SCIENCE
8th grade science is filled with activities for all learning styles. We do everything from improving our note-taking skills, to building volcanoes and solar systems, and even get to dissect frogs and worms! This course will prepare you for all areas of high school science and any education beyond. We will cover Life Science, Earth Science, Forensic Science, Astronomy, Biology, Anatomy, and have an introduction to Chemistry and Physics!
Below are descriptions of the chapters included, but not limited to, the 8thGrade Science course.
Life Science
Chapter 1: “Exploring Life”- life’s origins, the scientific method, and lab safety techniques.
Chapter 2: “The Structure of Viruses and Cells”-helpful vs. harmful viruses, the microscope, and introduction to cells (parts of a cell, etc.)
Chapter 3: “Cell Processes”-cell transport, atomic structure, and photosynthesis
Chapter 4: “Cell Reproduction”-cell cycle, mitosis vs. meiosis, DNA structure
Chapter 5: “Heredity”-genetics, inherited traits, Punnet squares, genetic engineering
Chapter 7: “Classifying Living Things”-the origin of living things and sorting them out by Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and species
Chapter 18: “Life and the Environment”-Interactions among living and nonliving organisms.
Chapter 19: “Ecosystems”-learn about land and water biomes, create dioramas.
Chapter 20: “Resources and the Environment”-Nuclear and Solar Energy and uses of each.
Anatomy Unit: (Covering chapters 21-26 in textbook)-study the parts of the human body in comparison to various animal species, and dissect worms and frogs.
CSI Unit: (with multiple labs dealing with forensic science)-dust for fingerprints, identify tire tracks, teeth impressions, and even solve mysteries!
Biology Unit: (Covering chapters 10-12 in textbook)-an in depth study of plants and their processes)
Illinois State Learning Standards relating to the Life Science Curriculum
12.A.3a 12.B.3a 12.B.3b 12.A.4b 12.B.4a 13.B.3b 13.B.3e
Earth Science
Chapter 1: “The Nature of Science”-discuss the four areas of science: Chemistry, Physics, Life Science and Earth Science and background information on each. We will also cover critical thinking skills and measurement.
Chapter 2: “Matter and Its Changes”-Atoms, Ions, Mixtures, Compounds, the Periodic Table and Classifying Matter.
Chapter 3: “Minerals”-Structure and Composition of Minerals, Physical and Chemical Properties of Minerals, and Uses of Titanium.
Chapter 4: “Rocks”-The Rock Cycle, Origins of Rock, and effects of burning waste coal.
Chapter 9: “Earthquakes”-Causes of Earthquakes, types of faults, measuring seismic waves, and tsunamis.
Chapter 10: “Volcanoes”-Causes of Volcanoes, plate boundaries, plate tectonics.
Chapter 11: “Plate Tectonics”-Continental Drift, Seafloor Spreading, Pangea
Chapter 15: “Weather”-weather patterns and forecasting; meteorology
Chapter 16: “Climate”-Topographic features that affect climate, types and changes of climate.
Physics Unit -looking at Earth’s forces and applying them with projects such as designing roller coasters.
Space Unit -focusing on each planet, the stars, and galaxies
Illinois State Learning Standards relating to the Earth Science Curriculum
11.A.3a 11.A.3b 11.A.3c 11.A.3f 11.A.4f
12.C.3a 12.C.3b 12.E.3a 12.F.3a 12.F.3b 12.F.3c 12.F.4a 13.A.3a 13.A.3c
•All students should have an orange folder, which will be divided between notes, study guides, and vocabulary words. The notebook will be taken for a grade at the end of each quarter.
•There will be multiple lab grades and one project per quarter throughout the year, depending on effort and participation.
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Digital Photography is an elective filled with fun activities for all learning styles. We will do everything from learning the parts of a digital camera, all the way to learning how to edit photos and videos on the computer. This course will spark your inner creativity, and allow you to have a fun-filled learning experience! Below are descriptions of the chapters included, but not limited to, the Digital Photography course.
