Eighth+Earth+and+Space

Earth and Space Grade Eight 
 * 1. || Describe how objects in the Solar System are in regular and predictable motions that explain such phenomena as days, years, seasons, eclipses, tides and moon cycles. ||
 * 2. || Explain that gravitational force is the dominant force determining motions in the Solar System and in particular keeps the planets in orbit around the Sun. ||
 * 3. || Compare the orbits and composition of comets and asteroids with that of Earth. ||
 * 4. || Describe the effect that asteroids or meteoroids have when moving through space and sometimes entering planetary atmospheres (e.g., meteor-"shooting star" and meteorite). ||
 * 5. || Explain that the universe consists of billions of galaxies that are classified by shape. ||
 * 6. || Explain interstellar distances are measured in light years (e.g., the nearest star beyond the sun is 4.3 light years away). ||
 * 7. || Examine the life cycle of a star and predict the next likely stage of a star. ||
 * 8. || Name and describe tools used to study the universe (e.g., telescopes, probes, satellites and spacecraft). ||
 * 9. || Describe the interior structure of Earth and Earth's crust as divided into tectonic plates riding on top of the slow moving currents of magma in the mantle. ||
 * 10. || Explain that most major geological events (e.g., earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hot spots and mountain building) result from plate motion. ||
 * 11. || Use models to analyze the size and shape of Earth, its surface and its interior (e.g., globes, topographic maps, satellite images). ||
 * 12. || Explain that some processes involved in the rock cycle are directly related to thermal energy and forces in the mantle that drive plate motions. ||
 * 13. || Describe how landforms are created through a combination of destructive (e.g., weathering and erosion) and constructive processes (e.g., crustal deformation, volcanic eruptions and deposition of sediment). ||
 * 14. || Explain that folding, faulting and uplifting can rearrange the rock layers so the youngest is not always found on top. ||
 * 15. || Illustrate how the three primary types of plate boundaries (transform, divergent and convergent) cause different landforms (e.g., mountains, volcanoes, ocean trenches). ||