8th GRADE SCIENCE
2015-2016 Pacing Guide
Unit
Days
Introduction
(Day 1)
1 Day
Scientific
Inquiry
~5
Days
Comp/
Objective
What key words/phrases identify
specific scientific concepts students
should KNOW?
What key words/phrases identify specific scientific
concepts should students DEMONSTRATE?
Introduction to the course
1a
1b
1c
1d
1e
1f
1g
1h
Introduce concepts related to
experimental design; Control; Dependent
vs. Independent variable; Hypothesis;
Qualitative vs. Quantitative observations;
Inferences; Units of measurement;
Measurement tools (rulers,
thermometers, scales, hand lenses,
microscopes, balances, clocks,
calculators, anemometers, rain gauges,
barometers, etc.); Types of data; Sources
of research information;
This unit does not need to be taught in
consecutive days, but all concepts should
be introduced by day 41. It is
recommended that 4 days be direct
instruction on inquiry, and the remaining
4 days be embedded throughout the next
4 units.
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Forces and
Motion
6 Days
2c
Motion of objects based on position,
direction, speed, and acceleration
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Newton’s
6 Days
2f
Examples of Newton’s three laws;

Design and conduct an experiment
Summarize data
Determine cause and effect relationship between
qualitative and quantitative observations
Infer based on observations
Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative
data
Develop and defend conclusions
Develop and defend solutions for problems
Justify importance of revising conclusions
Analyze data and ideas
Recognize the value of skepticism in considering
alternative conclusions
Analyze conclusions
Distinguish an object’s motion according to its
relative position
Create and interpret motion graphs in order to
make predictions about the object’s motion
Evaluate the motion of two or more objects to
predict the effects of a collision
Recognize laws of motions
Unit
Days
Comp/
Objective
Laws of
Motion
What key words/phrases identify
specific scientific concepts students
should KNOW?
Inertia; Acceleration; Action/Reaction
forces
Electrical power grids; Electric circuits;
Generators; Mississippi power companies
and their role; Conservation of
nonrenewable and renewable resources;
Relationships of carbon, oxygen, and
carbon dioxide cycles.
Electrical
Energy and
Energy
Conservatio
n
What key words/phrases identify specific scientific
concepts should students DEMONSTRATE?

Identify situations that illustrate each law

Relate transfer of electrical energy
o Types of circuits: series, parallel, open,
closed
o
o
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10 Days
(4,5)
2d
4d
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Weather
Patterns
and
Forecasting
11 Days
(6,4)
4c
4h
4d
Use of atmospheric features and
technology by meteorologists for weather
forecasting; Temperature; Precipitation;
Wind(speed and direction); Dew point;
Relative humidity; Barometric pressure;
Transfer of thermal energy to create
vertical and horizontal movement of air
masses; Coriolis effect; Global wind
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Understand how electricity is made
Factors that affect the flow of electricity:
resistance, voltage, wattage
o Relate AC/DC current
Construct model of electrical grid
o Voltage decreases and increases
o Parts of the power grid
o Predict the outcome (negative/positive) of
altering the power grid
 Example: adding solar panels or
wind turbines to increase available
energy to power grid
Research importance of conservation
Justify methods used to decrease human impact
on global warming; Greenhouse gases;
Relationships among geochemical cycles (C, O2,
and CO2)
o Energy efficient devices
Examine weather forecasting
o Compare and contrast fronts, air masses,
high/low pressure, frontal boundaries and
the jet stream
Describe how meteorologists use atmospheric
features and technology to predict the weather
Track hurricanes using technology such as satellite
imagery; Understand contributions of local
Unit
October 6-7
Scientific
Inquiry
Days
Comp/
Objective
What key words/phrases identify
specific scientific concepts students
should KNOW?
patterns (trade winds, westerlies, jet
streams); Satellites and Computer
modeling; Relationships of the water
cycle (H2O)
What key words/phrases identify specific scientific
concepts should students DEMONSTRATE?

