Paramount Unified School District
Educational Services
English Language Arts Curriculum Guide
8th Grade
2016-17
Paramount Unified School District
Educational Services
What’s New in 2016-17?
Language Arts
Curriculum Guide
Grades 6-8
A team of teachers, coaches, and curriculum specialists representing each grade level worked to revise last year’s curriculum guides and assessments based on
teacher feedback and assessment data to further align them with the standards and the rigor of SBAC assessments. The following table provides a summary of
the components of the curriculum guide that have been changed or added in 2016-17.
Writing Focus by
Grade Level
Understanding the Curriculum Guide
• This document outlines the writing focus at each grade level and for each genre. Teachers should focus most of their
instruction around the key areas designated for their grade level in an effort to reach more depth in fewer areas.
Writing Lesson
Prompts
• Writing prompts for each writing lesson have been rephrased to more closely align with formal assessment language.
Write from the
Beginning…and
Beyond
• Write from the Beginning…and Beyond strategies and mini-lessons from Setting the Stage, Expository, and Response to
Text are included in the Instructional Sequence.
• Strategies from the Argumentative training will need to be added in by teachers.
1
Paramount Unified School District
Educational Services
Language Arts
Curriculum Guide
Grades 6-8
Understanding the Curriculum Guide
Year-at-a-Glance
• This document gives an overview of the four units to be covered this school year. The length of each unit is determined
by content, so as a result, units range from 7-12 weeks.
• Each unit has a Theme and an Anchor Text. All of the other texts in the unit relate to the theme and the Anchor Text.
• This document lists the length of the unit, the theme, the texts in the unit, the writing focus, and a brief synopsis of the
research project.
Year-Long Assessment • This document gives an overview of the assessments for the year. Each unit includes formative assessments at the end
Overview
of each Lesson. Teachers are encouraged to develop their own formative assessments as well to check students’
understanding of the lesson topics (e.g., quizzes on language skills, selection tests on comprehension).
• Units 1 and 2 include Unit Investigations.
• Unit 3 includes research analysis as part of the writing lesson that will prepare students for the Performance Task on
the Smarter Balanced Assessment.
• At the end of Units 1 and 3, students will take a Benchmark Assessment consisting of a cold read passage, selected and
constructed response questions, and an on-demand writing prompt.
• At the end of Unit 2, students will take an SBAC Interim Assessment block online in addition to an on-demand writing
prompt.
• Scores for Benchmark Assessments and the on-demand writing prompt in Unit 2 will be reported in OARS.
Unit Overview
• The Unit Overview includes the Standards, Understandings, Essential Questions, Knowledge, and Skills for all of the
standards covered in the Unit.
Text Sequence
• This document lists the text(s) or writing focus and the number of days allotted for each lesson in the unit.
• The dates for the End-of-Unit Benchmark Assessments are given, but they are not counted as lessons.
Instructional Sequence • This document lays out the structure of the lessons for each unit.
• The left column gives the Lesson #, the calendar dates of the lesson, the resources from the textbook or other source,
the standards that are covered, and a list of Academic Vocabulary words to focus on.
• The right column follows the same general pattern for most Lessons:
∗ Lesson Understandings – This includes Understandings from the Unit 1 Overview that apply to this particular
lesson.
∗ Essential Questions – This includes Essential Questions that align with the Lesson Understandings. These questions
should be shared with students at the beginning of the lesson and reflected on throughout the lesson as you work
toward reaching the Understandings. Teachers are encouraged to post the questions in a conspicuous place in the
classroom for students to see.
∗ Read the Text – This section lays out the expectations for the first read of a text. The first read should be conducted
with very limited or no discussion whatsoever. Students must be given the opportunity to struggle with the text
before the teacher provides support. The routine listed is the same for most lessons, with slight adjustments when 2
the lesson involves reading a longer work. However, there should still be variety among the lessons. Alternate
between partner reading, listening to the audio version, and reading aloud to students, choosing the method most
appropriate for the particular text. This section also includes an activity to formatively assess all students’
understanding of the text. For example, students could choose a Thinking Map that best expresses their
understanding of the text or give a short quiz. Teachers should either collect and analyze them or have students
briefly present them before going on to the close read. This information should guide the close read.
∗ Understand the Text – This section includes the close read and any mini-lessons that are to be given in connection
with the text.
 Mini-lessons may appear before or after the close read and can address Reading, Writing, or Language
Standards. Resources in the textbook are offered whenever available.
 Text-dependent Questions are supplied to assist with the close read. The questions provided are usually higherlevel questions designed for the second or third read. Teachers will need to create comprehension-level
questions to ask students during the first read. It is important to conduct your close reads using a variety of
formats throughout the unit. A close read may look like a class discussion; other times it may take the form of
collaborative groups working through specific questions.
 Vocabulary Study includes all of the work with Academic Vocabulary. The words should be initially addressed
during the close read, and then reviewed and discussed in more depth after the close read. This area is left open
for teachers to select the activities most appropriate for studying the particular words for the lesson. Teachers
should address synonyms, antonyms, word families, prefixes, suffixes, affixes, roots, origins, connotations, and
denotations as appropriate.
 Language Skills mini-lessons are designed to address the grade-level Language Standards. Resources from the
textbook or Grammar and Writing Handbook are listed whenever possible, but some lessons require outside
resources because they address new standards not covered in the textbook.
