Grade 8 Reading/Language Arts Month Content Skills August Review Diagnostic Reading scores Diagnostic ISAT test Reading Interest Survey Reflect upon reading interests, habits, and skills September October Diagnostic Writing Sample Writing Interest Survey Other--Procedures and Expectations --Civil War (Historical Fiction) (short stories, literature circles, or whole class novels) Vocabulary Level C Units 1 & 2 Language Network Chapter 1 "Identifying the Sentence and its Parts" and beginning of Chapter 2 "Nouns" Daily Bell Work to reinforce grammar and (D.O.L.'s, Narrative Writing Unit --Suspense Unit (short stories, novels, or literature circles) Work to best of one's ability on sample (timed prompt) Reflect upon interests, habits, and skills Become familiar with Reading/Language Arts classroom routines Identify parts of literature and grammar text book (I.E. index, table of contents, glossary, and general format) Discuss with peers about themes and attitudes that change in history Analyze author's purpose for a selection, identify details (I.E. dialect, voice, setting) that reveal historical fiction genre Read short stories and novels reflecting the genre of the Civil War Era with comprehension and fluency Identify the four types of sentences Recognize subjects in unusual order Identify predicate nouns/adjectives Identify direct/indirect objects Identify different kinds of nouns (common, proper, collective, abstract, and concrete) Use singular and possessive nouns correctly in context Execute the process steps (pre, drafting, editing, revising, publishing) Write with vivid details/language Create a consistent point of view that is relevant to genre Compose sentences of varying structures and type to reflect style and accuracy Create literary devices such as idioms, similes, metaphors, personification in Construct a structure that is consistent with narrative guidelines including a strong beginning, middle, and conclusion Identify elements and literary devices specific to this genre (foreshadowing, allusion, symbolism, suspense, and types of conflict) Create an accurate story map including denouement, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action) Build, evaluate, and extend interpretations of texts through 1 of 8
collaboration with others Compare story elements and determine which are dominant and subordinate in the genre Support ideas about readings with evidence from text in Vocabulary Level C Units 3& 4 November Language Network Chapter 2 "Nouns" and beginning of Chapter 3 "Pronouns" Daily Bell Work to reinforce grammar and (D.O.L.'s, Persuasive Writing Unit Critical Media Literacy Unit Tolerance/Accepting differences theme (Short stories, poetry, novels, or literature circles) Characteristics of Different Genres Study Identify compound nouns and turn from singular to plural Master the use of nouns as subject complements Indefinable nouns in prepositional and appositive phrases Identify subject pronouns and object pronouns and know when to use in context Use possessive pronouns correctly when Differentiate between reflexive and intensive pronouns Execute the process (pre, drafting, editing, revising, and publishing) Compose a persuasive paper about a significant event in the media Incorporate characteristics of audience and purpose into Compose a clear thesis containing the main idea of the persuasive paper in the introduction Create an appropriate voice and style for the persuasive genre Compose sentences of varying structures and types to reflect style and accuracy Examine different persuasive techniques in the media Analyze these techniques and the effect they have on society Engage in meaningful discussions with peers about relevant issues Connecting themes through different cultures Analyzing theme and reflecting theme of text in Compare similar themes through different texts Identify types of genres such as historical fiction, science fiction, poetry, realistic fiction, horror, mystery, and drama Compare and contrast literary elements specific to each genre (such as plot, setting, types of point of view, specific settings, voice, mood, and theme) Vocabulary Level C Units 5 & 6 2 of 8
December Language Network Chapter 3 "Pronouns" and part of Chapter 4 "Verbs" grammar and (D.O.L.'s, Unit Research Report (History or other content related) Non-fiction (selections from literature book, ISAT testing book, newspaper editorials and articles, textbooks and additional supplemental materials) Vocabulary Level C Units 7 & 8 Identify the differences between interrogative and demonstrative pronouns Identify subject pronouns and object pronouns and know when to use them correctly in context Use possessive pronouns correctly in Differentiate between reflexive and intensive pronouns Understand the function of a verb Identify verbs in context Understand the differences between linking and action verbs Use action and linking verbs appropriately in to achieve a desired effect Survey Subject choices and select topic to research Formulate thesis and focus questions