UNIT 1: OUR GENES, OUR SELVES/EVOLUTION
In the first part of this combined unit, students consider whether to be tested for a hereditary condition as they explore fundamental principles of Mendelian genetics. Laboratory activities and simulations allow students to examine the inheritance of traits through generations. Students investigate heredity among imaginary “critters,” pea plants, and humans. Other activities focus on the difference between asexual and sexual reproduction, the process of cell division, and the role of nature and nurture in determining traits. Near the end of the unit, students model the use of DNA technologies to solve real-world problems.

In the second part of the unit, students consider whether an extinct species should be brought back to life as they begin to explore evolution. Students examine fossils as they continue to distinguish between observation and inference. A role play presents the basic concept of evolution and the process of natural selection. Activities model the lines of evidence for evolution, natural selection, and the role of genetic mutations. Finally, students evaluate the impact of humans on the extinction and evolution of species.

TEACHERS GUIDE ITEM# - NYC8-1PM
The combined Teachers Guide and Teachers Guide on CD provide full support for teaching the program, included in each lesson:

• Activity Overview
• Teaching summary outlines day-by-day teaching and learning interactions
• Cooperative learning strategies
• Resources section lists video and print resources, websites
• Explanation of embedded literacy strategies
• Student exemplars that address the assessment scoring guides
• Comprehensive support for differentiated instruction
• Goals of what students do and are expected to learn
• Key Concepts and Process Skills/Vocabulary
• SEPUP Approach to vocabulary development
• Equipment and materials management/advance preparation
• Background information
• Teaching Procedure
• Benchmarked answers to student analysis questions
• Comprehensive support for differentiated instruction
• Extensions/ Use of electronic technology

STUDENT BOOK ITEM# - NYC8-1SB
The combined Student Book guides investigations and provides related readings.

• It features ten different activity types, designed to focus on concept and skill development. They include: Labs, Investigations, Modeling, Readings, Talking It Over, Role Plays, View and Reflect, Projects, Field Studies, and Problem Solving.
• Integrated literacy strategies help students process new science content, develop their analytical skills, make connections between related concepts and express their knowledge orally and in writing.
• Students master definitions through their observation and discussion of phenomena. SEPUP Core Curriculum introduces new words operationally. Students learn about a word in the context it is used and on an as-needed basis.
• The Analysis Questions at the end of an activity ask students to apply or evaluate their knowledge. These types of higher level thinking questions prepare students for state and national assessment tests.
• The use of a science journal is emphasized for recording data, observations, notes, vocabulary, and answering Analysis Questions. It becomes an extension of the Student Book building on content which is also developed through teacher facilitation and asking open-ended questions.
• One of SEPUP’s goals is to introduce middle school students to a variety of careers in science, technology, and engineering. The career references are not isolated in boxes of text, but are described in a variety of places, including in the introduction to an activity, captions to photos, the readings, and questions. In some cases, students assume the roles of individuals in different specialties.

COMPLETE MATERIALS PACKAGE ITEM# - NYC8-1000LS

The complete materials package contains enough material for 5 classes of
32 students (160 Total). It also includes a Teachers Guide in both printed and electronic formats. Other features include:

• Color-coded labels are used on all chemicals. The labels help to eliminate confusion by clearly differentiating similar solutions.
• Specially designed "Signature Items" like the Maracondo Fever game board are unique to the SEPUP Program.
• Plastic tray inserts help keep materials organized. This feature makes it easy to identify missing components and greatly reduces the time it takes to distribute, collect and store materials.

GRADE 8 – UNIT 4: FORCE AND MOTION
Students investigate concepts related to force and motion in the context of vehicle safety issues. The unit begins with investigations of speed, motion graphs, and the impact of mass and speed on vehicle accidents. Students investigate force, acceleration, mass and friction and are introduced to Newton’s laws of motion. They apply these concepts to vehicle braking and stopping distances and investigate the stability of vehicles with different centers of mass. The unit ends with an investigation of types of car accidents and students’ recommendations for reducing the risks of vehicle collisions.

TEACHERS GUIDE ITEM# - IAPS-MM4-1PM
The Teachers Guide and Teachers Guide on CD provide full support for teaching the program, included in each lesson:

• Activity Overview
• Teaching summary outlines day-by-day teaching and learning interactions
• Cooperative learning strategies
• Resources section lists video and print resources, websites
• Explanation of embedded literacy strategies
• Student exemplars that address the assessment scoring guides
• Comprehensive support for differentiated instruction
• Goals of what students do and are expected to learn
• Key Concepts and Process Skills/Vocabulary
• SEPUP Approach to vocabulary development
• Equipment and materials management/advance preparation
• Background information
• Teaching Procedure
• Benchmarked answers to student analysis questions
• Comprehensive support for differentiated instruction
• Extensions/ Use of electronic technology

STUDENT BOOK ITEM# - IAPS-MM4-1SB
The Student Book guides investigations and provides related readings.

• It features ten different activity types, designed to focus on concept and skill development. They include: Labs, Investigations, Modeling, Readings, Talking It Over, Role Plays, View and Reflect, Projects, Field Studies, and Problem Solving.
• Integrated literacy strategies help students process new science content, develop their analytical skills, make connections between related concepts and express their knowledge orally and in writing.
• Students master definitions through their observation and discussion of phenomena. SEPUP Core Curriculum introduces new words operationally. Students learn about a word in the context it is used and on an as-needed basis.
• The Analysis Questions at the end of an activity ask students to apply or evaluate their knowledge. These types of higher level thinking questions prepare students for state and national assessment tests.
• The use of a science journal is emphasized for recording data, observations, notes, vocabulary, and answering Analysis Questions. It becomes an extension of the Student Book building on content which is also developed through teacher facilitation and asking open-ended questions.
• One of SEPUP’s goals is to introduce middle school students to a variety of careers in science, technology, and engineering. The career references are not isolated in boxes of text, but are described in a variety of places, including in the introduction to an activity, captions to photos, the readings, and questions. In some cases, students assume the roles of individuals in different specialties.

COMPLETE MATERIALS PACKAGE ITEM# - IAPS-MM4-NYC8

The complete materials package contains enough material for 5 classes of
32 students (160 Total). It also includes a Teachers Guide in both printed and electronic formats. Other features include:

• Color-coded labels are used on all chemicals. The labels help to eliminate confusion by clearly differentiating similar solutions.
• Specially designed "Signature Items" like the Maracondo Fever game board are unique to the SEPUP Program.
• Plastic tray inserts help keep materials organized. This feature makes it easy to identify missing components and greatly reduces the time it takes to distribute, collect and store materials.