In many states, eighth-graders focus on physical science. Students examine motion and
velocity (the rate of change of an object's position); learn how unbalanced forces cause changes in velocity; and solve problems involving distance, time, and speed. They also discuss gravity; friction; the principles behind simple machines (like levers and pulleys); and tension and compression (a lesson typically focused on bridges). Students may also revisit the study of matter, including the building blocks of atoms and molecules, and the three states of matter (solid, liquid, and gas). Many teachers also delve into chemical reactions and begin the study of the periodic table of elements. Throughout the year, students plan and conduct scientific investigations to test their hypotheses in all of these areas. Your grandchildren's math skills play an important role in science this year, as they make calculations about speed, density, force, and volume.
Greater School Discipline. "Interdisciplinary education" is a major buzzword in middle schools, and will almost certainly be part of your eighth-grade grandchildren's year, as teachers in a variety of subjects come together to create special units they can lead together. A study of the environment is a classic interdisciplinary unit; students could read poems about nature in their English classes; learn about global warming in science; study statistics about the problem in math; and debate possible political solutions in social studies.
• David McCullough's
The Great Bridge (Simon & Schuster, 1972) is a classic history of one of the country's most dramatic building projects, New York City's Brooklyn Bridge. Besides relating the great challenges in completing the structure, McCullough's book shows one family’s dedication to getting the job done.
• The most famous span on the West Coast, San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, also has a storied history.
American Experience: The Golden Gate Bridge (PBS, 2004) relates the life story of one of the world’s longest suspension bridges.
• There are simple machines all around your house that you can share with young science students — and have fun while doing it! Visit EdHeads’s
Simple Machines website for suggestions, games, and a glossary of topical terms.
Seek Out the States. After a walk or road trip with your grandchildren, challenge the kids to make lists of all the things they encountered that were solids, liquids, or gasses.
A Bridge Between Generations. Using wood-glue and a box of popsicle sticks, try to build a bridge at least one-foot-long with your grandchildren. For fun, include other household materials in your attempt to get the bridge to stand.
Down Time. With your grandchildren, take turns telling true tales in which gravity plays a starring role. You may begin with a story about an embarrassing fall, an incident in which something you threw landed in an odd place, or the best ride at an amusement park. (Of course, you can also visit a local amusement park to see, and feel, gravity in action.)
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