Year at a glance
Ten monthly themes, 36 weeks. Tap a month for its goals, or a week for its skills and plans.
September: Welcome / My Nation and Maps
We open the year by building strong routines, learning how a story carries a theme, and picking up the academic words that eighth graders see on every page. In math we sort the real numbers, work with roots and exponents, and write very large and very small numbers in scientific notation. Science starts with atoms and the particles that make up all matter, while social studies maps the United States from its regions and rivers to its cities and people.
Reading & writing
Determine a theme and track how it develops; write objective summaries; learn Greek and Latin roots; use academic vocabulary in discussion and writing.
RL.8.1, RL.8.2, L.8.4b, L.8.6, W.8.10
Math
Tell rational from irrational numbers, approximate square roots, apply the properties of integer exponents, and use scientific notation to compare and compute.
8.NS.1, 8.NS.2, 8.EE.1, 8.EE.2, 8.EE.3, 8.EE.4
Science
Model atoms and molecules, connect particle motion to temperature and states of matter, and measure density to identify substances.
MS-PS1-1, MS-PS1-4
Social studies
Read and build maps of the United States; explain how landforms, climate and resources shaped where people settled.
C3 D2.Geo.1.6-8, D2.Geo.2.6-8, D2.Geo.4.6-8
- Week1Mapping the NationGreek roots geo, graph, metr · Rational and irrational numbers · Atoms and elements · U.S. regions · 5 day plans
- Week2Rivers, Ranges and RootsLatin roots aqua, hydr, terr · Square and cube roots · Molecules and models · Physical geography of the U.S. · 5 day plans
- Week3Powers of TenGreek roots tele, scop, micro, macro · Properties of exponents · Particle motion and states of matter · Climate and resources · 5 day plans
- Week4Big Numbers, Small NumbersRoots chron, temp, ann · Scientific notation · Mixtures and density · Human geography and data maps · Review week · 5 day plans
October: Fall / Earth's Systems
October digs into the ground beneath us. Students read informational texts closely, naming the structures authors use and the central ideas they build. Math moves to linear equations, from two-step problems to equations with variables on both sides and equations with no solution at all. Science studies Earth's layers, the rock cycle, plate tectonics and the clues in rock strata, while history begins with the first peoples of North America, the age of exploration and the first European colonies.
Reading & writing
Analyze text structure (compare and contrast, cause and effect, problem and solution), determine central ideas, and evaluate an author's point of view and evidence.
RI.8.2, RI.8.5, RI.8.6, RI.8.8, W.8.2
Math
Solve linear equations in one variable, including those with the distributive property and variables on both sides, and recognize equations with one, none or infinitely many solutions. Connect proportional relationships to slope.
8.EE.7a, 8.EE.7b, 8.EE.5
Science
Model the cycling of Earth's materials, use fossils, rock layers and continental shapes as evidence for plate motion, and explain how surface processes change the land at different scales.
MS-ESS2-1, MS-ESS2-2, MS-ESS2-3, MS-ESS1-4
Social studies
Describe the diverse nations of North America before 1492, analyze causes and effects of European exploration and contact, and compare the founding of the earliest colonies.
C3 D2.His.1.6-8, D2.His.14.6-8, D2.Geo.3.6-8, D2.Geo.7.6-8
- Week5Layers of the EarthRoots struct, form · Two-step and multi-step equations · Earth's layers and the rock cycle · First peoples of North America · 5 day plans
- Week6Moving PlatesRoots mot, mov, tract · Variables on both sides · Plate tectonics evidence · Exploration and contact · 5 day plans
- Week7Reading the RocksRoots vid, vis, spec · One, none or infinitely many solutions · Rock strata and geologic time · Early colonies · 5 day plans
- Week8Shaping the LandRoots rupt, fract, flu · Proportional relationships and slope · Weathering and erosion · The thirteen colonies · Review week · 5 day plans
November: Family and Gratitude / Ecosystems
November is about connections. Students learn to write an objective summary and then build their first full argument with a claim, evidence and reasoning. Math introduces functions: what they are, how linear functions look in tables, graphs and equations, and how to compare them. Science follows energy through food webs and studies how living things depend on each other, while history looks at daily life, work and government in the thirteen colonies and the harvest of 1621 as it really happened.
Reading & writing
Write objective summaries, trace and evaluate arguments, and compose an argument essay with a clear claim, relevant evidence, acknowledgment of an opposing view and a conclusion.
RL.8.2, RI.8.2, RI.8.8, W.8.1a-e
Math
Understand a function as a rule with exactly one output for each input, recognize linear functions in the form y = mx + b, build a function from two points or a table, and compare functions represented in different ways.
