HOLLAND HIGH SCHOOL

COURSE OUTLINE
GRADE 8
INTEGRATED SCIENCE CURRICULUM
SUBJECT
GRADE
TIME OF DELIVERY
TIME ALLOTED WEEKLY

INTEGRATED SCIENCE
EIGHT
SEPTEMBER 2014 JUNE 2015
1 HOUR 10MINS

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will help students to study how our environment changes
around us and the geological processes that change the world we live in. This curriculum will
seek to integrate physical, life, and earth science through active scientific investigation. A major
emphasis will be on earth science as well as scientific inquiry.
COURSE GOAL/ OBJECTIVES: Students will actively engage in learning activities and
projects to gain understanding of the following objectives:
COURSE OUTCOME: Students will gain understanding of scientific inquiry and research and
be able to make informed evaluations, predictions, and science based decisions. Students will
understand the importance of interactions among human activity and environment as well as the
processes and cycle in nature.

TOPICS AND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

WEEK 1: Water and living things

Water as a major component of plants and animals
Students should be able to:
1. Describe the movement of water in our environment
2. Recall that the human body is made up of 70% of water
3. Infer that water is present in both plants and animals
4. Demonstrate the properties of water
Suggested activities:
Watch animation of water cycle
Read from text book about water composition of animals and plants and construct
graphic organiser
Use mirror to detect the presence of water in animals. Cover leaves of fruits in
transparent plastic bags. Students will report their observation
Use balsam plant stem in coloured water to observe the capillarity action of water
capillarity action of water particles. Place a drop of water between microscope slides to
demonstrate the adhesive property
WEEK 2: Water as a habitat
Students should be able to:
1. Define terms such as habitat,hydrophytes,streamlined
2. Explain how plants and animals are able to survive in water
3. List examples of plants and animals that use water as a habitat
Suggested activities:
Watch video of animals on how they are able to adapt to cold habitat
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 Examine gills of fishes and the breathing roots of mangrove plants

Explain how the gills and breathing roots allow the mangrove and fishes to survive in
water
WEEK 3: Safe Water and Water conservation
Students should be able to:
1. Examine safe water
2. Explain how water is made pure and safe for drinking
3. Define conservation
4. List ways by which water can be conserved
5. State ways by which is misused by individuals
Suggested activities:
Do activity to determine different water sample
Do activity to see the ways in which water is purified locally
Do filtration activity to filter different types of water
Do activity to prove how dissolved substances change the freezing point of water

WEEK 4: Building Blocks

Investigating matter
Students should be able to:
1. Define the term matter
2. State that matter can exist as solid, liquid and gas
3. Differentiate among each states of matter
Suggested activities:
Do activity to show that substances are made of particles
Reduce chalk and other materials to smaller particles
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 Finding evidence for particles in matter

Make models of the states of matter
WEEK 5: Diffusion and Osmosis
Students should be able to:
1. Define terms such as diffusion and osmosis
2. Explain the particulate theory of matter
3. Explain Brownian motion
Suggested activities:
Read on the particulate of matter
Demonstrate the osmotic process by placing shrivelled lettuce leaves in cold water.
Record
Demonstrate osmosis in how sugar passes through potato
Demonstrate diffusion by spraying the room with perfumes. Record observation

WEEK 6:
Basic unit of life
Cell
Students should be able to:
1. Compare living and non living things
2. Draw diagram of plant and animal cell
3. State the function of the various parts of the cell
4. State the difference between plants and animal cells
Suggested activities:
Examine a onion cell and a blood smear under a microscope
Watch animation entitled inside the plant and animal cell
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 Design and create a model of plant and animal cell

Examine body cell under a microscope
WEEK 7:
Specialised plant and animal cell
Students should be able to:
1. Identify at least three types of animal cells,eg blood, nerve and muscle
2. Explain the term tissue, organ and systems
3. Name some of the main systems of the human body
4. Describe the characteristics of living things
Suggested activities:
Examine body cells under microscope
Examine onion tissue under a microscope and report observation
Dissect pigeon then examine organs and he systems they are a part of
Complete a table titled body organs and their functions
Describe the activities that animals and plants must exhibit in order to be considered to be
alive
Compare a car to a cow by listing what the cow does that the car cant
Examine the body of balsam .Cut it up into components such as organs and systems.

WEEK 8:
Energy flow through living things
Students should be able to:
1. Test leaf for starch
2. Define photosynthesis
3. Recall photosynthesis is the process, stating the raw materials and products involved
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Suggested activities:
Lab activity testing for photosynthesis
Show video on the process of photosynthesis
Read section of text that deals with the process of photosynthesis
Create flow chart showing the various steps that occur during photosynthesis
WEEK 9
Energy flow through living things
Students should be able to:
1. Outline the photosynthetic process, stating the raw materials and products involved
2. Carry out investigation to determine what substances are made during photosynthesis
3. Explain the importance of photosynthesis
Suggested activities:
Lab activity testing for the end product of photosynthesis
Outline the various uses of the product made by photosynthesis
Do activity to illustrate if carbon dioxide is used in photosynthesis

