What your Child will Learn in Grade Eight

Introduction

What Your Child Will Learn is an overview of goals and expectations of students throughout the eighth-grade school year. Specific student programs may differ depending on instructional needs.

Curriculum Areas:

Language Arts
Innovation and Inquiry Program
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Visual Arts
Career and Technical Education
Gifted and Talented (G/T)
Health Education
Instructional Technology
Library Media
Music
Physical Education
School Counseling
World Languages

English Language Arts

English Language Arts classes provide instruction based on the rigorous demands of the Common Core College and Career Readiness Standards that are reflected in HCPSS units that address analysis of genre and theme. Sample units for Grade 8 include:

Love and friendship.
Freedom.
Exploring the unknown.

English Language Arts College and Career Readiness (Common Core) Anchor Standards

The Standards address four main categories with sub-topics as outlined below. Specific descriptions of each sub-topic may be found at www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy.

Anchor Standards for Reading (literary and informational text)

Students will grow in their ability to comprehend complex text, drawing inferences and making connections between texts.

Key ideas and details.
Craft and structure.
Integration of knowledge and ideas.
Range of reading and level of text complexity.

Anchor Standards for Writing

Students will write in a variety of modes in response to evidence found in their reading and research.

Text types and purposes (argument, explanatory, narrative).
Production and distribution of writing.
Research to build and present knowledge.
Range of writing.

How to Help Your Child with Writing

Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening

Students will grow in their ability to communicate in formal and informal situations while developing the interpersonal skills required for effective collaboration.

Comprehension and collaboration.
Presentation of knowledge and ideas.

Anchor Standards for Language

Students will use language correctly and effectively and grow in their knowledge of content-specific and general academic vocabulary.

Conventions of Standard English.
Knowledge of language.
Vocabulary acquisition and use.

Writing

Students complete assignments in a variety of modes, such as:

Explanatory, including analysis of both print and non-print texts.
Argument, using evidence to support a claim.
Narration.

All English Language Arts students maintain writing portfolios in order to assess and enhance their growth as writers.

Reading Seminar Classes

Students who require decoding or comprehension support are enrolled in reading seminar classes. Differentiated instruction is provided in a small group setting. These classes are made available to schools based on student need. Reading seminar classes are offered at each grade level.

English Language Arts Seminar

Students have opportunities to learn and apply reading, writing and language acquisition strategies that connect directly to learning outcomes in English Language Arts 8. The English Language Arts Seminar teacher provides scaffolded instruction in small group settings to ensure students can demonstrate and apply their knowledge of language arts skills and concepts and are successful in the English Language Arts class.

Gifted and Talented

Students address the demands of the English 8 Language Arts Curriculum, as well as specific critical reading, writing and thinking skills necessary for continued success at the high school level. In addition, curriculum compacting allows motivated students to collapse material and benefit from a more student-facilitated classroom. The teacher provides opportunities for students to respond to tasks similar to those on the College Board English Language and Composition Advanced Placement Examination.

How to Help Your Child with Language Arts

Innovation and Inquiry Program

The Inquiry and Innovation Program provides cross-curricular opportunities for students to interact with engaging, relevant, credible and diverse resources as they clarify their own thinking considering fact, opinion, credibility and relevance of sources while making real-world connections. Students interact with different media and ask probing and thoughtful questions. Student curiosity is a pathway for considering possibilities, prompting students to see a reason to conduct inquiry and generate a product. In creating a real-world connection, students learn and practice skills, gather and present information, and solve problems. During each nine-week course, students build a deep understanding of the topic in each specific unit.

The Future of Food

Students address how governmental nutritional guidelines and regional and cultural factors affect food choices.

Writer’s Café

Students build an understanding of how creative expression, specifically memoirs and poems, provides a venue for writers to understand themselves and respond to the world around them.

Making the Most of High School and Beyond

Students address personal strengths, talents and values and explore the connections between high school curricular offerings and career considerations and pathways.

Boost the Brain

Students develop an understanding of the connections between brain development and adolescent behavior and decision making.

