Next Generation Science Curriculum Map
Course: __8th grade___
_1st__9 Weeks
Science Standards & Objectives
Review
Introduce
Instructional Materials and Activities
Science Literacy
Objectives-Students will:
S.6-8.L.3 Follow precisely a multistep procedure when
carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or
performing technical skills
Lab safety
T – pages NOS 4 – 31 / A – NOS 19 / A - NOS 28-29
T – pages SR-2 – SR -13
Scientific Method
Measurement –
metric system
Physical Science Content
Structure and Properties of Matter
Objectives-Students will:
S.8.PS.1 Develop models to describe the atomic
composition of simple molecules and extended structures
Periodic Table
(groupings and
numerical values),
states of matter
S.8.PS.2 Gather and make sense of information to
describe that synthetic materials come from natural
resources and impact society
S.8.PS.3 Develop model that predicts and describes
changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a
pure substance when thermal energy is added or
removed
T – items from textbook
A – activities from textbook or lab manual
Atomic model,
valence electrons,
chemical bonding,
writing chemical
formulas
T – Chapter 7 & 8
A – MiniLab 280, 305
A – 256-257
A – Project-Based Activity “Model Molecules”
A – Project-Based Activity “Protect Your Noggin”
T – 199, 276, 303
Uses of natural
resources
Relationship of
thermal energy and
temperature,
transfer of thermal
energy, uses of
thermal energy
T - Chapter 5 (169, 173)
T – Chapter 6 (200-204, 208-213, 218)
A - 165
A – MiniLab 177, 214
A – 188-189
O – activities from other sources (give specific location)
Next Generation Science Curriculum Map
Course: __8th grade___
_2nd 9 Weeks
Science Standards & Objectives
Review
Introduce
Instructional Materials and Activities
Chemical Reactions
Objectives-Students will:
S.8.PS.4 Analyze and interpret data on the properties of
substances before and after the substances interact to
determine if a chemical reaction has occurred
Physical and
chemical
changes
S.8.PS.5 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
S.8.PS.6 Undertake a design project to construct, test,
and modify a device that either releases or absorbs
thermal energy by chemical processes
T – items from textbook
A – activities from textbook or lab manual
Chemical formulas
and equations,
types of chemical
reactions, the law of
conservation of
mass, balancing
equations, energy
changes in chemical
reactions
T – Chapter 9 (303)
A – page 301
A – Skills Practice 310
A – Project-Based Activity “A Tale of Two Changes”
T – Chapter 8 (276)
T – Chapter 9
A – Project-Based Activity “All Things Equal”
T – Chapter 9 (302, 318-319)
A – page 318
A – Project-Based Activity “Warm It Up!” (Leopard
book)
A – 454-455 (Leopard book)
O – activities from other sources (give specific location)
Next Generation Science Curriculum Map
Course: __8th grade___
_3rd_9 Weeks
Science Standards & Objectives
Review
Introduce
Instructional Materials and Activities
Life Science Content
Growth, Development, and Reproduction of Organisms
Objectives – Students will:
S.8.LS.3 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 an organism
Cell organelles
Cell division,
mutations, DNA
replication
S.8.LS.4 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
Predicting genetic
Probability/ratios outcomes/Punnett
squares, patterns of
(math skill)
inheritance,
adaptations
S.8.LS.5 Gather and synthesize information about the
technologies that have changed the way humans
influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms
Mendel’s
experiments
Selective breeding,
genetic engineering
Natural Selection and Adaptations
Mutations, natural
selection,
adaptations
S.8.LS.9 Construct an explanation based on evidence
that describes how genetic variations of traits in a
population increase some individual’s probability of
surviving and reproducing in a specific environment
S.8.LS.10 Use mathematical representations to support
explanations of how natural selection may lead to
increases and decreases of specific traits in populations
over time
T – items from textbook
Reading graphs
A activities from textbook or lab manual
A – Project-Based Activity “Model Mighty Mutations”
(Leopard book)
A – Launch Lab 174 (Leopard book)
T – 136, 163-164, 174, 177-180, 205 (Leopard book)
T – 793, 806 (Owl book)
A – Project-Based Activity “It’s in the Cards”
A – Launch Lab 793, 802
A – MiniLab 797, 803
A – Skills Practice 809
A – 818 – 819
T – Chapter 22 (793-798, 802-807)
A – Project-Based Activity “Foods of the Future”
T – Chapter 22 (796-797, 807)
A – Project-Based Activity “Spot On”
A – Launch Lab 811
A – MiniLab 813
T – Chapter 22 (811-816)
A – Project-Based Activity “Population Probability”
A – MiniLab 813
T – Chapter 22 (811-816)
