8th Grade

8th Grade Required Courses

The following classes are required for all 8th Graders. Full course descriptions can be read in the Mountain Trail Curriculum Guide from your counselor.

MATH (classes based on placement exams or success in previous course)

• Pre-Algebra 8 - To prepare students for Algebra, topics covered include problem-solving, integers, statistics, geometry, patterns, rational and real numbers, proportions, percent, functions, graphing, probability and polynomials.
   
• Algebra - High school equivalency course for middle school credit that covers sets of real numbers, solutions of first and second degree equations, graphing on the coordinate plane, applications of algebra to data analysis and probability, patterns and functions and their applications, measurement and discrete mathematics, and basic mathematical structures. (Pre-requisite: Demonstrated competency in Pre-Algebra material and teacher recommendation)

ENGLISH

• 8th Grade English - Block periods of Reading and Writing to provide students varied exposure to the world of great literature, poetry, multiple writing experiences and enriched vocabulary.  Specific content includes Diary of Anne Frank, Animal Farm, The Good Earth, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, and excerpts from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.  In addition, various other novels, short stories, speeches and poems add to the diversity of the curriculum.  Increased emphasis is placed on vocabulary development through the understanding of Latin/Greek roots, foreign phrases commonly used in English.  A variety of writing experiences including functional, expressive, expository, argumentative, and research essays, and literary response are provided over the course of the year.  Students are required to demonstrate the application of the six traits of good writing: Organization, Ideas and Content, Sentence Fluency, appropriate Word Choice, Voice and Conventions.  The curriculum aligns with the Arizona College and Career-Ready Standards in reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing and presenting.
   
• Honors English - Single periods of Reading and Writing (accelerated and more in-depth study).

SCIENCE

• 8th grade - Student investigations focus on collecting and making sense of observational data and measurements using the science and engineering practices: ask questions and define problems, develop and use models, plan and carry out investigations, analyze and interpret data, use mathematics and computational thinking, construct explanations and design solutions, engage in argument from evidence, and obtain, evaluate, and communicate information. Focus will be on cause and effect, energy and matter, and stability and change. Topics include properties and changes of matter and energy, chemical reactions, genetics, and animal adaptations.

SOCIAL STUDIES

• 8th Grade Social Studies - The curriculum covers the US History during the second half of the 20th century. Studies include WW2, Civil Rights Era, Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War, and main events and changes of the US during the decades of 1950s to current times. Eighth-grade students also learn about Civics, how we gained our independence, the creation of the US Constitution, and how our government works. Entwined with the history is the geography of the Middle East, China, Southeast Asia, the US, Central America and the Caribbean.
   

• Honors Social Studies - Same as traditional 8th Grade Social Studies, but with accelerated and more in-depth study.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE)

• Various activities relating to particular fitness aspects as well as specific sports. Students work cooperatively, as well as individually, to develop their own fitness levels and to learn specific rules and skills involved with each sport presented. Team work, safety, and sportsmanship are emphasized throughout the course. PE uniforms can be purchased from the MTMS PTSO.

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8th Grade Electives

Below are the elective choices for 8th grade. Each class is one semester unless otherwise noted. See the curriculum guide for descriptions.

• Art

• Advanced Art

• Choir (Semester or Full Year) 

• Intro to Computer Science

• Advanced Computer Science

• Concert Band

• Concert Strings

• Culinary Arts

• Culinary Arts II

• Drama 

• Engineering

• Environmental Adventures

• Guitar

• Intro to American Sign Language

• Intro to Spanish

• Medical Detectives

• PE Boys/Girls (Semester or Full Year)

• Percussion Ensemble

• Piano (Semester)

• Strings (Full Year)

• Spanish 1-2 (Full Year)

• Student Aide Positions

All student aide assignments are dependent on availability and need (one semester course):

• Office/Student Resource Aide (Alt. Choice Only)