Eighth Grade
Science
2015-16 Curriculum Guide
Iredell-Statesville Schools
Eighth Grade Science
Table of Contents
Purpose and Use of Documents ............................................................................................................................................3
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading ..............................................................................................4
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing ...............................................................................................5
Science As Inquiry ..................................................................................................................................................................6
Year at a Glance .....................................................................................................................................................................7 - 10
Matter: Properties and Change .............................................................................................................................................11 - 14
Energy: Conservation and Transfer .......................................................................................................................................15 – 16
Earth Systems, Structures and Processes ..............................................................................................................................17 – 22
Structures and Functions of Living Organisms.......................................................................................................................23 - 24
Ecosystems .............................................................................................................................................................................25 – 29
Molecular Biology ..................................................................................................................................................................30 – 32
Structures and Functions of Living Organisms (Biotechnology) ............................................................................................33 - 34
Evolution and Genetics ..........................................................................................................................................................35 - 37
Earth History ..........................................................................................................................................................................38 - 40
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Purpose and Use of the Documents
The Curriculum Guide represents an articulation of what students should know and be able
to do. The Curriculum Guide supports teachers in knowing how to help students achieve
the goals of the new standards and understanding each standard conceptually. It should
be used as a tool to assist teachers in planning and implementing a high quality
instructional program.
 The “At-a-Glance” provides a snapshot of the recommended pacing of instruction
across a semester or year.
 Learning targets (“I can” statements) and Criteria for Success (“I will” statements)
have been created by ISS teachers and are embedded in the Curriculum Guide to
break down each standard and describe what a student should know and be able to
do to reach the goal of that standard.
 The academic vocabulary or content language is listed under each standard. There are
30-40 words in bold in each subject area that should be taught to mastery.
 The unpacking section of the Curriculum Guide contains rich information and
examples of what the standard means; this section is an essential component to help
both teachers and students understand the standards.
Teachers will be asked to give feedback throughout the year to continually
improve their Curriculum Guides.
3
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading
The K-12 standards on the following pages define what students should understand and be able to do by the end of each
grade. They correspond to the College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standards below by number. The CCR and grade-specific
standards are necessary complements – the former providing broad standards, the latter providing additional specificity – that together
define the skills and understandings that all students must demonstrate.
Key ideas and Details
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when
writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
Craft and Structure
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and
analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g. a section,
chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in
words.*
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance
and sufficiency of the evidence.
9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the
authors take.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
* Please see “Research to Build and Present Knowledge” in writing and “Comprehension and Collaboration” in Speaking and Listening for additional standards
relevant to gathering, assessing, and applying information from print and digital sources.
4
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing
The K-12 standards on the following pages define what students should understand and be able to do by the end of each
grade. They correspond to the College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standards below by number. The CCR and grade-specific
standards are necessary complements – the former providing broad standards, the latter providing additional specificity – that together
define the skills and understandings that all students must demonstrate.
Text Types and Purposes*
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient
evidence.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the
effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and wellstructured event sequences.
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
6. Use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the
subject under investigation.
8. Gaither relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and
integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
9. Draw evidence from literacy or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research
Range of Writing
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or
a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
* These broad types of writing include many subgenres. See Appendix A for definitions of key writing types.’
Taken from Common Core Standards (www.corestandards.org)
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Science as Inquiry
Traditional laboratory experiences provide opportunities to demonstrate how science is constant, historic,
probabilistic, and replicable. Although there are no fixed steps that all scientists follow, scientific investigations
usually involve collections of relevant evidence, the use of logical reasoning, the application of imagination to
devise hypotheses, and explanations to make sense of collected evidence. Student engagement in scientific
investigation provides background for understanding the nature of scientific inquiry. In addition, the science
process skills necessary for inquiry are acquired through active experience. The process skills support
development of reasoning and problem-solving ability and are the core of scientific methodologies.
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/acre/standards/new-standards/science/6-8.pdf
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A Year at a Glance
CCS Code
8.P.1.1
8.P.1.2
8.P.1.3
8.P.1.4
8.P.2.1
8.P.2.2
1st Quarter
Learning Target [‘I can’ statements]
I can explain the relationships between atoms and elements.
I can explain how elements combine to form compounds.
I can differentiate mixtures from compounds.
I can explain how the Periodic Table is organized.
I can compare physical and chemical changes of matter.
I can understand that all physical and chemical changes involve a change in energy.
I can explain how the idea of atoms and a balanced chemical equation support the Law of Conservation of Mass.
I can understand that energy flows while matter cycles.
I can explain the environmental consequences of the various methods of obtaining, transforming and distributing
energy.
I can explain the implications of the depletion of renewable and nonrenewable energy resources and the importance
of conservation.
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CCS Code
8.E.1.1
8.E.1.2
8.E.1.3
8.E.1.4
2nd Quarter
Learning Target [‘I can’ statements]
I can describe the water cycle on earth.
I can analyze the property of water as a solvent.
I can explain the distribution of water on earth.
I can identify local river basins and watersheds and understand the importance as a resource.
I can determine the importance of ground water as a valuable resource.
I can determine that all major watersheds on earth transport water and materials to the ocean.
I can evaluate the earth’s ocean as a resource or reservoir based on its contents and composition.
I can identify the movement of water, minerals and dissolved gases within the ocean.
I can evaluate technologies used to explore the ocean.
I can explore the importance of estuaries.
I can analyze the relationship between aquatic and terrestrial food webs.
I can determine the health of a water system by analyzing physical, chemical and biological variables.
