Enrolling Now for 2026-27 School Year.
Enrolling Now for 2026-27 School Year.
Learning Coach Guide Contents Information Processing Unit13 Ecosystem Interactions Unit14 Natural Resources Unit15 Natural Hazards Unit16 The History of Planet Earth Unit17 Ancestry and Diversity Unit18 Natural Selection and Adaptation Unit19 Inheritance of Traits Unit20 Human Impacts on Earth Systems Unit21 Global Climate Change Unit22 Welcome Letter Dear Learning Coach, Thank you for partnering with CCA and investing in your learner’s education. This Learning Coach Guide is intended to help you support your learner in their Science 8 course. Within this guide, you will find the goals, components, and features of the online course. Please take time to read and review this information so you understand how to help your learner interact with all the course’s elements. The Learning Coach Guide also includes information about each of the units in this course. On each page of unit information, you will discover the following: The Unit Overview will tell you what the focus, content, and skills of the unit will be. The Unit Assessment section is a place for you and your learner to preview the graded work in the course. At the start of each unit, work with your learner to look at the unit in edio and find out which types of graded work are in this unit. Write them in the box and use it as a checklist. You can check off each one as your learner completes it. The Unit Materials section tells you the materials your learner will need to complete the activities in this unit. You will also find the materials list repeated within each lesson, so that your learner has exactly what they need at the right time. The Unit Discussion Questions are optional questions that you may want to ask your learner during the unit to increase home and school connections about what your learner is studying. In the Unit Notables section, you may find optional activities, career connections, technology tips, ideas to help your learner if they get stuck, or safety tips. CCA wishes you and your learner a terrific school year! Supporting Your Learner Your role as a Learning Coach is very important. Here are a few ways you can help your learner do their very best in the course. Help your learner know what time guided or live class instruction is scheduled for, and prompt them to attend sessions or watch recordings. Remember, it is okay for your learner to get stuck. Learning new material takes time. Encourage them to take breaks, keep trying, and even ask the teacher for help. Help your learner navigate technology. That may mean helping them type information or upload work into edio. Always encourage your learner to do their very best. Review the course syllabus for your learner’s course. Maintain communication with your learner’s teacher. Part B:Course Information Course Goals In Science 8, your learner will use the foundations they learned in previous science courses to explore concepts related to life science, including senses, ecosystems, natural selection, adaptations, and genetics. By the end of the year, your learner will be able to: make observations, raise questions, and formulate hypotheses; create and interpret graphs and diagrams using data collected through scientific investigations; relate scientific concepts across subjects; demonstrate critical thinking skills to analyze facts and form conclusions; evaluate historical scientific models for relevance to modern events; improve critical thinking, problem-solving, and analysis skills that can be broadly transferred to other disciplines; develop scientific writing skills to show clarity and understanding of the content, communicate results, and defend an argument or draw a conclusion; describe how the brain is able to detect, process, and use information about the environment; identify changes in the environment and their effects on the environment; discuss the history of Earth’s planetary history and how humans are changing the planet; explain how genetic traits are inherited across generations; discuss evidence and ideas that support the relationship between different species; and analyze, critique, and develop solutions for current and potential future environmental problems. Course Format This section will help you to understand how your learner’s course is structured in edio. Lesson Components: Each day, your learner will spend 45–60 minutes completing a Science 8 lesson. Some days may take less time, while others may take a little more time. The lesson does not need to be completed in one sitting. Encourage your learner to take short breaks as they need. Lesson Bundling: In the Science 8 course, your learner will engage in lessons, assignments, projects, quizzes, and tests. Within some lessons, there are lesson bundles. Within the lesson bundles, there are different components your learner will interact with. These components will not be used every day. Course Organization Lesson: There is one Course Organization lesson in this course. It can be found on Day 1 of Unit 1. This lesson includes important information about the course and contact information for your teacher. Unit Overview: Each unit will include a unit overview. This describes what your learner will learn in the unit and how many assessments the unit will have. Knowledge Check: There will be one Knowledge Check in each unit. The Knowledge Check is designed to check prior learning and understanding of key skills and concepts that will be taught in the unit. The Knowledge Check is not a graded assessment. Vocabulary: On most lesson days, your learners will see a vocabulary bundle. Your learner will complete a vocabulary bundle followed by the regular lesson. The vocabulary bundle contains a