Montague Township School District
Science Curriculum Guide
Grade 8
2025-2026
Rachel Sikora
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Description
This Grade 8 science curriculum spans six units organized into two thematic sequences: evolution and life science (Units 1-3) and physics (Units 4-6). The first sequence begins with evidence of common ancestry drawn from fossils and embryology, then examines how populations adapt through natural selection and artificial selection, and concludes by applying these concepts to human impacts on Earth's resources and ecosystems. The second sequence shifts to physical science, starting with mechanical energy (kinetic and potential), advancing to thermal energy and heat transfer, and finishing with wave properties and the electromagnetic spectrum. Throughout the year, students move from descriptive observation and pattern analysis toward mathematical representation and engineering design applications. Assessment relies on data interpretation, scientific reasoning, and the ability to construct evidence-based explanations across biological and physical systems.
Big Ideas
- Evolution occurs through natural selection acting on genetic variation within populations in response to environmental conditions.
- Energy exists in multiple forms, is conserved within systems, and transfers between objects and environments through defined mechanisms.
- Humans depend on finite natural resources distributed unevenly across Earth and face consequences from population growth and resource consumption.
- Waves and their properties enable communication, energy transfer, and information encoding across technologies.
Essential Questions
- How do organisms change over time, and what mechanisms drive those changes?
- How do energy and matter interact in different systems, and how is energy conserved and transferred?
- How do human activities affect Earth's systems and biodiversity, and what solutions can address those impacts?
- How can models and mathematical representations explain patterns in nature?
Core Textbook
Mosa Mack Science — Mosa Mack
Crosscutting Concepts
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Life Sciences
Science and Engineering Practices
Students read and analyze informational texts about fossil records, anatomical structures, and embryological development, citing textual evidence to support scientific explanations and engaging in collaborative discussions about evolutionary relationships.
Students use digital tools to analyze and interpret data sets related to fossil records and evolutionary patterns, evaluate sources for accuracy and relevance, and demonstrate openness to diverse perspectives during group scientific investigations.
Students apply design thinking processes and use technology to support scientific inquiry and communication of findings related to biological evolution and diversity.
Students use mathematical representations and proportional reasoning to support explanations of how natural selection leads to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time, including constructing and interpreting data displays related to trait distributions.
Students apply the engineering design process to identify steps for solving problems and analyze the impact of modifying resources in a system, connecting to the thermal energy transfer device design challenge in Unit 5.
Students use digital tools to access, manage, evaluate, and synthesize information related to wave properties and electromagnetic spectrum concepts, including developing simulations, graphing data in spreadsheets, and assessing the credibility of digital content.
Students apply appropriate academic and technical skills, communicate clearly and effectively, employ valid and reliable research strategies, and use critical thinking to make sense of problems related to waves and information transfer technologies.
Assessment throughout the year emphasizes data analysis, pattern recognition, and evidence-based reasoning. Students regularly interpret graphical displays, construct scientific explanations grounded in evidence, and use mathematical representations to support claims about biological and physical phenomena. The curriculum integrates design thinking, requiring students to define problems, evaluate competing solutions, and test devices or models. Formative assessments occur through investigations, calculations, and comparisons of systems. Students communicate findings across multiple sources and formats, demonstrating understanding of how scientific ideas apply to real-world contexts such as resource management and technology design.
| Unit | Formative | Summative | Benchmark | Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01Evidence of Common Ancestry & Diversity | ✓ | — | — | ✓ |
| 02Selection & Adaptation | ✓ | — | — | ✓ |
| 03Natural Resources & Human Impacts on Earth | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 04Potential & Kinetic Energy | ✓ | — | — | ✓ |
| 05Thermal Energy | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 06The Electromagnetic Spectrum | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coverage | 6/6 | 2/6 | 2/2 | 6/6 |
| Unit | IEP | 504 | MLL | At-Risk | Gifted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01Evidence of Common Ancestry & Diversity | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 02Selection & Adaptation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 03Natural Resources & Human Impacts on Earth | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 04Potential & Kinetic Energy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 05Thermal Energy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 06The Electromagnetic Spectrum | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coverage | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 |