Grades 1-8

MATH 

First grade will use the McGraw Hill My Math series and Simple Solutions Math workbooks. We will cover the following: 

• addition and subtraction concepts and strategies to 20 

• place value to 120 

• two-digit addition and subtraction 

• organize and use graphs 

• measurement and time 

• two-dimensional shapes and equal shares 

• three-dimensional shapes 

WRITING 

Children will understand that what you think, you can say and what you say, you can write. Students will: 

• write words, sentences and simple paragraphs 

• apply grammar skills such as capitalization and basic punctuation

• write opinion pieces 

• write narratives 

• write informational pieces

READING /LITERATURE 

Children will experience authentic literature in the form of poetry, fairy tales, nonfiction, fiction, fantasy and plays. Children’s literacy skills will develop through teacher modeling and the use of the best practices in reading instruction. The children will develop the following strategies: 

• predict/infer 

• phonics/decoding 

• monitor/clarify 

• question 

• summarize 

• evaluate 

LISTENING/SPEAKING 

First graders will develop good listening skills and will learn to express themselves orally. They will: 

• present their Star of the Week poster 

• participate in discussions 

• recite poetry 

• oral presentations

RELIGION 

First graders will learn about their Catholic faith through Scriptures, prayer, stories and activities using the Blest Are We Faith in Action by RCL Benzinger. Catholic values are discussed and integrated in all subject areas. The focus is on: 

• Catholic beliefs

• common prayers 

• God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit 

• Church community 

• Jesus’ church of followers 

• lives of the saints 

• Holy Family

 • Friendzy 

First grade students will begin sacramental preparation in class and parents will be asked to attend sacramental meetings. 

LANGUAGE 

The Language Arts program includes reading, writing, spelling, grammar, handwriting, speaking, listening, and the study of literature. The program emphasizes the development of those skills that allow students to read with fluency, comprehend and interpret written materials, communicate well, and to speak effectively. These skills are applied and reinforced in all content areas. The textbooks used are McGraw Hill Reading: Wonders and Simple Solutions Grammar. The publisher offers information and activities at their website www.connected.mcgraw-hill.com.

SCIENCE 

Students will experience learning about science through activities, reading and visuals. The science units are: 

• plants and animals 

• weather and seasons 

• earth 

• embryology 

SPECIALS 

The children will attend classes in art, physical education, and music.

HOMEWORK 

First graders will be assigned homework every day except Friday to reinforce concepts and to foster responsibility. Homework assignments can be found at www.schoolspeak.com Parents can help by: 

• showing an interest in school and homework activities 

• reading to your child every day or listening to your child read every day

 • encouraging students to hand homework in on time 

• please pray with your child and attend Mass weekly

READING AND LANGUAGE ARTS 

Our Reading/ Language Arts textbook is McGraw Hill: Wonders. It incorporates reading, phonics, spelling, writing, and language. The components of the program emphasize the development of those skills that allow students to read fluently, comprehend and interpret written material, and communicate effectively through written language. McGraw Hill offers information and activities on their website http:// www.mheonline.com/readingwonders. 

READING COMPREHENSION 

Reading fluency and comprehension will improve as the students are presented with the following skills: 

• predict/ infer 

• story structure 

• fantasy/ realism

 • compare/ contrast

 • categorize/ classify 

• topic/ main idea/ details 

• cause and effect

• sequence of events 

PHONEMIC AWARENESS 

The students will learn and use phonics and decoding skills in their reading text, as well as in a phonics text and weekly spelling lists. Here are a few of the phonics skills which will be presented in second grade:

• short and long vowels, vowel pairs 

• r-controlled vowels 

• consonant cluster and digraphs 

• prefixes and suffixes

WRITING AND LANGUAGE 

The class will participate in several different types of writing activities each day to improve their ability to write clearly and effectively. The students will be expected to write legible and complete sentences, write sequential sentences on a given topic, and apply their spelling knowledge to those sentences. The following grammar skills will be presented in second grade using Simple Solutions Grammar: 

