COURSE
DESCRIPTION - GRADE 8
In Eighth Grade Language Arts, students engage in skill lessons that increase vocabulary and comprehension. In addition to reading several Newberry Award Books, students also read and examine informational text including newspaper columns, editorials, and warranties. Writing requirements based on the writing process are expanded to include persuasive and expository writing. A research paper is required. Students develop and present a variety of speeches.
In eighth grade math, students estimate, compute, solve, and judge reasonableness of problems with real numbers. they convert, compare, and order size of US customary and metric units of measurement. In geometry, students apply direct and indirect measurement techniques, tools, and derivation of formulas to determine perimeter, area, volume, and various attributes of plane and solid geometric figures. Eight grade math students explain and generalize patterns, sequences, and functions using tables, graphs, and symbolic algebra. Students will use measures of center and spread to analyze data.
Eight grade social studies continues the historical sequence with an in-depth study of the early years of our country. While students are studying a particular historic event in the United States they also look at its geographic settings, economic implications, developments in government and the role of citizens.
Students in eighth grade science explore space and plate tectonics as they continue to draw conclusions from scientific evidence that support theories related to the change of Earth's surface. Motion of objects, effects of forces on objects, and how waves (sound, water and earthquake) transfer energy are explored. Students will be able to explain how extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and its adaptive characteristics are insufficient to allow survival. Students design a solution to a problem or design and build a product, given certain constraints. Technological influences on the quality of life are also explored in this grade level.
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