Saint Thomas the Apostle School

Grade 8 Physical Science

Scope and Sequence
Jennifer Croze

2015-2016
Major Topic Description
What Physics and Students learn how
Chemistry Are principles of physical
About science are applicable to
their lives. Students learn
about the relationship
between science and
technology and explore
careers in engineering.
Students learn how matter,
energy, space, and time are
used to describe the
physical world. Students
identify acceptable units for
expressing measurements
and how to convert from
one to another. Students
are introduced to the idea
that energy changes are
important for many
processes such as
sustaining life on Earth,
creating forces, and
chemical bonding.
Science and Scientists make
Measurement observations, formulate
hypotheses, and conduct
experiments to learn more
about the world. Students
study inquiry and the
process of science.
Students practice
communicating evidence.
Students use proper units to
describe speed and apply a
formula to solve speed
problems. They learn what
makes velocity different
and compare constant vs
average speed. Finally
students practice designing
an experiment in order to
investigate relationships
among variables. Students
explore the components of
a well-designed
experiment, learn how to
analyze data, and
communicate the results.
Standards Sample Assessments Quarter of
Addressed Coverage
MS-ETS1-1 CPO Physical Science 1
MS-ETS1-2 (copyright 2007) CH1
MS-ETS1-3
MS-ETS1-4 Lab work: Measuring
Time; Measuring Mass
and Length
CPO provided PowerPoint
Presentations and
Skill/Practice sheets as
needed
Graphic Organizers for
note-taking
Teacher generated quiz
and test
Activities from Everest
Trek: Building Math for
Common Core State
Standards
MS-ETS1-1 CPO Physical Science 1
MS-ETS1-2 (copyright 2007) CH2
MS-ETS1-3
MS-ETS1-4 Lab work: Inquiry and
Scientific Evidence;
Which Ramp is Fastest?
CPO provided PowerPoint
Presentations and
Skill/Practice sheets as
needed
Graphic Organizers for
note-taking
Teacher generated quiz
and test
Activities from Everest
Trek: Building Math for
Common Core State
Standards
Position and Students learn and apply
Velocity the meanings of the
following terms: distance,
direction, and position.
Students contrast one-
dimensional motion with
motion in two dimensions.
Students learn to create and
analyze graphs of motion.
Students also explain how
the slope of a line can be
used to describe the motion
of an object. Students learn
to determine acceleration
by mathematical and
graphical means. They also
learn about objects in free
fall and examples of curved
motion, including projectile
and circular motion.
Forces Students learn about
various types of forces,
including gravity, tension,
and spring forces. Students
distinguish mass and
weight and apply
appropriate units of
measure to both quantities.
Electromagnetic force and
strong nuclear force are
also discussed. Students
learn about the types and
causes of friction forces.
Finally an emphasis is
placed on forces as vectors.
Students learn to draw free
body diagrams of forces
and learn about normal
forces and equilibrium.
Newtons Laws of Students learn about how
Motion the forces acting on an
object are related to the
objects mass and motion.
Students learn about inertia
and applications of
Newtons first law.
Students learn to apply the
second law in the second
MS-PS2-2 CPO Physical Science 1
(copyright 2007) CH3
Lab work: Positive and
Negative Position;
Position, Speed, and Time
Graphs
CPO provided PowerPoint
Presentations and
Skill/Practice sheets as
needed
Graphic Organizers for
note-taking
Teacher generated quiz
and test
Coffee Filter lab skills
assessment
MS-PS2-1 CPO Physical Science 2
MS-PS2-2 (copyright 2007) CH4
MS-PS2-4
MS-PS3-2 Lab work: What is a
Newton?; Friction
CPO provided PowerPoint
Presentations and
Skill/Practice sheets as
needed
Graphic Organizers for
note-taking
Teacher generated quiz
and test
Computer simulations of
forces and force
diagramming
MS-PS2-1 CPO Physical Science 2
MS-PS2-2 (copyright 2007) CH5
Lab work: Force and
Acceleration; Newtons
Second Law
CPO provided PowerPoint
Presentations and
 lesson. Finally, they learn
about action-reaction forces
and apply the third law in
order to explain everyday
occurrences.
Energy and Students learn about energy
Machines transformations in systems.
They build on this by
exploring the scientific
meanings of work and
power. They also learn to
apply equations to
determine the amount of
work done by a force or the
power required to do work.
Finally they student the
simple machines and how
they function in the doing
of physical work.
Electricity and Students learn that
Magnetism electricity is the flow of
electric charge in wires,
motors, light bulbs, and
other objects. They
investigate by building
circuits and comparing the
results. They learn to apply
Ohms law as they explain
the results of the various
circuits. Finally, they learn
to distinguish between
temporary and permanent
magnets and to describe the
Skill/Practice sheets as
needed
Graphic Organizers for
note-taking
Teacher generated quiz
and test
Project laws in action
Online simulations
MS-PS3-1 CPO Physical Science 2
MS-PS3-2 (copyright 2007) CH6
MS-PS3-5
MS-ETS1-1 Lab work: Energy
MS-ETS1-2 Transformations on a
MS-ETS1-3 Roller Coaster; Force,
MS-ETS1-4 Work, and Machines
CPO provided PowerPoint
Presentations and
Skill/Practice sheets as
needed
Graphic Organizers for
note-taking
Teacher generated quiz
and test
Online lab work
Application Projecthas
been a Rube Goldberg
machine in some years
mousetrap cars in other
years
MS-PS2-3 CPO Physical Science 3
MS-PS2-5 (copyright 2007) CH8
Lab work: Electricity;
Magnetism
CPO provided PowerPoint
Presentations and
Skill/Practice sheets as
needed
Graphic Organizers for
note-taking
 effects of electric current
on magnetism. Students
also learn about other
concepts, including
electromagnetic induction,
generators, and
transformers.
Waves and Sound Students are introduced to
harmonic motion. They
learn to describe the motion
of waves in terms of period,
amplitude, and frequency.
Students also learn to
analyze graphs of harmonic
motion and discuss
applications of natural
frequency and resonance.
Students then apply all that
they have learned about
harmonic motion to
describe wave motion.
They distinguish between
transverse and longitudinal
waves and describe
different types of wave
interactions. Sound
applications are addressed
as well.
Light and Color Students explore different
characteristics of light, such
as its frequency and
wavelength. They also
learn about the differences
between light from
incandescent and
fluorescent bulbs. The
electromagnetic spectrum is
reviewed along with colors
of light. Students move on
to a look at optics they
learn about lenses, mirrors,
prisms, and the interactions
between light and matter.
Temperature and the Students learn about the
Phases of Matter different temperature scales
and how to convert among
them. They also learn how
Teacher generated quiz
and test
Online simulations
Advanced building project
offered to interested
students on topic
MS-PS4-1 CPO Physical Science 3
MS-PS4-2 (copyright 2007) CH9
Lab work: The Motion of
a Pendulum; Waves
CPO provided PowerPoint
Presentations and
Skill/Practice sheets as
needed
Graphic Organizers for
note-taking
Teacher generated quiz
and test
Online simulations
MS-PS4-2 CPO Physical Science 3
MS-PS4-3 (copyright 2007) CH10
Lab work:
CPO provided PowerPoint
Presentations and
Skill/Practice sheets as
needed
Graphic Organizers for
note-taking
Teacher generated quiz
and test
MS-PS1-4 CPO Physical Science 4
MS-PS3-3 (copyright 2007) CH11
MS-PS3-4
Lab work: Temperature
 thermometers function,
relate temperature and
energy, and discuss phase
changes and states of
matter. Students learn how
heat, temperature, and
thermal energy are related.
They learn about different
units used to express the
measurements and the
specific heats of common
materials. Students also
learn about methods of heat
transfer and distinguish
between thermal
conductors and insulators.
Physical Properties Students study density as a
of Matter physical property of all
matter. They apply the
formula and examine
variations in densities of
matter in different states.
Student then learn about
buoyancy and compare it to
what they already know of
weight and density. Finally
students focus on the
properties of fluids and
solids. Students study how
the molecules behave in
each state of matter. Other
topics discussed include
pressure, Bernoullis
principle, elasticity,
strength, ductility, and
brittleness.
Chemistry Students examine the
history of our
understanding of the atom.
They learn to differentiate
between atoms, molecules,
elements, and compounds
and use the terms correctly.
The can describe the
structure of an atom and
explain how atoms of
elements differ from each
other. They learn to create
and Heat; Phase Change
and Energy
CPO provided PowerPoint
Presentations and
Skill/Practice sheets as
needed
Graphic Organizers for
note-taking
Teacher generated quiz
and test
Reflection back to early
work on Everest Trek
activity Gearing Up or
complete that activity if
ran out of time in fall
MS-PS1-4 CPO Physical Science 4
MS-PS1-1 (copyright 2007) CH12
Lab work: Density; Sink
or Float
CPO provided PowerPoint
Presentations and
Skill/Practice sheets as
needed
Graphic Organizers for
note-taking
Teacher generated quiz
and test
MS-PS1-1 CPO Physical Science 4
MS-PS1-2 (copyright 2007) parts
MS-PS1-3 of CH13, 14, 15, 17, 18
MS-PS1-5
MS-PS1-6 Lab work: The Atom;
Ions and Isotopes;
Balancing Equations
CPO provided PowerPoint
Presentations and
Skill/Practice sheets as
needed
ions and isotopes. They
can count the numbers of Graphic Organizers for
atoms in collections of note-taking
molecules and explain what
happens to those atoms and Teacher generated quiz
molecules in a chemical and test
reaction. They use this
knowledge to balance Teacher collected
simple chemical equations. resources on middle
school chemistry

