Executive Education Schools

Middle School Program

Of Studies

Executive Education Schools

Grade 6

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 6
In grade 6, the Common Core State Standards call for students to proficiently read grade-
appropriate complex literature and informational text (RL/RI.6.10) while further developing
the ability to cite textual evidence to support analyses (RL/RI.6.1). Students focus on
examining how authors use reasons to make their points and
support arguments with evidence, separating unsupported assertions from those backed by
evidence. Students analyze both the structure and content of complex, grade-appropriate
texts, determining how sentences and paragraphs within texts influence and contribute to the
unfolding of a plot and the development and elaboration of events or ideas.

Additional Standards for Reading Literature [1] (RL.6.2-9) and Standards for Reading
Informational Text [2] (RI.6.2-9) offer detailed expectations for student academic
performance in preparation for college and careers.

According to the Speaking and Listening Standards [3], students also share their findings in
class discussions, practicing how logically to sequence ideas and highlight the themes and key
details they find most persuasive. Students vocabularies expand as they become more
attuned to using context, knowledge of Greek and Latin roots and affixes, and word
analysis to determine the meaning of academic words.
Students in grade 6 are increasingly challenged to sharpen their ability to write and speak
with more clarity and coherence, providing clear reasons and relevant evidence. The Writing
Standards [4] specify that students will learn how writers try to influence readers while
discovering how they can do the same in their own prose. They discover how to answer
questions through writing and can use rewriting opportunities to refine their understanding
of a text or topic. They also take a critical stance toward sources and apply criteria for
identifying reliable information as opposed to mere conjecture.
The balance of student writing at this level is 70 percent analytical (35 percent argument and
35 percent to explain/inform) and 30 percent narrative, with a mix of on-demand and
review-and-revision writing assignments. Building student competence and confidence with
technology should be part of instruction.

Routine writing: Routine writing, such as short constructed-responses to text-dependent
questions, builds content knowledge and provides opportunities for reflection on a specific
aspect of a text or texts. Routine written responses to such text-dependent questions allow
students to build sophisticated understandings of vocabulary, text structure, and content and
to develop needed proficiencies in analysis. All analytic writing should put a premium on
using evidence (RL/RI.6.1 and W.6.9) as well as on crafting works that display logical
integration and coherence (W.6.4, W.6.5 and L.6.13). These responses can vary in length
based on the questions asked and task performed, from answering brief questions to crafting
multi-paragraph responses, allowing teachers to assess students ability to paraphrase, infer,
and integrate the ideas they have gleaned from what they have read. Over the course of the
year, analytic writing should include comparative analysis and compositions that share
findings from the research project.
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Narrative writing offers students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences;
craft their own stories and descriptions; and deepen their understandings of literary
concepts, structures, and genres (e.g., short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama) through
purposeful imitation. It also provides an additional opportunity for students to reflect on
what they read through imaginative writing and to practice sequencing events and ideas
through narrative descriptions.

Research Project
Teachers should provide the opportunity for students to produce a minimum of two
extended projects that uses research to address a significant topic, problem, or issue. This
entails gathering and synthesizing relevant information from several additional literary or
informational texts in various media or formats on a particular topic or question drawn from
one or more texts from the module. Students are expected at this stage to assess the
credibility of each source, effectively and accurately quote or paraphrase sources, and include
basic bibliographic information in their research. Students can present their findings in a
variety of informal and more formal argumentative or explanatory contexts, either in writing
or orally. (Research aligned with the standards could take one to two weeks of instruction.)
Students are expected to take a close look at the texts they encounter through the lenses of
the following skills rooted in the standards. Cite evidence: The goal of close, analytic reading
is for students to be able to discern and cite evidence from the text to support assertions. In
grade 6, students should explicitly refer to a text when both explaining it and making
inferences (RL/RI.6.1).

Analyze content: The content of each text should determine which standards (RL/RI.6.29
and SL.6.23) to target, allowing teachers to focus instruction and ensure that all the
standards have been taught by the end of the year.

Study and apply grammar: While grammar is meant to be a normal, everyday part of what
students do, students should be taught explicit lessons in grammar as they read, write, and
speak, guided by L.6.13.

