8th Grade Course Updates

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What are some milestones on the path to growing up?

Unit 1 Letter: English & Spanish

The skills of standards being taught are:

• analyzing particular lines of dialogue, events in text, characters’ actions

• identifying and analyzing theme

• summarizing a text

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• marking a text to show our analysis and understanding

• summarizing a text to support a theme

• citing textual evidence

• writing a personal narrative about an event that changed your understanding of yourself or someone else you know

Students should be able to:

• cite textual evidence that most strongly support an essential question

• compose a well-structured personal narrative that describes people, setting, problem/conflict; follows a sequence of events; reflects on the significance of the event

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Performance Task #1 (personal narrative)

• peer learning groups

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• text summaries

• Selection Tests

• Building Insight Question

• various Exit Tickets

We are working on One-Variable Statistics. Please check out this website for family information, helpful video overviews, and activities to complete with your student.

We are working on Constructions and Rigid Transformations. Please check out this website for family information and activities to complete with your student.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Finish Unit 1, including symmetry, evidence, & proofs (see link above)

• Unit 2: Congruence

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• 1.5 Cool Down

• Unit 1 Mid Unit Assessment

• 1.11 Cool Dow

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the speed of an object.

• Develop a model to describe that when the arrangement of objects interacting at a distance changes, different amounts of potential energy are stored in the system.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Investigating energy systems by creating digital and physical models to complete a task.

• Reading and annotating scientific articles.

• Exploring simulations that show energy transfer.

Students should be able to:

• Identify examples of kinetic energy and potential energy.

• Explain the differences between kinetic and potential energy.

• Demonstrate the conversion between kinetic and potential energy.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Force and Motion

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Engaging in Reasoning About Energy

• Developing Understanding of Potential Energy

• Making Connections to Text

• Communicating About Energy Transfer and Conversion

• Writing a Scientific Argument

• Evaluating Evidence

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Behavioral Sciences: Relationship of people and groups - Summarize the role culture plays in personal and group behavior. Categorize factors that contribute to cooperation and conflict among peoples of a country and/or the world (i.e., culture, language, religion, political beliefs).

• Geography: Distribution of resources - Analyze the relationship between the distribution of resources and patterns of human settlement within states, countries, and regions of the world now and in the past.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Jigsaw puzzle work

• Stations work

• One Pagers

Students should be able to:

• I will be able to describe the impact of slavery on the Americas.

• I will know I am successful when I can define key terms related to slavery and Analyze charts and graphs about the impact of slavery

• I will be able to describe the experiences of Native Americans and the European Colonizers and the impact of Colonization on both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

• I will know I am successful when I can analyze various maps, charts, and text. I can identify the main ideas and common themes present in sources.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Test: Unit 2- English Settlement

• Inquiry Project: Regional Advertisement

• Unit 3- A New Nation

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• One Pager/Station Graphic Organizer

• Unit 2 Learning Guide

• Quiz on 13 Colonies

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Perform: I can demonstrate the ability to play on pitch and in rhythm

• Connect: I can analyze the historical and cultural relationships of music’s interactions with other disciplines.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• New Music: Wade in the Water, Renaissance Suite, Ash Lawn Echoes

• What does it mean to be creative?

Students should be able to:

• Accurately perform a concert Bb scale and extend range into 2nd octave

• Accurately perform selections from their music

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Rehearse and refine skills and knowledge on and about concert pieces

• Explore music’s varied uses (similar and different) through different historical periods

Reminder About First Concert Date:

• Tuesday, November 4th - 6:30pm

Link to Full Concert Schedule

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Perform: I can demonstrate the ability to sing on pitch and in rhythm.

• Connect: I can explain how music relates to self, others, and the world.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• New Music: Wanting Memories, Be the Change,

Students should be able to:

• Sing in unison, in two parts, and three parts, matching pitch and independent rhythms;

• Sightread basic melodies using solfege (do, re, mi);

• Consistent use of entire vocal range, low and high;

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Rehearse and refine skills and knowledge on and about concert pieces;

• Explore connections between the learned music, self, and others.

Reminder About First Concert Date:

• Thursday, October 30th - 6:30 pm

Link to Concert Schedule

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Perform: I can rehearse and demonstrate the ability to play expressively, on pitch, and in rhythm, while using proper technique and maintaining a steady beat.

• Perform: I can discuss own ideas and feedback of others to develop strategies to address technical challenges.

• Connect: I can explain how music relates to self, others, and the world using grade- appropriate music vocabulary.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• New Music: Finale from Tchikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, The Russian Sailors’ Dance, A Shaker Hymn

Students should be able to:

• Manipulate their hands to create half steps and whole steps

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Continue to rehearse and refine skills to perform our concert music.

