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8th Grade homeschool science curriculum

All 36 weeks of 8th grade science, planned and ready, with the exact topic for every week below. Start with Week 1 free, no card needed.

Open the free Week 1 lesson See plans

How 8th grade science works

Every lesson has an on-page lab or model, diagrams, and a quiz. Grades 6–8 add a full lab notebook: hypothesis, variables, three trials, averages, a chart, and a claim-evidence-reasoning write-up.

Time: about 40–50 minutes a day
Scores go straight to the gradebook and report card
Print any lesson as a worksheet with an answer key
Parent tools: hours log, weekly report, portfolio
Family plan: up to 4 students, each with their own records

The full 36-week scope & sequence

Topics and standards come straight from the live course. Standards codes are listed for reference; Life Academy is built to help meet homeschool requirements in all 50 states.

Quarter 1 (weeks 1–9)

Week	Topic	Standards
1	Chemistry of matter: atoms intro	NGSS MS-PS1-1
2	Elements vs compounds	MS-PS1-2
3	Periodic table as a map	foundation for HS-PS1-1
4	Physical vs chemical change	NGSS MS-PS1-2
5	Reactions and energy	MS-PS1-4
6	Acids and bases (safe household)	NGSS MS-PS1-6
7	Genetics: DNA as a code (model)	foundation for HS-PS1
8	Genes and traits	NGSS MS-LS3-1
9	Mutations as copy changes	MS-LS3-2

Quarter 2 (weeks 10–18)

Week	Topic	Standards
10	Space systems: gravity	NGSS MS-ESS1-2
11	Seasons from tilt	MS-PS2-4
12	Moon, tides, eclipses	NGSS MS-ESS1-1
13	The scale of the universe	NGSS MS-ESS3-5
14	Climate and human impact	MS-ESS3-3
15	Carbon and energy use	NGSS MS-ESS3-3
16	Engineering: insulated design	MS-ESS3-5
17	Data that argues	MS-PS1-5
18	Midyear practical	NGSS MS-PS3-3

Quarter 3 (weeks 19–27)

Week	Topic	Standards
19	Forces quantitatively	MS-ETS1-1 to MS-ETS1-4
20	Newton's laws (qualitative → numbers)	NGSS science practice: engaging in argument from evidence
21	Pressure	MS-LS1-5
22	Waves and information	MS-PS1-6
23	Digital vs analog (intro)	MS-LS3-1
24	Fields: magnetic	NGSS MS-PS2-2
25	Electric charge	NGSS MS-PS2-1
26	Energy conservation	MS-PS2-2
27	Engineering design with data	extension of NGSS MS-PS2-2

Quarter 4 (weeks 28–36)

Week	Topic	Standards
28	Climate in a table	fluids connect to MS-ESS2-5
29	Models and uncertainty	NGSS MS-PS4-3
30	Human body: immunity intro	NGSS MS-PS2-3
31	Reproduction of cells (mitosis story)	MS-PS2-5
32	Review: matter, life, space	NGSS MS-PS3-5
33	Public explanation of a design	MS-PS3-2
34	Lab notebook as evidence	NGSS MS-ETS1-3
35	Pathway to Biology	MS-ETS1-4
36	Grade 8 science portfolio	NGSS MS-ESS3-5, practice: analyzing and interpreting data

Need a little extra help?

Live 1:1 tutoring with David Clifford on Zoom or Google Meet: $35/hour, your first hour $25. See tutoring.

Same grade: 8th Grade math · 8th Grade English · 8th Grade history

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FAQ

Is this 8th grade science curriculum free?

Week 1 is free with no card needed: open the Week 1 science lesson. Weeks 2–36 unlock with a Student plan ($35/month) or a Family plan for up to 4 students ($69/month).

How long is a 8th grade science lesson?

Plan on about 40–50 minutes a day for science. There is one lesson per week of the school year, broken into short daily steps.

Is Life Academy accredited?

No. Life Academy is not accredited. It's built to help meet homeschool requirements in all 50 states, and parents are the school of record. Why that's usually fine.

Can I print it?

Yes. Every lesson prints as a worksheet with a separate parent answer key.

Life Academy is a parent-directed online K–12 curriculum, built to help meet homeschool requirements in all 50 states. It is not accredited, and parents issue the homeschool transcript. Nothing here is legal advice. Check your state's law at HSLDA. Questions? Email david.dukes77102@gmail.com.