 Thinking Map Opportunities lists ideas for using Thinking Maps during the Lesson. This is a menu from which
you may select maps appropriate for your classroom.
∗ Express Understanding – This section is a formative assessment of the Understandings addressed in the lesson. The
activities are varied and include class discussions, collaborative group work, and writing tasks. Writing tasks are
meant to be completed in a shorter time frame, so students do not go through the writing process.
• Writing Lessons – The Writing Lesson for the unit is structured to follow the writing process using Write from the
Beginning…and Beyond strategies. First, the Writing Task is given, along with the Lesson Understandings and Essential
Questions. Following that are sections on Prewriting, Drafting, Revising, and Editing. A general outline of the areas of
focus is provided to guide your writing instruction.
• Unit Investigation – A separate Unit Investigation Guide will be posted on the District website.
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Glossary of Terms
Understanding by Design (UbD) – A research-based curriculum planning framework using a backwards design model to help students come to an
understanding of important ideas and transfer their learning to new situations.
Transfer Goals – K-12 goals that communicate what we want students to be able to do in the world beyond school.
Understandings – Big ideas we want students to have a deep understanding of by the end of the Lesson, Unit, or Year.
Essential Questions – Thought-provoking questions that students will explore in order to reach the Understandings.
Knowledge – Information students need to know in order to reach the Understandings.
Skills – Skills students need to have in order to reach the Understandings.
Anchor Text – A quality, complex grade-level text that supports the theme and Understandings in the Unit.
Related Texts – Texts chosen to support student understanding of the theme, Understandings, and anchor texts.
Unit Investigation – A teacher-guided research project designed to instruct students in the research process, teach them how to create
presentations using technology, and address Speaking and Listening standards.
Performance Task – One portion of the Smarter Balanced Assessment that includes multiple sources for students to analyze and requires students
to compose a multi-paragraph essay at the computer synthesizing the information in the sources.
Formative Assessments – Assessments given at the end of each Lesson in the Instructional Sequence as well as assessments developed and
administered by classroom teachers.
End-of-Unit Benchmark Assessment – District Assessment given at the end of each Unit including a cold read passage, selected and constructed
response questions, and, in some cases, an on-demand writing prompt. Results for this assessment will be reported in OARS.
Cold Read Passage – A piece of text that students have never read that is used for assessment.
Selected Response Questions – Traditional multiple-choice questions and non-traditional questions that have two parts or multiple correct
responses.
Constructed Resonse Questions – Assessment questions requiring students to answer in several sentences or a paragraph.
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6th – 8th Grade Standards, Understandings, and Essential Questions
Reading Literature and Information Text
Anchor Standards
R.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.
R.2 Determine central ideas or themes of a text and
analyze their development; summarize the key
supporting details and ideas.
R.3 Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas
develop and interact over the course of a text
R.4 Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a
text, including determining technical, connotative, and
figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word
choices shape meaning or tone.
R.5 Analyze the structure of texts, including how
specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of
the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza)
relate to each other and the whole.
R.6 Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the
content and style of a text.
R.7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in
diverse media and formats, including visually and
quantitatively, as well as in words.
R.8 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific
claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as
well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
R.9 Analyze how two or more texts address similar
themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to
compare the approaches the authors take.
R.10 Read and comprehend complex literary and
informational texts independently and proficiently.
Understandings
• Any conclusions you draw or inferences you make
must be supported by evidence from the text.
Essential Questions
• What parts of the text lead me to make this
conclusion or inference?
• The setting, characters, and plot of a story all work
together to develop the theme or central idea.
• Analyzing the development of key individuals,
events, and ideas in a text will help you understand
the central idea.
• How do the setting and plot in the story help me
understand the characters and themes?
• How do the individuals, ideas, or events connect
to each other and to the larger central idea of
the text?
• Authors make deliberate word choices that impact
the meaning and tone of the text.
• Why did the author choose to use this particular
word or phrase? How does it affect the meaning
and tone of the text?
• By looking at and analyzing the structure of
individual sentences or sections of a text, you can
gain a greater understanding of the text as a whole.
• Why did the author structure the text this way?
• How do authors use text features to help
develop their ideas?
• Authors embed details in the text to develop a point
of view.
• An author’s purpose will impact the content and
style of a text.
• Each medium has unique qualities that affect the
audience’s experience.
• How do we come to understand the point of
view of the narrator, speaker, characters, and/or
author?
• What is the author’s purpose, and how does it
affect the way they write and the information
they include?
• How do the specific aspects of the medium
affect my experience?
• Good readers evaluate arguments by analyzing the
reasoning and evidence that is introduced.
• What is the author’s argument? Is the evidence
sufficient and relevant?
• We can deepen our understanding of a theme or
topic by analyzing multiple, related texts.
• How does reading multiple texts help me
understand a theme or topic?
• N/A
• N/A
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6th – 8th Grade Standards, Understandings, and Essential Questions
Writing
Anchor Standards
W.1 Write arguments to support claims in an
analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine
and convey complex ideas and information clearly
and accurately through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of content.
W.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined
experiences or events using effective technique,
well-chosen details, and well-structured event
sequences.
W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new
approach.
W.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to
produce and publish writing and to interact and
collaborate with others.
