Grade 8 Science ILS Standards

History

Geography

Economics/ Financial Literacy

Civics

Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action

Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence

Inquiry

History

Geography

Economics/ Financial Literacy

Civics

Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action

Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence

Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries

Inquiry

Earth's Place in the Universe

Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.

Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.

Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.

Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth's 4.6-billion-year-old history.

Earth's Systems

Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth's materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.

Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions.

Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.

Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions.

Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.

Earth and Human Activity

Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth's mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes.

Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.

Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.

Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.

Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.

Engineering Design

Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.

Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.

Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.

From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells, either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells.

Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function.

Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells.

Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively.

Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.

Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.

Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as this matter moves through an organism.

Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories.

Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.

Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.

Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism.

Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation.

Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past.

Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.

Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy.

Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals' probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.

Gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in organisms.

Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time.

Matter and Its Interactions

Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.

Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.

Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.

Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.

Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved.

Undertake a design project to construct, test, and modify a device that either releases or absorbs thermal energy by chemical processes.

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Apply Newton's Third Law to design a solution to a problem involving the motion of two colliding objects.

Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object's motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.

Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces.

Construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the masses of interacting objects.

Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.

Energy

Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the speed of an object.

Develop a model to describe that when the arrangement of objects interacting at a distance changes, different amounts of potential energy are stored in the system.

Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer.

Plan an investigation to determine the relationships among the energy transferred, the type of matter, the mass, and the change in the average kinetic energy of the particles as measured by the temperature of the sample.

Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object.

Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Use mathematical representations to describe a simple model for waves that includes how the amplitude of a wave is related to the energy in a wave.

Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.

Integrate qualitative scientific and technical information to support the claim that digitized signals (sent as wave pulses) are a more reliable way to encode and transmit information.

Explain how granting rights for individuals or communities does not reduce the ability of other individuals or communities to exercise the same rights and evaluate how efforts to maintain systems or initiate change within societies have worked for or against the benefit or oppression of multiple groups.

Explain how granting rights for individuals or communities does not reduce the ability of other individuals or communities to exercise the same rights and evaluate how efforts to maintain systems or initiate change within societies have worked for or against the benefit or oppression of multiple groups.

Identify different types of citizenship and immigration statuses of individuals in the United States and the different rights and roles (e.g., voters, jurors, taxpayers, military, protesters, and officeholders) based on citizenship or immigration status.

Identify different types of citizenship and immigration statuses of individuals in the United States and the different rights and roles (e.g., voters, jurors, taxpayers, military, protesters, and officeholders) based on citizenship or immigration status.

Evaluate the powers and responsibilities of individuals, political parties, interest groups, and the media; how these have changed over time; and the impacts on multiple communities.

Evaluate the powers and responsibilities of individuals, political parties, interest groups, and the media; how these have changed over time; and the impacts on multiple communities.

Describe and analyze the roles of political, civil, and economic organizations from a national to local scale in impacting multiple individuals and communities.

Describe and analyze the roles of political, civil, and economic organizations from a national to local scale in impacting multiple individuals and communities.

Describe the origins and purposes and impact of governing documents and policies (e.g., U.S. Constitution, Illinois Constitution, laws, treaties, and international agreements) and synthesize their application and impacts on multiple groups of people with how they have changed over time.

Describe the origins and purposes and impact of governing documents and policies (e.g., U.S. Constitution, Illinois Constitution, laws, treaties, and international agreements) and synthesize their application and impacts on multiple groups of people with how they have changed over time.

Analyze how the application of laws and the protection, granting, or denial of individual and collective rights have impacted participation and powers of various groups of people.

Analyze how the application of laws and the protection, granting, or denial of individual and collective rights have impacted participation and powers of various groups of people.

Synthesize how the changes over time in the application of laws and granting or denial of rights have impacted governments, public officials, and bureaucracies at different levels in the United States, U.S. territories, and tribal nations within the United States.

Synthesize how the changes over time in the application of laws and granting or denial of rights have impacted governments, public officials, and bureaucracies at different levels in the United States, U.S. territories, and tribal nations within the United States.

Explain the origins, functions, and structure of government with reference to the U.S. Constitution, Illinois Constitution, and other systems of government and how they have impacted multiple groups of people.

Explain the origins, functions, and structure of government with reference to the U.S. Constitution, Illinois Constitution, and other systems of government and how they have impacted multiple groups of people.

Identify the means used by individuals and groups to either maintain or change powers and protect, grant, or deny rights of individuals and communities in societies.

Identify the means used by individuals and groups to either maintain or change powers and protect, grant, or deny rights of individuals and communities in societies.

