1. 8th Grade STAAR Review
Readiness
Ed Willkie MS- Adapted and Expanded by Daryel Sellers from Lead4Ward, Inc.

2. Readiness Standards
The majority of the STAAR test will consist of Readiness Standards % of the test will consist of these standards. These are essential big ideas you must know and remember to apply in other formats.
Critical vocabulary is bolded.
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3. Atoms Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons
What do you need to know?
Protons are located in the nucleus and are positively charged.
Neutrons are found in the nucleus and have no charge.
Electrons are found in the electron cloud outside of the nucleus and are negatively charged.
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4. The Atom What atom is this?
Can you identify the protons, neutrons, and electrons?
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5. Atoms and Mass Protons + Neutrons
The mass of protons and neutrons are much larger when compared to the mass of the electrons. The total mass of the atom can be calculated by adding the protons and neutrons only. Because electrons are so small, their mass do not contribute significantly to the mass of the atom.
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Protons + Neutrons
Electrons

6. Protons and Valence Electrons
The number of protons in an atom’s nucleus determines the identify of the atom. If an atom has 1 proton, then it is a hydrogen atom.
The number of valence electrons, the electrons found at the outer level of the electron cloud, determines how the atom will react chemically with other atoms.
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7. Protons = Identity Valence electrons = reactivity
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7 protons = Nitrogen
5 Valence electrons = 5A = Group 15

8. Periodic Table Groups and Periods
The periodic table is arranged left to right by the atomic number (number of protons in the atom of that element).
The periodic table also is arranged in groups (families) that run up and down in columns of the periodic table. All the elements are in the same group because they have the same number of valence electrons in each of their atoms, thus they react similarly to other atoms.
The table is also arranged in rows called periods.
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9. Groups and Periods
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10. Chemical Formulas
Chemical formulas, also called molecular formulas, are used to represent the chemical make-up of a particular molecule.
Ex: H2O
A subscript (2 as seen above) is used to show the number of Hydrogen atoms.
So, in 1 molecule of water there are 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom.
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11. Common Chemical Formulas
How many atoms are there of each element?
NaHCO3
C6H12O6
(Glucose)
CuSO4
(Copper sulfate)
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12. Evidence of Chemical Reactions, New Substances
Evidence of a chemical reaction includes the production of a gas, bubbling, a change in temperature, the production of a precipitate, or a color change.
Color change can be misleading. If you mix purple Kool-aid powder with water and the water turns purple a chemical reaction DOES NOT take place.
If two clear liquids combine to form a pink substance (precipitate) then a chemical reaction does take place.
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13. Evidence of a new substance
Precipitate
Gas produced
(bubbles)
Color change- copper turns green when it oxides
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14. Evidence that a New Substance forms from a chemical reaction
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15. Unbalanced Forces
A force is a push or pull. Force is measured in Newtons (N).
Balanced forces causes objects to stay still or travel at a constant speed.
Unbalanced forces cause objects to move or accelerate.
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900 N
1300 N

16. Calculating Net Force 1300 N 900 N
If the arrows go in opposite directions, then you subtract the two numbers to find out how much force the object moves. Ex: – 900 = 400 N
The arrow with the greatest force wins.
If the arrows go the same direction, then you add the numbers to calculate net force. Ex: = 400
1300 N
900 N
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200 N
200 N

17. Newton’s Laws of Motion
Law of Inertia = An object’s motion will not change unless it is acted on by an external force.
Law of Force and Acceleration = More force applied to something, the more it will accelerate. Less force = less acceleration. F = ma
Law of Action-Reaction = For every force, there is an opposite and equal force.
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18. Inertia
An object’s motion will not change unless it is acted on by an external force.
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Seat belts keep us from flying through the windshield when the car suddenly stops. The body continues to travel forward a little bit after the car has abruptly stopped.

