Eighth Grade Math Curriculum

Everything You Want to Know About Eighth Grade Math

Eighth grade is the final year of middle school and a time when teachers start to lay the foundation for high school. It is important that students become more independent in their learning and problem-solving, and this is reflected in the eighth grade math curriculum, which introduces more complex subjects like functions.

To succeed in eighth grade math, students need to learn how to appropriately analyze mathematical information and think outside the box to solve difficult equations. Read on for our complete guide about eighth grade math! 

What is covered in 8th Grade Math?

Eighth grade is usually the beginning of students’ teenage years, and that means the eighth grade Common Core standards have stepped up a notch from seventh grade. Common Core standards align across 41 states and make sure that students in the same grade are learning the same topics, providing educational consistency and clarity for students, parents, and teachers.

Here are the concepts eighth grade math students learn as part of the Common Core curriculum:

• The Number System  
• Know that there are numbers that are not rational, and approximate them by rational numbers. 
• Expressions and Equations  
• Work with radicals and integer exponents.  
• Understand the connection between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations.  
• Analyze and solve linear equations and pairs of simultaneous linear equations. 
• Functions  
• Define, evaluate, and compare functions.  
• Use functions to model relationships between quantities.
• Geometry  
• Understand congruence and similarity using physical models, transparencies, or geometry software.  
• Understand and apply the Pythagorean Theorem.  
• Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving volume of cylinders, cones, and spheres.
• Statistics and Probability  
• Investigate patterns of association in bivariate data.

Teaching Eighth Grade Math

Eighth grade is an exciting year for students and teachers as much preparation for high school needs to be done. When determining how to teach eighth grade math, it’s important to consider this upcoming transition period and prepare students as well as possible.

With that in mind, we’ve put together some tips for teachers looking to set their students up for success in high school (and beyond). Keep reading to learn more!

Promote Your Students’ Independence

As students in eighth grade are between 13 and 14 years old, they have the ability to be a lot more independent than previous grades. Incorporating this independence in your lesson plans (including shifting students away from group or pair work and more towards individual work) gives eighth grade math students an excellent opportunity to flex their muscles of independence and test out their confidence.

A great way to encourage independence is by rewarding students for individual accomplishments and motivating them to continue building their skills. As they head into high school, these students will be better prepared to work individually and process more difficult material.

Show Connections Between Topics

Eighth grade math is the perfect opportunity to show connections between all the math concepts students have learned in the previous years of middle school. This also sets them up to continue making these connections in high school and look at math analytically.

Regular, structured review sessions allow students to re-affirm these connections, and using extra worksheets either as homework or in-class to pinpoint specific pain areas are great ways to give students the ability to sharpen their skills. Prodigy’s eighth grade math worksheets page has an array of resources to help your students brush up on tricky math concepts and prepare for high school. Visit the page here!

Whenever Possible, Make It Fun!

With all that preparation for high school, things can sometimes get tense in the eighth grade math classroom! A great way to defuse that tension is by switching gears to more fun teaching methods. Prodigy Math is a curriculum-aligned, game-based learning platform that teachers can use to supplement their eighth grade math lessons.

In Prodigy Math, students solve math equations to move forward in the game and earn points. They can also compete in Classroom Challenges or work together to achieve Classroom Goals and Rewards. Prodigy makes learning math truly fun and is just another tool for teachers to have in their arsenal.

Learning 8th Grade Math

For a student in the eight grade, learning math can be a daunting experience. However, that doesn’t have to be the case! Here are a few ways that parents can help students set themselves up for success in eighth grade math.

Build a Studying Routine

Heading into high school is the perfect time to help your child develop a solid studying routine. First, it’s important to determine how your child studies best, whether that’s with flashcards, online review, or worksheets. From there, you can provide your child with all the necessary materials and check in with them throughout the studying process.

Establishing the importance of a studying routine will serve your child as they move through high school math and will allow them to feel more comfortable and confident going into assessments. It will also encourage them to stay away from cramming before tests or exams, which can be stressful and create anxiety.

Encourage Your Child to Ask for Help

The best thing an eighth grade math student can do when they are struggling with a math concept is ask for help, whether from you or their teacher. It’s important that students understand that they can ask for help, and even if you don’t know the answer to their problem, you can guide them toward their teacher.

Although independence is important at this age, children should also feel comfortable and supported throughout their math learning. Letting them know that it is okay to ask for help is likely to lead to less confusion as they move forward in their studies.

Let Your Child Teach You!

An old adage says that the best way to truly learn a concept is to teach it to someone else, so why not let your child develop their math skills by having you brush up on yours! This is also an excellent opportunity for a fun bonding experience with your child and allows them to display their confidence and keep you up to date on their progress in the eighth grade math curriculum.

How Prodigy Improves Eighth Grade Math

Prodigy Math makes teaching eighth grade math easier than ever before. Teachers can keep a close eye on their students’ progress through the game while also providing feedback, and students can have some fun while developing their skills. As a supplement to the Common Core math curriculum, Prodigy Math takes math learning further than a classroom lesson and helps students see how math can be fun.

Register for your free teacher account and make the most of Prodigy Math for your students.

Eighth Grade Math Curriculum

Learn more about the eighth grade math curriculum, view the curriculum in your state, and toggle between grades on our user-friendly Math Curriculum Standards page. You can also expand curriculum topics to learn more about them, so you can stay on top of exactly what is covered in eighth grade math.