Citizen in Action

Students consider the skills needed to be active, informed citizens who value diversity and promote cultural understanding.

Mathematics

Standards for Mathematical Practice

The Standards for Mathematical Practice describe varieties of expertise that mathematics educators at all levels will seek to develop in their students.

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
Model with mathematics.
Use appropriate tools strategically.
Communicate mathematical problems and solutions clearly and accurately using appropriate symbols, definitions and degrees of precision.
Look for and make use of structure.
Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

The Mathematical Content Standards

The Mathematical Content Standards (Essential Curriculum) that follow are designed to promote a balanced combination of procedure and understanding. Expectations that begin with the word “understand” are often especially good opportunities to connect the mathematical practices to the content. The content standards that set an expectation of understanding are potential points of intersection between the Mathematical Content Standards and the Mathematical Practices.

Unit 1: The Number System and Exponents

Know that there are numbers that are not rational, and approximate them by rational numbers.

Know that there are numbers that are not rational, and approximate them by rational numbers.
Know that numbers that are not rational are called irrational. Understand informally that every number has a decimal expansion; for rational numbers show that the decimal expansion repeats eventually, and convert a decimal expansion, which repeats eventually into a rational number.
Use rational approximations of irrational numbers to compare the size of irrational numbers, locate them approximately on a number line diagram, and estimate the value of expressions (e.g., π^2 ).

Work with radicals and integer exponents.

Know and apply the properties of integer exponents to generate equivalent numerical expressions. (Note: Teach laws of exponents with variable as the base.)
Use square root and cube root symbols to represent solutions to equations of the form x^2 = p and x^3 = p, where p is a positive rational number. Evaluate square roots of small perfect squares and cube roots of small perfect cubes. Know that √2 is irrational.
Use numbers expressed in the form of a single digit times an integer power of 10 to estimate very large or very small quantities, and to express how many times as much one is than the other.
Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including problems where both decimal and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and choose units of appropriate size for measurements of very large or very small quantities (e.g., use millimeters per year for seafloor spreading). Interpret scientific notation that has been generated by technology.

Unit 2: Geometry

Understand and Apply the Pythagorean Theorem.

Explain a proof of the Pythagorean Theorem and its converse.
Apply the Pythagorean Theorem to determine unknown side lengths in right triangles in real-world and mathematical problems in two and three dimensions.
Apply the Pythagorean Theorem to find the distance between two points in a coordinate system.

Understand congruence and similarity using physical models, transparencies or geometry software.

Verify experimentally the properties of rotations, reflections, and translations:
- Lines are taken to lines, and line segments to line segments of the same length.
- Angles are taken to angles of the same measure.
- Parallel lines are taken to parallel lines.
Understand that a two-dimensional figure is congruent to another if the second can be obtained from the first by a sequence of rotations, reflections, and translations; given two congruent figures, describe a sequence that exhibits the congruence between them.
Describe the effect of dilations, translations, rotations, and reflections on two-dimensional figures using coordinates.
Understand that a two-dimensional figure is similar to another if the second can be obtained from the first by a sequence of rotations, reflections, translations, and dilations; given two similar two-dimensional figures, describe a sequence that exhibits the similarity between them.
Use informal arguments to establish facts about the angle sum and exterior angle of triangles, about the angles created when parallel lines are cut by a transversal, and the angle-angle criterion for similarity of triangles.

Unit 3: Analyzing Functions and Equations

Define, evaluate, and compare functions.

Understand that a function is a rule that assigns to each input exactly one output. The graph of a function is the set of ordered pairs consisting of an input and the corresponding output.
Compare properties of two functions each represented in a different way (algebraically, graphically, numerically in tables, or by verbal descriptions).

Understand the connection between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations.

Graph proportional relationships, interpreting the unit rate as the slope of the graph. Compare two different proportional relationships represented in different ways. Note: Build on student understanding of constant of proportionality to build understanding of slope.
Use similar triangles to explain why the slope m is the same between any two distinct points on a non-vertical line in the coordinate plane; derive the equation y = mx for a line through the origin and the equation y = mx + b for a line intercepting the vertical axis at b.

