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The Middle Academy ELA courses engage students with a compacted and accelerated curriculum covering reading and writing of informational and literary texts, grammar, word study, analysis, interpretation, and performance skills. Course materials and concepts range in complexity from 5th grade to 12th grade.
The Middle Academy ELA courses engage students with a compacted and accelerated curriculum covering reading and writing of informational and literary texts, grammar, word study, analysis, interpretation, and performance skills. Course materials and concepts range in complexity from 5th grade to 12th grade.
Curriculum
Curriculum
The learning standards and benchmarks for ELA follow the 8th-10th grade Parkway School District Guaranteed Middle School Priority Standards based upon the Common Core State Standards.
Reading Literature
RL6.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. (Key Ideas and Details)
RL8.2 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. (Key Ideas and Details)
RL8.3 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. (Key Ideas and Details)
RL7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama. (Craft and Structure)
RL8.6 Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor. (Craft and Structure)
Reading Informational Texts
RI6.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. (Key Ideas and Details)
RI8.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the supporting ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories). (Key Ideas and Details)
RI8.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints. (Craft and Structure)
RI8.8 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. (Integration of Knowledge and Ideas)
Writing
Text Types and Purposes
W8.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. (Text Types and Purposes)
a. Introduce a claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationship among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
W8.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. (Text Types and Purposes)
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.
b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experience, events, and/ or characters.
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.
d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.
W8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above). (Production and Distribution of Writing)
W8.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the creditability and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. (Research to Build and Present Knowledge)
Speaking/Listening
S/L8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, text, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. (Comprehension and Collaboration)
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.
b. Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
c. Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.
d. Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented.
S/L6.2 Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g. visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study. (Key Ideas and Details)
S/L8.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. (Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas)
Language
L8.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. (Conventions of Standard English)
L8.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. (Conventions of Standard English)
a. Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a pause or break.
b. Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission.
c. Spell correctly.
L8.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. (Knowledge of Language)
a. Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/ listener interest, and style.
b. Maintain consistency in style and tone.
L8.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. (Vocabulary Acquisition and Use)
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.
b. Use common grade-appropriate Greek of Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede).
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.
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).
L8.6 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. (Vocabulary Acquisition & Use)
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context.
b. Use the relationships between particular words (e.g., cause/ effect, part/ whole, item/ category) to better understand each of the words.
c. Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., stingy, scrimping, economical, unwasteful, thrifty).
Please note: The months indicated in the syllabus are approximated based on previous years' schedules.
August
August
Reading Literature - Stargirl Book Study through Socratic Seminars
Reading Informational Texts - Analyzing Current Events; Interpreting Infographics
Writing - Personal Narrative; CEWEW (Claim, Evidence, Warrant, Evidence, Warrant); Responding to Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Responding to Stargirl study guide
Speaking/Listening - Discussion of Current Events; Discussion of Stargirl
Language - Building Vocabulary with Word Roots; Daily Grammar (Simple and Compound Sentences; Sentence Fragments; Subjects and Predicates; Proper, Compound, and Collective Nouns; Distinguishing Between Plurals, Possessives, and Contractions; Appositives; Transitive and Intransitive Verbs; Verbs with Indirect Objects; Linking Verbs and Predicate Words)
September
September
Reading Literature - Stargirl Book Study through Socratic Seminars
Reading Informational Texts - Analyzing Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Research on "Creationism, Evolution, or Something Else"
Writing - CEWEW (Claim, Evidence, Warrant, Evidence, Warrant); Responding to Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Responding to Stargirl study guide; Devlopment of an outline for "Creationism, Evolution, or Something Else"; Drafting "Creationism, Evolution, or Something Else"; Revising
