Portfolio Requirements for 8^th grade

Why are we doing portfolios?

For the past few years, we have been working with 8^th graders to figure out what are the most important, challenging topics we cover in 8^th grade. We have also been trying to figure out what most 8^th graders need to learn to do well before going to high school. Based on that, we have made a list of portfolio criteria.

By the end of 8^th grade, you must complete a portfolio that demonstrates you meet/exceed the expectations in all of these areas. Right now, this might look like a lot of work, but keep in mind that teachers, your parents, and other students will help you all year to get there. Right now, it’s most important for you to save all your work—not only hard copies, but also the files. Trust us, this will help you later on.

As you look through this list, you may also notice connections between some requirements. By the end of this year, your portfolio should demonstrate that you understand the connections between different subject matter. Moreover, your final portfolio should show that you have an understanding of why this subject matter is important in the first place. Who is affected by the topics we cover in history and science? How can this knowledge be used to change things, to understand things that are unfair and things that are problems? This is a major part of developing a portfolio. You have to be able to show how your work relates to the world. Why is it important that we learn these things? What are you doing with your time here at MAT?

What do we have to do?

First, you have to keep a portfolio of all your work in your homeroom class. That means every assignment!! Class 802 will keep their work in folders in Kiran’s room; class 801 in Chris’s room.

At the end of each trimester, you will need to present a working portfolio to your teachers. This means you must constantly be working along on your portfolio requirements. You can do your exit interview for your 3^rd trimester portfolios any time in the last two months of school, but there is a set deadline for handing in that work.

Trimester 1 Portfolios due: October 31

Trimester 2 Portfolios due: February 3

Final Deadline for 8^th grade Portfolios: May 30

End-of-Year Portfolio Defenses: May 1 – June 26, by appointment

How do we know if our work is good enough for the portfolio?

You should have some sense what good work looks like, but beyond that…we’ll tell you!! We’ll spend some time explaining how you mark things for your portfolio, but basically, you need to attach a slip to the finished piece. On the slip, you should explain what the piece is about, and reflect on why you are including it in your portfolio.

On the next few pages are lists of the standards you should meet in each subject during 8^th grade. You should keep these lists with you all year, and at your trimester portfolio meetings, we can go through and check off the requirements you have met!

Parent Signatures

Please go over this portfolio information with your parents or family members. On the back of this sheet, please write any questions and comments they have about the process.

I understand about the portfolio process in the 8^th grade, and I understand that it is required for students to pass 8^th grade at MAT.

Student: _____________________________ Date: ______________________

Parent: ______________________________ Date: ______________________

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Portfolio Requirements: Interdisciplinary Work

Teacher’s initials and date	Standard
	A piece of argumentative writing
	Work that has to do with unpacking the meanings in a text, as a part of understanding how it relates to ideas in history/science
	Work that shows you understand about power relations in political and scientific contexts
	Work that demonstrates you can come up with ways to address community problems
	A piece that demonstrates an understanding of how visual texts are constructed to have different meanings
	Work that demonstrates a consciousness of how humans’ actions can have effects on politics, the environment, etc.
	Work that demonstrates and understanding of the scientific/political impact of globalization and anti-globalization—in terms of resource use, ecological change, etc.
	A research report that demonstrates use of evidence, sources, etc.
	A piece of media/visual text analysis that shows you can take a critical stance
	An analysis of a primary document
	A piece of narrative writing

Portfolio Requirements: Humanities

Teacher’s initials and date	Standard
	A piece that demonstrates you understand the effects of Immigration on different aspects of US culture and society
	A piece that demonstrates you understand the causes and effects of different migrations within the US
	Work that shows you understand the history and use of atomic weapons
	A piece that demonstrates you understand the changing role of the US as a global power and current globalization patterns—including anti-globalization movements
	Work the shows you understand how technology, the Space race, and the Cold War are interrelated.
	Work that shows your understanding of the role artists and musicians have played in US history
	A piece that demonstrates you comprehend the results/causes of US wars after the Civil War
	A piece that shows you understand how advertising functions in US society
	A piece that shows you understand how Industrialization worked to change the lives of American, immigrants, and global citizens

Portfolio Requirements: Mathematics

Teacher’s initials and date	Standard
	Work that demonstrates proficiency using technology applications—such as computers, calculators, etc.
	A piece that demonstrates using different strategies for problem-solving
	A piece using statistics as evidence, or to make predictions
	Work in which you use trigonometry or related functions to solve a problem
	A piece that shows the use and understanding of rational and irrational numbers
	Work in which you have to tell the difference between linear, exponential, quadratic, or other kinds of relationships
	Work that shows you can conduct various operations and simplify expressions
	Evidence that you can write expressions and equations to model particular situations
	Work that shows you know how to use exponents and square roots
	A piece that demonstrates use of geometry and measurement

Portfolio Requirements: Science

Teacher’s initials and date	Standard
	Work that relates to an understanding of the structure of the earth and how it developed—such as rock cycle, earth’s layers, etc.
	Work that shows an understanding of earth’s history and processes—including atmospheric or oceanic changes, or changes in the earth’s crust
	Work that reflects an understanding of how the atmosphere, crust, and bodies of water on the earth all interact
	Work that has to do with the placement of the earth in the solar system
	Evidence of understanding about natural resource management and resource use
	A piece that uses visual design or some other kinds of graphics to make a scientific point or explanation
	A piece that relates to technology in science, or science in society
	A piece that uses scientific methods to apply to problems
	A science project that uses ideas of scientific design
	A science investigation that uses fieldwork
	A scientific investigation that uses a controlled experiment