8th Grade School Work and Lesson Plans

Lesson Plans for 8th Grade

Graphing Equations

Many 8th graders learn to use the equation y = mx + b to graph lines. In this equation, m represents the slope of the line, and b is where the line passes through the y-axis (also called a y-intercept). After introducing this equation, have students go on an 'equation hunt.' Give them a variety of lines already graphed, and ask them to create an equation for each. For instance, for a line with a slope of four, and a y-intercept of -11, the equation would look like this: y = 4x - 11.

Shapes and Angles

When teaching geometry to 8th graders, you'll likely address how to manipulate shapes and angles through reflections, translations and rotations. Because this concept can be hard to visualize, provide students with physical cutouts that they can move around on their desks. They will also need blank graph paper.

To translate a triangle on a graph, you simply move each point of the triangle the same amount of spaces in the same direction. Have students take one of their cutout triangles and place it anywhere on their graph paper. Then, ask them to translate the triangle five spaces to the right. They should use a pencil to move all three points over and draw a new triangle.

Literature

In 8th grade - and especially in high school - students will be required to use direct quotations in their written work. Develop this skill by having students underline important quotations in the text while they read. Color coding can often be an effective way to keep track of these quotes. For instance, underline character descriptions in red, symbols in green and theme-related lines in yellow.

If it's not possible to write directly in the book, you can use sticky notes instead. Either method allows students to easily find appropriate quotes when writing an essay.

Comprehension

Identifying the theme of a piece of literature can be tricky for many students. Guide them through the process by asking questions like, 'What is the author trying to tell us through this story?' If they are having an especially difficult time, consider modeling your own thinking. For instance, if the theme of the story is friendship, point out all the scenes in which friendship played a large role. Explain that themes are often repeated throughout a story, so it's a good idea to take note of patterns while you're reading.