8th Grade

Religion

In 8th grade Religion, students learn how to gather information from the Bible and apply it to their lives today. In addition, students prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. To prepare for this sacrament, students focus on their relationship with Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to guide them in this most important journey.

Students use the "Christ our Life" curriculum to study the history of the Catholic Church. They study Jesus and the Apostles, the first and second Vatican Council, and how others have influenced the Catholic faith.

Math Course 3

Glencoe's Course III Math program offers the student an overview of the following areas: Algebra, Geometry, and Statistics. In each of these three major units, students learn different concepts that they can apply to their lives, while using a sprialing curriculum that will offer the student extra practice in previously learned skills. In the algebra unit students focus on integers, rational numbers, and linear and non-linear functions. In Geometry, students learn how to find the area and volume of different shapes and objects. In Statistics, students will focus on finding the mean, median, and mode of different numbers, while also learning to disect different word problems to find the importance of learning these concepts.

During each unit, students use group projects, paired work, and independent practice to enhance student learning. Students also have access to work on-line, with a SmartBoard, and use of manipulatives in the classroom.

Pre-Algebra

7th grade students studying Pre-Alebra will cover the following:

The Tools of Algebra, integers, equations, factors and fractions, rational numbers, proportion and percent, equations and inequalities, functions and graphing, real numbers and right triangles, two dimensional figures, three dimensional figures, statistics and probability.

Algebra

Students continue to develop study habits, problem-solving strategies, and test-taking skills.

The textbook used is Algebra 1 (Glencoe, 2005). The student text and additional resources are available online.

Objectives include learning to:

*write, evaluate and simplify algebraic expressions, rational expressions, and radical expressions.

*perform operations with real numbers, monomials, and polynomials.

*write, graph, and solve linear equations and quadratic equations.

*extend their knowledge of linear graphing to inequalities & systems of linear equations.

*factor using various methods.

Science

Text: Holt Science and Technology

Website: www.my.hrw.com

New Science Series:

-Unit Modules

-Three Themes of Physical, Life, and Earth Science

-Differentiated Instruction

-Labs and Activities for Teaching Objectives

-Online Text and Assignments

-Fifteen Modules

-Students Experience Three to Five Modules per Year

Social Studies

Our focus this year is on civics and what it means to be a good citizen of the United States. Students will be looking at how American ideals formed through the development of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Students will look at the branches of government and the duties of national and state governments. We will look at the history of political parties and voting as well. We will study our national economy and our connections to countries around the world.

Each student will also complete a current event project at some point during the year. They are to find a news article that interests them, write a summary, create a PowerPoint or poster, and give a presentation. Students have already been given their assigned presentation date and a more detailed description and rubric for the project.

Language Arts

Students in 8th grade Language Arts prepare for the high school English classroom by completing studies in drama, fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Throughout each of these major units, students work to understand the concepts necessary to read and write in these genres.

Throughout this Language Arts class, students continue to use the Reader's Workshop experience to enhance their love for literature, their understanding of goal setting, and concepts used. As a companion to the Reader's Workshop students use a curriculm designed by Nancie Atwell, "Lessons that Change Writer's." In this Writer's Workshop, students review pieces they have previously written, while also working to write in the different genres studied in the guided reading portion of the course.

In addition to the work in the Reader's and Writer's Workshop, students focus their efforts on learning the intricacies of the English Language, in order to appropriately diagram sentences.