ISS Curriculum Guide
8th Grade – Science
*Bold words should be taught to Mastery
Sem,
1or 2
ISS Student Friendly Learning
Target
(NCSCOS)
1
and
2
Competency Goal 1 The
learner will describe and
conduct investigations to
demonstrate an understanding
of scientific inquiry.
1.01-1.10 I can create questions
and hypothesize
experiments by
practicing lab safety
procedures using data
analysis.
1
and
2
Competency Goal 2 The
learner will demonstrate an
understanding of technological
design.
2.01 – 2.04 I can use
technological design to solve
science investigation.
E- Essential
M – Maintenance
Priority
E, M, I,
N
M
M
I – Important
Knowledge Targets
Reasoning Targets
I can define:
observation
inference
hypothesis
control
variable
dependent independent variable
constant
predictions
data
qualitative
quantitative
1.) Analyze and
interpret data and
graphs.
I can identify
technology and its
uses.
I can use
technological design
to prove science.
N – Nice to Know
2) I can classify
variables.
3.) I can make
inferences and
predictions.
4.) I can test
hypothesis and
communicate findings.
Performance/ Skill
Targets
1.) I can practice safe
lab skills.
2) I can manipulate
materials and
equipment.
3.) I can use the
scientific method to
conduct an
investigation and
solve a problem.
Product Targets
1.)I can create
questions and
hypothesis to be
answered by scientifc
experiements.
2.)I can create data
tables and interpret
them.
1.)I can collect data
and draw conclusion.
2.) I can use a data
base to answer
Updated 6/10
ISS Curriculum Guide
8th Grade – Science
*Bold words should be taught to Mastery
Sem,
1or 2
Priority
E, M, I,
N
ISS Student Friendly Learning
Target
(NCSCOS)
Knowledge Targets
Reasoning Targets
Performance/ Skill
Targets
Product Targets
scientific questions.
1
Competency Goal 3: The
learner will conduct
investigations and utilize
appropriate technologies and
information systems to build an
understanding of the
hydrosphere.
3.01 I can define and explain the
properties of water
E
3.02 I can explain in percentages
the water distribution on Earth
E
E- Essential
M – Maintenance
I – Important
I can define:
Analyze properties
Universal Solvent
of water
Cohesion and
adhesion
Polarity
Density
Buoyancy
Specific Heat
Surface tension
I can define:
None
Fresh water, salt
water,
Glaciers,solidity,
ground water,
salinity, hydrosphere,
aquifer
N – Nice to Know
None
None
None
None
Updated 6/10
ISS Curriculum Guide
8th Grade – Science
*Bold words should be taught to Mastery
Sem,
1or 2
Priority
E, M, I,
N
ISS Student Friendly Learning
Target
(NCSCOS)
3.03 I can evaluate the Earth’s
oceans as a resource or reservoir
based on its content and
composition.
E
3.04 I can analyze the
relationship between aquatic and
terrestrial food webs.
E
3.05 I can analyze water data as it
affects the health of a water
system.
E
3.06 I can evaluate technologies
and information systems used to
monitor the hydrosphere.
E
E- Essential
M – Maintenance
I – Important
Knowledge Targets
I can describe:
Estuaries, marine
ecosystems,
upwelling, downwelling, Benthos,
nekton, hydrothermal
vent, phytoplankton,
zooplankton,
unequal heating of
oceans
I can describe:
Terrestrial, food
web, food chain,
aquatic, energy
pyramid
I can describe and
recognize:
Temperature,
dissolved oxygen,
pH,hardness,
nitrates, turbidity,
bioindicators
I can describe:
Deep-ocean
technology, sonar,
remote sensing,
N – Nice to Know
Reasoning Targets
Performance/ Skill
Targets
Product Targets
I can evaluate
Earth’s ocean’s
ecosystems.
None
None
I can compare and
contrast the aquatic
and terrestsrial food
webs.
None
None
I can analyze data,
charts and graphs to
determine health of a
water system.
None
None
I can analyze the data
from the technology
to monitor the
hydrosphere.
Updated 6/10
ISS Curriculum Guide
8th Grade – Science
*Bold words should be taught to Mastery
Sem,
1or 2
ISS Student Friendly Learning
Target
(NCSCOS)
3.07 & 3.08
I can analyze the human effects
on the water system and methods
of wastewater treatment.
1
Competency Goal 4: The
learner will conduct
investigations and utilize
technology and information
systems to build an
understanding of chemistry.
4.01 I understand that naturally
occuring and syntetic substances
are elements.
4.02 I can explain that elements
combine to produce new
substances.
