English Grade 8

This course is designed to build upon the seventh grade curriculum to preparestudentsforHighSchoolsuccess. Studentsengageinthewriting process and produce a variety of writing pieces which include narratives, persuasive writing, open response questions, analytical writing and research-basedwriting. Instructioncontinuesingrammarandsentence

structure throughout the year in connection with the students' writing. Students keep a writing portfolio in an effort to provide teachers, parents, and students with evidence of student progress.

Course Objectives:

• To generate and refine ideas and plans for writing.To demonstrate sentence fluency and organization.To produce unified and coherent paragraphs.
• To develop clear and coherent essays that include an introduction, body paragraphs, a conclusion and a well-developed thesis statement.
• To identify audience and purpose for writing.
• To improve writing skills with peer editing and self evaluation.To publish for general and specific audiences.
• Use various mentor texts to develop and improve writing. Use more sophisticated language conventions
• Demonstrate a command of the conventions of standard English Grammar and Usage.

Pre-Algebra

Text
Randall I. Charles et al, 2009
Prentice Hall Mathematics – Pre-Algebra
Upper Saddle River, N.J.
Prentice Hall

Website
PHSchool.com

First Trimester

• Variable and Algebraic Expressions
• Integers and Absolute Value
•  Solving one-step Equations
• Solving and graphing Inequalities
• Decimals and Equations
•  Factors, Fractions and Exponents

Second Trimester

• Operations with Fractions
• Ratios, Proportions and Percents
• Solving multi-step Equations and Inequalities
• Spatial Thinking
• Probability
• Right Triangles
• Area and Volume

Third Trimester

• Solving multi step Equations and Inequalities
• Linear Functions and graphing
• Data Analysis

Algebra

Teacher: Mrs. Sharon Larkin

Text
Bellman, Allan et al 2009
Prentice Hall Mathematics – Algebra 1
Upper Saddle River, N.J.
Prentice Hall

Website
PHSchool.com

First Trimester

• Variables and Expressions
• Equations
• Inequalities
• Ratios, Proportions, Percents

Second Trimester

• Relations and Functions
• Linear Equations
• Systems of Linear Equations and Inequalities
• Polynomials

Third Trimester

• Factoring
• Quadratic Equations
• Rational Expressions and Equations
• Radicals

Reading Grades6-8

This course emphasizes student reading comprehension across literature and informational text. Students are taught to be strategic readers utilizing a variety of strategies, including text analysis, research, compare/contrast, and story analysis.

Each year students will read challenging books and articles and expand on their ability to analyze various genres of literature including, short stories, poetry, drama and essays. Novels are selected and used as a focus for discussion, comprehension and writing assignments. Specific literary terms are taught and vocabulary is addressed within the context of their reading. The ultimate goal is to produce thoughtful life long readers.

The following .texts will be used along with other selected material:

Grade -6 Spotlight on Literacy AnthologyGrade 7-8 Spotlight on Literature Anthology

Vocabulary Grades 6-8
Vocabulary Workshop Sadlier-Oxford workbook will be used to

enrichvocabularythroughouttheyear. Supplementaryworkcanbe found at www.vocabularyworksho~2,com.

Independent Reading Grades 6-8
During the course of the semester students will read books of

their choice as part of their independent reading requirement. A report/project will be assigned by their teacher for each book. Due dates for each independent reading assignment will be announced and plenty of notice will be -given. All books must be approved by their reading teacher.

Assignments are posted both in the classroom and on the St.Michael School website (smscranford.com).

Two books: Christ in the New Testament & Life in Christ Jesus

***On Fridays students will read and discuss the upcoming scripture readings for Sunday’s Mass.***

Christ in the New Testament

1. Good News of Jesus
2. Introduction to Sacred Scriptures
3. The Gospels
4. The Gospel of Mark
5. The Gospel of Matthew
6. The Gospel of Luke, Acts of the Apostles
7. The Gospel of John
8. Proclaiming the Gospels- Evangelizing the World
9. The Letter to the Romans
10. The Letter to the Philippians
11. The Letter to the Colossians
12. The Letter to the Hebrews
13. The Book of Revelation