19. Force and Acceleration
More force applied to something, the more it will accelerate. Less force = less acceleration. F = ma
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20. Calculating Force Problem
Bobby applied a certain amount of force onto a gorilla who had a mass of 50 grams. The gorilla accelerated at a rate of 3 m/sec2
How much force did Bobby use?
Look up the formula on formula chart for Force.
F= ma or Force = mass x acceleration
Force = 50 x 3 Force = 150 N F
m a
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21. Action - Reaction Action Reaction
For every force, there is an opposite and equal force.
Reaction
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Action

22. Day and Night
Earth rotates on its axis every 24 hours giving us day and night.
When the sun shines on half the earth, we have day.
The dark side of earth is in night.
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Night
Day

23. Seasons The earth revolves around the sun one time a year.
The reason we have seasons is because the earth is tilted on a 23.5 degree angle on its axis.
If the earth is tilted towards the sun, the sun shines more directly on the earth, thus we have summer.
If the earth is tilted away from the sun, the sun shine less directly on the earth, thus we have winter.
When the northern hemisphere experiences one season, the southern hemisphere experiences the opposite season.
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24. Seasons in the Northern Hemisphere
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25. Lunar Cycle
The moon revolves around the earth about once a month or 28 days. This creates what we know as the lunar cycle or moon phases.
New moon is always between the sun and the earth.
The moon travels in a counter-clockwise (opposite of a clock) motion around the earth.
About 7 days after a new moon phase, the moon will wax until it’s a 1st quarter.
7 days later, the moon will have waxed into a full moon.
7 days later, the moon will wane into a last quarter.
7 days later, the moon will wane into a new moon again.
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26. Lunar Cycle
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27. Components of the Universe Stars, Galaxies, Nebulae, HR Diagram
Stars can be classified by brightness (size) and temperature (color) using the Hertszprung-Russell diagram (H-R Diagram).
They can also be classified into class such as Main Sequence, Giants, Supergiants, or White Dwarfs.
Nebulae is dust and gas that might form into a star.
Galaxies are collection of stars. There are billions of galaxies in our universe.
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28. HR Diagram- Star Classification
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Note: The hotter stars are on the left and the brighter stars are on the top.

29. Galaxies Our galaxy is a spiral galaxy and is named The Milky Way.
Our solar system is here.
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Our galaxy is a spiral galaxy and is named The Milky Way.

30. Nebulae
The birth place of all stars. Space dust and gas.
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31. Plate Tectonics and Crustal Features
Plates are moving in the earth’s crust due to convection in the mantle of Earth.
Plates can collide (converge) to form mountains like the Himilayas.
Plates can separate (diverge) under the ocean floor and cause ridges.
Plates can slide (transform) past one another and cause earthquakes.
Plates can collide and go underneath (subduct) another plate to cause volcanoes.
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32. Convection and Plate Tectonics
Heat from the core of the earth generates to create convection in the mantle. Heat rises and sinks within the mantle to create plate movement on the surface of the earth resulting in different types of landforms like volcanoes, mid- ocean ridges, and mountains.
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33. Convergent Boundaries
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34. Divergent Boundaries
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35. Plate Tectonics Map
Looking at the map can you predict the different landforms at each type of boundary?
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36. Topographic Maps -Weathering
Topographic maps show the changes of elevation and different land features on the earth’s surface. If contour lines are very close, then the land is steep. If contour lines are spread apart, then the land gradually slopes. At the end of a V-shaped river valley on a topographic map, exists a delta, where sediment is deposited.
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37. Topographic Map If you were to climb the hill, which way would you go?
Why?
How much elevation would you have climbed?
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38. Relationships in Food Webs
Every organism needs energy to survive. Producers use the sun’s energy to make their own food. Organisms that cannot make their own food, eat other organisms and are called consumers.
Predators often attack smaller or less fierce animals known as prey.
Parasites, like ticks, benefit at the expense of the host, like a dog.
Three different types of ecosystems include marine = oceanic type organisms, terrestrial = ecosystems found on land such as desert, tundra, rainforest, grassland, and freshwater=a pond or marsh.
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39. Marine Food Web Practice
Identify producer/consumer, parasite/host, predator/prey relationships.
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40. Terrestrial Food Web Practice
Identify producer/consumer, parasite/host, predator/prey relationships.
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41. Freshwater Ecosystem
Identify producer/consumer, parasite/host, predator/prey relationships.
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42. Dependence and Competition for Abiotic and Biotic Factors
An ecosystem is made up of all organisms (biotic factors) and non living components (abiotic factors).
Abiotic factors include quantity of light, water, range of temperatures, and soil competition.
Many times organisms depend on and compete for these organisms.
A population is a group of organisms that live in a given area.
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Abiotic Factors