to guide research between credible and non-credible sources Choose and utilize a variety of sources including primary, secondary, and non-print to gather media Record and organize research on Note cards Analyze and evaluate researched information to formulate an expository text Create a project (written report with graphics and visuals or multi-media presentations such as Publisher or Powerpoint) Cite all sources correctly within project Understand what plagiarism is and how to avoid it when researching information Develop a works cited or bibliography page Identify how different content areas (math, science, etc.) require different organizational structures in respective texts (I.E. lists, comparison/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution, classification, main idea/supporting ideas) Identify structures of text and be able to create a graphic organizer to use before, after, and during reading Synthesize key points of non-fiction to form conclusions about text Recognize and draw conclusions based on information found in visuals, graphs, and charts Recognize specialized vocabulary and or terminology associated with non-fiction reading Language Network Chapter 4 Recognize and correctly use principal parts of verbs in (present, past, and participle forms) 3 of 8
"Verbs" grammar and (D.O.L.'s, Identify and correctly use irregular verb forms in Identify and correctly use simple present, past, and future tenses in Identify and correctly use perfect forms in Understand and correctly use verb tenses to express sequence of events in Distinguish between and correctly use troublesome verb pairs in January 2007 February 2007 Expository Writing Literature Study (students will read various cornerstone texts as models which will reflect creative unit--i.e. poetry, narratives, screenplays, or short stories) Vocabulary Level C Units 9 & 10 Language Network Chapter 5 "Adjectives and Adverbs" grammar and (D.O.L.'s, Creative Writing/Writing Unit Multicultural Unit (Short stories, novels, literature circles, or poems) Science Fiction Unit (short stories, novels, or literature circle) Finish Research Unit Create either a newspaper article, how-to paper, or other expository sample Differentiate between fact and fiction Identify author's purpose and audience in text Summarize and make generalizations from content and relate to purpose Synthesize how word choice affects audience Identify which elements are important in genre Compare/contrast different style of authors in genre Identify and correctly use the following parts of speech in : adjectives, predicate adjectives, pronouns, and nouns as adjectives, adverbs, and comparative and superlative forms Identify and use the list of commonly confused adverbs correctly in Identify and avoid double negatives in Use appropriate pre strategies to brainstorm an idea for a creative product (short story, book of poems, memoir, a screen-play, or other text ) Choose a form and purpose that meets the needs of selected/intended audience Create sentences using proper structure Adhere to all conventions of grammar and genre Use available technology in classroom to draft product Edit for grammar, conventions, and mechanics Selective effective format for publication using technology Understand a wide variety of reading material including materials from different cultures Analyze common literary themes/conflicts over time and in different cultures Connect and synthesize ideas in Investigate how attitudes toward a situation or problem change 4 of 8
or don't change through different periods of history or different cultures Create connections between genetics unit in science Identify elements of science fiction genre (setting, conflict, characterization, and symbolism) March 2007 Vocabulary Level C Units 11 & 12 Language Network Chapter 6 "Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections" grammar and (D.O.L.'s, Expository Interdisciplinary Holocaust Unit (short stories, novels, plays, and/or literature circle groups) Vocabulary Level C (Gifted Unit D) ISAT testing language and Unit 13 Language Network Chapter 7 "Verbals and Verb Phrases" Identify list of prepositions Identify conjunctions Identify interjections Utilize prepositions and prepositional phrases in to increase detail Distinguish the difference between prepositions and adverbs Identify and use in correlative and coordinating conjunctions Utilize interjections in to make a point Create a well-developed thesis statement and write in introduction Preview three main ideas in introduction Develop each idea into paragraphs Provide at least three examples, explanations, or data in each paragraph Use transitional words and phrases to unify Write a well-developed essay based on given prompt Use all steps of process Understand a wide variety of reading material including material from different time periods and cultures Analyze common literary themes/connect recurring conflicts over time and cultures and respond to these in Investigate how attitudes toward a situation or problem change over time Understand parts of text that make its genre unique Recognize and use gerund and gerund phrases in Recognize and use participle and participle phrases in Recognize and use infinitives and infinitive phrases in 5 of 8
