CBSE Class VIII

Standard 8 is the First Step in a Student’s Life towards Planning the Future!! 

It is this phase of the Academic Journey that the students get introduced to the Words like Self-Study| Future Planning| New Opportunities| Entrance Exams| Promodoro Technique| Academic Growth| Professional Stability, etc.

Not that the students get a clear picture of the words mentioned above, but for sure these words start floating in our thought process as we move forward in the academic session. Standard 8 plays the role of building stones in a student’s life, as it becomes the base for the Board Exams, Entrance Exams and further choosing the mainstream.

We @ studies today are committed to share with you the best ever academic information, updates and processes. This article explains in detail the topics covered in CBSE Class 8 and the best ways of optimum performance in the academic session. Read further to know more about the best practices required to excel in Standard 8 of the CBSE Board. 

With respect to CBSE, Standard 8 comprises of 6 Main Subjects: English| Hindi| Mathematics| Science| Social Science| Computer Science.  

CBSE refers to “The Central Board of Secondary Education.” The objective of the Academic, Training, Innovation and Research division of Central Board of Secondary Education is to arrive at academic excellence by intellectualizing policies and their operational planning to guarantee balanced academic activities in the schools affiliated to the Board. The division makes every effort to provide Scheme of Studies, curriculum, academic guidelines, textual material, support material, enrichment activities and capacity building programmes. The unit functions as per broader objectives framed within the National Curriculum Framework-2005 and in consonance with different policies and acts approved by the govt of India from time to time.

The CBSE curriculum follows the NCERT pattern of Learning. NCERT refers to the National Council of Educational Research and Training. NCERT is an integral part of the government of India. It is actively involved in textbook publication for CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) curriculum, mainly from Class I till Class XII. 

The syllabus formulated by the NCERT for its school textbooks takes into account every aspect of constitutional features. With every step forward, the organization strives to improve the quality of education in our country. The NCERT also recommends objective thinking in its books with age-appropriate relevancy being prime concern.

The books created by them address modern issues, elaborate on contemporary socio-economic frameworks, discuss time-bound policies and implementations, etc. The greatest advantage of NCERT books are, it is circulated in hard copies across schools in the form of textbooks. At the same time, these textbooks can also be downloaded as e-books in PDF format in ONLINE mode from the official NCERT website.

NCERT books are highly recommended because it will give you complete knowledge as well as a detailed explanation of every chapter.

Moving further let us go through an overview of the chapter wise coverage in each of the six subjects: 

CBSE Class 8 - English

Following are the topics covered in the CBSE curriculum of standard 8.

Verb, Adjective, Pronouns, Parts of Speech, Adverbs, Preposition, Nouns, Letter- Formal, Notice, Speech, Editing, Letter- Informal, Debate, Email, Bio Sketch, Paragraph Writing, Diary Entry, Article Writing, Diminutives, Report Writing, Antonyms, Synonyms, Story Writing, Message Writing, Idioms, Proverbs, Dialogue Writing, Data Interpretation, Homonyms, Homophones, Phrasal, Occupations, Verbs, Spellings, Omission, Jumbled Words, Homes and Places, Names of Young Ones, Process Description, Figure of Speech, Rhyming Words, Compound Words, Direct-Indirect Speech, Reading for Comprehension, Single word for Group Words, Description of Persons, Places and events, Words expressing cries of animals and birds, Word Formation- Primary Derivatives, Sounds made by various objects, words denoting collection, Supplementary Reader- various chapters.

For detailed information on the above-mentioned topics please stay tuned for a specific article on CBSE: English Standard 8. 

CBSE Class 8 - Science

Following are the topics which are widely covered in the CBSE curriculum of standard 8.

Crop Production and Management, Microorganisms: Friend and Foe, Synthetic Fibres and Plastics, Materials: Metals and Non-Metals, Coal and Petroleum, Combustion and Flame, Conservation and Flame, Cell Structure and Functions, Reproduction in Animals, Reaching the Age of Adolescence, Force and Pressure, Friction, Sound, Chemical Effects of Electric Current, Some Natural Phenomena, Light, Stars and the Solar System, Pollution of Air and Water

For detailed information on the above-mentioned topics please stay tuned for a specific article on CBSE: Science Standard 8. 