8.F.1, 8.F.2, 8.F.3, 8.F.4, 8.F.5
Science
Model the flow of energy and cycling of matter through food webs, explain how resource availability and species interactions affect populations, and predict how a change affects an ecosystem.
MS-LS2-1, MS-LS2-2, MS-LS2-3, MS-LS2-4
Social studies
Describe daily life and work in the colonies for different groups, explain early self-government, and analyze the harvest of 1621 and the French and Indian War from multiple perspectives.
C3 D2.His.4.6-8, D2.Civ.3.6-8, D2.His.1.6-8
- Week9Who Eats WhomRoots bio, vor, carn, herb · What is a function? · Food webs and energy flow · Daily life in the colonies · 5 day plans
- Week10Living TogetherRoots sym, syn, co, con · Linear functions y = mx + b · Species interactions · Colonial self-government · 5 day plans
- Week11Giving ThanksRoots grat, don, bene · Comparing functions · Ecosystem change · The harvest of 1621 and the French and Indian War · 5 day plans
December: Winter Holidays / Forces and Motion
December pairs the physics of motion with the push toward American independence. Students study how authors build suspense, point of view and irony, and then write their own narratives. Math solves systems of two linear equations by graphing, substitution and elimination. Science investigates balanced and unbalanced forces, Newton's laws and gravity, while history follows the road from the Stamp Act to the Declaration of Independence and Washington's crossing of the Delaware, with a look at winter traditions around the world.
Reading & writing
Analyze how authors use point of view, dialogue, pacing and irony; write a narrative with a clear sequence, dialogue, sensory detail and a reflective ending.
RL.8.3, RL.8.6, W.8.3a-e, L.8.1a
Math
Solve systems of two linear equations by graphing, substitution and elimination, interpret the solution as the point where two lines meet, and solve real-world problems with systems.
8.EE.8a, 8.EE.8b, 8.EE.8c
Science
Investigate how the sum of forces and the mass of an object determine its motion, explain Newton's three laws with evidence, and describe gravity as an attraction that depends on mass.
MS-PS2-1, MS-PS2-2, MS-PS2-4
Social studies
Explain the causes of the American Revolution, analyze the ideas in the Declaration of Independence, and compare winter traditions across cultures and time.
C3 D2.His.14.6-8, D2.Civ.8.6-8, D2.His.4.6-8
- Week12Forces at PlayRoots dyn, ject, pel, puls · Systems by graphing · Balanced and unbalanced forces · The road to revolution · 5 day plans
- Week13Light in the DarkRoots lum, luc, photo · Systems by substitution · Gravity and mass · Declaration ideas and winter traditions · 5 day plans
- Week14Crossing the DelawareRoots port, mit, miss, duc · Systems by elimination · Newton's third law · The Revolutionary War begins · Review week · 5 day plans
January: New Year / Chemical Reactions
January opens with fresh starts in the lab and in government. Students sharpen the skill of citing evidence and write informative pieces that explain a process clearly. Math turns to geometry: translations, reflections, rotations and dilations, and what they tell us about congruent and similar figures. Science asks what really happens in a chemical reaction and shows that mass is conserved, while social studies studies why the Articles of Confederation failed, how the Constitution was written and how its branches check each other.
Reading & writing
Cite textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis, and write informative and explanatory texts that introduce a topic, organize ideas, use precise vocabulary and conclude well.
RL.8.1, RI.8.1, W.8.2a-f, L.8.6
Math
Describe the effects of translations, reflections, rotations and dilations on figures and coordinates, prove two figures congruent or similar with a sequence of transformations, and use angle relationships in triangles and parallel lines.
8.G.1, 8.G.2, 8.G.3, 8.G.4, 8.G.5
Science
Use evidence to decide whether a chemical reaction occurred, model conservation of mass, explain energy release or absorption in reactions, and connect synthetic materials to natural resources.
MS-PS1-2, MS-PS1-5, MS-PS1-6, MS-PS1-3
Social studies
Explain the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, the compromises of the Constitutional Convention, the structure of the three branches and the protections of the Bill of Rights.
C3 D2.Civ.1.6-8, D2.Civ.3.6-8, D2.Civ.2.6-8
- Week15Fresh StartsRoots nov, gen, init · Translations and reflections · Physical vs chemical change · The Articles of Confederation · 5 day plans
- Week16ReactionsRoots act, ag, mut · Rotations and congruence · Conservation of mass · The Constitutional Convention · 5 day plans
- Week17Checks and BalancesRoots equ, liber, just · Dilations and similarity · Energy in reactions · Three branches of government · 5 day plans
- Week18Rights and ResponsibilitiesRoots dict, leg, civ · Angles in triangles and parallel lines · Designing with reactions · The Bill of Rights · Review week · 5 day plans
February: Friendship / Human Impact
February celebrates friendship and the people who shaped the young republic while students learn to research carefully and judge their sources. Math proves and applies the Pythagorean theorem, finds distances on the coordinate plane and computes the volume of cylinders, cones and spheres. Science examines how a growing human population uses resources and how we can monitor and lessen our impact. Social studies follows the first presidents, the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition, and honors figures such as Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman during Black History Month.