Study and apply vocabulary: To focus vocabulary instruction on words that students would
be encouraged to use in writing and speaking, students should be given 510 Tier 2 academic
words per week for each text (L.6.46). Students require multiple exposures to targeted
vocabulary words in authentic contexts to retain an understanding of the words meaning(s)
and use the words effectively when writing and speaking.

Conduct discussions: Students should engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions building on others ideas and expressing their own based on evidence. Students
ask and respond to specific questions as well as review key ideas expressed and demonstrate
understanding through reflection and paraphrasing (SL.6.1).

Report findings: Using appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation,
students orally present claims in a logical, coherent manner to accentuate main ideas or
themes.
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MATH CONCEPTS
In sixth grade, students developed an understanding of variables from two perspectives - as
placeholders for specific values and as representing sets of values represented in algebraic
relationships. They applied properties of operations to write and solve simple one-step
equations. By the end of sixth grade, students were fluent in all positive rational number
operations, and they developed a solid foundation for understanding area, surface area, and
volume of geometric figures. The Grade 7 course outlined in this scope and sequence
document builds on this grade 6 work by extending students' understanding of ratio to a
more formal understanding of rate and its application with percents. The course efficiently
reviews key number and operations concepts that students have already studied while at the
same time moving students forward into the new ideas described in the Grade 7
standards. Students extend their understanding of operations with rational numbers to
include negative rational numbers. Students then continue the work they started in sixth
grade with proportional reasoning as they learn to scale two- and three- dimensional figures
and apply proportional reasoning to probability and statistical situations. Students gain
fluency with area, surface area, and volume of two- and three-dimensional shapes composed
of polygons, including right prisms and pyramids. They use the formulas for area and
circumference of a circle to solve problems and understand the relationships among
components of a circle. The course then turns to more formal methods for writing and
solving multi-step equations and inequalities. The final unit of study lays the groundwork
for high school Geometry as students investigate informal proofs of key geometric
relationships among triangles.

Throughout Seventh Grade, students should continue to develop proficiency with the
Common Core's Eight Standards for Mathematical Practice. These practices should become
the natural way in which students come to understand and do mathematics. While,
depending on the content to be understood or on the problem to be solved, any practice
might be brought to bear, some practices may prove more useful than others. Opportunities
for highlighting certain practices are indicated in different units in this scope and sequence,
but this highlighting should not be interpreted that other practices should be neglected in
those units.
SOCIAL STUDIES 6
Students in sixth-grade world history and geography classrooms learn about the lives of the
earliest humans, the development of tools, the gathering way of life, agriculture, and the
emergence of civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus River valley, China, and the
Mediterranean basin. With the guidance of their teachers, students review the geography of
the ancient and contemporary worlds and recognize that these civilizations were not static
societies but continually experienced change. In addition to developing basic geography
skills, students are introduced to patterns, systems, and processes of physical and human
geography. Students will study the fundamental aspects of this period:

The movement of early humans across continents and their adaptations to the
geography and climate of new regions
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The rise of diverse civilizations, characterized by economies of surplus, centralized
states, social hierarchies, cities, networks of trade, art and architecture, and systems
of writing
The growth of urban societies as well as links with one another through trade,
diplomacy, migration, conquest, and the diffusion of goods and ideas
The development of new political institutions (monarchy, empire, democracy) and
new ideas (citizenship, freedom, morality, law)
The birth and spread of religious and philosophical systems (Judaism, Greek
thought, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity), and changes in societies
(social class divisions, slavery, divisions of labor between men and women)

In studying this earliest history of humankind, students will have the opportunity to explore
different kinds of source documents, such as the Hebrew Bible, Mesopotamian laws, the
Homeric epics, Greek drama, the Bhagavad Gita, the Analects of Confucianism, the New
Testament, and a range of visual images.

SCIENCE 6
The science curriculum in sixth grade emphasizes the study of earth sciences. The standards
in sixth grade present many of the foundations of geology and geophysics, including plate
tectonics and earth structure, topography, and energy. The material is linked to resource
management and ecology, building on what students have learned in previous grades.
Sixth-grade science topics are organized into six standard sets: Plate Tectonics and Earths
Structure, Shaping Earths Surface, Heat (Thermal Energy) (Physical Sciences), Energy in the
Earth System, Ecology (Life Sciences), Resources, and Investigation and Experimentation.
As students learn the content defined by the standards in the Life, Earth, and Physical
Science strands, they are also practicing investigation and experimentation skills. That is, the
investigation and experimentation standards should be infused throughout science
instruction.