Define, evaluate and compare functions.

Interpret the equation y = mx + b as defining a linear function, whose graph is a straight line; give examples of functions that are not linear.

Use functions to model relationships between quantities.

Construct a function to model a linear relationship between two quantities. Determine the rate of change and initial value of the function from a description of a relationship or from two (x, y) values, including reading these from a table or from a graph. Interpret the rate of change and initial value of a linear function in terms of the situation it models, and in terms of its graph or a table of values. Note: Review concepts of independent and dependent variables.
Describe qualitatively the functional relationship between two quantities by analyzing a graph (e.g., where the function is increasing or decreasing, linear or nonlinear). Sketch a graph that exhibits the qualitative features of a function that has been described verbally.

Analyze and solve linear equations and pairs of simultaneous linear equations.

Solve linear equations in one variable.
- Give examples of linear equations in one variable with one solution, infinitely many solutions, or no solutions. Show which of these possibilities is the case by successively transforming the given equation into simpler forms, until an equivalent equation of the form x = a, a = a, or a = b results (where a and b are different numbers).
- Solve linear equations with rational number coefficients, including equations whose solutions require expanding expressions using the distributive property and collecting like terms.
Analyze and solve pairs of simultaneous linear equations.
- Understand that solutions to a system of two linear equations in two variables correspond to points of intersection of their graphs, because points of intersection satisfy both equations simultaneously.
- Solve systems of two linear equations in two variables algebraically, and estimate solutions by graphing the equations. Solve simple cases by inspection.
- Solve real-world and mathematical problems leading to two linear equations in two variables.

Unit 4: Patterns of Association

Investigate patterns of association in bivariate data.

Construct and interpret scatter plots for bivariate measurement data to investigate patterns of association between two quantities. Describe patterns such as clustering, outliers, positive or negative association, linear association, and nonlinear association.
Know that straight lines are widely used to model relationships between two quantitative variables. For scatter plots that suggest a linear association, informally fit a straight line, and informally assess the model fit by judging the closeness of the data points to the line.
Use the equation of a linear model to solve problems in the context of bivariate measurement data, interpreting the slope and intercept.
Understand that patterns of association can also be seen in bivariate categorical data by displaying frequencies and relative frequencies in a two-way table. Construct and interpret a two-way table summarizing data on two categorical variables collected from the same subjects. Use relative frequencies calculated for rows or columns to describe possible association between two variables.

Unit 5: Volumes of Solid Figures

Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving volume of cylinders, cones and spheres.

Know the formulas for the volumes of cones, cylinders, and spheres and use them to solve real-world problems.

Above Grade Level and Gifted/Talented Eighth-Grade

Students enrolled in above-grade level mathematics will be taught the curriculum outlined in Algebra I. Students enrolled in G/T mathematics will be taught the curriculum outlined for Geometry GT. For more information about the curriculum for these courses, visit http://hcpssfamilymath.weebly.com.

How to Help Your Child with Mathematics

Science

Introduction

The Howard County Public School System science program is committed to supporting all students in the development of scientific literacy. As described in “A Framework for K–12 Science Education,” scientific literacy means that students appreciate the nature of science and possess sufficient knowledge and skill in practicing science and engineering that they can engage in public discussions surrounding scientific and technological issues, be careful consumers of scientific and technological information related to their everyday lives, continue to learn about science outside of school, and enter careers of their choice including careers in science, engineering and technology. Throughout middle school, students develop scientific literacy by operating as student scientists. In eighth grade, students use scientific practices to investigate and understand physical and chemical systems including matter and its interactions, forces and their interactions, energy and its transfer, and waves and their applications in technologies for information transfer. Environmental literacy learning experiences that include Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences are woven throughout the middle school science curriculum.

