Eighth Grade Curriculum
                                             
Religion: 
Students study the history and marks of the church as well as the rosary. A unit on the Holocaust with emphasis on prejudice, hate and the world today is studied in depth. Students also study some of the saints’ lives.

Math:
Students review linear relationships and the systems of equations and inequalities. The Pythagorean Theorem is taught, which includes right triangles, special triangles and the understanding of exponents and radicals. Students learn about exponential growth and decay as well as quadratic equations, factoring and graphing to find maximum and minimum values. All students receive credit for algebra I at the end of the eighth grade.

Computer:

Students engage in advanced use of Excel and create Power Point presentations for use in science and social studies. They also learn how to publish a newspaper using Publisher. The use of Access as a database is also introduced.

 

Physical Science:

Students are immersed in hands-on learning in the exploration of the relationship of mass and gravity, force and motion. Math skills are critical in calculating data in order to obtain and study lab results. Students participate in the annual science fair and serve as ambassadors for younger learners.

 

Language Arts:

This involves an integrated study of all communication skills. Students engage in vocabulary workshop, which is an intensive study of grade-appropriate words, to enhance communication skills. Spelling is also a grade-appropriate instruction based on patterns and principles that develop spelling skills. Students apply the writing process to various modes of writing while integrating grammar. Grammar instruction is very comprehensive at this level, and writing is expanded to essays and research. Literature is a study of short stories, poems and novels. Special consideration is given to characters, action, setting, style, theme, and the blending of these components. Students are also required to meet established goals within the Accelerated Reader program.

 

Social Studies:

Students examine United States history from the pre-Civil War period until the early 1900s. They also gain insight into the geography of the United States and how it has changed. Students delve into the reasons behind the Civil War, the reality of the war and the rebuilding of our country. The development of industry, presidents, politics and economics are all important themes in the social studies curriculum.