Objectives to be covered throughout the academic year include:
1. Providing the student with an understanding of his/her physical world, its constant
change, and the factors which promote that change
2. Providing the student with an understanding of specific, environmental factors that
affect change
3. Developing analytical problem solving techniques, inferential skills and decision-
making experiences
4. Gaining an understand of the composition and advancements of our technological
society

ART 6
Students analyze how balance is used in two- and three-dimensional works of art. Using
artwork to express a mood, a feeling, or an idea, they demonstrate more complexity and
technical skill in their drawings, paintings, and sculpture. Through the use of a variety of
resources, they can research and discuss the visual arts throughout history. They are also able
to recognize and use art as a metaphor for abstract ideas expressed in a variety of cultures
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and historical periods.

MUSIC 6
Students use standard music symbols for pitch, meter, and rhythm. They can improvise
short, simple melodies and arrange favorite musical examples for different groups of voices
or instruments. They are also able to relate why specific musical works of the past are
considered exemplary and can explain how music can convey mental images, feelings, and
emotions. As they perform, they are able to move beyond rote performances of musical
selections and employ deeper emotional subtleties.
HEALTH
In sixth grade, students learn basic first-aid and emergency procedures, how to determine a
safe course of action in risky or hazardous situations, and methods to reduce conflict. They
examine the risks associated with weapons and gang involvement, learn how to respond
appropriately to the presence of weapons, and analyze how their own behaviors may lead to
injuries. Students in sixth grade learn about the short- and long-term effects of drug use,
including the effects on their health, brain development, and physical activity. They study the
internal and external influences that affect their decisions about the use of alcohol, tobacco,
and other drugs. They also learn and practice persuasive communication skills to encourage
others not to use alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Students learn about the types, causes,
and effects of violent behaviors and ways to avoid people or activities that encourage
violence. They learn about the causes and effects of stress, when and how to help others
seek assistance with stress, and how to manage their own stress in healthy ways. They
understand the importance of respecting others, setting personal boundaries, and
counteracting teasing or bullying of peers.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION
In sixth grade, the focus of instruction is providing students with experiences that help them
transition to sport-skill learning with an emphasis on the application of movement and
motor skills in lead-up or modified games. When students practice manipulative skills, they
practice more often with partners than in earlier grades. For example, sixth-grade students
volley an object repeatedly with a partner instead of volleying a tossed ball to a target as they
did in grade five. Students learn new skills and patterns in folk and line dancing, and new
ways to combine movement skills to create and perform tumbling and rhythmic routines
with attention to the aesthetics of physical activity. They learn how to recognize and correct
their own errors and to provide feedback to peers to assist them in developing movement
skills. Students continue to learn about health-related physical fitness, assess their own
fitness level, and develop a one-day personal fitness plan. Cooperative physical activity is
another focus of instruction in sixth grade, with students learning about their own and
others roles and responsibilities in setting common goals and solving problems.

MANDARIN 6
Students focus is on Mandarin. Identified as one of the critical need foreign languages by
the federal government in 2006, this course is designed to offer the first step in learning to
communicate in Japanese. Emphasis will be on speaking and listening comprehension.
Special attention will be placed on the 46 phonetic writing symbols called hiragana and a
limited number of Chinese characters called kanji.
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Grade 7

