2016-2017 Curriculum Blueprint
Grade: 8
Course: M/J Language Arts 3 & M/J Language Arts 3 Advanced
Quarter 2: Writing to Argue From Close Reading (Collection 4: Approaching Adulthood)
Test Item Specifications: 8th Grade
Lexile Band: 1070L – 1440L
Approximate Time
Frame:
9 Weeks
Quarter Overview
By the end of Quarter 2, students will be able to apply the skills they have learned about writing to argue from close reading to an unfamiliar prompt resulting in the
product of an argumentative essay (this is the Required Summative Assessment). The summative assessment, in the Performance Assessment consumable, could be
given over 1 – 2 days at the end of the quarter, depending on the flexibility of your scheduling. The Common Performance Tasks are intended to address the standards
of the quarter while offering choice for students and teachers. A teacher could also assign Common Performance Tasks for scaffolding purposes. These tasks would be
completed near the end of the quarter, and prior to the Required Summative Assessment. The Common Performance Tasks may be tweaked by grade level teams
during PLC time. Flexibility is granted in order to address specific student, class, and school needs. The Priority Texts for this quarter focus on the topic of approaching
adulthood, which should help students build topical vocabulary. The Sample Assignments were chosen to give teachers examples of tasks that support the standards
necessary for students to demonstrate proficiency or approach mastery with the Common Performance Tasks and Summative Assessment; however, these are not
meant to be the only assignments for the quarter. The Sample Assignments can be tweaked and/or additional assignments can be created by grade level PLCs. Should
additional texts be needed/desired, it is recommended that these also maintain a focus on culture and belonging, with the Focus Standards of the quarter in mind.
* Study and application of vocabulary and grammar are meant to be taught in conjunction with what our students are reading and writing. As such, please utilize the
resources and standards found in the HMH Collections. For testing purposes, there should be a greater emphasis on LAFS.8.L.1.1, 1.2, 3.4, & 3.5.
Common Performance Task (Option 1)
Analyzing the Model: Argumentative Essay
(Performance Assessment, pp. 1-32)
LAFS.8.RI.1.1, 8.RI.1.2, 8.RI.2.4, 8.RI.2.6, 8.RI.3.8, 8.W.1.1,
8.W.2.5, 8.W.3.8, 8.W.3.9
*This task walks students through the process of integrating
information from multiple sources and writing to argue
logically through synthesizing information presented in
different formats. The texts are topically aligned to the
priority texts for this collection.
Rubric: FSA Argumentative Rubric
Common Performance Task (Option 2)
Common Performance Task (Option 3)
Multimedia Campaign
Evaluate & Analyze Diverse Media
LAFS.8.RI.1.1, LAFS.8.W.1.1, LAFS.8.W.2.5,
LAFS.8.W.2.6, LAFS.8.W.3.8, LAFS.8.W.3.9,
LAFS.8.SL.2.4, LAFS.8.SL.2.5
LAFS.8.RI.3.7, 3.8, LAFS.8.W.1.1
After reading the priority texts for this unit, produce a
multimedia campaign in which you take a position and
defend your answer to the question, “When Do Kids
Become Adults?” You must present an argument that
supports claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence
from informational texts and from print and digital
research.
HMH pgs. 273-275 Multimedia Campaign
Rubric pg. 276.
After viewing Your Phone Can Wait and analyzing the
Public Service Announcement Driving Distracted, delineate
and evaluate the arguments presented. Write an essay in
which you argue which piece provides the most specific
claim with sound reasoning and relevant/sufficient
evidence. Use evidence to support your argument.
Adapted from HMH (see pp. 263-68)
Rubric: FSA Argumentative Rubric
Required Summative Assessment
Performance Assessment: Task 1, Research Simulation p. 101
After reading three texts on the use of child labor to manufacture products, write an argumentative essay in which you argue whether we should buy products that have
been manufactured with the use of child labor. Support your position with evidence from the texts.
