Science · Pacing guide · 2026–27

Grade 8 science in Oakland Unified

Oakland Unified's plan for teaching grade 8 science: what is taught each school day from August 10, 2026 to May 27, 2027. Copied from the district's own guide, MS Science Scope & Sequence 2026-27, as it stood on October 25, 2026. Oakland Unified calls its day-by-day calendar a draft.

Overview of today's school system as applied by Oakland Unified School District:

one schedule for every grade 8 classroom.

Unit	Dates	Lessons	Assessment days	Flex days
Unit 0: Community Building, Policies, and Procedures	Aug 10 – Aug 14, 2026	0	0	5
Unit 1: Heredity & Adaptation	Aug 17 – Oct 2, 2026	23	6	4
Unit 2: Electromagnetic Force	Oct 5 – Nov 27, 2026	23	8	2
Unit 3: Gravity & Kinetic Energy	Nov 30, 2026 – Feb 8, 2027	28	8	2
Unit 4: Waves	Feb 9 – Apr 9, 2027	21	5	2
Unit 5: Planetary Science	Apr 12 – May 27, 2027	24	5	5

Unit 0: Community Building, Policies, and Procedures

Aug 10 – Aug 14, 2026 · 0 lessons · 5 flex days

Day by day (5 school days)

Mon Aug 10	First day of school for students · Community Building · Flex Day
Tue Aug 11	Flex Day
Wed Aug 12	MINIMUM DAY · Flex Day
Thu Aug 13	Flex Day
Fri Aug 14	Flex Day

Unit 1: Heredity & Adaptation

Aug 17 – Oct 2, 2026 · 23 lessons · 6 assessment days · 4 flex days

Investigation 1: History of Life
Investigation 2: Heredity
Investigation 3: Evolution

Day by day (35 school days)

Investigation 1: History of Life
Mon Aug 17	Begin Science Instruction · Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: How can we explain the diversity of life that has lived on Earth? · HA - 1.1, Step 1 (#5 & 6 only)
Tue Aug 18	HA - 1.1, Step 2-10
Wed Aug 19	MINIMUM DAY · HA - 1.1, Step 11-15
Thu Aug 20	HA - 1.1, Step 16-20
Fri Aug 21	Flex Day
Mon Aug 24	HA - 1.2, Step 1-10
Tue Aug 25	HA - 1.2, Step 11-14
Wed Aug 26	MINIMUM DAY · HA - 1.2, Step 15-18
Thu Aug 27	HA - 1.2, Step 19-26
Fri Aug 28	HA - I-Check 1 (District Interim)
Mon Aug 31	Review HA-I-Check 1 Results · Revisit Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: How can we explain the diversity of life that has lived on Earth?
Investigation 2: Heredity
Tue Sep 1	HA - 2.1, Step 1, 4, 6-15
Wed Sep 2	MINIMUM DAY · HA - 2.1, Step 16-29
Thu Sep 3	HA - 2.2, Step 1-9
Fri Sep 4	HA - 2.2, Step 10-11
Mon Sep 7	NO SCHOOL · Labor Day
Tue Sep 8	Interim Window Open · 8th grade HA Inv. 1 I-Check · 9/8/26-9/22/26 · HA - 2.2, Step 12-22
Wed Sep 9	MINIMUM DAY · HA - 2.3, Step 1-6
Thu Sep 10	HA - 2.3, Step 7-13
Fri Sep 11	HA - 2.4, Step 1-14
Mon Sep 14	HA - 2.4, Step 15-20
Tue Sep 15	HA - I-Check 2
Wed Sep 16	MINIMUM DAY · Review HA-I-Check 2 Results · Revisit Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: How can we explain the diversity of life that has lived on Earth?
Thu Sep 17	Marking Period 1 Ends · Flex Day
Fri Sep 18	NO CLASSES · Teacher PD Day
Investigation 3: Evolution
Mon Sep 21	HA - 3.1, Step 1-12
Tue Sep 22	Interim Window Open · 8th grade HA Inv. 1 I-Check · 9/8/26-9/22/26 · HA - 3.1, Step 13-18
Wed Sep 23	MINIMUM DAY · HA - 3.2, Step 1-4
Thu Sep 24	HA - 3.2, Step 5-8
Fri Sep 25	HA - 3.2, Step 9-13
Mon Sep 28	HA - 3.2, Step 14-21
Tue Sep 29	HA - Post Test
Wed Sep 30	MINIMUM DAY · Review HA Post Test Results · Revisit Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: How can we explain the diversity of life that has lived on Earth?
Thu Oct 1	Flex Day
Fri Oct 2	Flex Day

