Curriculum Overview

8th Grade

Reading - Short story, poetry, fantasy and science fiction, non-fiction, folktales, fables and myths, elements of a novel. Selected reading includes: Pride and Prejudice, Flags of Our Fathers, “Newspaper in Education” program. Successful completion of 8th grade Language Arts yields high school credit for English I.

Grammar - Grammar, usage, and mechanics: review of sentence structure and parts of speech, verbs (principle parts, tense, voice), pronouns, modifiers, review of punctuation and spelling.

Spelling/Vocabulary - Wordly Wise 3000, Book 5

Writing Process - The writing process, expressive writing, informative writing, persuasive writing, descriptive writing, comparison/contrast, classification, argument, definition. Students maintain daily writing journal.

Mathematics - Intersection and union of sets, domains, variables in expressions and formulas, Pythagorean Theorem, multiplying algebraic fractions and rates, products and powers with negative numbers, solving algebraic equations and inequalities, factorials and permutations, properties of rational numbers, irrational numbers, linear expressions, coordinate graphs and slides, adding and subtracting algebraic fractions, graphing linear equations, Triangle Sum Theorem and Triangle Inequality, chunking, rates and ratios, relative frequency and probability, proportions, similar figures, slope and slope-intercept form, graphing linear inequalities, exponential growth and decay, properties of exponents and powers, graphing quadratic equations, Quadratic Formula, absolute value, square roots, polynomials and binomials, solving linear systems, factoring quadratic equations, functions, domain and range, scientific calculator applications, introduction to the graphing calculator.

Science - Physical Science: Chemistry (atoms, elements, periodic table, chemical reactions, solutions, suspensions, colloids, acids and bases, materials science), Physics (motion, forces, nature of waves, sound and light, electricity and magnetism). Science fair projects: scientific process, controlled experiments, communicating in science.

Social Studies - – 1st quarter: US Government (American colonies and Great Britain, new nation founders and framers, Articles of Confederation, US Constitution, Bill of Rights, amendments, citizenship). Course ends with a cumulative course exam and essay over political ideals, our Constitution, and citizenship. Three quarters: SC History (an American colony, an American state, land regions and geography, natural resources, history, current affairs, culture, SC scrapbook project)

Weekly Enrichment Classes

Computer - 1st Semester: Web page design. Plan/create web page, introduction to HTML, inserting Hyperlinks, customizing text, adding Java Scripts, publish web page. 2nd Semester: Introduction to Qbasic programming. Qbasic codes and commands, input/output process, flowcharting, subroutines, variables, calculations and strings, loops, and formatted output.

Spanish - Nouns, articles, adjectives, verbs, sentence structure and translation, pronunciation, listening and speaking skills.

Art - Elements of art (color, form, line, shape, space, texture, value), principles of art and design (balance, contrast, emphasis, proportion, pattern, rhythm, unity, and variety), famous artists, emphasis on 2-dimensional media (pencil, charcoal, pastel, paint).

Physical Education - Preparation for the Presidential Physical Fitness Test; weekly physical fitness logs; long-distance running; increased competency in sports skills and strategies; tennis, volleyball, soccer, baseball, kickball, basketball, flag-football, Ultimate Frisbee, floor hockey, badminton, dodgeball; maintaining physical fitness through flexibility, strength training, and aerobic exercise; sportsmanship, fair play, and effort.

Sacred Studies - Students engage in a self-directed course of study which may include the works of historical and contemporary Christian writers, an in-depth comparison of the Gospel stories, and a comparative study of religion.