8th Grade
Welcome to 8th Grade
Current Units of Instruction
Trimester 3 Unit 2: Soccer
We will be focusing on the following standards:
Apply basic offensive, defensive, and cooperative strategies in selected activities, games, and sports. (19.C.3b)
Demonstrate the rules and procedures outside, in the gymnasium and locker room. (19.C.3a,21.A.3a,b,c)
20.A.3b Identify and participate in activities associated with the components of health related and skill related fitness.
What to expect in this unit?
You will be performing 1 midpoint check in
You will be performing 1 summative
Concepts learned in Soccer will include:
Passing
Dribbling
Striking
Trapping
4 common soccer positions: forwards/midfielders/defenders/goalie
Soccer concepts including: game play, line markings, throw in, corner kick, goal kick, kick off, and common fouls.
Why I like this unit? Why does this unit matter?
This unit is important as soccer is a world wide sport that is super fun and easy to play. The purpose of this unit is to help students develop their soccer related skills, improve their hand eye coordination, and cardiovascular endurance. Students learn teamwork, communication, and cooperation strategies to become more effective players when on a team. I also love this unit because I enjoy watching the students compete and have fun while engaging in physical activity.
Trimester 3 Unit 2: Health and Wellness: Healthy Lifestyle Choices
We will be focusing on the following standards:
STATE GOAL 22: I can understand principles of health promotion and the prevention and treatment of illness and injury
STATE GOAL 23. I can understand human body systems and factors that influence growth and development.
STATE GOAL 24: I can promote and enhance health and well-being through the use of effective communication and decision-making skills
What to expect in this unit?
You will be performing a 1 pre-assessment, 1 formative, and 2 summative assessments (all are content based).
You will be participating in activities that improve your understanding regarding Communicable Diseases, and Teen Sexual Health using reliable resources with factual information in order to make healthy informed decisions.
Why I like this unit? Why does this unit matter?
This unit will set students up for success by guiding the students to understand the importance of identifying the risk factors within our control and not within our control associated with Communicable diseases that can reduce short and long term health concerns. They will also be able to identify how maintaining their own health can impact their overall wellness and enabling them to advocate and teach others how to maintain their overall wellness through a communicable disease advocacy project of their choice,
Unit 6 - ELA
What are we learning?
The unit theme is Dramatically Speaking. Students in advanced classes will be reading sonnets and Act I Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Students in regular classes will be reading Crossover by Kwame Alexander and Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. Portions of each text will be read aloud and discussed in class. They will also choose a debatable topic and work with a team to engage in a formal debate in May.
What to expect in this unit?
Students can expect to answer comprehension questions related to literature and engage in rich discussion both whole and small group. A key literary concept is character development. On a regular basis, students will also practice extended written responses. Students will conduct independent research on a debatable topic of their choice as they prepare for a formal debate between their team and an opposing team.
Why does this unit matter?
This unit matters because students apply all the skills and standards learned throughout the year including reading literature, reading information, writing, speaking, and listening.
Unit 6 - Exponent Properties & Scientific Notation
What are we learning?
Students will be focused on simplifying exponential expressions using various properties of exponents. Students will also learn how to express numbers in scientific notations.
What to expect in this unit?
At the end of the unit, students will have a summative assessment. This year we have IXL as a resource to support student learning. Each unit students will be provided with IXL topics that align with what they are learning. Some topics will be assigned as homework and others are for students to complete if they need extra practice on a particular topic.
Why does this unit matter?
Scientific notation is beneficial to be able to express very large numbers and very tiny numbers.
Science Unit 4 - Earth Science
What are we learning?
This unit focuses on plate tectonics and builds on key conceptual understandings from previous years such as the conservation of matter, convection, and energy transfer. The unit enhances students' understandings of science practices such as developing scientific explanations and using physical models to explore phenomena. As in previous units, there is a focus on 4 key questions:
How is the Earth's surface changing?
What causes the features on Earth's surface?
How are tectonic plates changing?
How does plate tectonics explain Earth's features?
What to expect in this unit?
This is mostly a project-based unit. Students will investigate the science concepts that shape the surface of our Earth through physical models and interactive digital resources. The unit ends with a culminating engineering product utilizing an earthquake simulator.
Why does this unit matter?
Earth and space sciences are one of the fastest growing fields. It is vital for society to better understand and make decisions in how humans interact with the Earth.
Unit 2 - Migration & Industry
What are we learning?
Essential Question: What are the effects of Immigration?
Supporting Question #1
How do immigrants or migrants affect a new community, area, or country they move to?
Supporting Question #2
Do the benefits of industrialization outweigh the costs?
Supporting Question #3
What was/is life like for immigrants?
What to expect in this unit?
We will complete an Inquiry Chart, Content Checks, and a Summative Presentation involving an immigrant group of choice this unit. There will also be a Geography Summative involving the 50 States.
Why does this unit matter?
This unit directly correlates with our Social Studies state standards and it will prepare us to propel us forward into Unit 3.
Unit 2 - Wood Burning (3D Art)
What are we learning?
I can learn how to properly sketch using the mandala design.
I can use a compass, ruler, and protractor
I can create a variety of symbols, patterns, and themes. I will apply these to my formative sketch.
I can accurately shade in my deisgn to add depth and contrast.
What to expect in this unit?
Students will get a chance to draw their design and practice wood burning before starting their summative.
Students will see examples of past student work.
Students will learn how to draw different types of mandalas and research designs.
Students will use videos of mandalas being created and a demonstration of how to properly and safely use the wood burner and safety glasses.