Unit 2: Electromagnetic Force

Oct 5 – Nov 27, 2026 · 23 lessons · 8 assessment days · 2 flex days Being taught now

Investigation 1: What Is Force?
Investigation 2: The Force of Magnetism
Investigation 3: Electromagnetism
Investigation 4: Energy Transfer

Day by day (40 school days)

Investigation 1: What Is Force?
Mon Oct 5	Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: What is the relationship between magnetic and electric forces? · EMF - 1.1, Step 1 (#1 & 5 only)
Tue Oct 6	EMF - 1.1, Step 2-11
Wed Oct 7	MINIMUM DAY · EMF - 1.1, Step 12-17
Thu Oct 8	EMF - 1.1, Step 18-27
Fri Oct 9	EMF - 1.2, Step 1-13
Mon Oct 12	NO SCHOOL · Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Tue Oct 13	EMF - 1.3, Step 1-10
Wed Oct 14	MINIMUM DAY · EMF - 1.3, Step 12-14
Thu Oct 15	EMF I-Check 1
Fri Oct 16	Review EMF I-Check 1 Results · Revisit Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: What is the relationship between magnetic and electric forces?
Investigation 2: The Force of Magnetism
Mon Oct 19	EMF 2.1, Step 1-20
Tue Oct 20	EMF 2.2, Step 1-8, 15-16, 18-19
Wed Oct 21	MINIMUM DAY · EMF 2.2, Step 20-25
Thu Oct 22	EMF 2.3, Step 1-10
Fri Oct 23	EMF 2.3, Step 11-15
Mon Oct 26	EMF 2.3, Step 16-28
Tue Oct 27	EMF I-Check 2
Wed Oct 28	MINIMUM DAY · Review EMF I-Check 2 Results · Revisit Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: What is the relationship between magnetic and electric forces?
Investigation 3: Electromagnetism
Thu Oct 29	EMF 3.1, Step 1-12
Fri Oct 30	Marking Period 2 Ends · EMF 3.1, Step 13-16
Mon Nov 2	EMF 3.1, Step 17-25
Tue Nov 3	EMF 3.2, Step 1-11
Wed Nov 4	MINIMUM DAY · EMF 3.2 12-20
Thu Nov 5	EMF I-Check 3
Fri Nov 6	Review EMF I-Check 3 Results · Revisit Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: What is the relationship between magnetic and electric forces?
Investigation 4: Energy Transfer
Mon Nov 9	EMF 4.1, Step 1-13, 16-20
Tue Nov 10	EMF 4.2, Step 1-15
Wed Nov 11	NO SCHOOL · Veterans’ Day
Thu Nov 12	EMF 4.2, Step 16-27
Fri Nov 13	EMF 4.2, Step 28
Mon Nov 16	FOSS Kit Rotation Week · EMF 4.3, Step 1-7
Tue Nov 17	EMF Post Test
Wed Nov 18	MINIMUM DAY · Review Post Test Results · Revisit Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: What is the relationship between magnetic and electric forces?
Thu Nov 19	Flex Day
Fri Nov 20	Flex Day
Mon Nov 23	NO SCHOOL · Thanksgiving Break
Tue Nov 24	NO SCHOOL · Thanksgiving Break
Wed Nov 25	NO SCHOOL · Thanksgiving Break
Thu Nov 26	NO SCHOOL · Thanksgiving Break
Fri Nov 27	NO SCHOOL · Thanksgiving Break

Unit 3: Gravity & Kinetic Energy

Nov 30, 2026 – Feb 8, 2027 · 28 lessons · 8 assessment days · 2 flex days

Investigation 1: Acceleration
Investigation 2
Investigation 3
Investigation 4

Day by day (51 school days)