I can identify the role of bio-indicators to study environmental factors.
I can explain the importance of laws related to protecting the earth’s water.
I can represent the steps used in water treatment plants.
I can distinguish between point source and non-point source pollution.
I can determine ways to become a good environmental steward.
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CCS Code
8.L.1.1
8.L.1.2
8.L.3.1
8.L.3.2
8.L.3.3
8.L.5.1
8.L.5.2
3rd Quarter
Learning Target [‘I can’ statements]
I can summarize the basic characteristics of viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.
I can explain the spread, treatment and prevention of diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.
I can classify bacteria according to their shape.
I can explain the differences between epidemic and pandemic as it relates to spread, treatment and prevention of
disease.
I can identify characteristics of an ecosystem.
I can identify factors that can affect populations in an ecosystem.
I can summarize the interactions between producers, consumers and decomposers.
I can identify the three major kinds of ecosystems.
I can explain the positive and negative consequences of ecological relationships.
I can explain the characteristics of food chains and food webs.
I can describe the water cycle.
I can describe and analyze the carbon cycle.
I can describe and analyze the nitrogen cycle.
I can evaluate how food provides energy.
I can identify the steps of mitosis.
I can identify the steps of meiosis.
I can conclude that plant and animal cells carry on complex chemical processes.
I can recognize unicellular organisms.
I can recognize multicellular organisms.
I can explain the relationship between a healthy diet, exercise and a healthy body.
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CCS Code
8.E.2.1
8.E.2.2
8.L.2.1
8.L.4.1
8.L.4.2
4th Quarter
Learning Target [‘I can’ statements]
I can analyze how rock layers and fossils provide evidence of Earth’s history.
I can compare how Earth’s processes that we see today are similar to those in the past.
I can classify the three types of rocks.
I can interpret changes in earth’s lithosphere.
I can interpret how rocks, fossils and ice cores provide evidence of Earth’s past.
I can summarize specific genetic information available through biotechnology.
I can identify career opportunities and economic benefits in the field of biotechnology in the state of NC.
I can evaluate the ethical issues pertaining to biotechnology.
I can explain the implications of biotechnology as it affects living organisms.
I can understand the meaning and concept of evolution.
I can interpret how landforms change over time.
I can evaluate the biological changes overtime which support evolution.
I can organize and classify organisms according to the biological classification system.
I can explain the relationship between genetic variation and an organism’s ability to adapt to its environment.
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Q1
Matter: Properties and Change
Q2
Q3
Q4
Essential Standard:
8.P.1 Understand the properties of matter and changes that occur when matter interacts in an open and closed container.
Clarifying Objectives:
8.P.1.1 Classify matter as elements, compounds, or mixtures based on how the atoms are packed together in arrangements.
8.P.1.2 Explain how the physical properties of elements and their reactivity have been used to produce the current model of the Periodic Table
of elements.
8.P.1.3 Compare physical changes such as size, shape and state to chemical changes that are the result of a chemical reaction to include
changes in temperature, color, formation of a gas or precipitate.
8.P.1.4 Explain how the idea of atoms and a balanced chemical equation support the law of conservation of mass.
Unpacking: What does this standard mean that a student will know and be able to do?
8.P.1.1
Atoms may link together in well-defined molecules, or may be packed together in crystal patterns. Different arrangements of atoms into
groups compose all substances and determine the characteristics properties of substances. Elements are pure substances that cannot be
changed into simpler substances. Elements are composed of one kind of atom. Compounds are pure substances that are composed of two or
more types of elements that are chemically combined. Compounds can only be changed into simpler substances called elements by chemical
changes. (One way that two or more atoms can combine is to form a molecule.) Mixtures are composed of two or more different substances
that retain their own individual properties and are combined physically (mixed together). Mixtures can be separated by physical means
(filtration, sifting, or evaporation). Mixtures may be heterogeneous or homogeneous: (heterogeneous mixture, which is not uniform
throughout, the substances are evenly mixed and cannot be visibly distinguished. The particles of the substances are so small that they cannot
be easily seen. Another name for the homogeneous mixture is a solution.) It is not essential for students to know the molecules are the smallest
part of covalent compounds or for students to understand isotopes.
8.P.1.2
The history behind the creation of the Periodic Table begins with humans seeking to impose order on nature so they could better understand
it. Looking for and recognizing a pattern in the occurrence of atoms is at the heart of the work of Dmitri Mendeleev. The scientific beauty of the
periodic table that he created is largely due to patterns evident in the elements and their relationship to one another. By arranging the
elements in a grid, he was able to identify similarities among them. Mendeleev’s hypothesized the physical characteristics of the elements
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repeated in a cyclical manner. The periodic table developed by Mendeleev has remained largely unchanged since he first created it as a
description for the periodic nature of the elements. There are groups of elements that have similar properties, including highly reactive metals,
less-reactive metals, highly reactive nonmetals (such as chlorine, fluorine, and oxygen), and some almost completely nonreactive gases (such as
helium and neon). The Periodic table contains a wealth of information about elements. Horizontal rows are called periods. The vertical columns
are called groups. These elements have similar properties. It is convenient to divide the table into 2 groups—metals and nonmetals. The
transition metals are generally not as reactive as Groups 1 and 2 and have varied properties. Nonmetals are poor conductors of electricity and
have a wide range of properties. Along the staircase line separating the metals and nonmetals are the metalloids. They are not as conductive as
metals but are more conducive than nonmetals.
8.P.1.3
Physical properties involve things that can be measured without changing the chemical properties of matter. Matter can undergo physical
changes which affect only physical properties. Physical properties include: appearance, texture, color, odor, melting point, boiling point,
density, solubility, polarity and many others. Physical changes can involve changes in energy which relate to the three states of matter-solid,
liquid and gas. Evidence that a chemical change has occurred generally fits into these categories; gas production (bubbling or an odor),
formation of a precipitate, production of heat and a color change. Properties of matter may be either physical or chemical. Chemical reactions
form new substances by breaking and making new chemical bonds. Chemical reactions alter arrangement of atoms and the chemical reactions
can vary. Chemical reactions describe how matter behaves. All physical and chemical changes involve a change in energy. Students should
hypothesize when a physical or chemical change has occurred based on the evidence given above. Note: Students should not write chemical
formulas with reactions but should relate the formula to the concept of whether a physical or chemical change has occurred.
8.P.1.4
The idea of atoms explains the conservation of matter: If the number of atoms stays the same no matter how the same atoms are rearranged,
then their total mass stays the same. The idea of atoms explains chemical reactions: When substances interact to form new substances, the
atoms that make up the molecules of the original substances combine in new ways. The law of conservation of mass states that the total mass
of the products of a reaction is equal to the total mass of the reactants. A closed system must be used when studying chemical reactions. When
chemicals are reacted in a closed container, it shows that the mass before and after the reaction is the same. In an open container this may not
be true.
Essential Vocabulary:
8.P.1.1 Atom, Molecule, Elements, Compounds, Mixtures, Heterogeneous, Homogeneous, Solution, Solute, Solvent
8.P.1.2 Conductivity, Reactivity, Metals, Nonmetals, Metalloids, Periods, Groups
8.P.1.3 Solubility, Density, Polarity, Melting Point, Boiling Point, States Of Matter, Precipitate, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Physical
Change, Chemical Change
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8. P.1.4 The Law of Conservation of Mass, Closed System, Open System, Product, Reactant
Learning Targets: “I Can”
Criteria For Success: “I Will”
8.P.1.1
I can explain the relationships between atoms and elements.
 I will compare and contrast atoms verses elements.
I can explain how elements combine to form compounds.


