2016-2017 Revised 8th Grade Curriculum Outline
Unit 1 - Structure and Properties of Matter
NGSS Spiral Text, pg. 211
Essential Questions:
How can particles combine to produce a substance with different properties?
How does thermal energy affect particles?
Key Concepts:
● Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.(MS-PS1-1)
○ Substances are made from different types of atoms, which combine with one another in various ways. Atoms form molecules that range in size from two to thousands of atoms. (MS-PS1-1)
○ Solids may be formed from molecules, or they may be extended structures with repeating subunits (e.g., crystals). (MS-PS1-1)
● Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society. (MS-PS1-3)
○ Each pure substance has characteristic physical and chemical properties (for any bulk quantity under given conditions) that can be used to identify it. (MS-PS1-3) (Note: This Disciplinary Core Idea is also addressed by MS-PS1-2.)
○ Substances react chemically in characteristic ways. In a chemical process, the atoms that make up the original substances are regrouped into different molecules, and these new substances have different properties from those of the reactants. (MS-PS1-3) (Note: This Disciplinary Core Idea is also addressed by MS-PS1-2 and MS-PS1-5.)
● Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed. (MS-PS1-4)
○ Gases and liquids are made of molecules or inert atoms that are moving about relative to each other. (MS-PS1-4)
○ In a liquid, the molecules are constantly in contact with others; in a gas, they are widely spaced except when they happen to collide. In a solid, atoms are closely spaced and may vibrate in position but do not change relative locations. (MS-PS1-4)
○ The changes of state that occur with variations in temperature or pressure can be described and predicted using these models of matter. (MS-PS1-4)
○ The term “heat” as used in everyday language refers both to thermal energy (the motion of atoms or molecules within a substance) and the transfer of that thermal energy from one object to another. In science, heat is used only for this second meaning; it refers to the energy transferred due to the temperature difference between two objects. (secondary to MS-PS1-4)
○ The temperature of a system is proportional to the average internal kinetic energy per atom or molecule (whichever is the appropriate building block for the system’s material). The details of that relationship depend on the type of atom or molecule and the interactions among the atoms in the material. Temperature is not a direct measure of a system's total thermal energy. The total thermal energy (sometimes called the total internal energy) of a system depends jointly on the temperature, the total number of atoms in the system, and the state of the material. (secondary to MS-PS1-4)
● Identify unknown substances based on data regarding their physical and chemical properties.
● Predict the physical and chemical properties of elements based on their positions on the Periodic Table.
Chemical Building Blocks Text:
Chapter 1: Section 1-Describing Matter
● Section Concepts
○ What kinds of properties are used to describe matter?
○ What are elements, and how do they relate to compounds?
○ What are the properties of a mixture?
● Key Terms:
○ matter
○ chemistry
○ substance
○ physical property
○ chemical property
○ element
○ atom
○ chemical bond
○ molecule
○ compound
○ chemical formula
○ mixture
○ heterogeneous mixture
○ homogeneous mixture
○ solution
Chapter 1: Section 2 - Measuring Matter
● Section Concepts
○ What is the difference between weight and mass?
○ What units are used to express the amount of space occupied by matter?
○ How is the density of a material determined?
● Key Terms:
○ weight
○ mass
○ International System of Units
○ volume
○ density
Chapter 1: Section 3 - Changes in Matter
● Section Concepts
○ What is a physical change?
○ What is a chemical change?
○ How are changes in matter related to changes in energy?
● Key Terms:
○ physical change
○ chemical change
○ law of conservation of mass
○ energy
○ temperature
○ thermal energy
○ endothermic change
○ exothermic change
Chapter 2: Section 1- States of Matter
● Section Concepts
○ What are the characteristics of a solid?
○ What are the characteristics of a liquid?
○ What are the characteristics of a gas?