43. Environment and Adaptations
As environments change over time, a population may need to adapt to the changes to survive in the environment. These adaptations must take place over many generations as a preferable trait becomes naturally selected for survival. If the population does not adapt they will disappear from that environment.
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44. Adaptations- Galapagos Ground Finch
How can there be so much diversity within the beaks of the ground finch?
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45. Supporting Standards
The following standards will consist of % of the test.
This is more detailed knowledge that supports the readiness standards.
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46. Balanced Chemical Equations
Mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction.
You will always have the same mass before the reaction as you do after the reaction. This is the Law of Conservation of Mass.
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47. Law of Conservation of Mass
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When the reaction takes place what will the mass on the scale read?

48. Counting Atoms
Record the number of atoms of each element represented in each of the following.
Example:
H2O = H = 2; O=1
C12H22O11
3CO2
2Na
NaOH
2CaCO3
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49. Is the equation balanced?
Reactants
Products
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50. Speed, Velocity, Acceleration
Speed is the total distance/total time .
Velocity is the speed of an object is specific direction.
Acceleration is changing directions, slowing down, or speeding up.
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51. Calculating Average Speed
Use the Speed= total distance/total time formula from the science chart.
Find your total distance from the graph, data table, or story problem and divide. Remember: Distance goes inside the house.
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Time
Distance

52. Motion Graphs
Identify different types of motion on a distance/time graph and a speed graph including constant speed, velocity, and acceleration.
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53. Ocean Tides
High tide is caused by the gravitational pull of the moon upon earth’s large bodies of water.
Low tide is caused when the pull of the moon’s gravity is not acting directly on the earth.
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54. Sun’s Location and Properties
The sun is a medium-sized star near the edge of a disc shaped galaxy called the Milky Way.
The reason the sun looks so large is because it is thousands of times closer to us (earth) than any other star.
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55. Electromagnetic Spectrum
EMG waves like light and radio are used to measure distances and obtain properties about different objects in the universe.
Light waves travel at a higher frequency than radio waves, which means that the light waves have a shorter wave length than the radio waves.
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56. Light years
Light years are a distance measurement used in the universe.
Because distances are so great, light years are easier to use than kilometers.
Light travels at a speed of 300,000 m/sec. Wow!
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57. The History of Plate Tectonic Theory
Pangaea was the name of the land mass that existed approximately 240 million years ago.
Alfred Wegner first created continental drift theory which stated that the continents drifted apart from this land mass into their present day location. He used plant/animal fossil evidence to help support his theory.
Eventually, Plate Tectonic theory was developed that stated that the plates in the earth’s crust are moving due to convection in the mantle.
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58. Sun Causes Convection Creating Wind and Ocean Currents
The sun provides energy to the earth. Different places on earth are heated unevenly which causes convection. Convection is when molecules heat up and evaporate into the air. When the molecules cool down, then the become more dense and sink.
Convection is what causes wind and ocean currents.
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59. Weather Map: Pressure and Fronts
High Pressure is used to help predict when an area is going to have clear skies.
Low pressure is used to help predict when an area is going to have cloud cover and possible storms.
Warm fronts bring warm air and travels in the direction the arrow point.
Cold fronts usually come from the north and travel in the direction the semi-circles point.
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60. Oceans and Hurricanes
Hurricanes form near the equator only in late summer and early fall when the water temperature climbs above 85 degrees.
A low pressure system must be sitting over the ocean for a hurricane to occur.
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61. Human Impact on Oceans
Humans often cause run-off of nitrogen into the oceans because of the over use of chemical fertilizers on farms and lawns. This often results in algae blooms, which causes an imbalance within the ocean ecosystem.
Humans can also over fish for food resources from the ocean which can cause more producers because less consumers are available to eat them.
Sunken ships and even artwork is often used to create artificial reefs or ecosystems for marine life.
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62. Elements and Compounds
You need to know the difference between an element and a compound.
An element is a capital letter. Examples: He, Cl, O
A compound is two or more different capital letters.
Examples: NaCl, HeO
O2 would not be an example because it only has 1 element.
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63. Metals, Nonmetals, Metalloids
Metals are located to the left of the bold stair step on the periodic table. They have a high luster, which means shiny. They are very malleable, which means bendable, and are good conductors of heat/electricity.
Nonmetals are located to the right of the bold stair step on the periodic table. They have low luster, which means they are dull. They are not malleable. They are poor conductors
Metalloids touch the bold stair step on two sides. (Exception: Aluminum) The have properties of both metals and non metals. Some make good semi-conductors in electronic devices like Silicon.
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64. Calculating Density Mass Volume
You need to know how to calculate density and then identify an unknown substance based on its calculated density.
Locate the density formula on the science chart. Find mass and volume in the data table or story problem. Remember to put mass in the house.
After you have calculated the density, use the table to find your number and figure out the name of the substance.
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Mass
Volume

