8th Grade Year-Long Required Classes
8th GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS*
In this course, students will learn to communicate effectively through the development of their reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities. Students will read and discuss a wide variety of multi-media texts, including short stories, novels, poetry, and informational texts enabling them to improve reading comprehension and articulate their ideas clearly and thoughtfully. Students will also engage in various writing tasks for different audiences, producing narrative, explanatory, and argumentative texts.
8th GRADE MATH
In 8th-grade math, you will explore three important ideas: (1) how to create and reason with expressions and equations, including using linear equations to model data and solving sets of linear equations; (2) what a function is and how to use it to describe relationships between quantities; and (3) how to analyze shapes in two and three dimensions using ideas about distance, angle, similarity, congruence, and the Pythagorean Theorem.
8th GRADE ALGEBRA - High School Credit
Math Algebra 1 aims to build a thorough understanding of core algebraic ideas by combining exploration, guided learning, and real-world problem-solving. Key topics include: (1) real numbers and operations; (2) variables and expressions (numeric and algebraic); (3) equations and inequalities (linear and systems); (4) functions (linear, quadratic, exponential); and (4) graphing of linear equations. This class awards high school credit, and the earned credit and grade will be automatically added to the student's high school transcript.
8th GRADE SCIENCE
In this course, core ideas across life science, earth science, physical science, and engineering are carefully sequenced to enable students to build their knowledge gradually and recognize the relationships between different concepts and scientific disciplines. To grasp these fundamental ideas and cultivate skills for understanding the world, students will participate in activities mirroring the work of actual scientists and engineers. This involves developing and applying models, analyzing data, and forming arguments supported by evidence. Students will also learn effective strategies for thinking about and linking concepts across the different areas of science and engineering. Eighth grade units include: Forces, Waves, Genetics, Natural Selection, and Space.
8th GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES*
In 8th grade, students trace the multicultural origins and development of the nation and analyze diverse perspectives on American history. Their examination covers the period from the establishment of colonies through the Revolution. Furthermore, they begin to understand the unfolding of U.S. politics, society, culture, and economy, enhancing their comprehension of civics, geography, and economics.
*Dual Language Pathway