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EAST LONGMEADOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS |
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2006 - 2007 DISTRICT CURRICULUM GUIDES |
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Science - Grade 8 |
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Mapping
The learner will be able to
recognize, interpret, and be able to create models of the earth's common physical features in various mapping representations, including contour maps.
| Strand |
Scope |
Source |
| Landforms |
Master |
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks |
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Earth's Structure
The learner will be able to
describe the layers of the solid earth, including the lithosphere, the hot convecting mantle, and the dense metallic core.
| Strand |
Scope |
Source |
| Earth: Properties |
Master |
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks |
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Heat Transfer
The learner will be able to
differentiate among radiation, conduction, and convection, the three mechanisms by which heat is transferred through the earth's system. Give examples of each.
- Explain the relationship among the energy provided by the sun; the global patterns of atmospheric movement; and the temperature differences among water, land, and atmosphere.
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| Strand |
Scope |
Source |
| Earth: Energy |
Master |
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks |
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Earth's History
The learner will be able to
describe how the movement of the earth's crustal plates causes both slow changes in the earth's surface (e.g., formation of mountains and ocean basins) and rapid ones (e.g., volcanic eruptions and earthquakes).
- Describe and give examples of ways in which the earth's surface is built up and torn down by natural processes, including deposition of sediments, rock formation, erosion, and weathering.
- Explain and give examples of how physical evidence such as fossils and surface features of glaciation supports theories that the earth has evolved over geological time.
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| Strand |
Scope |
Source |
| Earth: History |
Master |
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks |
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The Earth in the solar system
The learner will be able to
recognize that gravity is a force that pulls all things on and near the earth toward the center of the earth. Gravity plays a major role in the formation of the planets, stars, and solar system and in determining their motions.
- Describe lunar and solar eclipses, the observed moon phases, and tides. Relate them to the relative positions of the earth, moon, and sun.
- Compare and contrast properties and conditions of objects in the solar system (i.e., sun, planets, and moons) to those on earth (i.e., gravitational force, distance from the sun, speed, movement, temperature, and atmospheric conditions).
- Explain how the tilt of the earth and its revolution around the sun result in an uneven heating of the earth, which in turn causes the seasons.
- Recognize that the universe contains many billions of galaxies, and that each galaxy contains many billions of stars.
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| Strand |
Scope |
Source |
| Earth/Space Science |
Master |
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks |
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Evolution and Diversity
The learner will be able to
recognize that evidence drawn from geology, fossils, and comparative anatomy provide the basis of the theory of evolution.
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| Strand |
Scope |
Source |
| Evolution |
Reinforce |
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks |
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Ecosystem change
The learner will be able to
identify ways in which ecosystems have changed throughout geologic time in response to physical conditions, interactions among organisms, and the actions of humans. Describe how changes may be catastrophes such as volcanic eruptions or ice storms.
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| Strand |
Scope |
Source |
| Environment: Changes |
Reinforce |
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks |
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Properties of Matter
The learner will be able to
differentiate between weight and mass, recognizing that weight is the amount of gravitational pull on an object.
- Differentiate between volume and mass.
- Recognize that the measurement of volume and mass requires understanding of the sensitivity of measurement tools (e.g., rulers, graduated cylinders, balances) and knowledge and appropriate use of significant digits.
- Explain and give examples of how mass is conserved in a closed system.
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| Strand |
Scope |
Source |
| Matter: Properties |
Master |
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks |
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Elements, Compounds and Mixtures
The learner will be able to
recognize that there are more than 100 elements that combine in a multitude of ways to produce compounds that make up all of the living and nonliving things that we encounter.
- Differentiate between an atom (the smallest unit of an element that maintains the characteristics of that element) and a molecule (the smallest unit of a compound that maintains the characteristics of that compound).
- Give basic examples of elements and compounds.
- Differentiate between mixtures and pure substances.
- Recognize that a substance (element or compound) has a melting point and a boiling point, both of which are independent of the amount of the sample.
- Differentiate between physical changes and chemical changes.
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| Strand |
Scope |
Source |
| Chemical Compounds |
Reinforce |
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks |
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Motion of Objects
The learner will be able to
explain and give examples of how the motion of an object can be described by its position, direction of motion, and speed.
- Graph and interpret distance vs. time graphs for constant speed.
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| Strand |
Scope |
Source |
| Motion |
Master |
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks |
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Forms of Energy
The learner will be able to
differentiate between potential and kinetic energy. Identify situations where kinetic energy is transformed into potential energy and vice versa.
| Strand |
Scope |
Source |
| Energy |
Master |
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks |
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Heat Energy
The learner will be able to
recognize that heat is a form of energy and that temperature change results from adding or taking away heat from a system.
- Explain the effect of heat on particle motion through a description of what happens to particles during a change in phase.
- Give examples of how heat moves in predictable ways, moving from warmer objects to cooler ones until they reach equilibrium.
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| Strand |
Scope |
Source |
| Heat |
Master |
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks |
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