• naming and action parts of sentences

• types of sentences 

• noun, pronouns, verbs, adjectives

• present and past verb tenses 

• irregular verbs

MATH 

Second grade will be using resources from the McGraw Hill My Math series and the Simple Solutions workbooks Instruction includes hands-on activities to develop concepts and drill practice (at school and at home) to build skill proficiency. Students will be working on computational math skills in our Simple Solutions workbooks. The students will engage in the following areas of study: 

• operations and algebra 

• number and operations in base ten 

• measurement and data 

• geometry 

SOCIAL STUDIES 

St. Pius second graders will participate in a year of social studies. Our text, published by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, is called People and Places. The students will develop a sense of basic history, simple geography/map skills and citizenship. The five units of study are: 

• culture 

• geography 

• history 

• economics 

• citizenship

RELIGION

Sacramental preparation is the main focus of the second grade religion curriculum at St. Pius X. Catholic students will receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Sacrament of the Eucharist for the first time. The Faith Formation Office will provide each family with two sacrament preparation booklets to be completed at school. Second graders also prepare for the sacraments in the classroom. Our religion text is Blest Are We by RCL Benzinger. The units of study focus on the following main ideas: 

• God’s Greatest Gift 

• Faith in God 

• Jesus Brings Reconciliation 

• The Church Celebrates 

• Celebrating the Eucharist 

• Living the Eucharist 

Students will be using Friendzy, a social and emotional program using Biblical aspects of friendship.

SCIENCE 

Second graders will participate in a year of science. The children will learn science concepts through hands-on activities and short educational videos provided by Mystery Science. The class will participate in experiments, examine photographs and do writing activities based on the following units: 

• Plant Adventures (life cycles & traits) 

• Material Magic (phases & matter) 

• The Work of Water (surface & mapping) 

HOME AND SCHOOL CONNECTION 

Second grade students will receive homework Monday through Thursday. Assignments must be completed and returned the next day. Parents can help by showing interest in homework and school activities. Please read with your children as often as possible. Most importantly, pray with your children and attend weekly liturgies! Your support is the key to their success. Each child is required to read 20 minutes each night and record it on the provided reading log. The reading log is due back each Friday

LANGUAGE ARTS 

Language Arts is comprised of individual subjects including English, reading and spelling. The textbook used for Language Arts is the McGraw Hill Wonders series. 

WRITING 

Students will: 

• learn sentence structure and write proper and complete sentences 

• apply grammar and mechanical parts of speech, tenses, and punctuation in writing 

• learn to write narrative stories and expository essays 

READING 

Students will: 

• continue to decode with an emphasis on comprehension 

• identify sequencing, cause and effect, and compare and contrast in text 

• predict and make supporting inferences, and summarize content of text.

 In addition, students will participate in weekly guided reading groups to further develop skills and strategies. 

SPELLING AND VOCABULARY 

Students will: 

• learn new vocabulary words, their definition and use them in sentences 

• learn structural analysis and how to use it 

• understand word meaning and spelling patterns 

SCIENCE 

The third grade will begin the exploration of science through the use of the website, Mystery Science. The students will learn the following: 

• plant life cycles 

• heredity 

• animal survival 

• forces and motion 

• weather and climate 

• magnets

MATH 

The third grade will acquire knowledge of mathematics and be able to apply math skills to problem solving. The third grade will use the McGraw My Math series and the Simple Solutions math workbooks. The students will learn the following: 

• place value 

• addition and subtraction 

• understand, apply and recognize patterns in multiplication and division 

• properties and equations 

• fractions 

• measurement 

• represent and interpret data 

• permimeter and area 

• geometry

 SOCIAL STUDIES

The third grade will be introduced to social studies using our textbook, Communities by McGraw Hill. The students will: 

• learn how to use maps to locate places and identify geographical features 

• learn the parts of government—state, local, and federal, and how they work together 

• learn about the voting process and conduct a mock voting session within the classroom using student candidates, a ballot box, counting votes, and announcing the winning candidate. 

