Grade 08 Science - EC: S8.A.1.2.2
Grade 08 Science - EC: S8.A.1.2.2
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
Related Academic Standards / Eligible Content
Activities
- Identify two environmental issues in Pennsylvania.
- Define environment issue.
- Define pollution and give two examples.
- Identify and explain two possible long-term health effects caused by a given environmental issue.
- Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast two environmental issues. Include at least two long-term health issues for each issue.
- Many of the farms in the area use pesticides to protect their crops, but these chemicals also kill useful insects and can make people and animals sick. You just learned in school about a new method of pest control called biological control. Instead of using pesticides to eradicate pests, it uses the pest's natural predators or parasites to keep insect levels manageable and is not harmful to people or animals. Write a paragraph justifying why biological control would be beneficial to human health.
Answer Key/Rubric
- Acceptable responses might include, but are not limited to:
Acid mine drainage, air, water, and land pollution, littering, destruction of natural habitats, nuclear issues, burning of fossil fuels, mining
- Environmental issues are problems with the Earth’s systems as a result of human activities.
- Pollution is the contamination of the environment (air, land, and water) most often by human activities. Examples could be littering, smog, acid mine drainage, illegal dumping, solid waste, vehicle exhaust, and wood burners.
- Acceptable responses might include, but are not limited to:
- Coal mining
- Black lung disease, congestive heart failure, chronic bronchitis, asthma attacks, Loss of IQ from air and water pollution and nervous system damage from exposure to mercury
- Air pollution
- Asthma, eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, allergic reactions, upper respiratory infections, lung cancer, heart disease
- Acceptable responses might include, but are not limited to:
- Biological control would remove harmful chemicals from food sources, the air, land, and water, which would benefit mankind by reducing many types of cancer and decreasing birth defects, neurological disorders, and respiratory illnesses.