list of the objectives you will learn in the lesson, new vocabulary, and prerequisite vocabulary. Lesson: Science 8 lessons follow a similar structure to your learner’s other classes. Each informative lesson comprises three parts: Engage, Discover, and Show. See example below. Lesson Components:In science learners will see a specific bundle of lessons within one day. Each lesson has its own components to help guide your learner through the lesson. Vocabulary: This section includes the lesson objectives and any new and prerequisite vocabulary. Lesson: Following the vocabulary instruction, learners will move into their regular science lesson, which will follow the pattern of Engage – Discover – Show. Lesson Overview: At the beginning of every lesson, your learner will see the lesson overview. This section contains lesson objectives, lesson vocabulary, materials your learner will need for the lesson, and the suggested lesson length. Engage: The first section of the lesson is Engage. In this section, learners will be introduced to the lesson by making a connection to past and present knowledge and will get ready for the lesson’s instruction. Discover: New content and instruction is presented in the Discover section. Your learner will interact with the lesson content through defined vocabulary, videos, audio, and Pause and Think activities. Your learner will be able to practice and answer questions as they work through the lesson. Optional More to Explore: At the end of some lessons, an Optional More to Explore Activity will appear. The activity will introduce your learner to an extension that includes more information about the day’s lesson topic. Your learner may skip the activity and move directly to the lesson summary. Show: Learners will demonstrate what they have learned in the lesson through a series of practice questions. Wrap Up: This section recaps the day’s objectives and prepares learners for a future lesson or assessment. The course includes assignments and projects. These graded assignments allow your learner to show what they have learned and apply their new skills. All CCA assignments and projects include these components. Assignments and Projects Components: Assessment Overview: At the beginning of each assessment, your learner will review the assessment overview. This section contains the goals of the assessment, materials your learner will need, the length of the assessment, and directions for completion. Plan: In the Plan section, learners will be introduced to the assignment or project. Learners may be provided with a review of content from the previous lessons, strategies for completing the activity, graphic organizers, and grading rubrics. Do: Learners put their plan into action and work to complete the assignment or project successfully. This section also provides the grading expectations and/or rubric the teacher will use to grade the work. Reflect: In Reflect, learners will think about the work they completed. They will reflect upon the experience and analyze how well they completed the task. These moments of reflection are important and allow learners to think about their learning and work habits. In addition to assignments and projects, this course also includes quizzes. Quiz Components: Quiz Review: Before a quiz, learners will have the opportunity to review the vocabulary and content that they will be assessed on in a quiz. Quiz: A quiz may be given at the end of a topic or the end of a unit. Quizzes can include multiple-choice, short-answer, and long-answer questions. Course Features In order to best engage your learner, Honors Science 8 uses some additional features that are unique to this course. This course includes and uses the following unique features: Interactive Games: In this course, your learner will sometimes check their understanding of lesson content by playing an interactive game. Learners can test their knowledge of lesson content by playing the game for as long as they would like. Science 8 Workbook: In Science 8, your learner will use the Science 8 Workbook in conjunction with the majority of their lessons in edio. The Science 8 Workbook consists of note pages to record main ideas, “Show What You Learned” pages to summarize the lesson and check for understanding, and a glossary of definition of terms. Science 8 Kit: The Science 8 Kit contains most of the materials your learner will need to complete the activities in Science 8. Take a few minutes to verify that your learner’s Science 8 Materials Kit contains all of the materials they need. Part C: Unit Information Information Processing Unit Unit Overview In this unit, learners will explore the sense receptor, an organ having nerve endings, such as in the eye or ear, and how each respond to different inputs or stimuli, transmitting them as signals that travel along nerve cells to the brain. Your learner will also explore how signals are then processed in the brain, resulting in immediate behaviors or memories. Unit Assessments Quiz ___________________________ Test ___________________________ Assignment __________________ Project _______________________ Exam _________________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions What did you find most interesting in this unit? What concept in this unit would you like to know more about? What do you remember about how a nerve cell transmits impulses? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will analyze a scientific article for the first time in the course. They will choose one of three articles. If they need assistance, guide them to choosing an article that most interests them. Kit Materials colored pencils, Science 8 Workbook Household Materials none Ecosystem Interactions Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will observe how ecosystem characteristics vary over time. They will explore that disruptions to any part of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations. Your learner will also study the concept that completeness or integrity of an ecosystem’s biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health. Unit Assessments Quiz ___________________________ Test ___________________________ Assignment __________________ Project _______________________ Exam _________________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions What did you learn from the ecosystem project? Would you have designed the project differently? What are examples of patterns that occur in nature? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will complete a project to design a solution to an ecosystem concern. Help your learner to consider factors that impact their local ecosystem. Then, encourage them to brainstorm ideas to address these concerns. The goal of the project is for your learner to generate potential solutions that can help benefit and improve the environment in your local area. Kit Materials colored pencils, Science 8 Workbook Household Materials none Natural Resources Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will explore how humans depend on Earth’s land, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere for different resources. They will discover that many resources are limited or not renewable. Your learner will also examine resources distribution around the plant. Unit Assessments Quiz ___________________________ Test ___________________________ Assignment __________________ Project _______________________ Exam _________________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions How do humans depend on Earth’s resources? Did the project encourage you to think differently about the consumption of energy by humans? What did you find interesting about this unit? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will study ways that humans consume energy. Encourage your learner think about the types of energy they use and the ways in which they use energy. Encourage them to think about the impacts of different energy use on the environment. Also encourage them to brainstorm some solutions to energy use. Kit Materials colored pencils, Science 8 Workbook Household Materials none Natural Hazards Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will study the different types of natural hazards. They will analyze the various risks of natural hazards. They will learn about warning systems and the different natural hazard risks in different areas of the United States. Your learner will also learn to map the history of natural hazards in a region and understand related geological forces. Unit Assessments Quiz ___________________________ Test ___________________________ Assignment __________________ Project _______________________ Exam _________________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions What did you find interesting or unexpected about this unit? What are the dangers of hazardous waste? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will study ways that humans consume energy. Encourage your learner think about the types of energy they use and the ways in which they use energy. Encourage them to think about the impacts of different energy use on the environment. Also, encourage them to brainstorm some solutions to energy use. Kit Materials 10 paper clips, Home Science Tools: Hazards and Humans Kit, Science 8 Workbook Household Materials none The History of Planet Earth Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will study Earth’s early history. They will analyze different types of fossils and fossil formation. Your learner will so learn about to interpret fossil formation. They will then use your knowledge to complete an assignment to further analyze fossils. Unit Assessments Quiz ___________________________ Test ___________________________ Assignment __________________ Project _______________________ Exam _________________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Kit Materials coral fossil, craft stick, dinosaur bone, fragment, flat box, fossilized shark tooth, graph paper, Home Science Tools: Beneath Our Feet Kit, Science 8 Workbook, metal probing tool, paintbrush, plaster of Paris, plastic graduated cup sand Household Materials water Unit Discussion Questions What are some examples of fossils? What are some events that have occurred through time to form Earth as we know it today? What did you learn from the Fossil Find Assignment? What more would you like to learn about fossils? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will complete the Fossil Find Assignment. This assignment requires several Science Kit materials and water from home. Help your learner locate and organize the materials necessary for this assignment. Encourage them to keep a neat and organized workspace at the complete each step of this assignment. Ancestry and Diversity Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will study the fossil record. They will analyze how the fossil record documents the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of many life forms and their environments throughout Earth’s history. They will also study how the fossil record and comparisons of anatomical similarities between organisms enable the inference of lines of evolutionary descent. Unit Assessments Quiz ___________________________ Test ___________________________ Assignment __________________ Project _______________________ Exam _________________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions What is the impact of a mass extinction on species variety? What evidence shows that different species are related? What are some interesting things that paleontologists do in their career? