8th Grade Science Standards
Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science
SC.8.N.1.4 Explain how hypotheses are valuable if they lead to further investigations, even if they turn out not to be supported by the data.
SC.8.N.1.5 Analyze the methods used to develop a scientific explanation as seen in different fields of science.
SC.8.N.1.6 Understand that scientific investigations involve the collection of relevant empirical evidence, the use of logical reasoning, and the application of imagination in devising hypotheses, predictions, explanations and models to make sense of the collected evidence.
Big Idea 2: The Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge
SC.8.N.2.1 Distinguish between scientific and pseudoscientific ideas.
Big Idea 3: The Role of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses, and Models
SC.8.N.3.1 Select models useful in relating the results of their own investigations
SC.8.N.3.2 Explain why theories may be modified but are rarely discarded.
Big Idea 4: Science and Society
SC.8.N.4.1 Explain that science is one of the processes that can be used to inform decision making at the community, state, national, and international levels.
SC.8.N.4.2 Explain how political, social, and economic concerns can affect science, and vice versa.
Big Idea 5: Earth and Space in Time
SC.8.E.5.1 Recognize that there are enormous distances between objects in space and apply our knowledge of light and space travel to understand this distance.
SC.8.E.5.2 Recognize that the universe contains many billions of galaxies and that each galaxy contains many billions of stars.
SC.8.E.5.3 Distinguish the hierarchical relationships between planets and other astronomical bodies relative to solar system, galaxy, and universe, including distance, size, and composition.
SC.8.E.5.4 Explore the Law of Universal Gravitation by explaining the role that gravity plays in the formation of planets, stars, and solar systems and in determining their motions.
SC.8.E.5.5 Describe and classify specific physical properties of stars: apparent magnitude (brightness), temperature (color), size, and luminosity (absolute brightness).
SC.8.E.5.6 Create models of solar properties including: rotation, structure of the Sun, convection, sunspots, solar flares, and prominences.
SC.8.E.5.7 Compare and contrast the properties of objects in the Solar System including the Sun, planets, and moons to those of Earth, such as gravitational force, distance from the Sun, speed, movement, temperature, and atmospheric conditions
SC.8.E.5.8 Compare various historical models of the Solar System, including geocentric and heliocentric.
SC.8.E.5.9 Explain the impact of objects in space on each other including: 1. the Sun on the Earth including seasons and gravitational attraction 2. the Moon on the Earth, including phases, tides, and eclipses, and the relative position of each body
SC.8.E.5.10 Assess how technology is essential to science for such purposes as access to outer space and other remote locations, sample collection, measurement, data collection and storage, computation, and communication of information.
SC.8.E.5.11 Identify and compare characteristics of the electromagnetic spectrum such as wavelength, frequency, use, and hazards and recognize its application to an understanding of planetary images and satellite photographs.
SC.8.E.5.12 Summarize the effects of space exploration on the economy and culture of Florida.
Big Idea 8: Properties of Matter
SC.8.P.8.1 Explore the scientific theory of atoms (also known as atomic theory) by using models to explain the motion of particles in solids, liquids, and gases.
SC.8.P.8.2 Differentiate between weight and mass recognizing that weight is the amount of gravitational pull on an object and is distinct from, though proportional to, mass.
SC.8.P.8.3 Explore and describe the densities of various materials through measurement of their masses and volumes.
SC.8.P.8.4 Classify and compare substances on the basis of characteristic physical properties that can be demonstrated or measured; for example, density, thermal or electrical conductivity, solubility, magnetic properties, melting and boiling points, and know that these properties are independent of the amount of the sample.
SC.8.P.8.5 Recognize that there are a finite number of elements and that their atoms combine in a multitude of ways to produce compounds that make up all of the living and nonliving things that we encounter.
SC.8.P.8.6 Recognize that elements are grouped in the periodic table according to similarities of their properties.
SC.8.P.8.7 Explore the scientific theory of atoms (also known as atomic theory) by recognizing that atoms are the smallest unit of an element and are composed of sub-atomic particles (electrons surrounding a nucleus containing protons and neutrons).
SC.8.P.8.8 Identify basic examples of and compare and classify the properties of compounds, including acids, bases, and salts.
SC.8.P.8.9 Distinguish among mixtures (including solutions) and pure substances.
Big Idea 9: Changes in Matter
SC.8.P.9.1 Explore the Law of Conservation of Mass by demonstrating and concluding that mass is conserved when substances undergo physical and chemical changes.
SC.8.P.9.2 Differentiate between physical changes and chemical changes.
SC.8.P.9.3 Investigate and describe how temperature influences chemical changes.
Big Idea 18: Matter and Energy Transformation
SC.8.L.18.1 Describe and investigate the process of photosynthesis, such as the roles of light, carbon dioxide, water and chlorophyll; production of food; release of oxygen.
SC.8.L.18.2 Describe and investigate how cellular respiration breaks down food to provide energy and releases carbon dioxide.
SC.8.L.18.3 Construct a scientific model of the carbon cycle to show how matter and energy are continuously transferred within and between organisms and their physical environment.
SC.8.L.18.4 Cite evidence that living systems follow the Laws of Conservation of Mass and Energy.
