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Year 8 - Curriculum on a Page
Showing the curriculum by year
Year 8
Curriculum Details - 2023/2024 (Current)
| Subject | Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 |
| Art | Printmaking. Learning about the different types of printmaking - Relief, Screen print, Lithography and Intaglio Creating a 3 colour polystyrene print. Learning about the work of printmaker artist Angie Lewin. How to window mount and present a print - Numbering, Edition, Artist's proof. | 3D Sculpture. Learning about the four key sculpture techniques - modelling, carving, casting and construction. Experimenting with paper folding and manipulation. Creating a cardboard abstract sculpture working in pairs. Presentation of sculpture in a mini gallery. | Graphics and Design. Travel and transport posters - historical and contemporary imagery, composition, typography and colour schemes. Designing a poster for your local area using paper collage cut out techniques. Stencil skills. | Portraiture. Drawing self portraits from direct observation - front view, side profile. Learning about the work of Gustav Klimt. Creating a self portrait in the style of Klimt. Rubber printing techniques, collage techniques. | Portraiture. Applying knowledge of Gustav Klimt to own work. Creating a self portrait in the style of Klimt. Rubber printing techniques, collage techniques. | Independent journaling project. Journaling techniques - mixed mini workshops using a variety of media. Individual themes and expression of thoughts and ideas. |
| Computing | Cyber Security - A look at how computer systems have vulnerabilities and how to protect against these and also competing in a national competition. Computer Science Careers - A look at possible careers in computer science and related fields. | Problem Solving and Bebras Competition - looking at different problem solving techniques and how they can help when programming as well as in everyday situations. | Programming 2 - data processing and selection using variables in Python. | AI - A look at what is meant by aritificial intelligence and machine learning. We look at how these model are built as well as how they can become biased. Data Representation 2 - How data is stored in a computer system with a focus on how images and text are represented as binary. | Hardware and Software - A look at the main components of a computer system with a specific look at the CPU and logic gates. The software section looks at the operating system and utility software. Web Development - Using HTML, CSS and JavaScript to make a small website | Web Development - conitnued from term 5. eSafety - A look at possible dangers and health concerns relating to the use of technolgy and how these can be avoided. |
| Design Technology | Welcome to the Introduction to Health and Safety for the Speaker Project. This module aims to equip you with the necessary knowledge of electronic components, installation and soldering techniques, and the design cycle, which includes understanding the Design Brief and existing products. | We will be focusing on the construction of the outer casing for this project, which involves carrying out questionnaires, creating specifications, developing initial designs, constructing the casing, and evaluating the final product. | Introduction to Graphic Design Branding where we explore the principles of colour theory, typography, composition, tone, line, and imagery to create a captivating logo and brand products using sublimation printing. | To continue the manufacturing of the Branding material. Evaluation of the topic. | End of KS3 Topic - personal storage. To create a storage device that can be carried, using Timber, Polymer and Metal. Knowledge of material, manufacturing techniques and introduction to NEA. | We will continue with the production of the tea tray and assess the final product for quality. End of Key stage Assessment. |
| Geography | Britain and world - changing weather and climate: Introduction to weather and climate, how we measure, record and present the weather, climate of the UK, climate graphs, extreme weather in the UK. | Natural Hazards The Great Storm, hurricanes, volcanoes and earthquakes; evidence, cause, effect and response. | People in the UK - challenges and opportunities: Measuring population, use of the census, UK ageing population, population pyramids, international migration, internal migration, ethnic and cultural diversity. Poverty and homelessness. | Global challenges and opportunities: Global development and how we measure development, inequality, food inequality - famine and obesity, health inequality, comparing healthcare in a HIC and a LIC. | Global challenges and opportunities: Squatter settlements, life in Dharavi, economic opportunity - the geography of chocolate (fairtrade), social challenge - cholera, environmental challenge - plastic in the ocean, political challenge - the geography of conflict zones, sustainable tourism. | Africa is not a country. What is Africa like, African populations, The Sahara, Nigeria a Newly Emerging Economy and Opportunities in Nigeria. |
