1. ANDREW JACKSON ACADEMY
8TH
GRADE
PATH TO EXCELLENCE
WELCOME BACK
Welcome to the 2013-2014 school year! We hope you had an
enjoyable summer. It’s time for us to refocus our minds for
learning and we have a very rigorous and exciting 8th
grade year
ahead of us.
We welcome all of our returning students and parents
and extend a welcoming Jaguar ROAR to all of our new students
and parents to Andrew Jackson Academy.
By now you should have received several “Back to School” forms
to review, sign, and return. These forms included Emergency
Cards, Lunch Forms, Code of Student Conduct agreements, and
the Cell Phone Usage policy. If you need additional forms,
please request a second set from any one of your child’s teachers.
INTRODUCING OUR 8TH
GRADE
INSTRUCTIONAL TEAM
Reading – Ms. Robinson and Mrs. Melchor
Math – Mr. Bethea and Ms. Lebron (Math 8) and Mrs. Moody (Algebra I and Geometry)
Science – Dr. Bangurah and Ms. Lebron
US History – Dr. Bangurah and Ms. Melchor
POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION AND SUPPORTS
At AJA, we believe in teaching behavioral expectations
throughout the school. Using a proactive approach, we
teach the students the expected behaviors, reinforce and
recognize students who are able to model these behaviors
and have systems in place to support students who have a
difficult time demonstrating appropriate behaviors or may
present with more challenging behaviors. Please take a
few minutes to discuss with your child the meaning of our
School Mantra and the behaviors that they can do to
demonstrate these behaviors. We also want to make
certain that students and parents understand that
INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR WILL ALSO AFFECT
THE SUBJECT GRADES!
MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE GETTING IMPORTANT MESSAGES
Please send us your email address so that we can make certain that we keep you
updated of all 8th
grade News and Update.
UPCOMING SEPTEMBER
EVENTS!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Monday – Friday, September 9 –
13, 2013 – BOOK FAIR
Thursday, Sept. 9 – Back to School
Night – 6:30 pm
Monday, Sept. 19 – Unit 1 Math 8
Mandatory Assessment
Thursday, Sept. 26 – PTA Chuck E.
Cheese Spirit Night – 4 – 9 pm
Friday, Sept. 27 – Schools Closed
for Students – Professional
Development Day for Teachers

2. The students and teachers are learning about the CCSS. Ask your child what
this acronym stands for? The 8th graders are working towards becoming
active listeners by analyzing and processing information heard and read.
They are continuing to work on becoming responsible citizens by respecting others, being safe and
prepared every day. We will continue to discuss strategies of good readers. (making predictions and
inferences, using context clues, etc.)
Please encourage your child to read 30 minutes daily.
MATH 8 - During the first quarter, Math 8 students will begin analyzing rational and irrational numbers.
Students are expected to study notes daily and to complete all homework assignments to make proficient
scores. Please note that projects, tests, and quizzes are 50% of the math grade. Unit 1 Mandatory
Assessments begin September 16, 2013
ALGEBRA I - In our 1st
Unit - Linear and Exponential Expressions, Equations and Inequalities,
students will learn to interpret expressions that represent a quantity in terms of its context and interpret
parts of an expression, such as terms, factors, and coefficients. Students will learn to create equations
and inequalities in one variable and use them to solve problems, including equations arising from linear
and exponential functions. Students will also create equations in two or more variables to represent
relationships between quantities and graph equations on coordinate axes with labels and scales. They will
represent constraints by equations or inequalities, and by systems of equations and/or inequalities, and
interpret solutions as viable or non-viable options in modeling context. They will explain each step in
solving a simple equation as following from the equality of numbers asserted at the previous step, starting
from the assumption that the original equation has no solution and construct a viable argument to justify a
solution method. Additionally, students will learn to solve linear equations and inequalities in one
variable, including equations with coefficients represented by letters.
GEOMETRY – In our 1st
unit, Congruence and Constructions, students will learn to experiment with
transformation in the plane using a variety of tools. They establish triangle congruence criteria based on
analyses of rigid motions then make connections to the congruence shortcuts and formal constructions.
Students also apply reasoning to complete geometric constructions and explain why constructions work.
US History
What is a historian? How can you think, read, and write like a historian? What is the difference between a
primary and secondary source? These are questions that your eighth grader should be able to answer.
These are also topics we are discussing over in our history class.
Science
The 8th
graders are reviewing Science Lab Safety and the Scientific Process. Students will use scientific
skills and processes to explain the composition, structures, and interactions of matter in order to support
the probability of structures and energy transformations. Through scientific investigations, students will
enhance their knowledge of how science works.