I can differentiate mixtures from compounds.



8.P.1.2
I can explain how the Periodic Table is organized.



8.P.1.3
I can compare physical and chemical changes of matter.



I can understand that all physical and chemical changes involve a
change in energy.

I will recognize elements by capitalized/upper case chemical symbol
and identify compounds as two or more elements written together.
I will determine the numbers of atoms in a given molecule or
compound.
I will compare and contrast mixtures and compounds.
I will explain the difference between homogeneous and
heterogeneous mixtures.
I will recognize a homogeneous mixture is a solution.
I will explain how groups and periods are arranged on the Periodic
Table and identify the patterns evident in the elements.
I will interpret chemical reactivity of elements based on their
grouping on the Periodic Table.
I will identify metals, nonmetals, and metalloids on the Periodic
Table.
I will identify characteristics of physical changes to include:
appearance, texture, color, odor, melting/boiling points, density,
solubility, polarity.
I will analyze changes in states of matter to recognize them as
physical changes.
I will identify characteristics of chemical changes to include: gas
production, precipitate formation and change in color or heat.
I will list examples of energy changes that are both chemical and
physical.
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8.P.1.4
I can explain how the idea of atoms and a balanced chemical
equation support the Law of Conservation of Mass.


I will examine how the mass of products always equals the mass of
reactants in a closed system and in an open system it will not hold
true.
I will count atoms to evaluate and confirm that mass is neither
gained nor lost in chemical reactions.
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Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Energy: Conservation and Transfer
Essential Standard:
8.P.2 Explain the environmental implications associated with the various methods of obtaining, managing and using energy resources.
Clarifying Objectives:
8.P.2.1 Explain the environmental consequences of the various methods of obtaining, transforming, and distributing energy.
8.P.2.2 Explain the implications of the depletion of renewable and nonrenewable energy resources and the importance of conservation.
Unpacking: What does this standard mean that a student will know and be able to do?
8.P.2.1
Different ways of obtaining, transforming, and distributing energy have different environmental consequences. Different types of fuels have
different environmental impacts. Some have longer lasting impacts on the environment than others. Transformations and transfers of energy
within a system usually result in some energy escaping into its surrounding environment. Some systems transfer less energy to their
environment than others during these transformations and transfers. Whenever energy appears in one place, it must have moved from
another. Whenever energy appears to be ‘lost’ from somewhere, it has been transferred somewhere else. Some ways we are attempting to use
the energy from the sun are: photovoltaic cells, solar batteries and reflectors. Photovoltaic cells transform solar energy into electric energy.
Solar reflectors are used to concentrate solar rays for industrial use and for the generation of electric current. One way to confine the solar
energy is heating water by passing it through collectors and keeping it in isolated containers. In some cases it is possible to obtain enough hot
water to satisfy a house needs during the day but conventional heaters are required at night. Energy from the sun far exceeds the Earth’s
energy need, however, we have not found a way to efficiently capture and store it.
8.P.2.2
Some resources are not renewable or renew very slowly. Fuels already accumulated in the earth, for instance, will become more difficult to
obtain as the most readily available resources run out. How long the resources will last, however, is difficult to predict. The preservation,
management, and care of natural and cultural resources should be practice by all consumers. The ultimate limit may be the prohibitive cost of
obtaining them. Energy from the sun (and the wind and water energy derived from it) is available indefinitely. The transfer of energy from
these resources are weak and variable, systems are needed to collect, transport and concentrate the energy. This creates some advantages and
disadvantages depending on location and the ability to collect.
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Essential Vocabulary:
8.P.2.1 Photovoltaic Cells, Solar Batteries, Reflectors
8.P.2.1 Fossil Fuels, Nonrenewable, Renewable
Learning Targets: “I Can”
8.P.2.1
I can understand that energy flows while matter cycles.
I can explain the environmental consequences of the various
methods of obtaining, transforming and distributing energy.
Criteria For Success: “I Will”



I can explain the implications of the depletion of renewable and
nonrenewable energy resources and the importance of
conservation.



I will understand that everything on Earth is either energy or matter
and that while matter cycles, energy flows.
I will understand that there are different types of fuels with
different environmental impacts.
I will explore solar energy specifically photovoltaic cells, solar
batteries and reflectors.
I will compare and contrast renewable and nonrenewable
resources.
I will explore the sun, wind, and water as advantageous sources of
energy.
I will explore coal, natural gas, and petroleum as nonrenewable
energy resources.
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Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Earth Systems, Structures and Processes
Essential Standard:
8.E.1 Understand the hydrosphere and the impact of humans on local systems and the effects of the hydrosphere on humans
Clarifying Objectives:
8.E.1.1 Explain the structure of the hydrosphere including:
• Water distribution on earth
• Local river basin and water availability
8.E.1.2 Summarize evidence that Earth’s oceans are a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases, and life forms:
• Estuaries
• Marine ecosystems
• Upwelling
• Behavior of gases in the marine environment
• Value and sustainability of marine resources
• Deep ocean technology and understandings gained
8.E.1.3 Predict the safety and potability of water supplies in North Carolina based on physical and biological factors, including:
• Temperature
• Dissolved oxygen
• pH
• Nitrates and phosphates
• Turbidity
• Bio-indicators
8.E.1.4 Conclude that the good health of humans requires:
• Monitoring of the hydrosphere
• Water quality standards
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• Methods of water treatment
• Maintaining safe water quality
• Stewardship
8.E.1.1
Water is one of the most common substances on Earth. Water is circulated on Earth by a process known as the water cycle. Water is a solvent.
As it passes through the water cycle it dissolves minerals and gases and carries them to the oceans. Most of the Earth’s water (80% depending
on Climate period) is found in the oceans. The majority of fresh water exists in ice caps, glaciers, and aquifers. Surface water moves into river
basins from areas called watersheds. The availability of water varies with local geography and allows humans to utilize water as a resource. In a
river basin, all of the water eventually flows to the same place (the ocean). Watersheds are the areas of land that water drains in to when the
ground is saturated or impermeable. Ground water is one of earth’s most valuable resources. The rate of ground water movement varies based
on the rock material through which the water is moving. Wells provide the best source of information about an aquifer. The ocean is connected
to major lakes, watersheds, and waterways because all major watersheds on Earth drain to the ocean. Rivers and streams transport nutrients,
salts, sediments and pollutants from watersheds to estuaries and to the ocean. The ocean is the dominant physical feature of our planet. There