Investigation 1: Acceleration
Mon Nov 30	Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: How can we explain the motion of objects? · GKE 1.1, Step 1 (#1 & 5 only)
Tue Dec 1	GKE 1.1, Step 2-10
Wed Dec 2	MINIMUM DAY · GKE 1.1, Step 11-16
Thu Dec 3	GKE 1.1, Step 17-26
Fri Dec 4	GKE 1.2, Step 1-7
Mon Dec 7	GKE 1.2, Step 8-11
Tue Dec 8	GKE 1.2, Step 12-19
Wed Dec 9	GKE 1.3, Step 1-11
Thu Dec 10	GKE 1.3, Step 12-19
Fri Dec 11	GKE 1.3, Step 20-28
Mon Dec 14	GKE 1.3, Step 29-30
Tue Dec 15	GKE I-Check 1
Wed Dec 16	MINIMUM DAY · Review GKE I-Check 1 · Revisit Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: How can we explain the motion of objects?
Thu Dec 17	Flex Day
Fri Dec 18	Marking Period 3/ Semester 1 Ends · Flex Day
Mon Dec 21	NO SCHOOL · Winter Break
Tue Dec 22	NO SCHOOL · Winter Break
Wed Dec 23	NO SCHOOL · Winter Break
Thu Dec 24	NO SCHOOL · Winter Break
Fri Dec 25	NO SCHOOL · Winter Break
Mon Dec 28	NO SCHOOL · Winter Break
Tue Dec 29	NO SCHOOL · Winter Break
Wed Dec 30	NO SCHOOL · Winter Break
Thu Dec 31	NO SCHOOL · Winter Break
Fri Jan 1	NO SCHOOL · Winter Break
Mon Jan 4	NO SCHOOL · Winter Break
Tue Jan 5	NO CLASSES · Teacher PD Day
Investigation 2
Wed Jan 6	MINIMUM DAY · GKE 2.1, Step 1-11
Thu Jan 7	GKE 2.1, Step 12-16
Fri Jan 8	GKE 2.2, Step 1-6
Mon Jan 11	GKE 2.2, Step 7-10
Tue Jan 12	GKE 2.2, Step 14-21
Wed Jan 13	MINIMUM DAY · GKE 2.2, Step 22-27
Thu Jan 14	GKE I-Check 2
Fri Jan 15	Review GKE I-Check 2 Results · Revisit Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: How can we explain the motion of objects?
Mon Jan 18	NO SCHOOL · MLK Jr.’s Birthday
Investigation 3
Tue Jan 19	Interim Window Open · 8th grade GKE Inv. 3 I-Check · 1/19/27-2/2/27 · GKE 3.1, Step 1-5, 7-13, 15
Wed Jan 20	MINIMUM DAY · GKE 3.1, Step 14, 16-19
Thu Jan 21	GKE 3.2, Step 1-8
Fri Jan 22	GKE 3.2, Step 9-18
Mon Jan 25	GKE 3.3, Step 1-9
Tue Jan 26	GKE 3.3, Step 10-20
Wed Jan 27	MINIMUM DAY · GKE I-Check 3 (District Interim)
Thu Jan 28	Review GKE I-Check 3 Results · Revisit Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: How can we explain the motion of objects?
Investigation 4
Fri Jan 29	GKE 4.1, Step 1-9
Mon Feb 1	GKE 4.1, Step 10-15
Tue Feb 2	Interim Window Open · 8th grade GKE Inv. 3 I-Check · 1/19/27-2/2/27 · GKE 4.1, Step 16-22
Wed Feb 3	MINIMUM DAY · GKE 4.1, Step 23-29
Thu Feb 4	GKE 4.2, Step 1-7
Fri Feb 5	GKE Post Test
Mon Feb 8	Review GKE Post Test Results · Revisit Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: How can we explain the motion of objects?

Unit 4: Waves

Feb 9 – Apr 9, 2027 · 21 lessons · 5 assessment days · 2 flex days

Investigation 1
Investigation 2
Investigation 3
Investigation 4

Day by day (39 school days)

