Curriculum Outline - Eighth Grade

West Valley Middle School was founded at the request of our school families. They wanted a continuation beyond the elementary level of our quality private educational system. The hard work of our staff, the solid support of our parents and the fine quality of our students has allowed us, in minimal time, to develop an outstanding program.

The middle school experience is a vital one for a young person. It is important for a school to implement a plan unique to the needs and priorities of a student during the transitional years from elementary school to high school. The program at West Valley Middle School allows each student the opportunity for academic achievement and personal success.

We are proud of the program we offer to your child during the middle school years. We are committed to implementing a positive educational experience in which each young person has the opportunity to achieve his or her potential.

Language Arts
The language art curriculum has been aligned with the California English Language Arts Framework. It is designed to develop skills to enable students to apply higher order thinking skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, problem solving and critical thinking. At all grade levels, students read, discuss and evaluate high quality literature selections appropriate to their maturity, interests and level. Vocabulary development and spelling practice are based upon words taken from students’ reading and writing and from words and word parts from lists of words frequently used in writing. Enrichment activities are an integral part of the program making connections to other disciplines and incorporating critical thinking and problem solving skills across curriculum.

Reading and Listening

• Paraphrase and summarize given passages and oral presentations.
• Identify, discuss, paraphrase, use and define figurative language.
• Identify and use persuasive language.
• Describe the author’s attitude toward his subject and apply the insight to reflect and analyze the connections to real situations.
• Identify and interpret underlying themes from literature.
• Recognize assumptions upon which statements and claims are based.
• Categorize and evaluate the conflicts a literacy character faces.
• Discuss the characteristics of a culture.
• Evaluate sufficiency of information as a basis for drawing a conclusion.
• Read and evaluate a critical review.
• Use deductive reasoning to evaluate the validity of statements.
• Recognize and differentiate facts, opinions, hypotheses, theories, laws, observations, exaggerations, beliefs, value judgments and speculative statements.
• Recognize that semantic differences cause misunderstandings.
• Compare speaker's ideas and writer's ideas to one's own and draw conclusions.
• Demonstrate ability to organize, plan and lead a discussion group.
• Evaluate a discussion on the basis of technique and content.
• Read literature representing a wide spectrum of cultures.
• Listen to, read, discuss and analyze various forms of literature.
• Derive personal insight from readings.

Writing

• Write expository and non-expository paragraphs using various methods of development.
• Write a one-act play.
• Complete all kinds of formal forms and applications.
• Expand sentences through compounding, subordination, modification and appositives.
• Write a research report in which people and documents are used as resources.
• Evaluate and critique one's own and other's writing.
• Compare and contrast passages in order to generalize, verify future or classify data.
• Use standard references to aid in research.
• Assemble data for a research paper from a variety of sources; use footnotes and bibliography appropriately.
• Write in a variety of genres.
• Use all stages of the writing process.

Speaking

• Give both prepared and impromptu speeches.
• Participate effectively in-group and panel discussions.
• Present any given project with clarity, thoroughness, and creativity.

Mathematics

The priority of the mathematics curriculum is the development of students' thinking and understanding through direct personal and interactive experiences. Concepts are taught through real-life situations. Mathematics is integrated into the science curriculum to further provide opportunities to use tools, manipulatives, and laboratory experiments to utilize mathematics as a necessary application. Key strands of mathematics are woven through the curriculum at each grade level. Students participate in instructional activities based on the following strands:

Logic

• Explore symbolic logic and set theory.
• Explore thinking through written and oral thoughts.

Measurement

• Measure and solve problems using standard and metric units.

Geometry

• Construct geometric figures.
• Draw and interpret scale drawings.
• Use the Pythagorean theorem and basic triangle geometry.
• Calculate perimeter, area, circumference, volume and surface area.

Functions

• Make a graph using the Cartesian coordinate plane.
• Write and solve linear equations (functions).
• Extend and find the nth term in a series.

  Statistics and Probability

• Collect, organize, represent and interpret data using mean, median, mode, range and a variety of graphing techniques.
• Use statistics to construct line, bar and circle graphs.
• Determine the probability of an event.

  Algebra

• Write and evaluate algebraic equations.
• Write and solve an equation from a three-step word problem.