• Work on “internal pulse”

Reminder About First Concert Date:

• Monday, November 3rd, 6:30 p.m.

Link to Concert Schedule

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Visual Arts Standards: Creating works of art using the elements of art (proportion, scale, and space).
  

• Math Standards (Geometry/Measurement): Applying concepts of ratio, proportion, and scale to solve real-world and artistic problems.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Practicing with grid drawing to scale images up or down.
  

• Measuring and transferring proportions accurately.
  

• Comparing original images with scaled drawings to check accuracy.
  

• Reflecting on the importance of proportion in visual art.

Students should be able to:

• Enlarge or reduce a drawing using a grid system.
  

• Apply proportional reasoning when scaling images.
  

• Demonstrate an understanding of scale and proportion in their artwork.
  

• Create a finished artwork that maintains the correct proportions of the original image.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Observational drawing

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Proportional Drawing Practice (Sid Scaling Up)

• Grid Drawing Project

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Applying the elements of art: line, contrast, and texture
  

• Demonstrating craftsmanship in 3D art
  

• Exploring art history and cultural traditions (Sgraffito in Renaissance, the Middle East, etc.)
  

• Using carving techniques to create depth and detail
  
  

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Researching and selecting line drawings to use as plate designs
  

• Building slab plates with proper clay preparation (wedging, rolling, forming)
  

• Applying underglaze for contrast and surface design
  

• Practicing with carving tools to create different lines and marks

Students should be able to:

• Design and create a slab-built plate that shows line, contrast, and craftsmanship
  

• Transfer and trace an image onto the clay accurately
  

• Use carving tools to create variety in line and texture

• Demonstrate clean, even glaze application with attention to detail

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Completing carving and refining designs
  

• Glazing and finishing final plates
  

• Class critique and reflection on craftsmanship and technique
  

• Displaying finished works for peer and teacher evaluation

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Sgraffito Clay Plate

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Present written information using a mixture of practiced or memorized words, phrases, or sentences.

• Identify relevant details of spoken language

• Provide information by asking and answering questions

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Writing a paragraph about their summer break in Chinese

• Listening to a short story in Chinese

• Learning the vocabulary for this section

Students should be able to:

• Write a paragraph within 6-8 sentences in Chinese

• Gathering relevant information from listening to a story

• Use the vocabulary to make sentences

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Understand the ways Chinese people refer to their extended family members

• State how long you spend doing an activity

• Express having or not having done something enough

• Moon Festival

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Daily Note on paper or notebooks

• My Summer Break

• Making Sentences

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Interpersonal Speaking: Request and provide information by asking and answering questions.

• Interpretive Listening: Identify the main idea of spoken language

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Conversational Practice (turn & talk, class interviews, share out)

• Listen & Write (numbers, spelling, vocabulary, etc.)

• Describing ourselves and others with emotionally nutritious words

Students should be able to:

• Introduce themselves

• Ask and answer basic about me questions (age, where from, feelings, character traits)

• Identify places where German is spoken

• Count to 20

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Describing physical appearances

• All About Me Video Project

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Math Practice

• Numbers Quiz

• Reading 1: Wie alt bist du? (How old are you?)

• Speaking: Wie bist du? (What are you like?)

• Mein Vorbild (My role model)

The skills of standards being taught are:

• 2025.8.WL.ISP.1 Request and provide information by asking and answering questions.

• 2025.8.WL.ISP.2 Communicate basic needs, preferences, and feelings.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Asking and answering basic questions about themselves with a partner

• Saying how they are feeling

• Unit reflections on skills learned

• Numbers / Alphabet

Students should be able to:

• Answer basic questions about themselves (Age, birthday, where they are from)

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Describing themselves (personality, physical characteristics) using the verb ser and adjectives

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Numbers/Letters Quiz

• About Me Interview

• Color Map

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Proper forehand and backhand skills in tennis

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Tennis court lines and structure

• Doubles and team play

Students should be able to:

• Play a tennis match

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Fitness Testing

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Tennis Skills Test

The skills of standards being taught are:

• 2024.678.AFNR.AS.2 - Students will classify, evaluate, select, and manage animals based on anatomical and physiological characteristics

• 2024.678.AFNR.AS.3 - Students will apply principles and practices of effective animal health care.

• 2024.678.AFNR.ALLR.1 - Students will examine the components, applications, historical development, global implications, future trends, and career opportunities related to agricultural literacy.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Classifying Animals

• Comparing Cultural Perspectives

• Pet Care Research

• Calculating Pet Costs

• Wisconsin Wildlife Exploration

• Career Exploration

Students should be able to:

• classify animals, explain cultural and agricultural perspectives, and demonstrate responsible pet care, including nutrition, health, handling, and costs. They should also explore careers related to animal science and pet care.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Livestock and Poultry Unit

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Notebook Check One

• Pet or Food Poster

• Pet Care Guide

• Companion Animal Test

The skills of standards being taught are:

• 2024.678.AFNR.PS.3.A - Determine influence of environmental factors on plant growth.