CBSE Class 8 – Social Science

The Social Science subject is broadly bifurcated into 3 parts – History, Geography, and Civics. Following are the topics covered in the CBSE curriculum of standard 8.

HISTORY: Where, When, How; The Establishment of Company Power; Rural Life and Society; Colonialism and Tribal Societies; Crafts and Industries; The Revolt of 1857-58; Education and British rule; Women and reform; Challenging the Caste System; Colonialism and Urban Change; Changes in the Arts: Painting, Literature; Architecture; The Nationalist Movement; India after Independence

GEOGRAPHY: Resources: resources and their types – natural and human; Natural resources: their distribution, utilization and conservation, land and soil, water, natural vegetation, wildlife, mineral and power resources (world patterns with special reference to India); Agriculture: types of farming, major crops, food crops, fibres, beverages, agricultural development – two case studies – one from India and the other from a developed country/a farm in the US/ Netherlands/ Australia; Industries: Classification of industries based on size, raw material, ownership; major industries and distribution; infrastructure and development; Iron and Steel (a comparative study of Jamshedpur and a centre in USA e.g., Detroit); Textile Industry (Ahmedabad and Osaka); Information Technology (Bangalore and Silicon Valley); Human Resources – composition, population change, distribution and density.

CIVICS:  The Constitution; Parliamentary Government; The Judiciary; Social Justice and the Marginalized; Economic Presence of the Government.

For detailed information on the above-mentioned topics please stay tuned for a specific article on CBSE: Social Science Standard 8. 

CBSE Class 8- Mathematics

Following are the topics which are widely covered in the CBSE curriculum of standard 8.

Rational Numbers; Linear Equations in One Variable; Understanding Quadrilaterals; Practical Geometry; Data Handling; Squares and Square Roots; Cubes and Cube Roots; Comparing Quantities; Algebraic Expressions and Identities; Visualizing Solid Shapes; Mensuration; Exponents and Powers; Direct and Inverse Proportions; Factorization; Introduction to Graphs; Playing with Numbers.

For detailed information on the above-mentioned topics please stay tuned for a specific article on CBSE: Mathematics Standard 8. 

CBSE Class 8 - Hindi

Following are the topics that are widely covered in the CBSE curriculum of standard 8.

Vasant: ध्वनि (किवता); लाख की चूिड़या (कहानी); बस की यात्रा; दीवानों की हस्ती (किवता); चीटियों की अनूठी दुिनया (निबंध ); भगवान के डािकए (किवता); किया निराश हुआ जाए (निबंध ); यह सब से किठन समय नहीं (किवता); कबीर की सखियाँ; कामचोर (कहानी); जब सिनेमा ने बोलना सीखा; सुदामा चरित (किवता); जहाँ पिहया है; अकबरी लोटा (कहानी); सूर के पद (किवता); पानी की कहानी (निबंध); बाज और साँप (कहानी); टोपी (कहानी)

Durva: गुिड़या; दो गोरैया; चिट्ठियों मैं यूरोप; ओस; नाटक मैं नाटक; सागार यात्रा; उठ किसान ओ; सस्ते का चक्कर; एक खिलाड़ी की कु छ यादें; बस की सैर; हिंदी ने जनकी जंदगी बदल दी; आषाढ़ का पहला दिन; अन्याय के खलाफ; बच्चोंके प्रिय श्री के शव शंकर पिल्लई; फर्श पर; बड़ी अम्मा की बात; वह सुबह कभी तो आएगी; आओ पित्रका निकाले; आहवान

Bharat Ki Khoj: अहमदनगर का किला; तलाश; सिंधु घाटी सभ्यता; युगों का दौर; नयी समस्याएँ; अंतिम दौर –एक; अंतिम दौर –दो; तनाव; दो पृष्ठभूमिया – भारतीय और अंग्रेज़ी

For detailed information on the above mentioned topics please stay tuned for a specific article on CBSE: Hindi Standard 8. 

CBSE Class 8 – Computer Science

Following are the topics that are widely covered in the CBSE curriculum of standard 8.

Algorithm; Flow Chart; Photoshop Review; More on Photoshop Tools; Working with Masks; Flash; E-Commerce E-Greeting; Chatting; Downloading/Uploading; Audio and Video Conferencing.

For detailed information on the above-mentioned topics please stay tuned for a specific article on CBSE: Computer Science Standard 8. 

