LOGAN-ROGERSVILLE R-VIII SCIENCE CURRICULUM

8^th Grade

Course Rationale

The Logan-Rogersville 8^th grade science course provides students with a working knowledge of our Earth, its processes, and our place in the Universe. With this information the students will have enough knowledge to make decisions on how technology will affect science in the 21^st century.

Course Description

The Logan-Rogersville 8^th grade science course has been designed to focus on earth science. An effort will be made to cover a wide variety of topics to prepare students for secondary education. This class will concentrate on how energy affects Earth's processes and interactions. We will also look at the impact of technology and how it has advanced our knowledge of the composition and structure of our Universe.

Course Competencies

1. Describe the best method for solving an investigation, including detailed procedures, graphs, and tables.
2. Identify and analyze theories, both old and new ones.
3. Identify and respond thoughtfully to information to determine whether information came from credible sources or from sources of questionable credibility.
4. Describe how energy is involved in chemical and physical changes.
5. Explain how atoms interact during a phase change induced by adding/subtracting heat.
6. Identify the different units used to measure distances by astronomers and explain why the use them.
7. Identify ways society has benefited from the technologies developed through space exploration.
8. Compare and contrast economic impact that the space program has had on the U.S.

Grade and/or Class: 8^th grade Science

Last Revision: 2001-2002

Writer: Rod Mathewson

Strand: Scientific Inquiry Processes of Scientific Inquiry

Students will be able to :

District Competency: 1. Describe the best method for solving an investigation, including detailed procedures, graphs, and tables.
Frameworks	Content Standards	Performance Standards	Activities	Assessments
I, A, 2a	SC7	1.8	In large or small groups, students will decide the best method to present an argument and make a detailed plan showing an investigation that includes procedures, graphs, and tables.	Individually students will describe detailed plan showing an investigation that includes procedures, graphs, and tables.

Strand: Scientific Relevance Historical Perspective

Students will be able to :

District Competency: 2. Identify and analyze theories, both old and new ones.
Frameworks	Content Standards	Performance Standards	Activities	Assessments
II, B, 1a	SC8	1.6, 1.7, 1.9	In large or small groups, students will identify, analyze, and make comparisons of old and new scientific theories.	Individually students will identify and analyze the strengths and weaknesses associated with different theories.

Strand: Scientific Relevance Science as a Human Endeavor

Students will be able to :

District Competency: 3. Identify and respond thoughtfully to information to determine whether information came from credible sources or from sources of questionable credibility.
Frameworks	Content Standards	Performance Standards	Activities	Assessments
II, C, 1a	SC8	1.5, 1.7	In large group lecture and discussion, students will identify and respond to different sources of information to determine credibility of source.	Individually students will determine whether information came from a credible source or from a source of questionable credibility.

Strand: Matter and Energy Interactions of Matter and Energy

Students will be able to :

District Competency: 4. Describe how energy is involved in chemical and physical changes.
Frameworks	Content Standards	Performance Standards	Activities	Assessments
III, C, 1a	SC1	1.6, 3.5	In large group lecture and discussion, students will describe the relationship between energy in chemical and physical changes and apply strategies to show how energy can affect physical and chemical changes.	Individually students will describe how energy is involved in chemical and physical changes.

Strand: Matter and Energy Interactions of Matter and Energy

Students will be able to :

District Competency: 5. Explain how atoms interact during a phase change induced by adding/subtracting heat.
Frameworks	Content Standards	Performance Standards	Activities	Assessments
III, C, 3a	SC1	1.2, 1.6, 3.5	In large group lecture and discussion, students will identify phase changes during addition/subtraction of heat energy and discuss interaction of atoms during a phase change.	Individually students will explain how atoms interact during a phase change induced by adding/subtracting heat.

Strand: Universe Characteristics of the Solar System

Students will be able to :

District Competency: 6. Identify the different unites used to measure distances by astronomers and explain why they use them.
Frameworks	Content Standards	Performance Standards	Activities	Assessments
V, A, 3a	SC6	4.1	Identify different units used to measure distances by astronomers and calculate the distances in space using different unites.	Identify the different unites used to measure distances by astronomers and explain why they use them.

Strand: Universe Tools of Space Exploration

Students will be able to :

District Competency: 7. Identify ways society has benefited from the technologies developed through space exploration.
Frameworks	Content Standards	Performance Standards	Activities	Assessments
V, C, 1a	SC6	3.5, 4.1	Investigate the international space program and the ways society has benefited from the space program.	Identify and explain benefits to society resulting from our space program.

Strand: Universe Tools of Exploration

Students will be able to :

District Competency: 8. Compare and contrast economic impact that the space program has had on the U.S.
Frameworks	Content Standards	Performance Standards	Activities	Assessments
V, C, 1b	SC6	1.8, 3.5	Investigate the costs involved in having a space program and create a comparison of costs VS benefits.	Compare and contrast economic impact of the space program on the U.S.