Grade 08 Science - EC: S8.A.2.2.1

Continuum of Activities

The list below represents a continuum of activities: resources categorized by Standard/Eligible Content that teachers may use to move students toward proficiency. Using LEA curriculum and available materials and resources, teachers can customize the activity statements/questions for classroom use.

This continuum of activities offers:

Instructional activities designed to be integrated into planned lessons
Questions/activities that grow in complexity
Opportunities for differentiation for each student’s level of performance

Grade Levels

8th Grade

Course, Subject

Science

Related Academic Standards / Eligible Content

S8.A.2.2.1 S8.A.2.2.1

Describe the appropriate use of instruments and scales to accurately and safely measure time, mass, distance, volume, or temperature under a variety of conditions.

Activities

Which scientific instrument would be best suited for studying blood samples?
1. A telescope
2. A microscope
3. A magnifying glass
4. All of the above
Temperature can be measured in
1. Celsius
2. Fahrenheit
3. Kelvin
4. All of the above

What is the name of the scientific instrument is used to measure rain? Describe how it works and identify the scale used to measure the depth of the rain collected.
Your teacher brings in a jar of water from a local lake. What tools could you use to analyze the sample? What information would the tools give you? Give at least two examples.
Design a simple demonstration to explain how to measure an irregular object. Be very detailed.

Answer Key/Rubric

B.
D.
A rain gauge in its simplest form is a can that collects precipitation. The depth of the rain is measured using a ruler. The student may include expanded information about more complicated forms of rain gauge and measurement.
Acceptable responses might include, but not be limited to:
1. The water could be analyzed by placing a drop or two onto a slide and looking at it under a microscope. This would allow you to see any debris or organism in the sample.
2. The volume of water could be measured using a graduated cylinder.
3. A thermometer could be used to measure the temperature of the water.

Acceptable responses might include, but not be limited to:
To measure an irregular object, like a rock, you use the displacement method. To do this you need 300 mL water, a 500 mL beaker, small rock, a piece of paper, and a pencil. First, pour the water into the beaker. Write down the amount of water (300 mL) on the piece of paper. Next, place the rock into the beaker. This will cause the level of the water to rise (known as displacement). Write down the new water level on your piece of paper. To calculate the volume of the rock you take the new level of the water and subtract it from the original level of water. The difference is the rock’s volume. However, you cannot use mL as the scale because you are measuring a solid not a liquid. You must change, mL to cmᶾ.