Miller Middle School
Grade 8 Mathematics Course Syllabus
Sally M. Moody, M.Ed
smoody.Miller@bibb.k12.ga.us
Room 302
Conference Hours: 1:50-2:50 (Tuesday’s)
MMS Main: (478)-779-4050
Introduction
Parents and Students,
I am truly excited about another great year as a math teacher at Miller Fine Arts Magnet Middle School
and for the new opportunities that it will bring. I have 9 years teaching experience with the Bibb County Board of
Education of which I have had the pleasure of teaching mathematics to middle and high school students. My goal
every year is teach students to build a foundation for success which will integrate into high school, post-secondary
school and life.
I believe that communication is very important for the success of our students. I want to build a strong
teacher, student, and parent relationship through communication. The success of our students depends on it.
Let’s plan to keep the lines of communication open. I look forward to working with each of you closely this 2O132014 school year. I will be implementing Edmodo this school year to aid with student-teacher communication and
questions regarding assignments. Information on how to create Edmodo accounts will be provided in another
document, along with this syllabus.
In addition to a rigorous curriculum we will focus on our vocabulary development in math as
well as writing. We will continue to implement Cornell Note-taking to help connect our classroom with
home. Cornell notes provide a framework for taking notes as well as a way to summarize learning. I
want our students to leave with a greater depth of understanding and application of knowledge.
Course Description
In Grade 8, instructional time will focus on three critical areas:
1. Formulating and reasoning about expressions and equations, including modeling an association
in bivariate data with a linear equation, and solving linear equations and systems of linear
equations.
2. Grasping the concept of a function and using functions to describe quantitative relationships;
3. Analyzing two‐ and three‐dimensional space and figures using distance, similarity, and
congruence, and understanding and applying the Pythagorean Theorem.
Prerequisites
The prerequisite for this class is the successful completion of the 7th grade curriculum.
Instructional Resources
For the 2013-2014 school year the state of Georgia will be transitioning to a new curriculum called the
Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS). These standards provide a consistent
framework to prepare students for success in college and the 21st century workplace. The standards
define what students should understand and be able to do in their study of mathematics. The new
mathematics standards are a balanced combination of procedure and understanding. We will be using a
variety of instructional resources such as:
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Georgia Department of Education Framework Tasks
Aims Education Foundation Concrete Activities
Explorations in mathematics
Online web-resources
Cornell notes
OMG: Outstanding Math Guide
Avid writing strategies
Grades/Grading Scale - Evaluation
Student will explore math through a variety of projects, class work, writing assignments including
journals, homework, quizzes, and unit exams. Grades will be assigned according to the grading policy in
the Miller handbook. The following criteria will be assessed:

Class work (quizzes)
50%

Performance Based Assessments (Test/Task)
40%

Homework
10%
---
 Weekly
performance
assessments and
quizzes will be
given.
100%
Tutoring Sessions
There will be ongoing opportunities for extra help and tutoring throughout the school year. These times and dates
of opportunities will be announced in the near future.
Supplies
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Large 3 ring binder
with dividers (6)
Wide –ruled loose leaf
paper
Dividers
#2 pencils with erasers
(lead pencils are OK)
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highlighters
2 boxes of Kleenex
1 bottle of hand
sanitizer
Glue/glue sticks
Crayons, colored
pencils and markers
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1 ream of copy paper
¼ inch graph paper
2 pocket folders with
prongs
USB drive
Classroom Expectations
1. Be in your assigned seat and begin warm up.
2. Do class work and homework daily; show your work.
3. Keep notebook current and organized
4. Be an active learner
5. Learn to communicate Math effectively through writing and speaking.
6. Remain seated at all times and raise your hand to speak
7. Demonstrate a progression of learning.
Classroom Rules
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Follow directions the first time they are given
Keep hands, feet, and other objects to yourself.
Raise your hand to speak
Use your inside voice.
Treat everyone and their property respectfully.
Consequences
1. Warning
2. Anecdotal Note/Parent Notified
3. Silent Lunch/Parent Notified
4. Cluster Conference/Student/Parent
5. Teacher afterschool detention/Parent Notified
6. Office Referral
Thank you for taking the time to review the 8th Grade Math course syllabus. Please sign
and return this portion of the syllabus to the Math teacher.
Print Student Name: __________________________ Signature________________________________
Print Parent Name: ___________________________ Signature: _______________________________
Parent Contact Number: ______________________ Parent Contact Number: ______________________
Parent Email: ___________________________________ Student Email: ____________________________
Sincerely,
Sally M. Moody
Gifted Teacher, Grade 8 Mathematics