MATERIALS TO SUPPORT LEARNING IN GRADE 8

The goal of Emirates National Schools is to nurture and develop future leaders of the UAE. This requires that students learn differently, use different and varied materials and apply these materials in differing contexts. The development of independent thinkers who have a global view requires that students learn to see knowledge as an interrelated whole. Global insight develops with inquiry and creative production. Students must understand the similarities and differences between different approaches across cultures. Students must apply disciplinary knowledge to different contexts. Solving world problems and challenges necessitates the use of authentic and current materials.

Teaching practices and materials used must adapt to the 21st Century. This means that students require wider and deeper access to a variety of materials from a variety of resources to include print and electronic materials. Electronic resources provide frequently updated, current and historic sources as well as a much wider range of access to a variety of materials. This means that students have the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of books, research, journals, simulations, games and activities related to their learning. These resources give children opportunities to access and study information in a variety of ways, at any time and any place. This is what learning needs to be for our children to truly become local leaders and global citizens.

In Grade 8, students are using many materials that support International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) in the classroom. The skills students will have to master in grades 6 – 10 are thinking skills, social skills, communication skills, self-management skills, and research skills. In addition to the development of skills and content knowledge, the curriculum also provides students with opportunities to become inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective individuals. These skills and learner profile attributes will allow students to successfully meet the standards to assure that they have foundational knowledge and understanding of content concepts that will be covered later in their educational career. This foundation is important for students to access rigorous content in the upper grades as well as deepen their conceptual understanding of the curriculum through the promotion of creative and critical thinking.

This is a detailed explanation of the primary resource materials used to instruct students.

  1. English:Print Classroom Resources for English Language Arts are Elements of Literature; Course 1 and Write Source grade 8. Both of these texts are used in print in class. Students also have access to e-Books of both texts. These texts and resources support all aspects of English Language Arts to include the development of reading, writing, vocabulary and English spoken language skills. These resources also provide teachers with rich materials and resources for standards-aligned coverage of English Language Arts. The materials are connected to very specific academic outcomes as related to the English Language Arts Common Core Standards to assure reading, speaking and written English fluency. There are also electronic resources to support the aims as well as to assure academic honesty.
  2. Mathematics:Holt Mathematics Course 3 is the text that supports the development of mathematical understanding. Students will have access to an e-Book for home use. Grade 8 students may also take Algebra1 and the text is Holt Algebra 1 which is available in the classroom and the student will receive a CD-ROM e-Book.
  3. Science:iScience Course 3 is the in-class reference text for grade 8. This program is supported via rich teaching materials that allow teachers to address science content within the MYP framework. The science program and materials are connected to very specific academic outcomes as related to the Science standards to assure understanding in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. A minimum of 60% of class time will be dedicated to hands-on laboratories to assure that students deeply understand scientific concepts.
  4. Social Studies:Print Text to be Issued to Students: Heinmann Humanities 2, Essential Humanities 2, World Geography, World History
  5. Ministry Courses: [Islamic, UAE Social Studies and Arabic]: Ministry textbooks are issued to students.

The materials that follow are available to students in school and at home to support instruction. The electronic materials can be accessed over the Summer and during the school year at the PowerSchool e-Learning Portal. The details of logging in are shown below.

  • Web Address:
  • Login Information: User Name: Student ID Number (contact the school if you need this number) and Password: ens
  • On the left is a menu. Click the e-Learning Portal link for access to the electronic materials.

Grades / Subject / Print Materials / Electronic Materials / Additional Materials
8 / English / Elements of Literature: Course 1 and DVD Text for Student and Write Source for grade 8 as in-class use text and e-text for home use / Children's Library, TumbleBooks and Tumble Clouds, Etisalat Library, Visual Thesaurus / Novel Sets and In-Class libraries
8 / Arabic / Ministry Materials / Texts available with free app download from iTunes
8 / Mathematics / Holt Mathematics Course 3 and student DVD text or Holt Algebra 1and DVD Text / Math Visual Dictionary and Data Inspire on school computers / Hands on materials
8 / Science / iScience Course 3 print text for in-class use / In School presentation materials, textbooks, animations, videos, books, writing exemplars, and Science Visual Dictionary / Laboratory Materials [60% of class time, hands-on, inquiry-based laboratories], Probeware, LoggerPro Software
8 / Social Studies / World History and World Geography / Smithsonian Education for primary source documents
8 / UAE Social Studies/Islamic / Ministry Materials / Texts available with free app download from iTunes
8 / Technology / None / Software: Audacity, Microsoft Photostory, MovieMaker, Camtasia, Serif Suite [video, web design, photography], Audacity, App Inventor, Scratch, Google Sketch Up
8 / All Subjects / Britannica, Annenberg Learner, PBS Resources, Neo K12, Discovery Education, Khan Academy, Smithsonian Education, BrianPop Jr. and BrainPop ESL, and on school computers: KidSpiration and KidPix / TurnItIn

June 2013