LFCDS Grade 8 Curriculum

Upper School Curriculum

GRADE 8

Overview of Upper School (Grades 5–8) The Upper School experience at Lake Forest Country Day School offers a challenging, yet engaging curriculum coupled with the skills needed to flourish in a twenty-first-century world. The Upper School curriculum reflects high academic standards, and our faculty is dedicated to giving each student the opportunity to discover his or her academic, social, creative, and physical strengths. Because social and academic skills are inextricably linked, we strive to create a respectful, safe atmosphere where students can explore interests, take responsible risks, and develop academic skills and knowledge.

Dedicated faculty members work together in our state-of-the-art facility to create an engaging curriculum, rich with opportunities for deeper thinking as students develop key twenty-first-century skills: communication, cosmopolitanism, collaboration, character, creativity, and critical thinking. We aim to help students grow in selfawareness and self-discipline so they can manage increasingly challenging coursework. Each student has an advisor to whom he or she can turn for assistance. A middle school counselor is also available to help students adjust to the transition or negotiate friendship dynamics that may be changing as students mature and explore new interests.

Students benefit from:  The School's strong commitment to offering excellent academic preparation in all subjects and opportunities to participate in extracurricular arts and athletics programs.  An emphasis on twenty-first-century skills, including information literacy, the productive use of technology tools, and digital citizenship.  Our Character Development Program, which places an emphasis on developing students’ self-awareness and resilience as well as creating a positive social and emotional environment as the foundation for academic excellence.  A faculty who understands brain and child development and works collaboratively to engage students in a variety of learning experiences that encourage making connections, building understanding, and taking ownership of learning.  A commitment to experiential learning where students’ learning is enriched with field trips to Lake Forest Open Lands, the symphony, the theater, and a variety of historic sites.  A compassionate school environment that values personal responsibility, diversity, and openness to different points of view.  Expert assistance with the transition to selective high schools.

Upper School Curriculum Guide

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Upper School Curriculum

Overview

Teaching Philosophy Knowing the students we teach—individually, culturally, and developmentally—is of utmost importance to us. We also believe in the importance of getting to know their families. We value the input of parents as the child’s first teacher, beginning with advisor intake calls prior to the start of school when parents share their knowledge of and hopes and dreams for their child.

Two important beliefs are at the heart of our teaching philosophy: first, the social curriculum is inextricably linked with the academic curriculum; and, second, how students learn is as important as what students learn. Upper School faculty shares a commitment to the following teaching and learning practices: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Strength of character is emphasized and developed through socialemotional skill-building in the advisory curriculum, opportunities for leadership and service, and the disciplinary system.

AUTHENTIC WORK OF THE DISCIPLINES

The curriculum emphasizes academic work that requires critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration, and has real-world applications.

DIFFERENTIATION

Teachers focus on each individual student’s learning style and make adjustments as needed to provide support or additional challenge.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Students enjoy opportunities to engage in hands-on activities and role-play experiences that help them understand abstract ideas.

UNIFYING CONCEPTS

Ideas are introduced in the context of central unifying concepts or themes to help students recognize and remember connections in what they are learning in different disciplines.

ACADEMIC RIGOR

Teachers and students share responsibility for pursuing learning goals that are challenging yet attainable and position the student for future academic success.

Character Development Character education at LFCDS begins in the Early Childhood Program. As appropriate, children are introduced to terms that refer to specific “habits of mind,” such as persistence and empathy. As students move through the Lower School, their understanding of the various habits of mind deepens, and many “Until recently, most economists and psychologists believed that the most important factor in a child’s success was his or her IQ. This notion is behind our national obsession with test scores. But the scientists whose work I followed for How Children Succeed have identified a very different set of skills that they believe are crucial to success. They include qualities like persistence, curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism, and selfcontrol. Economists call these non-cognitive skills. Psychologists call them personality traits. Neuroscientists sometimes use the term executive functions. The rest of us often sum them up with the word character.”

—Paul Tough, Author of How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character

Upper School Curriculum Guide

opportunities are given both inside and outside the classroom to demonstrate increased social emotional skills.

Upon entering Upper School, each student is paired with an adult advocate. As his or her advisor, this faculty member takes on numerous essential roles, including being a guide for academic growth, executive functions, social-emotional learning, and character development. Each student is placed in a small advisory group consisting of eight to ten students who meet two to three times per week. During these sessions, students are engaged in activities related to empathy, communication, social cruelty, emotion management, problem solving, and substance abuse. Students also participate in team-building activities related to collaboration, diversity, respect, trust, and sensitivity.

Finally, each advisor plans age-appropriate lessons throughout the school year such as movie discussions, study skills, test-taking strategies, and leadership skills.

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Upper School Curriculum

Overview

At LFCDS, we espouse certain core values— excellence, partnership, responsibility, participation, and diversity. So, for us, ‘strong character’ means acting in accord with these five values, which is what students and families agree to do by joining our school community. The School’s character education efforts,

therefore, are designed to help students recognize examples and lapses of these values in action and to develop the social-emotional skills needed to make behavioral choices consonant with what the school community recognizes as important.

