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8th Grade Earth & Physical Science:
The following schedule is strictly a guideline for the year and is subject to change.
· 1st and 2nd Quarter—Inside Earth, Earth’s Changing Surface, & Astronomy
o Inside Earth:
* Students will learn about the theory of plate tectonics and how continental drift and sea-floor spreading affect plate tectonics.
* Students will learn about the cause of earthquakes, how they are measured, and their hazards.
* Students will learn about volcanoes.
* Students will learn about minerals, both their properties and how they are formed.
* Students will learn about rocks. Students will be able to classify different types of rocks and will understand the rock cycle.
o Earth’s Changing Surface:
* Students will learn the factors that determine the topography of Earth’s surface, the main types of land forms, and the four sphere’s that make up Earth’s surface.
* Students will learn about mechanical and chemical weathering and how both affect rocks. Students will also learn about soil formation and composition.
* Students will learn about changes that take place on Earth’s surface, how water erosion affects Earth’s surface, the forces of moving water, glaciers, waves, and wind.
* Students will learn about the formation of fossils and be able to identify several types of fossils. Students will also learn how fossils are dated, the geologic time scale, and the major events of Earth’s geologic history.
o Astronomy:
* Students will learn about Earth’s rotation and revolution, and what causes the seasons.
* Students will learn about the phases of the moon, solar and lunar eclipses, and what causes the tides.
* Students will learn about how rockets travel in space and the uses of satellites, space stations, and the space shuttle.
* Students will learn about Earth’s moon surface features and about its origin and structure.
* Students will learn about the solar system, the sun, the inner planets, the outer planets, comets, asteroids, meteors, and the possibility for life beyond Earth.
* Students will learn about the tools of modern astronomy, characteristics of stars, the lives of stars, star systems and galaxies, and the history of the universe.
· 3rd and 4th Quarter—Chemical Building Blocks & Electricity and Magnetism
o Chemical Building Blocks:
* Students will learn the particles of matter, and how to describe and measure matter.
* Students will learn about the changes of matter, behavior of gases, and physical and chemical changes.
* Students will learn about the organizing of elements on the periodic table, learn the chemical and physical properties of metals, learn to locate nonmetals and metalloids on the periodic table, and describe how nuclear fusion forms new elements inside stars.
* Students will learn about chemical bonding and carbon style, carbon compounds, and life with carbon.
o Electricity and Magnetism:
* Students will learn to identify the magnetic poles and describe their interaction. Students will learn to define magnetic domain and how domains affect magnetism.
* Students will learn to identify magnetic properties of Earth, describe the relationship between electric current and magnetic fields, define and give examples of conductors and insulators, and identify the characteristics of an electric circuit.
* Students will learn to identify the characteristics of electromagnets and cite some of their uses.
* Students will learn the nature and differences of electric charge and static electricity.
* Students will learn about circuit measurements (Ohm’s Law).
* Students will learn to describe and construct both parallel and series circuits.
* Students will learn to identify safety measures and devices used with electricity.
* Students will learn how electricity, magnetism, and motion interact.
* Students will learn how an electric current can be induced, how a generator works, and will be able to list the main sources of energy for generating electricity.
* Students will learn how to calculate electric power and the usage of electrical energy, describe how transformers increases and decrease electrical power, and describe the transmission of electric current from power stations to users.
* Students will learn about the first battery, electrochemical cells, and dead and rechargeable batteries.
* Students will learn to describe the relationship between electronics and electricity and define and compare analog and digital signals.
* Students will learn to define electromagnetic waves and state how they are used to transmit information. Students will be able to describe how telephones, televisions, and radios transmit and receive signals.
* Students will learn to explain how computers store and process information, and identify and describe components of computer hardware.
* Students will learn to describe how a computer network works and state some the advantages, explain how the Internet is a type of computer network, and identify aspects of responsible computer usage.
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