• learn about community, what makes up a community and how they are similar throughout the world 

• learn to distinguish different land forms and climates 

• learn about the history of the 13 colonies and how the United States was formed

RELIGION 

Catholic values will be integrated not only in religion, but also throughout all third grade curriculum. The students will learn through activities, stories, scripture, prayer and discussion about their Catholic faith using the Blest Are We by RCL Benzinger. Our students will: 

• see themselves as members of the Church, and how to express their faith in God through prayer, worship and sacraments 

• explore the Church as both a community and institution 

• explore the seven sacraments and grow in their understanding 

• learn how saints carried on Jesus’ work in the world 

• learn about each mark of the Church 

The third grade will develop SEL skills through Friendzy, an Innovative SEL Program that teaches the five core competencies of social and emotional learning: 

• self-awareness 

• self-management 

• responsible decision making 

• social awareness 

• relationship skills

ENGLISH 

Children learn to identify good listening, speaking, and viewing strategies as a means of communication in both formal and informal situations. They learn guidelines to evaluate their listening and speaking abilities during discussions. They are given the opportunity for impromptu verbal responses and for prepared oral presentations. Children come to understand that rules for speaking and writing enable people to communicate clearly with each other. They study units on: 

• the sentence 

• nouns 

• verbs 

• adjectives 

• capitalization and punctuation 

• pronouns 

• adverbs and prepositions

Students are expected to apply grammar and spelling rules in their school work throughout the day. 

READING/LITERATURE 

The fourth grade will be using the McGraw Hill Wonders series. Students participate in guided reading. Whole group and small group instruction is used daily. Students will be exposed to a variety of genres throughout the year. Comprehension skills and strategies are modeled including: 

• sequencing events of a story 

• noting details 

• determining fact and opinion 

• identifying topic, main idea, and details 

• making predictions and inferences 

• monitoring, clarifying, and questioning 

• summarizing information 

Information and study skills, structural analysis and expansion of vocabulary, fluency, grammar, and writing are also integrated into the Reading Program.

WRITING 

Children participate in Writers’ Workshops where they are taught the steps of the writing process. They learn to choose and organize a topic, write a working draft, revise the draft, participate in a writing conference, proofread, and publish the final copy of their papers. During the year they are required to write: 

• a personal narrative 

• a persuasive essay 

• a research report 

• a variety of poetry 

• a descriptive essay 

• an expository essay 

The use of ball point pens is required and proper cursive handwriting skills are modeled and encouraged. Typewritten work is required for the final published project. 

MATHEMATICS 

The fourth grade Math program continues to build on the strong foundation that the students obtained in the primary grades. The program will use the McGraw Hill My Math series. Common Core curriculum standards will be incorporated into each lesson. Mathematical areas include:

• multiplication & division concepts

• fractions: equivalence & operations 

• decimals • computation applications 

• two-dimensional geometry 

• place value 

• measurement Simple Solutions workbooks will provide an opportunity to review a variety of topics throughout the year.

SOCIAL STUDIES 

Students acquire social and cultural understanding of the world around them. This is accomplished by focusing on the following: 

• immigration 

• regions of the United States 

• geography/map skills 

• states and capitals 

• United States government 

• U. S./Illinois history 

• resources & landforms 

• trade and a global economy 

• transportation and communication

SCIENCE 

Students use concrete, hands-on experiences to understand science in the physical and natural world around them. They learn through observing, predicting, questioning, and explaining. The students will spend the year exploring the following: 

• human body 

• rock cycle 

• waves of sound 

• energizing everything

RELIGION 

Fourth graders will learn through stories, activities, Scripture, prayer, discussion, and reflections about their Catholic faith. Catholic values are discussed and integrated not only in religion, but in all learning. Areas of focus include: 

• God’s goodness (the Holy Trinity, types of prayer, Creation, the Ten Commandments) 

• Jesus (Baptism, the Beautitudes, the Crucifixion) 

• the Holy Spirit (Confirmation, the Law of Love) 

• the Church (Reconciliation, forgiveness) 

• social justice (the Eucharist, Holy Orders) 

• feasts and seasons (Mary, the saints) 

• our Catholic heritage (what we believe, how we live, worship and pray) 

Friendzy will be used to develop social and emotional skills in relation to our Catholic faith.

