Ontario · Grade 8
Science and Technology, Grade 8
Ontario’s Grade 8 science course, from STEM Skills and Connections to Water Systems.
- Units
- 5
- Lessons
- 12
- Skills
- 47
- Provincial exam
- None
- Official curriculum
- Ontario Ministry of Education
Unit by unit
Every skill in the course, with its official code.
Unit 1 · 4 skills
STEM Skills and Connections
Coding: Automating Large Systems
Automating large systems with code
I can write code that automates a large system in action.
Official code: A2.1
Coding, AI, and Skilled Trades
How coding and AI affect life and skilled trades
I can describe how coding and AI affect everyday life and skilled trades.
Official code: A2.2
Science and Technology in Jobs and Trades
Science and technology in occupations and skilled trades
I can describe how occupations and skilled trades use science and technology.
Official code: A3.1
People Who Help Science Grow
Analysing contributions from many communities
I can analyse how people from many communities contribute to science and technology.
Official code: A3.3
The official wording · 4 outcomes
- A2.1
- write and execute code in investigations and when modelling concepts, with a focus on automating large systems in action
- A2.2
- identify and describe impacts of coding and of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence systems, on everyday life, including skilled trades
- A3.1
- describe practical applications of science and technology concepts in various occupations, including skilled trades, and how these applications address real-world problems
- A3.3
- analyse contributions to science and technology from various communities
Key ideas
Automating means having code run steps by itself, without a person doing each one.
Large systems (traffic, manufacturing, sensors) are automated by code that responds to conditions.
Watch out for
- Thinking a person must trigger every step of an automated system.
- Confusing automating a system with running one step of code.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 2 · 8 skills
Cells
Life Systems
Cell Biology, Technology, and Society
Technologies that reveal cells
I can assess how technologies have enhanced our understanding of cells.
Official code: B1.1
Effects of developments in cell biology
I can analyse the beneficial and harmful effects of developments in cell biology.
Official code: B1.2
Exploring Cells
Cell theory
I can explain cells using cell theory.
Official code: B2.1
Organelles and their functions
I can identify the organelles of a cell and their functions.
Official code: B2.2
Plant and animal cells
I can compare plant and animal cells.
Official code: B2.3
Diffusion and osmosis
I can explain diffusion and osmosis in a cell.
Official code: B2.4
Unicellular and multicellular organisms
I can compare how unicellular and multicellular organisms meet their needs.
Official code: B2.5
From cells to systems
I can describe how cells organize into tissues, organs, and systems.
Official code: B2.6
The official wording · 8 outcomes
- B1.1
- assess how various technologies have enhanced our understanding of cells and cellular processes
- B1.2
- analyse beneficial and harmful effects of developments in cell biology and associated emerging technologies on human health and the environment, while taking different perspectives into consideration
- B2.1
- demonstrate an understanding of cells, using cell theory
- B2.2
- identify organelles and other cell components, including the nucleus, cell membrane, cell wall, chloroplasts, vacuole, mitochondria, and cytoplasm, and explain their basic functions
- B2.3
- compare the structure and function of plant and animal cells
- B2.4
- explain the processes of diffusion and osmosis within a cell
- B2.5
- describe various unicellular and multicellular organisms, and compare ways in which these two types of organisms meet their basic needs
- B2.6
- describe the organization of cells into tissues, organs, and systems
Key ideas
Technologies like the microscope and staining let us see cells and cellular processes.
Cell theory states that all living things are made of cells, cells are the basic unit of life, and all cells come from other cells.
Better technology has enhanced our understanding of how cells work.
Cell theory frames how we understand living things.
Developments in cell biology (vaccines, genetic technology) can benefit health and the environment.
Watch out for
- Thinking we always knew what cells looked like.
- Thinking some living things are not made of cells.
- Not connecting a technology to a gain in understanding.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 3 · 12 skills
Fluids
Matter and Energy
Fluid Technologies and Spills
Impacts of fluid-based technologies
I can assess the impacts of technologies based on the properties of fluids.
Official code: C1.1
Impacts of fluid spills
I can assess the impacts of fluid spills and the challenges of cleaning them up.
Official code: C1.2
Exploring Fluids
Viscosity
I can explain viscosity and compare the viscosity of fluids.
Official code: C2.1
Mass, volume, and density
I can explain and calculate the relationship between mass, volume, and density.
Official code: C2.2
Density of solids, liquids, and gases
I can use particle theory to explain the density of the three states of matter.
Official code: C2.3
Compressibility of liquids and gases
I can explain the compressibility of liquids and gases and its applications.
Official code: C2.4
Buoyancy
I can determine whether an object floats or sinks from its density.
Official code: C2.5
Pressure, volume, and temperature
I can explain how pressure, volume, and temperature relate when a fluid is compressed or heated.