Authentic Work of the Disciplines At LFCDS, we emphasize authentic learning experiences—ones that reflect critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and real-world applications. In order to prepare students for a university education, a meaningful career, and life in general, we work to develop students’ deep understanding of content and issues and ask them to demonstrate their new learning, not just recite it. The authentic work of real-world learning experiences enables students to develop important lifelong skills and to view their education as relevant and connected to the larger world.

from an African drum circle using only non-verbal communication. Eighth-grade student groups build, analyze, and test their own roller coasters based on

Outdoor Education

Lake Forest Country Day School’s Outdoor Education Program is designed to promote a positive and supportive atmosphere by heightening students’ awareness of and concern for others. This program provides a unique opportunity for teachers and students to become acquainted outside the classroom and to respond to and learn from the needs of others by working in a broader community. The program supports the School’s mission of producing students who have strong character and are responsible citizens.

These goals are pursued through fifth-grade collaborative group activities and team building exercises, sixth- and seventh-grade camping experiences, and a six-day eighth-grade trip to Washington, DC. Numerous field trips to sites in Indianapolis, Chicago, and Springfield also enhance and enrich our School’s goal to provide students with ongoing opportunities for the development of collaboration and team-building skills.

So what does this look like at LFCDS? After reading The Phantom Tollbooth, fifth-grade students discuss the threedimensional world and properties of space figures in math class. They then create a two-dimensional net pattern from which they are able to construct a dodecahedron model. On each of the faces, students create questions and share facts from the story. In sixth grade, students create structural models of town buildings and test them for strength and durability by recreating hurricane-like winds using fans. Seventh-grade students reenact a traditional, unified musical piece

advanced physics principles. Learning experiences like these offer intellectual challenge, build work habits of persistence, metacognition, and accuracy, and engage students in the kinds of creative and critical thinking that will serve them well throughout their lives.

Differentiation Differentiation is the process of matching instruction to varied students and their interests and needs. It is a cornerstone of high-quality teaching and learning and a practice that pervades LFCDS. We pride ourselves on our ability to deeply know our students as learners

Upper School Curriculum Guide

and to think outside of the box when it comes to approaching their learning in the most appropriate and effective ways. This is responsive education. Students who exhibit academic talent may participate in Illinois Regional Math Counts Competition, LEGO Robotics

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Upper School Curriculum

Overview

Tournaments, or write articles for the latest edition of our School’s newspaper. Those children who require additional support may receive in-class individual and small-group assistance or instruction offered through

our Learning Services department. Ongoing assessment enables us to efficiently and flexibly encourage our students’ interests and to meet their academic and developmental needs.

Experiential Learning What adolescent wouldn’t want to design and build a bridge and test it for integrity and strength?

Or research data that inspires them, and create their own formula for predicting trends based on algebraic knowledge of linear equations?

Perhaps even write his or her own music and lyrics using the latest MIDI technology? Experiential learning occurs when students investigate and gain understanding through their play. An excellent instructional strategy to engage the whole child— cognitively, socially and emotionally, physically, and creatively—experiential learning allows students to learn by doing: creating, constructing, planning, solving problems, and collaborating. LFCDS teachers carefully craft experiential, hands-on learning activities that will tap students’ interest and engagement and then allow for independent thinking, open-ended responses, student choice, and rich understanding. Creative thinking and academic rigor can occur simultaneously!

Unifying Concepts Knowing how students learn best, we developed middle school curricula around unifying concepts that build upon and connect to each other. For example, the eighth-grade social studies curriculum is taught using a theme-based approach rather than sequentially. Units include War and Peace, Manifest Destiny, Expansionism, National Politics & the Presidency, African American Studies, and Reconstruction; all afford students the opportunity to make continuous connections while learning historical facts in context. Similarly, world language courses offer students engaging activities and applicable units of study based on culture, food, clothing, art, and notable destinations. Spiraling concepts by theme allows

Upper School Curriculum Guide

STEM at LFCDS STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education is designed to enhance the teaching of math and science subject areas by incorporating technology and engineering into regular curriculum, creating a “meta-discipline.” A STEM curriculum encourages problem solving, discovery, exploratory learning, and encourages students to actively engage a situation in order to find its solution. These skills are critical to the development of high level problem solving and will prepare today’s students to become tomorrow’s global leaders.

In the Upper School, STEM education is integrated through a series of project-based, semester-long classes, one for each grade level. Some of these units are new to the LFCDS curriculum; some are existing components of our current Math and Science programs.

In the fifth grade, for example, students will design video games, with the goal being to foster critical 21st century skills such as systems thinking and digital media literacy. Seventh-grade students will work together to design, build, and test CO2 dragsters, with a design process that teaches them to identify problems, research and develop solutions, and ultimately redesign their vehicles based on feedback. In each grade-level course, the goal is to prepare middle school students for the advanced courses that await them in high school—with the added benefit of giving students the confidence to ultimately pursue a career in one of these fields later in life. students learning Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese to apply previously learned structure while identifying and utilizing new vocabulary. At the same time, each grade level represents a new layer of unifying concept that enriches and broadens students’ understanding of it and its application in varied contexts. Unifying concepts are integral to ensuring that students make connections within and across disciplines and topics and, as a result, comprehend their learning experiences more deeply.

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Upper School Curriculum

Overview

Community Service

The LFCDS Community Service program is a manifestation of the School’s commitment to responsible citizenship and its dedication to producing students of strong character. The Community Service program affords students an opportunity to respond to and learn from others by providing service to those in need in the broader community. The program offers a wide variety of service environments from which to choose and encourages family participation. Emphasis is placed on the development of an independent desire to serve others.