ACADEMICS PLUS 

In order to create well-rounded citizens, St. Pius X believes that students must be exposed to a host of educational experiences. In addition to traditional academics, St. Pius X offers art, physical education and music. 

ENGLISH

Children learn to identify effective listening, speaking, and viewing strategies as a means of communication in both formal and informal situations. They learn guidelines to evaluate their listening and speaking abilities during discussions. They are given the opportunity for impromptu verbal response and for prepared oral presentations. Students participate in Writers’ Workshops where they are taught the steps of the writing process. They learn to choose and organize a topic, write a working draft, revise the draft, participate in a writing conference, proofread and publish the final copy of their papers. During the year they are required to write: 

• a description 

• a personal narrative 

• a story 

• an opinion essay 

• a persuasive essay 

• a variety of poetry 

Children come to understand that rules for speaking and writing a language enable people to communicate clearly. They study units on: 

• the sentence 

• nouns 

• verbs 

• adjectives 

• capitalization and punctuation 

• adverbs and prepositions

READING/LITERATURE 

Stories are authentic literature and engage students in understanding of different genres Poetry and other integrated readings are included in the program. Comprehension skills and strategies are modeled including: 

• sequencing events of a story 

• noting details 

• determining fact and opinion 

• identifying topic, main idea, and details 

• understanding story structure and text organization 

• making predictions and inferences 

• monitoring, clarifying, and questioning 

• identifying characteristics of genres Information and study skills, structural analysis and expansion of vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and writing are also integrated into the reading program. Oral reading is monitored for fluency.

LANGUAGE ARTS 

The Fifth Grade Language Arts Program will use the McGraw Hill Wonders series and includes the following areas of study: 

• Reading/Literature 

• English 

• listening, speaking, and viewing skills

• grammar 

• writing 

• spelling/vocabulary4

MATHEMATICS 

Fifth grade will use the McGraw Hill My Math series and the Simple Solutions math workbooks. This program provides a good foundation in fundamental skills in math and helps to develop strong problemsolving and critical thinking skills. The Mathematics units are: 

• place value

• add and subtract whole numbers and decimals 

• multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals 

• expressions and patterns 

• add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions and decimals 

• measurement 

• geometry 

SCIENCE 

In our Science Program, which aligns with next generation Science standards, our students will develop science concepts and solve problems through inquiry and exploration. The class includes many hands-on activities that stimulate thought and discussion and provide background experiences to develop and apply concepts. Topics include: 

• matter 

• motion and stability 

• energy 

• from molecules to organisms 

• ecosystems 

• Earth’s place in the universe 

• Earth’s systems 

• Earth and human activity 

Students will participate in a problem based learning project requiring research and possible solutions. A presentation integrating technology is required. 

SOCIAL STUDIES 

Fifth grade students prepare for their role as informed citizens in a democratic society. The focus will be: • geography/map skills 

• Native Americans 

• explorers 

• American colonies 

• American Revolution 

• Industrial Revolution 

• westward movement 

• Civil War

RELIGION 

Using the Blest Are We, fifth graders will learn through stories, activities, Scripture, prayer, discussion, and reflection about their Catholic faith. Catholic values are discussed and integrated not only in religion, but in all learning. The focus is on: 

• God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit 

• Mary as an example 

• the lives of Saints 

• planning, assisting in liturgy and other forms of worship 

• the sacraments- God’s gifts of life 

• service 

• liturgical seasons 

• morality 

• decision making 

The fifth grade will develop SEL skills through Friendzy, an Innovative SEL Program that teaches social and emotional learning through a Biblical friendship curriculum.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION 