Practices of Science and Engineering

Throughout middle school, science students will develop their skill in the practices of science. Each year, students will apply these skills in laboratory and field investigations. These practices, as described in “A Framework for K–12 Science Education,” include:

Ask scientific questions that can be empirically tested
Use and construct models such as diagrams, drawings, mathematical relationships, analogies, computer simulations and physical replicas to represent ideas and explanations
Plan and carry out scientific investigations in the field or laboratory
Analyze and interpret data using a variety of tools
Represent physical variables and their relationships using the fundamental tools of mathematics and computation
Construct explanatory accounts of the world using evidence
Reason and argue based on evidence to identify the best explanation for a natural phenomenon or the best solution to a design problem
Obtain, evaluate and communicate information clearly and accurately

Course Content

The Grade 8 science curriculum is framed by three big questions that provide context and motivation for learning. These questions are:

How do scientists work together to design and build vehicles that meet specific criteria?
How do scientists utilize energy and changes in energy to design solutions to problems?
How do scientists work together to understand and improve air quality?

In pursuing solutions to these questions, students participate in carefully sequenced, developmentally appropriate learning experiences that support deep understanding. By the end of their eighth-grade learning experiences, students will be able to meet the Maryland Science Standards’ middle school performance expectations in Physical Science.

Gifted and Talented Science Program

In the G/T science program in eighth grade, students delve more deeply and independently into the content and practices of science by addressing additional learning objectives and completing in-depth research studies using creative problem-solving techniques. The research is embedded within the curriculum and conducted over an extended period of time to allow for authentic data collection and analysis.

How to Help Your Child with Science

Overview

This is the first part of a two-year program in United States History. This program provides opportunities for students to develop an understanding of historical skills, concepts and content related to the history of our nation. This course also provides valuable background information to prepare students for American Government in Grade 10. There are countywide local assessments administered quarterly.

Social Studies Skills

These skills and others are embedded throughout the curriculum:

Map reading, construction and interpretation.
Spatial analysis and interpretation.
Historical thinking skills.
Problem solving/critical thinking
Roles, rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
Strategic reading of social studies text.
Economic decision-making.
Explanatory and argument writing.
Information literacy
Analysis and evaluation of primary and secondary sources.
Data analysis and interpretation.

Course Content

There are four units in eighth grade social studies. What follows is a summary of some of the key objectives.

Unit I: The Historical Process and The Road To Independence

Identify and locate the original thirteen British colonies.
Explain how the geography of these regions led to political, economic and cultural differences.
Define mercantilism and explain its impact on the American colonies.
Explain the increase of slave labor in the British colonies.
Give examples how events in Europe precipitated the struggle for empire in North America.
Explain how the French and Indian War and the 1763 Treaty of Paris laid the groundwork for the American Revolution.
Examine 18th century British economic and political policies towards the American colonies and American reaction to these policies to explain reasons for American independence.
Summarize the content of the Declaration of Independence.
Examine the Declaration of Independence as a rationale for revolution and a statement of American principles of government.

Unit II: Forging a New Nation

Evaluate the preparedness of the American and British on the eve of the American Revolution.
Describe the roles of key political and military leaders during the War for Independence.
Analyze the views, lives and contributions of ordinary Americans during the War for Independence.
Explain key events of the American War for Independence.
Describe the role of geography and economics in the American victory.
Identify the results and give the importance of the Treaty of Paris.
Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
Determine the reasons for the initial experimentation with a confederal form of government.
Identify and explain several key compromises that were made in the drafting of The Constitution.
Summarize the content and structure of the Constitution including the Preamble, the Articles and the Bill of Rights.
Explain the principles of government incorporated in the Constitution.
Analyze the Federalist and Anti-Federalist arguments for and against the ratification of the Constitution.
Contrast the basic differences between strict and loose interpretation of the Constitution.
Analyze contemporary issues that demonstrate the evolutionary nature of the Constitution.

