8th Grade Newsletter
Homeroom Update:
Happy Catholic Schools Week! A few dates to keep in mind as we enter February:
Social Studies & Religion:
In our Social Studies class this past month, our 8th graders have been studying the formation of our Constitution and the early years of Washington and Adams presidencies. We’ve had many meaningful conversations around the idea of balancing state and federal power, and how difficult it was to agree upon framework in our nation’s early youth. As we look ahead to February, we will be learning about the origins of “manifest destiny” , the trials and tribulations of life on the difficult trails heading west, the importance of the Texas Revolution in the 1830’s and 1840’s, the impact of the Mexican- American War, and the cultural shifts that took place during the California Gold Rush. In Religion class, 8th grade dove into learning about the similarities and differences of Eastern and Western churches. We also took time this month to reflect on the difficulties we may face navigating morally challenging scenarios in a secular environment. Our Biblical scholars also spent a great deal of time and effort learning about key Saints and Angels of our Church, creating their very own “Instagram” inspired projects for our classroom! February will find us shifting our focus to preparing for our Holy Liturgical season of Lent, which will begin on Ash Wednesday.
Math & Science:
For Math, 8th grade has been learning all about graphing linear equations by recognizing and calculating slope, identifying the y-intercept, and working with functions. We continue to work with solving equations and increasingly more advanced equations until students develop mastery. These algebra problems are extremely important for students to understand to excel in high school mathematics.
For Science, 8th grade students have finished their science fair projects! Congratulations! The top six students have advanced to the Kristina Taylor Science Fair. Meanwhile, we have begun our next unit, “Our home on the largest scale…the universe!” This month, the class will learn about the life cycle of stars, the formations of galaxies and systems, and our nearest neighbors, the planets in our solar system. They will apply their knowledge of physics from previous units to understand astronomy on a new level.
ELA:
In Literature, the 8th graders are continuing to read through Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Students have just completed their first in-class timed essay for the play, comparing and contrasting two types of love. Students will continue reading in class and working through note taking and mini lessons on Shakepeare’s work. To culminate the unit, students will complete final projects as well as have other final summative assessments. In English, students will begin a refresher unit on persuasive writing, and if time permits, we will work on a narrative writing essay.