English/Language Arts Department
Grade 8
Grade 8 Curriculum
The Language Arts curriculum is organized into units of study (please see four unit descriptions below). Woven throughout these units are areas of direct instruction that include opportunities for students to strategically apply their reading and writing strategies, to respond to text both orally and in writing, and to study and apply grammar conventions.
The ultimate goal is to prepare our students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century. The structure and delivery model of our grade 8 Language Arts program is in alignment with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as both guide our students to apply their reading, writing, speaking, listening and language skills for authentic purposes.
Within our flexible structure:
reading and writing are valued as complex and highly social activities
time is provided for students to read and write
the close study of genre enables students to become more skillful readers and writers
independent reading helps students discover their interests and appreciate reading for pleasure
students are provided with opportunities to communicate clearly and listen respectfully to the ideas of others
technology is authentically used as a means to enhance student learning
Unit 1: Narrative Writing & Elements of Fictional Narrative
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that…
Story structure impacts the reader’s understanding of plot and theme.
Writers develop theme using a variety of techniques and by manipulating character, plot, and setting.
Characters change from the beginning to the end of a story as a result of the people and challenges they encounter.
Collaboration with peers deepens the reader’s understanding of author’s message and craft.
Essential Questions
Students will keep considering…
How does an author draw the reader into the world of the main character?
Why do authors write fiction?
How do the elements of fiction work together to tell a compelling story?
How does discussing a text with others differ from reading a text independently?
Unit 2: Editorial (Argument) Writing & Social Change
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that…
An individual must take a stand on an important issue for social justice to occur.
Diverse points of view contribute to the development of society.
Media literacy is a product of the interaction between a text and an audience
An individual’s perceptions, understandings, and reactions to media are influenced by his or her own subjectivity
Essential Questions:
Students will keep considering...
How does society promote OR hinder social justice?
Do individuals have a responsibility to affect or change society?
How can individuals change society?
What are the benefits and/or consequences of challenging the status quo?
How do individuals become critical consumers of media?
Unit 3: Informational Writing & The Origins of Story Structure
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that…
Many authors adapt the story structure of the classic Monomyth to create modern texts.
Characters and story structures have become universal in literature.
Literary allusions are important for critical connections to other texts and modern culture.
Essential Questions
Students will keep considering...
How does the author’s use of patterns within storytelling enhance the reader’s understanding?
How have the modern adaptations of ancient archetypes evolved in literature and culture?
How does the story of one character become the story of all characters?
How does the reading of Greek mythology enhance the understanding of modern literature and culture?
Unit 4: Literary Analysis (Argument) Writing & Shakespeare / Poetic Form
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that…
Universal themes allow readers to share a common experience.
Shakespeare’s work has influenced contemporary literature and popular culture.
The interpretation of words can differ when they are spoken from when they are written.
Dramas are intended to be viewed by an audience
Reading for understanding takes time and perseverance
Repeated exposure to a text can lead to new understanding
Essential Questions
Students will keep considering...
Why do Shakespeare’s works hold a universal appeal?
How does the reading of Shakespeare’s works enhance the understanding of contemporary literature and popular culture?
How does an author use language to convey meaning?
How does a reader’s experience change when he or she is charged to bring a work to life?
How does seeing a work performed enhance a reader’s experience and understanding?
What is the value in challenging ourselves as readers and writers?
Reading
The Reading Curriculum is unit-based and organized according to genre. Units include: historical fiction, narrative nonfiction, traditional literature, fictional narrative, and poetry. Thus, students explore the text structures imbedded within the various genres as they discover universal themes such as courage, confrontation and compassion through deep study. By examining works of literature and nonfiction, students are able to move beyond the “who, what, when, where, and why” of text to uncover the theme, message, and author’s stance.
Writing
Writing instruction places an emphasis on assisting students to write narratives, explanatory text and arguments. Students are also provided with opportunities to develop their abilities to plan, revise, edit, and publish other types of text. The importance of the reading-writing connection is stressed as students are required to draw upon their knowledge of text structures and author’s craft as they write to inform, explain and share their opinions. Students are also required to use text evidence as they write in response to print and digital media.
Speaking and Listening
Students are guided to develop a range of broadly useful oral communication and interpersonal skills. As members of the classroom community, students are provided with opportunities to work together, to express and listen carefully to the ideas of others, to integrate information from oral, visual, quantitative, and media sources, to evaluate what they hear, to use media and visual displays strategically to help achieve communicative purposes, and to adapt speech to context and task.
Language
The expectation is that students will understand and apply the essential “rules” of standard written and spoken English as a matter of craft and informed choice.
8th Grade Independent Reading
We encourage our students to enjoy independent reading throughout the entire year. Please check with your English/Language Arts teacher and/or Library Media Specialist for independent reading recommendations and resources.