O – activities from other sources (give specific location)
Next Generation Science Curriculum Map
Course: ___8th grade__
Science Standards & Objectives
_4th_9 Weeks
Review
Introduce
S.8.LS.1 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
Asexual and
sexual
reproduction
Plant reproduction
S.8.LS.2 Construct a scientific explanation based on
evidence for how environmental and genetic factors
influence the growth of organisms
Essentials for
life
Environmental and
genetic factors
influencing growth
Fossils
Geological time
scale, concepts of
diversity &
extinction
Instructional Materials and Activities
Growth, Development, and Reproduction of Organisms
Objectives – Students will:
Natural Selection and Adaptations
S.8.LS.6 Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the
fossil record that document the existence, diversity,
extinction, and change of life forms throughout the
history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural
laws operate today as in the past
S.8.LS.7 Apply scientific ideas to construct an
explanation for the anatomical similarities and
differences among modern organisms and between
modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary
relationships
Comparative
anatomy
S.8.LS.8 Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare
patterns of similarities in the embryological development
across multiple species to identify relationships not
evident in the fully formed anatomy
Embryological
development
A – Project-Based Activity “The Burrs and the Bees”
(Frog book)
T - 252-257 (Frog Book)
A – Launch Lab 289, 296 (Leopard book)
A – MiniLab 133 (Leopard book)
T – Careers in Science 127 (Leopard book)
A – Project-Based Activity “Ready, Set, Grow!”
A – Project-Based Activity “Set in Stone” (Leopard
book)
A – MiniLab 199 (Leopard book)
T – Chapter 6 (193-199) (Leopard book)
T – Chapter 16 & 17 (Owl book)
A - 590-591 (Owl book)
A – Skills Practice 607 (Owl book)
A – Project-Based Activity “It’s All Relative” (Leopard
book)
A – MiniLab 199 (Leopard book)
T – Chapter 6 (199, 213-215) (Leopard book)
A – Project-Based Activity “If you’ve seen one…”
(Leopard book)
T – 216 (Leopard book)
Human Impacts
S.8.ESS.1 Construct an argument supported by evidence
for how increases in human populations and per-capita
consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems
T – items from textbook
Natural
resources
A – activities from textbook or lab manual
Human impact on
Earth’s systems
(land, water,
atmosphere)
O – activities from other sources (give specific location)
NxtG Essential Curriculum Map
Course: ____8th grade__
A – Project-Based Activity “7 Billion and Counting”
T – Chapter 20 (719-721, 727-729)
A – Launch Lab 719
A – 750-751
All 9 Weeks
Essential NxtG
Standards & Objectives
Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science
Engineering Design
Review
Introduce
Instructional Materials and Activities
Objectives-Students will:
S.6-8.ETS.1-define the criteria and constraints of a design
problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful
solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and
potential impacts on people and the natural environment that
may limit possible solutions.
A – Project-Based Activity “Zipping Through the Forest”
A – Skills Practice 733
A – NOS 28 – NOS 29, 112-113, 188-189, 224-225, 750-751
T – NOS 23 – NOS 27
S.6-8.ETS.2- evaluate competing design solutions using a
systematic process to determine how well they meet the
criteria and constraints of the problem.
A – Skills Practice 733
A – NOS 28 – NOS 29, 188-189, 750-751
T – NOS 23 – NOS 27
S.6-8.ETS.3- analyze data from tests to determine similarities
and differences among several design solutions to identify the
best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new
solution to better meet the criteria for success.
A – Project-Based Activity “Build a Better Mousetrap…Car”
A -716-717, 788-789 (Leopard book)
S.6-8.ETS.4- develop a model to generate data for interactive
testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process
such that an optimal design can be achieved.
A – Project-Based Activity “A Closer Look”
A – Skill Practice NOS 19
T – NOS 23 – NOS 27
Science Literacy
Reading Key Ideas and Details
Objectives- Students will:
S.6-8.L.1 –cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of
science and technical texts
T -429, 501, 741, 825
S.6-8.L.2 – determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text:
provide an accurate summary of the text and distinct from
prior knowledge or opinions
Embedded throughout text, see student science notebook for
additional literacy resources
S.6-8.L.3- follow precisely multistep procedure when carrying
out experiments, taking measurements, or preforming
technical tasks.
