2009-2010 Physical Science - Grade 8 - Syllabus

How Can You Contact Me?

Mr. Sam Harrelson

MS Room 312
Email: sam.harrelson@sdsgriffin.org
Tel: 864-381-7374 (or 864-381-SDSG)
http://griffinscience.com

What is Physical Science?

Physical Science is the study of matter and energy. In this course, we will be investigating the universe
through a variety of avenues and investigations. We’ll be engaging with great scientific ideas of the
past as well as pondering the future. Through our readings, experiments and discussions, we will have
a better understanding of how the universe functions by the end of the year...and we’ll raise even
more questions along the way.

Why Study Physical Science?

We will begin examining the smallest particles of matter (quarks, atoms, strings?) and throughout the
year work our way up to topics such as light, electricity and magnetism. We will learn how all of these
different parts of our universe contribute to our everyday lives.

How Will the Class Operate?

Our class will run by a set of procedures that we will learn throughout the year. The first two days of
class, we will cover many of the procedures needed to operate the class efficiently. As a result, both
you and I will know what to expect from the class and how I will expect you to behave, operate and
succeed in our studies. Throughout the year, various circumstances (labs, experiments, outside field
trips, etc) will necessitate that we learn new procedures.

What Is Our Schedule?

Fall Semester Structure of Matter, Chemistry Principles

Spring Semester Energy, Waves, Forces, Machines, and Looking Ahead

Labs, quizzes and tests will be added into the schedule based on our progress in each of the four
quarters. However, adequate time for preparation is assured.

Physical Science - Grade 8 - Syllabus 2009-2010 1

2009-2010 Physical Science - Grade 8 - Syllabus

Selected Readings From the Year

Galileo Galili, Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences. 1638

John Dalton, Foundations of the Atomic Theory. 1808
Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleyev and George Kamensky, The Principles of Chemistry. 1897
Isaac Newton, Principia. 1726
James Clerk Maxwell, A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism. 1873
The Works of Archimedes
Albert Einstein, The Special and General Theory of Relativity, 1915

Homework, Grades and Labs

We will be using www.mygradebook.com for keeping track of your grades and progress. Each of you
have been assigned a unique and secure classword and password so that you and your family can also
monitor your progress throughout the year. Please contact me for your information.

Grade Structure: You will be graded objectively. This means your labs, tests and quizzes will have set
learning objectives based on that lesson. Your demonstration of each of the objectives will determine
your overall grade.

Homework: Every Thursday, you will receive your homework assignments for the week. These are due
the following Thursday by 3:00 p.m. You have a week to work on the assignments, but I urge you not to
wait until the last minute to finish them! Late homework will result in a 1 point deduction on your
weekly quiz grade.

Quizzes: We will have 10 quizzes in a semester. Quizzes will be posted on Thursdays starting at 3 p.m.
on our class blog (http://griffinscience.org). Each quiz will be worth 6 points based on the objectives
of that lesson. If you complete your quiz by 11:59 p.m. Thursday, you have the opportunity to “retake”
the objective questions you may have not scored perfect on until Friday at 11:59 p.m. You can choose
to not complete the quiz on Thursday, but you loose the option to retake any missed objective
questions. If you do complete the quiz on Thursday and score a perfect 6, you will earn the distinction
of a “Wrangler.”

Tests: There will be 3 tests each semester. Each test will be worth 10 points and cover objectives from
the time of the previous test. As with quizzes, tests will be posted on Thursdays at 3 p.m. and follow
the same structure (due by 11:59 for retake or Wrangler consideration, otherwise due by Friday at
11:59 p.m.) as the quizzes.

Labs: We will complete a number of in-class labs throughout each semester. Labs are worth 5 points.
However, only your 2 top scored labs will be used in your overall grade.

Semester Grading Quizzes 10 x 6 Points = 60 Points

Tests 3 x 10 Points = 30 Points
Labs 2 x 5 Points = 10 Points
Total: 100 Points

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2009-2010 Physical Science - Grade 8 - Syllabus

1st Semester 8/24 - 8/28 Strings, Atoms and Elements (Kananda, Al-Ghazali,
Euclid, Democritus)
8/31 - 9/4 Strings, Atoms, Elements cont’d (Rutherford, Dalton,
Schroedinger, Feynman, Greene, Smolin)
9/7 - 9/11 Periodic Table (Mendelevev, Lavoisier, Newlands)
9/14 - 9/18 Bonding, Ionic and Covalent Compounds (Langmuir,
Lewis, de Coulomb)
9/21 - 9/25 Bonding cont’d (Newton, Berzelius, Pauling)
9/28 - 10/2 Phases, Changes, Gas Laws (Boyle, Gay-Lussac, Charles)
10/5 - 10/9* Washington Trip
10/12 - 10/16 Formulas
10/19- 10/23 Chemical Reactions
10/26 - 10/30 Chemical Reactions cont’d
11/2 - 11/6 Acids, Bases (Arrhenius, Rouelle, Brønsted, Lewis)
11/9 - 11/13 Solutions and Mixtures
11/16 - 11/20 Carbon Chemistry (Chevreul, Wöhler, Perkin, Kekule and
Couper)
11/23 - 11/24 Labs
11/30 - 12/4 Chemistry Special Topics, Labs, Project Completions
12/7 - 12/10 Wrap-Up and Exam Review
12/14/ - 12/18 Exams

