North Carolina State Standards for Science: Grade 8

NC.1. The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.

1.01. Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations. 4
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 1.01.

1.02. Develop appropriate experimental procedures for: given questions; student generated questions. 4
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 1.02.

1.03. Apply safety procedures in the laboratory and in field studies: recognize potential hazards; safely manipulate materials and equipment; conduct appropriate procedures. 171
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 1.03.

1.04. Analyze variables in scientific investigations: identify dependent and independent.; use of a control; manipulate; describe relationships between; define operationally. 143
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 1.04.

1.05. Analyze evidence to: explain observations; make inferences and predictions; develop the relationship between evidence and explanation. 143
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 1.05.

1.06. Use mathematics to gather, organize, and present quantitative data resulting from scientific investigations: measurement; analysis of data; graphing; prediction models. 270
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 1.06.

1.07. Prepare models and/or computer simulations to: test hypotheses; evaluate how data fit; make predictions. 250
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 1.07.

1.08. Use oral and written language to: communicate findings; defend conclusions of scientific investigations; describe strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, and/or data 138
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 1.08.

1.09. Use technologies and information systems to: research; gather and analyze data; visualize data; disseminate findings to others. 146
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 1.09.

1.10. Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing: scientific text; articles; events in the popular press. 129
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 1.10.

NC.2. The learner will demonstrate an understanding of technological design.

2.01. Explore evidence that 'technology' has many definitions: artifact or hardware; methodology or technique; system of production; social-technical system. 819
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 2.01.

2.02. Use information systems to: identify scientific needs, human needs, or problems that are subject to technological solution; locate resources to obtain and test ideas. 823
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 2.02.

2.03. Evaluate technological designs for: application of scientific principles; risks and benefits; constraints of design; consistent testing protocols. 817
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 2.03.

2.04. Apply tenets of technological design to make informed consumer decisions about: products; processes; systems. 817
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 2.04.

NC.3. The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of the hydrosphere.

3.01. Analyze the unique properties of water including: universal solvent; cohesion and adhesion; polarity; density and buoyancy; specific heat. 124
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 3.01.

3.02. Explain the structure of the hydrosphere including: water distribution on earth; local river basin; local water availability. 178
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 3.02.

3.03. Evaluate evidence that Earth's oceans are a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases, and life forms: estuaries; marine ecosystems; upwelling; behavior of gases in the marine environment; value and sustainability of marine resources; deep ocean t 94
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 3.03.

3.04. Describe how terrestrial and aquatic food webs are interconnected. 98
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 3.04.

3.05. Analyze hydrospheric data over time to predict the health of a water system including: temperature; dissolved oxygen; pH; nitrates; turbidity; bio-indicators. 34
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 3.05.

3.06. Evaluate technologies and information systems used to monitor the hydrosphere. 39
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 3.06.

3.07. Describe how humans affect the quality of water: point and non-point sources of water pollution in North Carolina; possible effects of excess nutrients in North Carolina waters; economic trade-offs; local water issues. 49
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 3.07.

3.08. Recognize that the good health of environments and organisms requires: monitoring of the hydrosphere; water quality standards; methods of water treatment; maintaining safe water quality; stewardship. 50
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 3.08.

NC.4. The learner will conduct investigations and utilize technology and information systems to build an understanding of chemistry.

4.01. Understand that both naturally occurring and synthetic substances are chemicals. 73
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 4.01.

4.02. Evaluate evidence that elements combine in a multitude of ways to produce compounds that account for all living and nonliving substances. 150
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 4.02.

4.03. Explain how the periodic table is a model for: classifying elements; identifying the properties of elements. 158
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 4.03.

4.04. Describe the suitability of materials for use in technological design: electrical conductivity; density; magnetism; solubility; malleability. 78
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 4.04.

4.05. Identify substances based on characteristic physical properties: density; boiling/melting points; solubility; chemical reactivity; specific heat. 78
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 4.05.

4.06. Describe and measure quantities related to chemical/physical changes within a system: temperature; volume; mass; precipitate; gas production. 91
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 4.06.

4.07. Identify evidence supporting the law of conservation of matter: during an ordinary chemical reaction matter cannot be created or destroyed; in a chemical reaction, the total mass of the reactants equals the total mass of the products mass of the products. 54
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 4.07.

4.08. Identify evidence that some chemicals may contribute to human health conditions including: cancer; autoimmune disease; birth defects; heart disease; diabetes; learning and behavioral disorders; kidney disease; asthma. 235
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 4.08.

4.09. Describe factors that determine the effects a chemical has on a living organism including: exposure; potency; dose and the resultant concentration of chemical in the organism; individual susceptibility; possible means to eliminate or reduce effects. 64
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 4.09.

4.10. Describe risks and benefits of chemicals including: medicines; food preservatives; crop yield; sanitation. 79
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 4.10.

NC.5. The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of evidence of evolution in organisms and landforms.

5.01. Interpret ways in which rocks, fossils, and ice cores record Earth's geologic history and the evolution of life including: geologic time scale; index fossils; law of superposition; unconformity; evidence for climate change; extinction of species; catastro 79
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 5.01.

5.02. Correlate evolutionary theories and processes: biological; geological; technological. 31
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 5.02.

5.03. Examine evidence that the geologic evolution has had significant global impact including: distribution of living things; major geological events; mechanical and chemical weathering. 135
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 5.03.

5.04. Analyze satellite imagery as a method to monitor Earth from space: spectral analysis; reflectance curves. 10
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 5.04.

5.05. Use maps, ground truthing and remote sensing to make predictions regarding: changes over time; land use; urban sprawl; resource management. 55
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 5.05.

NC.6. The learner will conduct investigations, use models, simulations, and appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of cell theory.

6.01. Describe cell theory: all living things are composed of cells; cells provide structure and carry on major functions to sustain life; some organisms are single cell; other organisms, including humans, are multi-cellular; cell function is similar in all liv 129
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 6.01.

6.02. Analyze structures, functions, and processes within animal cells for: capture and release of energy; feedback information; dispose of wastes; reproduction; movement; specialized needs. 126
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 6.02.

6.03. Compare life functions of protists: euglena; amoeba; paramecium; volvox. 126
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 6.03.

6.04. Conclude that animal cells carry on complex chemical processes to balance the needs of the organism: cells grow and divide to produce more cells; cells take in nutrients to make the energy for the work cells do; cells take in materials that a cell or an o 126
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 6.04.

NC.7. The learner will conduct investigations, use models, simulations, and appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of microbiology.

7.01. Compare and contrast microbes: size, shape, structure; whether they are living cells. 76
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 7.01.

7.02. Describe diseases caused by microscopic biological hazards including: viruses; bacteria; parasites; contagions; mutagens. 67
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 7.02.

7.03. Analyze data to determine trends or patterns to determine how an infectious disease may spread including: carriers; vectors; conditions conducive to disease; calculate reproductive potential of bacteria. 82
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 7.03.

7.04. Evaluate the human attempt to reduce the risk of and treatments for microbial infections including: solutions with anti-microbial properties; antibiotic treatment; research. 90
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 7.04.

7.05. Investigate aspects of biotechnology including: specific genetic information available; careers; economic benefits to North Carolina; ethical issues; impact for agriculture. 123
Suggested Titles for North Carolina Science State Standard 7.05.