Analyze the origins, purposes, and processes connected to maintaining or changing powers and how individuals and societies protect, grant, or deny rights.

Analyze the origins, purposes, and processes connected to maintaining or changing powers and how individuals and societies protect, grant, or deny rights.

Analyze the relationships among democratic principles, civic virtues, special interests, and perspectives to the ideas and principles contained in the constitutions, laws, treaties, and international agreements of the United States and other countries.

Analyze the relationships among democratic principles, civic virtues, special interests, and perspectives to the ideas and principles contained in the constitutions, laws, treaties, and international agreements of the United States and other countries.

Evaluate and critique deliberative processes regarding the development and application of governing documents and policies and how they have changed over time.

Evaluate and critique deliberative processes regarding the development and application of governing documents and policies and how they have changed over time.

Analyze and synthesize ideas and principles contained in the founding and governing documents and practices of the United States, U.S. territories, and tribal nations within the United States.

Analyze and synthesize ideas and principles contained in the founding and governing documents and practices of the United States, U.S. territories, and tribal nations within the United States.

Identify the impact of specific rules and laws (both those that are in effect and proposed) on multiple individuals and communities in relationship to the intended issues they were meant to address. Analyze cause-and-effect relationships of issues that resulted in specific rules and laws.

Identify the impact of specific rules and laws (both those that are in effect and proposed) on multiple individuals and communities in relationship to the intended issues they were meant to address. Analyze cause-and-effect relationships of issues that resulted in specific rules and laws.

Develop and evaluate procedures for making decisions in historic and contemporary settings (e.g., school; civil society; or local, state, or national governments).

Develop and evaluate procedures for making decisions in historic and contemporary settings (e.g., school; civil society; or local, state, or national governments).

Analyze the perspectives and positions of multiple individuals and communities impacted by specific rules and laws (both actual and proposed); the equitable application of rules and laws; and consequences for not abiding by rules and laws historic and contemporary settings.

Analyze the perspectives and positions of multiple individuals and communities impacted by specific rules and laws (both actual and proposed); the equitable application of rules and laws; and consequences for not abiding by rules and laws historic and contemporary settings.

Explain how economic decisions affect the well-being of individuals, businesses, and society.

Explain how economic decisions affect the well-being of individuals, businesses, and society.

Explain how economic decisions affect the well-being of individuals, businesses and society.

Explain how external benefits and costs influence choices.

Explain how external benefits and costs influence choices.

Explain how changes in supply and demand cause changes in prices and quantities of goods and services, labor, credit and foreign currencies.

Evaluate alternative approaches or solutions to current economic issues in terms of benefits and costs for different groups and society as a whole.

Evaluate alternative approaches or solutions to current economic issues in terms of benefits and costs for different groups and society as a whole.

Evaluate employment, unemployment, inflation, total production, income and economic growth data and how they affect different groups

Analyze the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in a market economy.

Analyze the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in a market economy.

Describe the roles of institutions, such as corporations, nonprofit organizations and labor unions, in a market economy.

Describe the roles of institutions, such as corporations, nonprofit organizations and labor unions, in a market economy.

Explain how changes in supply and demand cause changes in prices and quantities of goods and services, labor, credit, and foreign currencies.

Explain how changes in supply and demand cause changes in prices and quantities of goods and services, labor, credit, and foreign currencies.

Explain why standards of living increase as productivity improves.

Explain why standards of living increase as productivity improves.

Explain barriers to trade and how those barriers influence trade among nations.

Explain barriers to trade and how those barriers influence trade among nations.

Evaluate employment, unemployment, inflation, total production, income, and economic growth data and how they affect different groups.

Evaluate employment, unemployment, inflation, total production, income, and economic growth data and how they affect different groups.

Analyze the relationship among skills, education, jobs, and income.

Analyze the relationship among skills, education, jobs, and income.

Analyze the relationship among skills, education, jobs, and income.

Explain the roles and relationships among savers, borrowers, interest, time, and the purposes for saving.

Explain the roles and relationships among savers, borrowers, interest, time, and the purposes for saving.

Identify how people choose to buy goods and services while still maintaining a budget based on income, taxes, savings, and fixed and variable expenses.

Identify how people choose to buy goods and services while still maintaining a budget based on income, taxes, savings, and fixed and variable expenses.

Explain the correlation among investors, investment options (and associated risks), and income/wealth.

Explain the correlation among investors, investment options (and associated risks), and income/wealth.

Describe the connection among credit, credit options, interest, and credit history.

Describe the connection among credit, credit options, interest, and credit history.