W.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained
research projects based on focused questions,
demonstrating understanding of the subject under
investigation.
W.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print
and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy
of each source, and integrate the information while
avoiding plagiarism.
W.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts
to support analysis, reflection, and research.
W.10 Write routinely over extended time frames and
shorter time frames for a range of tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
Understandings
• Effective arguments use logical reasoning and
relevant evidence to support the claim.
Essential Questions
• What evidence should I include to support my
claim?
• Effective writers analyze, select, organize, and
explain information effectively.
• How do I organize my writing so that readers
can have a clear understanding of my topic?
• Effective writers keep their readers engaged
throughout the narrative.
• How do I develop my narrative to keep
readers engaged?
• The development, organization, and style of
• What is the purpose of my writing and who is
my audience? What, then, is the appropriate
way to structure my writing?
• How can I use the writing process to develop
my writing?
• How can I make my writing better?
• How can I use technology to collaborate with
others as I produce and publish my writing?
writing you choose to use are dependent on the
task, purpose, and audience.
• Quality writing requires effective planning,
revising, editing, and rewriting.
• Technology allows you to produce professionallooking publications as well as share your ideas
easily and efficiently with a wide audience.
• Effective research projects are guided by a
focused question and demonstrate understanding
of the topic.
• What is the best way to conduct research?
• Quality expository writing uses paraphrased
information from credible sources that have been
properly cited.
• How can I tell if a source is credible?
• How do I avoid plagiarism?
• N/A
• N/A
• N/A
• N/A
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6th – 8th Grade Standards, Understandings, and Essential Questions
Speaking and Listening
Anchor Standards
SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range
of conversations and collaborations with diverse
partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing
their own clearly and persuasively.
Understandings
• Participating effectively in collaborative
discussions will help you gain a deeper
understanding of different points of view on a
topic.
SL.2 Integrate and evaluate information presented in
diverse media and formats, including visually,
quantitatively, and orally.
• Analyzing information from diverse media can
help explain or clarify information on a topic.
•
SL.3 Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning,
and use of evidence and rhetoric.
• Good listeners evaluate a speaker’s argument by
analyzing the reasoning and evidence that is
introduced.
• What is the speaker’s claim?
• How well does the evidence given support the
speaker’s argument?
SL.4 Present information, findings, and supporting
evidence such that listeners can follow the line of
reasoning and the organization, development, and
style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
• An effective presenter incorporates a logical
• How should I organize my presentation?
• How do I deliver my presentation clearly and
keep the audience engaged?
SL.5 Make strategic use of digital media and visual
displays of data to express information and enhance
understanding of presentations.
• Multimedia components and visual displays help
clarify the information in a presentation.
• How can I use multimedia and visual displays
to improve my presentation?
SL.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and
communicative tasks, demonstrating command of
formal English when indicated or appropriate.
• The formality of the English you use depends on
the context and task.
• How formal should my English be for this task?
sequence, appropriate eye contact, adequate
volume, and clear pronunciation to present claims
and findings clearly.
•
•
•
Essential Questions
How do I prepare for a class discussion?
What questions can I ask to find out more
about another point of view?
How can I add my views to the discussion
clearly and respectfully?
How do the ideas in this video/audio/data add
to my understanding of the topic?
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Writing Focus by Grade Level
Narrative
•
•
•
6th Grade
•
•
•
•
•
7th Grade
•
Informative/Explanatory
Establish context (setting)
Sequence events
Use transition words,
phrases and clauses
Use description and
sensory language to
convey experiences
•
Establish a point of view
Include dialogue
Use transitional sentences
Use sensory language to
capture action
Write a conclusion that
reflects on experiences
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
8th Grade
Use pacing to develop
experiences, events,
and/or characters
Use transitions that show
the relationships among
experiences and events
•
•
•
•
Argumentative
Introduce a topic or thesis
statement
Organize by definition and
classification
Include relevant
information
Use a formal style
Format using headings and
graphics
•
•
•
•
Introduce a topic or thesis
statement that previews
what’s to come
Organize by compare &
contrast or cause & effect
Write a conclusion that
follows from and supports
the information presented
Use a formal style
•
Organize by broader
categories
Write a job application or
business letter
Include well-chosen,
relevant information
Use a formal style
•
Introduce a claim
Use credible sources
Include relevant evidence
Use a formal style
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Acknowledge and address
opposing claims
Use logical reasoning
Use words, phrases, and
clauses to create cohesion
Write a conclusion that
supports the argument
presented
Use a formal style
•
Acknowledge and address
opposing claims in more
depth
Use logical reasoning
Use accurate, credible
sources to demonstrate
an understanding of the
topic
Use a formal style
•
•
•
•
WFBB Expository
Strategies
Strategy #2: Use Varied
Transition Words and
Phrases
Strategy #5: Use Well
Thought-Out Openings
Strategy #7: Use Concrete
Sensory Language and
Figurative Language as an
Elaboration Strategy
Strategy #1: Use Quality
Reasons
Strategy #6: Use Well
Thought-Out Closings
Strategy #8: Use of
Compare/Contrast and
Cause/Effect as
Elaboration Strategies
Strategy #9: Use Precise,
Mature Language and
Varied Sentence
Structures
Strategy #10: Use an
Authentic, Engaging, and
Convincing Voice
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Paramount Unified School District
Educational Services
Theme
Unit 1
7 weeks (37 days)
Unit 2
9 weeks (52 days)
Unit 3
12 weeks (53 days)
Unit 4
8 weeks (38 days)
Two Sides to Every Story
Tolerance
The Road to Civil Rights
Choices
Anchor Text: “The Tell-Tale
Heart”
Anchor Text: The Diary of
Anne Frank
Anchor Text: Roll of
Thunder, Hear My Cry
Anchor Text: Enrique’s
Journey
Related Texts:
• “A Retrieved Reformation”
Related Texts:
• “The Holocaust: An
Introductory History”
• The Path to Nazi Genocide
• I Never Saw Another
Butterfly
Related Texts:
• “Mendez v. Westminster
Background”
• “Mendez v. Westminster:
Desegregating California’s
Schools”
• “Brown vs. Board of
Education”
Related Texts:
• “Migrants Ride the ‘Train
of Death’” (video)
• “5 Facts about Honduras
and Immigration”
Reading
Writing
Research
2016-17
Language Arts
Year-at-a-Glance
Grade 8
Argumentative
Informative/Explanatory
Narrative
Response to Text
Unit 1 Investigation:
Two Sides of Social Media
Unit 2 Investigation:
Museum of Tolerance
Heroes
Writing Task:
Performance Task:
Smarter Balanced
Assessment
Students will research a selfgenerated question to
discover some of the pros and
cons of social media and then
create a presentation of their
findings.
