Science 8 Course Outline

I.          Nature of Science (4 weeks)

            •           What IS science?

            •           Controls & Variables

            •           Designing Experiments

            •           Communicating Results

II.        Chemical Cycles (3 weeks)

            •           Photosynthesis & Respiration

            •           Carbon Cycle

            •           Nitrogen Cycle

            •           Water Cycle

            •           Rock Cycle

III.       Geology (5 weeks)

            •           Rocks & Minerals

            •           Soils

            •           Fossil Formation

            •           Geologic Time

            Deep Time Diaries collaboration

IV.       Energy (2 weeks)

            •           Magnetism

            •           Electricity

            •           Energy Transformation

V.        Motion (2 weeks)

            •           Forces

            •           Newton’s Laws

End of  1st Semester

VI.       Life Cycles (3 weeks)

            •           Energy Flows (ecology)

            •           Population Dynamics

            •           Biodiversity

VII.     Astronomy (2 weeks)

            •           Planets

            •           Moon / Earth Interactions

VIII.   Building Blocks of Matter (3 weeks)

            •           Molecular Science

            •           Atomic Theory

            •           Periodic Table

IX.       CSAP Review (2 weeks)

            Science CSAP Test in March!

X.        Chemical Reactions (2 weeks)

            •           Chemical Equations

            •           Acid/Base Chemistry

            •           Acid Rain

            •           Solar Power/fusion

XI.       Dynamic Earth (2 weeks)

            •           Plate Tectonics

            •           Earthquakes

            •           Volcanoes

XII.     Decades Project (3 weeks)

            •           Inventors and Inventions

            This is the Culminating Final Exam for English, History and Science classes!