Grade 8 Science Tennessee standards Standards

Earth’s Place in the Universe

Research, analyze, and communicate that the universe began with a period of rapid expansion using evidence from the motion of galaxies (i.e., redshift and blueshift), elemental concentrations of hydrogen and helium, and cosmic background radiation.

Earth’s Systems

Analyze and interpret data to support the assertion that rapid or gradual geographic changes lead to drastic population changes and extinction events.

Evaluate data collected from seismographs to create a model of Earth's structure and to understand how energy is derived from Earth's hot interior.

Gather and evaluate evidence that energy from the earth's interior drives convection cycles within the asthenosphere which creates changes within the lithosphere including plate movements, plate boundaries, and sea-floor spreading.

Construct a scientific explanation using data that explains the gradual process of plate tectonics accounting for (a) the distribution of fossils on different continents, and (b) continental and ocean floor features (i.e., mountains, volcanoes, faults, and trenches).

Earth and Human Activity

Collect data, map, and describe patterns in the locations of volcanoes and earthquakes related to tectonic plate boundaries, interactions, and hotspots in order to forecast the locations and likelihoods of future events.

Engineering Design

Use a model of a device that incorporates an electromagnet to test solutions to a design problem with specific criteria and constraints.

Links Among Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

Research and communicate information to describe how data from technologies (e.g., telescopes, satellites, space probes, seismographs) provide information about Earth and objects in space and how those scientific discoveries have in turn led to improved technologies.

Biological Change: Unity and Diversity

Using evidence from the geologic timescale, analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change in life forms throughout Earth's history.

Construct an explanation addressing similarities and differences of the anatomical structures and genetic information between extinct and extant organisms using evidence of common ancestry and patterns between taxa.

Construct an explanation based on evidence that explains how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals' probability of surviving and reproducing.

Develop a scientific explanation of how natural selection plays a role in determining the survival and reproduction of a species in a changing environment.

Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the technologies that have changed the way humans use artificial selection to influence the inheritance of desired traits in other organisms.

Matter and Its Interactions

Use a model to understand that atoms are a system composed of a positively charged nucleus surrounded by one or more negatively charged particles called electrons.

Develop a model to explain how the light coming from distant stars and the formation of heavier atoms is the result of changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and the energy released during the process of nuclear fusion.

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the size of force fields (electric and magnetic) depends on the magnitudes of the charges, current, or magnetic strengths involved and the distances between interacting objects.

Ask scientific questions about data to determine how manipulating variables can increase or diminish the electric current and magnetic field strength in electromagnets, generators, and electric motors.

Construct an argument using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions in a large-scale system (e.g., galaxies and solar system) are attractive and depend on the masses of and distance between interacting objects.

Construct an explanation to describe why the position and motion of object(s) in a system, and the effects of forces on those objects, vary with respect to the observer.

Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object's motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.

Evaluate and interpret that for every force exerted on an object there is an equal force exerted in the opposite direction.

Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Develop and use models to represent the basic properties of waves in a system including frequency, amplitude, wavelength, and speed.

Construct explanations from observed patterns of wave behaviors to compare and contrast mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves based on refraction, reflection, transmission, absorption, and their behavior through a vacuum and/or various media.

Engage in argument from evidence to support the claim that digitized signals, sent as wave pulses, are more reliable than analog signals to transmit information in a system.

Earth's Place in the Universe

Research, analyze, and communicate that the universe began with a period of rapid expansion using evidence from the motion of galaxies and composition of stars.

Explain the role of gravity in the formation of our sun and planets. Extend this explanation to address gravity's effect on the motion of celestial objects in our solar system and Earth's ocean tides.

Earth's Systems

Analyze and interpret data to support the assertion that rapid or gradual geographic changes lead to drastic population changes and extinction events.

Evaluate data collected from seismographs to create a model of Earth's structure.

Describe the relationship between the processes and forces that create igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

Gather and evaluate evidence that energy from the earth's interior drives convection cycles within the asthenosphere which creates changes within the lithosphere including plate movements, plate boundaries, and sea-floor spreading.

