Grade 8 ELA and Math

Grade 8 English Language Arts: Based on the Common Core State Standards

Integration of reading, writing, language, speaking and listening skills that are designed to:

  • Develop depth of understanding
  • Produce effective and well-grounded writing
  • Use effective speaking and listening skills
  • Engage in research/inquiry to investigate, analyze, etc.
  • Involve students in frequent and essential collaboration

1stQuarter Focus: Informative Writing

  1. Explain what it means to cite information.
  2. Find several pieces of textual evidence for support.
  3. Make inferences.
  4. Define figurative language.
  5. Explain the impact of types of figurative language on a piece of literature.
  6. Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts.
  7. Explain the impact of meaning and tone.
  8. Explain the impact of analogies and allusions.
  9. Determine the meaning of unknown words and phrases.
  10. Explain how the author uses structure to develop concepts.
  11. Prepare for and participate in a variety of discussions, following the appropriate rules, by questioning, responding, summarizing, and understanding.
  12. Understand and explain the use and purpose of diverse media and format.
  13. Produce informative writing to convey a topic.
  14. Demonstrate command of conventions when writing and speaking.
  15. Demonstrate the use of multiple forms of sentence structure.
  16. Demonstrate and recognize effective use of voice and mood when writing and speaking.

2ndQuarter Focus: Opinion Writing

  1. Determine a theme and analyze its development.
  2. Explain theme-related relationships within character, setting, and plot.
  3. Write and present an unbiased summary.
  4. Make connections between people, ideas, and situations.
  5. Explain the author’s point of view and how he/she responds to others’ point(sof view.
  6. Identify and evaluate a speaker’s argument and claims as to the reasoning, relevance, and sufficiency.
  7. Present claims and findings logically using relevant facts and details.
  8. Use appropriate eye contact, volume, and pronunciation in oral presentations.
  9. Write an argumentative paper with clear reasoning and relevant evidence.
  10. Use the writing process.
  11. Demonstrate command of conventions when writing and speaking.

3rdQuarter Focus: Narrative Writing

  1. Analyze the role of dialogue and incidents.
  2. Compare and contrast character and/or narrator point of view and how they add suspense and humor.
  3. Analyze the ability of various forms and mediums of the same work to stay true to the printed story.
  4. Use multi-media components in a presentation.
  5. Use formal language in the classroom.
  6. Do narrative writing.
  7. Demonstrate command of conventions when writing and speaking.
  8. Interpret and use figurative language, nuances, and word relationships.

4thQuarter Focus: Research

  1. Compare and contrast fictional, historical, and historical fiction works.
  2. Use multi media in a presentation.
  3. Conduct research and write a clear, coherent, and grade-level appropriate writing.
  4. Use and cite relevant information from multiple sources to support findings.
  5. Consult reference materials to verify word choice and meaning.
  6. Use formal and appropriate word choices in speech.

Grade 8 Mathematics: Based on the Common Core State Standards

  • Develop depth of understanding; explain and apply concepts
  • Carry out mathematical procedures with precision and fluency
  • Construct viable arguments to support reasoning and critique the reasoning of others
  • Analyze complex, real-world scenarios and use mathematics to interpret and problem solve
  • Essential student collaboration in a problem-solving setting

Patterns in bivariate data

  1. Create and analyze bivariate measurement data to assess relationships between two quantities.
  2. Analyze and evaluate a bivariate linear equation.
  3. Understand and create bivariate frequencies in a two-way table.

Linear functions

  1. Create a function model to show the relationship between two quantities.
  2. Analyze the equation y = mx + B as a linear or nonlinear function.
  3. Create and analyze proportional relationships in terms of functions.

Input and output relationships

  1. Understand that for each input there is an output (function rule.
  2. Create and analyze the features of a function in multiple formats.

Linear equations

  1. Understand that one-variable linear equations can have no, one, or an infinite number of solutions.
  2. Evaluate one variable linear equations with a rational number of coefficients.

Formulating and solving systems of linear equations

  1. Understand that solutions to two linear equations in two variables correspond to points of intersection.
  2. Evaluate systems of two linear equations in two variables (algebraically and real world.

Understanding congruence through transformations

  1. Understand that a two-dimensional figure is congruent to another by a series of transformations.
  2. Describe and apply the effects of transformations on two-dimensional figures using coordinates.

Pythagorean Theorem

  2. Apply the Pythagorean Theorem to determine unknown side lengths and unknown distance between points.
  3. Understand that all numbers are rational and that they have a decimal expansion.
  4. Apply rational approximations for irrational numbers.
  5. Apply and evaluate square root and cute roots in equations.

Working with exponents

  1. Understand and apply properties of integer exponents.
  2. Analyze and evaluate powers of ten and scientific notation.
  3. Analyze and interpret scientific notation generated by technology.

Understanding similarity

  1. Understand that a two-dimensional figure is similar to another by a series of transformations.

Introducing transformations

  1. Analyze transformations experimentally and numerically.

Relationships in geometric figures

  1. Evaluate and analyze facts of triangles and their angle measures for similarity.
  2. Evaluate and analyze the effects on parallel lines when cut by transversals for congruency and similarity.


  1. Demonstrate an understanding of basic volume formulas.
  2. Apply volume formulas and use them to solve real world problems dealing with cones, cylinders and spheres.

Analytic methods for solving systems of linear equations

  1. Analyze and apply different methods of different methods of solving linear equations.

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