Beginning in Lower School, class- or grade-level service projects are adopted as they arise through curriculum integration. This approach to service continues through sixth grade and is enhanced by many other service projects supported by the entire School. The development of social, environmental, and community consciousness becomes more individualized in seventh and eighth grade. At this point, each student researches and selects projects that are personally meaningful to him or her and that emphasizes the duty of giving back to the community. By reaching outside of the LFCDS family to give service to others, students are exposed to the greater needs beyond their day-to-day school life. Past community projects have benefited the environment, wildlife, the hungry, the sick, the homeless, and underprivileged children here and abroad.

Academic Rigor Rigor at LFCDS targets specific goals for both teachers and students.

Teachers develop curricula that are rich with varied and intentional challenges. LFCDS faculty:  Set high, yet attainable, expectations.  Establish learning objectives that are clear and measureable.  Assess student understanding formally and informally.  Employ technology and varied resources.  Give students clear, meaningful feedback to encourage positive work.  Ask a range of questions and target synthesis.  Vary learning experiences to include some of the following: multi-sensory materials, kinesthetic activity, technology/media, visual aids, and inquiry-based labs.  Provide students opportunities to work collaboratively.  Assign relevant homework with opportunities for summarization, questioning, reflection, and/or analysis.

Upper School Curriculum Guide

Students responding to rigorous curricula:  Demonstrate investment in and ownership of the learning process.  Set reasonable and attainable goals in recognition of their own strengths and challenges.  Advocate for themselves and their own learning.  Engage in class discussions and activities.  Complete assignments thoughtfully and carefully.  Show curiosity by asking pertinent and thought-provoking questions.  Seek answers using a variety of reliable sources.  Apply knowledge, skills, and concepts independently.  Make connections to previously learned concepts and skills.  Transition beyond rote memorization and restatement of facts to demonstrate depth of understanding.  Think critically.

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GRADE 8 Curriculum

The Eighth-Grade Experience at LFCDS

Thirteen-year-olds are excited about the possibilities of their teenage years—middle school years are almost a memory, and high school looms on the horizon. The maturing that occurs in sixth and seventh grade gives way to a settling into one’s own skin during the eighth grade year.

Eighth-grade students want parents— and teachers—to treat them as if they are no longer children. They are comfortable at school and relish being the oldest students in the building. They want to make sure that they are recognized for the hard work they have put in that has gotten them this far. There’s a deeper longing for independence during this time, and responsibilities both at home and in school increase gradually.

out in their own thoughts and risk-taking. These events and projects allow them to express their thoughts in academically meaningful ways as they explore using their own voice and gain poise as public speakers and global thinkers.

At the end of the eighth-grade year, LFCDS graduates are independent thinkers who are wellequipped to flourish in future academic and career settings.

They know how to use state-of-the-art technology to find, evaluate, analyze, and Travel and practice a world language synthesize information. with French, Spanish, or Mandarin Chinese native speakers.

They have learned time management skills, take Reflect on personal values and write a organized notes, and thoughtful “This I Believe” statement. express themselves Read and view a Shakespeare play performed expertly both orally by the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. and in writing. InComplete a legacy art project. depth studies of world Study linear regression in Algebra. languages and cultures Read and discuss Lord of the Flies. prepare them to become global citizens, while Have the opportunity to give a speech at an all-school event. hands-on participation in the fine arts and visual Argue a position in First Amendment arts provide a gateway mock-trials. to a lifelong love of and Go on the Washington, DC trip. appreciation for culture.

Highlights of the EighthGrade Experience

Although LFCDS is intent on preparing all students for future academic success, it’s especially an important part of the eighth-grade year. LFCDS faculty work to create a bond of trust and respect with students—and these relationships last long after graduation. We believe that open, coordinated communication leads to the most effective team of faculty, parents, and students.

Our goal is to increase student self-advocacy as they take on more responsibility.

Experiences such as the Washington DC trip, world language trips and various day field trips to Chicago, the eighth-grade drama production, and the “This I Believe” project at the end of the year allow students to explore their world as they begin to venture

Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 8

Schedule

Students in Upper School follow a rotating six-day cycle consisting of forty-five-minute class periods. Grade-level academic courses are clustered into blocks in order to provide opportunities for grade-level team meetings, integration of curricula, and flexibility. In courses such as social studies, science, and world language, students meet on five out of the six cycle days and attend an academic study hall on the remaining day. Students attend mathematics classes on each of the six days of a cycle, and meet an additional seventh time on occasion for enrichment. English classes routinely meet seven

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Grade 8 times per cycle with a focus on each of the numerous language arts strands including literature, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and writing. Students also attend semester-long fine arts courses that meet on alternating cycle days. Finally, students participate in physical education and wellness classes on alternating days.

Students enjoy a mid-morning healthy snack and have a recess break each day in addition to lunchtime recess.

Three times per week, Upper School students meet with their advisor and engage in a formal character development program consisting of such topics as empathy, communication, problem solving, peer dynamics, social cruelty, stress management, and substance abuse. These adult-led sessions use a variety of resources including the Second Step program, Student Success through Prevention. Each Wednesday, an advisory group designs and leads a division-wide community meeting in which students gather to share information, talents, successes, and celebrations with one another.

Overview Standardized Assessments

Each October, students in Upper School take the Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP) online standardized test prepared by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB). The CTP4 is a rigorous assessment of student achievement of essential standards and learning domains in English (language arts) and mathematics. Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning tests are also included for grades five through eight. CTP Online is adaptive in nature, adjusting to the student’s performance on test questions and focuses more precisely on student depth of understanding. These tests are used both as an internal assessment instrument for curricular standards as well as an informative tool for student progress over time.

