Religion

In 8th grade the religion curriculum is part of the broader Confirmation program. Our main focus for study and discussion in the classroom is morality. Sample topics include the following: finding true happiness and freedom; the Beatitudes and 10 Commandments; living a life of discipleship; sin and forgiveness; the importance of prayer; living a life of truth, justice, and Christian virtue; and making the right choices. Students read through one of the gospels as well as other books of the Bible.

Participation in service opportunities is a practical application and
mandatory part of the Confirmation program. The Confirmation program is designed to teach students about their faith through studying the Bible and church teachings, give them the tools to grow closer to God through prayer, and learn to demonstrate their faith in practical ways.

Language Arts (Reading and English)

Our reading focuses on several different themes and encompasses short stories, poetry, non-fiction, and novels. Our central themes are survival, mystery, conflict, changes, and folktales. Our studies also include vocabulary development and various aspects of literature such as plot structure, types of conflict, dynamic and static characters, and literary devices. We focus a lot of energy on reviewing the parts of speech and punctuation. We also work on creative writing, expository writing, and research.

Social Studies

The 8th grade social studies curriculum consists of world geography. We begin with a unit on physical geography in which we learn about earth movement, landforms, climate, vegetation, etc. We also brush up on map reading skills before focusing on specific countries. The rest of the year we spend learning about both the physical and human geography of the countries of the world. We begin with North America and proceed to South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. We work with maps a lot, research various nations, and work on projects highlighting world cultures.

Math -6th 7th 8th grade

All three grades cover a specific core:
*place value *whole numbers *decimals *fractions *geometry *measurement *graphing *probability *problem solving *algebra *estimation

As the student is promoted to the next grade, the level of detail, depth and expectations for each area increases.

Hands on activities, online projects, group and individual problem solving are emphasized in all the middle school grades.

Science

Students in grade eight focus on earth science using the textbooks Inside Earth and Weather and Climate. Some of the highlights of eighth grade science are building an earthquake resistant structure, learning about storms, and a two week long unit at the end of the year on current topics in health.

All students in jr. high learn from both textbooks and hands-on lab experiences to build knowledge and inquiry skills. Students also participate in the science fair which is held in the spring. Students select their own topics and work alone or in partners. Throughout the year, students use the scientific method in all lab experiences and in the science fair.

Class Schedule