Reading & writing
Conduct a short research project with a focused question, gather and judge sources for credibility, quote and paraphrase without plagiarizing, and present findings with a works-cited list.
W.8.7, W.8.8, RI.8.9, SL.8.4
Math
Explain a proof of the Pythagorean theorem, apply it to find unknown sides and real-world distances, find the distance between two points, and use volume formulas for cylinders, cones and spheres.
8.G.6, 8.G.7, 8.G.8, 8.G.9
Science
Construct arguments about how population growth and consumption affect Earth's systems, design ways to monitor and minimize human impact, and explain how resources are distributed unevenly.
MS-ESS3-1, MS-ESS3-2, MS-ESS3-3, MS-ESS3-4
Social studies
Analyze the early republic's leaders and decisions, trace the Louisiana Purchase and westward exploration on maps, and research a historical figure whose friendships and choices changed the nation.
C3 D2.His.3.6-8, D2.Geo.2.6-8, D2.His.9.6-8
- Week19Right AnglesRoots ortho, angl, tri · The Pythagorean theorem · Population and consumption · The first presidents · 5 day plans
- Week20Distance and DifferenceRoots dist, loc, pos · Distance on the coordinate plane · Monitoring human impact · Douglass and Tubman · 5 day plans
- Week21Volume and VoyageRoots vol, cycl, sphere · Volume of cylinders, cones and spheres · Resource distribution · The Louisiana Purchase · 5 day plans
- Week22Research and ReportRoots quer, cred, ver · Geometry review · Natural hazards · The War of 1812 and the research presentation · Review week · 5 day plans
March: Spring / Matter Cycles and Resources
March follows cycles: water moving through Earth's systems, carbon moving through living things, and the nation moving west. Students grow their vocabulary strategies and write longer, more varied sentences on purpose. Math studies similar triangles, uses them to explain slope, and applies angle relationships. Science traces the water and carbon cycles and the flow of energy through ecosystems, while history examines the Erie Canal, the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears, the Oregon Trail, the Mexican-American War, the Gold Rush and the reform movements of the 1840s.
Reading & writing
Use context, roots and reference materials to determine meaning, interpret figures of speech and connotation, and write complex sentences using verbals and varied clause structure.
L.8.4a-d, L.8.5a-c, L.8.1a, W.8.2
Math
Use the angle-angle criterion and dilations to show similarity, solve for unknown sides in similar triangles, explain why slope is the same between any two points on a line, and apply angle relationships.
8.G.4, 8.G.5, 8.EE.6
Science
Model the water cycle driven by sunlight and gravity, explain photosynthesis and the carbon cycle, and model how matter cycles and energy flows among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
MS-ESS2-4, MS-LS1-6, MS-LS2-3, MS-ESS2-1
Social studies
Analyze westward expansion from multiple perspectives, including the people who moved and the Native nations who were displaced, and explain the economic forces and reform movements of the era.
C3 D2.His.14.6-8, D2.Geo.7.6-8, D2.Eco.1.6-8, D2.Civ.14.6-8
- Week23CyclesRoots circ, cycl, re · Similar triangles · The water cycle · Canals and removal · 5 day plans
- Week24Carbon and TrailsRoots carb, synth, hydro · Slope and similar triangles · Photosynthesis and the carbon cycle · Manifest Destiny and the Oregon Trail · 5 day plans
- Week25Gold and EnergyRoots therm, calor, pyr · Congruence and similarity review · Energy flow in ecosystems · The Mexican-American War and the Gold Rush · 5 day plans
- Week26ReformRoots form, voc, man · Angle applications · Earth's materials cycle · Abolition and Seneca Falls · Review week · 5 day plans
April: Earth and Environment / Climate
April looks at patterns in data and in a nation pulling apart. Students take organized notes and write a second argument essay, this time about an environmental question. Math introduces scatter plots, lines of best fit and two-way tables. Science separates weather from climate, explains how oceans and air move heat around the planet and examines the causes of rising global temperatures. Social studies traces the compromises and crises that led to the Civil War, then marks Earth Day with lessons on citizenship and the economics of scarce resources.