LAFS.8.RI.3.8; LAFS.8.W.1.1a-e; LAFS.8.W.3.8; LAFS.8.W.3.9
LDC Template Task A4
FSA Argumentative Rubric
Learning Goals
Sample Questions
Note: Sample Essential Questions appear at the beginning of each Collection
Reading: Students will be able to:
Reading:
 Define and identify relevant/irrelevant evidence in informational text.
 How does the author’s claims used in the text affect the outcome of an
 Define and identify sufficient/insufficient evidence in informational text.
argument?
 Delineate the argument and specific claims of a text.
 Why might an author use irrelevant evidence in an argument?
 Classify evidence as relevant/irrelevant in informational text.
 How can multimedia presentations of a topic change my understanding of a
 Classify reasoning as sound/ unsound in informational text.
topic?
 Classify evidence as sufficient/ insufficient in informational text.
 Evaluate an argument in a text based on sound reasoning, and relevant
and sufficient evidence.
Writing:
 Evaluate media the advantages and disadvantages of using print in a
 How can I use relevant reasons to write an argument to support a claim?
presentation.
 How can I use credible information to support my claims in an argument?
 Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using digital media in a
 How can I recall and organize information accurately?
presentation.
 How can I collect and organize information accurately?
 Use different mediums.
 How can I quote a source without plagiarizing?
Writing: Students will be able to:
 Determine how to introduce claims and acknowledge alternate or
opposing claims.
 Organize reasons and evidence logically.
 Build support for claims using logical reasoning and relevant evidence.
 Write an argument to support claims with clear, logical reasons and
relevant evidence.
 Assess the credibility and accuracy of a source.
 Gather relevant information from multiple sources.
Cluster of Standards
* Utilize the Deconstructed Standards document for vertical alignment, full standard, standards-based question stems, and examples of unpacking the standard
into specific skills as you progress through the course of the year.
Reading
Writing
Speaking & Listening
Language
LAFS.8.RL.1.1 Cite the textual evidence that
most strongly supports an analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
LAFS.8.RL.1.2 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.
LAFS.8.RL.2.4 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.
LAFS.8.RL.2.5 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.
LAFS.8.RI.1.1 Cite the textual evidence that most
strongly supports an analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from
the text.
LAFS.8.RI.1.2 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.
LAFS.8.RI.1.3 Analyze how a text makes
connections among and distinctions between
individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through
comparisons, analogies, or categories).
LAFS.8.RI.2.5 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.
LAFS.8.RI.2.6 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.
LAFS.8.RI.3.7 Evaluate the advantages and
disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g.,
print or digital text, video, multimedia) to
present a particular topic or idea.
LAFS.8.RI.3.8 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.
LAFS.8.RI.3.9 Analyze a case in which two or
more texts provide conflicting information on
LAFS.8.W.1.1 Write arguments to support claims
with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
a. Introduce 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 relationships 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.
LAFS.8.W.2.4 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.)
LAFS.8.W.3.8 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.
LAFS.8.W.3.9 Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
a. 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”).
b. 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”).
LAFS.8.SL.1.2 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.
LAFS.8.SL.1.3 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.
LAFS.8.SL.2.4 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.
LAFS.8.SL.2.5 Integrate multimedia and visual
displays into presentations to clarify
information, strengthen claims and evidence,
and add interest.
LAFS.8.L.3.4 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.
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 or
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).
the same topic and identify where the texts
disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.
Priority Texts
Hanging Fire by Audre Lorde & Teenagers by Pat Mora
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Poetry
Lexile: N/A
HMH TE: p. 229A
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Focus Standards: LAFS.8.RL.1.1; 1.2; 2.4; 2.5 & LAFS.8.W.2.4
When Do Kids Become Adults? From “Room for Debate” in the New York Times
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Arguments
Lexile: 1440L
HMH TE: p. 235A
Focus Standards: LAFS.8.RI.2.5; 2.6; 3.8 & LAFS.8.SL.1.3; 2.4; 2.5
Sample Assignments
Comparison (RL.1.1, 1.2, 2.5; SL.1.1; W.2.4; W.3.9): Compare and contrast “Hanging
Fire” and “Teenagers” with a double bubble map or other graphic organizer, focusing on the
similarities and differences between the poems’ speakers, themes, and points of view. Then, write a
Constructed Response that reflects on the advice the speaker in each poem might give the other.
