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Eighth Grade Curriculum
FBCS curriculum addresses the California Content Standards in all areas. The standards represent a strong consensus on the skills, knowledge, and abilities that all students should be able to master at specific grade levels.
Eighth Grade Curriculum Overview
Bible
• New Testament Studies
• The Message of the Gospels
• Jesus’ Early Ministry
English
• Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development: Students use their knowledge of word origins and word relationships, as well as histori-cal and literary context clues, to determine the meaning of specialized vocabulary and to understand the precise meaning of grade-level-appropriate words.
• Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials): Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They describe and connect the essential ideas, arguments, and perspectives of the text by using their knowledge of text structure, organization, and purpose. In addition, students read one million words annually on their own, including a good representation of narrative and expository text (e.g., classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, online information).
• Literary Response and Analysis: Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They clarify the ideas and connect them to other literary works.
• Writing Strategies: Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays. The writing exhibits students’ awareness of audience and purpose. Essays contain formal introductions, supporting evidence, and conclusions. Students progress through the stages of the writing process as needed.
Mathematics
Grade 8 mathematics are taught under specific headings. Standards are provided for Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II, Probability and Statistics. By grade eight, students’ mathematical sensitivity should be sharpened. Students need to start perceiving logical subtleties and appreciate the need for sound mathematical arguments before making conclusions. As students progress in the study of mathematics, they learn to distinguish between inductive and deductive reasoning; understand the meaning of logical implication; test general assertions; realize that one counterexample is enough to show that a general assertion is false; understand conceptually that although a general assertion is true in a few cases, it is not true in all cases; distinguish between something being proven and a mere plausibility argument; and identify logical errors in chains of reasoning.
Mathematical reasoning and conceptual understanding are not separate from content; they are intrinsic to the mathematical discipline students master at more advanced levels.
Science
• Earth Science
• Geology
• The Dynamic Earth
• Water
• Meteorology
• The Environment
• Astronomy
Social Studies
• United States History and Geography: Growth and Conflict |
Last Published: July 15, 2010 1:48 PM
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