Unit Plan 36 (Grade 8 Science): Cumulative Synthesis & Exhibition

Focus: Show what you know in a culminating exhibition that brings together chemical models, force diagrams, energy systems, wave devices, and engineering design from across the year’s learning. Students curate and present evidence of understanding from matter & interactions (MS-PS1), forces & motion (MS-PS2), energy (MS-PS3), waves & information (MS-PS4), and engineering design (MS-ETS1).

Grade Level: 8

Subject Area: Science (Physical Science • Engineering Design)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this final unit, students step into the role of scientist–engineers curating a Cumulative Synthesis & Exhibition. They revisit major units on chemical reactions and particle models, forces and motion, energy transfer and systems, and waves and communication, as well as their engineering design projects. Working in teams, students design interactive stations that showcase key models (e.g., particle diagrams, force diagrams, energy flow diagrams, wave models, prototypes) and explain how these ideas solve or describe real-world problems. The week ends with an exhibition where students present to peers, staff, and/or families.

Essential Questions

• How do the core ideas of matter, forces, energy, waves, and engineering design connect across different phenomena and technologies?
• How can we use models, diagrams, data, and explanations to clearly communicate what we understand about the physical world?
• In what ways do engineering design practices (defining problems, modeling, testing, improving) help us apply science to real-world challenges?
• What evidence shows that we are ready for high school science—and how can we demonstrate that evidence to an audience?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify and explain key ideas from MS-PS1, MS-PS2, MS-PS3, MS-PS4, and MS-ETS1, using concrete examples from the year’s labs, models, and projects.
2. Select and refine representations—such as chemical models, force diagrams, energy system diagrams, wave models, and engineering design artifacts—to show how they used scientific concepts to explain phenomena or solve problems.
3. Organize evidence (models, data tables, graphs, prototypes) into coherent storylines that connect question → investigation/model → evidence → conclusion.
4. Collaborate to design an exhibition station that includes at least two different models or diagrams plus a verbal/visual explanation that a non-expert can understand.
5. Reflect on their growth as scientists and engineers, identifying strengths and areas for further development.

Standards Alignment — 8th Grade (NGSS-based custom, cumulative spiral)

• MS-PS1 (Matter & Its Interactions) — Chemical reactions, particle models, conservation of mass, synthetic materials.
• MS-PS2 (Forces & Interactions) — Newton’s laws, gravitational and electric forces, magnetic interactions.
• MS-PS3 (Energy) — Kinetic and potential energy, energy transfer, thermal energy, energy in systems.
• MS-PS4 (Waves & Information) — Wave properties, energy transfer via waves, digital communication.
• MS-ETS1 (Engineering Design) — Criteria and constraints, evaluating and improving solutions, modeling and iterative testing.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can choose and explain a few strong examples of my work that show my understanding of matter, forces, energy, waves, and design.
• I can use models and diagrams (particle pictures, force arrows, energy bar charts, wave graphs, design sketches) to support my explanations.
• I can describe how my evidence and models connect to the big ideas from our standards across the year.
• I can present my ideas clearly to an audience using visuals, data, and clear language.
• I can reflect on what I have learned and improved in science this year and what I want to keep working on.