8th Grade at L-Dub

In civics, students focus on civics and civil rights. We study the foundations of our democratic republic, examining, for example, the US and Washington State constitutions through the filter of social justice. In addition, we look at moments of major social and political change, using multiple case studies drawn from the history of the Pacific Northwest region -  from the earliest treaties with native nations to racially restrictive housing covenants in Civil Rights Era Seattle. The class uses literature and other texts to study civics, Washington State history, and United States history - all with an emphasis on how different groups in our society have been marginalized and sought greater justice and equal standing. 

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS 

• What is justice, and how is it achieved?
• What is the role of power in a society?
• What purposes do governments serve?
• What is citizenship?
• What determines who is included in or excluded from society?
• How do citizens make social change?

At L-Dub, there are two pathways for eighth-grade math. The focus of our deeper eighth grade math class is primarily on algebra topics, with an eye toward future work in Geometry in high school. Students will build on their previous understanding about proportional reasoning in order to begin using algebraic equations and inequalities to describe and model mathematical and real-world problems. They will also learn how to use linear and nonlinear functions to model relationships between multiple variables. By the end of the year, most students will be prepared to begin high school in a Geometry class, which puts them on track to reach Calculus by their senior year. The accelerated eighth grade math class additionally gives students an opportunity to learn the topics covered in a high school Geometry course. In this course, students will focus on problems and investigations that build spatial visualization skills, an awareness of connections between different strands of mathematics, and conceptual understanding of geometry topics. The topics studied include types of lines and angles, properties of circles, triangles, and quadrilaterals, area and volume, congruence and similarity concepts, and introductory trigonometry. Students are encouraged to investigate, conjecture, and then prove to develop their reasoning skills. They will regularly be required to explain their thinking and/or prove their answers using theorems, properties, and mathematical calculations. In both courses, students will be assessed using regular exit tickets, checkpoints, and quizzes. Assessments in the form of tests and projects will occur in each unit. 

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS 

• How do I use algebraic expressions to analyze and solve problems?
• What is the solution to a function, and what does it mean in the context of a mathematical problem?
• How do graphs of functions help me understand relationships between quantities?
• How can I use algebraic properties and factoring to simplify and solve quadratic equations?
• What real-world applications can I model using linear quadratic functions?
• How is thinking algebraically different from thinking arithmetically?
• How do effective problem solvers tackle a problem, maintain awareness of their own practice, and know what to do when they get stuck?
• How do I know and describe when a result is reasonable?
• How can I communicate and justify my mathematical ideas effectively?
• How can I use numbers to describe the world around me?

The focus for eighth grade Spanish is to strengthen and expand language skills and to complicate and deepen an understanding of Spanish-speaking communities at both local and international levels. Instruction is based on a Comprehensible Input model where students are first asked to show understanding of language they read and hear and then with stepped practice, coaching, and feedback learn to produce similar language structures. Students use authentic resources, co-created stories, and comprehensible novels to learn to communicate in the target language. The class covers thematic units that push novice and intermediate learners to extend language used to describe people, preferences, settings and places, including the ability to describe themselves and events in the past tense. Additional thematic units include music, culture, and history. Students read a comprehensible novel about immigration issues and learn to communicate about themes related to the book. 

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS 

• How do I continue to improve my accuracy?
• How do I develop my Spanish literacy?
• How can I expand my understanding of the diversity of the Spanish speaking community?

The Theatre Arts program at LWGMS is an opportunity for students to work together as they build strong voices, strong minds, and strong bodies. Through script analysis, interpretation, and memorization, students develop strong minds; by learning to perform on stage, students develop strong voices; and finally, through learning to use physical movements to express emotion and meaning, students develop strong bodies.

The Theatre Arts program also provides opportunities for students to practice teamwork and leadership skills. As members of a cast and crew, the students must learn to work together and be responsible on both an individual level as well as for the entire group. In addition to performing as actors, students take on leadership roles in stage management, lighting, sound, set design, assisting the director, and choreographing musical numbers. Eighth-grade students write original plays to perform for the school community, and the eighth-grade productions rely on teamwork and peer support for success. Consequently, with every show, the students learn to work cohesively and collaboratively. The process of creating a show is filled with opportunities for social and emotional learning and the personal growth that results from meeting challenges and taking appropriate risks. Students are assessed based on their mastery of basic theatre skills such as memorization, projection, dictation, and audience awareness.

The goal of the physical education (PE) program is to help develop strong, confident, and well-balanced individuals. Students participate in a variety of physical activities and learn the role movement plays in their overall health and well being. Each grade level will progress from basic large motor skills to smaller motor skills utilizing more compound movements. Eighth grade is expected to learn form, body awareness, and a basic understanding of healthy behaviors. Students will be able to demonstrate and explain various activities and the role these movements play in building and maintaining healthy lifestyles, while creating and tracking their individual goals. Students are assessed on learning behaviors in daily lessons as well as on the overall progress they have made for each skill.