Science Course Description
Silver Spring International Middle School
301-650-6544
Investigations in Earth Space Systems (8th grade Science)
Welcome to Earth and Space Science. In this course students will demonstrate the ability to use scientific skills
and processes to explain the physical behavior of the environment, Earth, and the universe. This curriculum is a
unique problem/project based curriculum. The learning is student-centered with the teacher acting as a
facilitator. Instruction is woven around one main problem within each unit of study. Minds-on inquiry and
hands on explorations, productive discourse, purposeful reading and meaningful writing will guide the students
through this science course.
Unit
1
Title
Solar Energy
Content Focus
Students will investigate how energy and matter transfer affect Earth systems.
They will also investigate how global conditions are affected when natural and
human-induced changes alter the transfer of energy and matter. Students will
consider the implications of locations all around the world building green.
They will be given a location on Earth to build a home and factor in features
addressing wind patterns, precipitation, local geographic conditions,
temperature, sunlight and severe weather threats.
2
Astronomy
Students will investigate the role of forces in the formation and operation of
the universe and the role and interaction of revolution, rotation and gravity on
the Sun-Earth-Moon system.
3
Restless Earth
The student will explain changes in Earth’s surface using plate tectonics
through investigations in Continental drift and sea floor spreading.
4
Earth Materials
The student will compare the origin and structure of igneous, metamorphic
and sedimentary rocks. The student will explain how the transfer of energy
drives the rock cycle.
5
Earth History
The student will investigate methods that geologists use to determine the
history of Earth. The student will apply geologic principles used to date Earth’s
geologic and biologic events. The student will compare events in Earth’s
history that have been grouped according to similarities.
Science Course Description
Silver Spring International Middle School
301-650-6544
Science Grading and MYP Assessment Criteria
In science class, students will be assessed according to the MYP Science Criteria. These criteria are
knowing and understanding, inquiring and designing, processing and evaluating, and reflecting on the
impacts of science. The percentage for each category is listed below.
Grading Categories
Criterion A: Knowing and Understanding
Criterion B: Inquiring and Designing
Criterion C: Processing and Evaluating
Criterion D: Reflecting on the Impacts of Science
Homework
Percent of student’s
overall science grade
45 %
10%
25%
15%
5%
Using Knowledge—Explain scientific knowledge and apply it to solve problems
 Describe scientific knowledge
 Solve problems in familiar and unfamiliar situations
 Analyze information to make scientifically supported judgments
Inquiring and Designing—Develop intellectual and practical skills through designing, analyzing, and
performing scientific investigations
 Describe a problem or question to be tested by a scientific investigation
 Create and explain a testable hypothesis using scientific reasoning
 Describe variables and how data will be collected
 Design scientific investigations
Processing and Evaluating—Collect qualitative and quantitative data and explain appropriately
reached conclusions
 Present collected data
 Interpret data and describe results using scientific reasoning
 Discuss the validity of a hypothesis and the methods used in the investigation
 Explain improvements to the methods used to collect data
Reflecting and Evaluating—Gain a global understanding of science
 Describe the ways science is applied and used to address a specific problem
 Analyze the various implementations of how science is used to a specific problem
 Apply different methods of communication
 Document the work of others and sources of information used
Homework: Homework for practice or preparation for instruction accounts for 5% of the marking
period grade.