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 7
In grade 7, the Common Core State Standards call for students to demonstrate an emerging
sophistication in their ability to read challenging complex texts closely (RL/RI.7.10) such
that they can cite multiple instances of specific evidence to support their assertions
(RL/RI.7.1). By the end of grade 7, students should be able to recognize the interplay
between setting, plot and characters and provide an objective summary of a text apart from
their own reaction to it. They become adept at stepping back to compare and contrast
different interpretations of a topic, identifying how authors shape their presentation of key
information and choose to highlight certain facts over others. In similar fashion, students
can trace how an argument develops within a text and assess the validity of the evidence.
Additional Standards for Reading Literature (RL.7.29) and Standards for Reading
Informational Text (RI.7.29) offer detailed expectations for student academic performance
in preparation for college and careers.
Following the guidelines in the Speaking and Listening Standards, in discussions and in
writing, students make their reasoning clear to their listeners and readers, constructively
evaluating others use of evidence while offering several sources to back up their own claims.
Their vocabulary has developed to the point where they can distinguish between denotative
and connotative meaning and can analyze the effect of specific word choice on tone. Their
growing maturity as writers (as reflected in the expectations of the Writing Standards) means
students are able to cite several sources of specific, relevant evidence when supporting their
own point of view about texts and topics. Their writing is more structured, with clear
introductions and conclusions as well as useful transitions to create cohesion and clarify
relationships among ideas. In their writing, they acknowledge the other side of a debate or an
alternative perspective while avoiding any trace of plagiarism.
The balance of student writing at this level is 70 percent analytical (35 percent argument and
35 percent to explain/inform) and 30 percent narrative, with a mix of on-demand and
review-and-revision writing assignments. Building student competence and confidence with
technology should be part of instruction.

Routine writing: Routine writing, such as short constructed-responses to text-dependent
questions, builds content knowledge and provides opportunities for reflection on a specific
aspect of a text or texts. Routine written responses to such text-dependent questions allow
students to build sophisticated understandings of vocabulary, text structure, and content and
to develop needed proficiencies in analysis.

All analytic writing should put a premium on using evidence (RL/RI.7.1 and W.7.9), as well
as on crafting works that display logical integration and coherence (W.7.4, W.7.5 and L.7.1
3). These responses can vary in length based on the questions asked and task performed,
from answering brief questions to crafting multi paragraph responses, allowing teachers to
assess students ability to paraphrase, infer, and integrate the ideas they have gleaned from
what they have read. Over the course of the year, analytic writing should include
comparative analysis and compositions that share findings from the research project.
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Narrative writing offers students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences;
craft their own stories and descriptions; and deepen their understandings of literary
concepts, structures, and genres (e.g., short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama) through
purposeful imitation. It also provides an additional opportunity for students to reflect on
what they read through imaginative writing and to practice sequencing events and ideas
through narrative descriptions.

Research Project

Teachers should provide the opportunity for students to produce a minimum of two
extended projects that uses research to address a significant topic, problem, or issue. This
entails gathering and synthesizing relevant information from several additional literary or
informational texts in various media or formats on a particular topic or question drawn from
one or more texts from the module. Students are expected at
this stage to have performed research that assesses the accuracy of sources and uses a
standard citation format to acknowledge the conclusions of others. Students can present
their findings in a variety of informal and more formal argumentative or explanatory
contexts, either in writing or orally. (Research aligned with the standards could take one to
two weeks of instruction.)

Students are expected to take a close look at the texts they encounter through the
lenses of the following skills rooted in the standards.

Cite evidence: The goal of close, analytic reading is for students to be able to discern and cite
evidence from the text to support assertions. In grade 7, students should cite multiple pieces
of evidence when both explicitly explaining the text and making inferences based on it
(RL/RI.7.1).
Analyze content: The content of each text should determine which standards (RL/RI.7.29
and SL.7.23) to target, allowing teachers to focus instruction and ensure that all the
standards have been taught by the end of the year.

Study and apply grammar: While grammar is meant to be a normal, everyday part of what
students do, students should be taught explicit lessons in grammar as they read, write, and
speak, guided by L.7.13.

Study and apply vocabulary: To focus vocabulary instruction on words that students would
be encouraged to use in writing and speaking, students should be given 510 Tier 2 academic
words per week for each text (L.7.46). Students require multiple exposures to targeted
vocabulary words in authentic contexts to retain an understanding of the words meaning(s)
and use the words effectively when writing and speaking.

Conduct Discussions: Students should engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions building on others ideas and expressing their own based on evidence.
Students ask and respond to specific questions as well as acknowledge new information and
modify their understanding as warranted (SL.7.1)

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Report findings: Using appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation,
students orally present claims in a logical, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions and
details to accentuate main ideas or themes (SL.7.46).

