Eighth Grade SEEd Standards

Science Concepts Course

You need to have a USBE Canvas account to enroll in this course. If you are logged your USBE Canvas account you can click on "Join this Course" on the right to enroll. If you need to create a USBE Canvas account you can do so on USBE's Canvas Catalog page for this course.

Welcome to 8th Grade SEEd Standards Content Courses. This course will introduce you to the content of this particular grade's standards and allow you to dive into building a conceptual understanding of the ideas. Before starting the course at all please click this link to download the SEEd Standards.

The eighth-grade SEEd standards provide a framework for students to develop a model that uses computational thinking to illustrate cause-and-effect relationships in particle motion. Eighth-grade students engage in argument to identify the strongest evidence that supports the claim that the kinetic energy of an object changes as energy is transferred to or from the object. They plan and conduct investigations to construct an explanation of how photosynthetic organisms use energy to transform matter and construct explanations of the uneven distribution of Earth’s resources. Additionally, eighth-grade students design and evaluate solutions to problems that exist in these areas.

This course is organized into strand mini-course, which can be completed for credit. Each mini-course focuses on the content of a specific strand of the SEEd Standards. A strand consists of multiple standards and represents significant areas of learning within grade-level progressions and content domains. By completing each strand mini-course, you will earn USBE credit. It's important to note that these mini-courses aim to provide you with a much deeper understanding of the concepts than what is expected from students. They are designed to help you enhance your own knowledge and become well-versed in the content up to the 6-8 grade band, allowing you to facilitate learning more effectively in your classroom.

Each mini-course follows a structured format that includes a dedicated module for each standard within its respective strand. As you begin a mini-course, you will progress sequentially through the modules until reaching the end, where you will take a comprehensive quiz. Within each module of the mini-course, you will find an introduction page, a background section providing an explanation of the concept associated with the standard, a learning progression section that outlines the steps for mastering the concept, and a quiz that shows you know the content and how to apply that knowledge in the classroom.

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You must complete the introduction module before you can choose a Strand mini-course:

Introduction Module: A Vision for Science Education

After completing the Introduction module, you can complete any strand mini-course in any order you choose. Click on a strand mini-course module below to begin.

Strand 8.1: Matter and Energy Interact in the Physical World
Strand 8.2: Energy is Stored and Transferred in Physical Systems
Strand 8.3: Life Systems Store and Transfer Energy
Strand 8.4: Interactions with Natural Systems and Resources

RECEIVING CREDIT

In order to receive credit for each mini-course, you will complete all tasks in each strand module. 0.5 USBE credit will be awarded for strand 8.3, 8.4, and 8.5. 1.0 UBSE credit will be awarded for strand 8.1 and 8.2.

FINISHING THE COURSE

At the end of each strand mini-course, you are required to fill out a course exit evaluation to show you successfully completed the requirements. Credit for the mini-courses will be applied to your MIDAS account three times during the year:

Coursework completed before December 31st will be awarded by the end January.
Coursework completed before May 30th will be awarded by the end June.
Coursework completed before August 31st will be awarded by the end September.

If you have any questions, need help, or have feedback on the course, contact one of the USBE Science Specialists listed on USBE's Science Webpage.