SmartStudy’s plain-language guide · 2020

What Ontario grade 8 students learn in mathematics

44 specific expectations across 6 strands, aligned to Ontario’s curriculum — and tools to teach every one.

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At a glance this year

Your child will learn to…

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These are SmartStudy’s plain-language explanations. Use the official source for Ontario’s exact wording.

A. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Skills in Mathematics and the Mathematical Processes 1 overall expectation
A1

Your child will be able to use a variety of social-emotional skills, like managing their feelings and working with others, to help them learn and understand math concepts in all areas of the curriculum.

B. Number 12 expectations
B1

Your child will be able to understand what numbers mean and how they are used in everyday situations.

View 4 learning goals
  • B1.1
    Rational and Irrational Numbers

    Your child will be able to understand and compare extremely large and small numbers, including using a special way of writing them called "scientific notation" (like 1.2 x 10^5 for 120,000). They will also learn how these numbers are used in daily life.

  • B1.2
    Rational and Irrational Numbers

    Your child will be able to understand, compare, and put in order different types of numbers, including rational numbers (which can be written as fractions) and irrational numbers (which cannot be written as fractions, like pi).

  • B1.3
    Rational and Irrational Numbers

    Your child will be able to estimate and calculate square roots (a number that, when multiplied by itself, equals another number, e.g., 5 is the square root of 25) in different situations.

  • B1.4
    Fractions, Decimals, and Percents

    Your child will be able to use fractions (like 1/2), decimal numbers (like 0.5), and percents (like 50%) to solve different math problems, even when the percents are very small (less than 1%) or very large (more than 100%).

B2

Your child will be able to use their understanding of numbers and how they work together (like adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing) to solve math problems they encounter every day.

View 8 learning goals
  • B2.1
    Properties and Relationships

    Your child will be able to solve complex math problems using different kinds of numbers like fractions, decimals, and percentages. They will understand how to use the correct order for solving equations (order of operations) and how different math operations relate to each other.

  • B2.2
    Math Facts

    Your child will be able to remember common square numbers (like 9, which is 3x3) and their square roots (like 3, which is the square root of 9).

  • B2.3
    Mental Math

    Your child will learn to do multiplication and division problems in their head, using strategies for whole numbers and decimals up to thousandths. They will understand how to multiply and divide these numbers by powers of ten (like 10, 100, or 1000) and be able to explain how they got their answer.

  • B2.4
    Addition and Subtraction

    Your child will be able to add and subtract positive and negative whole numbers (called "integers") to solve different kinds of problems.

  • B2.5
    Addition and Subtraction

    Your child will be able to add and subtract fractions in different situations, using methods that make sense for the problem.

  • B2.6
    Multiplication and Division

    Your child will be able to multiply and divide fractions, including those that are part of a whole number (mixed numbers), in different real-world situations.

  • B2.7
    Multiplication and Division

    Your child will be able to multiply and divide positive and negative whole numbers (integers) in different situations, using methods that make sense.

  • B2.8
    Multiplication and Division

    Your child will be able to compare situations where quantities change together in a consistent way (proportional situations) and figure out missing numbers in these situations. They will also use this understanding to solve problems in different real-life scenarios.

C. Algebra 10 expectations
C1

Your child will be able to recognize, explain, continue, create, and guess what comes next in different patterns, including patterns they see in everyday life.

View 4 learning goals
  • C1.1
    Patterns

    Your child will be able to recognize and compare different kinds of patterns, like those that repeat, grow, or shrink, including patterns they see in everyday life. They will also understand how to compare growing and shrinking patterns based on how much they change each time and where they start.

  • C1.2
    Patterns

    Your child will be able to create and change patterns that repeat, grow, or shrink, using fractions and decimals. They will use different ways to show these patterns, including algebraic expressions (which are math phrases with letters and numbers) and equations (which are math statements showing two things are equal) for patterns that grow or shrink in a steady way.

  • C1.3
    Patterns

    Your child will be able to figure out the rules for patterns that grow or shrink, even when they involve fractions or decimals. They will use these rules to continue the pattern, make educated guesses about what comes next, and find any missing parts. They will also use algebra (math with letters and symbols) to write down these rules and solve for unknown numbers in the patterns.

  • C1.4
    Patterns

    Your child will be able to make and explain patterns that show how different types of numbers, like fractions and decimals (called rational numbers), are connected to each other.

C2

Your child will be able to understand and use variables (symbols that represent numbers), expressions (mathematical phrases), equations (math sentences with an equal sign), and inequalities (math sentences comparing two values) to solve different kinds of problems.

View 4 learning goals
  • C2.1
    Variables and Expressions

    Your child will be able to add and subtract simple algebraic expressions (called "monomials") and add two-part algebraic expressions (called "binomials") that use whole numbers, possibly with the help of tools.

  • C2.2
    Variables and Expressions

    Your child will be able to solve math problems that include fractions or decimals, even when those problems also have letters (variables) mixed in with the numbers.

  • C2.3
    Equalities and Inequalities

    Your child will be able to solve math problems with multiple steps, including positive and negative whole numbers and decimals, and check if their answers are correct.

  • C2.4
    Equalities and Inequalities

    Your child will be able to solve and graph inequalities, which are like equations but instead of an equal sign, they use symbols like "greater than" or "less than.

C3

Your child will be able to solve math problems and show mathematical ideas using computer coding.

View 2 learning goals
  • C3.1
    Coding Skills

    Your child will be able to solve math problems and show mathematical ideas using computer code. This includes writing and running code that analyzes information to help make and share decisions.

  • C3.2
    Coding Skills

    Your child will be able to read and change existing computer code that helps analyze information, and then use that information to make and share decisions. They will also understand how changing the code affects the results and how quickly the code works.