resources (John C. Stennis Space Center Applied
Research and Technology Project; NOAA, National
Weather Service)
Justify why an imaginary hurricane might or might
not hit a particular area
Cumulative 1st Benchmark
Integrate
into unit
lessons
as labs
~1 lab
per topic
1a
1b
1c
1d
1e
1f
1g
1h
Introduce concepts related to
experimental design; Control; Dependent
vs. Independent variable; Hypothesis;
Qualitative vs. Quantitative observations;
Inferences; Units of measurement;
Measurement tools (rulers,
thermometers, scales, hand lenses,
microscopes, balances, clocks,
calculators, anemometers, rain gauges,
barometers, etc.); Types of data; Sources
of research information; Develop and
defend conclusions; Solutions for
problems; Importance of revising
conclusions; Analysis of data and ideas;
Value of skepticism; Alternative
conclusions
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




Design and conduct an experiment
Summarize data
Determine cause and effect relationship between
qualitative and quantitative observations
Infer based on observations
Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative
data
Develop and defend conclusions
Develop and defend solutions for problems
Justify importance of revising conclusions
Analyze data and ideas
Recognize the value of skepticism in considering
alternative conclusions
Analyze conclusions
Four days are allowed to provide time for
inquiry concepts to be embedded and
reinforced through actual experimentation
during the next four units.
The Earth’s
Position
6 Days
4e
The impact of the Earth’s tilt and position
in relation to the sun on climatic zones,
seasons, and length of days

Explain how tilt and position of the Earth
determine climate, seasons, and length of days
Unit
Chemistry
and the
Periodic
Table
Cell
Structure,
Function
and
Tissues
Viruses,
Bacteria,
Fungi, and
Parasites
Days
15 Days
7 Days
9 Days
Comp/
Objective
2a
2b
3b
3c
3g
What key words/phrases identify
specific scientific concepts students
should KNOW?
Law of Conservation of Mass; Patterns
found in chemical symbols, formulas,
reactions, equations; Formulas of
common substances and the symbols for
the elements that comprise them: salt,
water, sugar, oxygen gas, carbon dioxide,
and nitrogen gas; Mass of reactants and
products after chemical reaction;
Balanced chemical equations
(photosynthesis and respiration);
Properties and interactions of elements in
the periodic table; Metals vs. Nonmetals;
Acids vs. Bases; Chemical changes such
as rusting, combustion, and food spoilage
Plant Cells vs. Animal Cells; Cell
structures and functions (nucleus,
cytoplasm, cell membrane, cell wall,
mitochondrion, and nuclear membrane);
Different types of tissues (epithelial,
nerve, bone, blood, muscle)
Structure of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and
parasites; Modes of infection; Impact of
viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites on
normal body function;
What key words/phrases identify specific scientific
concepts should students DEMONSTRATE?
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Identify the chemical symbols, formulas of
common substances, or reactions used in a
balanced equation (salt, water, sugar, oxygen gas,
carbon dioxide, nitrogen gas, rusting, combustion,
food spoilage, etc.)
Identify patterns found in chemical symbols,
formulas, reactions, and equations that apply to
the Law of Conservation of Mass
Balance chemical equations to illustrate the Law of
Conservation of Mass
Use the periodic table to identify the properties of
an element or a simple compound, such as metals
vs. nonmetals and ability to form of acids vs. bases
Predict the properties and interactions of given
elements using the periodic table of the elements.
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Compare and contrast types of Cells
Compare and contrast functions of Cells
Compare and contrast structures of Cells
Describe the functions of cell structures
Compare and contrast types of tissues