is one ocean with many ocean basins, such as the North Pacific, South Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian and Arctic.
8.E.1.2
The oceans of the earth are one continuous body of water covering the majority of our planet. The ocean is an integral part of the water cycle
and is connected to all of the earth’s water reservoirs via evaporation and precipitation processes. The salinity of the open sea is fairly
constant, but the ocean consists of several zones with different properties due to variations in temperature, pressure and penetration of light.
Many earth materials and geochemical cycles originate in the ocean. Productivity is greatest in the surface layers of the ocean, where sunlight
penetrates and photosynthesis occurs. Currents and recycling processes make nutrients, minerals, and gases available to marine life. Upwelling
is a type of ocean current in which cold nutrient-rich water rises to the surface from the ocean depths. Microscopic algae serve as the base of
open ocean food webs and provide the majority of the world’s oxygen. Terrestrial and aquatic food webs are often interconnected and
affected by the level of nutrients. Estuaries are places where fresh and salt waters meet. They are partially enclosed bodies where seawater is
diluted by fresh water that drains from the land. Estuaries serve as an important habitat for many marine species, buffer zones for pollutants
and breeding grounds of many organisms. They also act as a filtering system to remove some chemical elements and compounds from land run
off. They provide important and productive nursery areas for many marine and aquatic species. Marine resources are used to provide many
important products to humans in addition to food. Although the ocean is large, it is finite and resources are limited. The salt in seawater comes
from eroding land, volcanic emissions, reactions at the sea floor, and atmospheric deposition. There are three different marine ecosystems:
shore, open ocean and deep ocean. There are many deep ocean ecosystems that are independent of energy from sunlight and photosynthetic
organisms. Hydrothermal vents, submarine hot springs, and methane cold seeps rely only on chemical energy and chemosynthetic organisms
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to support life. Deep ocean exploration and technology continues to provide information about new life forms, Earth resources, and geologic
processes. Tides, waves and predation cause vertical zonation patterns along the shore, influencing the distribution, diversity and availability of
organisms. Use of ocean resources has increased significantly; therefore the future sustainability of ocean resources depends on our
understanding of those resources and their potential and limitations. The ocean affects every human life. Most rain comes from the ocean and
over half of Earth’s oxygen. From the ocean we get foods, medicines, minerals, and energy resources. Many organisms spend parts of their life
cycle in aquatic and terrestrial surroundings. Most of life in the ocean exists as microbes. Microbes are the most important primary producers
in the ocean. Not only are they the most abundant life form in the ocean, they have extremely fast growth rates and life cycles.
8.E.1.3
The health of a water system is determined by the balance between physical, chemical and biological variables. Physical variables include
temperature, turbidity, and water movement. Chemical variables include dissolved oxygen and other gases, pH, nitrates, and salinity. Both
natural and man-made forces are constantly changing these variables. The health of water systems is dependent on the balance of its many
natural systems. Ocean habitats are defined by environmental factors-interactions of abiotic factors such as salinity, temperature, oxygen, pH,
light, nutrients, substrate and circulation. Population diversity provides insights into the health of a water system. Tolerance to water quality
conditions varies among organisms. Clear water may contain odorless, tasteless, and colorless harmful contaminants. Water must be tested for
specific contaminants such as bacteria, nitrates, arsenic and others. Bio-indicators (insects) are studied to indicate environmental quality such
as water flow, pollution, and vegetation. Some play a very important role in stream and pond ecosystems, often serving as a biological indicator
of the quality of a water system.
8.E.1.4
Starting in 1914 the USA implemented drinking water standards for wells concerning coliform growth. In 1940 drinking water standards began
to apply to municipal (city) drinking water. In 1972, the Clean Water Act was passed in the USA and in 1974 the Safe Drinking Act was
formulated. The general principle in the developed world now is that every person has the right to safe drinking water. Starting in 1970, public
health concerns shifted from waterborne illnesses caused by disease-causing micro-organisms, to health concerns caused by water pollution
such as pesticide residues and industrial sludge and organic chemicals. Regulation now focused on industrial waste and industrial water
contamination, and water treatment plants were adapted. Techniques such as aeration, flocculation and active carbon absorption were
applied. In the 1980’s membrane development for reverse osmosis was added and risk assessments were enabled after 1990. Knowledge
about natural systems and informed decision making regarding its use are essential for the maintenance of a life-sustaining planet. The variety
of North Carolina coasts and rivers shape the behavior and life cycles of its inhabitants. If chemicals, hazardous wastes, oil, etc. collect on the
ground surface, runoff percolating into the soil can transfer these undesired substances into the ground water. Individual and collective actions
are needed to effectively manage water resources for all. Much of the world’s population lives in the coastal areas. Laws, regulations, and
resource management affect what is taken out and put into the ocean. Point and non-point environmental stressors such as urban and/or
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agricultural runoff, industrial inputs and over-fishing can impact all aquatic populations. Environmental degradation will likely decrease the
diversity of a community by eliminating intolerant organisms and increasing the number of tolerant organisms. For centuries humans have
used streams, rivers and oceans as depositories of human, industrial and solid wastes. This accelerating toxic influx and nutrient enrichment
causes chemical and environmental changes and major shifts in plant and animal life resulting in economic trade-offs. Technological advances
have enabled us to collect data about water systems that have led to improvements in developing standards, monitoring water-quality, and
providing treatment. The more we understand and respect North Carolina’s aquatic systems, the more capable we are of making informed
decisions and thus becoming good stewards of the environment. The first step in getting students to move towards stewardship is to create a
personal awareness of how they are connected to North Carolina’s hydrological system.
Essential Vocabulary:
8.E.1.1 Fresh Water, Surface Water, Glaciers, Ground Water, Permeable, Impermeable, Hydrosphere, Aquifer, Watersheds, River Basin,
Tributaries, Solvent
8.E.1.2 Salt Water, Estuaries, Marine Ecosystems, Reservoirs, Upwelling, Downwelling, Salinity, Hydrothermal Vent, Terrestrial, Aquatic,
Microbes, Sonar, Deep Ocean Trenches, Chemosynthesis, Methane Cold Seeps, Deep Ocean Technology
8.E.1.3 Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, pH, Hardness, Nitrates, Turbidity, Eutrophication, Bioindicators, Abiotic, Phosphates
8.E.1.4 Point-Source Pollution, Nonpoint Source Pollution, Micro-organisms, Pesticides, Overfishing, Stewardship, Clean Water Act, Safe
Drinking Act
Learning Targets: “I Can”
8.E.1.1
I can describe the water cycle on earth.
Criteria For Success: “I Will”