MATH 7
In sixth grade, students developed an understanding of variables from two perspectives - as
placeholders for specific values and as representing sets of values represented in algebraic
relationships. They applied properties of operations to write and solve simple one-step
equations. By the end of sixth grade, students were fluent in all positive rational number
operations, and they developed a solid foundation for understanding area, surface area, and
volume of geometric figures. The Grade 7 course outlined in this scope and sequence
document builds on this grade 6 work by extending students' understanding of ratio to a
more formal understanding of rate and its application with percents. The course efficiently
reviews key number and operations concepts that students have already studied while at the
same time moving students forward into the new ideas described in the Grade 7
standards. Students extend their understanding of operations with rational numbers to
include negative rational numbers. Students then continue the work they started in sixth
grade with proportional reasoning as they learn to scale two- and three- dimensional figures
and apply proportional reasoning to probability and statistical situations. Students gain
fluency with area, surface area, and volume of two- and three-dimensional shapes composed
of polygons, including right prisms and pyramids. They use the formulas for area and
circumference of a circle to solve problems and understand the relationships among
components of a circle. The course then turns to more formal methods for writing and
solving multi-step equations and inequalities. The final unit of study lays the groundwork
for high school Geometry as students investigate informal proofs of key geometric
relationships among triangles.

Throughout Seventh Grade, students should continue to develop proficiency with the
Common Core's Eight Standards for Mathematical Practice. These practices should become
the natural way in which students come to understand and do mathematics. While,
depending on the content to be understood or on the problem to be solved, any practice
might be brought to bear, some practices may prove more useful than others. Opportunities
for highlighting certain practices are indicated in different units in this scope and sequence,
but this highlighting should not be interpreted that other practices should be neglected in
those units.

SCIENCE 7
The course begins by reviewing the basic nature of science and moves into the
characteristics of living things. Students will discover the structures and inner workings of
cells and underlying nature of genetics that directs an organisms characteristics. The year
ends with an exploration of Ecology and the environment. The focus of seventh grade
science is the discipline of Life Science, with elements of physical science and Earth science
incorporated. The development of higher level thinking skills; analysis, synthesis, and
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interpretations of data is a major goal, with a focus on the use of vocabulary and problem
solving skills.

SOCIAL STUDIES 7
The need for geographic literacy has never been greater or more obvious than in today's
tightly interrelated world. Students must understand the world's physical features, how they
blend with social systems and how they affect economies, politics and human interaction.
Isolated geographic facts are not enough. To grasp geography and its effect on individuals
and societies, students must know the broad concepts of spatial patterns, mapping,
population and physical systems (land, air, water). The combination of geographic facts and
broad concepts provides a deeper understanding of geography and its effects on individuals
and societies. The goal of teaching geography is to equip students with the knowledge, skills,
and perspectives to 'do' geography. Reaching this goal requires that students learn how to
use geographic thinking and information to make well-reasoned decisions and to solve
personal and community problems. Geographic education enables students to use
geographic perspectives, knowledge, and skills to engage in ethical action with regard to self,
other people, other species, and Earths diverse cultures and natural environments.
Geography connects students to world events, problems, and decisions throughout their
lives

ART 7
Visual Arts provides each student with the opportunity to experience a variety of art
materials through production as well as creative inquiry. This will enable them to individually
explore and create works in the areas of drawing, painting, design and ceramics. Art history,
aesthetics, and cultural connections will enhance each lesson. Students in this challenging
and rewarding course will use materials, which may include paint, paper, pencil, and clay
among others.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH 7
Physical Education provides a wide variety of activities including team and individual sports
as well as lifetime leisure activity experiences. Many aspects of the program will be
experienced and applied in a co-ed situation. Activities included are indoor soccer, handball,
Project Adventure, flag football, track and field, and physical fitness. Health 7 exposes
students to the structure and function of body systems. Additionally, safety, wellness,
nutrition, societal factors affecting health, and personal health practice are taught.

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS 7
Students will continue to enhance their keyboarding skills and utilize other applications of
Microsoft office. Students will be introduced to Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
Furthermore, students will comprehend how Microsoft Products are interrelated. Students
will create professional looking reports, spreadsheets, and presentations using these
applications. This will help develop a students understanding of how powerful technology is
in their education.


MANDARIN 7
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Students in this course will continue to focus on the Hiragana phonetic writing symbols
and the Chinese characters called Kanji Students will learn basic greetings, and how to
introduce themselves. Furthermore, students will respond to questions about themselves.
As well as, tell time, state their likes and dislikes, their daily activities and plans for vacation.

