Eighth Grade Earth Science
Course Description
In the first unit of Earth Science in Eighth Grade, students will work toward showing best practices as a scientist through mastering inquiry-based practices, shifting to understanding the “Why” of foundational Earth Science Practices, starting with heat and density. In unit two, students will work toward formulating an answer to questions such as: “What is Earth’s place in the Universe, What makes up our solar system and how can the motion of Earth explain seasons and eclipses, and "How do people figure out that the Earth and life on Earth have changed through time?” In unit three, students will work toward formulating an answer to several essential questions.
Grade Level(s): Eighth Grade
Related Priority Standards (State &/or National): MLS Science Standards Grades 6-12
Course-Level Scope & Sequence (Units &/or Skills)
Unit 1: Fundamentals of Earth Science
Students will work toward showing best practices as a scientist through mastering inquiry-based practices, shifting to understanding the “Why” of foundational Earth Science Practices, starting with heat and density. Performance expectations: students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in developing and using models, analyzing data, and constructing explanations and designing solutions; and to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.
Unit 2: Earth’s Place in the Universe
Students will work toward formulating an answer to questions such as: “What is Earth’s place in the Universe, What makes up our solar system and how can the motion of Earth explain seasons and eclipses, and How do people figure out that the Earth and life on Earth have changed through time?” The ESS1 Disciplinary Core Idea from the NRC Framework is broken down into three sub-ideas: the universe and its stars, Earth and the solar system and the history of planet Earth. Students examine the Earth’s place in relation to the solar system, Milky Way galaxy, and universe. There is a strong emphasis on a systems approach, using models of the solar system to explain astronomical and other observations of the cyclic patterns of eclipses, tides, and seasons. There is also a strong connection to engineering through the instruments and technologies that have allowed us to explore the objects in our solar system and obtain data that support the theories that explain the formation and evolution of the universe. Students examine geoscience data in order to understand the processes and events in Earth’s history. The crosscutting concepts of patterns, scale, proportion, and quantity, and systems and systems modeling are called out as organizing concepts for these core disciplinary ideas. In the ESS1 performance expectations, students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in developing and using models, analyzing data, and constructing explanations and designing solutions; and to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.
Unit 3: Earth’s Systems
Students will work toward formulating an answer to the questions:
- How do the materials in and on Earth’s crust change over time?
- How does the movement of tectonic plates impact the surface of Earth?
- How does water influence weather, circulate in the oceans, and shape Earth’s surface?
- What factors interact and influence weather?
- How have living organisms changed the Earth and how have Earth’s changing conditions impacted living organisms?
The ESS2 Disciplinary Core Idea from the NRC Framework is broken down into five sub-ideas: (1) Earth materials and systems, (2) plate tectonics and large-scale system interactions, (3) the roles of water in Earth’s surface processes, (4) weather and climate, and (5) biogeology.
- Students understand how Earth’s geosystems operate by modeling the flow of energy and cycling of matter within and among different systems.
- Students investigate the controlling properties of important materials and construct explanations based on the analysis of real geoscience data. Of special importance in both topics are the ways that geoscience processes provide resources needed by society but also cause natural hazards that present risks to society; both involve technological challenges, for the identification and development of resources.
- Students develop an understanding of the factors that control weather. A systems approach is also important here, examining the feedbacks between systems as energy from the sun is transferred between systems and circulates through the ocean and atmosphere. The crosscutting concepts of patterns, cause and effect, scale proportion and quantity, systems and system models, energy and matter, and stability and change are called out as organizing concepts for these disciplinary core ideas.
In the ESS2 performance expectations, students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, and constructing explanations; and to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.
Course Resources & Materials: McGraw Hill iScience: Earth Science
Date Last Revised/Approved: June 2019