I will create a model and/or drawing of the water cycle.
I will distinguish between the differences in changes of state of
matter within the water cycle.
I will investigate water as the universal solvent
I will create a chart using percentages to show the distribution of
salt water and freshwater on earth.
I will locate a local river basin and recognize the importance to the
community as a source of water.
I will model the movement of groundwater.

I will evaluate the movement and impact of pollutants transported
I can analyze the property of water as a solvent.
I can explain the distribution of water on earth.


I can identify local river basins and watersheds and understand
the importance as a resource.
I can determine the importance of ground water as a valuable
resource.
I can determine that all major watersheds on earth transport

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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
water and materials to the ocean.
8.E.1.2
I can evaluate the earth’s ocean as a resource or reservoir based
on its contents and composition.
and distributed in water on earth.


I can identify the movement of water, minerals and dissolved
gases within the ocean.



I can evaluate technologies used to explore the ocean.

I can explore the importance of estuaries.


I can analyze the relationship between aquatic and terrestrial
food webs.




8.E.1.3
I can determine the health of a water system by analyzing
physical, chemical and biological variables.




I will compare and contrast the different layers/zones of the ocean
due to variations in temperature, pressure and light.
I will describe the resources and changes found in off shore and
deep ocean waters.
I will compare and contrast the processes of upwelling and
downwelling using a Venn diagram.
I will identify tidal zones and the diversity of life associated with
tidal ranges.
I will analyze the effects of tides, waves and currents on resources
and human life.
I will determine how scientists study hydrothermal vents,
submarine hot springs and methane cold seeps using technology.
I will analyze data from technology to monitor the oceans.
I will write about and display a model representing an estuary
habitat for a variety of marine species.
I will investigate the impact of pollutants on estuaries.
I will identify and name a variety of producers and consumers
within an aquatic food web.
I will create an aquatic/terrestrial food web.
I will identify the importance of microbes in the aquatic food web.
I will analyze water samples to determine physical factors such as
temperature and turbidity.
I will analyze water samples to determine chemical factors such as
pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates and salinity.
I will determine how nitrates and phosphates contribute to
eutrophication.
I will understand that water may contain colorless, odorless and
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
I can identify the role of bio-indicators to study environmental
factors.


8.E.1.4
I can explain the importance of laws related to protecting the
earth’s water.


I can represent the steps used in water treatment plants.

I can distinguish between point source and non-point source
pollution.


I can determine ways to become a good environmental steward.

tasteless contaminants.
I will identify bio-indicators.
I will investigate the importance of bio-indicators in pond and
stream ecosystems.
I will identify government agencies responsible for regulating water
quality.
I will distinguish between laws protecting water quality such as The
Clean Water Act of 1972 and the Safe Drinking Act of 1974.
I will create a chart representing techniques used to clean drinking
and waste water.
I will categorize a variety of urban and agricultural pollution sources.
I will give examples of environmental stressors that impact aquatic
populations.
I can debate environmental issues related to North Carolina
hydrological systems.
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Structures and Functions of Living Organisms
Essential Standard:
8.L.1 Understand the structure and hazards caused by agents of disease that effect living organisms.
Clarifying Objectives:
8.L.1.1 Summarize the basic characteristics of viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites relating to the spread, treatment and prevention of disease.
8.L.1.2 Explain the difference between epidemic and pandemic as it relates to the spread, treatment and prevention of disease.
Unpacking: What does this standard mean that a student will know and be able to do?
8.L.1.1
Microbiology as a basic science explores microscopic organisms including viruses, bacteria, protozoa, parasites, and some fungi and algae.
These organisms lack tissue differentiation, are unicellular, and exhibit diversity of form and size. Viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites may
infect the human body and interfere with normal body functions. A person can catch a cold many times because there are many varieties of
cold viruses that cause similar symptoms. Viruses are not considered to be alive but they affect living things. Viruses need a host cell. AIDS,
influenza, the common cold, polio, chicken pox, small pox, yellow fever, viral meningitis, West Nile and Ebola are caused by viruses. Rabies,
Lyme Disease, bacterial meningitis, and Leprosy are caused by bacteria. Bacteria are very small organisms, usually consisting of one cell, that
lack chlorophyll. Except for viruses, they are the smallest living things on Earth. Bacteria are found everywhere, in the air, soil, water, and inside
of your body and on your skin. They tend to multiply very rapidly under favorable conditions, forming colonies of millions or even billions of
organisms within a space as small as a drop of water. Bacteria are generally classified into three groups based on their shape: spherical, rodlike,
spiral or corkscrew. We have antibiotics to help with bacterial infections and vaccines to help with taking care of viruses that cause infections.
8.L.1.2
Vectors are mechanisms (other than a person) that spread disease without getting sick itself. Rats, ticks, mosquitoes, and soil are examples of
vectors. An infectious disease is one that can be passed from one generation to another. Scientists study microbial pathogens (disease causing
agents), to find methods for prevention and treatment of disease. Improvements in public health depend upon state-of-the-art biomedical
research to explain how microbes cause infectious diseases in both plants and animals. To analyze data, scientists use various techniques and
strategies including computer modeling, cell culture, animal models, and clinical trials in humans. Safe handling and hygiene as well as various
antimicrobial chemicals can be used to reduce the risk of and the treatment of these infections. Industrial microbiology involves quality control
in preventing growth and contamination of products leading to food spoilage, and the production of pharmaceuticals. The health of humans
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
and earth depends on microbes. An epidemic is an outbreak of a disease that affects a disproportionately large number of individuals within a
population, community or region at the same time (example-typhoid). Pandemic is an epidemic of an infectious disease that is spreading
through human populations across a large region, continent or even worldwide (examples smallpox, tuberculosis, flu of 2009).
Essential Vocabulary:
8.L.1.1 Microbiology, Viruses, Bacteria, Protozoa, Parasites, Fungi, Algae, Vaccines, Antibiotics, Host Cell, Unicellular
8.L.1.2 Vectors, Infectious, Pathogens, Epidemic, Pandemic, Antimicrobial
Learning Targets: “I Can”
8.L.1.1
I can summarize the basic characteristics of viruses, bacteria,
fungi and parasites.
I can explain the spread, treatment and prevention of diseases
caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.
Criteria For Success: “I Will”