Describe causes of infection
o Identify of a virus
o Explain how a virus attaches to cells
o Understand virus attach only to specific
cells
 Ex: cold virus infects respiratory
system cells only (nose, lungs)
Compare and contrast virus and bacteria
Describe impact of infection
Describe how infections are transmitted or carried
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Unit
Days
Comp/
Objective
What key words/phrases identify
specific scientific concepts students
should KNOW?
What key words/phrases identify specific scientific
concepts should students DEMONSTRATE?
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December
16-17
Scientific
Inquiry
o vectors such as mosquitoes
Investigate the role of single-celled organisms in
health, industry and food production
o Investigate how yeast uses fermentation
to convert sugars into products used by
industry
o Ex: bread, alcohols(ethanol)
Research how microorganisms impact everyday
human life
Identify common parasites and their effects
Identify common fungi
o Ex: Athletes foot and treatment
Compare and contrast the benefits and drawbacks
of vaccines
Cumulative 2nd Benchmark
To be
integrate
d into
each
unitInquiry
Labs
~5 labs
1a
1b
1c
1d
1e
1f
1g
1h
Introduce concepts related to
experimental design; Control; Dependent
vs. Independent variable; Hypothesis;
Qualitative vs. Quantitative observations;
Inferences; Units of measurement;
Measurement tools (rulers,
thermometers, scales, hand lenses,
microscopes, balances, clocks,
calculators, anemometers, rain gauges,
barometers, etc.); Types of data; Sources
of research information; Develop and
defend conclusions; Solutions for
problems; Importance of revising
conclusions; Analysis of data and ideas;
Value of skepticism; Alternative
conclusions











Design and conduct an experiment
Summarize data
Determine cause and effect relationship between
qualitative and quantitative observations
Infer based on observations
Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative
data
Develop and defend conclusions
Develop and defend solutions for problems
Justify importance of revising conclusions
Analyze data and ideas
Recognize the value of skepticism in considering
alternative conclusions
Analyze conclusions
Unit
Days
Comp/
Objective
What key words/phrases identify
specific scientific concepts students
should KNOW?
What key words/phrases identify specific scientific
concepts should students DEMONSTRATE?
Five days are allowed to provide time for
inquiry concepts to be embedded and
reinforced through actual experimentation
during the next five units.
Genetics
and
Heredity
10 Days
3d
Heredity of traits from parents to
offspring through pairs of genes;
Hierarchy of DNA, genes, and
chromosomes; Phenotypes vs.
Genotypes;

Describe process of heredity
o genes, alleles, complete dominance,
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Construct, calculate, and analyze Punnett squares
Predict genotypes and phenotypes using Punnett
squares
Analyze a pedigree diagram to predict the
inheritance for a particular trait for a family
member
Develop a logical argument for or against selective
breeding and genetic engineering
o GMO
o cloning
o Stem cell research
Justify findings with evidence
Identify examples of selective breeding and genetic

Genetic
Engineering
5 Days
3f
Selective breeding; Genetic engineering;
Research in Mississippi (Animal Functional
Genomics Lab at Mississippi State Univ,
Stoneville Pedigreed Seed Company,
Catfish Genetics Research Unit at Thad
Cochran National Warm Water
Aquaculture Center); Understand pros
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codominance, incomplete dominance
Unit
Adaptations
and
Evolution
Energy Flow
and
Ecosystems
Days
9 Days
10 Days
Comp/
Objective
3a
3e
3h
4d
What key words/phrases identify
specific scientific concepts students
should KNOW?
and cons of current research
Role of adaptations in survival and
reproduction; Influence of environmental
conditions on organisms’ abilities to
survive and reproduce (desert, aquatic,
high altitude); Ecological niche,
Evolutionary change; Extinction
Energy flow in ecosystems; Energy
pyramids; Food chains; Food webs; Role
of producers, consumers, and
decomposers in ecosystems; Respiration
to meet energy needs (oxidation and
heat)
What key words/phrases identify specific scientific
concepts should students DEMONSTRATE?
engineering

Analyze impact of adaptations on an organism’s
survival and reproduction
o Ex: peppered moth, giraffes
o Survival of the fittest