BUSINESS 7
Introduction to Business is a preparatory business course that allows the student to explore
careers, choose and research a career, then follow through with the employment process: job
applications, resumes, mock interviews, and employment forms. Units on consumerism,
credit, banking and entrepreneurship are also covered. This course includes a lot of hands-on
projects, where the students will have the opportunity to use Microsoft Excel and Microsoft
PowerPoint. Students use Microsoft Word to continue proper keyboarding techniques and
formatting of employment documents. Students are expected to keyboard a number
of documents; including personal resumes and letters they draft themselves. Students will
also start to explore what they would like to do in the future.
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Grade 8
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 8
In grade 8, the Common Core State Standards call for students to grapple with high-quality,
complex nonfiction texts and great works of literature (RL/RI.8.10). Starting in grade 8, the
focus of informational texts begins to shift from narrative to exposition. Students who leave
grade 8 know how to cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis or
critique (RL/RI.8.1). Students in grade 8 are primed to question an authors assumptions and
assess the accuracy of his or her claims, and by the end of grade 8, they are adept at reading
closely and uncovering evidence to use in their own writing. Students can, for instance,
analyze in writing two or more texts that provide conflicting information on the same topic
and identify whether the disagreement is over facts or interpretation. They can analyze how
point of view can be manipulated to create specific effects such as dramatic irony and
investigate how particular passages within a text connect to one another to advance the plot,
reveal a character, or highlight an idea. Additional Standards for Reading Literature (RL.8.2
9) and Standards for Reading Informational Text (RI.8.29) offer detailed expectations for
student academic performance in preparation for college and careers.
The Speaking and Listening Standards detail how students are to draw explicitly on their
reading and research in discussions. They respond to questions constructively by offering up
relevant evidence, observations, and ideas. By grade 8, students have developed a rich
vocabulary of academic words, which they use to speak and write with more precision.
In addition, grade 8 students write with increasing sophistication, focusing on organizing
ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; choosing relevant facts well; and
using varied transitions to clarify or show the relationships among elements. The Writing
Standards specify that students should be able to distinguish their claims from alternate or
opposing claims and use words and phrases to clarify the relationships and transitions
among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

The balance of student writing at this level is 70 percent analytical (35 percent argument and
35 percent to explain/inform) and 30 percent narrative, with a mix of on-demand and
review-and-revision writing assignments. Building student competence and confidence with
technology should be part of instruction.2

Routine writing: Routine writing, such as short constructed-responses to text-dependent
questions, builds content knowledge and provides opportunities for reflection on a specific
aspect of a text or texts. Routine written responses to such text-dependent questions allow
students to build sophisticated understandings of vocabulary, text structure, and content and
to develop needed proficiencies in analysis.
All analytic writing should put a premium on using evidence (RL/RI.8.1 and W.8.9) as well
as on crafting works that display logical integration and coherence (W.8.4, W.8.5 and L.8.1
3). These responses can vary in length based on the questions asked and tasks performed,
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from answering brief questions to crafting multiparagraph responses, allowing teachers to
assess students ability to paraphrase, infer, and integrate the ideas they have gleaned from
what they have read. Over the course of the year, analytic writing should include
comparative analysis and compositions that share findings from the research project.

Narrative writing offers students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences;
craft their own stories and descriptions; and deepen their understandings of literary
concepts, structures, and genres (e.g., short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama) through
purposeful imitation. It also provides an additional opportunity for students to reflect on
what they read through imaginative writing and to practice sequencing events and ideas
through narrative descriptions.

Research Project
Teachers must provide the opportunity for students to compose a minimum of two
extended projects that uses research to address a significant topic, problem, or issue. This
task should entail integrating knowledge from several additional literary or informational
texts in various media or formats on a particular topic or question drawn from one or more
texts. Students are expected to perform research that assesses the accuracy of sources and
acknowledges the conclusions of others without plagiarizing. Students can present their
findings in a variety of modes in both informal and more formal argumentative or
explanatory contexts, either in writing or orally. (Research aligned with the standards could
take one to two weeks of instruction.)

