1. Grade 8 Science Expectations
Welcome to Open House

2. Middle School Expectations:
To promote scientific literacy, science education will…
encourage students at all grades to develop a critical sense of wonder and curiosity about scientific and technological endeavors.
enable students to use science and technology to acquire new knowledge and solve problems, so that they may improve the quality of their own lives and the lives of others.
prepare students to critically address science-related societal, economic, ethical and environmental issues
provide students with a proficiency in science that creates opportunities for them to pursue progressively higher levels of study, prepares them for science-related occupations, and engages them in science-related activities appropriate to their interests and abilities.
develop in students of varying aptitudes and interests a knowledge of the wide variety of careers related to science, technology and the environment.

3. Curriculum Overview Focusing on Common Core, STEM and NGSS connections:
Forces and Motion – What makes objects move the way they do?
8.1 - An object’s inertia causes it to continue moving the way it is moving unless it is acted upon by a force to change its motion.
Earth in the Solar System – How does the position of Earth in the solar system affect conditions on our planet?
8.3 - The solar system is composed of planets and other objects that orbit the sun.
Heredity and Evolution – What processes are responsible for life’s unity and diversity?
8.2 - Reproduction is a characteristic of living systems and it is essential for the continuation of every species.
STEM and NGSS will also be infused within the curriculum

4. Grading Policies
Science Projects/performance based assessments=30% of term average
Unit Tests=40% of term average
Unit quizzes=20% of term average
Homework/Class work=10% of term average

5. STEM Activities

6. STEM Activities

7. STEM Activities

8. Why do we need to be scientifically literate?
Every day, our lives are impacted by science-related issues, such as…
STEM Activities
Tsunamis and earthquakes
Genetically-engineered crops
Global climate change
Cloning
Forensics /DNA
Space Exploration