Talking to
Student S
^Parents’ ^Guide ^to uccess

This guide provides an overview of what your child will learn by the
^end ^of ^8th ^grade ^in ^mathematics ^and ^English ^language ^arts/literacy.	8TH GRADE This guide is based on Ohio’s New Learning Standards, including the

Common Core State Standards in mathematics and English language arts. If your child is meeting the expectations outlined in these standards, he or she will be well prepared for 9th grade.

Why Are Academic Standards Important?

Ohio’s New Learning Standards provide students with practical experience applying math, reading, and writing skills that employers need.

The new standards emphasize the ability to collaborate, communicate, and tackle challenges. They will help your child gain the critical thinking and problem-solving skills they need to succeed in college, in their careers, and in life.

English Language Arts & Literacy

A Sample of What Your Child Will Be Working on in 8th Grade

■ Citing the evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what is explicitly stated and/or implied from a book, article, poem, or play
■ Analyzing where materials on the same topic disagree on mat-ters of fact, interpretation, or point of view
■ Building writing around strong central ideas or points of view; supporting the ideas with sound reasoning and evidence, precise word choices, smooth transitions, and different sentence structures
■ Planning and conducting research projects that include several steps and use many credible and documented print and digital sources

■ Analyzing the purpose of information presented in diverse media (e.g., print, TV, web) and evaluating its social, political, or commercial motives
■ Presenting findings and claims to others, emphasizing key points with relevant evidence and sound reasoning, adapting speech to the audience and the formality of the setting, and responding to questions and comments with relevant observations and ideas
■ Using strong, active verbs to create a clear picture for the reader (e.g., walk, skip, meander, lurch, limp)
■ Interpreting figures of speech (e.g., irony, puns) and developing a large vocabulary of general academic words and phrases

When you talk to the teacher, do not worry about covering everything. Instead, keep the conversation focused on the most important topics.
Your Child’s	^In ^8th ^grade, ^these ^include:
Teacher	^■ ^Reading ^closely ^and ^drawing ^evidence ^from ^grade-level ^fiction ^and ^non-fiction works that most strongly supports an analysis of the material
■ Developing a rich vocabulary of complex and sophisticated words and using them to speak and write more precisely and coherently

Learn more and access resources at www.TheOHStandard.org.

1
Mathematics

A Sample of What Your Child Will Be Working on in 8th Grade

■ Understanding slope, and relating linear equations in two vari-ables to lines in the coordinate plane
■ Solving linear equations (e.g., –x + 5(x + ⁄3) = 2x – 8); solving pairs of linear equations (e.g.,
x + 6y = –1 and 2x – 2y = 12); and writing equations to solve related word problems
■ Understanding functions as rules that assign a unique output number to each input number; using linear functions to model relationships

■ Analyzing statistical relationships by using a best-fit line (a straight line that models an association between two quantities)
■ Working with positive and negative exponents, square root and cube root symbols, and scientific notation (e.g., evaluating Ö36 + 64; estimating world population as 7 x 10^9)
■ Understanding congruence and similarity using physical models, transparencies, or geometry software (e.g., given two congruent figures, show how to obtain one from the other by a sequence of rotations, translations, and/or reflections)

NOTE: Many students take Algebra 1 in 8th grade. Please refer to the Parent Guide for high school mathematics for Algebra standards.

TALKING TO YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER

When you talk to the teacher, do not worry about covering everything. Instead, keep the conversation focused on the most important topics. In 8th grade, these include:

■ Linear equations with one and two variables ■ Functions
■ Congruence and similarity of geometric figures

Help Your Child Learn at Home

Try to create a quiet place for your child to study, and carve out time every daywhen your child can concentrate. You should also try to sit down with your child at least once a week for 15 to 30 minutes while he or she works on homework. This will keep you informed about what your child is working on, and it will help you be the first to know if your child needs help with specific topics. Additionally, here are some activities you can do with your child to support learning at home:

English Language Arts & Literacy

■ Make time in everyone’s busy schedule for family discussions about things going on around the world. Weekends can be a chance for everyone to catch up.
■ Visit the campus of a local college with your teen. Begin talking about college early. What does he or she expect from college? What high school courses will your child need to pass to prepare for college?

Mathematics

Ask your child to share with you any work he or she is doing in math class that strikes him or her as interesting. Some possibilities might include:
■ Solving interesting problems involving cylinders and spheres, such as figuring out how much water fits inside a garden hose, or how many earths would fit inside the sun.
■ Analyzing data with a scatterplot, for example to decide whether exercise and obesity are related.

THE OHIO STANDARD ONE GOAL: STUDENT SUCCESS

Learn more and access resources atwww.TheOHStandard.org.

@TheOHStandard	info@TheOHStandard.org	TheOHStandard	^The ^Ohio ^Standard

www.ohiopta.org

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