Students will research a
person affected by war and
intolerance and create a
museum display that
includes a presentation.
Students will engage in a
task that mirrors the
Smarter Balanced
Performance Task. They will
read multiple informational
articles and compose a
narrative essay that
incorporates information
from those articles.
Students will complete the
ELA Performance Task
portion of the Smarter
Balanced Assessment.
9
Language Arts
Year-Long Assessment Overview
Grade 8
Paramount Unified School District
Educational Services
What assessments will students take this year?
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
• Formative Assessments:
express understanding
tasks and teachercreated tests and quizzes
• Formative Assessments:
express understanding
tasks and teachercreated tests and quizzes
• Formative Assessments:
express understanding
tasks and teachercreated tests and quizzes
• Formative Assessments:
express understanding
tasks and teachercreated tests and quizzes
• Unit Investigation:
teacher-guided class
research project and
presentation using
technology
• Unit Investigation:
teacher-guided class
research project and
presentation
• Narrative Writing Task:
teacher-guided writing
task that mirrors Smarter
Balanced
• Benchmark Essay*: ondemand writing prompt
• End-of-Unit Benchmark
Assessment*: cold-read
assessment with
selected and constructed
response questions and
an on-demand writing
prompt
• Response to Text
Writing Task: teacherguided writing task that
assesses reading and
writing standards
• End-of-Unit Benchmark
Assessment*: cold-read
assessment with
selected and constructed
response questions and
an on-demand writing
prompt
*Scores will be collected in OARS
2016-17
• SBAC Interim
Assessment: cold-read
assessment with
selected and constructed
response questions
*Scores will be collected in OARS
• Smarter Balanced
Assessment with
Performance Task:
administered May 2017
*Scores will be collected in OARS
10
Paramount Unified School District
Educational Services
Reading
Standards
RL/RI.8.1 Cite text evidence that most
strongly supports analysis and
inferences.
RL.8.2 Determine a theme or central
idea and analyze its development over
the course of the text; provide an
objective summary.
RL.8.3 Analyze how dialogue and
incidents in a story propel action, reveal
character, or provoke a decision.
RL.8.4 Determine the meaning of
words and phrases as they are used in a
text; analyze impact on meaning and
tone.
RL.8.5 Compare and contrast the
structure of two or more texts and how
it contributes to meaning and style.
RL.8.6 Analyze how differences in
points of view create effects such as
suspense or humor.
RI.8.6 Determine an author’s point of
view or purpose and analyze how the
author responds to conflicting
viewpoints.
RL.8.7 Evaluate the choices made by a
director when watching a filmed
production of a story, or the advantages
and disadvantages of using different
mediums to present a topic.
RI.8.8 Delineate and evaluate the
argument and specific claims in a text.
RL.8.9 Analyze how a modern work of
fiction draws on ideas from traditional
stories.
RI.8.9 Analyze a case in which two or
more texts provide conflicting
information on the same topic.
2016-17
Theme: Two Sides to Every Story
Language Arts
Unit 1 Overview - Reading
Grade 8
Transfer Goals
1. Read, comprehend, and evaluate a range of increasingly complex texts and media written for various audiences and purposes.
2. Communicate ideas effectively in writing and speaking to suit a particular audience and purpose.
3. Listen actively to engage in a range of conversations and to analyze and synthesize ideas, positions, and accuracy in order to learn, reflect and respond.
4. Generate open-ended questions and conduct research to find answers through critical analysis of text, media, interviews, and/or observations.
Understandings
Essential Questions
Students will understand that…
Students will keep considering…
• Any conclusions you draw or inferences you make must be
supported by evidence from the text.
• The setting, characters, and plot of a story all work together to
develop the theme or central idea.
• Authors make deliberate word choices that impact the meaning
and tone of the text.