Speaking/Listening - Discussion of Current Events; Discussion of Stargirl; Peer Conferencing
Language - Building Vocabulary with Word Roots; Daily Grammar (Past, Present, and Future Tenses; Main Verbs and Helping Verbs; Common, Proper, Concrete Nouns; Possessive and Reflexive Pronouns; Adjectives, Articles, and Proper Adjectives)
October
October
Reading Literature - Small Steps: My Year With Polio Author's Craft Study; Ender's Game Book Study through Socratic Seminars
Reading Informational Texts - Analyzing Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Research on "Creationism, Evolution, or Something Else"; Reading Biographies and Autobiographies
Writing - Mimicking Professional Authors; Responding to Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Responding to Small Steps: My Year With Polio; Development of an outline for "Creationism, Evolution, or Something Else"; Drafting "Creationism, Evolution, or Something Else"; Revising; Responding to Ender's Game study guide
Speaking/Listening - Discussion of Current Events; Debate "Creationism, Evolution, or Something Else"; Discussion of Small Steps: My Year With Polio; Discussion of Ender's Game; Peer Conferencing
Language - Building Vocabulary with Word Roots; Daily Grammar (Demonstratives; Adverbs and Intensifiers; Using Adverbs and Adjectives; Avoiding Double Negatives; Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases; Pronouns as Objects of Prepositions; Prepositional Phrases as Adjectives and Adverbs; Conjunctions and Interjections; Sentences and Clauses; Complex Sentences; Adjective Clauses; Adverb Clauses; Noun Clauses; Participles and Participial Phrases; Gerunds and Gerund Phrases; Infinitives and Infinitive Phrases; Making Subjects and Verbs Agree; Problems with Locating the Subject); Analogies
November
November
Reading Literature - Ender's Game Book Study through Socratic Seminars
Reading Informational Texts - Analyzing Current Events; Interpreting Infographics
Writing - Responding to Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Responding to Ender's Game study guide
Speaking/Listening - Discussion of Current Events; Discussion of Ender's Game
Language - Building Vocabulary with Word Roots; Daily Grammar (Special Subjects; Using Troublesome Words; Capitalization; Using Periods and Other End Marks; Using Commas; Using Semicolons and Colons; Using Quotation Marks and Italics; Using Apostrophes, Hyphens, Dashes, and Parentheses; Paragraph Correction); Analogies
December
December
Reading Literature - Ender's Game Book Study through Socratic Seminars
Reading Informational Texts - Analyzing Current Events; Interpreting Infographics
Writing - Responding to Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Responding to Ender's Game study guide
Speaking/Listening - Discussion of Current Events; Discussion of Ender's Game
Language - Building Vocabulary with Word Roots; Daily Grammar (Paragraph Correction); Mad Libs
January
January
Reading Literature - Ender's Game Book Study through Socratic Seminars
Reading Informational Texts - Analyzing Current Events; Interpreting Infographics
Writing - Responding to Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Responding to Ender's Game study guide
Speaking/Listening - Discussion of Current Events; Discussion of Ender's Game
Language - Building Vocabulary with Word Roots; Daily Grammar (Paragraph Correction); Analogies
February
February
Reading Literature - Interpreting Media Literacy
Reading Informational Texts - Analyzing Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Interpreting Media Literacy
Writing - Responding to Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Production of Media Literacy
Speaking/Listening - Discussion of Current Events; Presentation of Media Literacy Projects
Language - Building Vocabulary with Word Roots
March
March
Reading Literature - Interpreting Media Literacy; The Sword in the Stone Book Study through Student Led Book Club
Reading Informational Texts - Analyzing Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Interpreting Media Literacy
Writing - Responding to Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Production of Media Literacy; Responding to The Sword in the Stone study guide
Speaking/Listening - Discussion of Current Events; Presentation of Media Literacy Projects; Discussion of The Sword in the Stone
Language - Building Vocabulary with Word Roots; Analogies; The Sword in the Stone Content Specific Vocabulary
April
April
Reading Literature - Interpreting Media Literacy; The Sword in the Stone Book Study through Student Led Book Club; Reader's Theatre; Aesop's Fables
Reading Informational Texts - Analyzing Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Interpreting Media Literacy
Writing - Responding to Current Events; Interpreting Infographics; Production of Media Literacy; Responding to The Sword in the Stone study guide; Reader's Theatre Script
Speaking/Listening - Discussion of Current Events; Presentation of Media Literacy Projects; Discussion of The Sword in the Stone; Practice of Reader's Theatre
Language - Building Vocabulary with Word Roots; The Sword in the Stone Content Specific Vocabulary
May
May
Reading Literature - Reader's Theatre; Aesop's Fables
Reading Informational Texts - Analyzing Current Events; Interpreting Infographics
Writing - Responding to Current Events; Interpreting Infographics
Speaking/Listening - Discussion of Current Events
Language - Building Vocabulary with Word Roots; Analogies; Literature Clues
Standards and Evaluation
Standards and Evaluation
ELA 6 students are evaluated on their mastery (understanding and ability to apply) of specific language arts standards. The Common Core State Standards, hosted and maintained by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center), and adopted by the Parkway School District, are the standards by which the MOSAICS Academy students are evaluated.
