8th Grade Science Semester 2

Enrollment Message

Students need access to a webcam or video recording device.

Course Description

8th grade Science is based on the Indiana Academic Standards for Science. Students in the middle level program. Students continue incorporating science inquiry and the design process.  They evaluate how organisms have evolved over thousands of years and learn to classify them based upon common traits. They also study how traits are determined genetically and predict outcomes for crosses between parents based upon genetic probabilities.  They continue to study our Earth’s water cycle and our impact on our atmosphere and the short and long term effects of our actions on our atmosphere and hydrosphere.

Course Goals

Upon completion of the course, students will…

• study the properties of water.
• gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
• 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.
• construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic
• factors influence the growth of organisms.
• 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 the organism.
• 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
• 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.
• 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.
• construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.
• gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.
• use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time
• develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.
• collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions.
• develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determin regional climates.
• apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
• construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems. 
• ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over time. 
• 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.
• develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.

Indiana Academic Standards

• Science Grade 8

Units of Instruction

• Unit 1 Life Science - Classification and Evolution
• Unit 2 Life Science - Genetics
• Unit 3 Life Science - Genetics Part 2
• Unit 4 Earth Science - Water Cycle
• Unit 5 Earth Science - Human Impact and Global Warming

Grading/Evaluation

Indiana Online does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue transcripts or diplomas. A final score reported as a percentage of total points earned will be sent to students upon completion of a course. Your school of record can also access this score within the Student Information System, Genius. The final score will be shown as a percentage in Canvas and Genius. The student’s school of record will determine the letter grade based on their specific grading scale.

Students must complete at least 70% of the course and take all parts of the final exam(s) to have a score reported to their school of record. Failure to meet these requirements will result in a score of 0 reported to the school of record.

Assessments

Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, teacher-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building and other forms of authentic assessments. The course includes the minimum number of assessments

• 1 Discussion
• 13 Assignments
• 11 Quizzes

The assessments for this asynchronous course are weighted as follows

Teacher Contact Response Time

Students can use email or the private message system within Genius or Canvas to access highly qualified teachers when they need teacher assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside Canvas. The Teacher Information page of their course may describe additional communication options.

The teacher will respond to student inquiries (email, text, call) within one business day. Assignments will be graded and posted within two business days.

Expectations for Academic Conduct 

Student Handbook 

It is your responsibility to read the student handbook to understand all aspects of taking an online course including expectations for academic conduct. Contact your teacher if you have any questions. 

Assistance for Students with Accommodations

Indiana Online supports an inclusive learning environment for all students. If there are aspects of the instruction or design of this course that hinder your full participation, such as inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos and podcasts, reasonable accommodations can be arranged.

Technology

Technology Requirements 

Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube. Please review the Indiana Online’s Technology Requirements.

Technical Skills Needed 

Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to

• download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
• download and install software
• use a messaging service similar to email
• communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
• open attachments shared in messages
• create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
• save a file as a .pdf
• copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
• insert images or links into a file
• search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
• work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
• activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
• use presentation and graphics programs
• follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
• use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
• create and maintain usernames and passwords

Technical Questions?  Please contact the Indiana Online Helpdesk.