Online simulations
Science and Engineering Practices to be emphasized within Every Unit

Scientific practices are the behaviors that scientists engage in as they investigate and build models and theories
about the natural world. The NRC uses the term practices instead of a term like skills to emphasize that
engaging in scientific inquiry requires coordination of both knowledge and skills simultaneously.

o Developing and Using Models

o Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
o Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
o Engaging in Argument from Evidence
o Obtaining, Evaluation, and Communication Information
o Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

Connections to Nature of Science

All of the course content is covered with special attention paid to what science is as a discipline.

o Scientific Knowledge is Based on Empirical Evidence

o Scientific Knowledge Assumes an Order and Consistency in Natural Systems
o Science Addresses Questions About the Natural and Material World

Cross-cutting Concepts

The NRC Framework describes crosscutting concepts as those that bridge disciplinary boundaries, having
explanatory value throughout much of science and engineering. Crosscutting concepts help provide students
with an organizational framework for connecting knowledge from the various disciplines into a coherent and
scientifically based view of the world. The Framework also emphasizes that these concepts need to be made
explicit for students because they provide an organizational schema for interrelating knowledge from various
science fields into a coherent and scientifically-based view of the world.

o Patterns
o Cause and Effect
o Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
o Mechanism and Explanation
o Flows, Cycles, and Conservation
o Systems and System Models
o Energy and Matter
o Stability and Change
o Structure and Function
o Interdependence of Science, Engineering, and Technology