Eighth Grade Curriculum Overview
 

Because our accelerated program has only been in existence for a few years and is being introduced from the lower grades year by year, students in eighth grade will not have fully reached the grade-ahead level in all areas that are planned for the future until the 2011-2012 school year. In the 2009-2010 school year, their curricula will, therefore, be similar to what is detailed in the Sixth Grade Curriculum Overview. Upon full acceleration, the curriculum will be equivalent to an honors ninth grade class and will include the following:

Language Arts
In eighth grade, students read novels, short stories, dramas, nonfiction, and poetry which support cultural diversity and the study of modern world history. They continue their study of Shakespeare and his works. Comprehension and thoughtful consideration of the literature’s meaning are stressed at all times. Eighth grade students write expository essays of various forms including research reports, persuasive and informational compositions, comparison and contrast essays, short stories, letters, an autobiography, and poems. Students write and speak with an attention to standard English conventions, including sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. They are also encouraged to practice public speaking and to develop confidence when presenting things to others.

Research tools, including the dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, and encyclopedia are used as aids in the writing process. Sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar are stressed in drills and writings. Spelling and vocabulary are expanded through word studies and vocabulary-building exercises.

Mathematics
Eighth graders work on Algebra I or Geometry according to their advancement level. They gain a solid understanding of the basics, preparing them to enter either Geometry or Algebra II next year.

Some students enter Hilldale during middle school and are not as advanced; sometimes mathematics is simply not a student's strong point; and sometimes mathematics is a passion and an area in which a student truly excels. For such students, we provide an opportunity to work individually at a lower or higher academic level.

Science
In eighth grade, until students are fully accelerated, they will continue their in depth look at topics which were first presented in their earlier years, thus spiraling their learning toward greater depth and breadth. They study with a science specialist who also incorporates science in the news and various group internet possibilities. Students focus this year on concepts including the important physical concepts of motion, forces, and energy, electricity and magnetism, and environmental science. Hands-on experiments, supporting literature, and videos are a regular part of the curriculum. Each year the students do an individual science project for the annual Science Fair, helping them to learn the important concepts of observation, prediction, gathering information, recording results, creating a display, and presenting the material to others.

Once accelerated, eighth grade students will do an in depth study of world environmental science.

Social Studies
Eighth grade students will study world geography and world cultures. They will take a global look at the world’s major rivers to understand why they were so important to civilization and migration; at the world’s mountain ranges and highest mountains, to learn how they affected and continue to affect the world’s people; at the world’s largest lakes to understand their importance to people's livelihood; and at the world's deserts to learn of their influence. They will work with maps, globes, and other geographic tools and participate in a variety of projects and activities as they focus on these areas.

Spanish
Eighth graders continue their study of Spanish by working in a fourth year high school text. Opportunities to make use of their Spanish skills are provided through Spanish readers, internet websites, and pen pals. Students have Spanish three times a week.

Art
Students in eighth grade continue to challenge themselves as artists under the tutelage of an art specialist. They also have a second art class in which they look at the important periods and schools of art history: Modern art including painting and photography since World War II; and architecture since the Industrial Revolution. Students have art class once a week.

Music
Eighth graders continue to increase their knowledge of basic elements of notation, rhythm, melody, form, and timbre by applying them in instrumental instruction on the recorder and various percussion instruments. They learn to synchronize with a group as both an instrumentalist and a singer, and they learn about vocal ranges and harmony. They continue their study of orchestral instruments and various famous composers and develop basic compositional skills through group and individual projects, learn the basics of harmony and melody, and solidify basic singing skills. They also study classical music from the Nationalist and Modern Periods, as well as Non-Western music and Opera and Theater music. Students have music once a week.

Physical Education
The physical education curriculum for eighth grade increases students' basic knowledge and skills in sport activities. They gain precision with increasing control and accuracy. They develop habits of teamwork, learn how to apply the basic rules of various sports, and participate in the Presidential Physical Fitness Program each year. Students have physical education 2-3 times a week.

Technology and Research
Eighth grade students develop solid keyboarding skills in our computer laboratory. They also use the lab for internet research, word-processing and in depth reports in Science and Social Studies classes. In addition, students have weekly internet-based assignments to support the emphasis on current events across the curriculum. Students are exposed to the computer several times each week.

Character Education and Debate

Eighth grade students talk about many character issues presented in their books. In particular, they discuss the coming of age, meeting challenges, and justice as presented in their literature textbook and study debate techniques while looking at various issues of relevance to them at this age.

Environmental Education and Community Service
Eighth graders work together to determine a service learning project based on a community need, and then work together to complete it. This provides an opportunity to cooperate, plan, and show their caring spirits while they help someone else in the community. An example of a past project is research into local organizations which reach out to the homeless, learning how homelessness can affect children, and volunteering to help at a homeless shelter and to interact with homeless children. This project is integrated with social studies and language arts. The sixth grade also does some sort of project which promotes environmental awareness. One project concerned cleaning up a neighborhood area which had become overgrown and littered. The school was honored for its participation.