The MOSAICS Academy follows best professional practice by using "standards-based grading." Standard-based grading evaluates the level of proficiency the student demonstrates on any given task associated with one or more standards. To this end, different assignments can have different "weights" or values based on the number of standards evaluated through a single task. For example, if an assignment has three standards associated with it, then there will be three separate evaluations for that assignment.
Each assignment will fall under one of two categories: "Practice" or "performance." Assignments designated as "practice" are calculated as two percent of the student's grade for the specific standard. Assignments designated as "performance" are calculated as eighteen percent of the student's grade for the specific standard. The table below demonstrates how a student's grade is calculated in ELA 6.
Standards-based grading is reported to students and parents as numbers ranging from 0-10. The following scale is used for reporting and recording student work in the Infinite Campus gradebook.
10 Exceeds Expectations (A+)- Work is correct, work demonstrates connects the expected learning targets to other learning targets and/or demonstrates thinking beyond the parameters of the requirements
9 Proficient (A) - Work is correct, work surpasses the minimum requirements
8 Proficient (B) - Work is correct, all work meets the minimum requirements
7 Developing (C) - Included work is correct, work did not follow all required instructions
6 Developing (D) - Most included work is correct, work did not follow all required instructions
5 Developing (F) - Some included work is correct, work did not follow all required instructions
4 Developing (F) - Assignment was turned in, but was partially incomplete, included work was partially correct
3 Developing (F) - Assignment was turned in, but was partially incomplete, included work was partially correct
2 Basic (F) - Assignment was turned in, but was partially incomplete and incorrect
1 Basic (F) - Assignment was turned in, but was largely incomplete and incorrect
0 Basic (F) - Work is completely missing
Today’s students are preparing to enter a world in which colleges and businesses are demanding more than ever before. To ensure all students are ready for success after high school, the Common Core State Standards establish clear, consistent guidelines for what every student should know and be able to do in math and English language arts from kindergarten through 12th grade.
The standards were drafted by experts and teachers from across the country and are designed to ensure students are prepared for today’s entry-level careers, freshman-level college courses, and workforce training programs. The Common Core focuses on developing the critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills students will need to be successful. Forty-two states, the District of Columbia, four territories, and the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) have voluntarily adopted and are moving forward with the standards.
The new standards also provide a way for teachers to measure student progress throughout the school year and ensure that students are on the pathway to success in their academic careers.
English Language Arts/Literacy Standards - Grade 8
Key Ideas and Details:
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
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.
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.
Craft and Structure:
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.
Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.
(RL.8.8 not applicable to literature)
Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity:
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Key Ideas and Details:
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
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.
Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).
Craft and Structure:
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept.
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.
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.
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.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity:
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Text Types and Purposes:
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence
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 words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
Establish and maintain a formal style.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
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.
Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
Establish and maintain a formal style.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
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.
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
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.
Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.
Production and Distribution of Writing:
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 8 here.)
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge:
Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new").
Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "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").
Range of Writing:
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Comprehension and Collaboration:
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.
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.
Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.
Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented.
Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.
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.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas:
Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 8 Language standards 1 and 3 here for specific expectations.)
Conventions of Standard English:
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
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.
Form and use verbs in the indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive mood.
Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice and mood.*
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a pause or break.
Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission.
Spell correctly.
Knowledge of Language:
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action; expressing uncertainty or describing a state contrary to fact).
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use:
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.
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.
Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede).
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.
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).
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in context.
Use the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words.
Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute).
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
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