Eighth Grade Curriculum

Carden Arbor View School is dedicated to providing an outstanding Middle School learning experience. Middle School students' days are spent with several teachers, each of whom is experienced in his or her subject area and trained in the Carden method of teaching. Students in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades have a challenging eight period day, consisting of six core subjects and two center subject classes. To meet individual student needs better we provide additional faculty for small group instruction in English and math classes. Supporting this rich and diverse program is a teacher who serves as an advisor to a group of seven to eight Middle School students. These teacher advisors meet with their individual group of students daily to provide guidance and support in achieving school success.

All Middle School students have the opportunity to participate in after school sports, drama, yearbook, and Student Council. Carden Arbor View School students are expected to take an active role in the life of the school by taking advantage of one or more of these opportunities.

Literature: Five periods per week

The mental image is expanded through the literature of Washington Irving, Edgar Allan Poe, William Shakespeare, Mark Twain, and Charles Dickens. These authors acquaint students with different styles of writing; teach an expanded vocabulary; help develop an appreciation of American and English folklore; and enable students to begin to understand the universality of such works. Writing is taught as a process: pre-writing, rough drafts, revisions, and editing. These steps help to develop critical thinking.

Textbooks: Julius Caesar, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, A Tale of Two Cities, Graduation Book 8, Washington Irving and Edgar Allan Poe, and Vocabulary Builder Book 4

English Grammar: Five periods a week

Emphasis is placed on developing excellent writing skills. There is continued practice of spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and analogies. Vocabulary is further developed with specific application in comprehension, creative writing, and word usage. Students are taught both the etiology and definition of words to enhance understanding. Students continue to practice keyword, title, and outlining in order to understand the relationships between words and ideas and increase their reading comprehension.

Textbooks: Carden Spelling Book 8, Warriner’s English Grammar, Composition 3rd Course - Rev. 1998, Elements of Writing and Analogies II

Government: Five periods a week

Students study the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government exploring the complexities from a historical point of view and delving into current issues. Focus is placed upon identifying the difficulties involved in the decision-making process and developing the techniques to analyze statements critically in order to debate the issues America faces.

Textbooks: Magruder’s American Government-1994, and student selected articles from newspapers and magazines

Honors Algebra: Five periods a week

Major topics covered are the language and symbolism of algebra, properties of the real number system leading to solution of algebraic equations, and inequalities with operations involving polynomials and exponents. Topics covered during the second half of the year include introduction to linear functions in two variables and their graphical representation, solution of systems of equations by various methods, operations with polynomials in two variables, rational algebraic expressions, development of second-degree equations and their solutions by factoring, completing the square, and using the quadratic formula.

Textbooks: Algebra by Scott Foresman

Algebra A: Five periods a week

This class is for those who will complete at least half of the Algebra program.

Textbook: Algebra 1 by McDougall Littell

Physical Science: Five periods a week

Physical Science is the study of matter and energy, including the areas of motion, energy, chemistry, sound and electricity. Course work will include studies from the text as well as lab experiments.

The National Geographic unit on sound enables students to compare sound intensities in their community with those in other schools’ communities (data exchange by e-mail).

Textbook: Physical Science by Scott Foresman, How Loud is Too Loud by National Geographic

Physical Education: Four periods a week

Emphasis is placed on physical fitness activities, major muscle group recognition and their relationship with various physical activities, individual skill development, and participation in team games.

Students change to physical education wear for most activities. (See uniform information for current physical education dress.)

Spanish: Five periods a week

This is an introductory course, the equivalent of Spanish I at the high School level. Students will build listening, speaking, reading and writing skills needed to communicate in Spanish. In addition, student will develop an appreciation for Spanish speaking cultures around the world by exploring art, music and customs.
Textbook and workbook: Bienvenidos Glencoe Spanish I

Life Skills: Five periods a week - second trimester

The purpose of Life Skills is to provide students the opportunity to explore and develop successful communication skills, positive decision-making skills, media literacy, and a positive self-concept. We believe that assisting students in developing strong communication skills is supportive of the Carden philosophy of respecting others and ourselves. The ability to recognize and avoid the pressure of peers and media are crucial in making positive decisions.

We will provide a comfortable and supportive atmosphere for discussion groups and activities. We will use videos, role playing, and guest speakers as a part of our presentations. We encourage parental support by asking parents to be available to their children to discuss topics that concern them.

Computers: Three periods a week in first trimester

Students will continue to perfect keyboarding skills while using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, spread sheets, PhotoShop and Internet for a semester project. Students will create a business, design a logo, create business cards, business stationary, business plan, business advertising, using our new program, InDesign. Finally, they will create a web site for their business using Microsoft FrontPage. Click here to view their projects.

Music: Three periods a week in the third trimester

This class is designed to give students a greater understanding and appreciation of music. The different eras of music are studied and analyzed with emphasis on musical styles and forms. Students study styles of music from other cultures and from the U.S.

Art: Three periods a week in first trimester

Students learn about selected famous artists including Rousseau, Grandma Moses, Chagall, and O’Keefe. Students will learn about contemporary painting and sculpture.Students continue to strengthen their drawing and painting techniques and increase their awareness of the elements of art (line, form, color, texture, value, and space).

Students are introduced to the conceptual approach to art (problem solving) and the class will participate in a school project to beautify the school.

Directed Studies: Five periods a week

Directed study provides the opportunity for students to receive concentrated assistance in the basic academic areas.

Outdoor Education:

Seventh and Eighth grade students travel together, alternating between a nine-day east coast trip one year (visiting national and historical sites in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Williamsburg, and Jamestown) and a six-day trip to Yosemite Institute in Northern California the next.

We encourage you to learn more about our curriculum by grade level:

• Back to main curriculum page
• Kindergarten
• First Grade
• Second Grade
• Third Grade
• Fourth Grade
• Fifth Grade
• Sixth Grade
• Seventh Grade
• Eighth Grade
• Outdoor Education
• Athletics
• Computers
• Art

If you are not familiar with Miss Carden and the Carden Method, we encourage you to review the information we have prepared.