E- Essential
M – Maintenance
Priority
E, M, I,
N
E
E
E
I – Important
Knowledge Targets
desalination, spectral
analysis
I can describe and
recognize the
technology to
monitor the
hydrosphere.
I can explain: Point
and non-point source
pollution, fertilizers,
eutrophication
I can define natural,
element, synthetic,
chemical and matter.
I can define,
neutron, electron,
nucleus, covalent
N – Nice to Know
Reasoning Targets
Performance/ Skill
Targets
Product Targets
I can analyze data,
charts, graphs,
comparea dn contrast
healthy water
systems to unhealthy
systems.
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
Updated 6/10
ISS Curriculum Guide
8th Grade – Science
*Bold words should be taught to Mastery
Sem,
1or 2
ISS Student Friendly Learning
Target
(NCSCOS)
4.03 I can identify and classify
the properties of an element on
the periodic table.
Priority
E, M, I,
N
E
4.04 & 4.05 I can use the physical E
properties of matter to describe
appropriate materials for use in
technology.
E- Essential
M – Maintenance
I – Important
Knowledge Targets
bond, proton, ionic
bond, ion, isotope,
molecule, compound,
reactant, product,
and chemical bonds
and formulas.
I can identify:
groups, periods,
atomic number,
atomic mass,
radioactivity, halflife, reactive, metals,
non-metals,
metalloids,
semiconductors,
noble gases,
Periodic Table
I can identify and
define conductivity,
density, magnetism,
solubility,
malleability, boiling
& melting points,
specific heat,
chemical reactivity,
ductility, chemical
properties
N – Nice to Know
Reasoning Targets
Performance/ Skill
Targets
Product Targets
I can classify
elements and predict
properties of
elements using the
periodic table.
None
None
I can classify the
physical properties
of compounds.
I can use lab
equipment to
conduct
investigations.
None
Updated 6/10
ISS Curriculum Guide
8th Grade – Science
*Bold words should be taught to Mastery
Sem,
1or 2
Priority
E, M, I,
N
ISS Student Friendly Learning
Target
(NCSCOS)
4.06 I can investigate chemical
versus physical properties in
chemical reactions.
E
4.07 I can define the law of
conservation of matter.
E
4.08 & 4.09 I can describe effects
of chemicals on human health.
E
4.10 I can describe risk and
benefits of chemicals including
medicines, food preservatives,
E
E- Essential
M – Maintenance
I – Important
Knowledge Targets
Reasoning Targets
I can understand
endothermic,
exothermic, volume,
mass, precipitate, gas
production, physical
change, chemical
change.
I can compare and
contrast physical and
chemical properties.
I can evaluate the
differences between
physical and
chemical properties.
None
I can identify
conservation of
mass, balanced
equations, subscripts
and coefficients
I can identify
None
carcinogens,cancer,
auto-immune
disease, birth defects,
heart and kidney
disease, diabetes,
asthma, exposure,
potency, dose,
concentration,
susceptibility
I can identify
pesticides.
N – Nice to Know
Performance/ Skill
Targets
Product Targets
I can perform labs
exploring chemical
and physical
properties.
None
None
None
None
None
Updated 6/10
ISS Curriculum Guide
8th Grade – Science
*Bold words should be taught to Mastery
Sem,
1or 2
2
Priority
E, M, I,
N
ISS Student Friendly Learning
Target
(NCSCOS)
and crop yield.
Competency Goal 5: The
learner will conduct
investigations and utilize
appropriate technologies and
information systems to build an
understanding of evidence of
evolution in organisms and
landforms.
5.01 I can interpret how rocks,
fossils and ice cores provide
evidence of Earth’s past.
5.02 I can correlate evolutionary
theories and processes and
biological, geological and
technological.
5.03 I can examine evidence that
the geologic evolution has had
E- Essential
M – Maintenance
E
Knowledge Targets
Reasoning Targets
Performance/ Skill
Targets
Product Targets
I can define index
fossils, extinction,
law of superposition,
unconformities,
divergent,
convergent,
transform, faults,
evidence of climate
change, plate
tectonics,
continental drift
I can draw
conclusions about
Earth’s history by
using geologic
evidence.
None
None
I can understand &
recognize the
I can analyze the
components of the
None
None
I
E
I – Important
N – Nice to Know
Updated 6/10
ISS Curriculum Guide
8th Grade – Science
*Bold words should be taught to Mastery
Sem,
1or 2
Priority
E, M, I,
N
ISS Student Friendly Learning
Target
(NCSCOS)
significant global impact
including: distribution of living
things, major geological events,
mechanical and chemical
weathering.
5.04 I can analyze the different
types of data used to monitor
earth from space
E
5.05 I can use use maps, ground
truthing and remote sensing
predictions regarding: change
over time, land use, urban sprawl,
and resource management.