Analyze the relationship between financial risks and protection, insurance, and costs

Analyze the relationship between financial risks and protection, insurance, and costs

Explain the roles and relationships among savers, borrowers, interest, time, and the purposes for saving.

Use geographic representations (e.g., maps, photographs, satellite images) to explain relationships between the locations (places and regions) and changes in their environment.

Use geographic representations (e.g., maps, photographs, satellite images) to explain relationships between the locations (places and regions) and changes in their environment.

Identify how cultural and environmental characteristics vary among regions of the world.

Identify how cultural and environmental characteristics vary among regions of the world.

Explain how global changes in population distribution patterns affect changes in land use.

Explain how global changes in population distribution patterns affect changes in land use.

Analyze how the environmental characteristics of places and production of goods influence patterns of world trade.

Analyze how the environmental characteristics of places and production of goods influence patterns of world trade.

Use mapping and graphing to represent and analyze spatial patterns of different environmental and cultural characteristics.

Use mapping and graphing to represent and analyze spatial patterns of different environmental and cultural characteristics.

COMPARE and CONTRAST the cultural and environmental characteristics of different places or regions.

Construct different representations to explain the spatial patterns of cultural and environmental characteristics.

Construct different representations to explain the spatial patterns of cultural and environmental characteristics.

Explain how humans and their environment affect one another.

Explain how humans and their environment affect one another.

Compare and contrast the cultural and environmental characteristics of different places or regions.

Compare and contrast the cultural and environmental characteristics of different places or regions.

Evaluate how cultural and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people in both nearby and distant places.

Evaluate how cultural and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people in both nearby and distant places.

Explain how environmental characteristics affect human migration and settlement.

Explain how environmental characteristics affect human migration and settlement.

Explain how changes in transportation and communication influence the spatial connections among human settlements and affect the spread of ideas and culture.

Explain how changes in transportation and communication influence the spatial connections among human settlements and affect the spread of ideas and culture.

Evaluate the influences of long-term, human-induced environmental change on spatial patterns of conflict and cooperation.

Evaluate the influences of long-term, human-induced environmental change on spatial patterns of conflict and cooperation.

Identify and describe the contexts of a series of historical events and developments as examples of change and/or continuity based on the perspectives of multiple diverse groups.

Identify and describe the contexts of a series of historical events and developments as examples of change and/or continuity based on the perspectives of multiple diverse groups.

Evaluate the significance of historical events to multiple groups and the relationship to modern-day movements and events.

Evaluate the significance of historical events to multiple groups and the relationship to modern-day movements and events.

Analyze connections and disconnections among events and developments in broader historical contexts and identify the effects of events on groups of people who have been marginalized.

Analyze connections and disconnections among events and developments in broader historical contexts and identify the effects of events on groups of people who have been marginalized.

Explain how and why perspectives of people have changed over time.

Explain how and why perspectives of people have changed over time.

Evaluate how perspectives of multiple individuals and groups have impacted the availability of information and the creation of historical sources.

Evaluate how perspectives of multiple individuals and groups have impacted the availability of information and the creation of historical sources.

Analyze and compare multiple factors that influenced the perspectives of multiple groups of people during different historical eras relevant to the cultural groups.

Analyze and compare multiple factors that influenced the perspectives of multiple groups of people during different historical eras relevant to the cultural groups.

Classify the kinds of historical sources used in a secondary interpretation to include sources representing multiple perspectives.

Classify the kinds of historical sources used in a secondary interpretation to include sources representing multiple perspectives.

Evaluate the validity of claims made in historical sources representing a variety of perspectives, describe the possible or actual impact(s) of the sources on audiences, and determine uses and applications.

Evaluate the validity of claims made in historical sources representing a variety of perspectives, describe the possible or actual impact(s) of the sources on audiences, and determine uses and applications.

Detect possible biases and limitations in the historical record based on evidence collected from different kinds of historical sources by identifying the author, purpose, funding/source, type of publication/outlet, intended audience, etc.

Detect possible biases and limitations in the historical record based on evidence collected from different kinds of historical sources by identifying the author, purpose, funding/source, type of publication/outlet, intended audience, etc.

Describe the differences between correlation and causation in historical events and explain multiple causes and effects of historical events.

Describe the differences between correlation and causation in historical events and explain multiple causes and effects of historical events.

Organize and critique applicable evidence to develop a coherent argument about the past.

Organize and critique applicable evidence to develop a coherent argument about the past.

Compare and contrast the central historical arguments in secondary works across multiple media.

