ELA 8, UNIT ONE: “EXAMINING IDENTITY THROUGH SETTING AND LOCATION”
KEY QUESTION: “HOW DO SETTING AND LOCATION IMPACT A CHARACTER OR INDIVIDUAL’S IDENTITY?”
UNIT DURATION: NINE WEEKS— AUGUST 22, 2018 — OCTOBER 26, 2018.
STANDARDS ADDRESSED
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.1
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.3
Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.2
Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3.a
Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3.b
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3.c
Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3.d
Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3.e
Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.2.a
Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a pause or break.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.2.b
Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.2.c
Spell correctly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.4
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.4.a
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.4.b
Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.4.c
Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.4.d
Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.5
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.5.a
Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in context.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.5.b
Use the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.5.c
Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.a
Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.b
Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.c
Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.d
Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.6
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
UNIT VOCABULARY
ACADEMIC—CENTRAL IDEA, CHARACTERIZATION (DIRECT/INDIRECT), TEXT, OBJECTIVE SUMMARY, TEXT EVIDENCE, ANALYSIS, MOTIVE, SIMILE, STEREOTYPE, SUMMARY, SYMBOLISM, SYNOPSIS, PRE-CONCEIVED NOTION, IRONY, GENRE, MOOD, TONE, FLASHBACK, FORESHADOWING, INDIFFERENCE, REFERENCE, RESPONSE.
CONTENT– THEME, SETTING, CHARACTERS, PLOT, EXPOSITION/INTRODUCTION, RISING ACTION, CLIMAX, CONFLICT (TYPES), FALLING ACTION, RESOLUTION, INFERENCES, NARRATIVE.
RESOURCES/TEXTS: UPDATED LISTS TBD DUE TO INFLUX OF NEW AND REASSIGNED STAFF. IN THE PAST, SELECTIONS FROM THIS UNIT HAVE INCLUDED, “CHARLES” BY SHIRLEY JACKSON, “RAYMOND’S RUN” BY TONI CADE BAMBARA”, “CHECKOUTS” BY CYNTHIA RYLANT, “ST. AGNES SENDS THE GOLDEN BOY” BY CYN FORSHAY LUNSFORD, “STOP THE SUN” BY GARY PAULSEN, “THE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF” BY O. HENRY, “HARRIET TUBMAN” BY ANN PETRY.
UNIT OVERVIEW: STUDENTS WILL EXPLORE CHARACTERS AND PLOT, AND HOW LOCATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, AFFECTS PLOT ELEMENTS AND NONFICTION THEMES, AS WELL AS CHARACTER IDENTITY. STUDENTS WILL WORK TO CITE EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS INFERENCES AND CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE SETTING OF A STORY, ANALYZES THE IMPACT OF SETTING ON INDIVIDUALS AND EVENTS, AND WRITING THEIR OWN NARRATIVES. STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO ANALYZE ELEMENTS OF PLOT, LINES OF DIALOGUE, AND PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT. SKILLS WILL BE ASSESSED IN A NARRATIVE WRITING PERFORMANCE TASK AT THE END OF THE UNIT.
STUDENT LEARNING TARGETS:
I CAN CITE TEXTUAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT INFERENCES THAT I MAKE.
I CAN IDENTIFY THE THEME OR CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT.
I CAN IDENTIFY AND ANALYZE DIALOGUE AND UNDERSTAND ITS IMPACT ON THE TEXT.
I CAN CREATE A PERSONAL NARRATIVE THAT DRAWS CONCLUSIONS AND IS CLEAR AND COHERENT.
I CAN DISCUSS AND COLLABORATE WITH PEERS TO BUILD ON EXISTING BELIEFS AND IDEAS.