T – pages NOS 4 – 31 / A – NOS 19 / A - NOS 28-29
T – pages SR-2 – SR -13
Reading Craft and Structure
Objectives-Students will:
S.6-8.L.4- determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and
other domain- specific words and phrases as they are used in a
specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6-8
texts and topics.
Embedded throughout the text, see student science notebook for
additional literacy resources
S.6-8.L.5 – analyze the structure an author uses to organize a
text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole
and to an understanding of a topic.
T – 601-602
S.6-8.L.6- analyze the authors purpose in providing an
explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an
experiment in text.
T – NO 20 – NOS 27
Reading - Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Objectives-Students will:
S.6-8.L.7- integrate quantitative or technical information
expressed in words in a text with a version of that information
expressed visually (e.g. in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph,
or table).
S.6-8.L.8- distinguish among facts, reasoned judgement based
on research findings, and speculation in a text.
S.6-8.L.9- compare and contrast the information gained from
experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with
that gained from reading a text on the same topic.
Embedded throughout the text, see student science notebook for
additional literacy resources
T – NOS 10, 324-325
T – 112, 113, 139, 251, 272, 276, 287, 335, 343, 351, 358, 499, 691,
769, 783, 797, 811
Reading- Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
Objectives-Students will:
S.6-8.L.10- by the end of grade 8, read and comprehend
science/technical texts in the grades 6-8 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
Writing- Text Types and Purposes
iScience provides multiple opportunities for students to
demonstrate comprehension of science text through formative and
summative assessments and performance tasks. A variety of
strategies help students make sense of key ideas and details
presented in text and visuals.
Objectives-Students will:
S.6-8.L.11- write arguments focused on discipline-specific
content:
 introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge
and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing
claims and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
 support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant,
accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an
understanding of the topic or text, using credible
sources.
 use words, phrases and clauses to create cohesion and
clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims,
reasons and evidence.
 establish and maintain a formal style.
provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and
supports the argument presented.
S.6-8.L.12write informative/explanatory texts, including the
narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments
or technical processes:
 introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow;
organize ideas, concepts and information into broader
categories as appropriate to achieving purpose; include
formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts and
tables) and multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension.
 develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts,
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples.
 use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion
and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
 use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to
inform about or explain the topic.
T – 39, 81, 341, 525, 653, 662, 679, 701
T – 89, 94, 102, 111. 113, 117, 119, 131, 149, 151, 155, 193, 206,
224, 229, 246, 261, 290-291, 295, 316, 365, 409, 429, 469, 555, 595,
677, 713, 741, 787, 823
 establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone.
provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and
supports the information or explanation presented.
Writing-Production and Distribution of Writing
Objectives-Students will:
S.6-8.L.13- produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization and style are appropriate to task,
purpose and audience.
T – 95, 111, 117, 130, 131, 138, 149, 151, 155, 246, 256-257, 261,
295, 365, 446-447, 555, 637, 653, 677, 701, 713, 755, 787, 823
S.6-8.L.14- with some guidance and support from peers and
adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting or trying a new approach, focusing
on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.
T – 446-447
S.6-8.L.15- use technology, including the Internet, to produce
and publish writing and present the relationships between
information and ideas clearly and efficiently.
T – 225, 256-257, SR-10
Writing- Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Objectives- Students will:
S.6-8.L.16- conduct short research projects to answer a
question (including a self-generated question), drawing on
several sources and generating additional related, focused
questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
S.6-8.L.17- gather relevant information from multiple print and
digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the
credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or
paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding
plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
T – 95, 131, 274, 290-292, 341, 361, 397, 429, 446-447, 501, 623,
673, 741, 750-751, 771
T – 446-447, 750-751, SR-2
S.6-8.L.18- draw evidence from informational texts to support
analysis, reflection and research.
Writing- Range of Writing
T – 341, 361, 381, 525, 595, 741, 750-751, SR-2
Objectives-Students will:
S.6-8.L.19- write routinely over extended time frames (time for
reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting
or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks,
purposes, and audiences.
T – items from textbook
A – activities from textbook or lab manual
T – 409, 429, 446-447, 469, 525, 555, 595, 637, 653, 677, 701, 713,
741, 755, 787, 823
O – activities from other sources (give specific location)