Homework

Homework is assigned in the Upper School based on curricular needs for repetition, application, reflection, and/or student inquiry. These assignments are written down by each student, but are also posted digitally on the Panther Portal for confirmation and are updated regularly. In general, homework assignments in the Upper School should require the following preparation: Grade 5: 1–1.5 hour(s), Grade 6: 1.5–2 hours, Grade 7 and 8: 2–2.5 hours. Students in sixth through eighth grade usually have four academic study periods per cycle. If this time is used effectively, homework for one or more subjects should be completed during this period. The time for completing homework may vary depending on individual learning style and productivity. The value of homework depends upon how it is done. It is essential that each child find a quiet place to work and determine a definite time for study. Distractions and interruptions such as those from television, cell phones, video games, and social networking technologies should be minimized.

Each child should be responsible for his or her own assignments.

Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 8

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Grade 8

English

English Overview Upper School English is a multi-strand subject. Students study literature, composition, vocabulary, grammar, and spelling appropriate for their grade level. Students read and write in a variety of genres. Literature selections vary by grade level. Composition mainly revolves around the literature studied and the annual Robbie Bermingham Speaking Contest. Vocabulary focuses on Greek and Latin roots and prefixes; it is drawn from the literature students read as well as from the series Vocabulary for Achievement. Spelling includes words from the Rebecca Sitton program, homonyms, cross-curricular words, literary and language arts terms, and may also include individualized spelling from a web-based program. Grammar covers parts of speech, sentence syntax, and the usage conventions of the English language. The skill levels vary and increase with the complexity of texts as students progress through grades five through eight.

Grade-Level Expectations

In eighth grade, students work to master the following English skills:

Reading  Read for information, understanding, and appreciation.

•• Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend reading selections.

•• Clarify understanding of words by using a variety of resources, including context clues and dictionaries.

•• Evaluate structural elements such as main idea, supporting details, and conclusion in more complex informational texts.

•• Highlight relevant information in the text.

•• Gather, analyze, and evaluate information from a variety of sources.

•• Quote from the text and annotate selectively accurately to reflect or support a point of view.

•• Make and support inferences about the author’s purpose.

•• Engage with increasingly challenging reading material as grade appropriate.

•• Conduct discussion based on comprehension and interpretation of material read.

•• Use information from reading selections to inform, explain, and support questions and predictions.

•• Connect reading selections to personal experiences and other texts.  Identify and appreciate literary elements.

•• Identify the main events of the story’s plot using terms such as exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, and falling action.

•• Analyze and evaluate character, setting and theme as they apply to more complex reading selections.

•• Analyze and evaluate narrative point of view and use of dialogue in a variety of literary works.

•• Recognize, compare, and evaluate the elements of characterization in literary works.

•• Select and highlight passages that support understanding and recognition of literary elements.

•• Recognize, compare, and evaluate the impact of narrative point of view, character development, and setting on literary selections.

•• Compare, contrast, and evaluate themes in multiple stories.

•• Analyze and evaluate the author’s use of certain literary elements such as foreshadowing, flashback, figurative language, and irony.

Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 8

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Grade 8

English, Mathematics •• Compare, contrast, analyze, and evaluate how different authors use literary elements for a variety of purposes.

•• Analyze and appreciate increasingly complex poetry through an understanding of poetic devices such as similes, metaphors, alliteration, rhyme scheme, and personification.

Writing  Gain experience with writing an assortment of composition modes.  Engage in the stages of the writing process: drafting, revising, and sharing final copy.  Identify and accomplish personal purpose in each composition.  Generate and organize ideas using a variety of planning strategies.  Generate a multi-paragraph composition, using introduction, body, and conclusion.  Transition smoothly within and between paragraphs.  Provide rich and relevant supporting details within the body of a composition.  Develop grace of expression through effective sentence syntax, paying particular attention to identifying and correcting sentence fragments and run-ons as well as focusing on sentence variety and transitions.  Use figurative language and well-chosen vocabulary effectively.  Use increasingly sophisticated word choice in compositions.  Apply the rules studied for syntax, grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation to writing.  Edit documents for clarity, correct grammar usage, and grace of expression.  Write concisely and accurately for selected forms of assessment.  Appreciate authors’ use of elements of writing and style.

Presentation  Express clearly personal responses to classroom discussion.  Collaborate and present material as part of a group presentation.  Practice and exhibit essential presentation skills such as diction, volume, eye contact, appropriate gestures, and pacing for many sizes and types of audiences.  Read a text aloud with appropriate inflection.  Participate as an effective audience member.

Mathematics Overview By incorporating researched standards and best practice strategies, our Upper School mathematics program challenges fifth- through eighth-grade students to compute accurately, think analytically and to reason logically.

Instruction is individualized and differentiated within each class in addition to having a framed readiness path to allow for a variety of flexible grouping based on specific criteria. Pearson/Prentice Hall’s Mathematics series is the primary resource for all mathematics courses and the curriculum is infused with manipulatives, creative applications, projects, technology, and critical thinking activities.

The goals of the Upper School mathematics program at LFCDS are:  to stimulate enthusiasm for mathematics.  to teach and reinforce essential mathematical concepts.

Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 8

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Grade 8

Mathematics

 to develop students’ problem-solving abilities.  to foster mathematical creativity, flexibility, and ingenuity.  to offer challenging, engaging learning experiences.

