Course guides › Grade 8
These guides explain what South African learners cover in each Grade 8 subject under CAPS, term by term, with key ideas, worked examples, common mistakes and tips for parents. Grade 8 is part of the Senior Phase (Grades 7–9).
Every Grade 8 course is R300 per subject per year, with all four terms in one course. No Grade 8 courses are open yet; each guide below shows what the course will cover.
Subject guides
- Grade 8 Mathematics – Integers, exponents, algebraic expressions and equations, graphs, geometry, Pythagoras, area and volume.
- Grade 8 English Home Language – Literature, essays, transactional writing, media texts and grammar, plus how the exam papers work.
- Grade 8 Afrikaans First Additional Language – Literature, writing, taal and the exam papers, with Afrikaans examples.
- Grade 8 Natural Sciences – Life and Living, Matter and Materials, Energy and Change, and Planet Earth and Beyond, with key ideas and examples.
- Grade 8 Social Sciences – Geography (maps and globes, climate regions, settlement, transport and trade) and History (Industrial and Mineral Revolutions, Scramble for Africa, WWI).
- Grade 8 Technology – Structures, mechanical systems and gears, processing, and electrical systems, with the PATs.
- Grade 8 Economic and Management Sciences – The economy, financial literacy and entrepreneurship, with examples, common mistakes and parent tips.
- Grade 8 Creative Arts – Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts, and how to support creative work at home.
- Grade 8 Life Orientation – Self-development, relationships, health and safety, rights and responsibilities, careers and Physical Education.
Ready to start?
See the Grade 8 course cards on our home page. Cards marked “Open course” take you to Coursebox, where you enrol. Questions? Read our guide for parents.
AI Buddies is an independent tutoring service. These guides follow the Department of Basic Education’s CAPS documents but are not endorsed by the DBE. Last reviewed: 31 October 2026.