Eighth grades students study living organisms and their response to the environment. They study the population growth, symbiosis, food chains, and ecological succession. Students learn to read a weather map and study weather instruments, fronts and masses, hurricanes, tornadoes, lightening, and clouds. The students study cell biology and genetics. The curriculum includes hands on laboratory experiences, research projects, textbook information acquisition and note taking techniques. Eighth grade students learn about stars and galaxies, planets, comets, meteors and asteroids. They study speed, velocity, acceleration, and gravity. Through experiments they evaluate chemical reactions. Students study air, water, and chemical pollution as well as fossil fuels, solar energy, and energy conservation. They study electric currents, fields, and circuits as well as magnetic fields and electromagnetism.
English Language Arts
Eighth grade students continue to improve their ability to use proper sentence structure and the proper use of action verbs, state of being verbs, linking verbs, and verb tenses. Grammar, spelling, and work presentation skills are also part of eighth grade studies. The students read and study ballads, lyrics, epics, elegies, odes, and sonnets. They learn how to prepare friendly and business letters. Eighth grade students learn the meaning of consumer documents and problem solving with consumer materials. Students learn to prepare, practice, and present speeches using visual aids. They learn beginning persuasive writing, arguments and counterarguments, and write a persuasive composition.
Mathematics
Algebra (Also used as a high school course)
Eighth grade students continue the study of algebraic concepts. They study the properties and operations of real numbers, adding positive and negative numbers, and adding decimals and percentages. Students study mathematical operations of fractions, linear equations, exponents, absolute value, and scientific notation. They solve addition, subtraction, multiplication and division equations as well as solving two step equations and equations involving parenthesis. Students learn to solve equations and rate problems with variables on both sides. They learn to solve inequalities, compound inequalities and inequalities with absolute value. Eighth grade students study the Cartesian coordinate system, verifying solutions, slope, graphing lines, and writing equations of lines in slope intercept form and transforming to standard form. Students study exponents, square roots, polynomials, and quadratic equations. They learn simplifying rational expressions and solving rational equations as well as adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing radicals. Note: this course can be used to meet the requirements for High School Algebra.
Social Studies
Eighth grade students study The Constitution, The Bill of Rights, requirements for citizenship, using the ballot, and political parties. They learn about city, state, and federal government. Students study early presidents, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. They study the War of 1812, the Mexican American War 1845, and the last Indian wars. Eighth grade students learn about the origins of slavery, the lives of black Americans who gained freedom, the characteristics of white southern society, and women's suffrage movements. Students do presentations, develop magazines, and use the internet in learning to appreciate and understand the development of America, its history, and its culture.