In order to best meet the needs of all of our middle school students, a math readiness path allows for fluid and flexible movement among leveled courses within each grade. In sixth grade, an accelerated course is designed to accommodate individual conceptual understanding with greater depth, pace, and rigor.

Resources, manipulatives, projects, web-resources used on an ongoing, rotational basis:  Prentice Hall Mathematics textbook series and resource materials  Marcy Cook Tiles  Buzz Math individualized online mathematics skills program  Math Olympiad Contests  Used Numbers (Real Data in the Classroom)  The Problem Solver  Middle School Mathematics Project – Probability and Fair Games  Middle School Mathematics with Pizazz  www.explorelearning.com  www.phschool.com  Interdisciplinary units with science and STEM-based projects such as growing crystals, bungee jump analysis, rockets, and balsa wood bridge building.  Applications-based projects such as fantasy football, mathematician research, polyhedra construction, statistics analysis, stock market game, and shopping unit.

Grade-Level Expectations In eighth grade, students work to master the following mathematics skills:  Explore variables, function patterns, and graphs.  Understand matrices involving multiplication and abstract applications.  Investigate rational numbers.  Examine linear equations.  Analyze functions and linear regression.  Apply knowledge of functions to graphs, notations, and compositions.  Investigate scatter plotting and the coordinate system.  Solve absolute value equations and inequalities.  Solve compound inequalities.  Explore systems of equations and inequalities.  Understand polynomial identification and computation.  Factor polynomials including quadratic expressions.  Memorize and utilize exponent rules and properties.  Determine radical simplification, operations, and equations.  Analyze the graphs of linear and quadratic equations.  Explore rational expressions, computation, and equations.  Apply knowledge of factoring quadratics to rational equations.  Investigate concepts related to exponential growth and decay.

Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 8

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Grade 8

Social Studies

Social Studies Overview Using a variety of teaching techniques and focusing on a series of themes, instruction in eighth-grade social studies takes students on a journey through the American Experience. The course begins with a study of the great political philosophers and a review of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. As part of this unit, eighthgrade students also prepare for their fall trip to Washington, DC. Themes examined during the year include “National Politics and the Presidency,” “Immigration,” “The African-American Experience,” “Manifest Destiny and Expansionism,” “The Industrial Revolution and the American Economy,” and “War and Peace.” Students participate in two first amendment trials and also work on a major research project. As a unifying theme, eighthgrade students are encouraged to reflect upon the concept of what it means to be an American citizen.

Grade-Level Expectations

In eighth grade, students work to master the following social studies skills:

Projects and Public Speaking (Cooperative Learning, Problem Solving)  Deliver frequent, short oral presentations on a variety of current events and historical subjects, with special attention to the theme of citizenship on the local, national, and international level.  Work independently or cooperatively with a variety of peers and use at least two sources to complete projects and presentations using media such as Timeliner, PowerPoint, documentary videos, posters, or models with increasing depth through the Upper School years.

Social Studies Concepts (Economic, Political, Historical, Geographic)  Using authentic evidence, make predictions, and draw conclusions about current events and themes in American History.  Examine the geographical features that impact the growth, development, and culture of our country.  Determine and explain how people in our country used technology to overcome geographic challenges and expand commerce and trade.  Explain the economic and political systems in our country, at the national and local levels, and reflect on the role of citizenship within those systems.  Explain how the necessity for trade leads to cultural expansion, exploration, and political challenge in our country’s history.  Discuss and analyze the changing role of women and various minority groups in our country’s history.  Explore the similarities and differences between social and ethnic groups in our country’s history.  Reflect on how the division of labor and the changing nature of work impacted the evolving perception of citizenship.  Explain the impact of basic constitutional freedoms on our country’s culture and history.

Comprehension and Synthesis (Reading, Writing, Thinking)  Examine first amendment freedoms by recreating precedent-setting Supreme Court cases at the trial court level in the classroom.  Analyze political campaigns and movements in our country’s history.  Discover the factors which led to the exploration and settlement of the West.  Examine, compare, and contrast the quality of life for different social groups in our country’s history.  Use a variety of writing styles and genres to best express learned concepts.  Create and interpret timelines to develop a stronger sense of the continuity and discontinuity of themes in our country’s history.

Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 8

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Grade 8

Social Studies, Science  Create a hypothesis about a topic in American History and prove the hypothesis through formal research, the creation of an outline, bibliography, and footnotes.

Classroom Skills (Organization and Time Management, Note-Taking, Research)  Review and master two-column note-taking skills; react to each section of notes by summarizing, connecting, or questioning.  Reinforce and master use of textbook resources to aid in comprehension, note-taking, and test preparation.  Discuss and interpret novels such as When the Emperor Was Divine, Hiroshima, and Left for Dead to better understand historical situations.  Use simulations for immersion into problem solving of historical dilemmas.  Take notes, organize, compose, and present information on topics of historical interest using a variety of formats.  Find and utilize a variety of reliable resources, both in print and online, to further learn about a topic.  Effectively use technology as an aid in research and organization.  Review and master effective study techniques for different types of assessments.  Reflect on how historical events mirror or contrast current events.

Science Overview The Upper School curriculum includes three units of study per year at each grade level that address the three branches of science—physical science, life science, and earth/space science. In a hands-on inquiry-based setting, students pose questions, explore hypotheses, and form conclusions. Students further their scientific understanding through learning that is relevant to real-life experiences and through spiraling unifying themes from grade five through grade eight.

