8 th Grade Curriculum Night Welcome Parents and Students

General Expectations Aim: To prepare students for success on EOGs and Final Exams and to facilitate a successful transition to high school by providing a challenging curriculum aligned to Common Core Standards, developing strong study skills, and encouraging student responsibility for learning.

A Successful 8 th Grade Student Comes to class on time prepared to work 8 th Grade Tardy Policy : 1 st Offense-warning 2 nd Offense-warning 3 rd Offense-parent contact 4 th Offense-administrative referral Completes assignments by due dates 8 th Grade Late Work Policy: Ten percent daily deduction to earned grade Work accepted up to 5 days late

Completes homework regularly Uses an agenda to stay organized Communicates effectively with teachers Is responsible for learning and actions Positively participates in the learning community

Mathematics Concepts covered in the class: A. Number Sense B. Solving Expressions and Equations C. Geometry D. Functions E. Probability and Statistics

Keys to Success Organization and work ethic Homework completion: reinforces skills covered in class, given on a regular basis, and is factored into the student’s grade.

Integration of Technology Students will use School Net computer-based problem solving beginning in the second nine weeks. The practice and assessments will aid readiness for the EOG and will be graded assignments.

English Language Arts

Integrated Reading & Writing Curriculum Rigorous examination of fiction and non- fiction texts Units organized thematically rather than by text type All genres of literature covered All students will complete an MLA formatted Research Paper incorporating in-text citations and a Works Cited page

Writing activities tie to texts covered in class Concentration on Academic Vocabulary development Emphasis on using textual evidence to support writing claims Focus on Product/Project –Based learning Application of skills/concepts/knowledge to new situations

SpringBoard Program Produced by College Board—makers of the PSAT exam, SAT exam, and Advanced Placement (AP) programs Uses a consumable workbook or online format that allows marking the text, answering questions, and completing activities Students preview learning objectives and assessments before beginning each unit

Students assessed (tested) twice each unit—Called “Embedded Assessments” Lessons build on knowledge and skills leading to Embedded Assessment Tests are product or project-based; require students to apply learning to create essays, projects, etc. Emphasis on collaborative learning

8 th Grade Science

8 th Grade Science Curriculum includes: 1 st nine weeks - Hydrology 2 nd nine weeks - Chemistry 3 rd nine weeks - Molecular Biology 4th nine weeks - Earth History, Evolution and Genetics Students tested on the North Carolina State End of Grade (EOG) exam. Cumulative online exam during the last 10 days of the school year.

8 th Grade Science Students will: study relevant evidence use logical reasoning use imagination to devise hypotheses make sense of collected evidence participate in traditional laboratory experiences develop problem-solving skills

Donors Choose Several teachers have Donors Choose projects that help our students and TMS gain tools we need for education. Examples include microscopes, beakers, calculators, etc. Please check our teachers’ webpages during the school year as new projects will be posted. Donations are tax deductible

Social Studies Skills Developed: Ability to analyze historical primary sources. Reading comprehension skills Ability to defend a viewpoint with evidence. Make connections from past to present events. Create critical thinkers.

Technology Resources Study Island Discovery Education Tech Book Teacher Websites Chrome books and Google Docs

1 st Quarter Topics of Study Topic 1: Colonization Topic 2: Revolutionary War Topic 3: America as New Nation

2 nd Quarter Topic 1: US Expansion and Reform Topic 2: Civil War and Reconstruction

3rd Quarter Topic 1: Industrial Revolution Topic 2: The World Wars and the Great Depression

4 th Quarter Topic 1: Vietnam and Civil Rights Topic 2: Modern Times