Unit III: Growth of a Nation

Identify and describe the difficulties and the major accomplishments of the George Washington and John Adams administrations.
Explain how the continuing conflict between Great Britain and France influenced the domestic and foreign policy in the United States.
Compare the political and economic differences between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.
Trace the roots of nullification as exemplified in the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions.
Assess how Marbury v. Madison strengthened the role of the judiciary.
Explain the steps taken by the Jefferson Administration and Congress to maintain American neutrality and evaluate the success of these actions.
Analyze the views, lives and contributions of ordinary Americans during the second war for American independence.
Explain the factors that brought about the Monroe Doctrine, and analyze the impact of the Monroe Doctrine on United States foreign policy.
Evaluate factors that contributed to the growing sectionalism in the early 19th century.
Identify the changes in the American political system during the Jacksonian Era.
Assess the impact of Jacksonian policies on Native Americans.

Unit IV: A Union in Disunion

Compare regional differences between the North and South.
Explain the relationship between westward expansion and deepening North-South conflict.
Analyze the experiences of free and enslaved African Americans in the United States in the early to mid 1800s.
Examine the reasons used to either oppose or support slavery in American in the early to mid 19th century.
Describe the various efforts towards reform of American society.
Identify and describe events that increased sectional hostility. Evaluate the role the Supreme Court played concerning the institution of slavery in America in the early to mid 1800s.
Explain how the results of the 1860 election prompted secession by southern states.
Analyze the views, lives and contributions of ordinary Americans during the American Civil War.
Explain and give the significance of key events of the American Civil War.
Describe the role of geography and economics in the Union victory.
Compare the goals and policies of the various Reconstruction plans.
Explain how the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments expanded African American civil rights through abolition, the granting of citizenship and the right to vote.
Describe the legal and illegal actions used to deny African Americans civil rights after the Civil War.
Explain why the Election of 1876 marked the end of the Reconstruction Era.
Assess the success of Reconstruction.

Gifted and Talented

Students in G/T complete “G/T Research investigations” during the school years. These investigations are grounded in the content of particular units and may take the form of teacher-developed historical or geographical research, district-developed performance assessment tasks, or district approved Document Based Questions. Optionally, students may participate in the National History Day program.

Special Programs

The Office of Secondary Social Studies supports several special programs available for middle school students. The History Day Competition is a local, state and national competition that promotes historical inquiry, knowledge and understanding among secondary school students. History Day encourages the development of research skills, the analysis and interpretation of primary and secondary source materials, and the opportunity for creative expression. HCPSS sponsors a large regional competition each year that includes up to 300 students from our public and private schools. This program is typically integrated as part of the curricular program, but is dependent upon school interest. The Black Saga Competition is a statewide competition that challenges student knowledge about the African American experience. Middle and elementary schools from across the state compete for prizes and awards. This event is very dependent upon school interest and community support, as it is an extracurricular program.

How to Help Your Child with Social Studies

Visual Arts

Apply a variety of strategies, concepts and media to:

Generate and elaborate on ideas for personal expression in the production of art.
Experiment with a variety of tools, materials, processes, techniques and ideas to organize knowledge in the production of art.
Give and receive feedback/constructive criticism and persevere in the refinement of personal solutions to artwork.
Analyze and defend personal choices and selection of objects or artwork for presentation or exhibition.
Examine how and why people collect, present and preserve objects and ideas that have personal, cultural or historical meaning.
Perceive, interpret and respond to ideas, experiences and the environment through visual arts.
Analyze and interpret influences, intent and meaning in works of art.
Evaluate artwork based on select criteria.
Connect personal experiences and knowledge to art making.
Understand art as an essential aspect of history and the human experience.

When exiting middle school, students will be able to:

Apply a variety of media, strategies and concepts to generate innovative ideas to solve art problems.
Maintain collection of ideas that demonstrate personal engagement and growth.
Recognize and apply the complex nature, power and history of art to connect to others, to tell stories, to record what is seen, to relate personal ideas or to make visible what is imagined.
Be comfortable with and apply a variety of strategies when there is no clear path or solution to a problem.
Work within given limitations to solve complex art problems.
Generate personally meaningful solutions.
Persevere in problem solving by evaluating work in-progress to identify areas in need of improvement and alternative solutions.
Collaborate with peers to arrive at consensus and solutions.

