TRINITY SCHOOL
A place where children learn to love learning4985 Ilchester Road
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 744-1524
Eighth Grade
Eighth grade is an exciting year for students as they prepare for entrance to high school. Students are challenged academically and given more opportunities for extracurricular activities, similar to what they will experience in high school. As the leaders of the school, eighth grade students are given the most responsibility. These students take many fond memories of this special year when they graduate from Trinity.
| The Eighth Grade Curriculum | |
|---|---|
Religion |
The eighth grade religion program provides a balance between Catholic Doctrine, scripture, church history and the liturgical year. The students also participate in an interdisciplinary Family Life Unit. In this unit, students study and discuss many of the moral issues faced by eighth graders. |
Language Arts |
Eighth graders continue to study grammar and usage, the writing process, essays and short pieces of prose, novels and a collection of world authors' short stories and plays. Vocabulary study emphasizes usage and context of new words. The writing process is a major component in the 8th grade language arts curriculum including several research opportunities. Students write narrative, expository, persuasive and literary papers. |
Mathematics |
The goal of the middle school math program is to provide all students with a strong foundation in mathematics according to their academic abilities, needs and motivation. The department recognizes the importance of mathematical computation at all levels. Students in the middle school are placed in an appropriate level of instruction according to Archdiocesan standards to ensure that students are both challenged and successful.
The 8th grade Pre-Algebra curriculum is designed to build upon the student's prior experience with problem solving and reasoning in order to promote mathematical communication skills and analyzing techniques. Students learn how to use their understanding of mathematical/algebraic expressions and equations to read and solve other's problems as well as express their own mathematical thoughts. Students are provided opportunities to explore, problem solve, create mathematical models and work cooperatively with a partner of group. This course enables students to use mathematics in the world around them as well as in their other courses of study. To aid in the assessment of the student's learning there is nightly homework, section quizzes, end of chapter tests, and cumulative finals. A two year Algebra I course begins in the 7th grade for students who meet the Archdiocesan entrance criteria for placement in this class. Students in this course must meet the same standards as do high school students who study algebra. The objective is to prepare these students to go straight into Algebra II and Geometry in high school. Twice as much instructional time allows for a hands-on exploratory and activity-oriented approach to instruction. The eighth grade math curriculum offers Algebra and Pre-Algebra. The Pre-Algebra program is designed for students in the eighth grade that are not mathematically ready for Algebra. All important pre-algebra concepts and skills are presented to thoroughly prepare students for success in algebra in high school. The development of the program is careful and clear so that the students will learn gradually and confidently. Numerous applications and problem-solving strategies prepare the students for life inside and outside the classroom. |
Science |
Seventh and eighth grade students take the same science course in alternate years. The state-of-the-art science lab is frequently used for experiments in this hands-on curriculum.
One course is Physical Science which covers: Scientific Method; Lab Safety; Motion and Energy; Forces, Motion, and Fluids; Work, Machines, and Energy; Heat; Properties of Matter; Atoms, Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures; The Periodic Table; Chemical Bonding; Chemical Reactions; and the Audubon Garden. The alternate course taken by seventh and eighth grade students is Biology. The units covered in this course are: Scientific Method; The Microscopic World; Cells and Living Things; Cell Processes and Growth; Heredity; Classifying Living Things; Invertebrates; Famous Scientists; and the Audubon Garden. |
Social Studies |
The eighth grade social studies curriculum is a continuation of the American History that we studied in seventh grade. The text is The American Journey. The units taught are: Civil War and Reconstruction, Reshaping the Nation, Reform, Expansion, and War, Turbulent Decades, Turning Points, and Modern America. Students give individual reports in recent news. There are also class discussions of current events articles. The curriculum is enriched by field trips to Gettysburg in the fall. They complete an alternative history project in the spring. |