Our Curriculum › Science › 8th Grade
Science 8
A year of 8th-grade Earth, space and life science: the Earth-Sun-Moon system, rocks and plate tectonics, weather and climate, heredity and evolution, and human impact on the planet, with a capstone project. The last third is mostly review.
180 lessons
One a day for a school year
10 units
Each opens to its lessons
Earth science capstone
Research, visuals and a presentation
Standards
NGSS middle school science
What's taught, unit by unit
Earth, Sun & Moon, and Earth's historyDays 1–10
What causes seasons, eclipses and tides, the true scale of the solar system, and how rock layers, fossils and radiometric dating let scientists read Earth's history.
- 1 · Welcome to Science 8: The Earth-Sun-Moon System
- 2 · Explaining the Seasons
- 3 · Explaining Eclipses
- 4 · Explaining Tides
- 6 · The Scale of the Solar System
- 7 · Evidence of Earth's History: Rock Strata
- 8 · Reading Evidence from Rock Layers
- 9 · Introduction to Radiometric Dating (Conceptual)
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Rocks & plate tectonicsDays 11–20
The rock cycle and its igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, the energy that drives it, the types of plate boundaries, mapping geoscience data, and the evidence for plate tectonics.
- 11 · Introduction to the Rock Cycle
- 12 · Igneous Rocks
- 13 · Sedimentary Rocks
- 14 · Metamorphic Rocks
- 16 · The Energy That Drives the Rock Cycle
- 17 · Plate Tectonics: Types of Plate Boundaries
- 18 · Mapping Geoscience Data
- 19 · Evidence for Plate Tectonics
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Weather, climate & human impactDays 21–30
Air pressure, humidity and temperature, ocean-atmosphere interactions, El Niño and La Niña, forecasting earthquakes, volcanoes and hurricanes, and how human activity affects Earth's systems and climate.
- 21 · Weather Factors: Air Pressure
- 22 · Weather Factors: Humidity and Temperature
- 23 · Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions
- 24 · El Niño and La Niña (Overview)
- 26 · Natural Hazards: Earthquakes and Volcanoes
- 27 · Natural Hazards: Hurricanes and Severe Storms
- 28 · Human Impact on Earth's Systems
- 29 · Human Factors in Global Climate Change
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Waves in technology, heredity & evolutionDays 31–50
A review of waves and designing a wave-based communication device, then genes, proteins and mutations, inherited vs. acquired traits, evidence for evolution, natural selection, adaptation and biodiversity.
- 31 · Reviewing Wave Properties
- 32 · How Waves Are Used in Technology
- 33 · Digital Signal Encoding
- 34 · Designing a Wave-Based Communication Device
- 36 · Introduction to Heredity: Genes and Chromosomes
- 37 · Proteins and Trait Variation
- 38 · Genetic Mutations
- 39 · Inherited vs. Acquired Traits
- 41 · Introduction to Evolution: Fossil Evidence
- 42 · Anatomical Evidence of Common Ancestry
- 43 · Embryological and Genetic Evidence
- 44 · Natural Selection Mechanism
- 46 · Adaptation and Differential Survival
- 47 · How Populations Change Over Time
- 48 · Case Study: Evolution in Action
- 49 · Explaining Biodiversity Through Evolution
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Environmental solutions, engineering & capstone projectDays 51–75
Resource distribution, monitoring and designing solutions to environmental problems, a mixed review of the first half, the engineering design process, then a researched Earth-science capstone project, presented and reflected on.
- 51 · Resource Distribution and Geologic Processes
- 52 · Human Monitoring to Minimize Environmental Impact
- 53 · Designing Solutions to Reduce Human Environmental Impact
- 54 · Evaluating Environmental Solutions: Trade-Offs
- 56 · Mixed Review: Earth-Sun-Moon and Solar System
- 57 · Mixed Review: Rock Cycle and Plate Tectonics
- 58 · Mixed Review: Weather, Climate, and Human Impact
- 59 · Mixed Review: Heredity and Evolution
- 61 · Reviewing the Engineering Design Process
- 62 · Precise Criteria and Constraints
- 63 · Systematic Solution Evaluation
- 64 · Iterative Testing and Refinement
- 66 · Designing a Capstone Earth Science Project
- 67 · Researching Your Capstone Topic
- 68 · Organizing Your Capstone Findings
- 69 · Creating Visuals for Your Capstone
- 71 · Halfway Milestone: Science Reflection
- 72 · Presenting Your Capstone Project
- 73 · Reflecting on Your Capstone Research Process
- 74 · Mixed Review: Matter and Chemical Reactions
Plus 5 review days, not listed.
Connecting the sciences & reviewingDays 76–90
Scale from atoms to galaxies, links between Earth, life and physical science, a selective breeding case study and the ethics of genetics, then reviews of evolution, heredity, rocks, weather and astronomy.
- 76 · Comparing Scales in Science: Atoms to Galaxies
- 77 · Connecting Earth Science to Life Science
- 78 · Connecting Physical Science to Earth Science
- 79 · Synthesizing Science Across Domains
- 81 · Reviewing Evolution and Natural Selection
- 82 · Reviewing Heredity
- 83 · Case Study: Selective Breeding
- 84 · Ethical Considerations in Genetics
- 86 · Reviewing Rock Cycle and Plate Tectonics
- 87 · Reviewing Weather, Climate, and Human Impact
- 88 · Reviewing the Earth-Sun-Moon System and Solar System Scale
- 89 · Reflecting on a Semester of Science 8
Plus 3 review days, not listed.