| German | Talking about holiday activities, a past holiday, how you travelled on holiday, the weather and describing a past holiday including opinions Grammar: using the infinitive, the perfect tense with "haben" and "sein", the imperfect tense, different personal pronouns and verb forms | Talking about household chores, your bedroom, your future house, directions, where you live/used to live Grammar: separable verbs in pres. tense, "es gibt" plus accusative, using present, perfect and imperfect tenses together, dative prepositions, future tense with "werden" | Talking about daily routine, comparing chores in different families, daily life in the German-speaking world, making plans/excuses, healthy living Grammar: reflexive and separable verbs (pres tense), sequencers, wollen plus infinitive, modal verbs soll/muss, subordinate clauses with weil/wenn | Talking about what you wear, your style, shopping habits, shopping for clothes, special occasions Grammar: using irregular verbs (vowel change in pres tense), accusative adjective endings, possessive adj in accusative case, revising future tense (werden) as well as perfect tense with haben/sein | Talking about the virtual/real word: TV and film, different types of music, the internet/social media, today's/past technology, volunteering Grammar: using subordinate clauses with weil/wenn/dass, time-manner-place word order, recognising/using the imperfect tense, revising use of tenses | Talking about capital Berlin, planning a trip and learning about life in Berlin Grammar: Revising the future tense with "werden", using a range of tenses |
| History | The late Tudor period, looking at the controversy surrounding Mary I. A special and obvious focus on Elizabeth I, concentrating on her weaknesses in 1558 and how she overcame them, with special attention on the Armada. | The Stuart period is investigated with coverage of the gun powder plot and the causes of the English Civil War. Students expected to understand how both Parliament and Charles I were responsible for causing the war. Key event is re-enacting the trial of Charles I and Henrietta Maria. | Complete the study of the Stuart period by studying the Inter-regnum (and views of Cromwell), the Restoration and the Glorious Revolution. Start the period 1750-1900 by looking at agricultural changes and the replacement of the Domestic System with the Factory System. | Industrial revolution continued with focus on the development of industrial cities and the importance of transport changes. This leads into a review of the British Empire, where it was, its impact on India and its relationship with the Atlantic slave trade. | Focus on the First World War, looking at its causes, 1914 recruitment and the development of trench warfare on the Western Front; special interest on living conditions in the trenches and the reasons why the First Day of the Battle of the Somme failed. | Final unit is on World War Two. The key events studied are the causes, blitzkrieg in Poland, the Battle of Britain and the invasion of Russia. A look at the Home Front is carried out, leading to a series of lessons on the Holocaust. The concluding section looks at changes in the post-war period. |
| Mathematics | Unit 1: Analysing & Displaying Data - Bar charts, two way tables, pie charts, averages & range. Links to STEM TERM ASSESSMENT | Unit 3: Algebra – Expanding & factorising, solving 2-step equations Unit 5: Angles & shape – Polygon angles Unit 8: Proportional reasoning Unit 9: Shape – Surface area & volume. STEM link Measures TERM ASSESSMENT | Unit 1: Factors & Powers – Prime factor decomposition, index rules, estimation. STEM Link powers of 10. Unit 3: shape – plans & elevations, surface area, volume, circle area & circumference, cylinders, Pythagoras’ theorem. TERM ASSESSMENT | Unit 4: Real Life Graphs – Direct proportion, distance-time, rates of change, misleading graphs. FINANCE link – finance graphs. Unit 5: Transformations – Reflection, translation, rotation, enlargement, Combining transformations, similar shapes area & volume. TERM ASSESSMENT | Unit 6: Fractions, Decimals & Percentages – Recurring decimals, percentage change inc repeated. Unit 7: Constructions & loci ‘Unit 8: Probability – Comparing probabilities, mutual exclusivity, estimating & experimental probability, diagrams, probability trees. TERM ASSESSMENT | Unit 9: Scale drawings – Maps & scales, bearings, scales & ratio, congruent & similar shapes, solving geometry problems. Unit 10: Graphs – Plotting linear graphs, gradient, y=mx+c, parallel & perpendicular lines, inverse functions. STEM link – non-linear graphs. END OF YEAR ASESSMENT |
| Music | ABRSM Grade 2 standard theory and aural skills Introducing new note values. Students will learn to recognise, understand, compose and perform more complex rhythms using the Djembe’s or other percussion in a wider variety of simple time signatures. | ABRSM Grade 2 standard theory and aural skills Extending pitch of the treble and bass clef up to 2 ledger lines. Students will add wider pitch to their rhythm knowledge to play melodies on the keyboards focusing on seasonal Classical pieces and Popular Songs (Secular music). | ABRSM Grade 2 standard theory and aural skills Further keys and harmony. Students will extend the number of major keys they play in and learn about relative minor keys. This will include the difference between major and minor triads. | ABRSM Grade 2 standard theory and aural skills Expanding the compositional device of structure to include binary, ternary and rondo. Within small ensemble work students will compose and record their own pieces using formal western traditional harmonies and structures. | ABRSM Grade 2 standard theory and aural skills Extending vocabulary for elements of music and performance techniques. Students will work on their own performance pieces on their chosen instrument to give a rounded performance that is emotive. | Utilising all their ks3 learning, students will work on large ensemble skills as a whole class to perform a different piece of music each lesson from a variety of popular genres. |
