Typical Course of Study for 8th Grade

The final year of middle school, eighth grade is a time of transition and preparing students for high school. Eighth-grade students will spend their last year of middle school building on what they learned as sixth-  and 7th-grade students, strengthening any areas of weakness, and digging into more complex coursework as they prepare for high school. Though many will still need guidance and a source of accountability, eighth-grade students should be making the shift to self-directed, independent learning. Language Arts As in previous middle school grades, a typical course of study for eighth-grade language arts includes literature, composition, grammar, and vocabulary-building. Literary skills focus on reading comprehension and analyzing texts. In preparation for standardized testing and college entrance exams, students should practice applying their reading comprehension skills to a variety of documents.   They should be able to recognize the main idea, central theme, and supporting details. Students should have plenty of practice summarizing, comparing and contrasting, and inferring an authors meaning. Eighth-grade students should also learn to recognize and understand the uses of language such as figurative language, analogies, and allusion. Students should begin comparing and contrasting two texts that present conflicting information on the same topic. They should be able to identify the cause of the conflicts, such as contradictory or inaccurate facts or the authors opinion or bias on the subject. Provide eighth-graders with ample opportunity to practice their composition skills. They should write a variety of essays and more complex compositions including how-to, persuasive, and informational articles; poetry; short stories; and research papers. Grammar topics include correct spelling throughout the students writing; proper use of punctuation such as apostrophes, colons, semicolons, and quotes; infinitives; indefinite pronouns; and correct use of verb tense. Math There is some room for variation in eighth-grade math, particularly among homeschooled students. Some students may be ready to take Algebra I for high school credit in eighth grade, while others will prepare for the ninth grade with a prealgebra course. In most cases, a typical course of study for eighth-grade math will include algebraic and geometric concepts, along with measurements and probability. Students will learn about square roots and both rational and irrational numbers. Math concepts include finding a lines slope using the  slope-intercept formula,  understanding and evaluating functions,  parallel and perpendicular  lines, graphing, finding the area and volume of more complex geometrical shapes, and the  Pythagorean theorem. 8th graders can test their math skills with practice word problems. Science Although there isnt a specific recommended course of study for eighth-grade science, students typically continue to explore earth, physical, and life science topics. Some students may take a general or physical science course for high school credit while in eighth grade. Common general science topics include the scientific method and terminology. Earth science topics include ecology and the environment, conservation, composition of the earth, oceans, atmosphere,  weather,  water and its uses, weathering and erosion, and recycling. Physical science topics include magnetism and electricity; heat and light; forces in liquids and gases; wave, mechanical, electrical, and nuclear energy;  Newtons laws of motion;  simple machines;  atoms; the  periodic table of elements;  compounds and mixtures;  and chemical changes.   Social Studies As with science, there is no specific course of study guidelines for eighth-grade social studies. A homeschool familys curriculum choices or personal preferences are usually the determining factors. An eighth-grader following a classical homeschooling style will likely study modern history.   Other standard topics for eighth-grade social studies include explorers and their discoveries, the growth and development of the United States, colonial life, the U. S. Constitution and Bill of Rights,  and the  American Civil War  and Reconstruction. Students may also study a variety of topics related to the United States such as the U.S. culture, political system, government, economic system, and geography. Health and Safety For families who have not already done so, eighth grade is an excellent time for a health and safety course. Many states homeschooling laws or umbrella schools require a health course for high school graduation, so students who are ready for a high school-level course may be able to earn credit for it in middle school.   Typical topics for a health course include personal hygiene, nutrition, exercise, first aid, sexual health, and the health risks and consequences associated with drugs, alcohol, and tobacco use.

