Academics

Music – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, student will:

• demonstrate an understanding of the basic elements of music specified for this grade (see below) through listening to, performing, and creating music;sing and play instruments with expression and proper technique (e.g., with correct breathing or fingering);
• correctly the musical terminology associated with the specific expectations for this grade;
• read, write, and perform from musical notation accurately and fluently;
• communicate their understanding and knowledge of music in appropriate ways (e.g., compare the characteristics of music of different historical periods; represent their response to music through painting);
• identify and perform music of a variety of cultures and historical periods.

Visual Arts – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, student will:

• produce two- and three-dimensional works of art that communicate a variety of ideas (thoughts, feelings, experiences) for specific purposes and to specific audiences, using a variety of art forms;
• define the principles of design (emphasis, balance, rhythm, unity, variety, proportion), and use them in ways appropriate for this grade when producing and responding to works of art;
• explain how an artist has used the expressive qualities of the elements and principles of design to affect the viewer, and support their analyses with evidence from the work;
• use correctly vocabulary and art terminology associated with the specific expectations for this grade.

Drama and Dance – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, student will:

• evaluate the overall effect of various aspects of drama and dance (i.e., elements, principles, techniques, style);
• interpret and communicate ideas and feelings drawn from fictional accounts, documentaries, and other material from a wide variety of sources and cultures, selecting and combining complex drama and dance techniques (e.g.,“forum theatre”);
• create drama pieces, selecting and using a variety of techniques;
• critique, orally and in writing, their own and others’ work in drama and dance, using criteria developed independently and in a group;
• critique solutions to problems presented in drama and dance, make decisions in large and small groups, and defend their artistic choices;
• create different multimedia interpretations of a single work, using available technology to enhance their work in drama and dance performances.

Writing – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, student will:

• communicate ideas and information for a variety of purposes (to evaluate information, to compare points of view) and to specific audiences, using forms appropriate for their purpose (e.g., a survey soliciting opinions on an environmental issue) and features appropriate to the form (e.g., focused questions);
• use writing for various purposes and in a range of contexts, including school work (e.g., to write technical instructions, to clarify personal concerns, to explore social issues, to develop imaginative abilities);
• organize information and ideas creatively as well as logically, using paragraph structures appropriate for their purpose (e.g., paragraphs structured to develop a comparison or establish a cause-and-effect relationship);
• use a wide variety of sentence types and sentence structures, with conscious attention to style;
• produce pieces of writing using a variety of specific forms (e.g., a script for a play), techniques and resources appropriate to the form and purpose, and materials from other media (e.g., lighting effects);
• produce media texts using writing and materials from other media (e.g., a video documentary on an environmental issue);
• revise and edit their work, focusing on content and on more complex elements of style (e.g., imagery), independently or using feedback from others;
• proofread and correct their final drafts, focusing on grammar, spelling, punctuation, and conventions of style;
• use and spell correctly the vocabulary appropriate for this grade level;
• use correctly the conventions (grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.) specified for this grade level (see below).

Reading – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, student will:

• read a variety of fiction and non-fiction materials (e.g., novels, short stories, poetry, essays, articles) for different purposes;
• read aloud, showing understanding of the material and awareness of the audience;
• read independently, selecting appropriate reading strategies;
• explain their interpretation of a written work, supporting it with evidence from the work and from their own knowledge and experience;
• decide on a specific purpose for reading, and select the material that they need from a variety of appropriate sources;
• understand the vocabulary and language structures appropriate for this grade level;
• use conventions of written materials to help them understand and use the materials.

French as a Second Language – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, student will:

• listen to and talk about simple oral texts in structured and open-ended situations;
• express ideas, feelings, and opinions in conversations and discussions, using learned language structures and a variety of vocabulary and expressions;
• read a variety of simple materials, 400 to 600 words long, and demonstrate understanding;
• write in a variety of forms, adjusting language to suit the audience;
• identify and use the vocabulary and the grammar and language conventions appropriate for this grade level.

Oral and Visual Communications – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, student will:

• provide clear answers to questions and well-constructed explanations or instructions in classroom work;
• listen attentively to organize and classify information and to clarify thinking;
• listen to and communicate connected ideas and relate carefully-constructed narratives about real and fictional events;
• express and respond to a range of ideas and opinions concisely, clearly, and appropriately;
• contribute and work constructively in groups;
• demonstrate the ability to concentrate by identifying main points and staying on topic;
• identify a wide range of media works and describe the techniques used in them;
• analyse and interpret media works;
• create media works of some technical complexity;
• use the conventions (e.g., sentence structure) of oral language, and of the various media, that are appropriate to the grade.

In Grade 8, students develop an understanding of events in Canada from the 1850s to 1914 and the events leading up to the beginning of the First World War. They investigate the formation of the Canadian nation and its subsequent expansion. They also examine some of the individuals, groups, and movements promoting political and social change in the early twentieth century.

The topics for Grade 8 history are:

• Confederation
• The Development of Western Canada
• Canada: A Changing Society

In Grade 8, the study of geography focuses on patterns in human geography, economic systems, and migration. Students will explain population distribution and characteristics, and investigate how human activities are affected by these patterns. They examine economic systems and the economic relationships between Canada and the global community, as well as the major types of migration and factors affecting human mobility.