65. Potential and Kinetic Energy
Compare and Contrast Potential and Kinetic Energy.
Potential energy is the energy of position. If an object is high off the ground, it has potential. It a rock is pulled back in a sling-shot, then it has potential.
Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. If an object is moving it has kinetic energy. If it is going fast, it has high kinetic energy.
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66. Energy Transformations
Energy transforms into other types of energy.
For example, in a flash light, chemical energy (battery) turns into electrical (light switch and wires) which then turns into light energy.
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67. Gravity in the Solar System
Because the sun contains so much mass, the planet’s are attracted to its gravitational pull, thus they revolve (orbit) around the sun.
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68. Organism Characteristics
Prokaryote- Organism whose cells do not have a nucleus
Eukaryote- Organism whose cells do have a nucleus
Unicellular- Organisms that only have 1 cell
Multicellular- Organisms that have 2 or more cells
Autotroph- Organisms that make their own food
Heterotroph- Organisms that have to eat their food
Asexual- Reproduce themselves. 1 parent involved. Offspring is uniform, or all the same.
Sexual- Two parents required to produce offspring. Offspring is diverse.
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69. Energy Flow in Food Chains, Food Webs, and Energy Pyramids
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70. Organic Compounds
Organic compounds contain carbon and other elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorous, nitrogen, or sulfur.
CHNOPS
Ex: Glucose = C6H12O6 is an organic compound because it contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
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71. Physical and Chemical Changes
In the digestive system, there are many physical and chemical changes.
Physical
Chemical
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72. Work
Pushing a box using a ramp is the same amount of work as lifting it up to the back of a truck. You just use less force.
Work = force x distance (use science chart to calculate work)
An object has to move a certain amount of distance for their to be work. You also have to apply force.
Example: 20N x 0 m = 0 J
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73. Human Effect on Watersheds
A watershed consists of all the surface water (rivers, streams, lakes, gutters) and its ground water (aquifers, wells, any water source underground).
Farmers and other citizens sometimes use too much fertilizer or change their oil in the driveway. When this happens, run-off can occur which then pollutes the watershed, which in turn harms the ecosystems in those particular watersheds.
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74. Biodiversity and Sustainability
Biodiversity means that there is a wide variety of life in an ecosystem. The more different types of organisms we have, the better the ecosystem will survive. If biodiversity is lost, then the ecosystem cannot sustain itself.
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75. Ecological Succession
Ecological succession occurs.
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76. Dichotomous Keys
A dichotomous key is a tool to help classify organisms based on their characteristics.
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77. Natural Selection and Selective Breeding
Nature determines the characteristics of organisms that make it suitable to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.
Selective breeding is when organisms with the desired characteristics are bred to produce a new organism with those desired characteristics only.
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78. Body Systems DR. MCSNEER I Digestive Reproductive Muscular Circulatory
Skeletal
Nervous
Excretory
Endocrine
Respiratory
Integumentary
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79. Plant and Animal Cells
You have to be able to describe what parts that plants and animal cells have in common and which ones are different.
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80. Cell Theory
According to cell theory all organisms are composed of cells and cells carry on similar functions such as extracting energy from food to sustain life.
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81. Reproduction Asexual - Produce uniform offspring
Sexual- Produces diverse offspring
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82. Inheritance: Genes, Chromosomes
Inherited traits of individuals are governed in the genetic material found in the genes within chromosomes in the nucleus.
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