• By looking at and analyzing the structure of individual
sentences or sections of a text, you can gain a greater
understanding of the text as a whole.
• Authors embed details in the text to develop a point of view.
• An author’s purpose will impact the content and style of a text.
• Each medium has unique qualities that affect the audience’s
experience.
• Good readers evaluate arguments by analyzing the reasoning
and evidence that is introduced.
• We can deepen our understanding of a theme or topic by
analyzing multiple, related texts.
• In literature, the narrator is not always a reliable source of
information.
• What parts of the text lead me to make this conclusion or
inference?
• How do the setting and plot in the story help me understand
the characters and themes?
• How do the individuals, ideas, or events connect to each other
and to the larger central idea of the text?
• Why did the author choose to use this particular word or
phrase? How does it affect the meaning and tone of the text?
• Why did the author structure the text this way?
• How do we come to understand the point of view of the
narrator, speaker, characters, and/or author?
• What is the author’s purpose, and how does it affect the way
they write and the information they include?
• How do the specific aspects of the medium affect my
experience?
• What is the author’s argument? Is the evidence sufficient and
relevant?
• How does reading multiple texts help me understand a theme
or topic?
• How reliable is the narrator?
Knowledge
Skills
Students will need to know…
Students will need to develop skill at…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• Understanding academic vocabulary when reading
• Identifying point of view
• Analyzing how differences in point of view create effects such
as suspense or humor
• Summarizing text
• Using context clues to determine word meaning
• Recognizing irony and allusions in literature
Academic vocabulary
Point of view
Relevant/irrelevant evidence
Author’s purpose
Theme/central idea
Tone
Sensory language
Irony
Allusions
Unreliable narrator
11
Language Arts
Unit 1 Overview – Writing, Speaking & Listening, Language
Grade 8
Paramount Unified School District
Educational Services
Writing
Standards
W.8.1 Write arguments to support
claims with clear reasons and evidence.
W.8.2 Write informative/explanatory
texts to examine a topic.
W.8.4 Produce clear and coherent
writing.
W.8.5 Develop and strengthen writing
as needed using the writing process.
W.8.6 Use technology to produce and
publish writing.
W.8.7 Conduct short research projects
to answer a question.
W.8.8 Gather relevant information
from multiple print and digital sources.
Speaking and Listening
SL.8.1 Engage in collaborative
discussions.
SL.8.2 Interpret information presented
in diverse media and formats.
SL.8.4 Present claims and findings.
SL.8.5 Include multimedia components
in presentations.
SL.8.6 Adapt speech to a variety of
contexts and demonstrate a command
of formal English.
Language
L.8.1 Grammar and usage
L.8.2 Capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling
L.8.3 Use conventions when writing or
speaking
L.8.4 Word meaning
L.8.5 Figurative language, word
relationships, and nuances
L.8.6 Acquire and use academic
vocabulary
2016-17
Theme: Two Sides to Every Story
Transfer Goals
1. Read, comprehend, and evaluate a range of increasingly complex texts and media written for various audiences and purposes.
2. Communicate ideas effectively in writing and speaking to suit a particular audience and purpose.
3. Listen actively to engage in a range of conversations and to analyze and synthesize ideas, positions, and accuracy in order to learn, reflect and respond.
4. Generate open-ended questions and conduct research to find answers through critical analysis of text, media, interviews, and/or observations.
Understandings
Essential Questions
Students will understand that…
Students will keep considering…
• Effective arguments use logical reasoning and relevant evidence to
support the claim.
• Effective writers analyze, select, organize, and explain information
effectively.
• The development, organization, and style of writing you choose to use
are dependent on the task, purpose, and audience.
• Quality writing requires effective planning, revising, editing, and
rewriting.
• Technology allows you to produce professional-looking publications as
well as share your ideas easily and efficiently with a wide audience.
• Effective research projects are guided by a focused question and
demonstrate understanding of the topic.
• Quality expository writing uses paraphrased information from credible
sources that have been properly cited.
• Participating effectively in collaborative discussions will help you gain a
deeper understanding of different points of view on a topic.
• Analyzing information from diverse media can help explain or clarify
information on a topic.
• An effective presenter incorporates a logical sequence, appropriate eye
contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation to present claims and
findings clearly.
• Multimedia components and visual displays help clarify the information
in a presentation.
• The formality of the English you use depends on the context and task.
• What evidence should I include to support my claim?
• How do I organize my writing so that readers can have a clear
understanding of my topic?
• What is the purpose of my writing and who is my audience? What,
then, is the appropriate way to structure my writing?
• How can I use the writing process to develop my writing?
• How can I make my writing better?
• How can I use technology to collaborate with others as I produce and
publish my writing?
• What is the best way to conduct research?
• How can I tell if a source is credible?
• How do I avoid plagiarism?
• How do I prepare for a class discussion?
• What questions can I ask to find out more about another point of
view?
• How can I add my views to the discussion clearly and respectfully?
• How do the ideas in this video/audio/data add to my understanding
of the topic?
• How should I organize my presentation?
• How do I deliver my presentation clearly and keep the audience
engaged?
• How can I use multimedia and visual displays to improve my
presentation?
• How formal should my English be for this task?