Life in Christ Jesus

1. Our Call to Moral Living
2. Human dignity and happiness / Universal Mission
3. The decision to live our life in Christ guided by conscience
4. Exercising virtue
5. Grace of the Holy Spirit
6. The Way to Moral Living
7. A Pilgrim Church/ To Love God above All
8. A community for Life/ Integrity of Heart
9. People of Truth/ The Lord’s Prayer

Introduction to Matter (Blue Book K)

1. Definition of matter, mass, and weight
2. Physical and chemical properties and changes
3. Density

B. States of Matter

1. States of matter and their properties
2. Boyles’ Law and Charles’ Law
3. Change of state

C. Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures

1. Metals, nonmetals, and metalloids
2. Properties of mixtures and solutions
3. Properties of suspensions and colloids

D. Introduction to the Atom

1. Atomic theory, model, and structure
2. Isotopes
3. Atomic mass and mass number

E. Periodic Table

1. Periodic law and structure of the table
2. Properties of metals, nonmetals, halogens and noble gases

Interactions of Matter (Blue Book L)

1. Writing chemical formulas and equations
2. Types of reactions
3. Acids, bases, and salts/ the pH factor
4. Organic compounds/ biomolecules

C. Atomic Energy

Forces, Motion, and Energy (Blue Book M)

A. Matter in Motion

1. Speed, velocity, and acceleration
2. Measuring force
3. Friction, mass, weight

B. Forces in Motion

1. Terminal velocity and free fall
2. Projectile motion, inertia, and momentum

C. Forces in Fluids

1. Properties in fluids/ atmospheric pressure
2. Density, Pascal’s Principle

Cells, Heredity, and Classification (Green Book D)

1. Cells, tissues, organs
2. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
3. Cell theory and cell organelles

B. The Cell in Action

1. Diffusion and osmosis
2. Cellular respiration and fermentation

C. Heredity

1. Genes and alleles
2. Genotype, phenotype, Punnett square and probability
3. Meiosis/ determination of sex

D. Gene and Gene Technology

1. Structure of DNA/protein synthesis
2. Mutation

September – US Civil War/Reconstruction

• Slavery Issue
• Crisis Turns Violent
• Brother against Brother

Oct/Nov – Building a Nation/West

• The Native Americans
• Big Business, Railroad, & Industry

December – Immigration/Early 1900’s

• New Immigrates
• Booming Cities

January – Becoming a World Power

• Progressives and Reformers
• Relations with Latin America
• President Theodore Roosevelt

February – The Gilded Age/WWI

• War Erupts in Europe
• US enters war

March – Roaring 20’s/Great Depression

• New Ways of Life
• Jazz Age
• Stock Market Crash
• President Franklin D. Roosevelt

April – WWII/The Cold Era

• Fighting in Europe/Pacific
• Pearl Harbor
• Ending the War

May/June – New Direction

• Life after the war

There are three individual grades assigned to Social Studies; Content Knowledge, Mapping Skills, and Projects. When determining grades and averages, chapter tests have twice the value of quizzes. A rubric will be used to grade all essays and most written assignments.

Content Knowledge: This section will include sectional quizzes, chapter tests, and homework assignments.

Mapping Skills:  This section will include reading charts, graphs, maps, diagrams and timelines.

Projects:  This section will include research and classroom projects. A research project is assigned during each trimester. This will be discussed with your child as the year progresses.

First Semester

Chapter 13 – Vocabulary about the environment and animals

• Conjugate verbs to protect PROTEGER, to recycle RECICLAR, to know SABER, irregular verb to say DECIR
• Affirmative command

Chapter 14 – Vocabulary about parties and gifts

• Sentence structure using double negatives
• Learn to form the present progressive tense
• Conjugate the verb to give DAR

Second Semester
New series BIENVENIDOS

Chapter 8 – Vocabulary about travel

• Conjugate GO verbs to leave SALIR, to put PONER, to make HACER
• Practice the present progressive tense

Chapter 16 – Vocabulary about camping

• Reflexive pronouns and verbs

Third  Semester

Chapter 9 – Vocabulary about winter activities and sports

• Conjugate the verb to know CONOCER AND SABER
• Demonstrative adjectives

Chapter 10 – Vocabulary about a train trip

• Conjugate irregular verbs in past tense to go VENIR, to want QUERER, to make HACER

Written Report Rubric