Eighth-grade students are challenged to understand the larger forces that shape and control their world.

Structures provide the framework for understanding physics—such as creating balsa wood bridges to assess the impact of force, stress, and strain on their creations; K’NEX roller coasters as a way to understand the work, energy, and the classic kinematic equations; or catapults to grasp the complex two-dimensional motion of a projectile. Building on their biological knowledge from previous years, an in-depth study of evolution is undertaken. Students construct phlyogenetic trees to see the relationships between organisms and how this is one part of the evidence of how we, and all life on earth, has evolved from a common ancestor. Solar, hydro, and wind power are investigated for their effectiveness and usability to solve energy problems both in Illinois and abroad—understanding at the same time that it is the transfer and changing of the sun’s energy that makes this all possible.

Grade-Level Expectations

In eighth grade, students work to master the following science skills: eigh grade, students work to master the

Physical Science: Physics of Motion  Understand these foundational concepts: •• Speed, velocity, and acceleration •• Vector and scalar quantities •• Gravity and g-forces Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 8

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Grade 8

Science, World Language  Use 1D-kinematic equations to explain the motion of an object.  Understand projectile motion.  Apply Newton’s Laws 1, 2, and 3  Write effectively about scientific ideas with supporting evidence.  Build scale models to demonstrate principles.  Discovery the interrelatedness of work, power, and energy.  Learn how to capture and harness energy from sun, wind, and water.

Life: Evolution  Construct phylogenetic relationships using base and amino acid sequences.  Compare animal structures to see relationships among species past and present.  Learn how natural selection and mutation result in adaptions, both simple and complex.  Review the biological, biogeographical, fossil, and molecular evidence for evolution.  Evaluate fossil evidence for human evolution.  Understand the genetic relationship between humans and our closest living relatives.  Be able to articulate the benefits and limitations of current evidence.

Discuss major characteristics selected for in hominid evolution—bipedalism and big brains­—and the  adaptive advantages of each.  Explore current hypothesis about the evolution of bipedalism.  Map migration patterns of early hominids.  Assess human influence on the evolution of our own species and other organisms (modern medicine, genetically modified foods, invasive species, endangered species).  Exolore exobiology—the possibility of life elsewhere.

World Language Overview The world language program intertwines communication, culture, comparisons, and connections in accordance with National Standards. World language events that pertain to community take place throughout each year of the program. We also invite our students to see and explore language and cultures beyond classroom walls by looking through an abundance of multi-media windows to the outside world.

Grade-Level Expectations

In eighth grade, students work to master the following world language skills:

Spanish  Differentiate and incorporate the imperfect tense with the preterite.  Differentiate and incorporate the perfect tense with the progressive.  Add the future and the conditional tenses.  Give formal and informal commands (affirmative and negative).  Express doubt, desire, or emotion with present tense subjunctive.  Discuss such topics as technology, the environment, directions, the zoo, the circus, the amusement park, and travel plans.  Discuss culture and current issues in El Salvador, Honduras, Cuba, Costa Rica, and for Hispanics in the US. Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 8

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Grade 8

World Language  Understand and celebrate El Dia de los Muertos.  Participate in the National Spanish Exam.  Travel and speak in Spanish during a five-day total immersion trip to Costa Rica.

French  Describe and sequence a past stay in Provence and at a farm.  Describe and compare French, US, and British table settings, and French culinary with American culinary habits.  Choose and order food using specialized menu nomenclature.  Describe daily routines about self-care and grooming, and house cleaning.  Explore history and contemporary life in Haïti and Martinique.  State preferences regarding music, sports, pass-times and multi-media entertainment.  Ask and repeat information about bank and postal activities and the purchase of jewelry.  Sequence present and past events with DO and IO pronouns.  Recount and sequence childhood events and experiences.  Understand, compare, and celebrate cyclical celebrations.  Watch and discuss two French classics.  Travel and speak in French during a five-day total immersion trip to Quebec City.

Mandarin Chinese  Comprehend oral Chinese and respond with short answers and sentences.  Ask for clarification of meaning when needed.  Share ideas in Chinese and contribute to classroom conversations.  Read and understand stories and conversations on a wide variety of topics.  Respond to written prompts with sentence- and paragraph-long answers in Chinese characters.  Converse about a wide variety of topics in Chinese.  Write multiple paragraph-long stories and conversations on a variety of topics.  Read, type, and hand-write Chinese characters.  Read relying on characters.  Use pneumonic devices and character symbolism to remember meaning of new characters.  Refer to the pinyin phonetic guide while acquiring new vocabulary.  Compare and describe objects, people, and future events.  Understand important facets of Chinese daily life and culture, including weather, seasons, and holidays.  Celebrate Chinese New Year with culturally significant foods and activities.  Participate in the Youth Chinese Test, an international test of Chinese ability in students before high school.  Interact with other Chinese speakers, such as during a five-day world language trip to San Francisco's Chinatown.

Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 8

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Grade 8

Fine Arts

Fine Arts Overview Education in the arts is an integral part of the education of the whole child. Children learn to express and interpret ideas through observation and analysis of the fine arts. They learn creative modes of problem solving and develop an array of expressive, analytical, and developmental tools which can be applied to a variety of human situations. Students at LFCDS understand the influences of the arts in their power to create and reflect about cultures, both past and present, thus enabling them to make informed judgments about cultural products and issues. They also develop attributes such as self-discipline, perseverance, and collaborative skills. Through experiences in the arts, children develop their imaginations which brings them happiness and a sense of personal fulfillment.