Numbers

• Understand the concept of place value for whole numbers and decimals. Sequence, compare, add, subtract, multiply and divide whole numbers, decimals, fractions, integers and irrational numbers.
• Use various estimation methods to mentally compute products, quotients, sums and differences.
• Interchange decimals, fractions and percents.
• Demonstrate understanding of order or operations and the properties of numbers.
• Use ratios and proportions to solve problems.
• Compute exponential values of whole numbers.
• Use least common multiple and greatest common factor.
• Use formulas in solving rate, distance, percentage and similar problems.
• Explore and use various problem-solving strategies.

Spanish
Spanish focuses on learning basic structure and vocabulary to enable basic language use. Through cultural exposure, the students learn appreciation, which goes beyond language. Oral and written skills are taught through projects and practice.

Science
Science literacy is taught through the acquisition of skills and concepts in addition to knowledge of current science facts. The following themes or strands from the State Science Framework are taught throughout middle school:

Energy
Energy is the underlying concept of any system of interactions in biological and physical sciences. In physical sciences it is taught through its manifestations of heat, light, sound, electricity and through their conversions. Biological science focuses on the flow of energy through an ecosystem.

Evolution
Evolution in its general sense refers to change over time, such as natural selection, geologic change and plant community succession. The process of change is emphasized as well as the results.

Patterns of Change
All systems change, and analyzing these changes allows the student to understand and, in some cases, control the system. Patterns of change can be broken into trends, cycles and irregular changes. Trends are steady changes, which are unidirectional, such as a falling object or radioactive decay, while cyclic changes repeat themselves with time, such as the Krebs cycle and wave phenomenon.

Scale and Structure
The kinds of structures, which can be described in the universe, are extremely diverse. The diversity of life, of geologic forms and microstructures, of chemical and physical structures, seems almost endless.

Stability
Stability refers to constancy; the resistance systems have to change many systems, which exhibit change, are dynamically static, showing an overall equilibrium. Stability relates to the concept that nature is predictable and the application of the scientific method is a means to its understanding.

Systems and Interactions
Natural systems including solar systems, ecosystems, living organisms and chemical and physical systems are defined and analyzed.

Eighth Grade Science Units:

• DNA – from Genes to Proteins
• Oceanography Weather and climate
• Taxonomy - detailed analysis of Kingdom Animalia
• Color analysis
• Lenses
• more units under development

History - Social Science
The curriculum is based on the California History - Social Science Framework, which includes major goals, and interrelated strands that are identical for all grade levels. These goals are:

• Knowledge and Cultural Understanding: Incorporate what is learned from historical, ethical, cultural, geographic, economic and socio–political accounts.
• Democratic Understanding, Civic Values: Incorporate an understanding of our national identity, constitutional heritage, civic values and rights and responsibilities.
• Skills Attainment and Social Participation: Includes basic study skills, critical thinking skills and participation skills that are essential for effective citizenship.
• Students will participate in units of study based upon the theme of "United States History and Geography – Growth and Conflict." Some of the themes will include:
  • Significant developments of the colonial era.
  • Major events and ideas leading to the American War for Independence.
  • The Constitution of the United States.
  • Life in the new nation.
  • Divergent paths of the American People - 1800 to 1850 (the West, the Northeast, the South).
  • Causes and consequences of the Civil War - 1850 to 1879.
  • The rise of industrial America - 1877 to 1914.
  • Linking the past to the present.

Art
Visual and performing arts are used to enrich and extend the curriculum. Plays and art projects tie in with social studies, literature and science. Experiencing art from both ancient and modern cultures bring an appreciation of diversity and an awareness of universal means of expression. By keeping in touch with their imaginations, students retain the innate quality that leads to inventiveness and insight into the future.

Physical Education / Health
The physical education program is based on the following three goals from the State Framework: Movement Skills and Movement Knowledge:

Develop motor skills and an understanding of movement through practice.

Social Development and Social Interaction: Students develop appropriate social behaviors by working independently and with others during planned physical activity. Students gain knowledge about their physical, emotional and mental development.

Self-Image and Self-Realization: Activities are designed to develop and maintain positive self-image and an understanding of sportsmanship and team skills.