Once the student is aware of the CBSE Syllabus for standard 8, the students must start studying from the NCERT Class 8 books. These books are the best study material for CBSE students and they cover the entire syllabus with the books explaining the topics in a simple manner containing questions from the basic to advance level.

Class 8 is considered to be the pillar for the future development and growth of a student. The regular study, understanding the basic concepts, exploring and practicing various sample test papers is the way to deal with and score well in standard 8.

However, further are some of the basic tips which can help us in succeeding in this academic session of class 8.

Regular Attendance: A good attendance record plays a very essential role in the life of every student. It adds the right amount of experience, be it theoretical or practical! Things happening around surely leaves an impression in one’s life, so the sessions we attend being present in the school definitely help us in creating a base of the subject consciously or unconsciously. Thus, every aspiring student must always try to be regular in the class and make sure that they have a good attendance record.

Correct Lifestyles: Lifestyle refers to our habits and attitude! A correct lifestyle is very important in a student’s life. Standard 8 is the most appropriate time of putting your routine in an auto-correct mode if needed. Develop the habit of waking up early in the morning, it gives your body and mind the energy it requires during the study schedule. Add regular exercises in your daily routine for physical strength needed during hectic study schedules. Devote a while praying and greeting, it is vital to be socialized and develop the habit of early learning. 

Time management: Time management is the procedure of designing and exercising conscious control of your time utilized on specific activities, especially to extend effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity. Good time management allows you to accomplish more during a shorter period of your time, which results in more free time, which allows you to cash in learning opportunities, lowers your stress, and helps you focus, which results in more career success. Every advantage of time management improves another aspect of your life.

Concentration: Concentration refers to close mental attention to something. “Concentration is the Key to Success!” The simplest way to increase concentration is to do one work at a time. And experts say that whatever one does for three weeks continuously, that starts becoming our habit. So make it a habit to do one work at a time with complete focus and experience the improvement in your output. To improve the power of concentration, students are also advised to drink plenty of water, consume a healthy diet and avoid the consumption of junk food. 

Hard work followed by smart work: When Hard work is followed by Smart work; it surely leads to great success in the academic front. Students need to acknowledge the right way to hard work. Practicing in the right manner helps the students to achieve their desired goals. Hard work clubbed with dedication in standard 8 results in a better understanding of concepts and sets the base right for the senior classes coming in line in the future. The habit of hard work in a smart way at this time helps the students to clear big entrance exams and crack the board exams coming their way in the years to follow.

Necessary Dialogue: For becoming an efficient student, the necessary dialogue is much needed! In order words, a student must be open to conversation. For becoming an efficient student, one must be good at interacting with teachers, friends, parents and guardians. This helps the students to get new ideas and concepts regarding any particular subject, theory or topic in order to clear the doubts and confusions. At times, few students do no share their concerns with others which leads to their doubts standing tall till the end which ultimately leads to poor results. Thus, it is vital for all students to have a necessary dialogue with the relevant people in their academic journey.

Positive Approach: Last but not the least; be Positive towards every aspect of life. It includes having respect for even the topic you don’t like. This positive approach helps the students to overcome their weaknesses and tackle their difficult areas in a much better way. Positivity helps to have a futuristic approach towards life. Every student must spend 15 minutes every day in thinking of and writing about having the best possible circumstances in the future. The positive attitudes of students facilitate golden opportunities in life ahead.

Hope these tips will help you in finding the right path and will take you through the Academic Journey of Class 8 in the most efficient way!

Moving further, let us discuss some tricks to prepare for Class 8 Examinations!

Examinations are stepping stones laid at the school level which facilitate the students in the growth and development of their professional career. The students are often confused as to when to start preparing for the exams to score good marks. The answer is ‘the sooner the better’!! So here are some useful tips to prepare for Class 8 Syllabus which can help students to improve their performance and results.

Refer to NCERT Books: The primary trick to excel in the class 8 exams is to focus on the NCERT syllabus. The NCERT textbooks provide a detailed explanation of concepts and the most important latest solved examples. Thus the students are advised to solve all the questions and NCERT Solutions provided by Studies Today.

Create a list of Important Concepts: The second most important trick to crack the class viii exams is to make a list of all the important concepts and formulae for quick reference and revision. Listing avoids the risk of skipping any important topic and helps to revise each and every subtopic and concepts easily. This is like creating a key book that can do wonders at the time of exams.