Compare and contrast the central historical arguments in secondary works across multiple media.

Create essential questions that consider multiple perspectives to guide inquiry about a topic.

Create essential questions that consider multiple perspectives to guide inquiry about a topic.

Ask essential and focused questions that consider multiple perspectives and will lead to independent research.

Ask essential and focused questions that consider multiple perspectives and will lead to independent research.

Determine sources representing multiple points of view and diversity of authorship that will assist in organizing a research plan.

Determine sources representing multiple points of view and diversity of authorship that will assist in organizing a research plan.

Determine the value of sources by evaluating their relevance and intended use.

Determine the value of sources by evaluating their relevance and intended use.

Gather relevant information from credible sources and determine whether they support each other.

Gather relevant information from credible sources and determine whether they support each other.

Determine the credibility of sources based upon their origin, authority, and context.

Determine the credibility of sources based upon their origin, authority, and context.

Appropriately cite all the sources that are used.

Appropriately cite all the sources that are used.

Develop claims and counterclaims using evidence from credible sources while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both.

Develop claims and counterclaims using evidence from credible sources while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both.

Identify evidence from multiple sources to support claims, noting any limitations of the evidence.

Identify evidence from multiple sources to support claims, noting any limitations of the evidence.

Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging the arguments' strengths and limitations.

Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging the arguments' strengths and limitations.

Present arguments and explanations that would appeal to audiences and venues outside of the classroom, using a variety of media.

Present arguments and explanations that would appeal to audiences and venues outside of the classroom, using a variety of media.

Construct explanations for a specific audience using reasoning, correct sequences, examples, and details, while acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses.

Construct explanations for a specific audience using reasoning, correct sequences, examples, and details, while acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses.

Critique the structure and credibility of arguments and explanations (self and others) about a topic.

Critique the structure and credibility of arguments and explanations (self and others) about a topic.

Analyze how a problem can manifest itself, identify the individuals and communities impacted by a problem, and address the challenges and opportunities faced by those trying to take action toward solutions.

Analyze how a problem can manifest itself, identify the individuals and communities impacted by a problem, and address the challenges and opportunities faced by those trying to take action toward solutions.

Apply a range of deliberative and democratic procedures to make decisions and take action in schools and community contexts.

Apply a range of deliberative and democratic procedures to make decisions and take action in schools and community contexts.

Assess individual and collective capacities within a given context to take action, address problems, and identify potential outcomes.

Assess individual and collective capacities within a given context to take action, address problems, and identify potential outcomes.

Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries

Emerging and Future Technologies

Impacts of Computing

Algorithms and Programming

Data and Analysis

Networks and the Internet

Computing Systems

Algorithms: Use flowcharts or pseudocode to address complex problems as algorithms

Variables: Perform operations on student-created variables that possess descriptive names and represent different data types.

Control: Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals.

Modularity: Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.

Modularity: Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse.

Program Development: Seek and incorporate feedback from team members and users to refine a solution that meets user needs.

Program Development: Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs and give attribution.

Program Development: Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases.

Program Development: Distribute tasks and maintain a project timeline when collaboratively developing computational artifacts.

Program Development:Document programs to make them easier to follow, test, and debug.

Devices: Recommend improvements to the design of computing devices, based on an analysis of how users interact with the devices.

Hardware and Software: Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data.

Troubleshooting: Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components.

Storage: Represent data using multiple encoding schemes.

Collection Visualization and Transformation: Collect data using computational tools and transform the data to make it more useful and reliable.

Interference and Models: Refine computational models based on the data they have generated.

Interference and Models: Evaluate the misuse of data and impact of distorted outcomes.

Explain that the field of emerging technologies will be evolving and rapidly growing

Compare existing and emerging technologies, ideas, and concepts.

Describe how emerging technologies are influencing current events at a local and global scale.

Predict the positive and negative societal, cultural, and economic impacts that emerging and future technologies may generate.

Create new or original work by applying emerging technologies

Culture: Compare tradeoffs associated with computing technologies that affect people's everyday activities and career options.

Culture: Discuss issues of bias and accessibility in the design of existing technologies.

Social Interactions: Collaborate with many contributors through strategies such as crowdsourcing or surveys when creating a computational artifact.

Safety Law and Ethics:  Describe tradeoffs between allowing information to be public and keeping information private and secure.

Network Communication and Organization: Model the role of protocols in transmitting data across networks and the internet.

Cybersecurity: Explain how physical and digital security measures protect electronic information

Cybersecurity: Apply multiple methods of encryption to model the secure transmission of information