How to Help Your Child with Visual Arts

Career and Technical Education

Exploring Computer Science (Optional Credit for High School)

This course will give students the opportunity to delve into real-world, relevant computing problems while gaining foundation computer science knowledge. Students will engage in several in-depth projects to demonstrate the real-world applications of computing. Units will include Human Computer Iteration, Problem Solving, Web Design, Programming, Computing and Data Analysis, and Robotics. Students who successfully complete this course will earn a high school Engineering, Computer Science or Technology Education credit toward graduation.

Foundations of Technology (Optional Credit for High School)

This course prepares students to understand and apply technological concepts and processes that are the cornerstone of the high school technology education program. Students study the nature and technological issues of the designed world. Group and individual activities engage students in creating ideas, developing innovations, design, fabricating, and engineering practical solutions. Technology content, resources, and laboratory/classroom activities allow students to apply science, mathematics, and other school subjects in authentic situations. Students who successfully complete this course will earn a high school Engineering, Computer Science or Technology Education credit toward graduation.

Careers

Participate in career assessments of their career interests and post-secondary plans
Identify their interests and understand how these interests can be utilized throughout their schooling, life and career.
Analyze/compare the industries represented in Maryland’s 10 Career Clusters and how they relate to the needs and functions of the economy and society.
Prepare an academic and career plan based on high school graduation requirements, a sequence of Career Technology Education (CTE) program of study course, related academics and post-secondary options.
Recognize that decision-making is an important part of an individual’s career development.

How to Help Your Child with CTE Careers

Gifted and Talented

The G/T Program provides a continuum of services in addition to G/T classes. Middle School G/T Resource Teachers instruct students who participate in the G/T instructional seminars and research investigations, talent development and research opportunities available to all interested students.

Health Education

National Health Education Standards

These skills are embedded throughout the curriculum:

Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion.
Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.
Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information and products and services to enhance health.
Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.
Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision- making skills to enhance health.
Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.
Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

Safety, First Aid and Injury Prevention

Summarize and evaluate strategies for prevention and intervention of safety issues.
Summarize strategies for the prevention and intervention of child abuse.
Describe components of healthy relationships.
Utilize conflict resolution skills to prevent violence.

Social and Emotional Health

Examine sources of stress and anxiety.
Examine the effects of stress to include depression and suicide.
Examine coping and intervention strategies for stress, depression and suicide.
Utilize conflict resolution skills to prevent violence.

Sexual Health

Describe the components of sexuality to include biological, psychological, cultural and ethical.
Review the anatomy and physiology of the male and female reproductive system.
Describe the prevention, symptoms and treatment of STIs, to include HIV/AIDS.
Describe various contraceptives and their effectiveness in reducing the risk of pregnancy.
Identify sources of support for sexual health.
Identify behaviors that support sexual health.

Tobacco, Alcohol and Other Drugs

Distinguish between healthy and unhealthy use of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Analyze the physical, psychological, social, economic and legal consequences of drug abuse.
Demonstrate skills that promote a personal commitment to remain drug free.

How to Help Your Child with Health Education

Instructional Technology

Instructional Technology in Grade 8 follows the 2016 ISTE Standards for Students. These standards emphasize the skills and qualities Howard County Public Schools values for all students, enabling them to engage and thrive in a connected, digital world. The ISTE Standards focus on transforming learning through the use of technology throughout a student’s academic career by cultivating these skills. Howard County Teachers in all curriculum areas work to skillfully mentor and inspire students to amplify learning with technology and challenge them to be agents of their own learning.

Get a free classroom poster: I am a digital age learner

Empowered Learner

Students use technology to set goals, work toward achieving them and demonstrate their learning. For example, students will
- set personal learning goals and develop strategies leveraging technology to achieve them.
- build networks and learning environments in ways that support learning.
- use technology to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
- understand concepts of technology operations, are able to choose and use current technologies as well as transferring their learning to new technologies.

