Turkey 8th Grade Science Curriculum

This outlines the key topics and learning outcomes for the 8th Grade Science curriculum in Turkey, based on the official curriculum document from the Turkish Ministry of National Education (MEB).

Unit 4: Matter and Industry / Nature of Matter

• Interaction of Matter with Heat: Students will conduct experiments to discover how heating depends on the type, mass, and temperature change of matter. They will also learn about dependent, independent, and controlled variables.
• Heat Required for Phase Change: Students will experimentally discover that the heat required for phase change is related to the type and mass of the substance. They will also learn that the temperature of pure substances remains constant during phase change.
• Phase Change and Heating Graphs: Students will draw and interpret graphs representing phase changes and heating of matter.
• Relating Phase Changes and Heat Exchange: Students will connect phase changes in daily life with heat exchange.
• Chemical Industry in Turkey: Students will research the development of the chemical industry in Turkey, from the past to the present. They will also investigate career paths in the chemical industry and propose ideas for future career fields.

Unit 5: Simple Machines / Physical Phenomena

• Simple Machines: Students will explain the advantages of simple machines with examples, focusing on fixed pulleys, movable pulleys, pulley systems, levers, inclined planes, and winches. They will also be introduced to gears, screws, and pulleys as simple machines.

Unit 6: Energy Transformations and Environmental Science / Living Beings and Life

• Food Chain and Energy Flow: Students will provide examples of producers, consumers, and decomposers in a food chain. The curriculum emphasizes energy transfer, body size, number of individuals, and bioaccumulation in ecological pyramids.
• Energy Transformations: Students will recognize the importance of photosynthesis in food production in plants. They will also make inferences about factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis, such as light color, carbon dioxide levels, water levels, light intensity, and temperature. Additionally, they will identify the importance of respiration in living organisms.
• Matter Cycles and Environmental Problems: Students will demonstrate and explain matter cycles using diagrams and discuss their importance for life. They will also explore the potential impact of environmental problems on the future of the world.
• Sustainable Development: Students will demonstrate a commitment to using resources efficiently and explain the importance of separating solid waste for recycling. They will also present solution proposals using research data on the contribution of recycling to the national economy.

Unit 7: Electric Charges and Electrical Energy / Physical Phenomena

• Electric Charges and Electrification: Students will explain electrification with examples from natural phenomena and technological applications. They will also classify electric charges and explain the interaction between similar and different charges. Furthermore, they will conduct experiments to distinguish different types of electrification.
• Electrically Charged Objects: Students will classify objects based on their electric charges, emphasizing that a neutral object does not mean it has no charge, but rather equal amounts of positive and negative charges. They will also learn about grounding and its importance for safety.
• Transformation of Electrical Energy: Students will give examples of how electrical energy is transformed into heat, light, and motion energy. They will also explain how electricity is generated in power plants, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of different types of power plants. Finally, they will discuss the importance of conscious and efficient use of electrical energy for family and national economies.