Eighth Grade

Students in the 8th Grade Advanced Spanish program at Julia Morgan School for Girls will read literature including poetry, short stories, and historical fiction, and explore current and historical events in the Spanish-speaking world through reading and listening activities. They will express themselves in writing through a variety of literary genres and improve written and oral fluency by communicating with penpals in Latin America and through class discussions. They will enrich their vocabulary and fill in gaps in their understanding of Spanish grammar. Students will also explore ways to engage meaningfully with the Spanish-speaking community in Oakland. The curriculum will be student-centered and guided by each child’s interests, language proficiency, and learning needs.

Eighth graders choose an elective course for the semester, as it allows for deeper exploration and focused skill development. This semester's offerings were A capella, Architecture, Book Arts, and Documentary Filmmaking. Depending on their elective choice, students may build visual literacy skills, develop 4-part harmonies and ear training, design with client needs, or broaden their technical film and editing toolkit. 

Novice-Intermediate Spanish is a mixed-level Spanish course designed for students with little to no previous experience speaking Spanish.  Students are broadly categorized into three different levels (Novice, Novice High, Intermediate) based on demonstrated language ability.  Students in all three levels will be anchored to the same four units of study over the course of this year, and each unit is differentiated to meet students at their language level and provide them with targeted opportunities for further developing their Spanish fluency.

The goals of JMSG advisory program are three-fold:

• To provide group advising sessions twice a week;
• To establish a one-on-one relationship between advisor and advisee;
• To establish the advisor as a liaison between parent/guardian and school.

Advisory places an emphasis on supporting girls academically, socially, and emotionally through their three years of middle school. Advisory complements the academic and SEL programs by providing an opportunity for girls to take ownership of their personal growth in a more intimate setting. Girls meet weekly in small groups, composed of an adult advisor and grade-level peers. Advisory groups explore topics such as community, identity, and leadership. In addition, the groups discuss upcoming school events and participate in a number of team-building activities throughout the year.

A girl's advisor acts as her academic and social advocate, offers advice and support, and encourages each girl to advocate for herself. Advisors communicate purposefully with girls’ teachers and parents/guardians and help their advisees prepare for student-led conferences twice a year. Advisory is a core element defining how students and teachers relate at JMSG, creating an atmosphere in which girls respect and feel close to their teachers and peers.

Students learn to be hands-on "investigators" of United States history as we delve into different themes. The first trimester introduces the students to the original native cultures in America. Put into groupings based on America’s geographical regions, students research traditional Native American lifestyles and create a group slideshow presentation, in addition to writing individual essays on early tribal life. We then explore the American colonies and the impact of slavery. Working in groups, students create skits that highlight different European colonies in the Americas. The class will watch and discuss the first two episodes of the classic TV series Roots. During the second trimester, students learn about the Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, and the forming of American government. They study the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and write an historical fiction piece as a character living in 1787 that must decide if she or he approves of the newly proposed strong federal government. They end the second trimester by learning how America grew through industrialization, the addition of westward territories, and social reform movements. The third trimester begins with the Civil War and Reconstruction. As the country heals, modernization and immigration increase. The students research and write an essay on their personal family history before coming to America and after settling here. Finally, students explore imperialism and America's world domination in an expanding global economy. Throughout the year, students continue to challenge themselves with the following questions: What does it mean to be an American with respect to democracy, freedom, diversity, discrimination, leadership, and change? How have the challenges and victories that our ancestors encountered helped to shape the events of today?

Eighth grade completes a comprehensive Algebra I curriculum using Holt, Rinehart, Winston's California Algebra I text, aligned to common core standards. In this high school-level Algebra I course, students learn the fundamental concepts and skills involved in simplifying expressions and solving equations. This course emphasizes the logical reasoning behind algebraic rules and relationships, as well as  their application. Students use TI-83s and Desmos web-based graphing calculators to study linear and quadratic functions, also exploring  patterns associated with these functions. The students develop problem-solving skills, reasoning and communicating effectively, and uncovering the “why” behind the “how.” The class emphasizes understanding of new material by using investigative and hands-on activities, offering opportunities to collaborate with classmates, and enabling girls to engage in robust class discussions.

The goals of eighth-grade physical science are to provide students with a basic understanding of fundamental scientific concepts, to encourage thoughtful scientific inquiry through the use of the scientific method, and to ignite curiosity about the natural world. We cover a wide range of topics in both physics and chemistry, including motion, force, energy, the nature of matter, the periodic table, and chemical reactions. Emphasis is placed on hands-on activities, experimentation, and collaborative creative projects. Girls develop their confidence and decision-making skills by participating in the Invention Convention. In this trimester-long culminating project, girls work in teams to design a prototype based on scientific concepts studied in class. They program robots and use power tools while developing and building a functional invention. Every girl plays an important role in making an idea come to life. Confidence increases as they prepare to present their inventions to the community at the annual all-school event.

The eighth-grade course is designed to immerse students in the world of STEAM with a strong focus on sustainability and innovation. Throughout the year, students engage with critical concepts of power and energy, explore renewable energy sources with an emphasis on solar power, and apply these concepts to real-world applications, including hydroponics and remote monitoring systems. Through project-based learning, students are exposed to engineering principles, elements of design and are challenged to dream up, design, and construct a working prototype for Invention Convention.

The 6th/7th/8th cross-grade chorus fosters JMSG’s young singers’ discipline, determination, self-confidence, and camaraderie. It offers our vocalists a chance to improve their personal craft while creating music with a group focus.Girls have the chance to sing both melody and harmony parts. We focus on vocal technique, breath control, note reading, and singing in multiple parts. Various performing opportunities occur throughout the year, often including performing the national anthem at Cal as well as the Spring Concert. Chorus also motivates students to practice at home and at school, and it provides bonding opportunities and confidence boosts in a musical setting.