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will complete their first lab of the course. During the lab, your learner will Imagine they are the lead paleontologist supervising a dig site in a desert. Encourage your learner to research a career as a paleontologist. They can research questions like: What are the job requirements of a paleontologist? What are the education requirements to become a paleontologist? Kit Materials Science 8 Workbook Household Materials none Natural Selection and Adaptation Unit Unit Assessments Quiz ___________________________ Test ___________________________ Assignment __________________ Project _______________________ Exam _________________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will analyze how both natural and artificial selection result from certain traits giving some individuals in a population an advantage in survival and reproduction. They will study how species can change over time in response to changes in environmental conditions through adaptation by natural selection acting over generations. Your learner will also study traits that support successful survival and reproduction in the new environment become more common. Unit Discussion Questions What did you find most interesting in this unit? What concept in this unit would you like to know more about? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will complete the Birds on an Island Lab. This lab is made up of two parts that will occur on different days. Encourage your learner to stay organized. They should complete all requirements on Day 1 of the lab. Then, they should be sure to save important data from Day 1 to assist them in their completion of the lab on Day 2. Household Materials none Kit Materials Science 8 Workbook Inheritance of Traits Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will study how traits are inherited and passed along from one generation to the next. They will also learn how to use a punnett square to make predictions about the likelihood of trait inheritance from parent to offspring. Unit Assessments Quiz ___________________________ Test ___________________________ Assignment __________________ Project _______________________ Exam _________________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions What is something that surprised you in this unit? What did you learn about making predictions in this unit? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will learn how to use a Punnett square to make predictions about inheritance. Once a Punnett square is complete, your learner will interpret it to calculate the trait percentage. Using a Punnett square is much like completing a math problem. Practice makes perfect. Encourage your learner to practice Punnett square problems and reach out to their teacher immediately if there is any confusion. Kit Materials Science 8 Workbook, Super Taster Test Kit Household Materials none Human Impacts on Earth Systems Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will discover how human activities have altered the biosphere. They will examine ways human activity has damaged the biosphere or has changed the environment to the point in which it impacts different living things. Your learner will also study activities and technologies that have been engineered to reduce people’s impact on Earth. Unit Assessments Quiz ___________________________ Test ___________________________ Assignment __________________ Project _______________________ Exam _________________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions In what ways have humans changed the planet through time? What have you learned about how humans can negatively affect the environment? In what ways can you have a positive effect on the environment? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will learn how human activity can negatively impact the environment. Encourage your learner to assess the ways in which they have an impact on the environment. Ask them to think of ways they can change their activities to ensure they impact the environment in a negative way as little as possible. Focus on topics like alternative energy and conservation. Kit Materials Science 8 Workbook Household Materials none Global Climate Change Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will investigate the topic of global climate change. They will learn about both natural occurrences and human activities that contribute to the issue of climate change. Your learner will examine solutions to global climate change such as alternative energy and conservation efforts. Finally, your learner will analyze the concept of environmental justice to learn about inconsistencies in environmental quality worldwide. Unit Assessments Quiz ___________________________ Test ___________________________ Assignment __________________ Project _______________________ Exam _________________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions What are some contributing factors to the problem of global climate change? What are some solutions to protect the environment against climate change? What is environmental justice? Can you explain an example? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will complete a project on global climate change. To begin this project, your learner should select an environmental factor or issue that contributes to climate change. Encourage them to choose a topic they learned about in one of the Global Climate Change Unit lessons or another topic that is particularly interesting or important to them. Kit Materials Science 8 Workbook Household Materials none
Enrolling Now for 2026-27 School Year.
