Curriculum Overview

Eighth grade is the crown of the elementary and middle school grades. It is also known as the Age of Revolution. Their individualities are emerging and intellectually, they become stronger as they become familiar with the world through history, literature, geography, and science. They have, thus far, achieved a decent level of proficiency in various skills that allows them to walk through the world with confidence and gratitude as they anticipate enthusiastically for the coming challenges of high school.

Whilst the curriculum continues to support our eighth graders to reach their subject masteries, an emphasis is placed on the experience of the individual in a rapidly changing world. Over the course of the year, our eighth graders will develop a project of their own. They will establish a relationship with a mentor who helps them deepen an interest they have.

This is a year-long project that usually consists of three parts: an oral presentation, a written report and a three dimensional artistic, dramatic, or mechanical creation. Our eighth graders will present their projects to the community. This culminating project emphasizes life-long learning and independence in academic pursuit.

Our Eighth Graders will learn

• Language Arts: grammar and composition, creative writing, spelling, reading, report writing, note taking skills, researching, drama, literary forms, elements of style, Shakespeare

• Mathematics: number bases and algebraic applications with rational numbers, review topics include number patterns, percentages, ratios, rates, proportions, and the Pythagorean Theorem, introduction to graphing linear equations, introduction to polynomials, probability, and analysis of data through statistics

• Science: human physiology, organic chemistry, physics: Warmth – Thermal Dynamics, Visual Phenomena – Refraction, Electromagnetism Hydraulics and Aero-Mechanics

• Geography: world geography – Africa, Asia and Australia

• History: The Age of Revolution to the modern history

• Chinese: reading, conversation, poetry, advanced grammar, writing

• Physical Education: team sports and social dancing

• Handwork: fibre arts – machine-sewn and woodworking

• Art: watercolour, charcoal, and pastels to compose nature scenes, drafting spheres, cylinders, and rectangular solids to introduce the T-square, portraits drawing

• Music: chorus, sight-reading and intonation, compose their own pieces