Deeper ideas, scientific thinking & real-world projectsDays 91–110
A selective breeding simulation, speciation, continental drift evidence, climate feedback loops, how scientific models and consensus work, judging science in the media, and a local weather study and community awareness project.
- 91 · Designing a Selective Breeding Simulation
- 92 · Deepening Evolution: Speciation (Conceptual)
- 93 · Deepening Plate Tectonics: Continental Drift Evidence
- 94 · Deepening Climate: Feedback Loops (Conceptual)
- 96 · Evaluating Scientific Models' Limitations
- 97 · How Scientific Consensus Forms
- 98 · Evaluating Scientific Claims in the Media
- 99 · Synthesizing a Semester of Science 8
- 101 · Applying Rock Cycle Knowledge to Identify Real Rocks
- 102 · Applying Plate Tectonics to Predict Earthquake Risk
- 103 · Applying Climate Knowledge to a Local Issue
- 104 · Applying Evolution Knowledge to a Current Event
- 106 · Investigating a Local Weather Pattern
- 107 · Designing a Community Science Awareness Project
- 108 · Presenting Your Community Science Project
- 109 · Reflecting on Applying Science to Real Life
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Review & high school previewDays 111–120
Mixed reviews of astronomy, geology, weather, climate, heredity and evolution, previews of high school biology and earth science, a look at scientific thinking habits, and a practice test.
- 111 · Mixed Review: Astronomy
- 112 · Mixed Review: Geology
- 113 · Mixed Review: Weather vs. Climate and Human Impact
- 114 · Mixed Review: Heredity, Mutations, and Natural Selection
- 116 · Preparing for High School Science: Biology Preview
- 117 · Preparing for High School Science: Earth & Space Science Preview
- 118 · Reviewing Scientific Thinking Habits
- 119 · Practice Test: Comprehensive Review
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Energy, sustainability, data & science policyDays 121–140
Solar and wind energy trade-offs, a local resource study, a personal sustainability plan, reading data and a real study, designing an investigation, planets, topographic maps, vestigial structures, and a policy debate.
- 121 · The Science of Renewable Energy Technology
- 122 · Evaluating Renewable Energy Trade-Offs
- 123 · Investigating a Local Environmental Resource
- 124 · Designing a Personal Sustainability Plan
- 126 · Applying Data Skills to Science Findings
- 127 · Evaluating a Real Scientific Study
- 128 · Designing Your Own Simple Investigation
- 129 · Reflecting on Your Growth as a Scientist
- 131 · Deepening Astronomy: Comparing Planetary Characteristics
- 132 · Deepening Geology: Reading Topographic Maps
- 133 · Deepening Climate: Regional Climate Patterns
- 134 · Deepening Evolution: Vestigial Structures
- 136 · Evaluating Environmental Policy Trade-Offs
- 137 · Connecting Science to Civics: Environmental Regulations
- 138 · Debating a Science-Related Policy Question
- 139 · Reflecting on Science's Role in Society
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Final reviews, practice tests & celebrationDays 141–180
Eight weeks of mixed reviews, reflection and goal-setting for high school, mastery checks, several practice tests, a presentation to family and celebration days. Almost entirely review and wrap-up.
- 141 · Comprehensive Mixed Review: Astronomy and Geology
- 142 · Comprehensive Mixed Review: Weather and Climate
- 143 · Comprehensive Mixed Review: Heredity and Evolution
- 144 · Comprehensive Mixed Review: Engineering and Scientific Practices
- 146 · Reflecting on Your Favorite Science Experiments
- 147 · Reflecting on a Year of Science 8
- 148 · Setting Science Goals for High School
- 149 · Creating a Science 8 Highlights Reel
- 151 · Mastery Check: Astronomy and Geology
- 152 · Mastery Check: Weather and Climate
- 153 · Mastery Check: Heredity and Evolution
- 154 · Mastery Check: Engineering Design Process
- 156 · Practice Test: Earth and Space Science
- 157 · Practice Test: Life Science Connections
- 158 · Practice Test: Scientific Practices and Engineering
- 159 · Reviewing Scientific Thinking Habits: Questions, Models, and Evidence
- 161 · Reviewing Complex Multi-Concept Problems
- 162 · Mastery Check: Comprehensive Science Skills
- 163 · Practice Test: Comprehensive Cumulative Review
- 164 · Reviewing Common Science Misconceptions
- 166 · Final Practice Test: Part 1
- 167 · Final Practice Test: Part 2
- 168 · Reviewing Test-Taking Confidence Strategies
- 169 · Reviewing Your Favorite Science Discoveries This Year
- 171 · Final Review: Astronomy and Geology
- 172 · Final Review: Weather, Climate, and Human Impact
- 173 · Final Review: Heredity and Evolution
- 174 · Preparing Your Science 8 Presentation
- 175 · Presenting Your Science 8 Journey
- 176 · Science 8 Celebration Day: Favorite Experiments
- 177 · Science 8 Celebration Day: Skills Showcase
- 178 · Looking Ahead: Preparing for Biology
- 179 · Final Reflection: A Year of Science 8
- 180 · Congratulations! You Completed Science 8!
Plus 6 review days, not listed.
By the end of the year, your child can
- Explain seasons, eclipses and tides using the positions of Earth, Sun and Moon
- Describe how rocks form and how plate tectonics reshapes Earth, using evidence
- Explain how weather and climate differ and how people affect them
- Explain how traits are inherited and how natural selection changes populations
- Research an Earth-science question and present the findings with visuals
Other 8th Grade subjects: Math 8 · Reading 8 · Writing 8 · History 8