Digital Citizen

Students understand the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world. For example, students will
- manage their digital identity and reputation and are aware of the permanence of their actions in the digital world.
- engage in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior when using technology.
- respect the rights of using and sharing intellectual property.
- manage their personal data to maintain digital privacy and security.

Knowledge Constructor

Student critically select, evaluate and synthesize digital resources into a collection that reflects my learning and builds my knowledge. For example, students will
- use effective research strategies to locate information and other resources.
- evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information, media, data or other resources.
- curate information from digital resources to make conclusions
- build knowledge by exploring real-world issues and problems.

Innovative Designer

Students solve problems by creating new and imaginative solutions using a variety of digital tools. For example, students will
- use a deliberate design process for generating ideas and solving authentic problems.
- use digital tools to plan and manage a design process.
- develop, test and refine prototypes.
- exhibit the capacity to work with open ended problems.

Computational Thinker

Students identify authentic problems, work with data and use a step-by-step process to automate solutions. For example, students will
- formulate problem definitions suited for technology-assisted methods
- collect data, use digital tools to analyze, and represent data in varioud ways
- break problems into component parts, extract key information, and develop models to facilitate problem solving.
- use algorithmic thinking to develop a sequence of steps to create and test automated solutions.

Creative Communicator

Students communicate effectively and express myself creatively using different tools, styles, formats and digital media. For example, students will
- choose appropriate tools for meeting desired objectives
- create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.
- communicate clearly and effectively by using a variety of digital objects
- publish or present content appropriate for their intended audiences.

Global Collaborator

Students strive to broaden their perspective, understand others and work effectively in teams using digital tools. For example, students will
- use digital tools to connect with learners from a variety of backgrounds and cultures to broaden mutual understanding and learning.
- use collaborative technologies to work with others.
- contribute to project teams, assuming various roles to work toward a common goal.
- explore local and global issues and use collaborative technologies to investigate solutions.

How to Help Your Child with Instructional Technology

Library Media

Inquiry Process

Identify information needs.
Create, refine and use criteria to guide the research process.
Follow systematic problem-solving steps using the Big6 process.

Locate and Evaluate Resources and Sources

Identify and use a wide variety of resources.
Use the library media center’s catalog to locate sources to meet the information need.
Evaluate potential sources for the information need.
Use text features to select appropriate sources.
Identify and follow the district’s Policy 8080: Responsible Use of Technology and Social Media.
Learn to use safe practices online.

Find, Generate, Record and Organize Data/Information

Use keywords for finding answers to questions.
Utilize effective search strategies for collecting relevant information from sources.
Use technology tools to find, record and organize data/information within sources.
Differentiate between fact and opinion.
Avoid plagiarism by correctly recording relevant information and keeping track of sources used.
Use a variety of formats for recording and organizing data/information.
Create a source list using an accepted citation style.
Match appropriate format with content to be organized.

Interpret Recorded Data/Information

Identify the main ideas of recorded information.
Apply critical thinking and problem-solving strategies.
Create new understandings and knowledge related to the information need.

Share Findings/Conclusions

Use a variety of formats to share information learned.
Apply fair use, copyright laws and Creative Commons attributions.
Reflect on and provide feedback about the research process and the information product.

Literature Appreciation and Lifelong Learning

Read, listen to, view, and discuss stories that reflect human experiences.
Make literature connections to self, to other literature, to multimedia, and to the world.
Use libraries for personal or assigned needs.
Utilize library circulation procedures and policies to access reading materials.
Locate and select literature and/or multimedia in a variety of genres.
Recognize the connection between reading and being a lifelong learner.

How to Help Your Child with Library Media

Music

Creating:

Imagine – generate musical ideas for various purposes and contexts.
Plan and Make – select and develop musical ideas for defined purposes and contexts.
Evaluate and Refine – select musical ideas to create musical work that meets appropriate criteria.
Present – share creative musical work that conveys intent, demonstrates craftsmanship, and exhibits originality.