• 2024.678.AFNR.PS.2.B - Apply knowledge of plant anatomy and functions of plant structures to activities associated with plant systems.

• 2024.678.AFNR.PS.2.D - Apply knowledge of plant physiology to plant systems.

• 2024.678.AFNR.PS.2.A - Classify agricultural plants according to taxonomy systems.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Parts of a Plant

• Parts of a Seed (Monocot vs. Dicot)

• Plant Life Cycle

• Mystery Seed Lab

• Greenhouse Work

Students should be able to:

Students should be able to identify and explain the structures and functions of plants and seeds (including monocots and dicots), describe the plant life cycle, and apply this knowledge through greenhouse work and lab investigations such as the mystery seed lab.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Mystery Seed Lab Report

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Notebook Check One

• Mystery Seed Lab Check In

• All About Plants Lab Book

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Demonstrate an ability to persevere through authentic, open-ended problems. ( 2020.8.INF.ID.2)

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Learning how to safely use shop tools, maintain a shop environment, and think through cuts by breaking them down into smaller sections

Students should be able to:

• Safely cut pilot holes for jigsaws

• Use jigsaws for interior cuts

• Use bandsaws to cut out curves by getting rid of excess wood, and cutting curves with relief cuts.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• They will create a design with their initials that they will cut out of wood. They will think through the best order of cuts to make and watch out for weak spots in their designs.

• They will create accurate drawings from instructions using the Standard system, and accurate to ⅛ of an inch.

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Scroll Saw Safety Quiz

• Sanding Safety quiz

• Initials Project design

• Initials Project final

• Measurement #1 - #5 or so (pictures of each of their measurement activities)

• Personal Project ideas submission

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Demonstrate an ability to persevere through authentic, open-ended problems. ( 2020.8.INF.ID.2)

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Investigative lessons exploring what makes a computer, including input/output devices, processing, and storage.

Students should be able to:

• Identify different parts of a computer, as well as several different ways a computer processes information.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Computer Autopsy. Students will take apart an old chromebook, and document the parts they find, as well as their uses.

• Designing a Logo, CAD project

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Computer Autopsy project presentation

• Logo design choice - what logo will you recreate?

• Logo design final

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Developing an age appropriate definition of Advocacy.

• Developing SMART goals to maintain or improve health.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Creating an Advocacy Poster on students’ personal importances.

• Developing SMART goals on students’ personal “wants”.

Students should be able to:

• Personally define advocacy and explain what it means to be an advocate.

• Create a full SMART goal with action steps in a complete sentence.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Making responsible decisions using a “Decision Process”.

• Finding out what our Core Values are.

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Advocacy Statements

• Advocacy Poster

• SMART Goals

• Decision Making Handout

• Core Values Journal Entry

• Core Value Project

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Identify and discuss the skills employers look for in careers within the consumer service industries

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Soft skills skits

• Wants and needs poster

Students should be able to:

• Identify and model soft skills

• Differentiate wants and needs

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Market research

• Marketing

• Kub’s Closet trainings

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Business basics test

• Soft skills worksheet turn in

• Wants and needs poster

• Business basics worksheet

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Recognize and distinguish that parents have different roles and responsibilities.

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Cost simulation on the 1st year of life for a baby

Students should be able to:

• I can explain how to provide parental guidance.

• I can explain how nature & nurture affect child development.

• I can identify the five types of parents.

• I can identify the six family structures.

• I can list the stages of the family life cycle.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Physical, Emotional, Social, and Intellectual growth of children ages 0-5

Look for this month’s assignments in PowerSchool:

• Cost simulation

• Parenting summative assessment

The skills of standards being taught are:

• Organization

• Focused Note Taking

• The AVID Framework

• Costa’s Level of Thinking

Some learning experiences we’ve been engaging in are:

• Community building

• Developing deeper-level questions (Costa’s Level of Thinking)

• Creating one-pagers on what AVID is

• Organizing our binders and planners

Students should be able to:

• Take notes, with an emphasis on identifying and recording the note-taking objective and/or Essential Question

• Build relational capacity with their classmates and teacher.

• Increase awareness of the components of the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework.

• Commit to upholding norms, behaviors, and mindsets to become college- and career-ready.

• Develop efficient, individualized routines related to using organizational tools and planning strategies.

• Apply organizational routines to academic and personal life.

• Create and establish SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reasonable, Timely) goals.

• Use questioning techniques to think critically about content and concepts

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Scholar Groups

• College and Career Unit

If you have questions, please reach out to the course teacher.