8th Grade Science Assignments

I am made of cloth. I am used by campers. A person can sleep in me. I am not a tent. What am I?

What has many keys but can't open any doors?

What cool snack do you like to eat on a hot day?

Where would you never want to wear roller skates, and why?

What is your favorite tiny creature, and why?

There will be a lunar eclipse very early tomorrow morning. The peak will be at 4:18 am, and it will end at 6 am. What causes a lunar eclipse? Will you try to get up early to see it?

Describe one adaptation that helps a creature thrive in the dark.

What movie should we watch?

Sunday, May 23rd is World Turtle Day! Share someplace where you have seen turtles, or a fun fact about turtles.

Have you ever been in a cave? If so, where was it?

Share a silly joke.

May is National Pet Month. Name something amazing that a pet can do that can help people.

Today is National Frog Jumping Day! Share your favorite place to look for frogs or a fun fact about frogs.

I don't have wings, but I can fly. I have a tail. I am very colorful. I am not a bird. What am I?

What type of flower has the most ferocious roar?

There are 2 answers that are False from the Google Form. Tell me which statements are false and how you know they are false. 
(1 point for telling me what number and 1 point for telling me how you know that the statement is false) x 2 because there are 2 statements + 1 point extra for turning in on time.  

There are so many flowers that bloom in May. What type of flower is your favorite, and why?

Tomorrow is National Space Day, a day to celebrate the extraordinary achievements, benefits, and opportunities in the exploration and use of space. Share a space joke or fun fact.

What is your favorite endangered species and why?
(For any interested artists, San Leandro is having an Endangered Species Youth Art Contest. The deadline for this optional, fun activity is this Friday. Details are in the attached flyer.)

Today is Bird Day, a day to enjoy the birds around us and remember how important they are to the environment. Describe one way that birds help the environment.

Today is World Sun Day, created by President Jimmy Carter in 1978 to promote solar power for sustainable energy. Name something in your house or neighborhood that is solar powered.

Post presentation here!

15 points per body systems 
Leave your own system blank!

What is your favorite thing to eat that grows on a tree?

Share a fun fact about trees.

This is something that’s often green
Because of photosynthesis
You might turn over a new one
And it is part of a lettuce

What am I?

This Friday will be Arbor Day. What type of tree is your favorite, and why?

What did Obi Wan Kenobi say to the tree on Earth Day?

Name an animal that helps protect the Earth and explain how.

In celebration of Earth Day this week, what will you do to help protect the Earth?

Where is your favorite place in nature, and why?

List 3 of the 11 human body systems and describe what they do.

Pick 3 body systems and explain how they work together while you are running.

When your muscles work harder, what happens to your heart and breathing rates?

What kind of trees do the beautiful yellow and black orioles like to build their nests in?

What is your favorite part of spring?

What goes up when the rain goes down?

What has no fingers, but many rings?

What is small, round, and colorful, and gets hidden over and over again?

What is something that makes you laugh?

Flowers in bloom, and rain showers I bring. I live in your mattress and even trampolines. What am I?

What can run, but can't walk?

0.5 points for the drawing or picture and 0.5 points for the definition of the words --> 36 words so 36 points total!

There are five holes in the ground and four seeds. A little boy plants one seed in the second hole. Then, a seed exactly to the right of that seed. Next, he plants a seed in the 5th hole, and finally, he plants a seed four holes to the left of that. Which hole did not get a seed?

What is something that makes you smile?

What were your results?

I fall, but I don't get hurt. I pour, but I'm not a jug. I help plants grow, but I'm not the sun. What am I?

Choose an option below AND leave a private comment explaining what you're doing!

You can:
1. write a news article
2. make a commercial
3. make a poster or an infographic
4. brochure

Unscramble the following letters to spell a local, migrating bird:
rdcea wgniwxa

When does a potato stop being Irish?

How many coins can a leprechaun fit in an empty pot?

What kind of a bow cannot be tied?

The PDF is for you if you want to print it and handwrite all of the answers. They are the same thing as the Google Slides part 1 and part 2!!

This week's Daily Check-In questions are Irish themed for St. Patrick's Day.
What Irish rock is as light as a feather?

Name a special animal ability that you wish that you had. Why?

Why do scientists think that burrowing owls collect and place animal dung right outside their burrows?

Name some marsupials other than a kangaroo.

What do you call a turtle that can fly?

Would you rather be a cactus, or a toadstool, or a rose? Why?

Would you rather live in igloos, or would you rather live in tents? Why?

Would you rather be a dog or a cat? Why?

1. Why were gasoline-powered automobiles so popular for most of the 20th century?
2. What are some technological limitations for electric cars?
3. How do electric cars help reduce fossil-fuel use?

In celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday on March 2nd, each Daily Check-In this week will be a creative and silly question from one of his books.

Would you rather be a bullfrog or a butterfly? Why?

This is for class tomorrow. do NOT complete.