● Key Terms:
○ solid
○ crystalline solid
○ amorphous solid
○ liquid
○ fluid
○ surface tension
○ viscosity
○ gas
Chapter 2: Section 2 - Changes of State
● Section Concepts
○ What happens to a substance during changes between solid and liquid?
○ What happens to a substance during changes between liquid and gas?
○ What happens to a substance during changes between solid and gas?
● Key Terms
○ melting
○ melting point
○ freezing
○ vaporization
○ evaporation
○ boiling
○ boiling point
○ condensation
○ sublimation
Chapter 3: Section 1- Introduction to atoms
● Section Concepts
○ What is the structure of an atom?
○ How are elements described in terms of their atoms?
○ Why are models useful for understanding atoms?
● Key Terms:
○ nucleus
○ proton
○ neutron
○ electron
○ atomic number
○ isotope
○ mass number
○ model
Chapter 3: Section 2 - Organizing the Elements
● Section Concepts
○ What data about elements are found in the periodic table?
○ How is the organization of the periodic table useful for predicting the properties of elements?
● Key Terms:
○ atomic mass
○ periodic table
○ chemical symbol
○ period
○ group
Chapter 3: Section 3 - Metals
● Section Concepts
○ What are the physical properties of metals?
○ How does the reactivity of metals change across the periodic table?
● Key Terms
○ metal
○ malleable
○ ductile
○ conductivity
○ reactivity
○ corrosion
○ alkali metal
○ alkaline earth metal
○ transition metal
○ alloy
Chapter 3: Section 4 - Nonmetals and Metalloids
● Section Concepts
○ What are the properties of nonmetals?
○ How are the metalloids useful?
● Key Terms
○ nonmetal
○ diatomic molecule
○ halogen
○ noble gas
○ metalloid
○ semiconductor
Unit 2 - Chemical Reactions
NGSS Spiral Text, pg. 213
Essential Questions:
What happens when new materials are formed? What stays the same and what changes?
Key Concepts
● Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred. (MS-PS1-2)
○ Each pure substance has characteristic physical and chemical properties (for any bulk quantity under given conditions) that can be used to identify it. (MS-PS1-2) (Note: This Disciplinary Core Idea is also addressed by MS-PS1-3.)
○ Substances react chemically in characteristic ways. In a chemical process, the atoms that make up the original substances are regrouped into different molecules, and these new substances have different properties from those of the reactants. (MS-PS1-2),(MS-PS1-5) (Note: This Disciplinary Core Idea is also addressed by MS-PS1-3.)
● Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved. (MS-PS1-5)
○ The total number of each type of atom is conserved, and thus the mass does not change. (MS-PS1-5)
● Undertake a design project to construct, test, and modify a device that either releases or absorbs thermal energy by chemical processes. (MS-PS1-6)
○ Some chemical reactions release energy, others store energy. (MS-PS1-6)
○ A solution needs to be tested, and then modified on the basis of the test results, in order to improve it. (secondary to MS-PS1-6)
○ Although one design may not perform the best across all tests, identifying the characteristics of the design that performed the best in each test can provide useful information for the redesign process that is, some of the characteristics may be incorporated into the new design. (secondary to MS-PS1-6)
○ The iterative process of testing the most promising solutions and modifying what is proposed on the basis of the test results leads to greater refinement and ultimately to an optimal solution. (secondary to MS-PS1-6)
● Design qualitative investigations to differentiate between physical and chemical changes in matter. (PS1.A; PS1.B)
Chemical Interactions Text:
Chapter 1: Section 1 - Elements and Atoms
● Section Concepts
○ Why are elements sometimes called the building blocks of matter?
○ How did atomic theory develop and change?
● Key Terms
○ matter
○ element
○ compound
○ mixture
○ atom
○ scientific theory
○ model
○ electrons
○ nucleus
○ protons
○ energy level
○ neutrons
Chapter 1: Section 2 - Atoms, Bonding and the Periodic Table
● Section Concepts
○ How is the reactivity of elements related to its position on the periodic table?
