Eighth Grade Curriculum

While preparing our middle school students for high school, the Saint Rose School Community ensures that students’ individual talents are supported, their spirituality deepened, and their commitment to service increased as they become more aware of their community responsibility.

This balance of personal growth and achievement, aimed at citizenship in Heaven and engaged here as part of a socially responsible community, provides our students the tools they need to lead meaningful lives in accord with their potential.

Our teaching staff at this level is departmentalized and offers students a traditional middle school experience. The departmental model provides instruction by teachers who are experts in their fields. Students begin each day with their homeroom teacher and then with the whole school community at morning prayers. After prayer, they move to different classrooms for instruction in specific subject areas along with special areas classes including: Physical Education, Art, Band/Music Appreciation, Spanish, and Computer class. All classes are taught by certified teachers.

In 7th and 8th grade, the students also select an additional special elective class from among the following popular options: Performing Arts, Accelerated Learning, Computer Coding, Personal Finance (Learning to Invest), Advanced Art, and Jazz Band. Responsibility, independence, and academic challenge grow while teachers maintain an environment of support and guidance in grades 6-8. In 8th grade, each student is assigned an adult volunteer mentor to support them during the exciting Confirmation year and in preparation for High School and beyond.

Our middle school students become leaders in our community. The 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are paired with Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students as a part of our “Prayer Partner” program. They accompany our youngest students to weekly Mass and other events, in addition to being a friendly face and source of support on campus. The Student Council, National Junior Honor Society, Ambassador Program, Social Justice opportunities, school play, athletics, and a whole host of after school clubs allow our students to explore leadership and expand friendships, consistent with their strengths and interests. Our alumni tell us that they feel very prepared for the entire High School experience--in the classroom, on the athletic fields, at other extracurriculars, and socially. We host an annual alumni reunion each Christmas season and usually have about 50 or so young people join us in our Christmas assembly with music and caroling as a Saint Rose community.

Religion

  • 8th Grade Textbook: Ascension Press: Chosen: Your Journey Toward Confirmation; Ignatius Press: Faith and Life Series: Our Life in the Church for reference
  • 8th Grade Topics include: discussion of the marriage of faith and reason and man’s search for truth in the world; focus on Mother Church as a refuge and pillar of Truth, study of the hierarchical structure of the Church, Church history, and the radiance of holiness in the Church and her saints; a review of the Theology of the Body and its practical implications, especially on entering high school; profound reflection on life in the Holy Spirit and the Sacrament of Confirmation in a deepening Christian conception of the human person and one’s own individual temperament and gifts
  • Special activities: daily lectio divina; weekly visits to the Blessed Sacrament; confession opportunities; leadership in the School’s Day of Adoration (faith rally day) and the leading of mixed-grade faith families throughout the school year; acting and production of the school’s Passion Play; week-long participation in Worthy, an engaging, humorous, practical, and profound course on chastity, dating, and married love, taught by a nationally-renowned and seasoned guest speaker; May Crowning; beloved weekend Confirmation retreat; completion of service hours in mindful preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation; reception of the seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation, the sacramental character that completes the grace of Baptism as:
    • it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!";
    • it unites us more firmly to Christ;
    • it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;
    • it renders our bond with the Church more perfect;
    • it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1303)

English

  • Textbook: Prentice Hall’s Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes – Copper (6) Bronze (7) and Silver (8)
  • Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop Level A (6) B (7) Level C (8)
  • Literature-based curriculum
  • Accelerated Reader supplementary reading program
  • Readworks - Digital Reading Comprehension Skill building (6)
  • Novel studies focusing on literary analysis and literary elements
  • Emphasis on reading for detail and deeper meaning
  • Selections of poetry and dramas call for vibrant student participation and attentive, discerning writing; students enjoy parsing through Shakespeare and other notable authors’ works
  • Grammar Textbook Voyages in English Level 6, 7, and 8
  • Writing styles used in high school (Organization)
  • RACES, RAPS, and TELCon Writing Process Taught
  • Focus on Textual Analysis and Evidence-Based Essay Writing
  • The writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing)
  • Writing applications (analytical, persuasive, expository and narrative, descriptive, poetry, letters)
  • Utilizes Google Classroom for digital assignment submission, essay writing, teacher feedback
  • Escape Room Lessons to encourage cross curricular learning

Social Studies

  • 8th Grade: McGraw-Hill Discovering Our Past: A History of the United States
  • Topics include: The First Americans, Exploring the Americas, Colonial America, The Spirit of Independence, The American Revolution, A More Perfect Union, The Constitution, The Jefferson Era, The Jackson Era, Manifest Destiny, Civil War, World War I, World War II, Cold War
  • Special Activities: Care of American Flag, Vocabulary skits, DAR and VFW Essay Contests, Veterans Day events, National Geographic Geo Bee

Mathematics

  • Curriculum is based on Singapore Math Concept
  • Use concrete pictures and bar models to introduce mathematical concepts.
  • This leads to a deeper understanding of abstract math.
  • Math is made authentic through real-world applications.
  • Textbook: Math in Focus: Singapore Math by Houghton Mifflin (Course 3)
  • Principles of algebra, such as evaluating and writing algebraic expressions and equations
  • Operations with rational numbers (integers, fractions, decimals, mixed numbers)
  • Solving one-step and multi-step algebraic equations
  • Ratios, proportions, similar figures, and scale drawings
  • Percents – including relating percents to fractions and decimals, percent of change, applications with percents
  • Perimeter, area, volume, and surface area

Integrated Math I

  • Textbook: Math in Focus: Singapore Math by Houghton Mifflin (Course 3)
  • Supplementary materials from Algebra I and Geometry I
  • Principles of algebra, such as evaluating and writing algebraic expressions and equations
  • Operations with rational numbers (integers, fractions, decimals, mixed numbers)
  • Ratios, proportions, similar figures, and scale drawings, and congruent figures
  • Percents – including relating percents to fractions and decimals, percent of change, applications with percents
  • Perimeter, area, volume, and surface area
  • Solving multi-step equations and inequalities, including ones with grouping symbols, variables on both sides, or with absolute value
  • Functions and linear equations, writing and graphing each
  • Slope, slope-intercept form, point-slope form, midpoint and distance formula
  • Solving systems of equations and inequalities
  • Parallel lines and Transversals
  • Graphing calculators (TI 84 and TI NSpire calculators)

Science

  • Textbook: Prentice Hall Science Explorer(6/7/8)
  • Introduce (6) and develop (7/8) the scientific process
  • Observations, data collection and generating hypothesis (7/8)
  • Learn how to utilize reliable sources (6/7/8)
  • Participate in Science Olympiad competitions (7/8)
  • Focus on Physical Science
  • Study topics of forces and motion (Newton’s Laws), simple machines
  • Design and build marble roller coasters to investigate kinetic and potential energy
  • Analyze trends and groups on the periodic table
  • Observe and discuss chemical reactions
  • Emphasize development and analysis of conclusions