Eighth Grade

Students with science goggles examining rocks

Confident, Capable, Empathic, and Compassionate Human Beings

Eighth grade is a year of preparation as students get ready for the transition to high school. Students think critically and delve deeper into their worldview as they evolve from an observer of the world to a participant. As leaders of Westside’s Middle School, students focus on self-reflection, empathy, connection to one another, and legacy. Students are stretched to look inward in order to identify and pursue their passions and to explore many subjects that will shape who they are.

Students engage in transformational experiences in the classroom and in the community in order to grapple with tough problems, learn through service, and apply what they have experienced to create real-world solutions now and in the future. Also pushed to look outward, students explore questions like “how can I come to embrace, not just tolerate, what makes others different from me?”, “how can I lift others up, and make their experience a better one?” and “how can I critically question the world around me?” The end result is graduates that are confident, capable, empathic, and compassionate human beings.

LANGUAGE ARTS

8th grade Language Arts is devoted to helping students investigate, write, and share about themselves before they embark on their journey into high school. The overarching themes of “who am I, where do I fit in the world, and what do I believe?” connect units that stretch from memoir writing to analyzing books like The Hate U Give.

Later in the year students will examine propaganda (in conjunction with a social studies unit), join book clubs, complete research projects, read and write epic poetry, watch and perform spoken word poetry, and finish with an adaptation unit that focuses on scriptwriting and filmmaking.

ETHICS & EQUITY

8th Grade EE Curriculum Highlights

Reading assignments and comprehension quizzes
In-class discussions and Socratic seminars
Project-based assignments, such as poster creation and case-building exercises
Written reflections on ethical dilemmas and personal values
Homework readings and assignments, including family interviews for the sexuality education unit
Culminating projects, allowing students to apply their learning to real-world issues

In the fall, Ethics & Equity students delve into the realm of ethics through the lens of the film "The Truman Show." They engage in critical thinking and reflection to develop their understanding of right and wrong, as well as their decision-making processes. Through discussions and analysis, students explore ethical questions surrounding reality TV, product placement, and acceptance of presented realities.

Building on their ethical foundation, students transition into an examination of the criminal justice system using Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy. They explore themes of injustice, discrimination, and the workings of the legal system. Through reading assignments, discussions, and projects, students investigate the nuances of court proceedings, jury selection, and the experiences of incarcerated individuals. They also engage with real-world issues such as wrongful convictions and the treatment of juvenile offenders.

In the spring, 8th grade Ethics & Equity transitions from the study of justice to personal health and relationships. Students embark on a comprehensive exploration of sexuality education aligned with Washington State Sexual Health Standards. Topics include anatomy and reproduction, gender and sexuality, prevention of pregnancy and STIs, healthy relationships, and navigating media representations of sex. Utilizing various resources, including the Advocates for Youth curriculum and excerpts from "s.e.x., second edition," students participate in discussions, Q&A sessions, and reflective activities to deepen their understanding and develop essential skills for making informed decisions.

SOCIAL STUDIES

Eighth grade Social Studies will challenge students to understand the history of our country, and to make connections between the legacies of the past, the challenges of today, and the possibilities of tomorrow. Specifically, we use context to interpret events of the past and remember that history does not occur within a bubble.

We begin by looking at American expansion and imperialism in the late 19th century and the aggressive push to industrialize, even at the cost of workers’ health and safety. We transition into examining both world wars and the periods right before each. Within this unit, students learn about different social and economic systems, forms of propaganda that were used, and the dangerous rise of nationalism and extremism that drove the world to war.

Finally, we look at more modern times of revolution and change. The focus begins in the postwar era of civil rights movements and the Cold War, followed by the revolutionary actions of activists, citizens, and governments during the sixties.

We focus on hearing a diverse range of voices and constantly make relevant connections to current events as we unpack the positive and negative events of the past.

MATH

Three girls putting quarters on a paper bridge.

In eighth grade, students will take either Algebra 1 or Math 8.

Algebra 1 is a high school-oriented course which covers the following topics: Expressions and Equations, Linear Equations and their Graphs, Slope and Rates of Change, Functions, Exponents and Radicals, Polynomials and Quadratics. Algebra 1 allows students to understand linear vs. nonlinear change in the real world and represent those changes by creating equations and graphs.

Math 8 is a traditional course that covers the following topics: Real Numbers, Algebraic Expressions, Equations & Inequalities, Ratio, Proportion & Percent, Functions, Graphs & Linear Equations, Systems of Equations, Geometry, Measurement, Probability & Statistics.

SCIENCE

In the fall, the focus of science is chemistry and students explore the periodic table, elements, properties of materials, molecules, compounds, and investigate the life cycle of computers. In the winter, the students conduct an independent research project and share their findings at the Science Fair. In the spring, we end the year with an investigation into genetics. Students learn about DNA, recessive and dominant traits, mutations, evolution, and how to use a Punnett square.