What's Happening in the Eighth Grade?

Welcome to 8th grade ELA! TERM 4

As we dive into term 4 we will be focusing on informational text. We will do an in depth study of Gaming Communities, "Ain't I a Woman" Sojourner Truth, Across Five Aprils, The Gettysburg Address, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Our current novel study is The Call of the Wild by Jack London. Author Jack London was a writer and adventurer, beginning his life in the San Francisco Bay area, and then traveling the world. While participating in the Klondike Gold Rush, he reportedly encountered a mythical wolf that served as the inspiration for The Call of the Wild. Buck, a large and powerful St. Bernard mix, experiences both love and abuse from a succession of owners. As a sled dog, Buck stirs up rebellion among the team when he stands up to the aggressive alpha dog, Spitz.

Materials are on the StudySync app and in a StudySync workbook that is provided.

English Language Arts

Unit Title: Hear Me Out
Essential Question: How do you choose the right words?
Genre Focus: Argumentative Text
Extended Writing Project: Argumentative

Intrigue. Uproar. Inspiration. Hilarity. Heartbreak. Choosing the right words can have a strong effect on an audience. But how do you know which words are the right words? With a genre focus on argumentative texts, this Grade 8 unit prepares students to explore questions about how authors choose the right words.

Academic Vocabulary Term 1

Academic Vocabulary Term 2

Academic Vocabulary Term 3

Academic Vocabulary Term 4

Beyond the Classroom: ELA

Math

Welcome to 8th Grade Math! It is going to be a great year!

We start the year within our Open Up Math Resource in Unit 1: Rigid Transformations & Congruence. In this unit, students will learn to identify and describe the movement of two-dimensional shapes and will learn what it means for two figures to be congruent.

In Google Classroom, you will find assignment guides, study tools, and resources to help all students be successful. Students will be using the ALEKS program this year during Target Time and all are welcome to work on this program at home as well.

HERE is the link that takes you to the family version of our online book.

Important Dates:

September 9 - Math STAR Testing

September 29 - Unit 1 Assessment (Tentative)

Let’s have a great year!

Beyond the Classroom: Math

Social Studies

Currently, we are focusing on learning about cultures in the Americas, West Africa, and Europe before Columbus' arrival to the Americas. This background will help students understand the origins of American culture and the conflicts later in American history between these cultures.

This Wed., Sept. 21st students will write an essay based on a video we watch in class. They will have class time to prepare their essay in class, but can also bring home the notes sheet to prepare. The following Wed., Sept. 30th students will have a multiple choice test on all three cultures. They will have review tools on Google classroom and a study guide.

Questions to ask your student-

-Why did some civilizations develop into more advanced and wealthier empires?

-How do you think the differences in culture from Europe, the Americas, and West Africa will impact the development of United States of America?

updated: 9/21/2026

Beyond the Classroom: Social Studies

Science

Welcome to 8th Grade Science!! I am looking forward to our journey through the school year!

As we start the year, I want to share the five (5) units we will be traveling through:

Earth Systems
Earth's Place in the Universe
Properties & States of Matter
Atoms & Chemical Reactions
Waves & the Electromagnetic Spectrum.

This year, I will be utilizing Google Classroom for my digital learning platform instead of Schoology. This is new for me and I will be learning as I go as well!

Please don't hesitate to communicate with me if you have questions or concerns. I look forward to getting the 2026-27 school year rolling!

-Mr. Hagen

Beyond the Classroom: Science