Welcome to 8th Grade

Welcome to the 8th grade. I’m Mr. McCarthy, and I have been teaching in Catholic schools since 1994, first at Bishop Blanchet High School in Seattle and then here at SFC since 2001. I received a bachelor’s degree at Eastern Washington University and a master’s degree at Gonzaga University. I am the 8th grade homeroom teacher, and I teach 7th and 8th grade math and science and 7th grade Washington State history.

8th Grade Child Development

Spiritual: Junior high is at a stage of rejecting the religion that they accepted unquestioningly on authority in the past.

• Through the next few years they will reevaluate and integrate a new set of values with which to direct their lives.
• Helping them through this period of needed growth can make them receptive to a meaningful relationship with the person of Jesus.

Emotional/Social: Students at this age are often unsure about themselves and others.

• They are greatly influenced by their peers and find safety in conformity.
• They enjoy socializing and usually have friends of both sexes.
• They are very sensitive and vulnerable to criticism.
• They enjoy being allowed to make their own decisions.
• In today’s society, they face momentous choices and pressures, many of which are to experiment with tobacco, drugs, alcohol, and sex.

Physical: This age group varies widely in their growth and development.

• They are adjusting to puberty and their own and others’ related changes.
• Life for an eighth grader is becoming more complicated because of new and varied experiences, expectations, and rapid physical changes.

8th Grade Highlights

Eighth grade is a year of excitement, learning, serving, and growing.

• May run for student council
• Participate in a class fund raiser which serves the entire school to cover the cost of class activities and field trips
• They develop a personal reflection binder and multimedia presentation
• Eighth grade retreat and eighth grade parent dinner
• Graduation

Service

The 8th graders’ service activity supports the Food Connection and Hospitality Kitchen located at St. Leo’s in Tacoma. The students are usually doing one of three things: Packaging or giving out food at the food bank or making food for the homeless. My hope is that the eighth grade students will realize how important their ministry is to others and that they realize how fortunate they are to have people who care about them. I also hope that they truly realize how powerful and wonderful it is for their own hearts to serve the poor.

 

 

Curriculum

Religion focuses on four primary units:

• Christian stewardship
• Church history
• Morality
• Social Justice

 

 

Math: The emphasis of 8th grade math is Algebra.

• We study mathematical relationships (equations) using letters (variables).
• We learn to manipulate these equations to solve for unknown variables.

 

 

English: This year is spent refining the writing traits, forms, and processes initiated in seventh grade. Students work towards a more independent use of these skills in order to prepare for high school English classes.

• Writing forms, research, and documentation
• Speaking skills

 

 

Reading: Students continue their study of fiction, non-fiction, and technical pieces through literary analysis. This year more emphasis is put on studying and critiquing the author through his or her piece of writing.

• Analyze author’s use of literary devices
• Analyze author’s writing style, language choices, and influence on the reader

 

 

Science: The focus is physical science: Astronomy, the properties of waves, motion, forces, and energy. All students participate in the school Science Fair.

 

 

Social Studies: Students study their nation’s beginnings and the functions of its branches of government. In addition to government structure, studies cover the development of the country’s regions.

• Documents: Declaration of Independence, The Constitution
• History of U. S. Geographical regions and people