General Music

The three main components of the Upper School general music program at each grade level are music literacy, performance, and music listening and analysis. Students learn proper performance etiquette (posture, facial expression, and singing and instrumental technique) and audience etiquette (active listening, predicting appropriate responses based on genre and venue).

Grade-Level Expectations

In eighth grade, students work to master the following general music skills:  Read and analyze traditional and non-traditional scores from contemporary composers.  Read and perform songs in various complex meters.  Sing popular style songs from several different eras of the twentieth century.  Evaluate and critique popular American styles/genres of music from the twentieth century.  Identify, analyze, and explain the various musical elements found within a recording.  Analyze and identify recording techniques used in pop music during the past 50 years.  Interpret and criticize non-traditional compositional techniques used in classical music during the twentieth century.  Analyze well-known music, lives of, and influences on the musical output of several well-known contemporary avant garde composers including John Cage, Milton Babbit, Arnold Schoenberg, and Krzystof Penderecki.  Create, score, and perform an avante garde performance art ensemble piece based on a current political or social issue.

Visual Arts

The three main components of the Upper School art program at each grade level include: art production, art literacy and criticism, and art history.

Grade-Level Expectations

In eighth grade, students work to master the following general visual arts skills:  Consider how artists get their inspiration for their ideas.  Compare contemporary portraits focusing on the artist’s choices, such as medium, meaning, and composition.  Recognize structures of portraiture such as pose, gesture, expression, costume, and setting.

Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 8

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Grade 8

Fine Arts  Describe the ways family, religion, gender, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, and other group and cultural influences contribute to the development of a sense of self.  Hypothesize why artists make self-portraits.  Evaluate ways artists raise awareness to political and social events and ideas.  Select and apply the elements of art and principals of design to improve communication of one’s ideas.  Create various works of art in drawing, painting, and printmaking media.  Plan and create an artist statement explaining one’s artistic decisions and creative processes.

Drama

Drama engages students in a progressive curriculum in grades four through eight. The emphasis is on process and exploration, rather than product. Each year, drama will give students the opportunity to hone their voice and movement skills. Students will continually have the chance to learn more about themselves, others, and engage in the world around them through mindfulness-awareness practices. Students will utilize critical thinking skills and stretch their imagination as they learn about the history of the theatre through interactive, hands-on activities. Students will learn how to think on their feet, practice memorization techniques, and learn about the physical theatre space as well as different acting techniques. Through our drama classroom philosophy of O.T.O. (Other Than Ourselves), students will better understand the idea of our interconnectedness as human beings and make lifelong connections between the past and the present.

The three main components of the Upper School drama program are mindfulness/awareness practices, storytelling and theatre history, and performance. Students learn proper performance etiquette (body carriage, facial expression, and voice and speech technique) and audience etiquette (active listening, predicting appropriate responses based on genre and venue).

Grade-Level Expectations

In eighth grade, students work to master the following drama skills:  Utilize their sensory awareness, spatial awareness, and mindfulness practices.  Develop voice and movement skills.  Develop ensemble skills.  Develop memorization skills.  Utilize improvisation skills as rehearsal technique.  Explore, analyze, and understand the history, conventions, components, and style of Shakespeare and the Elizabethan theatre.  Utilize Shakespearean and Modern staging techniques.  Rehearse and prepare for a final public performance.

Performing Arts

The musical performing arts are an important part in the life of an Upper School student at Lake Forest Country Day School. Beginning in fifth grade, students have the option to participate in the choral program. There are three separate choruses in which students can volunteer to participate: Fifth- and Sixth-Grade Chorus, Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Chorus, and Honors Chorus (merit based and by director’s invitation only).

All students participate in the band program in fifth grade as part of their general music curriculum. In sixth grade, students have the option to continue to participate in the band program. There are three different instrumental ensembles in which students can volunteer to participate: Sixth-Grade Concert Band, Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Symphonic Band, and Jazz Band.

Students in the choral and band performing groups regularly perform at all-school assemblies including the Thanksgiving Assembly, the Holiday Assembly, the Grandparents Day/Music In Our Schools Assembly, various evening concerts, and Upper School Graduation.

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Grade 8

Fine Arts, Physical Education & Wellness

Additionally, there are several opportunities each year for individual students to prepare solo and ensemble pieces for competitions in both singing and instrumental playing.

Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Chorus

Students continue to review and refine choral singing skills taught in fifth- and sixth- grade chorus. Repertoire can include, but is not limited to, African American Spirituals, contemporary poetry settings, and motets. Skills include:

 Sing with appropriate singing style technique based on various repertoire.  Perform in unison, two-, three-, and four-part harmony with vocal independence.

Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Honors Chorus

This is Lake Forest Country Day School’s premiere ambassador choral group. It is comprised of 22-25 outstanding members of the seventh- and eighth-grade chorus. Participation in this group is by director’s invitation only and is based on leadership, vocal development, and attendance and participation within the regular choral program. The group performs selections from the seventh- and eighth-grade choral rehearsals and performs sporadically throughout the year.

In the past, they have represented the LFCDS choral program at such venues as WGN Radio, Pick Staiger Concert Hall at Northwestern University, Music At Trinity Concert Series in Highland Park, as well as regular scheduled open house events, annual giving fund receptions, the LFCDS auction, LFCDS alumni reception, Homecoming, and other venues within the life of the School.

Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Symphonic Band

Students continue to review and refine instrumental skills taught in Concert Band. The repertoire becomes more complex and students are expected to practice at home at least an hour per week. Instruments for this ensemble may include piccolo, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet, french horn, trombone, baritone, tuba, and percussion. Skills include:

 Playing an instrument with correct embouchure, tone, intonation, tuning, and air support.  Paying attention to ensemble balance and blend.  Exploring more advanced rhythms and techniques.  Learning ten major scales, two octave chromatic scale for winds, and advanced lip slurs for brass.  Following a conductor’s cues and patterns.

Jazz Band

Jazz Band is a group comprised of volunteers from Concert and Symphonic Bands. This ensemble meets once per week before school to rehearse. We explore genres including swing, big band, blues, bop and pop. Any instrument is welcome to join the Jazz Band including piano, drum-set, and guitars.

Physical Education & Wellness Overview The mission of the physical education & wellness program is to develop a lasting appreciation for physical activity and the skills, strategies, and knowledge that lay the foundation for a lifetime of well-being through athletics. Teachers strive to inspire a commitment to health-related fitness and positive lifestyle choices regardless of athletic ability. Our goals are to enhance students’ ability to lead, work together as a team, participate fairly with sportsmanship, and develop respect for peers. We expect active participation from all students.

Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 8

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Grade 8

Physical Education & Wellness, Education Technology

Grade-Level Expectations

In eighth grade, students work to master the following physical education & wellness skills:  Master many fluid locomotor skills.  Master a combination of locomotor and manipulative skills.  Follow rules, procedures, etiquette, and wear appropriate attire to actively participate in fitness activities.  Use equipment safely and properly.  Apply an understanding of fundamental strategies used in sports and games.  Comprehend fully that aerobic exercise improves the efficiency of the cardiovascular system.  Participate in daily physical fitness activities consistently.  Analyze and monitor heart rate through a variety of devices.  Apply the principles of frequency, intensity, and time during exercise.  Comprehend fully the components of health related fitness.  Comprehend fully and apprecitate the body systems and their impact on athletic performance.  Follow the LFCDS PE Code of Conduct.

Education Technology

With technology increasingly permeating the fabric of society, success in completing many everyday tasks and projects hinges on competence in information technology. The continuing expansion of information requires that students focus on the following skills:  creativity and innovation  critical thinking and problem solving  communication  collaboration  flexibility and adaptability  initiative and self-direction  social and cross-cultural skills  productivity and accountability  leadership and responsibility To prepare students for a high-tech world, LFCDS includes instruction in information technology in the classroom through its education technology program as well as providing elements of direct instruction to increase competencies and familiarity. The major goal is to provide opportunities for students to use information technology as a tool to complete a task rather than as an end in itself. Students learn both the technical skills of computer and technology use, and their proper role in attaining the skills of a competent twenty-first century learner.

Upper School Curriculum Guide — Grade 8 Rev. May 7, 2012

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Grade 8

Information Literacy, Resources for Parents

Information Literacy

Information literacy in the Upper School is embedded in the academic curriculum. In classes from social studies to science to music, students develop skills in: accessing and evaluating information; organizing knowledge and presenting it creatively; and participating ethically as members of social and intellectual networks. The LFCDS library supports the Upper School curriculum by providing resources, both print and electronic, for student use and by teaching particular information skills as necessary.

Resources for Parents We are confident that eighth grade will be a terrific experience not only for your child but for your family.

Beginning with a listening call with your child’s advisor, an informational coffee in early September, and grade-level social events, there will be many opportunities to establish important connections. As the school year progresses, there will also be several ways for you to volunteer—for classroom activities and field trips, and in a variety of capacities through the Parent Association and the Auction. Take a moment to visit in the Parent Association Office as you enter the Green Bay Atrium from the Lower School.

The Panther Portal (www.lfcds.net), as well as the external website (www.lfcds.org), provides a wealth of information:  Parent Downloads, Forms, and Links: This area on the Portal is filled with a variety of helpful information (i.e., online directories and class lists, downloadable medical forms, information on the school dress program, and more).  Curriculum Review Information: Each year a representative task force of faculty examines and revises a specific disciplinary area of study. This Portal page outlines our curriculum development framework and offers a venue for you to share constructive feedback.  Enrichment Activities and Resources: At LFCDS, we believe that summer is an opportune time to balance learning with a bit of leisure. This page provides information about required summer work, book lists for particular grade levels, mathematics and science challenges, and parent resources.  WordPress Blogs: Many classrooms have a WordPress blog set up, which gives a fun glimpse into the classroom. These are also available on the Panther Portal.  Parent Association Information: This tab provides information about ways to get involved in the LFCDS Parent Association and the numerous events they help coordinate.

We believe social media is a timely way to tell the story of Lake Forest Country Day School, and to that end, the School has a Facebook account and a Twitter account that we encourage you to “Like” and “Follow”!

Simply search for “Lake Forest Country Day School” on Facebook and follow @LFCountryDay on Twitter.

We have a strict social media policy and never post individual student names or information on these channels. You will discover snippets of all of the great things happening at LFCDS on a day-to-day basis!

Your room parents are available to answer questions and help you get involved, and you are welcome to stop by the Upper School Office anytime. Questions? Please contact the office of the Head of Upper School at (847) 615-6114.

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