Distinguish among populations, communities,
habitats, niches, ecosystems, and biomes
Explain energy flow in an ecosystem
Analyze the food web of an ecosystem in which the
population of an organism has been altered
(increased/decreased) to explain how this change
may affect another member(s) of the food web
system
Describe an organism’s sources of energy
o primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary
o Energy pyramid-energy decreases as you
move up the pyramid
Relationships among carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and
oxygen cycles
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Unit
Scientific
Inquiry
Days
To be
integrate
d into
units as
inquiry
labs
~2 labs
Comp/
Objective
1a
1b
1c
1d
1e
1f
1g
1h
What key words/phrases identify
specific scientific concepts students
should KNOW?
Introduce concepts related to
experimental design; Control; Dependent
vs. Independent variable; Hypothesis;
Qualitative vs. Quantitative observations;
Inferences; Units of measurement;
Measurement tools (rulers,
thermometers, scales, hand lenses,
microscopes, balances, clocks,
calculators, anemometers, rain gauges,
barometers, etc.); Types of data; Sources
of research information; Develop and
defend conclusions; Solutions for
problems; Importance of revising
conclusions; Analysis of data and ideas;
Value of skepticism; Alternative
conclusions
What key words/phrases identify specific scientific
concepts should students DEMONSTRATE?











Design and conduct an experiment
Summarize data
Determine cause and effect relationship between
qualitative and quantitative observations
Infer based on observations
Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative
data
Develop and defend conclusions
Develop and defend solutions for problems
Justify importance of revising conclusions
Analyze data and ideas
Recognize the value of skepticism in considering
alternative conclusions
Analyze conclusions
Two days are allowed to provide time for
inquiry concepts to be embedded and
reinforced through actual experimentation
during the remaining units.
Structure
and
Composition
of the Earth
Layers of the Earth; Lithosphere vs.
Asthenosphere; Tectonic forces (faulting
and folding)
6 Days
4a
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Movement
of the Earth
6 Days
4b
Relationship between composition and
movement of lithospheric plates; Use
seismic data to study seismic wave

Compare composition, density, and location of
continental and oceanic crust
Compare and contrast asthenosphere and
lithosphere
Understand how the lithosphere responds to
tectonic forces (folding and faulting)
Compare and contrast folding and faulting
Describe cause and effect relationship between the
composition and movement within the Earth’s
lithosphere
Unit
Days
Comp/
Objective
What key words/phrases identify
specific scientific concepts students
should KNOW?
velocities of earthquakes and volcanoes;
Lithospheric plate boundaries; Location of
volcanoes; Continental drift and today’s
distribution of continents; Pangaea
What key words/phrases identify specific scientific
concepts should students DEMONSTRATE?
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Stars,
Galaxies,
and the
Electromagn
etic
Spectrum
Developmen
t of Natural
Products
10 Days
(6,4)
To be
integrated
into units
as needed
(example
in
resources)
4f
2e
4g
Hierarchical structure of the universe
(stars, clusters, galaxies, galactic
clusters); Expansion of the universe; Age
and history of universe; Techniques for
measuring distances (radio, infrared,
ultraviolet, and X-ray); Contrast
components of the electromagnetic
spectrum (infrared, visible light,
ultraviolet); Impact of EM spectrum on
living things
Importance of research and use of
technology of useful natural products;
Role of Mississippi research in
development and commercialization
(Thad Cochran National Center for
Natural Products Research, Jamie Whitten
Delta States Research Center, and the
Mississippi Polymer Institute at the
University of Southern Mississippi)
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
o Convection current
Determine the different landforms and features of
interacting plate boundaries
o convergent, divergent, transform (strike-
slip), trenches, volcanoes, subduction,
mountains, ridges
Analyze seismic wave velocities of earthquakes and
volcanoes to lithospheric plate boundaries using
seismic data
Predict geologic phenomena based on the
composition and movement of interacting plates
o continental drift theory, Pangaea
Describe the hierarchal structure of the universe
Examine the expanding universe
Examine techniques used to measure objects and
distance in the universe
Contrast various components of the
electromagnetic spectrum
o Predict impact on living things
Justify importance of research and technology for
the development of and commercial use of
natural products
o Genetic Engineering-GMOs
o Conservation of Natural Resources
o Positive uses of single-celled organisms in
health, industry, and food
Unit
April 12-13
May 2-May
13, 2016
Days
What key words/phrases identify
specific scientific concepts students
should KNOW?
Comprehensive 3rd Benchmark
Comp/
Objective
MST2 Online Testing Window
What key words/phrases identify specific scientific
concepts should students DEMONSTRATE?