MATH 8
In the years prior to 8th grade, students have already begun their study of algebraic
concepts. They have written and interprets expressions, solved equations and inequalities,
explored quantitative relationships between dependent and independent variables, and
solved problems involving area, surface area, and volume. Students have also begun to
develop an understanding of statistical thinking.

The Grade 8 course outlined in this scope and sequence document begins with connections
back to that earlier work; efficiently reviewing algebraic concepts that students have already
studied while at the same time moving students forward into new ideas described in the
grade 8 standards. Students apply their previous understandings of ratio and proportional
reasoning to the study of linear functions, equations, and systems. They explore negative
integer exponents and irrational numbers, and they deepen their understanding of geometric
concepts through transformations as they investigate congruence and similarity.

Throughout Eighth Grade, students should continue to develop proficiency with the
Common Core's Eight Standards for Mathematical Practice. These practices should become
the natural way in which students come to understand and do mathematics. While,
depending on the content to be understood or on the problem to be solved, any practice
might be brought to bear, some practices may prove more useful than others. Opportunities
for highlighting certain practices are indicated in different units in this scope and sequence,
but this highlighting should not be interpreted that other practices should be neglected in
those units.
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SCIENCE 8
Physical Science is a hands-on course, which provides individual and cooperative learning
experiences to enable students to construct concepts of motion, force and energy as well as
develop problem solving and critical thinking skills. Using the scientific method, students
design and develop models and design and carry out scientific research. Students explore
technological advances such as applications of physical science laws and evaluate the impact
of scientific discoveries on society and the environment.

SOCIAL STUDIES 8
American History 8 introduces students to the first part of a 2-year historical and cultural
study of the United States of America. The students study the chronological history of the
United States from the Revolutionary War through 1900. The course focuses on the growth
of our political, economic, social, and technological development and how those influences
affected American History. The use of primary sources enhances the students understanding
of complex ideas such as the development of our national identity from a diverse population
to an American Democracy. Geography concepts are related to the course content.
Throughout the year, classroom activities and unit projects are designed to strengthen
reading, writing, and oral expression skills.

ART 8
Students in Arts 8 will have the opportunity to increase skills that were explored in Arts 7.
This will enable them to produce unique and creative works in the areas of drawing,
painting, design and ceramics. Art history, aesthetics, and cultural connections will be
incorporated into each lesson. Students in this course will use materials, which may include
paint, paper, pencil, and clay among others. Students will also utilize media to enhance the
overall experience.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH 8
The 8th grade physical education program provides a wide variety of activities including
team and individual sports as well as lifetime leisure activity experiences. Many aspects of the
program will be experienced and applied in a co-ed situation. Activities included are indoor
soccer, handball, Project Adventure, flag football, track and field, and physical fitness. The
health course covers the problems of healthy living in our modern world. It includes physical
fitness, weight management and eating disorders. Also covered is stress management with
special attention given to the physical and emotional problems of drug, alcohol, and tobacco
abuse. Finally, functions and diseases of the reproductive system are emphasized.

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS 8
Students will create and edit documents using Microsoft Office Software, which includes
Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint. Additional components are taught include web tools,
online collaboration, Google Maps, and other Google concepts. This class will develop help
students complete work in high school, and provide a solid foundation for further
technology studies.

MANDARIN 8
This course, builds on concepts learned in the Mandarin Language. Mandarin includes an
introduction to the basic conversational patterns and elementary written form of the
Executive Education Schools

language, and an initial overview of the Mandarin people, their daily lives, and their rich
cultural heritage. Special emphasis is put on the development of listening and oral
communication.

BUSINESS 8
Business 8 tackles issues such as current business topics, e commerce, and the use of the
web and information technology in the business world. Business 8 and allows the students
to discover how the American business economy operates and helps them prepare to make
decisions as consumers, workers, and citizens. This course is also a study of the fundamental
skills, principles and knowledge in marketing, advertising, and merchandising activities. The
marketing mix is explored and these principles are applied to business simulations and
projects where they participate in teambuilding, competitive, decisionmaking activities.
Lastly, students will decide what track they would like to take in high school. Students are
then sent out into the community and paired up with businesses that meet the students
interest. While out in the community students complete hours, document them in a log and
complete certain activities. The purpose of this is to help students develop a plan and help
them with the transition to high school. If students feel they have a plan going into high
school they are more likely to succeed and stay engaged.