Official code: C2.6
Pascal's law and force transfer in fluids
I can use Pascal's law to describe how fluids transfer force.
Official code: C2.7
Factors affecting fluid flow
I can describe factors that affect how fluids flow.
Official code: C2.8
Pneumatic and hydraulic systems
I can describe the difference between pneumatic and hydraulic systems.
Official code: C2.9
Fluids in living things and machines
I can compare how fluids are used and regulated in organisms and machines.
Official code: C2.10
The official wording · 12 outcomes
- C1.1
- assess the environmental, social, and economic impacts of various innovations and technologies that are based on the properties of fluids
- C1.2
- assess the environmental and social impacts of fluid spills, including impacts on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, and including the cost and technical challenges related to cleanup and remediation efforts
- C2.1
- demonstrate an understanding of the factors that affect viscosity, and compare the viscosity of various fluids, including volumetric flow rate
- C2.2
- demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between mass, volume, and density
- C2.3
- explain the difference between solids, liquids, and gases in terms of their density, using the particle theory of matter
- C2.4
- explain the difference between liquids and gases in terms of their compressibility and how their compressibility affects their technological applications
- C2.5
- determine the buoyancy of an object, given its density, in a variety of fluids
- C2.6
- explain in qualitative terms the relationship between pressure, volume, and temperature when a liquid or a gas is compressed or heated
- C2.7
- describe how forces are transferred in all directions in fluids, including using Pascal’s law to quantify the transfer of forces in fluids
- C2.8
- describe factors that affect the flow of fluids
- C2.9
- describe the differences between pneumatic and hydraulic systems
- C2.10
- compare how fluids are used and how their flow is regulated in living organisms and in mechanical devices or systems
Key ideas
Many technologies rely on fluid properties — hydraulic lifts, brakes, and pipelines.
Viscosity is a fluid's resistance to flow — honey is more viscous than water.
They have environmental, social, and economic impacts.
Factors like temperature affect viscosity, and flow rate can be used to compare fluids.
Fluid spills (oil, chemicals) have serious environmental and social impacts, including on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.
Watch out for
- Thinking fluid technologies have no wider impacts.
- Thinking all fluids flow at the same rate.
- Considering only one type of impact.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 4 · 13 skills
Systems in Action
Structures and Mechanisms
Automation and Alternatives
Impacts of automating systems
I can assess the impacts of automating systems.
Official code: D1.1
Alternative ways of meeting needs
I can assess alternative ways of meeting a need now met by a system.
Official code: D1.2
Exploring Systems in Action
Types of systems
I can identify various types of systems.
Official code: D2.1
Inputs and outputs of systems
I can describe a system's purpose, inputs, and outputs.
Official code: D2.2
Efficient and safe operation
I can identify what lets a system operate efficiently and safely.
Official code: D2.3
The science terms of work
I can use the terms displacement, force, work, energy, and efficiency correctly.
Official code: D2.4
Work, force, and displacement
I can explain how work relates to force and displacement.
Official code: D2.5
Input and output forces
I can explain the relationship between input and output forces in a machine.
Official code: D2.6
Calculating mechanical advantage
I can calculate the mechanical advantage of a machine.
Official code: D2.6
Energy dissipation and efficiency
I can identify how energy dissipates from systems and how to make them more efficient.
Official code: D2.7
Information for safe, efficient use
I can explain how consumer information keeps systems safe and efficient.
Official code: D2.8
Innovations and productivity
I can describe innovations in mechanical systems that increased productivity.
Official code: D2.9
Social factors and the evolution of systems
I can identify social factors that shape how a system evolves.
Official code: D2.10
The official wording · 13 outcomes
- D1.1
- assess the social, economic, and environmental impacts of automating systems
- D1.2
- assess the impact on individuals, society, and the environment of alternative ways of meeting needs that are currently met by existing systems, taking different points of view into consideration
- D2.1
- identify various types of systems
- D2.2
- describe the purpose, inputs, and outputs of various systems, including systems related to food processing
- D2.3
- identify the various processes and components of a system that allow it to perform its function efficiently and safely
- D2.4
- use the scientific terms displacement, force, work, energy, and efficiency to describe everyday experiences
- D2.5
- demonstrate an understanding of the relationships between work, force, and displacement in simple systems
- D2.6
- explain the relationship between input and output forces
- D2.6
- determine the mechanical advantage of various mechanical systems, including simple machines
- D2.7
- identify ways in which energy can dissipate from mechanical systems, and describe technological innovations that make these systems more efficient
- D2.8
- explain how providing information and support to consumers helps to ensure that the systems they use run safely and efficiently
- D2.9
- describe technological innovations involving mechanical systems that have increased productivity in various industries
- D2.10
- identify social factors that influence the evolution of a system
Key ideas
Automating a system replaces human steps with automatic ones.
