8th Grade Earth Science Standards
The Student Will:
- Scientific Investigation
- Design an investigation
- Data collection & measurement
- Analysis and interpretation of data
- Identify and evaluate alternative explanations and procedures
- Use examples to demonstrate scientific ideas to explain previous observations & predict future events
- Ask questions and state hypotheses that lead to different types of scientific investigations
- Create a written plan for investigation
- Use appropriate tools, technologies, and measurements to gather and organize data
- Interpret and evaluate data in order to formulate conclusions
- Communicate results of investigations in appropriate ways (reports, graphs, displays, presentations)
- Use metric units in measuring, calculating, and reporting results
- Explain that scientific investigations sometimes result in unexpected findings that lead to new questions and more investigations
- Give examples of how collaboration can be useful in solving problems and sharing findings
- Physical Science
- Matter has properties related to its composition and structure
- Examine, describe, compare measure, and classify objects based on common physical and chemical properties
- Separate mixtures of substances based on their properties
- Classify and describe matter in terms of elements, compounds, mixtures, atoms, and molecules
- Develop simple models to explain observed properties of matter
- Energy appears in different forms, and can move and change
- Measure quantities associated with energy forms
- Describe qualitative and quantitative relationships, using data and observations associated with energy transfer
- Earth & Space Science
- Know and understand the composition of Earth, its history, and natural processes that shape it
- Explain how minerals, rocks, and soils form
- Explain how fossils are formed and used as evidence to indicate that life has changed through time
- Model natural processes that shape Earth's surface
- Explain the distribution and causes of natural events
- Know and understand the general characteristics of the atmosphere and processes of weather
- Describe the basic composition, properties, and structure of the atmosphere
- Observe, measure, and record changes in weather conditions
- Explain how atmospheric circulation is driven by solar heating
- Describe large scale and local weather systems
- Know major sources of water, importance, and cyclicity
- Investigate and compare the properties and behavior of water in its solid, liquid, and gaseous states
- Describe the distribution and circulation of the world's water through oceans, glaciers, rivers, groundwater, and atmosphere
- Describe the composition and physical characteristics of oceans
- Know the structure of the solar system, composition and interactions of objects in the universe, and how space is explored
- Describe the basic components, composition, size, and theories of the origin of the solar system
- Explain the effects of relative motion and positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon
- Compare Earth to other planets
- Identify technology needed to explore space
- Know and understand interrelationships among science, technology, and human activity, and their effect on the world
- Investigate and describe the extent of human uses of renewable and non- renewable resources
- Describe advantages and disadvantages that might accompany the introduction of new technology
- Describe how the use of technology can help solve and individual or community problem
- Describe how people use science and technology in their professions
- Understand that science involves a particular way of knowing and understand the common connections among scientific disciplines
- Explain why a controlled experiment must have comparable results when repeated
- Give examples of how scientific knowledge changes as new knowledge is acquired and previous ideas are modified
- Describe contributions to the advancement of science made by people in different cultures and at different times in history
- Identify, compare, and predict variables and conditions related to change
- Identify and illustrate natural cycles with systems
- Use a model to predict change