PART I: Get to Know Your Digital Camera
Chapter1: Digital Camera Basics: What You Should Know to Get Started
•No Film Required/Memory Cards
•Lens Quality
•Today’s Digital Camera Technology/Cell Phone, Smartphone Cameras
•Your Goals as a Photographer
Chapter 2: Buy Your New Digital Camera
•Buying a Digital Camera is a Lot Like Buying a Computer
•Technological Considerations/Durability
•Needs/Budget/Best Deals/Insurance and Warranties
•Features and Functions
Chapter 3: Digital Camera Accessories and How They’re Used
•Memory Cards/Storage
•Batteries
•Lenses
PART II: Tips and Strategies for Taking Professional-Quality
Photos in Any Situation
Chapter 4: Basic Photo Techniques for Shooting Like a Pro
•Practice Makes Perfect
•Why Photography is a Skill and an Art Form
•Basic Techniques/Special Situations
Chapter 5: Indoor and Nighttime Photos: Lighting and Flash Techniques
•When and How to Use Your Camera’s Flash
•Home Studio Lighting/Background
•Capturing Emotions and Atmosphere
Chapter 6: Shoot Eye-Catching Outdoor Photos
•Capturing Nature
•Buildings/Architecture and Landscapes/Panoramic Images
Chapter 7: Portraits and Candid Pictures of People and Pets
•Setting the Scene/Choosing Background/Framing Your Shots
•Posing Your Objects
•Tips for Editing Portraits of People
Chapter 8: Vacation Photography and Preserving Memories
Chapter 9: Photograph Sports and Subjects in Motion
Chapter 10: Shoot Digital Video and Publish it Online
•Keep it Short and Entertaining
•Publishing Your Videos on Youtube
•Sharing Your Video with Just Friends and Family
PART III: Edit and Digitally Enhance Your Photos
Chapter 11: Transfer Digital Images to Your Computer
•File Transfer Options/Equipment Needed to Transfer Images
•USB Connection/Memory Cards/Wi-Fi
•Properly Store and Label Your Images
Chapter 12: Digitally Fix, Edit, and Improve Your Images
•Cropping/Clarity/Sharpness
•Color Enhancement/Saturation/Fixing Red Eye
•Adding Borders and Frames
Chapter 13: Photo-Editing Software Plug-ins, Add-ons, and Accessories
•Introduction to Pen Tablets
PART IV: Showcase, Share, Present and Store Your Photos
Chapter 14: Show Off and Present Your Images
•Transform Digital Images into Traditional Prints/Photo Albums/Scrapbooks
•Computer or Smartphone Wallpaper and Screen Savers
•Digital Photo Frames/Slideshows
Chapter 15: Catalog, Organize, Back Up, and Archive Your Images
•Organizing Your Digital Images
•Why Backups are Essential
•Recovering Lost, Corrupted, or Accidently Deleted Images
8th grade science is filled with activities for all learning styles. We do everything from improving our note-taking skills, to building volcanoes and solar systems, and even get to dissect frogs and worms! This course will prepare you for all areas of high school science and any education beyond. We will cover Life Science, Earth Science, Forensic Science, Astronomy, Biology, Anatomy, and have an introduction to Chemistry and Physics!
Below are descriptions of the chapters included, but not limited to, the 8thGrade Science course.
Life Science
Chapter 1: “Exploring Life”- life’s origins, the scientific method, and lab safety techniques.
Chapter 2: “The Structure of Viruses and Cells”-helpful vs. harmful viruses, the microscope, and introduction to cells (parts of a cell, etc.)
Chapter 3: “Cell Processes”-cell transport, atomic structure, and photosynthesis
Chapter 4: “Cell Reproduction”-cell cycle, mitosis vs. meiosis, DNA structure
Chapter 5: “Heredity”-genetics, inherited traits, Punnet squares, genetic engineering
Chapter 7: “Classifying Living Things”-the origin of living things and sorting them out by Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and species
Chapter 18: “Life and the Environment”-Interactions among living and nonliving organisms.
Chapter 19: “Ecosystems”-learn about land and water biomes, create dioramas.
Chapter 20: “Resources and the Environment”-Nuclear and Solar Energy and uses of each.
Anatomy Unit: (Covering chapters 21-26 in textbook)-study the parts of the human body in comparison to various animal species, and dissect worms and frogs.
CSI Unit: (with multiple labs dealing with forensic science)-dust for fingerprints, identify tire tracks, teeth impressions, and even solve mysteries!
Biology Unit: (Covering chapters 10-12 in textbook)-an in depth study of plants and their processes)
Illinois State Learning Standards relating to the Life Science Curriculum
12.A.3a 12.B.3a 12.B.3b 12.A.4b 12.B.4a 13.B.3b 13.B.3e
Earth Science
Chapter 1: “The Nature of Science”-discuss the four areas of science: Chemistry, Physics, Life Science and Earth Science and background information on each. We will also cover critical thinking skills and measurement.
Chapter 2: “Matter and Its Changes”-Atoms, Ions, Mixtures, Compounds, the Periodic Table and Classifying Matter.