Why does this unit matter?
Students are taking a drawing and design technique and taking it to the next level by introducing the 3D element of wood burning. It takes patience and planning...wood burners don't have an eraser!
Unit 1 - FACS (Super Chef)
What are we learning?
I can identify ways to prevent common kitchen accidents. NS 8.2
I can describe what to do if a kitchen accident occurs. NS 8.2
I can measure ingredients properly. NS 9.6
What to expec
Unit 2 - FACS (Super Chef)
What are we learning?
I can understand proper cooking terms and techniques (sauté, simmer, fold, mince, dice, etc.). NS 9.6
I can identify the roles of common ingredients and their function in cooking. NS. 8.5
I can plan and prepare simple, nutritious snacks and meals. FCS 9.6.2
I can explain the importance of breakfast FCS 9.6.2
What to expect in this unit?
We will learn and practice various cooking techniques in our labs.
We will learn why we use certain ingredients in recipes.
Why does this unit matter?
A mastery of basic cooking terms, techniques, and the role of common recipe ingredients is needed to successfully prepare meals.
STEM Automation & Robotics, Unit 1: Automating Mechanisms
What are we learning?
I can build a simple gear train using VEX parts.
I can explain and identify the input movement and output movement of a mechanical system.
I can explore careers in automation and robotics.
I can build and program a motor to spin a gear train.
I can assemble, wire, and program a system to complete a task.
I can plan a program using appropriate strategies such as flowcharting.
I can create appropriate event handlers to respond to runtime events, such as the push of a bumper switch.
I can demonstrate successful collaboration within a team to meet development goals and design requirements.
I can create algorithms that use loops.
I can calculate the gear ratio of a system.
I can describe the relationship between gear size, speed, and torque in a gear train.
I can build a prototype using a universal joint or bevel gears.
I can communicate a plan for creating a system using sketches and prototyping.
I can follow the steps of the design process to effectively develop a design solution.
I can use a decision matrix to evaluate potential solutions.
What to expect in this unit:
Students explore how gear trains and other mechanisms transfer movement in mechanical systems and design, build, and program automated systems to meet the needs of clients. In the end-of-lesson project, students can choose to design an interactive device to keep pets physically and mentally active, a spinning street sign to warn drivers to slow down and stop, or a high-speed dragster.
Why does this unit matter?
This unit is the students' introduction to some basic mechanisms that are a part of everyday systems, some coding using the VEX V5 coding platform, and the structural and mechanical hardware of the VEX robotics systems used throughout the course.
Algebra Unit 8 - Graphing Quadratic Functions
What are we learning?
Students will be focused on graphing quadratic functions in standard form, vertex form, and intercept form. Students will also be using their graphing calculator to graph quadratic functions and find key features of the graph. We will wrap up the unit by comparing linear, exponential, and quadratic functions.
What to expect in this unit?
The unit will consist of formative and summative assessments including a performance task which will involve students taking a picture of a parabola in real life and creating a quadratic equation to model the object. Students will be provided with IXL topics that align with what they are learning in each unit. Some topics will be assigned as homework and others are for students to complete if they need extra practice on a particular topic.
Why does this unit matter?
Quadratic functions can be used to model real-life situations. Students will be working with the vertical motion model.
Blue Band - Unit 5
What are we learning?
Students are preparing for their third trimester playing test and their end of the year concert. The playing test includes less common key signatures and songs with a variety of sixteenth-note patterns. The concert music includes songs from many different styles.
What to expect in this unit?
The spring concert is here at Westview Hills on Wednesday, May 15 at 7:00 PM with a 6:40 PM warm-up.
The playing test will include formative assessments in Smartmusic and an in-person playing test.
Why does this unit matter?
The playing test will help students become more confident playing various sixteenth-note rhythms and playing in a wider range of key signatures.
The concert music will help students review and learn the ensemble skills necessary to perform songs in various styles.
Gold Band - Unit 5
What are we learning?
Students are preparing for the Prairie State Band Festival, an opportunity to play several pieces of music of contrasting styles for expert judges, and then receive a clinic from one to help them improve as a large ensemble.
More diverse repertoire has been added to the students' practice routines in preparation of our final concert of the year, "A Night of the Fine Arts" on May 22nd.
What to expect in this unit?
Students will complete a Practice Plan to help them strategize what measures and excerpts of their music most need their attention in their at home practice.
Students will complete formative assessments, both on Smart Music and in person, to help refine specific skills from technique, to 6/8 counting, to articulations.
Students will grow as musicians as they learn to listen and work together as a large ensemble. Their intonation and phrasing will be emphasized throughout the unit.
Prairie State Band Festival -- Saturday, April 13 from 10:30 am - 2:00 pm at Plainfield East High School (busses will be provided; students wear full band uniforms).
After that we have the Spring Concert on Wednesday, May 22nd at 7:30 PM. (Students should arrive by 7:00 PM)
Why does this unit matter?
Students emerge from this experience as more mature, confident musicians, and better ensemble players.
Spanish - Unit 5
What are we learning?
We are strengthening our skills with simple sentences including proper adjective agreement. We are practicing through both 1st person and 3rd person writing. We are ultimately learning how to write a clear and thorough paragraph in Spanish describing ourselves.
What to expect in this unit?
Students will be reviewing and expanding on previously taught vocabulary, noun/adjective agreement, the uses of ser and estar and bridging their skills from ELA into the Spanish classroom by developing a clear and concise paragraph.
Why does this unit matter?
It is essential that Spanish 1 students have a firm knowledge base of how to write a detailed paragraph in the target language.