Grade 8

Students complete a rigorous schedule in all core disciplines, including three separate, concurrent science classes (biology, chemistry, and physics), world language, and a course in logic. They can select an elective beginning in grade 6 and a world language option in grades 7 and above. The spiral of the curriculum is essential in these grades, particularly regarding the revisiting of concepts in the sciences in greater depth with each passing year, as students prepare for entry into Honors or Advanced Placement® (AP) level coursework starting in grade 9. For instance, the concept of homeostasis is introduced in grade 6 biology with a focus on the organ systems of the human body. In grade 7 biology, homeostasis is further studied in diverse systems of life on earth. By grade 8 biology, students expand their knowledge as they focus on how genetic mutations and cancers affect homeostasis at the cellular level.