I can classify bacteria according to their shape.
8.L.1.2
I can explain the differences between epidemic and pandemic as
it relates to spread, treatment and prevention of disease.




I will compare and contrast the following pathogens: viruses,
bacteria, fungi and parasites.
I will explore diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and
parasites.
I will explore viral diseases to include AIDS, influenza, common cold,
polio, chicken pox, small pox, yellow fever, Ebola, West Nile, viral
meningitis and rabies.
I will explore bacterial diseases to include Lyme Disease, Leprosy,
and bacterial meningitis.
I will identify spherical, rod like, spiral/corkscrew shaped bacteria.
I will understand the implications of a pandemic compared to an
epidemic.
I will evaluate infectious diseases to include the following: vectors,
antimicrobials, food spoilage, pharmaceuticals.
I will analyze data to explore various techniques and strategies to
include: computer modeling, cell culture, animal models, and
clinical trials in humans.
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
Q1
Ecosystems
Q2
Q3
Q4
Essential Standard:
8.L.3 Understand how organisms interact with and respond to the biotic and abiotic components of their environment.
Clarifying Objectives:
8.L.3.1 Explain how factors such as food, water, shelter, and space affect populations in an ecosystem. 8.L.3.2 Summarize the relationships among
producers, consumers, and decomposers including the positive and negative consequences of such interactions including:
• coexistence and cooperation
• competition (predator/prey)
• parasitism
• mutualism
8.L.3.3 Explain how the flow of energy within food webs is interconnected with the cycling of matter (including water, nitrogen, carbon dioxide,
and oxygen).
Unpacking: What does this standard mean that a student will know and be able to do?
8.L.3.1
Explain how factors such as food, water, shelter, and space affect populations in an ecosystem. Energy can change from one form to another in
living things. Organisms get energy from oxidizing their food, releasing some of its energy as thermal energy. Almost all food energy comes
originally from sunlight. In all environments, organisms with similar needs may compete with one another for limited resources, including food,
space, water, air, and shelter. A habitat is the place where an organism lives out its life. Organisms of different species use a variety of
strategies to live and reproduce in their habitats. Habitats can change, and even disappear, for an area. Each species is unique in satisfying all
its needs; each species occupies a niche. A niche is the role and position a species has in its environment—how it meets its needs for food and
shelter, how it survives, and how it reproduces. A species’ niche includes all its interactions with the biotic and abiotic parts of its habitats.
8.L.3.2
One of the most general distinctions among organisms is between plants, which use sunlight to make their own food, and animals, which
consume energy-rich foods. Some kinds of organisms, many of them microscopic, cannot be neatly classified as either plants or animals.
Animals and plants have a great variety of body parts and internal structures that contribute to their being able to make or find food and
reproduce. Similarities among organisms are found in internal anatomical features, which can be used to infer the degree of relatedness among
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
organisms. In classifying organisms, scientists consider details of both internal and external structures. Traditionally, a species has been defined
as all organisms that can mate with one another to produce fertile offspring. The cycles continue indefinitely because organisms are
decomposed after death to return food materials to the environment. Food provides molecules that serve as fuel and building material for all
organisms. Plants can use the food they make immediately or store it for later use. Organisms that eat plants break down the plant structures
to produce the materials and energy they need to survive. Then they are consumed by other organisms. Over a long time, matter is transferred
from one organism to another repeatedly and between organisms and their physical environment. As in all material systems, the total amount
of matter remains constant, even though its form and location change. Energy can change from one form to another in living things. Organisms
get energy from oxidizing their food, releasing some of its energy as thermal energy. Almost all food energy comes originally from sunlight. All
organisms, including the human species, are part of and depend on two main interconnected global food webs. One includes microscopic
ocean plants, the animals that feed on them, and finally the animals that feed on those animals. The other web includes land plants, the
animals that feed on them, and so forth. One organism may scavenge or decompose another. The cycles continue indefinitely because
organisms are decomposed after death to return food materials to the environment. There are three major kinds of ecosystems. Terrestrial
ecosystems are those located on land. Examples include forests, meadows, and deserts. Aquatic ecosystems occur in both fresh and salt water.
Freshwater ecosystems include ponds, lakes, and streams. Saltwater ecosystems are called marine ecosystems and make up approximately 75
percent of Earth’s surface. Plants and some microorganisms are producers—they make their own food. All animals, including humans, are
consumers, which obtain food by eating other organisms. Decomposers, primarily bacteria and fungi, are consumers that use waste materials
and dead organisms for food. Food webs identify the relationships among producers. For ecosystems, the major source of energy is sunlight.
Energy entering ecosystems as sunlight is transferred by producers into chemical energy through photosynthesis. That energy then passes from
organism to organisms in a food web. Populations of various species co-exist (to exist together, at the same time, or in the same place) and
cooperate (to work together towards a common end or purpose) within an ecosystem, often having to compete for limited resources of food,
water, space and shelter. Predators are animals that kill and eat other animals. The animals that predators eat are called prey. Some species,
however, have symbiotic relationships in which interactions benefit long-term survival of one or both species. Symbiosis means living together.
Commensalism is a symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the other species is neither harmed nor benefited. For example
the Peregrine falcon and the red-breasted goose. Sometimes, two species of organisms benefit from living in close association. A symbiotic
relationship in which both species benefit is called mutualism. For example, ants and acacia trees living in the sub-tropical regions of the world.
The ants protect the tree by attacking any animal that tries to feed on it. The tree provides nectar and a home for the ants. Another symbiotic
relationship in which one organism derives benefit at the expense of the other is called parasitism. Parasites have evolved in such a way that
they harm, but usually do not kill, the hose. An example of a parasite is a tick and a dog
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
8.L.3.3
Ecologists trace the flow of energy through ecological communities to discover nutritional relationships. The ultimate source of the energy is
the sun, which supplies the energy that fuels life. Plants use the sun’s energy to manufacture food in a process called photosynthesis.
Organisms that use energy from the sun or energy stored in chemical compounds to manufacture their own nutrients are called autotrophs.
Although plants are the most familiar terrestrial autotrophs, some unicellular organisms also make their own nutrients. Most other organisms
depend on autotrophs for nutrients and energy. These are the producers in a food web. The consumer is a heterotrophy which means they are
not capable of making their own food so they obtain food for energy by eating other organisms. When you pick a pear from a tree and eat it,
you are consuming carbon, nitrogen, and other elements the tree has used to produce the fruit. That pear also contains energy from the
sunlight trapped by the tree’s leaves while the pear was growing and ripening. Ecologists use food chains and food webs to model the
distribution of matter and energy within an ecosystem. Each organism in a food chain represents a feeding level in the passage of energy and
materials. A food chain represents only one possible route for the transfer of matter and energy in an ecosystem. Many other routes may exist.
A food web is a more realistic model than a food chain because most organisms depend on more than one other species for food. These food
webs also show how energy is lost from one level to the next. This energy is lost to the environment as heat generated by the body processes
of organisms. Sunlight is the primary source of all this energy, so energy is always being replenished. Matter, in the form of nutrients, also
moves though the organisms at each level. But matter cannot be replenished like the energy from sunlight. The atoms of carbon, nitrogen,
oxygen and other elements make up the bodies of organisms alive today are the same atoms that have been on Earth since life began. Matter
is constantly recycled. Life on Earth depends on water. Even before there was life on Earth, water cycled through stages. Water evaporates
from lakes, oceans, ponds, rivers, streams and becomes water vapor in the air. Water vapor then condenses on dust in the air and forms
clouds. Further condensation makes small drops that build in size until they fall from the clouds as precipitation. The water falls on Earth and
accumulates in oceans and lakes where evaporation continues. Plants and animals need water to live. Plants pull water from the ground and
lose water from their leaves though transpiration. This puts water vapor into the air. Animals breathe out water vapor in every breath; when
they urinate, water is returned to the environment. Natural processes (breathing and urinating) constantly recycle water throughout the
environment. All life on Earth is based on carbon molecules. Atoms of carbon form the framework for proteins, carbohydrates, fats and other
important molecules. More than any other element, carbon is the molecule of life. The carbon cycle starts with the autotrophs. During
photosynthesis, energy from the sun is used to convert carbon dioxide gas into energy-rich carbon molecules. Autotrophs use these molecules
for growth and energy. Heterotrophs, which feed either directly or indirectly on the autotrophs, also use the carbon molecules for growth and
energy. When the autotrophs and heterotrophs use the carbon molecules for energy, carbon dioxide is released and returned to the
atmosphere. If you add nitrogen fertilizer to a lawn, houseplants, or garden, you may see that it makes the plants greener, bushier, and taller.
Even thought the air is 78% nitrogen, plants seem to do better when they receive nitrogen fertilizer. This is because plants cannot use the
nitrogen in the air. They use nitrogen in the soil that has been converted into more usable forms. Lightening and certain bacteria convert the
nitrogen in the air into these more usable forms. Chemical fertilizers also give plants nitrogen in a form they can use. Plants use the nitrogen to
make important molecules such as proteins. Herbivores eat plants and convert nitrogen-containing plant proteins into nitrogen-containing
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
animal proteins. After you eat your food, you convert the proteins in your food into proteins used in humans. Urine, an animal waste, contains
excess nitrogen. When an animal urinates, nitrogen returns to the water or soil. Bacteria in the ground transform much of this nitrogen so that
it can be stored in and used by plants, while returning some of it to the air. When organisms die, their nitrogen molecules are recycled.
Essential Vocabulary:
8.L.3.1 Organism, Biotic, Abiotic, Ecosystem, Habitat, Niche, Population, Species, Ecology
8.L.3.2 Producer, Consumer, Decomposer, Scavenger, Predator, Prey, Symbiotic Relationships Competition, Mutualism, Commensalism,
Parasitism, Symbiosis
8.L.3.3 Photosynthesis/Cellular Respiration, Food Chain/Web, Transpiration, Condensation, Evaporation, Precipitation,
Nitrogen Cycle, Nutrient, Carbon Cycle, Water Cycle, Autotroph, Heterotroph
Learning Targets: “I Can”
8.L.3.1
I can identify characteristics of an ecosystem.
Criteria For Success: “I Will”