Knowledge
Skills
Students will need to know…
Students will need to develop skill at…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Academic vocabulary
Claim
Evidence
Transitions
Citation of sources
Research question
Presentation elements
Using academic vocabulary when speaking and writing
Using transitions to create cohesion and clarify relationships
Paraphrasing sources without plagiarizing
Gathering relevant information and assessing the credibility of
sources
• Giving presentations
• Using a formal style in speaking and writing
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Unit 1 Text Sequence
Theme: Two Sides to Every Story
August 17 - October 11 (38 days)
LESSON
# OF DAYS
TEXT(S)/ACTIVITY
1
3
The Common Core Classroom
2
5
“The Tell-Tale Heart” (short story)
3
11
Argumentative Writing Lesson
4
10
Unit 1 Investigation: Two Sides of Social Media
5
5
“A Retrieved Reformation” (short story)
2
On-Demand Writing Assessment: October 5-6
2
SBAC Interim Assessment: October 10-11
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LESSON 1: 3 DAYS
August 17-19
THE COMMON CORE
CLASSROOM
LESSON 2: 5 DAYS
August 22-26
RESOURCES:
“The Tell-Tale Heart” pp. 523-528
“The Tell-Tale Heart (1953)”
(video – District Z drive)
STANDARDS:
RL.8.1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
RI.8.8
SL.8.1a, 1c, 1d
L.8.1b, 2a, 2c, 3a, 4b, 4, 5, 6
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY:
conceived, p. 523
object, p. 523
passion, p. 523
profound, p. 523
sagacity, p. 524
seized, p. 526
audacity, p. 527
mockery, p. 528
th
INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE
LESSON OVERVIEW: Teachers will utilize the first three days of school to establish classroom procedures
conducive to teaching the Common Core standards. Here are some possible activities to cover:






Review of Thinking Maps
Classroom Discussion Expectations
ACE Strategy (or other strategy for answering constructed response questions)
Collaboration Guidelines
Essential Questions
Academic Vocabulary
LESSON UNDERSTANDINGS:
 Any conclusions you draw or inferences you make must be supported by evidence from the text.
 Authors embed details in the text to develop a point of view.
 An author’s purpose will impact the content and style of a text.
 Good readers evaluate arguments by analyzing the reasoning and evidence that is introduced.
 Participating effectively in collaborative discussions will help you gain a deeper understanding of
different points of view on a topic.
 In literature, the narrator is not always a reliable source of information.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 What parts of the text lead me to make this conclusion or inference?
 How do we come to understand the point of view of the narrator?
 What is the author’s purpose, and how does it affect the way he writes and the information he
includes?
 What is the narrator’s argument? Is the evidence sufficient and relevant?
 How can I add my views to the discussion clearly and respectfully?
 How reliable is the narrator?
READ THE TEXT:
 Students read the entire selection independently. (RL.8.10)
 Teacher reads the text aloud while students follow along, OR students take turns reading aloud to
each other, OR students listen to the audio version while following along. For a particularly
complex text, the teacher may choose to modify the order of the first two reads.
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 Independent/partner/small group activity using a Thinking Map, short quiz, etc. to formatively
assess understanding of all students.
UNDERSTAND THE TEXT:
 As you go through the text with students for the close read, focus on reading and discussing
specific paragraphs or sentences where there are misunderstandings, key academic vocabulary
words, and important points related to the Lesson Understandings and Essential Questions.
 Text-dependent Questions
1. In the first paragraph, how does the narrator describe himself? Identify any contradictions in
his description. (RL.8.2)
2. In this paragraph, the author uses several dashes. A dash is used to indicate a pause or break.
What do you think the author’s purpose was in including so many dashes? (L.8.2a)
3. In the second paragraph, what contradiction does the narrator describe concerning his opinion
of the old man? (RL.8.3)
4. In the third paragraph, how does the narrator behave in front of the old man? How does this
contrast with his intentions and actions? (RL.8.6)
5. After reading the first page, what has the narrator said or done that makes him appear mad?
What evidence does the narrator give that he is not mad? (RL.8.1, RL.8.3)
6. The narrator defends his sanity again when he describes the way he concealed the body. What
words does he use in this defense? Why does the narrator believe this proves his sanity? What
about his actions makes him appear insane? (RL.8.1, RL.8.3, RL.8.4)
 Vocabulary Study
 Students should work in depth with the academic vocabulary words using a variety of
methods and activities appropriate to the words chosen. (L.8.4, L.8.5, L.8.6)
 Teach Word Analysis: Latin Root -found-, p. 530 (L.8.4b)
 Language Skills
 Teach mini-lesson on Active and Passive Voice on p. 152. Emphasize the preferred use of
active voice and the appropriate reasons that a person might choose passive voice. (L.8.1b,
L.8.3a)
 Direct students to the second paragraph on p. 527. Discuss the narrator’s use of passive
voice in the last sentence of the paragraph and its effect on the tone of the story. (L.8.3a)
 Teach Spelling Strategy, p. 530 (L.8.2c)
 Thinking Map Opportunities
 Use a Flow Map to sequence the events of the story.
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


Use a Circle Map or Bubble Map to define/describe the narrator.
Use a Multi-Flow Map to show the causes and effects of the old man’s murder.
Use a Double Bubble Map to compare and contrast the narrator’s words/actions/state of
mind when he is calm and confident to when he is agitated and paranoid.