Students will attend physical education classes a minimum of twice per week and cover the following units: 

• consumer health 

• mental health and illness 

• substance abuse and its impact 

• disease prevention and resources

READING AND WRITING 

Sixth grade students use writing to convey meaning by applying classroom instruction in grammar, vocabulary, spelling, mechanics, and process. These skills are reinforced daily through Simple Solutions Grammar and IXL. Students will: 

• write multiple sequential paragraphs 

• construct a writing map 

• use the writing process including prewriting, revising, peer editing, and final draft 

• write in multiple forms including, narrative, expository, persuasive and descriptive essays 

• conduct short research projects using multiple resources 

Students will listen for understanding, follow directions and respond appropriately to the speaker. They will use acquired language and vocabulary to express opinions and will: 

• present material orally 

• make presentations to individuals and small groups

• participate in small and large group discussions and presentations

LANGUAGE ARTS 

The Language Arts program encompasses all the elements of literacy and discourse: reading, writing, listening, and speaking across literary forms: short stories, novels, poetry and drama. Students develop the ability to read fluently and understand a broad range of materials. Students extend their abilities to communicate well and listen carefully and effectively. The plays, short stories, novels and poems of recognized literary merit are used to achieve reading goals. These skills are reinforced daily through Simple Solutions Grammar and IXL. Important skills addressed include: 

• evaluating fact, opinion, and bias 

• identifying types and styles of literature 

• analyzing style and purpose 

• understanding the elements of plot, characterizations, and setting 

• identifying the author’s theme 

• applying word analysis and vocabulary 

• weighing and expressing opinions 

MATHEMATICS 

Sixth grade students will develop their mathematical skills and knowledge on the following concepts. The skills are reinforced daily through Common Core Simple Solutions work books and IXL. • ratios and rates 

• fractions, decimals and percents 

• multi-digit computations 

• fraction computation 

• integers and the coordinate plane 

• expressions 

• equations 

• functions and inequalities 

• area, volume and surface area 

• statistical measures and displays

SOCIAL STUDIES 

Sixth grade students prepare for their role as informed citizens in a democratic society with emphasis on a global community. The focus will be: 

• geography/map skills 

• ancient civilizations - culture, economy, achievements and government 

• elections and voting 

• economic development

• global issues - current issues 

• political systems & Catholic teachings 

• current events - national and world

SCIENCE 

Students will utilize Science resources via online resources. Students will: 

• develop inquiry skills 

• develop lab skills 

• explain the relationship of the sun to other elements of the galaxy 

• describe the development of the solar system 

• identify the rocks and minerals in Earth’s crust 

• recognize the relationship between science and technology and the Church’s teachings 

• explain the effects of different types of erosion 

• recognize our role as stewards of the Earth 

• describe the hypothesis of continental drift 

• identify evidence supporting continental drift 

• explain the phenomenon of how forces inside the earth and its effect on the Earth’s surface 

• describe the different types of volcanoes and how they are formed 

• describe how the changes in the Earth’s surface effects human life

RELIGION 

Sixth graders will learn through Scripture, prayer, discussion and reflection about their Catholic faith focusing on the Old Testament and God’s covenants with His people. Catholic values are discussed and integrated not only in religion class, but also in all learning experiences. Students will use the Blest Are We textbook by RCL Benzinger. The focus is on: 

• God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit 

• planning, assisting in liturgy and other forms of worship 

• studying the Old Testament to recognize God’s love for humanity and His plan for us 

• understanding Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament roles of priest, prophet and king 

• learning about the early beginnings of the Church acting in a Christian manner 

• church responsibility and participation 

• recognizing one’s role as a steward of the Earth 

• learning to live as disciples according to the teachings of the Church 

• Friendzy program which teaches social and emotional lessons using a Biblical friendship curriculum

PHYSICAL EDUCATION 

Sixth grade physical education and health will focus on: 