I can identify factors that can affect populations in an ecosystem.
8.L.3.2
I can summarize the interactions between producers, consumers
and decomposers.




I can identify the three major kinds of ecosystems.

I can explain the positive and negative consequences of
ecological relationships.


I will examine the relationship between species and populations
within an ecosystem.
I will understand the functions of habitat and niche within an
ecosystem.
I will compare and contrast biotic and abiotic factors.
I will explore factors such as food, water, shelter and space and
their affects on populations.
I will compare and contrast producers, consumers and
decomposers.
I will identify specific examples of producers, consumers and
decomposers.
I will list examples of terrestrial, fresh water and salt water (marine)
ecosystems.
I will understand the social behaviors of coexistence, cooperation
and competition and be able to give examples of each.
I will understand the symbiotic relationships of mutualism,
commensalisms, and parasitism and be able to give examples of
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
each.
8.L.3.3
I can explain the characteristics of food chains and food webs.
I can describe the water cycle.
I can describe and analyze the carbon cycle.









I can describe and analyze the nitrogen cycle.



I will identify producers and consumers.
I will determine the directional flow of energy.
I will draw and label several food chains.
I will interconnect food chains to create a food web.
I will examine the relationship of organisms within the food web.
I will draw, label and define the steps of the water cycle to include,
precipitation, condensation, transpiration and evaporation.
I will understand the significance of carbon to living things.
I will recognize photosynthesis as the beginning of the carbon cycle
and cellular respiration as a continuation of the cycle.
I will draw , label and define the process of the carbon cycle,
through producers and consumers.
I will understand nitrogen is found in different forms and different
places on Earth.
I will compare and contrast ways in which different forms of
nitrogen are used.
I will draw, label and define the process in which nitrogen cycles.
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Molecular Biology
Essential Standard:
8.L.5 Understand the composition of various substances as it relates to their ability to serve as a source of energy and building materials for
growth and repair of organisms.
Clarifying Objectives:
8.L.5.1 Summarize how food provides the energy and the molecules required for building materials, growth and survival of all organisms (to
include plants).
8.L.5.2 Explain the relationship among a healthy diet, exercise, and the general health of the body (emphasis on the relationship between
respiration and digestion).
Unpacking: What does this standard mean that a student will know and be able to do?
8.L.5.1
Food provides molecules that serve as fuel and building material for all organisms. Organisms get energy by oxidizing their food, releasing some
of its energy as thermal energy. All organisms are composed of cells-a group of organelles working together. Most organisms are single cells;
other organisms, including humans, are multi-cellular. Cells carry on the many functions needed to sustain life. They grow and divide (mitosis or
meiosis), thereby producing more cells. This requires that they take in nutrients, which they use to provide energy for the work that cells do
and to make the materials that a cell or an organism needs. Cell (Plasma) membrane is selectively permeable, controlling what enters and
leaves the cell. Sugars to produce energy for the cell are broken down in a process that uses oxygen and produces carbon dioxide and water.
Cells lacking internal membrane-bound structures are called prokaryotic cells. The cells of most unicellular organisms such as bacteria are
prokaryotes. Cells that contain membrane-bound structures are called eukaryotic cells. Most of the multi-cellular plants and animals we know
have cells containing membrane-bound structures and are therefore called eukaryotes. The membrane-bound structures within eukaryotic
cells are called organelles. Each organelle has a specific function for cell survival.
8.L.5.2
Life style choices, environmental factors, and genetics can cause abnormalities to occur during embryonic development as well as later in life.
Human activities such as smoking, consumption of alcohol and the use of drugs lead to a variety of adverse conditions within the human body
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
and interfere with the efficient operation of the systems of the body. Technology and medical advances can help us understand how the
human body functions and allow us to make informed decisions regarding our health. Toxic substances, some dietary habits, and some
personal behavior may be bad for one’s health. Some effects show up right away, others years later. Avoiding toxic substances, such as
tobacco, and changing dietary habits increases the chance of living longer. The use of tobacco increases the risk of illness. Students should
understand the influence of short-term social and psychological factors that lead to tobacco use, and the possible long-term detrimental
effects of smoking and chewing tobacco. Alcohol and other drugs are often abused substances. Such drugs change how the body functions and
can lead to addiction.
Essential Vocabulary:
8.L.5.1 Mitosis, Meiosis, Plasma Membrane, Multicellular, Prokaryotic, Eukaryotic, Organelle, Photosynthesis, Cells
8.L.5.2 Toxins, Addiction
Learning Targets: “I Can”
Criteria For Success: “I Will”
8.L.5.1
I can evaluate how food provides energy.
 I will determine how food is broken down into molecules and
provides energy.
 I will investigate how organisms use energy.
I can identify the steps of mitosis.
 I will identify and describe how cells divide for growth, development
and repair.
I can identify the steps of meiosis.
 I will identify and describe how cells divide for sexual reproduction.
I can conclude that plant and animal cells carry on complex
 I will analyze how cells control what enters and leaves the cell.
chemical processes.
 I will compare and contrast the processes of photosynthesis and
respiration within cells.
I can recognize unicellular organisms.
 I will label and identify the structure of prokaryotic cells.
 I will identify and describe bacteria cells as living organisms lacking
membrane-bound organelles.
I can recognize multicellular organisms.
 I will label and identify the structure of eukaryotic cells.
 I will identify and describe multicellular plants and animals
containing membrane-bound organelles.
8.L.5.2
I can explain the relationship between a healthy diet, exercise
 I will understand and identify human activities that can lead to
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
and a healthy body.


adverse conditions within the human body.
I will investigate the long term effects of toxins within the body.
I will understand the influence of short-term social and
psychological factors that may lead to the use of harmful
substances or addiction.
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Structures and Functions of Living Organisms
Essential Standard:
8.L.2 Understand how biotechnology is used to affect living organisms.
Clarifying Objectives:
8.L.2.1 Summarize aspects of biotechnology including:
• Specific genetic information available
• Careers
• Economic benefits to North Carolina
• Ethical issues
• Implications for agriculture
Unpacking: What does this standard mean that a student will know and be able to do?
8.L.2.1
Understanding of the microbial world has led to the emerging field of biotechnology which has given us many advances and new careers in
medicine, agriculture, genetics, and food science. Biotechnology, while it has benefited North Carolina in many ways, has also raised many
ethical issues for an informed community to consider. As we increase our knowledge and make advances in technology we are able to reduce
the threat of microbial hazards. Biotechnology affects us in every area of our lives: our food, water, medicine and shelter. Uses of modern
biotechnology include: making medicine in large quantities (e.g. penicillin) and human insulin for the treatment of diabetes, combating crime
through DNA testing and forensic testing, removing pollution from soil and water (bioremediation), and improving the quality of agricultural
crops and livestock products. Some new areas such as Genetic Modification (GM) and cloning are controversial.
Essential Vocabulary:
8.L.2.1 Biotechnology, DNA, Bioremediation, Genetic Modification (GM), Cloning, Penicillin, Insulin, Diabetes.
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
Learning Targets: “I Can”
8.L.2.1
I can summarize specific genetic information available through
biotechnology.
I can identify career opportunities and economic benefits in the
field of biotechnology in the state of NC.
Criteria For Success: “I Will”



I can evaluate the ethical issues pertaining to biotechnology.



I can explain the implications of biotechnology as it affects living
organisms.





