8th Grade Science Curriculum Outcomes:

By the end of their eighth-grade year, HGM learners will see themselves as emerging physicists and chemists ready for advanced high school coursework as they develop the following skills:

Scientific Practice & Engineering Design:

  • Advanced experimental design with multi-variable analysis and error propagation

  • Scientific argumentation using CER framework with quantitative evidence

  • Peer review process and constructive scientific critique

  • Collaborative research teams with defined roles and project management

  • Public presentation of findings using multimedia and data visualization

Content: Big Ideas

  • Objects in Motion: 1D/2D kinematics, Newton's Laws, momentum conservation

  • Energy transformations: kinetic, potential, mechanical systems

  • Universal gravitation and orbital mechanics

  • Atomic structure and quantum model basics

  • Periodic trends and chemical bonding

  • Chemical reactions, formula writing, and stoichiometry

  • Electromagnetic forces and fields

  • Circuits and Ohm's Law

Academic & Professional Skills:

  • Technical writing: formal lab reports and research papers

  • Depth & Complexity tools for advanced analysis

  • Scientific literature review and source evaluation

  • Statistical analysis and uncertainty calculations

  • Career exploration in STEM fields

  • College-level laboratory documentation

Laboratory & Technical Skills:

  • Motion sensors, photogates, and video analysis software

  • Force sensors and digital data collection

  • Multimeters and circuit construction

  • Chemical measurement: analytical balances, volumetric glassware

  • Spectroscopy and molecular modeling software

  • Safety protocols for physics and chemistry investigations

  • Engineering prototyping and testing procedures