C4

Your child will learn to use math to solve real-world problems. This involves using a process called "mathematical modelling," which means they'll use math to understand situations, make predictions, and find solutions.

D. Data 8 expectations
D1

Your child will be able to use information and data to make strong arguments and good decisions in everyday situations.

View 6 learning goals
  • D1.1
    Data Collection and Organization

    Your child will learn to tell the difference between "one-variable data" (information about only one thing, like the number of students in a class) and "two-variable data" (information about two things that might be related, like the number of hours studied and test scores), and understand when to use each type.

  • D1.2
    Data Collection and Organization

    Your child will be able to gather information that changes smoothly (like temperature or height) to answer questions they're curious about, and then put that information into a table.

  • D1.3
    Data Visualization

    Your child will be able to choose the best type of graph, including a scatter plot (which shows how two different things are related), to display information. They will also be able to correctly label and title their graphs, and explain why they chose that particular graph.

  • D1.4
    Data Visualization

    Your child will be able to make an infographic, which is like a visual story using pictures and charts, to explain information from a collection of data. They will use things like tables and scatter plots (graphs with dots to show relationships) to present the data clearly and add other details to help tell the full story.

  • D1.5
    Data Analysis

    Your child will be able to use words like "strong," "weak," "positive," and "negative" to describe how two things in a set of data are related, even if there are unusual data points called outliers.

  • D1.6
    Data Analysis

    Your child will be able to look at different kinds of data, including data shown in scatter plots (graphs that show how two things are related) or in graphs that might be trying to trick you. They will ask questions about the data, think critically about what they see, and then use that information to make good arguments and smart choices.

D2

Your child will be able to explain how likely it is for something to happen and use that understanding to guess what might happen next.

View 2 learning goals
  • D2.1
    Probability

    Your child will be able to solve problems using probability, which is the chance of something happening. They will use tools like Venn diagrams (which show how groups overlap) and tree diagrams (which map out possible outcomes) to help them.

  • D2.2
    Probability

    Your child will be able to figure out and compare the chances of something happening based on what should happen in theory (theoretical probability) versus what actually happens when they try it out (experimental probability). They will do this for situations where one event doesn't affect another (independent events) and where one event does affect another (dependent events).

E. Spatial Sense 8 expectations
E1

Your child will be able to understand and describe shapes, where things are, and how they move by using geometric properties (like the number of sides a shape has or if lines are parallel) and understanding how objects relate to each other in space. This helps them understand and navigate the world around them.

View 4 learning goals
  • E1.1
    Geometric Reasoning

    Your child will learn about shapes that fit together perfectly without gaps or overlaps, like tiles on a floor (these are called tessellations). They will also understand how these shapes are moved or flipped to create the patterns.

  • E1.2
    Geometric Reasoning

    Your child will be able to build 3D objects or models using different views (like looking from the top, front, or side) or perspective views, which show how objects appear smaller and closer together as they get further away.

  • E1.3
    Geometric Reasoning

    Your child will be able to use scale drawings (pictures that are smaller or larger than the real thing, but keep the same proportions) to figure out actual lengths and areas, and also be able to redraw these scale drawings at different ratios (meaning they can make them bigger or smaller while keeping everything in proportion).

  • E1.4
    Location and Movement

    Your child will be able to understand and perform different ways to move shapes around on a graph, like sliding (translation), flipping (reflection), turning (rotation), and resizing (dilation), and predict what the shape will look like after these changes.

E2

Your child will be able to compare, estimate, and figure out measurements in different situations.

View 4 learning goals
  • E2.1
    The Metric System

    Your child will be able to understand and show how to use very large (like millions or billions) and very small (like millionths or billionths) measurements in the metric system. They will do this by using models, understanding how numbers relate in groups of ten, and using a shorthand way to write very big or very small numbers called "exponential notation.

  • E2.2
    Lines and Angles

    Your child will be able to solve problems using what they know about angles, including those made by lines that cross or run side-by-side, and the angles found in shapes with many sides (polygons).

  • E2.3
    Length, Area, and Volume

    Your child will be able to solve problems using formulas to find the perimeter (distance around), circumference (distance around a circle), area (space inside a 2D shape), volume (space inside a 3D object), and surface area (total area of all surfaces of a 3D object) of shapes and objects made up of several simpler shapes.

  • E2.4
    Length, Area, and Volume

    Your child will understand how the Pythagorean theorem works by using models and be able to use it to find the missing side of a right triangle (a triangle with one 90-degree angle).

F. Financial Literacy 6 expectations
F1

Your child will learn how to make smart choices about money.

View 6 learning goals
  • F1.1
    Money Concepts

    Your child will learn about the pros and cons of different ways to pay for things, especially when dealing with other countries' money (currencies) and how much that money is worth compared to ours (exchange rates).

  • F1.2
    Financial Management

    Your child will be able to create a financial plan to save money for a long-term goal, considering how much money they earn (income), how much they spend (expenses), and the impact of taxes.

  • F1.3
    Financial Management

    Your child will learn different ways to keep a balanced budget, which means their income is equal to their spending. They will also learn to use tools to track money coming in and going out for various situations.

  • F1.4
    Financial Management

    Your child will learn how to calculate simple and compound interest using online tools, and understand how interest affects long-term financial planning. Simple interest is calculated only on the initial amount of money, while compound interest is calculated on the initial amount plus any accumulated interest.

  • F1.5
    Consumer and Civic Awareness

    Your child will learn how to compare different ways to get the most for their money when shopping, like using sales or loyalty programs, and figure out which option is best in various situations.

  • F1.6
    Consumer and Civic Awareness

    Your child will learn to compare different credit cards and consumer contracts by looking at things like interest rates, yearly fees, and rewards, so they can figure out which one offers the best value for different situations.

Key terms from this curriculum

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The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