Performing:

Select – select varied musical works to present based on interest, knowledge, technical skill and context.
Analyze – analyze the structure and context of varied musical works and their implications for performance.
Interpret – develop personal interpretations that consider creators’ intent.
Rehearse, Evaluate and Refine – evaluate and refine personal and ensemble performances, individually or in collaboration with others.
Present – perform expressively, with appropriate interpretation and technical accuracy, and in a manner appropriate to the audience and context.

Responding:

Select – choose music appropriate for a specific purpose or context.
Analyze – analyze how the structure and context of varied musical works inform the response.
Interpret – support interpretations of musical works that reflect creators’/ performers’ expressive intent.
Evaluate – support their personal evaluation of musical work(s) and performance(s) based on analysis, interpretation, and established criteria.

How to Help Your Child with Music

Physical Education

Motor Skills and Movement Patterns

Passes and receives objects while running, changing directions and speeds with competency, in a small-sided game.
Dribbles with dominant and non-dominant hands and feet while in a small-sided game.
Strikes an object with an implement into open space in a small-sided game.

Concepts and Strategies

Executes at least three of the following offensive tactics to create open space: moves to open space without ball, uses a variety of passes and fakes, or uses a give and go with partner.
Transitions from offense to defense or defense to offense by recovering quickly, communicating with classmates and capitalizing on advantages.
Reduces space in the field by working with classmates to maximize coverage.

Physical Activity and Fitness

Identifies the five components of health-related fitness and explains the connection between fitness and overall physical health.
Understands the importance of participating in a variety of self-selected aerobic fitness activities outside of school such as walking, jogging, biking, skating, dancing and swimming.

Personal and Social Behavior

Accepts responsibility for improving one’s own levels of fitness.
Responds appropriately to participants’ ethical and unethical behaviors during physical activity.

Recognizes Value of Physical Activity

Develops a physical activity plan of action and makes appropriate decisions based on present level of fitness.
Discusses how enjoyment could be increased in self-selected physical activities.
Demonstrates respect for self by asking for help and helping others in various settings.

How to Help Your Child with Physical Education

School Counseling

Academic Development

Identify personal strengths and develop skills necessary to set and achieve academic goals.
Identify graduation requirements to understand the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college.

Career Development

Identify personal strengths, skills, interests, and abilities, and relate them to possible career options.
Select high school course work that is related to career interests.

Personal/Social Development

Apply knowledge of personal strengths to increase healthy decision making and positive peer interactions.

How to Help Your Child with School Counseling

World Languages (French or Spanish)

Communicate in French or Spanish

Interpersonal (French)

Talk about pastimes, leisure activities, sports and places to go around town.
Describe meals and order items in a café.
Describe clothing and sports equipment.
Talk about daily chores.
Describe rooms and furniture in the house.

Interpersonal (Spanish)

Talk about pastimes, leisure activities, sports and places to go around town.
Order food in a restaurant.
Describe family members and pets.
Talk about daily chores.
Describe rooms and furniture in the house.
Describe clothing and accessories.

Interpretive

Comprehend simple daily conversations on familiar topics by using authentic recordings, broadcasts and videos.
Determine meaning of words based on context cues, cognates, word derivatives and use of other resources.
Use before, during and after strategies to gain comprehension of both written and spoken language.

Presentational

Apply the writing traits components to compose in a variety of formats.
Compose and deliver formal oral presentations in the target language.

Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures

Practices

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of another people’s way of life and the relationship between their patterns of behavior and the underlying beliefs and values that guide their lives.

Products

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the relationship between the products and beliefs and values of the cultures that use the target language.

Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire Information

Cross-curricular

Reinforce and further knowledge of other disciplines through the world language.

Develop Insight Into the Nature of Language and Culture

Language

Examine elements of the target language and comparable elements in English.

Culture

Compare concepts of the cultures studied with one’s own.

Participate in Multilingual Communities

Use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
Use the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment as a lifelong learner.

How to Help Your Child with World Languages