Enroll in Science 8 with Dolphin STEM Academy

Course Overview

Science is the study of the natural world. It relies on investigations and evidence to
describe the natural events that occur around us. Science 8A is an integrated science
course that covers topics selected from Earth science and life science. This course
discusses genes and inheritance, the evolution of species, and managing energy
resources on Earth. In the first unit, you will explain how an organism’s genes transfer
traits from parents to offspring. You’ll also learn about genetic diversity and genetic
mutations. In the second unit, you’ll compare the anatomy and development of species
to give evidence for evolution. You’ll also see how fossils and rock strata on Earth hold
important clues about evolution. In the third unit, you will differentiate between
renewable and nonrenewable energy resources on Earth. You’ll see how energy
transforms as it moves from one sphere of Earth to another. In hands-on activities, you’ll
devise ways to harness and control energy for human benefit.

Course Goals

By the end of this course, you will be able to do the following:
Investigate patterns of inheritance, and identify the causes and effects of genetic mutations.
Explain how some traits increase an individual’s probability of surviving.
Gather and use information to explain how technology has changed the way humans
influence the traits of organisms.
Explain why genetic diversity allows a species to adapt to its environment, and
create an explanation to show the causes and effects of shifting genetic diversity.
Model the geological process that makes fossils from leaves.
Explain how the characteristics of living and extinct organisms can be used to
construct an evolutionary lineage.
Classify organisms based on their shared characteristics.
State why embryos and certain anatomies of different species provide evidence of evolution.
Classify organisms based on their shared characteristics.
Describe the interactions of energy between the four spheres of Earth.
Explain particle motion of matter and the composition of substances.
Use evidence to explain that natural geological processes result in uneven
distribution of Earth’s natural resources.
Design a device that harnesses energy from the Sun.
Use historical evidence of natural hazards to determine the disaster risk for a region.
Engineer a structure to protect the public from a natural hazard.