Handsworth Secondary · North Vancouver SD44 · 2026–27
Mathematics 8 — Course Outline
Ms. Ras Mulinta
Full-year course
Pegged to BC Mathematics 8
Welcome to Math 8. This year we build a strong sense of number, then climb into algebra, geometry, and data. Lessons run in short instruction bursts, then you work — alone and in teams — while I circulate to help. Everything you need lives on the course site.
The five Big Ideas
These are the official BC Mathematics 8 Big Ideas. Everything we do connects back to one of them.
Number. Number represents, describes, and compares the quantities of ratios, rates, and percents.
Computational fluency. Computational fluency and flexibility extend to operations with fractions.
Discrete linear relationships. Discrete linear relationships can be represented in many connected ways and used to identify and make generalizations.
Surface area & volume of 3D objects. The relationship between surface area and volume of 3D objects can be used to describe, measure, and compare spatial relationships.
Analyzing data. Analyzing data by determining averages is one way to make sense of large data sets and enables us to compare and interpret.
The four Curricular Competency strands
These are the skills you practise in every unit — the doing of mathematics.
Reasoning & analyzing. Use logic and patterns (including coding) to solve problems; estimate reasonably; apply mental-math strategies; use tools and technology to explore patterns and test conjectures; model math in real situations.
Understanding & solving. Apply multiple strategies in abstract and real-world situations; learn through play, inquiry, and problem-solving; visualize to explore concepts; connect problem-solving to place, story, and cultural practices.
Communicating & representing. Use math vocabulary in discussion; explain and justify your ideas; communicate your thinking concretely, pictorially, symbolically, verbally, or in writing.
Connecting & reflecting. Reflect on your thinking; connect concepts to each other, to other subjects, and to your own interests; incorporate First Peoples worldviews and perspectives.
The six-unit sequence
We build in this order so each unit rests on the one before it.
- Integers & Operations with Fractions — integers as the on-ramp, then add, subtract, multiply, divide fractions and order of operations. The foundation everything leans on.
- Ratio, Rate & Percent — proportional reasoning; rates and ratios; percents under 1 and over 100; financial literacy through best buys.
- Patterns, Relations & Solving Equations — discrete linear relations, writing and evaluating expressions, solving two-step equations.
- Squares, Square Roots & Pythagoras — perfect squares and cubes, square and cube roots, and the Pythagorean theorem they set up.
- Measurement — Surface Area & Volume — surface area and volume of right prisms and cylinders; nets and views of 3D objects.
- Statistics & Probability — mean, median, and mode; theoretical probability with two independent events. A strong end-of-year project unit.
A note on integers: integer operations are a Grade 7 standard. In Grade 8 we apply them, so Unit 1 opens with integers as the on-ramp into fraction work and Unit 3 uses them again inside linear relations and two-step equations.
Extra help — tutorials
Everyone gets stuck sometimes, and that is welcome. Drop in for extra help, to ask a question, or to catch up on work you missed.
- Tuesday to Friday, 8:28–9:10 AM in Room 2035 — drop in, no appointment needed
- Mondays are limited and need an appointment — ask me the class before and we will set a time
What to bring
- A binder with lined and grid paper
- No calculator. This course is calculator-free throughout, including the final exam
- A pencil and eraser
- A device is welcome for graphing (Desmos) and looking things up, but not for arithmetic
How learning is assessed
Grade 8 mathematics is reported on BC's Proficiency Scale — Emerging, Developing, Proficient, Extending — not letter grades or percentages. Read the plain-language guide to the scale.
I gather evidence of your learning three ways: by observing you work, by talking with you about your thinking, and by collecting your work. Practice and quizzes are redoable — your grade reflects your most recent, best evidence, not your early tries. Your best may look different from someone else's, and that's okay.
Draft starting point. This assessment approach is a default for 2026–27 and may be refined; any changes will be shared with students and families.
Parent / guardian & student acknowledgement. We have read the Mathematics 8 course outline and understand the units, the supply list, and that this course is reported on the BC Proficiency Scale. Questions are always welcome — please reach out any time.
Student name & signature · date
Parent / guardian name & signature · date