○ What does the periodic table tell you about the atoms and the properties of elements?
● Key Terms
○ valence electrons)
○ (electron dot diagram)
○ chemical bond
○ symbol
○ atomic number
○ period
○ group
○ family
○ noble gas
○ halogen
○ alkali metal
Chapter 1: Section 3 - Ionic Bonds
● Section Concepts
○ What is an ion?
○ What does a chemical formula tell you about a molecule?
● Key Terms
○ ion
○ chemical formula
○ subscript
Chapter 1: Section 4 - Covalent Bonds
● Section Concepts
○ What are the properties of molecular compounds?
● Key Terms
○ molecule
○ molecular compound
Chapter 2: Section 1 - Observing Chemical Changes
● Section Concepts
○ How can matter and changes in matter be described?
○ How can you tell when a chemical reaction occurs?
● Key Terms
○ matter
○ chemistry
○ physical property
○ chemical property
○ physical change
○ chemical reaction
○ precipitate
○ endothermic reaction
○ exothermic reaction
Chapter 2: Section 2 - Describing Chemical Equations
● Section Concepts
○ What does the principle of conservation of mass state?
○ What information does a chemical equation contain?
○ What must a balanced chemical equation show?
● Key Terms
○ chemical equation
○ reactant
○ product
○ conservation of mass
○ open system
○ closed system
○ coefficient
Chapter 3: Section 1 - Understanding Solutions
● Section Concepts
○ What are the characteristics of solutions, colloids, and suspensions?
○ How do solutes affect the freezing point and boiling point of a solvent?
○ What happens to the particles of a solute when a solution forms?
● Key Terms:
○ solution
○ solvent
○ solute
○ colloid
○ suspension
Chapter 3: Section 2 - Concentration and Solubility
● Section Concepts
○ How is concentrated measured?
○ Why is solubility useful in identifying substances?
○ What factors affect the solubility of a substance?
● Key Terms:
○ dilute solution
○ concentrated solution
○ solubility
○ saturated solution
○ unsaturated solution
○ supersaturated solution
Unit 3 - Growth, Development, and Reproduction of Organisms
NGSS Spiral, pg. 228
Essential Questions:
How do organisms grow, develop, and reproduce?
Key Concepts:
● Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively. (MS-LS1-4)
○ Animals engage in characteristic behaviors that increase the odds of reproduction. (MS-LS1-4)
○ Plants reproduce in a variety of ways, sometimes depending on animal behavior and specialized features for reproduction. (MS-LS1-4)
● Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms. (MS-LS1-5)
○ Genetic factors as well as local conditions affect the growth of the adult plant. (MS-LS1-5)
● Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism. (MS-LS3-1)
○ Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms. (MS-LS3-1)
○ Genes are located in the chromosomes of cells, with each chromosome pair containing two variants of each of many distinct genes. Each distinct gene chiefly controls the production of specific proteins, which in turn affects the traits of the individual. Changes (mutations) to genes can result in changes to proteins, which can affect the structures and functions of the organism and thereby change traits. (MS-LS3-1)
○ In addition to variations that arise from sexual reproduction, genetic information can be altered because of mutations. Though rare, mutations may result in changes to the structure and function of proteins. Some changes are beneficial, others harmful, and some neutral to the organism. (MS-LS3-1)
● Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation. (MS-LS3-2)
○ Organisms reproduce, either sexually or asexually, and transfer their genetic information to their offspring. (secondary to MS-LS3-2)
○ In sexually reproducing organisms, each parent contributes half of the genes acquired (at random) by the offspring. Individuals have two of each chromosome and hence two alleles of each gene, one acquired from each parent. These versions may be identical or may differ from each other. (MS-LS3-2)
● Gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms. (MS-LS4-5)
○ In artificial selection, humans have the capacity to influence certain characteristics of organisms by selective breeding. One can choose desired parental traits determined by genes, which are then passed onto offspring. (MS-LS4-5)