 Use a Multi-Flow Map to show the causes (and inferred effects) of the narrator’s confession
at the end.
 Use a Tree Map to categorize Active and Passive Voice.
 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
 Students will view the animated short film, “The Tell-Tale Heart.”
 After viewing the film, the students will analyze the extent to which the film stays faithful to
or departs from the text by comparing and contrasting the film and the short story using a
Thinking Map. (RL.8.7)
 In the frame of the Map, students should select one of the choices made by the director to
depart from the original story and evaluate its effectiveness in a couple sentences.
 Craft and Structure
 Prompt students to work in pairs to read and analyze the text. Have them work together to
answer the following questions orally or in writing in preparation for a class discussion:
 Compare the narrator’s language at the beginning of the text (paragraphs 1-8) with
the end of the text (the last two paragraphs). Review the length of sentences,
repetition, and use of punctuation. What is the difference? What is the significance
of the differences? (RL.8.4, L.8.2a)
 Throughout the text the narrator argues he is not a madman and proceeds to
provide evidence to support his argument. Working with your partner, evaluate the
narrator’s argument. What claims does he make? How does he support his claims?
Is his argument logical, reasonable, and valid? Is his evidence sufficient and
relevant? Would you consider the narrator reliable or unreliable? (RI.8.8)
 How does your point of view differ from that of the narrator? How does the
narrator distinguish his point of view from others at the beginning of the text? What
is the effect of the differences in the various points of view? (RL.8.6, RI.8.6)
 Facilitate a class discussion where students share their answers to the discussion questions.
Have students pose questions, respond to the questions of others, and justify changing
their views based on the views or evidence presented by peers. (SL.8.1a, 1c, 1d)
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EXPRESS UNDERSTANDING:
 Thinking Map/Constructed Response: Students will create a Thinking Map to gather evidence that
shows that the narrator is reliable or unreliable in the story “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Have students
use their Thinking Maps to answer the constructed response question:
 How reliable or unreliable is the narrator? Use details from the story to support your
answer. (RL.8.6)
LESSON 3: 11 DAYS
August 29 – September 13
RESOURCES:
Write from the Beginning:
Expository, pp. 135-150
“The Insanity Defense” (District
website)
“The Tell-Tale Heart” pp. 523-528
STANDARDS:
RL.8.1, 6
W.8.1a-e, 4, 5, 6, 9a, 10
L.8.1, 1b, 2, 2c, 3a, 6
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY:
argument
claim
opposing claim
relevant
credible
logical reasoning
voice
formal style
WRITING TASK: In “The Tell-Tale Heart,” the narrator murders an old man because of the old man’s
“vulture eye.” Was this an act of insanity, or cold-blooded murder? Should the narrator be committed to a
mental hospital, or thrown in prison? You decide to write a recommendation to the judge about how to
treat this defendant.
Using the definitions of murder and insanity provided by your teacher, as well as evidence found in the
story, you will write a multi-paragraph argumentative essay about whether the narrator is guilty of firstdegree murder and should be put in prison or is not guilty by reason of insanity and should be put in a
mental hospital. Make sure you establish an argumentative claim, address potential counterarguments,
and support your claim from the sources you have read. Develop your ideas clearly and use your own
words, except when quoting directly from the sources. Be sure to reference your source’s title when
quoting or paraphrasing details and include a Works Cited page at the end to cite your sources. (W.8.1,
W.8.4, W.8.5, W.8.6, W.8.8, W.8.9, W.8.10)
WRITING FOCUS:
 Acknowledge and address opposing claims in more depth
 Use logical reasoning
 Use accurate, credible sources to demonstrate an understanding of the topic
 Use a formal style
 WFBB Expository Strategy #10: Use an Authentic, Engaging, and Convincing Voice
LESSON UNDERSTANDINGS:
 Effective arguments use logical reasoning and relevant evidence to support the claim.
 The development, organization, and style of writing you choose to use are dependent on the task,
purpose, and audience.
 Quality writing requires effective planning, revising, editing, and rewriting.
 Technology allows you to produce professional-looking publications as well as share your ideas
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easily and efficiently with a wide audience.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 What evidence should I include to support my claim?
 What is the purpose of my writing and who is my audience? What, then, is the appropriate way to
structure my writing?
 How can I use the writing process to develop my writing?
 How can I make my writing better?
 How can I use technology to collaborate with others as I produce and publish my writing?
PREWRITING:
 Students should use a Tree Map to take notes and define murder and not guilty by reason of
insanity in their own words. (W.8.8)
 Students should take a position and then create a Multi-Flow Map to list their reasons why.
(W.8.1a, W.8.5)
 Students should select their best reasons and then use the Basic Structure to organize the
paragraphs of their essay. Teachers should guide students using Focused Modeled Writing (i.e., I
do, you do) and Oral Rehearsal as outlined in Write From the Beginning…and Beyond: Expository,
pp. 136-142. (W.8.1, W.8.5)
 Students should “acknowledge and distinguish the claim from alternate or opposing claims” in
their introduction. In other words, they should define the two possible charges for the narrator:
guilty of first-degree murder, or not guilty by reason of insanity. Then they should state their claim
about the narrator’s guilt. (W.8.1a)
DRAFTING:
 Teach Strategy #10: Use an Authentic, Engaging, and Convincing Voice, Write from the Beginning:
Expository, pp. 262-266. (W.8.1d)
 If appropriate/possible, have students draft their essays at the computer. (W.8.6)
 Students should color code their paragraphs to match their Basic Structure. (W.8.5)
REVISING:
 Focus on addressing opposing claims. (W.8.1a)
 Check for quality reasons and sufficient evidence. (W.8.1b)
 Incorporate use of an authentic, engaging, and convincing voice using a formal style. (W.8.1d)
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

Have students get a peer to revise their essay. (W.8.5)
SBAC provides the following questions on the test to help students revise. Consider having
students use them for their own self-revision as a practice for what they should do on the actual
Performance Task.
