Grade 08 Science - EC: S8.A.1.1.1
Grade 08 Science - EC: S8.A.1.1.1
Continuum of Activities
The list below represents a continuum of activities: resources categorized by Standard/Eligible Content that teachers may use to move students toward proficiency. Using LEA curriculum and available materials and resources, teachers can customize the activity statements/questions for classroom use.
This continuum of activities offers:
- Instructional activities designed to be integrated into planned lessons
- Questions/activities that grow in complexity
- Opportunities for differentiation for each student’s level of performance
Grade Levels
8th Grade
Course, Subject
Science
Activities
- Define scientific theory.
- List two ways an existing scientific theory can be changed.
- Distinguish between scientific theory and opinion.
- Provided a list of several scientific theories and opinions, construct a T-chart to categorize each accordingly.
- Provided a scientific theory, summarize the evidence that supports it.
- Determine if a given statement is a scientific theory or an opinion.
- Summarize how a theory may be formed.
Answer Key/Rubric
- A scientific theory is a well-established explanation that is supported by valid data.
- Acceptable answers may include, but are not limited to:
- Newly discovered evidence
- New data
- A new interpretation of existing data
- Acceptable answers may include, but are not limited to:
- A scientific theory is a well-tested explanation that is supported by evidence (data) and an opinion is a belief that is not necessarily based in fact.
- A scientific theory is an explanation of observations made about the natural world that have been tested and analyzed by scientists. An opinion is a prediction or a hypothesis about something.
- A scientific theory is well supported and has been proven repeatedly while an opinion is someone’s idea(s) and has not been proven.
- Acceptable answers may include, but are not limited to:
- Theories:
- Evolution, Big Bang, Plate Tectonics, Atomic, Cell, Relativity, etc.
- Opinions
- Teacher’s choice
- Acceptable answers may include, but are not limited to:
- Theory of Evolution is supported by fossil evidence, embryology, natural selection, and genetic variation.
- Big Bang Theory is supported by large structure of universe, abundance of light elements, formation of galaxies, dark matter, and age of stars.
- The Theory of Plate Tectonics is supported by very similar fossils in rock masses separated by vast distances and by oceans, similarity of coastlines for different continents suggests that they may once have been connected, and the studies of the magnetic field orientations in rock strata.
- Answer will depend on statement given by teacher. For example if the statement provided was, “Little dogs are smarter than big dogs.” then the answer could be:
- It is an opinion because it is not supported by scientific data.
- It is an opinion. There are some really smart little dogs, but there are also some really smart big dogs.
- I think my little dog is the smartest dog in the world, but there is no scientific data to support my belief so it is an opinion.
- Acceptable responses might include, but not be limited to:
- It may be formed after many related hypotheses have been tested and supported with data.
- It may be formed after a hypothesis has been tested repeatedly and supported by data.
