Student Name:

All eighth grade students take these courses daily:

*English*Earth SciencePhysical Education/Health

Global Studies*AlgebraElective Choice

*Indicates Honors level course available to qualified students. See attached form.

Print - Student Name:

Student Signature:

Parent Signature:

Please return this form to your homeroom teacher by March 1, 2017

BAND 8

Students in eighth grade band build on their musical skills, but they also go beyond playing the notes. They add life to the music by incorporating dynamics, style, balance and emotion. Eighth grade band meets every day!

CHOIR 8

In addition to singing in the combined 7th/8th grade choir, the 8th grade students have their own ensemble. Repertoire is chosen based on the needs and abilities of the students and attention is given to healthy vocal production. This choir performs three concerts a year and students are eligible to audition for the Minnesota All-State Honor Choirs.

FACS/IND. TECH/ART ELECTIVE 8

This is a year-long elective course that meets daily. By choosing this elective, students participate in all three courses.

Each course is 12 weeks long.

  • FACS 8 – Discover Food

Go beyond the basics and into the science of food invention as well as the marketing behind food products. Become a food scientist by learning the science behind our food. Use your creative talents as you compete in food contests and develop your cooking skills in making giant cookies, fudge, pop over pancakes, strawberry shortcake, pizza crust, salsa, and cupcakes. This is a Delicious Class!

  • INDUSTRIAL TECH 8

In 8th grade Industrial Tech, students will hone machine tool skills to make projects out of wood. Wood working projects such as clocks, pen holders and pens will require the use of band and table saws, lathes, drill presses and routers. Business concepts and practices will be modeled and discussed to prepare students for real world employment.

  • ART 8 – iInnovate

Creative Self Expression. Material, Material, Material – 8th grade art students work with a rainbow of sophisticated art supplies including: clay, scratchboard, watercolor paint, acrylic pain, printing ink, color pencil, paint markers, chalk and linoleum. IN THIS CLASS they learn to paint, draw, sculpt, collage and stamp. ART is truly A-Remarkable - Thing. Come and enjoy this opportunity of self expression.

SPORTS and SOCIETY 8

This course is above and beyond 8th grade Physical Education. This is an active class and is more competitive than 8th grade PE. We compete in the gym and we are in the classroom once a week examining the week in sports by looking up current sports facts and articles in the Star Tribune newspaper.

AVID 8

AVID = Advancement Via Individual Determination. Enrollment in this course requires an application and interview. Students are not required to have taken AVID 7. Students who are eligible meet one or more of the following:

  • Average to high test scores
  • 2.5 – 3.5 GPA or higher
  • First Generation College Students
  • Students generally underrepresented in colleges

The 8th grade AVID course continues to teach AVID strategies including: note-taking, writing, organization, speech, and intra/interpersonal skills. The 8th grade AVID course builds on skills from the previous year, while also focusing on the upcoming transition to high school. Students analyze increasingly complex texts, using strategies such as close reading to support comprehension. Students continue to attend field trips and host guest speakers and participate in college preparatory testing.