William Annin 初中教学大纲 - 8年级科学 (2008)

Science - Grade 8

William Annin Middle School, 2008

Earth Science - Grade 8
Unit 1: Principles of Science (5 days)
Contents: Classroom and Laboratory Safety Problem Solving Units of Measure	Skills and objectives: Recognize potential safety hazards associated with science activities and to understand the importance of proper classroom decorum. Properly use lab equipment and employ appropriate lab techniques. Apply a logical process to solving scientific problems. Take and record accurate SI measurements using appropriate equipment.	Activities: Review safety procedures and demonstrate proper use of equipment. Activities and demonstrations to identify the steps in scientific problem solving. Various lab activities for length, surface area, volume, density, weight, mass and temperature.
Unit 2: Earth as a System (10 days)
Contents: Branches of Earth Science Spheres of Earth Maps	Skills and objectives: Differentiate between the four main disciplines of Earth Science. Describe the four spheres of the earth’s system and describe how they interact and change. Read and interpret maps, demonstrate proper use of legends, symbols, and map scales.	Activities: Various activities that examine the four branches of Earth Science and the spheres of the earth. Hands-on materials using maps.
Unit 3: Space Science (30 days)
Contents: Geologic Time Earths Structure and Motion Moon/Tides Sun Solar System Stars	Skills and objectives: Gain an appreciation of the length of Geologic time. Describe the earth’s path, rate of revolution, and rotation. Explain the effects of the features, properties and motions of the moon. Illustrate how the moon and the sun affect the earth’s tides. Discuss the structure and features of the sun and its effects on the Earth. List and describe the characteristics of the nine planets of the solar system. Express the characteristics of stars, including life cycle, mass, size, temperature, color and luminosity.	Activities: Compare and contrast various scientific theories of the origin of the universe and out solar system. Demonstrate the earth, sun and moon’s relative motion and the affect on time, seasons, and tides. Differentiate among planet composition and solar system distances. Examine types of stars and galaxies and measurement of time and distance in space.
Unit 4: Minerals (15 days)
Contents: Characteristics Properties Unknowns	Skills and objectives: Illustrate the elements in the earths crust List the five requirements of minerals Identify characteristics of minerals Analyze various properties of minerals including: color, luster, streak, double refraction, fluorescence, specific gravity, hardness, cleavage, fracture, magnetism and other chemical tests Identify minerals using simple tests that will analyze both physical and chemical properties	Activities: Lab activities to analyze various properties of minerals including: color, luster, streak, double refraction, fluorescence, specific gravity, hardness, cleavage, fracture, magnetism and other chemical tests. Lab Report on Specific Gravity “Mineral Unknown” Project
Unit 5: Rocks (15 days)
Contents: Rock Cycle Igneous Sedimentary Metamorphic	Skills and objectives: Compare and contrast rocks and minerals. Differentiate between the 3 types of rocks and the process that form them. Classify igneous rocks based on their mineral content and texture. Contrast the types of plutons that form as a result of intrusive igneous formations. Distinguish between the types of sedimentary rocks, how they form, and the different features that are found in them. Explain the processes that are involved in forming metamorphic rocks and the differences between the different types.	Activities: Visual diagram of the rock cycle Lab activities to observe/test rock properties such as: type, texture, composition, origin and other specific properties Hand held rock samples will be used for identification for all three rock types. Slides will be used to identify large-scale features and plutons.
Unit 6: Earth Resources (7 days)
Contents: Gemstones Mining Renewable vs. Non Renewable Resources	Skills and objectives: Discriminate between precious and semiprecious gemstones. Observe differences and environmental effects of different mining types. Identify non-renewable and renewable resources, their uses, how they are formed and extracted, and the environmental effects.	Activities: Studies, slides, and lab activities with gemstones, mining, non-renewable resources and renewable resources
Unit 7: Plate Tectonics (7 days)
Contents: Continental Drift Seafloor Spreading Plate Tectonics	Skills and objectives: Discuss some of the evidence that Alfred Wegener used to support his idea of Continental Drift Determine the rate of Seafloor Spreading in the Atlantic Ocean. Compare and contrast the three different plate boundaries.	Activities: Lab Activities pertaining to the formation of Pangaea, seafloor spreading, crustal movement, hot spot formation, and plate tectonic boundaries.
Unit 8: Mountain Building (4 days)
Contents: Folding Faulting	Skills and objectives: Explain how compression, tension, and shear deform rocks Describe and illustrate anticlines and synclines Distinguish among the three major types of faults-normal, reverse, and strike-slip.	Activities: Activities that help students evaluate folding and faulting as a mountain building process. Identify features of folds and faults on slides. Demonstrate various fault movements using models.
Unit 9: Earthquakes (10 days)
Contents: Seismic waves Seismograph Observations Seismogram	Skills and objectives: Identify the three types of seismic waves generated by an earthquake. Explain how a seismograph is used to record earthquake waves and locate and earthquake’s epicenter. Analyze a seismogram	Activities: Lab activities and demonstrations to show the three types of waves and identify on a seismogram. Observations of local seismograph station. Computer-based lab activity in reading and interpreting a seismogram.
Unit 10: Volcanoes (15 days)
Contents: Types of volcanoes Factors of eruption style Volcanic Hazards	Skills and objectives: Describe the three types of volcanoes Compare and contrast different eruption styles. Examine the effects of a volcanic eruption.	Activities: Various activities that examine the different types of volcanoes, eruptions, and hazards.
Unit 11: Shaping the Land (25 days)
Contents: Gravity Wind Surface water Groundwater Beach erosion Glaciers	Skills and objectives: Differentiate between the four types of mass movements caused by gravity. Describe the effects of wind erosion and deposition. Characterize the three stages of stream development, and describe how streams transport and deposit sediments. Describe how groundwater creates various features, and discuss human impact on groundwater resources. Discuss the effects man-made structures have on our coastlines, and describe the aspects of wave and currents formation. Name and describe two main types of glaciers and the processes by which glaciers shape the land. Observe and differentiate between erosional and depositional features of glaciers.	Activities: Use slides for visualizations of all erosional and depositional features. Observations and activities involving local and regional erosion and deposition features created by gravity, wind, water, and glaciers.
Unit 12: Weather and Atmosphere (20 days)
Contents: Air Pressure Factors of the atmosphere Fronts Large-scale storms	Skills and objectives: Determine the effects of air pressure on earth. Compare and contrast the factors of weather, including heat, moisture, and wind. Describe the weather conditions associated with different types of frontal boundaries. Describe the cause and effects of different storms.	Activities: Students will use proper instruments and activities to learn about air, heat transfer, wind, solar radiation, fronts, and storms.