• emphasis on physical fitness and nutrition 

• anxiety and depression 

• diseases

LANGUAGE ARTS – Reading

The Language Arts Program encompasses all the elements of literacy and discourse: reading, writing, listening, and speaking across literary forms: short stories, novels, poetry and drama. Through the Language Arts Program, students develop the ability to read fluently and understand a broad range of materials. Students extend their abilities to communicate well and listen carefully and effectively. Short stories, novels, plays and poems of recognized literary merit are used to achieve reading goals. These skills are reinforced through the Simple Solutions Reading program and IXL. Important skills addressed include: 

• evaluating fact, opinion, and bias 

• identifying types and styles of literature

• analyzing style and purpose 

• understanding the elements of plot, characterizations, and setting 

• identifying the author’s theme 

• applying word analysis and vocabulary 

• weighing and expressing opinions 

• citing textual evidence to support analysis of texts

LANGUAGE ARTS - Writing & Expression

Seventh grade students use writing to convey meaning by applying classroom instruction in grammar, spelling, mechanics, and process. These skills are reinforced through the Simple Solutions Reading program and IXL, a web -based program which is designed to target and strengthen skills utilized. Students will: 

• write multiple sequential paragraphs 

• use the writing process including prewriting, revising, peer editing, and final draft 

• write in multiple forms narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive essays.

• conduct short research projects using multiple sources. 

Seventh grade students will listen for understanding, follow directions, and respond appropriately to the speaker. Students will use acquired language and vocabulary to: 

• express opinions 

• present material orally 

• make presentations to individuals and small groups 

• participate in small and large group discussion and presentations 

• express ideas clearly when speaking

SOCIAL STUDIES 

Seventh grade students prepare for their role as informed citizens in a democratic society. The focus will be: 

• explorers 

• original Colonies 

• the Revolutionary War 

• the U.S. Constitution 

• the Illinois Constitution 

• early Presidents 

• global issues 

• economic issues 

• political systems and Catholic teachings 

• Illinois Constitution test 

• Federal Constitution test 

MATHEMATICS

 Seventh grade students will develop their mathematical skills and knowledge on the following concepts. The skills are reinforced daily through Simple Solutions Workbooks and IXL. 

• rates & proportional reasoning 

• percentages 

• integer computation 

• rational number computation 

• writing & simplifying expressions 

• properties

• solving equations and inequalities

 • 3-d and scale drawings • area, volume, surface area

SCIENCE 

Students will utilize Science via online resources: Students will: 

• use inquiry skills 

• explain design problems and use appropriate methods to find solutions 

• classify organisms based on traits 

• identify and determine how cellular life processes are accomplished 

• describe relationships between living and non-living things in an environment 

• compare and contrast features of organisms for survival potential 

• identify the moral and ethical issues in scientific testing 

• recognize that God’s plan for human reproduction is different than for plants and animals 

• identify methods of resource conservation and management that allow us to become good stewards of the Earth 

• identify organs of living things and their function 

• biological functions of the human body and reproduction 

RELIGION 

Seventh graders will learn through Scripture, prayer, discussion, reflection, and journaling about their Catholic faith. Catholic values are discussed and integrated, not only in religion class, but also in all learning settings. Focus will be on the New Testament and the following: 

• God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit 

• planning, assisting in liturgy and other forms of worship 

• developing a personal friendship with Jesus 

• identifying with Jesus as a role model through studying the New Testament 

• understanding the Nicene Creed 

• service 

• church history 

• morality 

• identifying the challenges of an adolescent and his/her responsibility as a Christian youth 

• universality of the Church 

• learning to live as disciples according to the teachings of the Church 

• Confirmation preparation begins using Ascension Press Chosen series 

• Friendzy program which teaches social and emotional lessons using a Biblical friendship curriculum

PHYSICAL EDUCATION 

Students in seventh grade will attend physical education classes and the focus will be on: 

