Grade 8 Science: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 8 science in the Saskatchewan Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- Life Science: Cells, Tissues, Organs, and Systems (CS8.1–CS8.4): Analyze the characteristics of cells, and compare structural and functional characteristics of plant and animal… Demonstrate proficiency in the use of a compound light microscope to observe plant and animal cells. Distinguish structural and functional relationships among cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems in humans and… (and 1 more outcome)
- Physical Science: Optics and Vision (OP8.1–OP8.4): Identify and describe, through experimentation, sources and properties of visible light. Explore properties and applications of optics-related technologies, including concave and convex mirrors and… Compare the nature and properties of human vision with optical devices and vision in other living organisms. (and 1 more outcome)
- Physical Science: Forces, Fluids, and Density (FD8.1–FD8.4): Investigate and represent the density of solids, liquids, and gases based on the particle theory of matter. Examine the effects of forces in and on objects in fluids, including the buoyant force. Investigate and describe physical properties of fluids (liquids and gases), including viscosity and… (and 1 more outcome)
- Earth and Space Science: Water Systems on Earth (WS8.1–WS8.3): Analyze the impact of natural and human-induced changes to the characteristics and distribution of water in local… Examine how wind, water, and ice have shaped and continue to shape the Canadian landscape. Analyze natural factors and human practices that affect productivity and species distribution in marine and fresh…
Easy ways to practise science at home
- Turn everyday questions into investigations: “Which paper towel holds the most water?”
- Read a science news story together and ask what evidence it gives.
- Look up how a household machine works, such as a bike gear, a lamp or a fridge.
- Have your child draw and label a diagram of something they just learned.
What each unit covers
Cells & Life Processes
The cell theory, what organelles do in plant and animal cells, how photosynthesis and respiration are connected, osmosis, and how cells form tissues, organs and organ systems.
Light & Radiation
Wavelength and frequency, the electromagnetic spectrum from radio waves to gamma rays and what each is used for, reflection, refraction and colour, and staying safe from UV radiation.
Density & Buoyancy
Calculating density from mass and volume, explaining why solids, liquids and gases differ in density using the particle theory, and predicting whether objects float or sink in different fluids.
Viscosity & Flow
What viscosity is, how temperature and other factors change how fluids flow, and how to find a flow rate by dividing volume by time.
Pressure & Pascal's Law
Why gases compress easily and liquids do not, how heating or compressing a fluid changes its pressure and volume, and how a hydraulic press uses Pascal's law to multiply a force.
Hydraulics & Pneumatics
How hydraulic systems (liquids) and pneumatic systems (compressed air) work, where each is used, and how valves, pumps and tubes in machines compare with the heart, lungs and blood vessels.
Changes to Our Water
Watersheds, the water cycle, groundwater and wetlands, droughts and floods in Saskatchewan, and the ways natural events and human actions (dams, drainage, irrigation, pavement) change where water goes.
Wind, Water & Ice Shape the Land
Weathering, erosion and deposition; features made by glaciers (moraines, eskers, erratics, kettle lakes), rivers (valleys, floodplains, deltas) and wind (dunes), with Saskatchewan examples such as the Qu'Appelle Valley and the Athabasca sand dunes.
Life in Lakes & Oceans
Producers, food webs, nutrients, oxygen, light and temperature in lakes and oceans, how fishing, fertilizer runoff, dams and invasive species change aquatic life, with Saskatchewan lake examples.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Beginning
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Has it! Meeting is the goal for every outcome. Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exemplary
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the Saskatchewan report card guide.
Common questions
How can I help my Grade 8 child with science?
Turn everyday questions into investigations: “Which paper towel holds the most water?” Read a science news story together and ask what evidence it gives. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
What does my child learn in Grade 8 science in Saskatchewan?
The Saskatchewan Curriculum Grade 8 science units include cells & life processes, light & radiation, density & buoyancy, viscosity & flow, pressure & pascal's law, hydraulics & pneumatics.
Free printable Grade 8 science practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.