I can follow you for thousands of miles and not miss home. I do not fear cold or fire, and I desire neither food nor drink. But I disappear when the sun sets behind the western mountains. Who am I?

They look like twin brothers, both sturdy and tall. They work together and go everywhere together. But they only go near solid food and do not care for soup. Who are they?

It works hard all its life, counting numbers day and night, but never gets past 12. What is it?

In honor of Chinese New Year, all the daily check-ins this week will be traditional Chinese riddles.
Sometimes it is curved like a smile, other times it is round like a plate. (Hint: something in space) What am I?

Look at page 67 of your book

Why didn't the orange finish the relay race?

1. How do you know when electric current is flowing in a lightbulb circuit?
2. Describe the path taken by electricity through an incandescent lightbulb.
3. What are some ways in which modern lightbulbs help save energy?

Would you rather have a paper copy or a digital notebook for your vocabulary packet?

(If we end up doing the digital copy, you can take pictures of what you draw or just draw through Google Drawings. I will teach you how to do this if you don't already know)

What do comets, horses and pennies have in common?

Did you see any birds this weekend? If so, what kind? Did you submit any observations for the Great Backyard Bird Count?

What kind of bird does not need to go to the barber?

Which was your favorite bird that we studied for the Great Backyard Bird Count? Why?

Attach images of your drawings here

Name some local animals that hibernate in the Bay Area.

Would you rather have feet or flippers? Why?

Read pages 15-18 and summarize what you read. Your summary should be at least 5 sentences or 5 bullet points. Make sure that you summarize each part of the reading (Introduction, Invisible Forces, Finding Net Force)

Reread pages 2-7 and answer the following questions:
1. Look at the diagram on page 6, what is the force in newtons of each load? (There are 2 springs with loads on them, so, you should have 2 answers)
2. What is the difference between mass and weight?
3. Can you name another invisible force besides gravity?

Reread pages 8-14 and then answer the following questions:
1. How does the texture of a surface affect friction?
2. What might happen if you tried to walk across the room and there was no friction?
3. What do you think Newton meant when he said, "If I have seen further [than most people], it is by standing on the shoulders of giants"?

If a rooster lays an egg on the roof of an A-frame house, which way will it roll?

Name something that you crack other than eggs.

What do you get when you cross a spider with an ear of corn?

What is your favorite reptile? Why?

Attach your presentation here.

I suggest looking for creative but organized templates on:
- SlidesMania (https://slidesmania.com)
- Slides Carnival (https://www.slidescarnival.com)
- Slides Go (https://slidesgo.com)

There are other ones where you have to create an account but can look better than the ones listed above like:
- Prezi (https://prezi.com)
- Canva (https://www.canva.com)

Attach your video of you (and your group members, if any) here.
Options:
1. You can record through Flipgrid, the link is below.
2. You can record through Zoom and attach it here.
3. You can record through your computer and upload to Google and attach it here.

If any of these do NOT work, email me/share it with me through Google.

Why don't bears wear socks?

What do astronauts use to stay warm?

Attach project images here or all in one Google Doc.
Suggestions of images to include:
1. you and your group members meeting on Zoom and/or working on the project
2. all materials gathered on a table top
3. models of your experiment or result of a trial in your experiment
4. other images taken while completing this project

ALL photos must have a caption.

What is an abstract?

Create your list here.
Make sure that you are SPECIFIC and ALL materials are listed for the experiment itself. (Poster Board should not be included as a material).
Include all measurements, quantities or qualifying description of the material
(for example:
1. 5 pieces of blue construction paper size 8.5 x 11 inches each
2. 5 tablespoons of baking soda)

Do you prefer dogs or cats? Why?

Why did the moon skip dinner?

Write your step by step instructions here. Remember: be as descriptive as possible, as if another person who doesn't know anything about your experiment can recreate the experiment without further explanation.

Write down facts you learned and used in your science experiment from ANOTHER website (this can be in bullet points). Make sure to add the citation in MLA format.

If you have more than 3 resources you may add it on here.

Submit your hypothesis here and make sure it's in the "If...., then, .... because..." format. You and your partner should have the same one!
To make it easier, one can submit the whole hypothesis and the other/your partner can type "see (insert partner's name here)'s answer".
For example, if Miss Robles and I are working together and she will turn in our hypothesis and I will turn in: "see Miss Robles' answer".

Write down facts you learned and used in your science experiment from ANOTHER website (this can be in bullet points). Make sure to add the citation in MLA format.

Would you rather write the words for a story, or create the artwork? Why?

What do you call an alligator in a vest?

Write down facts you learned and used in your science experiment from ONE website (this can be in bullet points). Make sure to add the citation in MLA format.

Riddle:
Why is a math book always stressed?

Riddle:
Round as globes,
from the earth they peep,
when they shed their robes
they make us weep.

What am I?

Riddle:
Always restless,
always free,
can open doors,
and fell a tree.

What am I?

Riddle:
Made from a worm
but soft and light,
keeps you cool in the day,
and warm at night.

