Grade 8 Capstones

Our 8th grade year is filled with capstone experiences for our students, both inside and outside the classroom. In May, our 8th graders take an unforgettable journey to New Orleans, LA, where they engage in many kinds of meaningful learning experiences. Part of the trip is spent in service, working in public parks and gardens or helping in schools. They reinforce their 8th grade study of world history with a visit to the World War II Museum, and, of course, they experience many of the inimitable cultural features of this unique city, such as the food, the architecture, and the people. They even take an airboat tour through the swamps around Des Allemands, meeting alligators and other wildlife along the way! It is a truly unforgettable experience of giving and learning that our students take with them as they head off to high school. 

As the culminating project for their last year at Green Acres, our students demonstrate their capacity to research, their poise and intelligence, and their deep engagement with the world around them by representing a country in our Model United Nations. Students spend two days giving speeches, engaging in debates and rebuttals, and challenging themselves and each other to find common ground on important issues of our day as representatives of national players on the world stage. These debates are open to the public and even broadcast online, so students' drive to be prepared and to acquit themselves admirably is great. It’s an amazing opportunity to see the thoughtful, articulate, empowered people that they have become.

Another unforgettable moment for 8th graders—and  a meaningful moment for all of us in the community—is their presentation of a "This I Believe" speech to our entire Middle School at our end-of-the-day meeting. Eighth graders each choose something they believe in to talk about as it has related to their life and belief system. They learn more about themselves as they articulate their reasons for choosing to write and speak about this belief, and they learn how to be leaders and contributors to a healthy community through the practice of sharing their belief. It is a chance for all of us to appreciate the thoughtful, caring young adults that they have become—and the amazing people they are becoming.

The Red/Blue Game is a simulation of Cold War decision making. Students work in teams to make fateful decisions about diplomacy and conflict, while gaining insight into human nature. The simulation coincides with students' learning in world studies and enables students to experience high-stakes political negotiation as they navigate complex choices about trust, risk, competition, collaboration, and ethics. Having participated in the simulation, one student said: "We played the game to get a first-hand look at the emotions and creative thinking that took place during the Cold War. Now that we better understand the pressure and environment, we can start analyzing the patterns of American and Soviet decision making."

Our 8th grade students take a hike up Old Rag Mountain in the Blue Ridge, described by the National Park Service as the most popular hike in the Shenandoah. It is an adventurous hike, too, with a few steep stretches and some boulder scaling to boot. The physical challenge is fun and rewarding, even more so when they reach the top and see the panoramic views. The Old Rag hike is yet another memorable moment in their 8th grade year of memory-making as our students prepare themselves to shine in their respective high schools.  

Our 8th graders are challenged in exciting ways across the curriculum. In Spanish, they take the National Spanish Exam, an online exam offered by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. It gives them the opportunity to challenge themselves and measure their learning against other Spanish students across the country. Our 8th graders, who have learned Spanish throughout their years at Green Acres, take the Level 2 exam, which measures them against many high school students who have completed their second year of high school Spanish. It is an exciting challenge that shows our students how much they can learn when they apply themselves fully to their work.