Reading & writing
Take notes that separate quotation from paraphrase, evaluate the evidence in competing arguments, and write an argument that acknowledges and answers an opposing claim.
W.8.1a-e, W.8.8, RI.8.8, RI.8.9
Math
Build and read scatter plots, describe association and outliers, fit a line informally and interpret its slope and intercept, and read patterns of association in two-way tables.
8.SP.1, 8.SP.2, 8.SP.3, 8.SP.4
Science
Explain how air masses create weather, how ocean and atmospheric circulation shape regional climates, and what evidence shows about the factors raising global temperatures over the past century.
MS-ESS2-5, MS-ESS2-6, MS-ESS3-5, MS-ETS1-1
Social studies
Analyze the sequence of compromises and conflicts from 1820 to 1861, explain the role of citizens in protecting shared resources, and apply basic economic ideas of scarcity and markets.
C3 D2.His.14.6-8, D2.Civ.2.6-8, D2.Eco.1.6-8, D2.Eco.4.6-8
- Week27Data PatternsRoots stat, log, meter · Scatter plots · Weather and air masses · Compromises over slavery · 5 day plans
- Week28Trend LinesRoots lin, grad, tend · Lines of best fit · Oceans, air and climate · Toward secession · 5 day plans
- Week29Earth DayRoots eco, sol, terr · Two-way tables · Rising temperatures · Citizenship and economics · 5 day plans
- Week30The War BeginsRoots bell, pac, mil · Probability and data review · Climate solutions · Secession to Emancipation · Review week · 5 day plans
May: Oceans / Inventors and Technology
May rides the waves. Students build fluency with longer passages and write a final narrative with polished craft. Math reviews functions, equations and geometry in mixed problems and performance tasks. Science studies waves of water, sound and light, the Earth-sun-moon system and the scale of the solar system, then puts engineering design to work. Social studies finishes the Civil War at Gettysburg and Appomattox, studies Reconstruction and its amendments, and compares the inventions that changed life then with the technology that changes it now.
Reading & writing
Read grade-level texts fluently with expression, analyze how a film or performance departs from a text, and write a narrative with well-structured events, dialogue, pacing and a reflective ending.
RL.8.7, RL.8.10, W.8.3a-e, SL.8.6
Math
Review and apply functions, linear equations and systems, and geometry in multi-step problems and short performance tasks.
8.F.4, 8.EE.7, 8.EE.8, 8.G.7, 8.G.9
Science
Use a wave model to relate amplitude to energy, explain how waves reflect, absorb and transmit, model Earth-sun-moon motions, explain gravity's role in the solar system and apply the engineering design cycle.
MS-PS4-1, MS-PS4-2, MS-PS4-3, MS-ESS1-1, MS-ESS1-2, MS-ESS1-3, MS-ETS1-2, MS-ETS1-4
Social studies
Explain the end of the Civil War and the goals, achievements and failures of Reconstruction, and analyze how inventions and global connections changed American life.
C3 D2.His.1.6-8, D2.Civ.3.6-8, D2.Eco.3.6-8, D2.Geo.7.6-8
- Week31WavesRoots und, son, phon · Functions review · Wave properties · Gettysburg to Appomattox · 5 day plans
- Week32Light and SignalsRoots opt, aud, spec · Equations and systems review · Reflection, absorption, digital signals · Reconstruction · 5 day plans
- Week33Space SystemsRoots astr, luna, cosm · Geometry review · Earth, sun and moon · Inventions then and now · 5 day plans
- Week34Engineering the FutureRoots tech, mech, fabr · Mixed review · Solar system scale and design · Reconstruction's end and global connections · Review week · 5 day plans
June: Review and Celebration
June pulls the year together. Students revisit the roots, strategies and big ideas from each month, finish a portfolio of their best writing, and show what they know in math games and science investigations. Social studies closes with a year-in-review timeline from the first peoples to Reconstruction, and everyone leaves with a clear picture of what they learned and what comes next.
Reading & writing
Read independently at grade level, present a portfolio of argument, informative and narrative writing, and reflect on growth as a reader and writer.
RL.8.10, RI.8.10, W.8.10, SL.8.4
Math
Review the number system, expressions and equations, functions, geometry and statistics through mixed practice and games; set goals for high school math.
8.NS.1, 8.EE.7, 8.F.1, 8.G.7, 8.SP.1
Science
Review the year's investigations by redoing favorites with better technique and explaining the science behind each in a showcase.
MS-PS1-2, MS-PS2-2, MS-LS2-3, MS-ESS2-2
Social studies
Build a year-in-review timeline from before 1492 to 1877 and explain the connections among its major turning points.
C3 D2.His.1.6-8, D2.His.2.6-8