment and determining the impact of that activity on a specific (local) natural resource.
4. Student demonstrates understanding of natural resource management by researching the impact of different human activities on the earth’s land, waterways and atmosphere, and describing possible effects on the living organisms in those environments.
5. Student demonstrates understanding of natural resource management by explaining how overpopulation of living things can degrade an environment due to increased use of resources.
6. Student demonstrates understanding of the water cycle by observing the physical processes of evaporation and condensation, and accounting for the disappearance and appearance of liquid water in terms of molecular motion and conservation of mass.

Astronomy and Earth Science Processes and Change Over Time within Earth Systems, Fossils (S5-6:47)

1. Student demonstrates understanding of Processes and Change over Time within Earth Systems by explaining the processes that occur when rocks are changed from one form to another.
2. Student demonstrates understanding of Processes and Change over Time within Earth Systems by using data about a rock’s physical characteristics to explain the rock’s history and connection to the Rock Cycle.
3. Student demonstrates understanding of fossils and their evidence of geologic history by determining the relative age of fossils within sedimentary rocks from their location in the strata (i.e. which fossils within a sequence are older).