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8th Grade December 2025 Newsletter
What Are Our Scholars Learning This Month?
ELA: During December, eighth-grade students will continue to read informational texts to learn more about the history of war in Vietnam and the specific historical context of Ha’s family’s struggle during the fall of Saigon. In Unit 2, students will build knowledge about refugees’ search for a place to call home. They will read informational texts that convey universal themes of refugees’ experiences across various times and cultures as they flee and find a home. As they continue through the novel, they will focus on how specific incidents move the story forward and reveal aspects of Ha’s character.
Math: The eighth-grade mathematicians are wrapping up the Equations and Functions Unit. We will begin the Linear Relationship Unit by solving systems of Equations.
General Science: This month, students will explore the fascinating relationships between the Earth, Sun, and Moon and how their movements create the patterns we observe in the sky, through hands-on investigations, interactive digital models, and data analysis. They will think and work like scientists—asking questions, using evidence to build explanations, and deepening their understanding of how these celestial bodies interact. By the end of the unit, students will have a clearer picture of our planet’s place in the solar system and how it connects to the cycles we experience every day.
Biology: Our young scientists will continue to explore how the human body’s systems work together to provide energy and endurance during physical activity. By studying how the digestive, circulatory, respiratory, and muscular systems interact, students will discover how the body produces and uses energy. This unit connects biology to real-life performance, helping students understand the science behind staying active and healthy.
Social Studies: This month, students will finish their study of Reconstruction, a period in United States history. Students will end the unit by answering the Essential Question: What are a nation's responsibilities to its citizens after a major conflict? to demonstrate their understanding of this topic. We will start to explore life in New York after the Industrial Revolution. We will study topics such as Child Labor, Immigration, and technological advances, and the problems that stem from them. We will also analyze life in the Tenements of New York City and the issues faced by early immigrants living in these conditions.
Art: Students in eighth grade have just started their Unit 2 projects. During this unit, students will analyze the geography of various countries. They will use this information to create their own landscape artwork, then, inspired by a country of their choice.
Computer Science: Students are currently working on an “About Me” project where they are programming and designing their own digital stories using the MIT Scratch environment. Their final project will be made of three different programs in one. Students apply computational thinking and programming skills to create a meaningful and relevant digital artifact. These activities are designed to help students explore the computational concepts of loops, events, and parallelism. Students will become more fluent in block-based coding and image manipulation.
Physical Education: During December, we will be finishing up our Goalline Soccer World Cup. Then we will be moving on to flag football. Our flag football unit will feature equipment received from the NFL through a grant written by the Lead-X Physical Education staff. Please remember that students must be prepared to participate in Physical Education class (SNEAKERS/SHORTS OR SWEATPANTS, NO JEANS, CROCS, OR BOOTS). Thank you for your continued support.
ENL: This month, the students will be working on Unit 2, Getting to Know You. Throughout this unit, students will learn new vocabulary, possessive adjectives, and adjectives, and read realistic fiction and informational texts, as well as learn about contractions, everyday habits, and adverbs. Students will also be building their English Language Development through the topic of exercise and its benefits for brain development. We will listen to, read, discuss, and write our opinions about recess.
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