Grade 08 Science - EC: S8.D.3.1.2
Grade 08 Science - EC: S8.D.3.1.2
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
Activities
- Define gravity.
- What is the center of gravity in our solar system?
- What is the role of gravity in the moon’s revolution around the Earth?
- Why do the planets orbit the Sun?
- How is the size of a planet related to its atmosphere and gravitational pull?
- Describe how the gravitational pull of Earth and the moon influence tides.
Answer Key/Rubric
- Gravity is a natural force that causes bodies to attract each other.
- The center of gravity in our solar system is the Sun.
- The Law of Inertia states that all objects tend to travel in a straight line. Due to the Earth’s gravity pulling on the moon, the moon moves in an orbit around the Earth.
- Acceptable answers include, but are not limited to:
The planets orbit the Sun because of its gravitational pull. Because the Sun is more massive than the planets, its force of gravity is stronger, pulling on the planets, keeping them orbiting the Sun.
- Acceptable answers include, but are not limited to:
The bigger the planet the larger/thicker its atmosphere because it can hold more gases. The bigger the planet, the stronger its gravitational pull.
- Acceptable answers include, but are not limited to:
With the Earth being more massive than the Sun, the Earth’s gravity is keeping the moon in our orbit. The moon’s gravitational pull is strong enough that is causes the water to pull up, creating a bulge. As the moon orbits the Earth, and the Earth rotates, the bulge also moves, causing areas to experience high or low tides.