The Uncensored Picture Of Dorian Gray Analysis - 823 Words

In The Uncensored Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde presents the theme of good versus evil side of human nature. The depths of what it means to be human is explored by Wilde with the three characters of Basil Hallward, Henry Wotton and Dorian Gary. Each character represents a different side of the conflict between morality and giving into temptation. The three characters equally represent the difference in the class structure of society. The character of Henry Wotton represents the wealthy, proper man of society during the Victorian era in the novel, whose ideologies encompasses hedonism. Henry as the older man in the novel, appears bitter and resentful that time has taken a toll on his person and he can no longer enjoy the full†¦show more content†¦Basil advocates for art as true beauty and maintains faith in the possibility of redemption. â€Å"’Pray, Dorian, pray,’ he murmured. ‘What is it that that one says in one’s boyhood? Lead us not into temptation. Forgive our sins. Wash away our iniquities.’ Let us say that together. The prayer of your pride has been answered. The prayer of your repentance will be answered also,† (Wilde 189). On several occasions, Basil can be seen as a form of salvation to Dorian, or appears to be the angel on the other side of the shoulder and ignored most of the time. The representative of youth and the innocent, an element of gothic literature is Dorian Gray, at the beginning of the novel. Dorian like untouched clay, becomes Henry’s victim and is molded a certain manner that is set for a downfall by his own hands. Henry the bad influence, inspires Dorian to instant gratification with no thoughts on any moral consequences throughout the whole novel. The death of the young actress, Sybil serves as a result of Dorian’s new philosophy on life. â€Å"She passed again into the sphere of art. There is something of the martyr about her. Her death has all the pathetic usele ssness of martyrdom, all its wasted beauty,† (Wilde 139). The death of the young girl is brushed off Dorian’s mind as a simple occurrence in life and appears to be freed of guilt after a conversation with Henry. The climax of the novel comes in the form of Basil’s death. Dorian

What does it all mean By Nagel Free Essays

What does it all mean by Nagel is often referred to as the little book of philosophy amongst critics. This is because the book gives the reader a compact overview of all the fundamental constituents of philosophy such as the dualism of the mind and the body and more complex topics such as the meaning of the existence of man and his consciousness. The attribute that differentiates Nagel’s work from other works on introductions to philosophy and its content is that Nagel uses language that welcomes the new student of philosophy in to the subject. We will write a custom essay sample on What does it all mean By Nagel or any similar topic only for you Order Now We see this book as one that allows the layman to acquire a basic knowledge of what to expect in further studies into philosophy (Nagel, 1987). The introductory chapter allows for a gentle entrance into the world of philosophy and welcomes the reader to the nature of questions that are to follow in the study of philosophy. In â€Å"How Do We Know Anything? † the second chapter, Nagel states that the world around us is the reality because we can study it and substantiate it, and similarly all the constituents of the world and all the theories are true only if they can be studied and substantiated for their content. In the third chapter â€Å"Other Minds†, Nagel is of the opinion that if one person finds a particular external stimulus pleasant, it is not reasonable to conclude that the next person receives the stimulus with the same interest since the only way for the first person to have come to a conclusion regarding the stimulus is through experiencing it In Chapter 4, ‘The Mind-Body Problem’, Nagel presents to the reader the direct union between the mind and the human consciousness and concludes that in order for consciousness to experience an event, the brain has to receive a stimulus. In Chapter 5, Nagel talks about the perceptions of the words we use and the names we give to the elements of the world around us and if the words we use are truly of any significance or not. In Chapter 6, Nagel argues upon the free will that we exercise and whether or not our will actually is independent and if it is of any actual significance. In Chapter 7, ‘Right and Wrong’, Nagel criticizes the definitions of right and wrong that man uses to manage the day to day activities of his life and questions the legitimacy of those definitions. In Chapter 8, ‘Justice’, Nagel argues upon the justice and inequality of the universe that man dwells in that is beyond the control of man himself. He argues whether it is correct to oppose the occurrence of events of such uncontrollable nature. Chapter 9 discusses the bleakness of Death and the perception that we have for it and the question of it really being that we believe it to be. In Chapter 10, ‘The Meaning of Life, Nagel hits on a chord that is the most sought after in all segments of society. Nagel argues over the reality of the meaning, existence and expectation of life. Nagel uses his trademark method of writing that inspires inquisition in the minds of the reader and allows the reader an opportunity to get a taste of the levels of realization that the subject has to offer and does so without confusing the reader through jargon. How to cite What does it all mean By Nagel, Papers