Middle School Programs

8TH GRADE SUBJECT DESCRIPTION

8th Grade Science
Science 8 is a hands on approach to fundamental concepts and laws covering topics in chemistry and physics on a level that 8th graders can comprehend. Topics include: mass, weight, volume, density, gas laws, laws of motion, periodic table, elements, compounds, mixtures, work, force, momentum, etc.
The class format includes lecture, small group problem -solving, lab activities, record keeping techniques and various evaluation devices for all students enrolled.
The textbook used in the course is Exploring Physical Science, published by Prentice Hall.

8th Grade Math
There are seven Key Ideas or major areas of focus in math. The State Education Department establishes these Key Ideas. At this time, the State is considering consolidating these areas into just five. For now however, students at Pine Plains address the following seven major areas: Number Concepts/Math Operations, Algebra, Measurement, Ratio/Proportion/Percent, Coordinate Geometry/Linear Equations, Geometry/Angle Relationships and Probability & Statistics. Specific skills associated with each of these topics are covered throughout the year.
Homework counts approximately 20 to 25% of a student's quarterly grade. It is checked in class on a daily basis. Assignments are checked for completion and appropriate work being shown. Credit is not lost for errors made on the homework assignment! Credit is lost when students do not attempt to complete all of their work assigned. All students start the quarter with a homework grade of 100% and can maintain that grade by regular completion of their work. The remaining part of a student's grade is made up of quizzes, tests, journal entries and math projects.

8th Grade Foreign Language - Spanish and French

Foreign Language
click image to enlarge

Foreign language 8 is the second year of a two-year program designed to prepare students for the successful completion of the State's Foreign Language Proficiency Exam. This exam measures a student's ability to communicate using basic Spanish or French. The exam evaluates the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students passing the exam will earn 1 high school credit and fulfill their minimum language requirement for graduation.

Daily lessons will give students an opportunity to practice the four language skills through many different types of classroom activities. The emphasis will continue to be on expanding vocabulary. Students will study many verbs in the present tense to give structure to their communication. By the end of the program, students should be able to communicate in complete sentences.

Working with a partner or in a small group is challenging for some students. It is very important however for students to work with each other to learn the language. Since the teacher can not be having conversations with everyone at the same time, students need to practice their newly acquired language skills with their classmates.

Homework assignments are an important part of this course as they are with most all school coursework. Three to four assignments per week are the usual workload for a language. Assignments are designed to practice what is being taught in the classroom. The loss of practice as well as the reinforcement of skills taught during class negatively impact students who do not complete homework.

8th Grade English
Along with reading a variety of short stories, poems and plays, 8th grade English students participate in the Outside Reading Program. They choose from a classroom library, consisting of over one hundred different novels, ranging in ability level and subject mater. Aside from the one book per marking period that is assigned to them, students can take out as many or as few books as they wish, read and return them at their own leisure, and take tests on these books to earn points toward their English grade. Outside Reading counts as 20% of a student's overall English grade.

Another 20% of their grade is based on essays students write for Writing Workshop. Each marking period, students are given three possible essays to write for class, two are mandatory, the third is optional. The format of these essays is designed to prepare the students for the ELA State Exam, which is given mid-year. The rubric used to grade these essays is the same one that is used to score the State Exam; therefore, students can see how well they are progressing in terms of meeting State standards.

Throughout the school year, English students have the opportunity to try other forms of writing as well. They occasionally write stories in their journals, and each marking period they work on a project. Projects include the following: partners writing an original "Legend of the West," using vocabulary learned in a Social Studies unit; individuals creating their own books of poetry; and individuals researching, writing and giving a speech based on a historical person, movement or time period that is of interest to them.

8th Grade Social Studies
Social Studies 8 follows the State Education Department's curriculum guidelines. The scope of the course covers American history from 1865 to the present. Major topics of study include but are not limited to: Reconstruction, the Western Frontier, the rise of industry, immigration in the early 1900's, the Progressive Era, overseas expansion, World War I, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression and the New Deal, World War II, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, the end of the Cold War and the US involvement in the Middle East.

In conjunction with learning the content of the course, student assignments are designed to build analytical skills and improve their essay writing capabilities. Class structure varies and includes small group activities, independent reading and research, group reading and discussion, and lecture and notes.

On average, students are given three homework assignments per week and one test and quiz every two weeks. Homework counts for almost 25% of their grade, classwork another 25% and the remaining 50% is based on tests, quizzes and larger projects or writing assignments. The textbook currently being used is The American Nation, published by Prentice Hall.

Middle School Home Page | District Home Page