A system is a set of parts working together to do a job.
This has social, economic, and environmental impacts — on jobs, cost, and resource use.
There are many types — mechanical, electrical, natural, and social systems.
A need met by one system could sometimes be met a different way.
Watch out for
- Thinking automation has only benefits or only drawbacks.
- Thinking a system is just a single object.
- Considering only one type of impact.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 5 · 10 skills
Water Systems
Earth and Space Systems
Water Sustainability and Knowledge
Fresh-water scarcity and a plan of action
I can assess the impact of fresh-water scarcity and propose a plan of action.
Official code: E1.1
First Nations, Métis, and Inuit water knowledges
I can describe First Nations, Métis, and Inuit knowledges and values about water.
Official code: E1.2
Impact of discoveries on water systems
I can assess how discoveries and innovations affect water systems.
Official code: E1.3
Exploring Water Systems
States, distribution, and circulation of water
I can identify the states, distribution, and circulation of water on Earth.
Official code: E2.1
Watersheds
I can describe a watershed and explain why it matters for water management.
Official code: E2.2
The water table
I can explain what changes the water table.
Official code: E2.3
Glaciers, ice-caps, and climate change
I can identify why glaciers and ice-caps melt and its effects on water systems.
Official code: E2.4
Water bodies and the atmosphere
I can explain how bodies of water change atmospheric conditions.
Official code: E2.5
Water-quality indicators
I can describe indicators of water quality and how human activity affects them.
Official code: E2.6
Municipal water processing
I can explain how municipalities process water and manage its use.
Official code: E2.7
The official wording · 10 outcomes
- E1.1
- assess the social and environmental impact of the scarcity of fresh water, and propose a plan of action to help address fresh water sustainability issues
- E1.2
- demonstrate an understanding of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit knowledges and values about water, connections to water, and ways of managing water resources sustainably
- E1.3
- assess the impact of scientific discoveries and technological innovations on local and global water systems
- E2.1
- identify the states of water on Earth’s surface, their distribution, relative amounts, and circulation, and the conditions under which they exist
- E2.2
- demonstrate an understanding of a watershed, and explain its importance to water management and planning
- E2.3
- explain how human activity and natural phenomena cause changes in the water table
- E2.4
- identify factors, including climate change, that have contributed to the melting of glaciers and polar ice- caps, and describe the effects of this phenomenon on local and global water systems
- E2.5
- explain changes in atmospheric conditions caused by the presence of bodies of water
- E2.6
- describe various indicators of water quality, and explain the impact of human activity on those indicators
- E2.7
- explain how municipalities process water and manage water usage
Key ideas
Fresh water is limited, and scarcity has social and environmental impacts.
Water exists as solid (ice), liquid, and gas (vapour) on Earth's surface.
A plan of action can help address fresh-water sustainability issues.
It is distributed in oceans, ice, lakes, and the air, and it circulates through the water cycle.
First Nations, Métis, and Inuit hold deep knowledges, values, and connections to water.
Watch out for
- Thinking fresh water is unlimited.
- Thinking most of Earth's water is fresh and easy to use.
- Assessing the problem but proposing no action.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Plan the term
Pick your term and the days you study. Each unit gets its share of the weeks and comes back a week later for a review. The last two weeks go over the whole course.
The official curriculum
This page follows Ontario’s own curriculum for Science and Technology, Grade 8.
Strands
| Strand | Outcomes | Taught in |
|---|---|---|
| ASTEM Skills and Connections | Outcomes 4 | Taught in Unit 1 |
| BLife Systems | Outcomes 8 | Taught in Unit 2Cells |
| CMatter and Energy | Outcomes 12 | Taught in Unit 3Fluids |
| DStructures and Mechanisms | Outcomes 12 | Taught in Unit 4Systems in Action |
| EEarth and Space Systems | Outcomes 10 | Taught in Unit 5Water Systems |
Study it in MapleMind
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Course Companion
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Questions about Science and Technology, Grade 8
What is Science and Technology, Grade 8?
Ontario’s Grade 8 science course: 5 units and 47 skills, from STEM Skills and Connections to Water Systems.
What units are in Science and Technology, Grade 8?
1. STEM Skills and Connections, 2. Cells, 3. Fluids, 4. Systems in Action and 5. Water Systems.
Is there a provincial exam for Science and Technology, Grade 8?
No. Ontario gives no provincial exam for Science and Technology, Grade 8.
What comes after Science and Technology, Grade 8?
Science, Grade 9 (De-streamed).
Can MapleMind help with Science and Technology, Grade 8?
Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of Science and Technology, Grade 8, step by step, with practice and checks, and its tutor answers questions about any of them. It’s free with daily limits, on iPhone, Android and the web.
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