SC.8.N.1.4 Explain how hypotheses are valuable if they lead to further investigations, even if they turn out not to be supported by the data.
SC.8.N.1.5 Analyze the methods used to develop a scientific explanation as seen in different fields of science.
SC.8.N.1.6 Understand that scientific investigations involve the collection of relevant empirical evidence, the use of logical reasoning, and the application of imagination in devising hypotheses, predictions, explanations and models to make sense of the collected evidence.
Big Idea 2: The Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge
SC.8.N.2.1 Distinguish between scientific and pseudoscientific ideas.
Big Idea 3: The Role of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses, and Models
SC.8.N.3.1 Select models useful in relating the results of their own investigations
SC.8.N.3.2 Explain why theories may be modified but are rarely discarded.
Big Idea 4: Science and Society
SC.8.N.4.1 Explain that science is one of the processes that can be used to inform decision making at the community, state, national, and international levels.
SC.8.N.4.2 Explain how political, social, and economic concerns can affect science, and vice versa.
Big Idea 5: Earth and Space in Time
SC.8.E.5.1 Recognize that there are enormous distances between objects in space and apply our knowledge of light and space travel to understand this distance.
SC.8.E.5.2 Recognize that the universe contains many billions of galaxies and that each galaxy contains many billions of stars.
SC.8.E.5.3 Distinguish the hierarchical relationships between planets and other astronomical bodies relative to solar system, galaxy, and universe, including distance, size, and composition.
SC.8.E.5.4 Explore the Law of Universal Gravitation by explaining the role that gravity plays in the formation of planets, stars, and solar systems and in determining their motions.
SC.8.E.5.5 Describe and classify specific physical properties of stars: apparent magnitude (brightness), temperature (color), size, and luminosity (absolute brightness).
SC.8.E.5.6 Create models of solar properties including: rotation, structure of the Sun, convection, sunspots, solar flares, and prominences.
SC.8.E.5.7 Compare and contrast the properties of objects in the Solar System including the Sun, planets, and moons to those of Earth, such as gravitational force, distance from the Sun, speed, movement, temperature, and atmospheric conditions
SC.8.E.5.8 Compare various historical models of the Solar System, including geocentric and heliocentric.
SC.8.E.5.9 Explain the impact of objects in space on each other including: 1. the Sun on the Earth including seasons and gravitational attraction 2. the Moon on the Earth, including phases, tides, and eclipses, and the relative position of each body
SC.8.E.5.10 Assess how technology is essential to science for such purposes as access to outer space and other remote locations, sample collection, measurement, data collection and storage, computation, and communication of information.
SC.8.E.5.11 Identify and compare characteristics of the electromagnetic spectrum such as wavelength, frequency, use, and hazards and recognize its application to an understanding of planetary images and satellite photographs.
SC.8.E.5.12 Summarize the effects of space exploration on the economy and culture of Florida.
Big Idea 8: Properties of Matter
SC.8.P.8.1 Explore the scientific theory of atoms (also known as atomic theory) by using models to explain the motion of particles in solids, liquids, and gases.
SC.8.P.8.2 Differentiate between weight and mass recognizing that weight is the amount of gravitational pull on an object and is distinct from, though proportional to, mass.
SC.8.P.8.3 Explore and describe the densities of various materials through measurement of their masses and volumes.
SC.8.P.8.4 Classify and compare substances on the basis of characteristic physical properties that can be demonstrated or measured; for example, density, thermal or electrical conductivity, solubility, magnetic properties, melting and boiling points, and know that these properties are independent of the amount of the sample.
SC.8.P.8.5 Recognize that there are a finite number of elements and that their atoms combine in a multitude of ways to produce compounds that make up all of the living and nonliving things that we encounter.
SC.8.P.8.6 Recognize that elements are grouped in the periodic table according to similarities of their properties.
SC.8.P.8.7 Explore the scientific theory of atoms (also known as atomic theory) by recognizing that atoms are the smallest unit of an element and are composed of sub-atomic particles (electrons surrounding a nucleus containing protons and neutrons).
SC.8.P.8.8 Identify basic examples of and compare and classify the properties of compounds, including acids, bases, and salts.
SC.8.P.8.9 Distinguish among mixtures (including solutions) and pure substances.
Big Idea 9: Changes in Matter
SC.8.P.9.1 Explore the Law of Conservation of Mass by demonstrating and concluding that mass is conserved when substances undergo physical and chemical changes.
SC.8.P.9.2 Differentiate between physical changes and chemical changes.
SC.8.P.9.3 Investigate and describe how temperature influences chemical changes.
Big Idea 18: Matter and Energy Transformation
SC.8.L.18.1 Describe and investigate the process of photosynthesis, such as the roles of light, carbon dioxide, water and chlorophyll; production of food; release of oxygen.
SC.8.L.18.2 Describe and investigate how cellular respiration breaks down food to provide energy and releases carbon dioxide.
SC.8.L.18.3 Construct a scientific model of the carbon cycle to show how matter and energy are continuously transferred within and between organisms and their physical environment.
SC.8.L.18.4 Cite evidence that living systems follow the Laws of Conservation of Mass and Energy.