Chapter 3: “Minerals”-Structure and Composition of Minerals, Physical and Chemical Properties of Minerals, and Uses of Titanium.
Chapter 4: “Rocks”-The Rock Cycle, Origins of Rock, and effects of burning waste coal.
Chapter 9: “Earthquakes”-Causes of Earthquakes, types of faults, measuring seismic waves, and tsunamis.
Chapter 10: “Volcanoes”-Causes of Volcanoes, plate boundaries, plate tectonics.
Chapter 11: “Plate Tectonics”-Continental Drift, Seafloor Spreading, Pangea
Chapter 15: “Weather”-weather patterns and forecasting; meteorology
Chapter 16: “Climate”-Topographic features that affect climate, types and changes of climate.
Physics Unit -looking at Earth’s forces and applying them with projects such as designing roller coasters.
Space Unit -focusing on each planet, the stars, and galaxies
Illinois State Learning Standards relating to the Earth Science Curriculum
11.A.3a 11.A.3b 11.A.3c 11.A.3f 11.A.4f
12.C.3a 12.C.3b 12.E.3a 12.F.3a 12.F.3b 12.F.3c 12.F.4a 13.A.3a 13.A.3c
•All students should have an orange folder, which will be divided between notes, study guides, and vocabulary words. The notebook will be taken for a grade at the end of each quarter.
•There will be multiple lab grades and one project per quarter throughout the year, depending on effort and participation.
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Digital Photography is an elective filled with fun activities for all learning styles. We will do everything from learning the parts of a digital camera, all the way to learning how to edit photos and videos on the computer. This course will spark your inner creativity, and allow you to have a fun-filled learning experience! Below are descriptions of the chapters included, but not limited to, the Digital Photography course.
PART I: Get to Know Your Digital Camera
Chapter1: Digital Camera Basics: What You Should Know to Get Started
•No Film Required/Memory Cards
•Lens Quality
•Today’s Digital Camera Technology/Cell Phone, Smartphone Cameras
•Your Goals as a Photographer
Chapter 2: Buy Your New Digital Camera
•Buying a Digital Camera is a Lot Like Buying a Computer
•Technological Considerations/Durability
•Needs/Budget/Best Deals/Insurance and Warranties
•Features and Functions
Chapter 3: Digital Camera Accessories and How They’re Used
•Memory Cards/Storage
•Batteries
•Lenses
PART II: Tips and Strategies for Taking Professional-Quality
Photos in Any Situation
Chapter 4: Basic Photo Techniques for Shooting Like a Pro
•Practice Makes Perfect
•Why Photography is a Skill and an Art Form
•Basic Techniques/Special Situations
Chapter 5: Indoor and Nighttime Photos: Lighting and Flash Techniques
•When and How to Use Your Camera’s Flash
•Home Studio Lighting/Background
•Capturing Emotions and Atmosphere
Chapter 6: Shoot Eye-Catching Outdoor Photos
•Capturing Nature
•Buildings/Architecture and Landscapes/Panoramic Images
Chapter 7: Portraits and Candid Pictures of People and Pets
•Setting the Scene/Choosing Background/Framing Your Shots
•Posing Your Objects
•Tips for Editing Portraits of People
Chapter 8: Vacation Photography and Preserving Memories
Chapter 9: Photograph Sports and Subjects in Motion
Chapter 10: Shoot Digital Video and Publish it Online
•Keep it Short and Entertaining
•Publishing Your Videos on Youtube
•Sharing Your Video with Just Friends and Family
PART III: Edit and Digitally Enhance Your Photos
Chapter 11: Transfer Digital Images to Your Computer
•File Transfer Options/Equipment Needed to Transfer Images
•USB Connection/Memory Cards/Wi-Fi
•Properly Store and Label Your Images
Chapter 12: Digitally Fix, Edit, and Improve Your Images
•Cropping/Clarity/Sharpness
•Color Enhancement/Saturation/Fixing Red Eye
•Adding Borders and Frames
Chapter 13: Photo-Editing Software Plug-ins, Add-ons, and Accessories
•Introduction to Pen Tablets
PART IV: Showcase, Share, Present and Store Your Photos
Chapter 14: Show Off and Present Your Images
•Transform Digital Images into Traditional Prints/Photo Albums/Scrapbooks
•Computer or Smartphone Wallpaper and Screen Savers
•Digital Photo Frames/Slideshows
Chapter 15: Catalog, Organize, Back Up, and Archive Your Images
•Organizing Your Digital Images
•Why Backups are Essential
•Recovering Lost, Corrupted, or Accidently Deleted Images