Academics
Upper School

Grade 8

Confident and Polished Graduates
In eighth grade, our faculty creates a bond of trust and respect with students—and these relationships last long after graduation. We believe that open, coordinated communication leads to the most effective team of faculty, parents, and students. Our goal is to increase student self-advocacy as they take on more responsibility.

We prepare students to succeed in secondary school, college, and beyond. Students graduate from LFCDS with superior academic preparation in all subjects (including fully integrated foreign language and arts programs), consistently earning them placement in advanced classes. Equally important, we produce graduates who have the skills to succeed as twenty-first century learners. Our graduates exude the self-confidence and intellectual curiosity necessary to flourish, cultivate new interests, and think critically. As a learning community, we value these achievements and are proud of our students’ success.

Experiences such as the Washington, DC trip, world language trips, various Chicago field trips, the eighth-grade drama production, and the "This I Believe" project allow students to explore their world as they begin to venture out in their own thoughts and risk-taking. These projects allow them to express their thoughts in academically meaningful ways as they explore using their own voice and gain poise as public speakers and global thinkers.  

LFCDS graduates are extraordinary individuals, learners, and citizens of a global age. They are independent thinkers who are well-equipped to flourish in future academic and career settings. Our graduates know how to use state-of-the-art technology to find, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize information. They have learned time-management skills, take organized notes, and express themselves expertly both orally and in writing. In-depth studies of foreign languages and world cultures prepare them to become global citizens. Hands-on participation in the fine arts and visual arts teaches them the skills to be lifelong students of culture.

Highlights of the Eighth-Grade Experience

List of 9 items.

  • World Language Experiences

    Travel and practice a world lanaguage with French, Spanish, or Mandarin Chinese native speakers

  • Personal Mission Statement

    Reflect on personal values and write a thoughtful "This I Believe" statement

  • Experience Shakespeare

    Read and view a Shakespeare play performed by the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre

  • Advanced Math

    Study linear regression in Algebra

  • Advanced English

    Read and discuss Lord of the Flies

  • Speaking Experience

    Have the opportunity to give a speech at an all-school event

  • Bringing History to Life

    Argue a position in First Amendent mock-trials

  • Experiencing Washington, D.C.

    Embark on the Washington, D.C. field trip, visiting important landmarks such as Gettysburg, the Library of Congress, the Holocaust Museum, war memorials, the Lincoln Memorial, and Captiol Hill

  • Performing Artists

    Take performing to new heights in the Eighth-Grade Drama Production

Curriculum Guide

Faculty

List of 18 members.

A co-educational independent school for students age 2 through Grade 8.
Graduating students of strong character with a passion for learning since 1888.
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Lake Forest Country Day School

145 South Green Bay Road
Lake Forest, IL 60045
P: 847-234-2350
F: 847-234-2352