Investigation 1
Tue Feb 9	Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: How is energy transferred through waves? · W 1.1, Step 1 (#3a & b only), 2-15
Wed Feb 10	MINIMUM DAY · W 1.2, Steps 1-8
Thu Feb 11	W 1.2, Step 9-12
Fri Feb 12	Marking Period 4 Ends · W 1.2, Step 13-19
Mon Feb 15	NO SCHOOL · Presidents’ Day
Tue Feb 16	W 1.2, Step 20-25
Investigation 2
Wed Feb 17	MINIMUM DAY · W 2.1 Step1-9
Thu Feb 18	W 2.1 Step 10-24
Fri Feb 19	W 2.2, Step 1-15
Mon Feb 22	W 2.3, Step 1-13
Tue Feb 23	W 2.3, Step 14-15
Wed Feb 24	MINIMUM DAY · W 2.3, Step 16-22
Thu Feb 25	W 2.3, Step 23-30
Fri Feb 26	W I-Check 1-2
Mon Mar 1	Review W I-Check 1-2 Results · Revisit Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: How is energy transferred through waves?
Investigation 3
Tue Mar 2	W 3.1, Step 1-19
Wed Mar 3	MINIMUM DAY · W 3.2, Step 7-19
Thu Mar 4	W 3.3, Step 1-13
Fri Mar 5	W 3.3, Step 14-19
Mon Mar 8	W 3.4, Step 1-12
Tue Mar 9	W I-Check 3
Wed Mar 10	MINIMUM DAY · Review W I-Check 3 Results · Revisit Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: How is energy transferred through waves?
Thu Mar 11	Flex Day
Fri Mar 12	Flex Day
Mon Mar 15	Sex Ed Week
Wed Mar 17	MINIMUM DAY
Mon Mar 22	Sex Ed Week · FOSS Kit Rotation Week
Wed Mar 24	MINIMUM DAY
Fri Mar 26	NO SCHOOL · Farm Workers Day
Mon Mar 29	NO SCHOOL · Spring Break
Tue Mar 30	NO SCHOOL · Spring Break
Wed Mar 31	NO SCHOOL · Spring Break
Thu Apr 1	NO SCHOOL · Spring Break
Fri Apr 2	NO SCHOOL · Spring Break
Investigation 4
Mon Apr 5	W 4.2, Steps 1-8
Tue Apr 6	W 4.2, Steps 9-18
Wed Apr 7	MINIMUM DAY · W 4.3, Steps 1-10
Thu Apr 8	W 4.3, Steps 11-14
Fri Apr 9	Marking Period 5 Ends · W Post Test

Unit 5: Planetary Science

Apr 12 – May 27, 2027 · 24 lessons · 5 assessment days · 5 flex days

Investigation 3
Investigation 4
Investigation 1
Investigation 2
Investigation 3
Investigation 4
Investigation 6
Investigation 7
Investigation 8

Day by day (34 school days)

Investigation 3
Mon Apr 12	SBAC Testing · Skip to PS 3.1, Steps 1-10
Investigation 4
Tue Apr 13	SBAC Testing · PS 4.1, Step 1-11
Wed Apr 14	MINIMUM DAY · SBAC Testing · PS 4.1, Step 12-26
Thu Apr 15	SBAC Testing · PS 4.2, Step 1-15
Fri Apr 16	SBAC Testing · PS 4.3, Step 4-9
Investigation 1
Mon Apr 19	Driving Question Board on Phenomenon: What is my cosmic address? · PS 1.1, Step 1 (#3a, b, c only)
Tue Apr 20	PS 1.1, Steps 2-13, 15, 20-28
Wed Apr 21	MINIMUM DAY · PS 1.2, Steps 1-12
Thu Apr 22	PS 1.3, Steps 1-15
Investigation 2
Fri Apr 23	PS 2.1, Steps 1-17
Mon Apr 26	PS 2.1, Steps 18-26
Investigation 3
Tue Apr 27	PS 3.1, Steps 1-10
Wed Apr 28	MINIMUM DAY · PS 3.1, Steps 11-22
Investigation 4
Thu Apr 29	PS 4.1, Steps 1-11
Fri Apr 30	PS 4.1, Steps 12-26
Mon May 3	PS 4.2, Steps 1-15
Tue May 4	PS 4.3, Steps 4-9
Investigation 6
Wed May 5	MINIMUM DAY · STEM Fair 4:30-7:30 @ Coliseum · PS 6.1, Steps 1-12
Thu May 6	PS 6.1, Steps 13-19
Fri May 7	PS 6.2, Steps 1-9
Mon May 10	PS 6.2, Steps 10-21
Tue May 11	PS 6.2, Steps 22-23
Investigation 7
Wed May 12	MINIMUM DAY · PS 7.1, Steps 1,3-12
Thu May 13	PS 7.2, Steps 1-8
Fri May 14	PS 7.2, Steps 9-20
Mon May 17	PS 7.3, Steps 1-8
Tue May 18	PS 7.3, Steps 9-15
Investigation 8
Wed May 19	MINIMUM DAY · PS 8.1, Steps 1-9
Thu May 20	PS 8.1, Steps 10-20
Fri May 21	Flex Day
Mon May 24	Flex Day
Tue May 25	Flex Day
Wed May 26	MINIMUM DAY · Flex Day
Thu May 27	Last day of school for students · Marking Period 6/ Semester 2 Ends · Flex Day

Source: Oakland Unified's science pages, which links the guide. The district's sheet has more for teachers than this page shows.