I will explain the role of DNA in biotechnology.
I will explore applications of biotechnology.
I will explore career opportunities in the fields of medicine,
agriculture, genetics and food science.
I will identify research centers located in the State of NC.
I will compare NC rank in biotechnology to the rest of the US.
I will, in order to form an opinion, investigate cloning and genetic
modification.
I will understand how biotechnology is used in DNA testing.
I will understand how biotechnology is used in the health industry in
making medicines like penicillin and insulin.
I will understand how biotechnology is used in agriculture.
I will understand how biotechnology is used in environmental clean
up (bioremediation).
I will explore the potential negative impact of biotechnology.
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Evolution and Genetics
Essential Standard:
8.L.4 Understand the evolution of organisms and landforms based on evidence, theories and processes that impact the Earth over time.
Clarifying Objectives:
8.L.4.1 Summarize the use of evidence drawn from geology, fossils, and comparative anatomy to form the basis for biological classification
systems and the theory of evolution.
8.L.4.2 Explain the relationship between genetic variation and an organism’s ability to adapt to its environment.
Unpacking: What does this standard mean that a student will know and be able to do?
8.L.4.1
Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species. Life on Earth, as well as the shape of
Earth’s surface, has a history of change that is called evolution and can be illustrated using a geologic time scale. A geologic time scale
represents a calendar of Earth’s history based on evidence found in rocks, fossils and ice cores. Scientists use this information to gain
knowledge about ancient climate, geography, geologic events and life forms. The evidence that organisms and landforms change over time is
scientifically described using the Theory of Evolution, the Plate Tectonics Theory, and the Law of Superposition. Living things evolve in response
to changes in their environment. The movements of Earth’s continental and oceanic plates have caused mountains and deep ocean trenches to
form and continually change the shape of Earth’s crust throughout time. These same movements have caused these plates to pass through
different climatic ones. Natural processes and human activities result in environmental challenges. Organisms that were best adapted to deal
with climatic, geographic and environmental changes throughout time have survived, while other organisms have become extinct. Sea level
changes over time have expanded and contracted continental shelves, created and destroyed inland seas and shaped the surface of land. Sea
level changes as plate tectonics cause the volume of the oceans and the height of land to change, as ice caps on land melt or enlarge and/or as
sea water expands when ocean water warms and cools. The processes responsible for changes we observe today are similar to the processes
that have occurred throughout Earth’s history. The evolution of Earth’s living things is strongly linked to the movements of the lithospheric
plates. Living things evolve in response to changes in their environment. The movements of the plates cause changes in climate, in geographic
features such as mountains, and in the types of living things in particular places. Many thousands of layers of sedimentary rock provide
evidence for the long history of the earth and for the long history of changing life forms whose remains are found in the rocks (fossils). More
recently deposited rock layers are more likely to contain fossils resembling existing species. Biological evolution accounts for the diversity of
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
species developed through gradual processes over many generations. Species acquire many of their unique characteristics through biological
adaptation, which involves the selection of naturally occurring variations in populations. Biological adaptations include changes in structures,
behaviors, or physiology that enhance survival and reproductive success in a particular environment. Similarities among organisms can infer the
degree of relatedness: homologous structures—anatomical and cellular, analogous structures--anatomical and cellular, embryological
similarities—anatomical and cellular, human developmental patterns are similar to those of other vertebrates. “Fossils” can be compared to
one another and to living organisms according to their similarities and differences. Most species that have lived on the earth are now extinct.
Extinction of species occurs when the environment changes and the individual organisms of that species do not have the traits necessary to
survive and reproduce in the changed environment. Some organisms that lived long ago are similar to existing organisms, but some are quite
different. Extinction of organisms is apparent in the fossil record. Extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the
adaptive characteristics of a species are insufficient to allow its survival. Extinction of species is common; most of the species that have lived on
the earth no longer exist. In any particular environment, the growth and survival of organisms depend on physical conditions. Biological
classification is a system which is used to organize and codify all life on Earth. There are a number of goals to biological classification, in
addition to the obvious need to be able to precisely describe organisms. Creating a system of classification allows scientists to examine the
relationships between various organisms, and to construct evolutionary trees to explore the origins of life on Earth and the relationship of
modern organisms to historical examples. You may also hear biological classification referred to as “taxonomy.”
8.L.4.2
Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to survive and have offspring. Changes in environmental conditions can
affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species. Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to survive and
produce offspring. There is tremendous genetic diversity within almost all species, including humans. No two individuals have the same DNA
sequence, with the exception of identical twins or clones. This genetic variation contributes to phenotypic variation—that is, diversity in the
outward appearance and behavior of individuals of the same species. Living organisms have morphological, biochemical, and behavioral
features that make them well adapted for life in the environments in which they are usually found. For example, consider the hollow bones and
feathers of birds that enable them to fly, or the cryptic coloration that allow many organisms to hide from their predators. These features may
give the superficial appearance that organism were designed to live in a particular environment. Evolutionary biology has demonstrated that
adaptations arise through selection acting on genetic variation.
Essential Vocabulary:
8.L.4.1 Evolution, Plate Tectonics, Lithosphere, Pangaea, Adaptations, Variations, Homologous, Analogous, Embryological, Taxonomy,
Geological Time Scale, Plate Tectonic Theory, Divergent, Convergent, Transform
8.L.4.2 Phenotype, Morphological, Biochemical, DNA
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
Learning Targets: “I Can”
8.L.4.1
I can understand the meaning and concept of evolution.
I can interpret how landforms change over time.
I can evaluate the biological changes over time which supports
evolution.
Criteria For Success: “I Will”
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I can organize and classify organisms according to the biological
classification system.
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8.L.4.2
I can explain the relationship between genetic variation and an
organism’s ability to adapt to its environment.
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I will explore the change over time that occurs with technology.
I will examine Pangaea through the theory of plate tectonics.
I will examine the history of Darwin’s theory of natural selection.
I will identify various fossils and recognize that they are evidence of
biological evolution.
I will identify examples of homologous and analogous structures as
well as embryological similarities that support evolution.
I will understand the need and benefits of the classification system.
I will create an evolutionary tree to explore the origins of life on
Earth and the relationships of modern organisms to historical
examples.
I will understand genetic variation and how it contributes to
phenotypic variation.
I will analyze how morphological, biochemical and behavioral
features tie to common ancestry through evolution.
I will examine the significance of genetic variation in the process of
evolution.
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Earth History
Essential Standard:
8.E.2 Understand the history of Earth and its life forms based on evidence of change recorded in fossil records and landforms.
Clarifying Objectives:
8.E.2.1 Infer the age of Earth and relative age of rocks and fossils from index fossils and ordering of rock layers (relative dating and radioactive
dating).
8.E.2.2 Explain the use of fossils, ice cores, composition of sedimentary rocks, faults, and igneous rock formations found in rock layers as
evidence of the history of the Earth and its changing life forms
Unpacking: What does this standard mean that a student will know and be able to do?
8.E.2.1
Many thousands of layers of sedimentary rock provide evidence for the long history of the earth and for the long history of changing life forms
whose remains are found in the rocks. More recently deposited rock layers are more likely to contain fossils resembling existing species. Fossils
provide important evidence of how life and environmental conditions have changed. The earth processes we see today, including erosion,
movement of lithospheric plates, and changes in atmospheric composition, are similar to those that occurred in the past. Earth’s history is also
influenced by occasional catastrophes, such as the impact of an asteroid or comet. Thousands of layers of sedimentary rock confirm the long
history of the changing surface of the earth and the changing life forms whose remains are found in successive layers. The youngest layers are
not always found on top, because of folding, breaking, and uplift of layers. Fossils that can be used to help determine the relative age of rock
layers are called index fossils. Absolute geologic dating and relative geologic dating are two methods by which scientists try to determine the
age of geologic evidence. Carbon-14 dating is an example of absolute dating, and the law of superposition is an example of relative dating.
Radioactive dating is used to study the uranium in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Uranium is a mildly radioactive substance that breaks down
at a slow and steady pace which cannot be altered by temperature or pressure. By looking at different rocks and comparing the amount of
uranium still in the rock to the amount of lead that has been formed, scientists can measure the age of the earth. Using this method, scientists
have determined that the earth is 4-5 billion years old.
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
8.E.2.2
Sediments of sand and smaller particles (sometimes containing the remains of organisms) are gradually buried and are cemented together by
dissolved minerals to form solid rock again. Sedimentary rock buried deep enough may be re-formed by pressure and heat, perhaps melting
and recrystallizing into different kinds of rock. These re-formed rock layers may be forced up again to become land surface and even
mountains. Subsequently, this new rock too will erode. Rock bears evidence of the minerals, temperatures, and forces that created it. Rocks,
fossils, and ice cores show: 1. Life forms have changed over time and 2. Earth’s climate and surface have changed over time. The Law of
Superposition states that each undisturbed rock layer is older than the layer above it. This law is used to read rock layers. Thousands of layers
of sedimentary rock confirm the long history of the changing surface of the earth and the changing life forms whose remains are found in
successive layers. By studying rocks and fossils, scientists have developed a geologic time scale which outlines the major divisions of Earth’s
history. Geologists have concluded that all rocks of the crust form in one of three ways: Igneous rocks are formed by the cooling and hardening
of hot molten rock from inside the Earth. Sedimentary rocks are formed by the hardening and cementing of layers of sediments. The sediments
may consist of rock fragments, plant and animal remains, or chemicals that form on a lake and ocean bottom. Metamorphic rocks are formed
when rocks that already exist are changed by heat and pressure into new kinds of rocks. A fault is a fracture in the continuity of a rock
formation caused by a shifting or dislodging of the earth’s crust, in which adjacent surfaces are displaced relative to one another and parallel to
the plane of fracture. There are several types of faults.
Essential Vocabulary:
8.E.2.1 Index fossils, Lithosphere, Extinction, Law of Superposition, Unconformities, Plate Tectonics, Absolute Age, Relative Age, Radioactive
Dating
8.E.2.2 Sedimentary Rock, Igneous Rock, Metamorphic Rock, Rock Cycle, Fault
Learning Targets: “I Can”
8.E.2.1
I can analyze how rock layers and fossils provide evidence of
Earth’s history.
I can compare how Earth’s processes that we see today are
similar to those in the past.
Criteria For Success: “I Will”
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I will describe an index fossil.
I will determine relative age of undisturbed sedimentary rock layers.
I will explain the Law of Superposition.
I will compare and contrast relative age and absolute dating.
I will explain the Theory of Plate Tectonics.
I will infer how catastrophic events and erosion can change the rock
layers.
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2015-2016 Iredell-Statesville Schools – 8th Grade Science
8.E.2.2
I can classify the three types of rocks.
I can interpret changes in earth’s lithosphere.
I can interpret how rocks, fossils and ice cores provide evidence
of Earth’s past.
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I will create a model of the rock cycle.
I will describe how mountains form.
I will model how faults shift and change earth’s crust.
I will recognize how ice cores provide evidence of past climate.
The ISS Curriculum Guide is adapted from NC DPI
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/standards/common-core-tools/
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