Unit Plan 27 (Grade 8 Science): Energy—Quarter Synthesis

Focus: Demonstrate mastery of energy concepts by planning and conducting energy transfer investigations, creating graphs and models, and writing scientific arguments about kinetic, potential, and thermal energy across systems, including evaluating design solutions.

Grade Level: 8

Subject Area: Science (Physical Science • Energy • Engineering Design)

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

I. Introduction

This quarter-synthesis unit asks students to pull together everything they’ve learned about energy: kinetic and potential energy in mechanical systems, thermal energy transfer, and particle models of heating and cooling. In small teams, students choose or refine an energy transfer question (motion, mechanical, or thermal) and plan a capstone investigation. They gather data, create tables and graphs, and use energy bar models and diagrams to interpret results. They then evaluate design solutions (e.g., thermal devices, collision safety setups, or mechanical configurations) using a systematic process and write a full CER/argument that uses evidence and reasoning to show that when kinetic energy changes, energy has been transferred. By the end of the week, students produce a mini “Energy Portfolio” that demonstrates mastery of MS-PS3-1–5 and MS-ETS1-2–3.

Essential Questions

• How can we use data (tables and graphs) and models (bar models, diagrams, particle pictures) to tell accurate energy stories across different systems?
• What do our investigations show about how kinetic energy depends on mass and speed, and how potential energy depends on mass, height, and distance/stretch?
• How can we design or evaluate devices that minimize or maximize thermal energy transfer using scientific principles and systematic testing?
• How do type of matter and mass affect temperature changes when thermal energy is transferred?
• How can we build and present a strong scientific argument that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy has been transferred to or from it?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Construct and interpret graphs that show how kinetic energy changes with mass and speed in a chosen motion or mechanical system.
2. Develop and use models (bar models, diagrams, and simple graphs) to show how stored potential energy depends on mass, height, and distance/stretch in a system (e.g., ramp, spring, pendulum).
3. Apply scientific principles of energy transfer to design, construct, test, or evaluate a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer.
4. Plan and conduct a capstone investigation to explore relationships among energy transfer, type of matter, mass, and change in average kinetic energy (observed as temperature change or speed change).
5. Construct, use, and present a scientific argument that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy has been transferred, using graphs, tables, and models as evidence.
6. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process and analyze data from tests to determine similarities, differences, and which design best meets criteria and constraints.

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

• MS-PS3-1 — Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the relationships between kinetic energy and mass or speed.
• MS-PS3-2 — Develop a model to describe how stored potential energy depends on mass, height, and distance between objects.
• MS-PS3-3 — Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer.
• MS-PS3-4 — Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the relationships among energy transfer, type of matter, mass, and change in average kinetic energy.
• MS-PS3-5 — Construct, use, and present arguments that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy has been transferred to or from the object.
• MS-ETS1-2 — Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
• MS-ETS1-3 — Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify which best meets the criteria.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can create and explain graphs that show how kinetic energy changes with mass and speed for my system.
• I can draw and use energy models (bar models, diagrams, and simple graphs) that show how potential energy depends on position and distance.
• I can design or evaluate a device based on thermal energy transfer principles, and I can explain which design works best and why.
• I can help plan and carry out an energy investigation, and use my data to describe how type of matter and mass affect temperature or speed changes.
• I can write or present a clear scientific argument using graphs, tables, and models to show that changes in kinetic energy always involve energy transfer.