• emphasis on physical fitness and nutrition 

• anxiety and depression 

• diseases, causes and prevention

LANGUAGE ARTS - Reading

The Language Arts Program encompasses all the elements of literacy and discourse; reading, writing, listening, and speaking across literary forms such as short stories, novels, poetry and drama. Through the Language Arts Program, students develop the ability to read fluently and understand a broad range of materials. Students extend their abilities to communicate well and listen carefully and effectively. Reading and language skills are reinforced through the use of Simple Solutions grammar and reading books, as well as IXL, a digital platform. Students will gain proficiency in language skills that are basic to all learning as well as those central to a structured study of literature, including; 

• thoughtful, active reading

• identifying types and styles of literature 

• analyzing style and purpose 

• understanding the elements of plot, characterizations, and setting 

• identifying the author’s theme 

• applying word analysis and vocabulary skills 

• expressing opinions effectively 

• citing textual evidence to support analysis of texts 

LANGUAGE ARTS – Writing & Expression 

Eighth grade students will apply classroom instruction to improve writing skills. Through the study of grammar, usage, mechanics and vocabulary, students will: 

• demonstrate writing ability using the writing process 

• differentiate between narrative, persuasive and expository writing 

• express ideas clearly through oral presentations 

• participate in group discussions 

• integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations 

• conduct short research projects using multiple sources 

MATHEMATICS 

Eighth grade students will develop their mathematical skills on the following concepts. The skills are reinforced daily through Common Core Simple Solutions workbooks. 

• real numbers 

• equations w/1 and 2 variables 

• functions-linear, non-linear and quadratic 

• triangle and Pythagorean theorem

 • transformations

• congruence and similarity 

• volume and surface area 

• scatter plots and data 

• polynomials 

Eighth grade advanced students will work on: 

• variables, functions, patterns and graphs 

• Writing and solving multi-step equations 

• systems of linear equations and inequalities 

• polynomials and factoring 

• functions exponential, radical, rational, quadratic 

Eighth grade advanced students that have successfully completed HS Algebra Geometry Concepts & Basic Proofs will work on: 

• congruent triangles and proofs 

• theorems and proofs of lines, angles and polygons 

• planes: parallel, perpendicular, intersecting

 • two proof triangle theorem 

• similarity & congruence proofs 

• trigonometric ratios 

• circle theorems 

• area, volume, surface area

SCIENCE 

Students will utilize Science via online resources. Students will: 

• use inquiry skills 

• use appropriate strategies to find solutions to design problems, including technology to report on successes 

• design and demonstrate how forces affect motion using simple machines to create a complex machine 

• apply Newton’s law of motion 

• interpret and classify chemical reactions 

• distinguish properties of acids, bases and solids 

• explain how to use the periodic table to obtain information 

• identify ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding 

• compare and contrast observational and experimental investigations 

• biology of human body and reproduction 

• Impact of nutrition , drugs, alcohol, tobacco on the human body

SOCIAL STUDIES 

Eighth grade students prepare for their role as informed citizens in a democratic society. The focus will be: 

• U.S. History 1860-Present 

• U. S. Civil War 

• WWI and WWII 

• global issues 

• economic issues 

• political systems and Catholic teaching 

• American patriotism 

• current events

RELIGION 

Eighth graders will learn through Scripture, prayer, discussion, and reflection about their Catholic faith and the Church history. Catholic values are discussed and integrated not only in Religion, but also in all learning experiences. The focus is on: 

• God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit 

• the sacraments, especially Confirmation 

• Church history 

• morality, Church teachings and life choices 

• family and peer relationships 

• planning, assisting in liturgy, and other forms of worship 

• service and responsibilities 

• learning to live as disciples according to the teachings of the Church 

• Friendzy program to support social and emotional learning 

Eighth graders will use the Chosen series for Confirmation preparation.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION 

Eighth grade students will attend physical education/health classes and focus on emphasis on physical fitness and nutrition and hazards of drugs, alcohol and tobacco and impact on the body diseases.