8th- Second 9 weeks 

The students, during the second nine weeks, continue to work on writing essays using the EB Writing Program. They will be asked to write an essay and/or short response(s) each week.  Students will focus on persuasive writing techniques in their papers and when creating a project. Independent reading will also be continued throughout the nine weeks; books must be approved by the classroom teacher. Participation will be entered into the grade book as an assessment grade. As a class, we will be reading several short stories focusing on theme, central idea, setting, plot, reliable/unreliable narrator, and more. We will also be reading a novel called The Wave. Students will also be analyzing propaganda techniques in different forms (media, text, electronic, print, etc). 

Reading Comprehension

8.RC.1  Analyze what a text says explicitly as well as draw inferences from the text through strong and supportive textual evidence.

8.RC.2  Analyze the development of a theme or central idea over the course of a work of literature, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide a detailed summary that supports the analysis.

8.RC.3  Compare and contrast the structure of two

or more related works of literature (e.g., similar topic

or theme), and analyze and evaluate how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning

and style.

8.RC.4  Analyze the development of a central idea over the course of a text, including its relationship

to supporting ideas; provide a detailed, objective summary of the text.

8.RC.5  Determine an author’s perspective or purpose in a text, and analyze how the author      

acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

8.RC.6 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the 

reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is 

introduced.

8.RC.7 Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic 

and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.

8.RC.8  Use context to determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases.

8.RC.9  Distinguish among the connotations of words with similar denotations.

8.RC.10  Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede).

8.RC.11  Interpret figures of speech (e.g., verbal irony, puns) in context.

Communication & Collaboration

8..CC.1  Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) on grade-appropriate topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing personal ideas clearly.

8.CC.5  Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning

and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

   Writing

8.W.1  Write arguments in a variety of forms that –

Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.

Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

Use effective transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

Establish and maintain a consistent style and tone appropriate to purpose and audience.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

8.W.2  Write informative compositions in a variety of forms that –

Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into 

broader categories;     include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables),

and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations,

or other information and examples from various sources and texts.

Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas 

and concepts.

Choose language and content-specific vocabulary that express ideas precisely and concisely, 

recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.

Establish and maintain a style appropriate to the purpose and audience.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information

or explanation presented.

8.W.6  Demonstrate command of English grammar and usage, focusing on:

Verbs – Explaining the function of verbals (gerunds, participles, infinitives) in general and their function in particular sentences; forming and using active and passive voice; recognizing and correcting inappropriate shifts in verb voice.

Reading Comprehension

• Evidence Statements for 8.RC.1

  • Identify an argument, claim, central idea, or theme in a text.

  • Infer an author’s perspective or purpose based on an analysis of a text.

  • Cite textual evidence to support an idea explicitly given in a text.

  • Cite textual evidence to support an idea inferred about a text

• Evidence Statements for 8.RC.2

  • Identify the theme or central idea of a text.

  • Analyze how characters, setting, and plot help develop a theme or central idea over the course of a work of literature.

  • Incorporate the development of the theme or central idea and other story details into a detailed summary that supports the analysis.

• Evidence Statements for 8.RC.4

  • Determine the central idea of a nonfiction text.

  • Analyze a text in order to explain how a central idea is developed.

  • Analyze how the central idea relates to supporting ideas as the text develops.

  • Develop a detailed, objective summary of the text.

• Evidence Statements for 8.RC.5

  • Determine and explain the author’s perspective or purpose in a text.

  • Examine the organization of ideas in the text to determine the ideas that signal and address opposing viewpoints.

  • Analyze how an author acknowledges and responds to conflicting viewpoints.

• Evidence Statements for 8.RC.6 

  • Identify a writer’s argument and claim(s).

  • Distinguish between sound and unsound reasoning.

  • Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant evidence.

  • Recognize that the evidence offered may not be sufficient or substantial.

• Evidence Statements for 8.RC.7

  • Explain how two authors present conflicting information on the same topic and provide support from both texts.

  • Identify side-by-side specific places or instances where texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretations.

• Evidence Statements for 8.RC.8

  • Use context clues to determine or clarify the meaning of words.

  • Use context clues to determine or clarify the meaning of phrases

• Evidence Statements for 8.RC.9

  • Define connotation and denotation.

  • Identify examples of connotation and denotation.

  • Examine how word choice affects meaning.

  • Revise passages for vivid, connotative language

• Evidence Statements for 8.RC.10

  • Identify and define Greek roots.

  • Identify and define Latin roots.

  • Identify and define affixes.

  • Predict the meaning of unknown words using Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues.

• Evidence Statements for 8.RC.11

• Demonstrate an understanding of the meaning of figurative language such as verbal irony and puns and/or other forms the author uses in a text.

• Determine the meaning of unknown words in context by using strategies such as questioning, inferencing, and rereading.

• Demonstrate understanding of how word choice and figurative language impact meaning.

• Apply figurative language to writing tasks

Communication & Collaboration

• Evidence Statements for 8.CC.1

  • Participate in different types of discussions (pairs, groups, whole class).

  • Participate in a variety of group discussions about grade eight topics, texts, and issues.

  • Collaborate with others to build on ideas.

  • Clearly express personal ideas.

  • Reflect on discussion topics using evidence from the text, issue, and topic.

  • Formulate comments, questions, and responses based on evidence from the text or topic.

• Evidence Statements for 8.CC.5

  • Identify a speaker’s claim.

  • Outline an argument made by a speaker, including evidence used to support main points.

  • Distinguish between sound and unsound reasoning.

  • Identify the attitude the speaker has toward a subject by analyzing the content and the delivery.

  • Recognize claims introduced may not be relevant to the topic.

  • Recognize that the evidence offered may not be sufficient or substantial

Writing

• Evidence Statements for 8.W.1

  • Identify claims, reasons, and relevant evidence within text.

  • Determine how to structure an argument.

  • Outline an argument, introducing the claim with a thesis statement and organizing the reasons and evidence clearly in order to support the claim.

  • Formulate support for claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

  • Evaluate the credibility of sources used and relevance of the evidence.

  • Identify and make concessions to conflicting or differing claims.

  • Write an argument to introduce and support a claim with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

  • Utilize words, phrases, and clauses that show relationships between the claims, reasons, and evidence.

  • Establish and maintain a formal style and consistent tone appropriate for the purpose and audience.

  • Plan and write an appropriate conclusion that follows the argument presented.

• Evidence Statements for 8.W.2

  • Identify components of informative writing.

  • Determine a structure for writing that best organizes ideas, concepts, and information on a topic using categorization.

  • Outline informative writing tasks to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through text selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

  • Determine when to include formatting, graphics, and/or multimedia to aid in comprehension.

  • Introduce and develop a topic in writing using a thesis statement, relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, examples, and other information.

  • Select and use various transitions that clarify relationships among presented ideas and concepts.

  • Use precise language and content-specific vocabulary when writing to inform or explain a topic.

  • Establish and maintain a formal style when writing.

  • Plan and write an appropriate conclusion that follows the information or explanation presented.

  • Edit and revise writing to eliminate wordiness and redundancy.

• Evidence Statements for 8.W.6

  • Identify verbs in text.

  • Identify verbals in text.

  • Explain the function of verbals (gerunds, participles, infinitives) in general and their function in particular sentences.

  • Form and use verbs in the active and passive voice.

  • Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice.

• The Wave by Todd Strasser

• Short Stories from various sources

• EB Writing Resources (videos, notes, graphic organizers)

• Scope Magazine

• Library Books