2nd Semester 1/4 - 1/8 Formulas, Motion, Speed, Velocity (Newton, Einstein,
Planck)
1/11 - 1/15 Forces Before and With Newton (Aristotle, Newton)
1/18 - 1/22 Forces After Newton (Einstein, Planck)
1/25 - 1/29 Vectors and Forces cont’d (Euclid, Pascal)
2/1 - 2/5 Energy and Heat (Joule, M. Curie, Watt)
2/8 - 2/12 Work and Machines (Archimedes, Benz, Whittle)
2/15 - 2/19 Waves (Schrödinger, Crowell)
2/22 - 2/26 Waves cont’d, Sound
3/1 - 3/5* Electromagnetism (Romagnosi, Faraday, Ampere)
3/8 - 3/12 Light (Samkhya and Vaisheshika, Lucretius, Alhazen,
Descartes, Hooke)
3/15 - 3/19 Light cont’d (Newton, Faraday, Huygens, Einstein)
3/22 - 3/26 Magnetism (Aristotle, Shen Kuo, Gilbert, Gauss)
3/29 - 4/2* Spring Break
4/6 - 4/9* Magnetism cont’d (Faraday, Maxwell, Einstein)
4/12 - 4/16 Electricity (Volta, Ohm, Ampere)
4/19 - 4/23 Electricity cont’d (Franklin, Tesla, Oersted)
4/26 - 4/30 Looking Ahead at Physics, Quantum Mechanicsd
5/3 - 5/7 Formula Review and Bringing It All Back Home
5/10 - 5/13* Exam Review
5/17 - 5/21 Exams

Physical Science - Grade 8 - Syllabus 2009-2010 3

2009-2010 Physical Science - Grade 8 - Syllabus

8th Physical Science and the MYP

Overview

Physical Science is a dynamically interactive middle school course. It is expected that students
will experience the content principles of Physical Science through inquiry learning.
Hands-on, minds-on laboratory investigations, individual studies, and group activities should
constitute a major segment of the learning experience. Physical Science will offer the knowledge
and prerequisite skills needed for problem solving and decision making about matters of
scientific and technological concerns.

As vehicle for developing these skills, students are asked to consider the following questions
related to the MYP Areas of Interaction:

Approaches to Learning
How do I learn best?
How do I know?
How do I communicate my understanding?
Community and Service
What is the role of science in society?
How can I contribute to the community?
Human Ingenuity
Why and how do we create?
What are the consequences?
How can we improve what we create?
Environment
What resources do we have or need?
What are my responsibilities?
Health and Social Education
What are the conditions that threaten and enhance health and well-being?
How do I think and act?

Course Description

The study of science in the eighth grade occurs in the context of the eighth grade experience and
the development of skills, knowledge, and understandings that are central to an engaging and
successful study of science and to becoming an engaged member of an increasingly global
community. As such, science courses in the middle school focus on the development of four
categories of skills essential to that development:

Knowledge-acquisition skills – forming concepts and understanding scientific ideas and

concepts.
Application of knowledge – using strategies to solve problems in familiar and unfamiliar
situations, in both scientific and other contexts.

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2009-2010 Physical Science - Grade 8 - Syllabus

Observation skills – focusing attention on objects and phenomena; recording and

communicating observations; annotations, sketches, and drawings.
Information-processing and organizational skills – gathering and sorting information and data;
comparing, classifying, ordering; constructing tables, organizational charts, outlines, and
graphic organizers.

Eighth Grade Science prepares students for further study of science by:

 Identifying questions that can be answered through scientific investigations.

 Developing an understanding of scientific inquiry.
 Applying mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry.
 Conducting scientific investigations.
 Using appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.
 Developing descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.

Learning Scope

Physical Science 8 incorporates cooperative and independent learning, verbal and written
communicating, reflecting, self and peer evaluating, and technology. Throughout the course,
students must interact with their peers, their environments (physical, human-made and virtual),
and scientific ideas of the past from various cultures to better understand the concepts being
discussed, tested and verified. Teaching approaches range from student led discussion and
laboratory activities to independent learning to qualitative discussions.

Physical Science - Grade 8 - Syllabus 2009-2010 5