Australia · ACARA Content Descriptions
Year 8 Science
A comprehensive exploration of the systems that govern our physical and biological world. Students investigate the microscopic building blocks of life, the chemical nature of matter, and the physical forces that shape human innovation.
The Living Cell
Students explore the microscopic structures that form the basis of all living things and compare the functions of different cell types.
An introduction to cell theory and the specialized organelles that allow cells to function as independent units.
Investigation into how cells differentiate and organize into tissues, organs, and systems to perform complex tasks.
Body Systems and Survival
An analysis of the respiratory, circulatory, digestive, and excretory systems and how they support the life of multicellular organisms.
Tracing the path of food and oxygen through the body to understand how energy is released for cellular use.
Examining how the excretory and respiratory systems remove toxic byproducts from the body.
The Particle Model
Students investigate the states of matter and how the arrangement of particles explains the physical properties of substances.
Using the particle model to explain expansion, contraction, density, and changes of state.
Distinguishing between changes that create new substances and those that only change appearance.
Elements and Compounds
An exploration of the periodic table and how atoms combine to form the vast variety of substances in the universe.
Understanding the structure of atoms and the differences between elements, compounds, and mixtures.
Learning to represent chemical substances using symbols and identifying common compounds.
Dynamic Earth
Investigating the geological processes that shape the Earth's surface, focusing on the rock cycle and tectonic activity.
Examining the formation of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks over geological time.
Exploring how the movement of tectonic plates results in earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountains.
Energy and Motion
Students investigate different forms of energy and how they are transferred and transformed in everyday systems.
Analyzing how kinetic, potential, heat, and light energy move through various media.
Understanding how levers, pulleys, and gears multiply force to make work easier.