2
Competency Goal 6:The
learner will conduct
investigations, use models,
simulations, appropriate
technologies and information
systems to build understanding
of cell theory.
6.01 I can describe the three parts
of the cell theory.
E- Essential
M – Maintenance
E
E
I – Important
Knowledge Targets
Reasoning Targets
Performance/ Skill
Targets
Product Targets
Geologic Time
Scale and Geologic
Time.
geologic time scale.
I can recognize data
from, reflectance
curves, spectral
analysis, GPS,
satellite
I can recognize
remote sensing,
urban sprawl,
topographic maps,
contour lines, and
ground truthing.
I can interpret data
and graphs and make
predictions.
None
None
I can interpret data
and graphs and make
predictions.
I can use 21 st
century technology
(GPS, Google Earth,
Satellite Imagery) to
monitor Earth and
make predicitons.
None
I can describe
organism, cell, cell
theory, multi-
None
None
None
N – Nice to Know
Updated 6/10
ISS Curriculum Guide
8th Grade – Science
*Bold words should be taught to Mastery
Sem,
1or 2
2
Priority
E, M, I,
N
ISS Student Friendly Learning
Target
(NCSCOS)
6.02 I can analyze structures,
functions, and processes within
plant and animal cells.
E
6.03 I can compare life functions
of protists.
E
6.04 I can conclude that plant and
animal cells carry on complex
chemical processes
E
Knowledge Targets
cellular, nucleus and
unicellular
I can describe or
ganelles, eukaryotic
cells, prokaryotic
cells, nucleus, cell
membrane, cell
wall, mitochondria,
chloroplast,
ribosomes, vacuole,
cytoplasm
I can describe
euglena, amoeba,
paramecium, volvox,
flagellum, cilia,
protists, pseudopods,
I can describe
Photosynthesis,
cellular respiration,
glucose, active
transport, passive
transport, osmosis,
diffusion, mitosis,
cell division.
Reasoning Targets
Performance/ Skill
Targets
Product Targets
I can compare and
contrast prokaryotes
and eukaryotes.
I can compare and
contrast plant and
animal cells.
None
None
I can compare and
contrast plantlike
versus animal-like
protists.
None
None
I can conclude that
plant and animal
cells carry on
complex chemical
processes.
None
None
Competency Goal 7: The
learner will conduct
E- Essential
M – Maintenance
I – Important
N – Nice to Know
Updated 6/10
ISS Curriculum Guide
8th Grade – Science
*Bold words should be taught to Mastery
Sem,
1or 2
ISS Student Friendly Learning
Target
(NCSCOS)
investigations, use models,
simulaitons, and appropriate
technologies and information
systems to build understanding
of microbiology.
7.01 I can compare and contrast
the physical properties of
microbes.
7.02 & 7.03 I can analyze
diseases and how they spread.
Priority
E, M, I,
N
E
E
7.04 I can evaluate methods to
reduce the risk of and treatments
for infections.
E
7.05 I can investigate ethical
issues in biotechnology.
E
E- Essential
M – Maintenance
I – Important
Knowledge Targets
Reasoning Targets
I can describe DNA,
capsid, microbes,
viruses, bacteria.
I can describe
contagions,
mutagens, pathogens,
infectious disease,
non infectious
disease, carrier, and
vector.
I can describe
antibiotics,
antimicrobial,
vaccine, and
antibiotic resistance.
biotechnology,
agriculture, current
medical ethical
issues
I can describe
biotechnology.
I can compare and
contrast viruses and
bacteria.
I can give examples
of pathogens and
parasites.
I can compare and
contrast carriers and
vectors.
None
None
None
None
I can evaluate ways
to reduce infection.
.
N – Nice to Know
Performance/ Skill
Targets
Product Targets
I can evaluate
I can investigatae
biotechnology and its aspect of
Updated 6/10
ISS Curriculum Guide
8th Grade – Science
*Bold words should be taught to Mastery
Sem,
1or 2
ISS Student Friendly Learning
Target
(NCSCOS)
Priority
E, M, I,
N
Knowledge Targets
Reasoning Targets
uses.
Performance/ Skill
Targets
Product Targets
biotechnolgy.
The order for teaching the 8th grade Science curriculum with approximate quarter and semester:
Goal
4
3
6 and 7
5
1
2
E- Essential
Subject
Chemistry
Water Planet
Cells and Microbiology
Life and Change Over Time
Scientific Inquiry
Technology
M – Maintenance
I – Important
Quarter
1
2
3
4
1,2,3,4
1.2.3.4
N – Nice to Know
Semester
1
1
2
2
Maintenance
Maintenance
Updated 6/10