Grade 8

Eighth Grade Theme: "What is Transformation?"

In Grade 8, students are approaching a pivotal milestone of transition and change. They are immersed in a developmental stage marked by self-discovery and understanding their place in the world. It is a time for deep exploration of individual talents, skills, interests, and values, during which students grapple with complex questions of identity and purpose.

A key facet of transformation is how we encourage each eighth grader to see themselves as leaders in their community. Intentional instruction in leadership begins in the fall, and numerous leadership opportunities are available to students within the Middle School community and beyond. Whether it is facilitating a mindful moment in Community Time, helping serve pizza lunch, or working closely with a PreK buddy, students come to understand the many forms of leadership. One central experience of the year is the Passion Project – an independent capstone in which each eighth grader dedicates at least 20 hours of focused curiosity to an impactful endeavor of their choice. By the end of their eighth grade year, Atrium students are independent, self-aware learners and confident leaders of the school, ready to contribute meaningfully to their communities beyond Atrium. Throughout the year, each family is carefully guided through the Next Schools process by the Head of School, supporting their selection of a high school and an exciting new path after Atrium for their eighth grader.

The year culminates with an immersive four-day trip to Washington, D.C. While one of the primary purposes of the trip is class bonding and connection, the class also explores civics and leadership through our capital's cultural landmarks and institutions. Throughout the trip, each student shares a thoughtfully researched presentation on a national monument or memorial, taking turns as the tour guides for their peers and teachers.

English Language Arts (ELA)

Eighth graders move toward independent ownership of their analytical and literary processes. They read and write with increasing self-awareness, exploring how language shapes identity, thought, and perspective. As readers, they are ready to interpret classic texts with depth, analyzing how major themes continue to resonate in modern life. Class discussions invite students to connect timeless works to their own experiences and to the world around them.

In writing, students begin to deconstruct the traditional essay form, learning how complex ideas demand more flexible and sophisticated structures. They research, draft, and refine sustained arguments, practicing the skills needed for high school and beyond. Everyday writing – articles, speeches, and opinion pieces – is also studied as a form of text, helping students see that strong writing exists all around them.

Common core texts include Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Animal Farm by George Orwell, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, which anchor units on power, justice, and moral courage. By year’s end, students have grown into thoughtful debaters, analytical readers, and confident writers prepared to engage meaningfully with the world.

Mathematics

Eighth grade mathematicians focus on functions, discovering what makes a function and how to represent it graphically, numerically, algebraically, and contextually. They study patterns as the basis for identifying types of functions and work extensively with linear, exponential, and quadratic functions. Eighth graders continue to examine the connections between algebra and geometry, graphing on the coordinate plane using a graphing calculator program as an essential tool. 

Exciting projects include the Big Numbers Project, the Life on a Budget Project, and the Graphing Designs Project. Social justice and real-world connections are central to the Middle School math program. In addition to daily lessons and projects, weekly Math News segments encourage students to analyze current events through a mathematical lens. During the Life on a Budget Project, students examine income inequality in the U.S. across racial, gender, age, and education demographics as they design a monthly budget for an imaginary client.

Science

Students study chemistry and physics in eighth grade science. They refine their scientific lab and communication skills, engaging in deep explorations of the physical sciences. Eighth graders experimentally test chemical and physical interactions of matter, apply Newton’s Laws of Motion through engineering design challenges, and investigate sustainable energy innovations in worldwide communities. Key projects for the year include the Ocean Acidification Modelling Project, where students create multivariate models of the interaction between atmospheric carbon dioxide and ecological impacts using published research articles, and the Natural Indicator Design Challenge, which combines traditional acid/base chemistry with engineering design to create botanically derived indicators for a specific client.

Social Studies

Eighth graders explore perceptions of human rights by looking at the history of the Holocaust and other genocides. In partnership with Facing History and Ourselves, students examine these difficult events through the lens of human behavior. The eighth grade course examines social activism and empowers students to create change in their lives and in the world. 

Students build on this knowledge later in the year, studying the desegregation efforts in Little Rock in 1957. Students also consider the issues of morality presented within the relevant historical context in To Kill a Mockingbird. These investigations connect history, literature, philosophy, psychology, primary source documents, and interactive activities, allowing students to engage deeply in the material.