What am I?

Answer the following questions:
1. What is the independent variable in your Science Fair Project?
2. What is the dependent variable in your Science Fair Project?
3. What is the controlled variable in your Science Fair Project?

Riddle:
Dropping from the sky
More beautiful than rain
There are no two pieces
That’ll ever look the same

What am I?

Would you rather have your only mode of transportation be a alligator or a giraffe?

Would you rather give up being able to shower for a month or using the internet for a month?

Would you rather be an amazing painter or a brilliant mathematician?

Would you rather be able to teleport anywhere or be able to read minds?

Here are some websites with examples of a science fair project:
https://www.weareteachers.com/7th-grade-science-projects/
https://www.education.com/science-fair/middle-school/
https://www.weareteachers.com/8th-grade-science-projects/
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/middle-school
https://www.thoughtco.com/middle-school-science-fair-project-ideas-608469

What is Newton's 1st law of motion? Give an example.
What is Newton's 2nd law of motion? Give an example.
What is Newton's 3rd law of motion? Give an example.

Describe 1 situation with balanced forces and 1 situation with unbalanced forces.

Attach your notes here. You can take a picture and attach it or attach it to a Google Doc or have it typed on a Google Doc and attach it to this assignment.

Thinking about what we’ve learned so far,
-Fossils
-Comparative Anatomy
-Bone structure of different animals
-DNA
-Genetics
-The Human Genome Project
-Adaptation
-Natural Selection

How do you think this relates to our faith? Where do you see God in all of this? How can scientific and religious knowledge be reconciled in what you know so far?

Watch at least 2 videos and complete the worksheet
There's an example of a finished worksheet in this assignment.

Answer all 3 questions:
1. What is a trait and where does an organism get its traits from?
2. Why do light-fur mice survive LESS often on dark rocks, compared to dark-fur mice?
3. Explain how natural selection can cause organisms to change over generations.

After reading Adaptations (page 41-52) on your science book, make sure to answer these questions:
1. What is adaptation?
2. What is an example of an adaptation?
3. What causes adaptations?


If your class number is 1-6 (last name Alaniz - Foss), name one PHYSICAL trait of the Adelie penguin that helps it survive in the Atlantic. Would the trait you named be an advantage if the penguin lived in your environment (city-like, populated, California)? Explain why or why not.

If your class number is 7 - 12 (last name Francisco - Hadgu), name one BEHAVIORAL trait of the Adelie penguin that helps it survive in the Atlantic. Would the trait you named be an advantage if the penguin lived in your environment (city-like, populated, California)? Explain why or why not.

If your class number is 13-18 (last name Henning - Parisotto), name one PHYSICAL trait of the wandering albatross in that helps it survive in the Atlantic. Would the trait you named be an advantage if the penguin lived in your environment (city-like, populated, California)? Explain why or why not.

If your class number is 19-23 (last name Prater - Velasquez), name one BEHAVIORAL trait of the wandering albatross in that helps it survive in the Atlantic. Would the trait you named be an advantage if the penguin lived in your environment (city-like, populated, California)? Explain why or why not.

Answer the following questions in complete sentences:
1. What is the Human Genome Project? When did it start? Who started it?
2. What is a mutation?

Answer the questions after watching the videos:
What did you learn from the videos? (Name the specific video and make sure to talk about one thing from each video). What did you find the most interesting?

Then, comment on at least ONE of your classmates' answers.

Please answer the following questions in complete sentences or copy and paste the questions and write your answers below them.

1. What are topics that we've talked about?
2. What vocabulary words have you learned? Can you define any of them?
3. What has been the best part of science so far? Why?
4. What would you like to do more of next trimester? Why?

Create a Lab Report for the Extracting Strawberry DNA Lab that we did.
Everything you need to have in the Lab Report is attached in this assignment - Google Slide called Lab Report Requirements.
You can choose to make a presentation or create a brochure. Below you can see links as resources.
After you create a presentation or a brochure attach it to this assignment and turn it in!

Watch the video first. Then, answer the questions:

1. What did the dad ask the kids to do?
2. How did the kids do? Did they do it correctly on the first try?
3. Why is it important to be specific?
4. What was the funniest part of the video?

Attach your bird feeder image here!

ONLY IF YOU DON'T LIKE YOUR SCORE

Open Google Doc, look at which group you're in.
Read assigned article.
Take notes from your assigned article. Turn notes in (it's already attached to this assignment, all you have to do is fill it out)!!!

If you're in group 1, read Formation of Earth Article.

If you're in group 2, read Sloth Article.

If you're in group 3, read about Bizarre Creature.

If you're in group 4, read Scotty Article.

If you're in group 5, read about Petroleum's Impact on Earth.

Take a picture of the fossil you created in class and attach the image here.
Describe what it is.
What went well? What didn't?

Feel free to create a Google Doc and attach the image and to answer your questions.

Read the article attached to this assignment and then complete the quiz.