Construct a scientific explanation using data that explains the gradual process of plate tectonics accounting for A) the distribution of fossils on different continents, B) the occurrence of earthquakes, and C) continental and ocean floor features (including mountains, volcanoes, faults, and trenches).

Earth and Human Activity

Interpret data to explain that earth's mineral, fossil fuel, and groundwater resources are unevenly distributed as a result of geologic processes.

Collect data, map, and describe patterns in the locations of volcanoes and earthquakes related to tectonic plate boundaries, interactions, and hotspots.

Engineering Design

Develop a model to generate data for ongoing testing and modification of an electromagnet, a generator, and a motor such that an optimal design can be achieved.

Research and communicate information to describe how data from technologies (telescopes, spectroscopes, satellites, and space probes) provide information about objects in the solar system and universe.

Biological Change: Unity and Diversity

Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change in life forms throughout Earth's history.

Construct an explanation addressing similarities and differences of the anatomical structures and genetic information between extinct and extant organisms using evidence of common ancestry and patterns between taxa.

Analyze evidence from geology, paleontology, and comparative anatomy to support that specific phenotypes within a population can increase the probability of survival of that species and lead to adaptation.

Develop a scientific explanation of how natural selection plays a role in determining the survival of a species in a changing environment.

Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the technologies that have changed the way humans use artificial selection to influence the inheritance of desired traits in other organisms.

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Design and conduct investigations depicting the relationship between magnetism and electricity in electromagnets, generators, and electrical motors, emphasizing the factors that increase or diminish the electric current and the magnetic field strength.

Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.

Create a demonstration of an object in motion and describe the position, force, and direction of the object.

Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object's motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.

Evaluate and interpret that for every force exerted on an object there is an equal force exerted in the opposite direction.

Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Develop and use models to represent the basic properties of waves including frequency, amplitude, wavelength, and speed.

Compare and contrast mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves based on refraction, reflection, transmission, absorption, and their behavior through a vacuum and/or various media.

Evaluate the role that waves play in different communication systems.

Algorithmic Thinking

Use clearly named variables of various data types to create generalized algorithms.

Create algorithms which include methods of controlling the flow of computation using “if…then… else” type conditional statements to perform different operations depending on the values of inputs.

Identify algorithms that make use of sequencing, selection, or iteration.

Describe how algorithmic processes and automation increase efficiency.

Data Analysis

Represent data using multiple encoding schemes, such as decimal, binary, Unicode, Morse code, Shorthand, student-created codes.

Refine computational models based on the data they have generated.

Collect, analyze, transform, and refine computational data to make it more useful and reliable.

Foundational Concepts

Analyze the advantages and limitations of existing computing devices to improve user experience.

Demonstrate skills in identifying and solving hardware and software problems that can occur during regular usage.

Apply computational thinking to a variety of problems across multiple disciplines.

Understand how collaboration is essential to computer science and apply collaborative skills to develop computational solutions.

Impacts of Computing

Identify and evaluate the impacts computer science innovations have had on our society.

Identify how computational systems are being used to collect and analyze information both public and private and understand the benefits and disadvantages of these systems for the user and developer.

Cite evidence of the positive and negative effects of data permanence on personal and professional digital identity.

Discuss digital globalization and Internet censorship.

Investigate a variety of education pathways and career options that utilize computational thinking and/or computer science skills across the state of Tennessee and the world.

Networking and the Internet

Identify and employ appropriate troubleshooting techniques used to solve computing or connectivity issues.

Differentiate between secure and non-secure websites and applications including how they affect and use personal data.

Describe the causes and effects of intellectual property as it relates to print and digital media, considering copyright, fair use, licensing, sharing, and attribution.

Compare and contrast common methods of securing data and cybersecurity.

Analyze different modes of social engineering and their effectiveness.

Programming Concepts

Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.

Create procedures with parameters that hide the complexity of a task and can be reused to solve similar tasks.

Seek and incorporate feedback from team members and users to refine a solution that meets user needs.

Provide proper attribution when incorporating existing code, media, and libraries into original programs.

Use the iterative design process to systematically test and refine programs to improve performance and eliminate errors.

Document programs using comments and/or README files to make them easier to follow, test, and debug.

Design a function using a programming language.