Timely Clear the Doubts: The third and equally important trick is getting your doubts and queries cleared as soon as possible from your teachers and guardians. If the students hesitate to ask their doubts from their facilitators, it will result in piling up of problems of confusion and end up in the loss of confidence and poor results. Thus, to ensure good results, all students need to timely eradicate all their doubts at the earliest possible.

Set up an Effective Schedule: The most essential trick for class viii or for that matter any exams is to set up an effective study schedule. It is the need of the hour to divide your 24 hours into different modules focusing more on the areas where you need more time. This gives the students enough time to practice the questions from all sections according to their difficulty level. Thus, in other words, an effective study schedule provides the students with sufficient time for preparation in every aspect.

Solve Previous Question Papers: This is the most common trick which most experts recommend. All students must try to solve a maximum number of previous year question papers. This will help the student to know which question has been asked how many times, along with the marks allotted to that particular question. It also gives a fair idea about the required minimum length of the answer and improves understanding of related questions. By repeated action on the previous year question papers, the students for sure will improve on their ability to attempt the frequently asked questions and their answers. 

Practice by Writing: It is very important for every aspiring student of class viii to study the concepts thoroughly. At the same time, it is equally important to make sure that one can write what one reads. According to the experts, writing helps to remember any concept for a longer time, more than only by reading. Writing helps the students to practice, improve their answering abilities and gives an idea on how to frame your answers in the most appropriate way. Thus all the students should ensure that they write while they read, as one also gets to know one's speed of writing which helps to a great extend during the examination.

Subject-specific Preparation: All six subjects of class viii are equally important for the academic session. On the time, the preparation of different scales is required for different subjects. For example, Mathematics as a subject involves a proper understanding of the concepts and repeated practice.

It consists of plotting of Graphs, solving as many linear equations, Geometry concepts, and of course the variety of formulae at every level. On the other hand, Science is the subject of diagrams and explanations. Therefore, the students need to ensure a neat presentation of the diagrams properly labeled. Social Science is a massive ocean, containing various streams like Economics, Civics, History, and Geography. So the students need to ensure they remember the important points of every aspect during exam time.

The English score can be improved by solving as many passages as possible because that’s where you can fetch your marks for free without memorizing any answer. Along with that, it is very important to improve their grammar and essay writing skills which can be easily done by solving the Sample papers.

Since every subject is different and special in its own way, we need to work out specific ways and measures to prepare for it to reach our ultimate goal of scoring well. 

Presentation: It is a very old saying that good handwriting is the reflection of one’s own personality. Thus, it plays a vital role in leaving an impression on the teacher's mind. The teachers usually give extra marks if you deliver good handwriting and neat presentation. So, the students must practice well to write in good handwriting. Efficiency in the presentation will surely ensure better marks.

This brings us to the last phase of our article, where we will discuss with you a very basic yet extraordinary technique that will not only help you through the standard viii academic session but will also be useful in life ahead. 

This technique is called “Promodoro Technique”

The Promodoro Technique is a time management technique where one breaks down all the tasks into 25 (twenty-five) minutes blocks of focused time. Wherein, between each time block, there is a five-minute break. And after completion of four Promodoro one can take a longer break of around 15 to 30 minutes. This technique is a unique framework that improves our focus and productivity. It can for sure inspire the students to work within the time limitations, rather than struggle against it and also they will be able to finish the task with a sense of accomplishment.

The use of Promodoro Technique is the best way to study any subject at any level and age!

This technique can be very beneficial for the students of Class 8 and it is very easy to use. For example: What one needs for it is a simple watch or a timer for recording and notifying the decided timeline. The students are advised to choose any one subject say Mathematics, study it for 25 minutes and then take a 5 minutes break.

Note that break should not exceed 5 minutes and in those 5 minutes, we can take a power nap or listen to music or do deep breathing which may refresh our mind and prepare us for the next subject. Once the break is over, the student should switch to another subject without fail, say Science and study it for the next 25 minutes. This way the student will not get bored and will be able to attend to both subjects with full concentration.

All aspiring students have the right to know the correct path towards improving their performance and keep moving forward towards their goal. Therefore we @ studies today provide the right solutions with utmost commitment and credibility. So, Stay tuned and Keep Learning!!