| PSHE | HEALTH & WELLBEING Drugs and Alcohol Alcohol and drug misuse and pressures relating to drug use, supported by the Stay Safe Day in March. | LIVING IN THE WIDER WORLD Community and Careers Equality of opportunity in life and work. Challenging stereotypes in work and pay. Employment, self-employment and voluntary work how to set aspirational goals for future careers and challenge expectations that limit choices | RELATIONSHIPS Discrimination Discrimination in all its forms, including: racism, religious discrimination, disability, discrimination, sexism, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia | HEALTH & WELLBEING Emotional Wellbeing Attitudes towards mental health how to challenge myths and stigma about daily wellbeing. How to manage emotions. How to develop digital resilience. Unhealthy coping strategies (e.g. self harm and eating disorders) vs healthy coping strategies | RELATIONSHIPS Identity and Relationships Gender identity, sexual orientation, consent, sexting/dealing with coercive behaviour, and an introduction to contraception | LIVING IN THE WILDER WORLD Digital Literacy Online safety, digital literacy, media reliability, and gambling hooks |
| Religious Studies | What do Jews believe about God? Different types of Jews. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses What is the Temple and why is it so important to Jews? What do Jews believe about the Messiah? What are the most sacred texts for Jews? What laws do Jews live by? How do Jews worship and why do Jews pray? | How is Shabbat kept? What is Bar Mitzvah? What rituals do Jews perform during marriage/funeral ceremonies? What festivals do Jews celebrate? How have Jews been persecuted? How have Jews tried to create their own state and what difficulties have they faced? | What is Islam Beginnings and Belief; Muhammad; Rise to influence; The split; The Qu’ran; Belief about God; Prophets; Life after death; | Islam in the modern world The Five Pillars; Prayer and the Mosque; Ramadan and Eid -ul-Fitr; What happens on Hajj? Sunni and Shi’a; What should women wear? What is Jihad? Islam in Britain | What insights do different religions bring to good and evil? | What do religions say about the use of money and other resources? |
| Science | Biology 1 - Food and Digestion: Balanced diet, food nutrients, food tests, digestive system, model gut, malnutrition, energy in food. Chemistry 1 - Chemical reactions: Hazards, reactions, acids and alkalis, neutralisation, variables in science, rates of reaction, catalysts. | Physics 1 - Magnets and Electromagnets: Magnets, magnets in circuits, charge, current, voltage, magnetic fields, making electromagnets, static electricity. | Biology 2 - Respiration: Lund structure and function, breathing, asthma, lung diseases, aerobic and anaerobic respiration, fermentation. Chemistry 2 - The Periodic Table: Metals and non-metals, alkali metals, halogens, noble gases, reactivity, extracting metals. | Physics 2 - Heat and Energy: Kinetic theory, heat and temperature, conduction, convection, radiation, cooling, applications of energy transfer. | 8B3 - Inheritance and Selection: Interdependence, inheritance, modern food production, adaptation, Darwin, Mendel, DNA. Chemistry 3 - The Reactions of Metals: Displacement, naming and making salts (Acids and alkalis, bases, carbonates, metals) | Physics 3 - The Earth in Space: Solar system, planets, days seasons years and moon phases, the life of stars, images from space, telescopes. |
| Spanish | Meeting people, saying how you feel, saying if you get on with your friends and family, making excuses, daily routine, what you do and have to do to help at home Grammar: Questions, SER and ESTAR to describe characteristics and mood, CAER BIEN, LLEVARSE, personal A, SOLER | Clothes and your opinion, discussing different styles and eras of fashion, buying clothes, saying what size you are and how well clothes fit Grammar: Opinions, imperfect tense, demonstrative adjectives, comparatives and superlatives, single and plural verb forms | What you like doing in your free time, going shopping, what you did on holiday, describing past events, what you did when you were younger Grammar: GUSTAR, preterite tense (regular and some irregular verbs), preterite (some irregular) with imperfect verbs | What you should do to maintain a healthy lifestyle, identifying parts of the body and discussing keeping fit, illnesses and injuries, sports and how to play them Grammar:Question words and frequency words, reflexives in the past and present tenses, DOLER, impersonal ‘se’, imperfect and preterite | Talking about what you will do in the future, what jobs you will, would like to or hope to do in the future, pocket money, choosing options/subjects, comparing Spanish school system Grammar: future tense including irregulars, conditional, using a variety of tenses | Describing environmental problems and their causes, helping the environment, your environment at home, Latin American project Grammar: opinions, superlatives, we can / must / have to, imperative, negatives, impersonal verbs, data |