Grade 8 Curriculum
Curriculum Overview
Religion
Curricular Goals
Students in 8th Grade will:
- Prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation
- Discuss the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, as well as the principles of Catholic Social Teaching
- Explore the lives of the Roman Catholic Saints
- Solidify knowledge about Catholic doctrine, prayer, and worship
Text and Materials
- Our Life in the Church, Faith and Life series (Ignatius Press)
- Confirmed in the Spirit (Loyola Press)
- The Catholic Youth Bible (St. Mary's Press)
- YouCat English (Ignatius Press)
Literature
Curricular Goals
Students in 8th Grade will:
- Examine and refine understanding of the elements of multiple literary genres, including novels, short stories, and poetry
- Define, establish, and reproduce key literary devices/terms and techniques (author's purpose, setting, theme, point-of-view, cause and effect, irony, conflict, characterization, tone, mood)
- Read, discuss, and interpret a variety of genres (realisic fiction, autobiography, historical fiction, short story, poetry, informational text)
- Cite textual evidence to support a variety of themes and characteristics
- Write literary analyses with textual support using Modern Language Association (MLA) style
- Examine the links among culture, history, and literature
- Incorporate metacognitive strategies into reading to facilitate comprehension, vocabulary
Text and Materials
- Night, by Elie Wiesel
- Animal Farm, by George Orwell
English
Curricular Goals
Students in 8th Grade will:
- Practice and emphasize elements of style and grammar (conventions of standard English grammar)
- Refine understanding of verbals: gerunds, infinitives, and participles
- Explore finer points of informative, expository, and speech writing
- Solidify knowledge of parts-of-speech
- Review types of sentences, clauses, and phrases
- Extend sentence-diagramming skills
- Revise, edit, and proofread writing
- Develop oratory skills: presentation and delivery
- Enhance vocabulary: spelling, incoporation into written and verbal communication, pronunciation, and etymology
- Finalize the writing process: creative, narrative, research, and persuasive
- Employ Modern Language Association (MLA) style in final draft writing
Text and Materials
- Easy Grammar: Daily Grams (ISHA Enterprises, Inc)
- MLA Handbook (Modern Language Association)
- Vocabulary Workshop (Sadlier)
Mathematics
Curricular Goals
8th Grade Math
Students in 8th Grade will:
- Evaluate and estimate square roots. Classify, order, and compare real numbers
- Explore the law of exponents and scientific notation
- Model and solve linear equations and systems of linear equations
- Use graphs and slope formula to determine slope.
- Represent proportional and non-proportional linear relationships with multiple representations
- Grasp the concept of a function and use functions to describe quantitative relationships. Identify, compare, and analyze functions.
- Generalize the properties of transformations including translations, reflections, rotations, and dilations.
- Analyze two-and three-dimensional space and figures using distance, angle, similarity, and congruence
- Apply and understand the Pythagorean Theorem. Solve real-world and mathematical problems.
- Construct and interpret scatter plots
Algebra
Students in Algebra will:
- Solve linear equations and inequalities with one variable. Extend understanding to solve systems of equations by graphing, substitution, and elimination. Graph systems of inequalities.
- Solve formulas and literal equations for a specific variable
- Solve systems of linear equations using a variety of methods
- Explore and interpret functions using multiple representations.Explore domain and range of functions.
- Calculate slope from various representations and real-world problems.
- Write and graph linear equations in slope-intercept form, point-slope form, and standard form.
- Extend understanding to linear inequalities and their solution sets.
- Write equations of parallel and perpendicular lines.
- Describe transformations of linear functions.
- Factor polynomials and solve quadratic equations and functions
- Add, subtract, multiply, and divide polynomial expressions.
- Extend laws of exponents to solve equations involving quadratic expressions
- Write and graph quadratic functions. Identify domain, range, and the effects of transformations.
- Graph exponential functions and identify key features. Write exponential growth and decay functions.
- Write formulas for arithmetic and geometric sequences.
- Compare the key characteristics of quadratic functions to those of linear and exponential functions
- Solve and graph rational functions
- Identify the probability of events and analyze and interpret data
Text and Materials
- Algebra: Algebra: Algebra (Sadlier)
- Foundations of Algebra (Sadlier)
Science
Curricular Goals
Students in 8th Grade will:
- Use scientific inquiry process
- Examine how particles combine to produce a substance with different properties and how thermal energy affects particles
- Explain what happens when new materials are formed due to chemical reactions, focusing on what stays the same and what changes
- Explore Newton's Laws of Motion with a concentration on the Third Law
- Discover how energy can be transferred from one object or system to another
- Discuss the characteristic properties of waves and how they can be used
- Understand and explore the different types of forces
Text and Materials
- Physical iScience, (McGraw-Hill)
History
Curricular Goals
Students in 8th Grade will:
- Explore an in-depth historical study of American History from the Revolutionary Period through the Civil War/Reconstruction Era
- Foster a strong emphasis on analytical student writing and comprehension of historical writings from both primary and secondary sources
- Present a general survey of American government, including an analysis of the three branches of government
Text and Materials
- History Alive!: The United States Through Industrialism, (Teacher Curriculum Institute)
- Documents: The US Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Paine's Common Sense, The Federalist Papers, and Presidential Speeches
Specials and Electives
Students in 8th Grade are enrolled in the following special classes, one Fine Arts elective, and one Technology elective.
Specials
- Computers
- Physical Education
- Health
Choice of a fine art or technology elective
Fine Arts Electives
- Art
- Band
Technology Electives
- Drafting
- Robotics
Events and Experiences
Sacraments
Field Trips
- Catholic Church Tour (Downtown Detroit)
- Confirmation Retreat
- Trip to Washington D.C.
Enrichment and Competitions
- Academic Olympics
Featured Projects
- English Research Paper
- Thoughtful Thank you Thursdays
- Letters to Veterans
- Various activities with Kindergarten buddies