Include textual evidence from the poems to support the advice you believe one would give the other
(HMH p. 233).
*Pre-teach-Trace and Evaluate an Argument (RI.2.5, 2.6; & 3.8): Cornell Notes on
how to “Trace and Evaluate an Argument” on HMH p. 243. Using the Focused Note-Taking Strategy,
students return to revise and add to their notes as they read.
Trace and Evaluate (RI.2.4, 3.8; SL.2.5): Students select articles from the compilation,
“When do Kids Become Adults?” Then, they trace and evaluate (consider using this graphic
organizer: http://odelleducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Delineating-Arguments-Tool3C.pdf ) the arguments in selected articles. Students then work in small groups to compare, revise,
and add to their organizers.
Debate: (RI.2.4, .3.8; SL.2.5) Select an issue presented in “When Do Kids Become Adults?”
Assign one position to half of the students and the other position to the other half. Students will
research and prepare for a debate on this issue. This activity could also be completed using
Philosophical Chairs (see the following link for more information:
http://www.d120.org/assets/1/avid/Using_Philosophical_Chairs.pdf ) (HMH p. 244)
Is 16 Too Young to Drive a Car? by Robert Davis & Fatal Car Crashes Drop for 16Year-Olds, Rise for Older Teens by Allison Aubrey
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Articles
Lexile: 1150L & 1070L
HMH TE: p. 247A
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Focus Standards: LAFS.8.RI.1.1, 1.2; 1.3; 2.5; 3.8; 3.9
Pre-teach-Determine Central Idea (RI.1.1, 1.2, 1.3, & 2.5): Cornell Notes on how to
“Determine Central Idea” on HMH p. 255. Using the Focused Note-Taking Strategy, students return
to revise and add to their notes as they read.
Pre-teach-Analyze Text (RI.1.3, 3.8, & 3.9): Cornell Notes on how to “Analyze Text” and
“Analyze Information in Texts” on HMH pp. 258 and 259. Using the Focused Note-Taking Strategy,
students return to revise and add to their notes as they read.
Analyze Text (RI.1.1, 1.3, 3.8): Analyze “Fatal Car Crashes Drop for 16-Year-Olds, Rise for
Older Teens” prompt L, p. 257. Students reread lines 37-41, determining the type of reasoning that is
being used by the author (inductive or deductive). They are also asked to determine the way in which
the reasoning supports the author’s claim. This task could be completed in the format of a
Constructed OR Extended Response.
Persuading Viewers through Ads
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Public Service Announcements
Lexile: N/A
HMH TE: p. 263A
Focus Standards: LAFS.8.SL.1.2
*Pre-teach-Analyze Diverse Media (RI.3.7; SL.1.2): Cornell Notes on how to “Analyze
Text” and “Analyze Information in Texts” on HMH pp. 258 and 259. Using the Focused Note-Taking
Strategy, students return to revise and add to their notes as they read.
Collaborative Discussion (RI.3.7; SL.1.2): Students will discuss and evaluate the
effectiveness of the film and the poster as public service announcements. Which one is more
powerful and why? The technique of Philosophical Chairs would work well for this activity (HMH p.
266) Consider this handout to hold students accountable for their participation in the discussion:
http://odelleducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/TCD-Checklist.pdf
Optional Contributing Texts
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Selected texts from Close Reader (Teacher Choice)
Marigolds by Eugenia Collier
o
o
o
o
Short Story
Lexile: 1140
HMH TE: p. 213A
Focus Standards: LAFS.8.RL.1.1; 1.2; 2.4; 2.5
Additional Resources Specific to Standards
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Identifying claims and supporting evidence handout
Forming Evidence-Based Claims
Writing Evidence-Based Claims
Evidence-Based Claims Checklist