WEEK 10
Food and energy chains and webs
Students should be able to:
1. Describe what is meant by food chain and food web
2. Create food chain and food web using animals in the school yard
3. State who is a producer, consumer and a decomposer
Suggested activities:
Read section of the text book about food chains and webs
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 List animals and plants found on the school compound then formulate a food chain using
sample from the list
Use pictures of animals and plants to form a food web on a large display area
WEEK 11
Food and energy chains and webs
Students should be able to:
1. Infer that energy flow from one organism to the next during ingestion
2. Infer that the sun is the source of energy found in a food chain and web
3. State ways in which human activities upset a food web
Suggested activities:
Stimulate discussion about how foods move from one organism to another
Watch animation on food chain
In groups students will write human activities that interfere with food webs and chains
WEEK 12
Food intake, digestion and absorption
Students should be able to:
1. Explain the term digestion
2. List the main parts of the digestive system and their functions
3. Destine how food move along the alimentary canal
Suggested activities:
Read a section of the text on digestion
Define terms related to digestion
Watch animated video of the digestive system
View major organs of animals digestive system
Create a model of the digestive system
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WEEK 13
Food intake, digestion and absorption
Students should be able to:
1. Explain the absorption process
2. Define the term enzymes
3. Describe what happens to each nutrient during digestion
Suggested activities:
Use tooth paste tube to stimulate peristalsis
Watch animated video of peristalsis
Read section of the text that deals with enzymes
Lab activity on enzyme action. Papaw and liver
Role play activity with students assuming the roles of enzymes and nutrients
Chew crackers for 5 mins to display amylase action on starch
WEEK 14
Energy release through Respiration
Students should be able to:
1. List the major parts of the respiratory system
2. State that respiration is the release of stored energy in foods for the use by cells
3. Identify oxygen as the main substance needed for aerobic respiration in most living
things
Suggested activities:
Watch animated video on respiration
Examine animal respiratory system
Create a model of the respiratory system using soda bottles, straws and balloons
Read section of the text outlining the respiratory process
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WEEK 15
Energy release through Respiration
Students should be able to:
1. Describe the gaseous exchange process
2. State that by products of respiration are carbon dioxide, energy and water
3. Describe the process of respiration using a simple word equation.(glucose
+oxygen=carbon dioxide +water +energy)
Suggested activities
Lab activity showing respiration in yeast. Warm water,yeast,balloon and soda bottle
Watch animated video depicting gas exchange in the alveolus
Draw diagram showing the gas exchange process
Exhale in clear plastic to collect water as a product of respiration
Compare respiration with combustion
Exhale lime water to determine if carbon dioxide is produced during respiration
WEEK 16
Food and Health
Students should be able to:
1. Define terms related to topic
2. List the nutrients found in food
3. Discuss the function of each nutrient in the diet
4. Identify deficiency diseases associated with each nutrients

Suggested activities
Read text outlining the nutrients found in food

 Read text detailing nutritionally related diseases and how nutrients build, repair and
maintain the normal body functions. Write essay about nutrients use and their functions
Match nutrients to deficiency diseases seen on picture

WEEK 17
Food groups
Students should be able to:
1. Identify the food groups
2. Classify foods as staple, legumes & nuts,vegetables,fruits,food from animals
3. State that a balanced diet contains each food group in the correct proportion
4. Make a menu for a balanced diet
Suggested activities
Collect food samples in the environment and categorise them as a member of each food
group
Describe the problem associated with a unhealthy diet or one that is not balanced
Plan a menu for a wheeled chair bound person
Make a list of the foods that we eat and the main nutrients we get from them
WEEK 18
Exercise and rest
Students should be able to:
1. List four benefits gained by keeping the environment clean
2. State how regular exercise and rest will contribute to good health
3. Assess your lifestyle and that of other people and highlight ways by which it can be
improved
Suggested activities
List diseases that spread in dirty environment
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 Compare someone who exercise regularly to someone who doesnt

Describe how exercise helps such people to live a better life
WEEK 19
First Aid
Students should be able to:
1. Define first aid
2. State the importance of first aid
3. Describe simple ways of dealing with burns,shocks,poison,choking,open wounds and
fractures
4. Create a first aid kit
Suggested activities
Read text on first aid
Resource medical personnel will explain how to administer first aid in various
circumstances
Put fifteen vital that should be apart of a first aid kit

Methods of Evaluation
Students will be earned through a variety of assessments including class work, homework
assignments, lab assignments, test, quizzes and daily warm up exercises.

Warm up activity/evaluation activity

The last ten minutes of each class period, students will complete a unit objective activity in their
science notebooks. Each activity is based upon a tested unit objective and should be completed
accurately and completely. The activity is completed in class each day. Students are encouraged
to use this activity to study for chapter test. This activity can also be used as a test score for
monthly test report cards.
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Test /Projects
Tests, projects, and or formal reports will be given at the end of every chapter .At the end of each
term there will be a final exam .Term grade will be marked out of 30% and exam 70%.
Lab Activity
Students will also participate in many lab activities. Each lab will be based on the topics done in
class.

Prepared and submitted by:

Nadeen McKenzie

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