Eighth Grade

Eighth grade is an exciting culmination of the Middle School English program that encourages students to become increasingly independent in preparation for the heightened rigor of the Prep School. Students read literature from diverse perspectives and with themes and conflicts that resonate with young adolescents, such as friendship, social justice, technology, peer pressure and human rights. To encourage engagement with reading, students are asked to evaluate characters’ choices and make connections to their own lives. To encourage productive discussion, students practice listening to and learning from each other, even as they voice their own opinions. 

Eighth graders also work extensively on analyzing language and becoming more reflective and organized writers. They practice developing paragraphs and short responses before progressing to longer essay forms. They also respond to characters personally, dramatize scenes and craft their own poetry and stories inspired by our readings. The eighth grade curriculum varies, but recent texts have included William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Art Spiegelman’s Maus, Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Kevin Wilson’s Nothing to See Here and M.T. Anderson’s Feed, in addition to short stories and poems by a wide range of writers.

Eighth grade global history students study the societies and cultures that flourished throughout the world from approximately 700 CE to 1700 CE, focusing on the empires and states that developed during this period and their cultural legacies. Students learn about the major shift in world dominance from East to West, looking at how and why the course of history shifted from an Asian-centered world economy to an Atlantic-centered world economy. Along the way, students explore the role of cultural diffusion and the ways in which societies of this period interacted through trade, war, exploration and cultural exchange.

The Middle School mathematics program develops mathematical thinkers who value collaboration and communication when investigating big ideas, identifying patterns and explaining relationships. We use both the Illustrative Mathematics and the Art of Problem Solving problem-based curricula, in which students work collaboratively through a carefully crafted sequence of problems to construct their understanding. Teachers facilitate student learning and push thinking through questioning and discussions to ensure that the mathematical takeaways are clear. Students gain a rich and lasting understanding of concepts and procedures, and experience applying this knowledge to new situations.

In eighth grade, students take either Algebra I or Honors Algebra I. The sequence of problems enables students to see structure in algebraic expressions, perform arithmetic on polynomial and rational functions, generate and solve equations that describe numerical and geometrical relationships, and create and analyze graphs of these equations. Students use the online graphing calculator Desmos and the mathematical computation program Mathematica to enhance and inform their exploration of these topics. The Honors course moves at a quicker pace through the Algebra I content and provides students with ample opportunities to apply their understanding to more challenging math contest problems, such as the AMC8 competition. It further explores topics not typically covered in Algebra I, such as arithmetic sequences and series, continued fractions, complex numbers and combinatorics as the foundation for probability.

General PE is modeled after the Fitness For Life curriculum. The course enables students to obtain the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and maintain a health-enhancing level of fitness and to increase physical competence, self esteem and the motivation to pursue lifelong physical activity. Students gain an understanding of the components of health-related fitness, training principles and the benefits of being physically active. They participate in activities that increase physical fitness levels and develop health practices that value physical activity and its contribution to lifelong fitness.

In the eighth grade curriculum, students learn about Earth Science to develop an understanding of how all aspects of the Earth are interconnected and ever-changing, as well as gain an appreciation for how Earth's natural resources are relevant to their lives. We accomplish this through careful reading of vetted texts, experiments, inquiry investigations, research projects, student-made multimedia presentations, formal debate, data and graph analysis, and group discussions. 

The course takes students on an exploration of the four spheres of Earth, with a focus on energy transfer as a phenomenon fundamental to the creation of Earth’s crust and layers, freshwater and oceans, and climate and weather. Students learn to model some of the tools and instruments employed by scientists in these fields and how to analyze results obtained from them. 

As a culminating unit, eighth graders are introduced to the study of astronomy. They focus on the solar system, and then look beyond it to gain an understanding of distant galaxies and celestial bodies. All in all, the scope of the course shifts from local to global to universal over the span of the school year, giving the students a well-rounded introduction to the cyclical and interdependent nature of planet Earth.

The World Languages Department develops effective communicators with a critical understanding of language and a deep appreciation for culture. The goal of the World Languages Department is for our students to achieve proficiency and to encourage them to be open-minded, life-long learners, eager to apply new patterns and adapt to new social norms. Learning a world language fosters kindness, confidence, motivation, resilience and empathy.

A more comprehensive arts rotation serves as a bridge between the Middle and Prep School programs. Each studio art class gives students the opportunity to participate in a hands-on experience in a new discipline, using a range of materials, methods, subjects and techniques. Elements of art history and theory are incorporated into all classes in a developmentally appropriate way. Possible classes include: Painting and Drawing, Ceramics, Digital Art, Mixed Media Sculpture, Intro to Film and Video, Drama, and, in the eighth grade, Black & White Photography.

Students meet three times a cycle throughout the year. They are introduced to all facets of music from vocal and instrumental performance to music history and composition, with a greater degree of sophistication and more attention paid to the honing of musical performing and listening skills.

As part of the Art 8 rotation, students meet twice a cycle to explore the many facets of theater design--including scenery, costumes, props, lighting and sound--and practice open-ended problem solving through creative projects. They develop collaboration and presentation skills in a fun, relaxed setting that gives them artistic freedom to explore their imaginations. In terms of dance, eighth graders are able to join the Hip Hop Club and/or Dance Club, which explore a variety of dance forms. They are also welcome to perform in the annual Dance Concert.

The technology curriculum empowers students to become independent and active learners. Technology classes assist students in building strong computer skills, while also focusing on peer collaboration and creative problem solving to reinforce the importance of working together in the classroom. Teachers emphasize the importance of being responsible, aware and ethical on the internet and on social media. Students learn vigilance by identifying scams and viruses. By becoming proficient in word processing, spreadsheets and presentations, students are prepared for future academic assignments. Students learn essential computer terminology, enhance their problem-solving and logical reasoning skills and explore more advanced computing through formal coding skills, web page design, Adobe Photoshop, iMovie and 3D model printing.