The topics for Grade 8 geography are:

• Patterns in Human Geography
• Economic Systems
• Migration

Lifesystems – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, student will:

• demonstrate an understanding of the basic structure and function of plant and animal cells, and describe the hierarchical organization of cells in plants and animals;
• investigate basic cellular processes and certain specialized cells in plants;
• describe ways in which study of the structure, function, and interdependence of human organ systems can result in improvements in human health.

Matter and Materials – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, student will:

• demonstrate an understanding of the properties (e.g., viscosity) and the buoyant force of fluids;
• investigate the buoyant force and other properties (e.g., viscosity) of fluids, and design and construct pneumatic or hydraulic systems that solve a problem in a given situation;
• describe how knowledge of the properties of fluids can help us to understand and influence organisms in the natural world, and to design and operate technological devices and to evaluate how efficiently different devices make use of these properties.

Energy and Control – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, student will:

• demonstrate an understanding of the properties of visible light and the properties of other types of electromagnetic radiation, including infrared and ultraviolet rays, X-rays, microwaves, and radio waves;
• investigate the properties of visible light, including the effects of reflection and refraction, and recognize how these properties are used in optical devices;
• describe ways in which different sources of visible light and the properties of light, both natural and artificial, are used by humans for different purposes.

Structures and Mechanisms – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, student will:

• demonstrate an understanding of the factors that contribute to the efficient operation of mechanisms and systems;
• design and make systems of structures and mechanisms, and investigate the efficiency of the mechanical devices within them;
• demonstrate understanding of the factors that can affect the manufacturing of a product, including the needs of the consumer.

Earth and Space Science – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, student will:

• demonstrate an understanding of how the earth’s water systems were formed, the similarities and differences among them, and how they influence the climate and weather of the region in which they are located;
• investigate the major features of the earth’s water resources (e.g., oceans, rivers, lakes, glaciers, ice-caps, snowfall, clouds) and the effects of large bodies of water on global climate and ecosystems;
• examine how humans use resources from the earth’s different water systems and identify the factors involved in managing these resources for sustainability.

Number Sense and Numeration

The following items represent an overview of Grade 8 skills and knowledge:

• representing and ordering rational numbers
• representing numbers using exponential notation
• solving multi-step problems involving whole numbers and decimals
• multiplying and dividing fractions and integers
• multiplying and dividing decimals by powers of ten
• applying order of operations in expressions with brackets and exponents
• solving problems involving percents to one decimal place and percents greater than 100
• solving problems involving rates and proportions

Measurement

The following items represent an overview of Grade 8 skills and knowledge:

• converting between cubic centimeters and cubic metres and between milliliters and cubic centimeters
• developing circumference and area relationships for a circle
• developing and applying the formula for the volume of a cylinder
• determining and applying surface area relationships for cylinders

Geometry and Spatial Sense

The following items represent an overview of Grade 8 skills and knowledge:

• sorting quadrilaterals by geometric properties involving diagonals
• constructing circles
• investigating relationships among similar shapes
• determining and applying angle relationships for parallel and intersecting lines
• relating the numbers of faces, edges, and vertices of a polyhedron
• determining and applying the Pythagorean relationship geometrically
• plotting the image of a point on the coordinate plane after applying a transformation

Patterning and Algebra

The following items represent an overview of Grade 8 skills and knowledge:

• representing the general term in a linear sequence, using one or more algebraic expressions
• translating statements, using algebraic equations
• finding the term number in a pattern algebraically when given any term
• solving linear equations involving one-variable terms with integer solutions using a “balance”
• model

Data Management and Probability

The following items represent an overview of Grade 8 skills and knowledge:

• collecting categorical, discrete, and continuous data
• organizing data into intervals
• displaying data using histograms and scatter plots
• using measures of central tendency to compare sets of data
• comparing two attributes using data management tools
• comparing experimental and theoretical probabilities
• calculating the probability of complementary events

Healthy Living – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

• adopt personal goals that reflect healthy eating practices;
• identify the physical, emotional interpersonal, and spiritual aspects of healthy sexuality (e.g. respect for life, ethical questions in relationships, contraception);
• identify local support groups and community organizations (e.g. public health offices) that provide information or services related to health and well-being;
• analyze situations that are potentially dangerous to personal safety (e.g. gang violence) and determine how to seek assistance;
• apply living skills (e.g. decision-making, problem-solving, and refusal skills) to respond to matters related to sexuality, drug use, and healthy eating habits.

Fundamental Movement Skills – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

• apply a variety of movement skills in combination and in sequence (locomotion/traveling, manipulation and stability) in physical activities (e.g. dance) and formal games (e.g. badminton, soccer);
• apply the principles of movement while refining movement skills (e.g. dribbling a ball quickly and slowly in basketball).

Active Participation – Overall Expectations

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

• participate on a regular basis in physical activities that maintain or improve physical fitness (e.g. aerobics to music);
• apply living skills (e.g. basic problem-solving, decision-making, goal-setting, and conflict-resolution techniques) in physical activities (e.g. games, gymnastics, dance, music, outdoor pursuits);
• transfer appropriate interpersonal skills (e.g. exhibiting etiquette, fair play, co-operation, and respectful behaviour) to new physical activities;
• follow safety procedures related to physical activity, equipment, and facilities, and continue to take responsibility for their own safety.