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Table of Contents
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SCIENCE
GRADE 7
Grade 7 Science and Technology
“All things are made of atoms—little particles that move around in perpetual motion attracting each other
when they are a little distance apart, but repelling upon being squeezed into one another. In that one
sentence… there is an enormous amount of information about the world, if just a little imagination and
thinking are applied.”
—R. Feynman, Nobel Prize-winning Physicist
In Science 7 we begin to learn how to be scientists. Our goal by the end of the year is to be able
to design and carry out experiments to produce meaningful results for a wide variety of scientific
questions. You will also learn how to analyse results and present them in a way that is easily
understandable, honest and convincing. Secondly, you will begin to look at the world as being made
up entirely of atoms. You will use this model to explore many different things. What are gases, liquids
and solids, and why one can turn into another? What is “heat” and how does it transfer itself? What
is dissolving, and why do some things do this while others do not? You will also be investigating
structures, and why they don’t fall down (or sometimes do), as well as trying to understand our own
place as humans in the natural world of living things.
GRADE 8
Grade 8 Science and Technology
Science 8 continues where we left off in Science 7. You will continue to develop yourself as scientists.
The aim is to finish the year with you having a strong ability to design and perform laboratory
experiments of increasing complexity, and to present your results in a meaningful, honest and
convincing fashion. You will also aim to deepen your ability to work with the atomic model you began
to look at in Science 7. Along the way, these laboratory methods will be used to help you investigate all
manner of fascinating and important topics, such as:
•
Simple Machines or “Why I can lift five ton rocks by simply standing on a lever”
•
Cells or “What are living things made from, and how is it possible that plants make themselves
out of thin air?!”
•
Fluids or “Why do thousand-ton boats float (usually) while tiny rocks don’t (usually)?”
Finally, you will be studying water, one of the world’s most amazing substances, with the goal of
understanding both what is amazing about water, and why it is this way.