grammar and (D.O.L.'s, April 2007 May 2007 Final Writing Project based on literature unit Poetry Unit Novel Study (literature circle or short story unit) Vocabulary Level C Unit 14 & 15 Language Network Chapter 8 "Sentence Structure" Poetry Writing Cornerstone speeches to be studied as examples for speech unit Execute the process Include appropriate details according to genre of piece Compose sentence of varying structures and types Create beginning, middle, and end that adhere to conventions of genre Use appropriate style and word choice for genre and audience Proofread for accuracy using available technology Interpret and analyze the literary conventions that make up the genre of poetry (stanza, meter, rhyme, connotation, denotation, hyperbole, simile, metaphors, alliteration, consonance/assonance, etc. Interpret and analyze authors' decisions regarding word choice, content, and literary elements and respond in Discuss interpretations with peers Make connections between text and its culture Connect, relate, and integrate information from poetry Identify literary elements and devices specific to this genre Analyze author's purpose and audience for a selection Apply appropriate reading strategies (predicting, clarifying, connecting, summarizing, and inferring) Identify and construct the following types of sentence structure in : independent and dependent clauses; simple and compound sentences; complex sentences with different kinds of dependent clauses; and compound-complex sentences Utilize poetry literary elements selective to its genre in own poems Utilize the process in Adhere to conventions of poetry Use figurative language related to poetry genre in Write for specific purpose and audience Use available technology (I.E. Web pages, presentations, etc) to design, produce, revise and present poetry in multi-media works Analyze genre of speeches Compare/contrast different authors' speeches Infer meaning of speeches Identify and interpret different elements of speeches Read to find the main idea of speeches Understand and analyze in the theme and symbolism 6 of 8
present in speeches Understand what makes and effective speech Identify literary elements and devices specific to this genre Analyze author's purpose and audience for a selection Build, evaluate, and extend interpretations of text through collaboration with others. Compare story elements and determine which are subordinate and which are dominant in the genre Vocabulary Level C Unit 16 Language Network Chapter 9 "Subject Verb Agreement" and Chapter 10 "Capitalization" grammar and (D.O.L.'s, Speech Unit Recognize and write sentences in which subjects and verbs agree in number Recognize and write complete subjects which agree with verbs Recognize and avoid common agreement problems in sentences Recognize and use verbs that agree with indefinite pronouns subjects Recognize and use verbs that agree with problem subjects Apply and recognize the rules for capitalization: first words in sentences, poetry, quotations, outlines, letters, titles of works, cultures, people, places, landmarks, vehicles, organizations and other subjects Analyze the genre of speech and write a well-formed speech Apply appropriate editing strategies when speeches Present speech with appropriate cues, voice tone, and spacing Utilize available technological resources for presenting speech Manage use of note-cards, graphic organizers, various forms of outlining, and/or visual aids when presenting orally Identify purposes for listening and speaking in a group setting Understand and develop the components necessary for conducting a speech: eye contact, tone, voice, inflection, and posture when giving a speech When listening to others, assume appropriate mode and give proper feedback Separate main ideas, supporting facts, and details when listening Determine meaning from speaker's denotations and connotation Formulate questions while listening to clarify meaning Modify, control, or block out external/internal distractions when speaking 7 of 8
June 2007 Literature Study Reading Beyond the Classroom Vocabulary Level C Review or Finish Units Language Network-Labeling different parts of speech d grammar and (D.O.L.'s, Practical Writing Unit Understand different types of reading and appropriate strategies associated with them Implement reading strategies while reading Analyze how different types of reading require different skills/rate of reading Identify and label all parts of a sentence and parts of speech within sentence Understand different parts of an application and fallout a job application correctly Write a personal/business and Email using correct format Understand different parts of a resume and one for personal use Choose appropriate form of, voice, and style appropriate to the audience and perspire 8 of 8