Your argumentative essay will be scored using the following:
1. Organization/purpose: How well did you state and maintain your claim with a logical
progression of ideas from beginning to end? How well did your ideas thoughtfully flow from
beginning to end using effective transitions? How effective were your introduction and your
conclusion?
2. Evidence/elaboration: How well did you integrate relevant and specific information from
the sources? How well did you elaborate your ideas? How well did you clearly state ideas in
your own words using precise language that is appropriate for your audience and purpose?
How well did you reference the sources you used by title or number?
3. Conventions: How well did you follow the rules of grammar usage, punctuation,
capitalization, and spelling?
EDITING:
 Edit for correct use of active or passive voice. (L.8.1b, L.8.3a)
 Edit for correct citation of sources. (W.8.8)
 Edit for correct use of conventions (grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization). (L.8.1, 2, 2c)
FINAL DRAFT:
 Students will type their final drafts. (W.8.6)
LESSON 4: 10 DAYS
September 14-27
Unit 1 Investigation: Two Sides of Social Media
SEE UNIT 1 INVESTIGATION GUIDE*
STANDARDS:
RI.8.1, 6, 8, 9
W.8.2b, 2d, 7, 8, 9b, 10
SL.8.1, 2, 4, 5, 6
L.8.1, 2, 3, 6
*Document available on District website
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LESSON 5: 5 DAYS
September 28 – October 4
RESOURCES:
“A Retrieved Reformation,” pp.
242-250
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LESSON UNDERSTANDINGS:
 Any conclusions you draw or inferences you make must be supported by evidence from the text.
 The setting, characters, and plot of a story all work together to develop the theme or central idea.
 Authors make deliberate word choices that impact the meaning and tone of the text.
 Participating effectively in collaborative discussions will help you gain a deeper understanding of
different points of view on a topic.
STANDARDS:
RL.8.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10
W.8.1a, 1b
SL.8.1, 6
L.8.4, 5, 5a, 6
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 What parts of the text lead me to make this conclusion or inference?
 How do the setting and plot in the story help me understand the characters and themes?
 Why did the author choose to use this particular word or phrase? How does it affect the meaning
and tone of the text?
 How can I add my views to the discussion clearly and respectfully?
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY:
virtuous, p. 243
prosperity, p. 243
balked, p. 244
elusive, p. 245
unobtrusively, p. 247
simultaneously, p. 249
sauntered, p. 249
READ THE TEXT:
 Students read the entire selection independently. (RL.8.10)
 Teacher reads the text aloud while students follow along, OR students take turns reading aloud to
each other, OR students listen to the audio version while following along. For a particularly
complex text, the teacher may choose to modify the order of the first two reads.
 Independent/partner/small group activity using a Thinking Map, short quiz, etc. to formatively
assess understanding of all students.
UNDERSTAND THE TEXT:
 As you go through the text with students for the close read, focus on reading and discussing
specific paragraphs or sentences where there are misunderstandings, key academic vocabulary
words, and important points related to the Lesson Understandings and Essential Questions.
 Text-dependent Questions
1. After reading the first page, what inferences can you make about Jimmy Valentine’s character?
Use details from the text to support your answer. (RL.8.1, RL.8.3)
2. Reread pp. 244-245. What inference can you make about Jimmy Valentine’s innocence? What
details on these pages support your inference? (RL.8.1)
3. On page 246, why does Jimmy Valentine give the hotel clerk a false name and ask questions
about opening a shoe business? Cite details from the text to support your answer. (RL.8.3)
4. Toward the bottom of p. 246, the author alludes to the mythological phoenix in his description
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of the main character. In what way is Mr. Ralph D. Spencer similar to the phoenix? What was
the author’s purpose in describing him in this way? (RL.8.4, RL.8.6, RL.8.9)
5. Explain the dramatic irony at the top of p. 249 when Mr. Adams is showing Mr. Spencer the
new safe. What is the author’s purpose here? What other example of dramatic irony can you
find on this page? (RL.8.6)
6. On p. 249, explain the situational irony of Jimmy having his tools with him when Agatha gets
locked in the safe. (RL.8.6)
7. At the end of the story, why does Jimmy turn to leave immediately after freeing Agatha? What
is the significance of Ben Price saying he does not recognize “Mr. Spencer”? (RL.8.5)
8. What is the central idea of “A Retrieved Reformation”? Use details from the story to support
your answer. (RL.8.1, RL.8.2)
 Vocabulary Study
 Students should work in depth with the academic vocabulary words using a variety of
methods and activities appropriate to the words chosen. (L.8.4, L.8.5, L.8.6)
 Language Skills
 Conduct a mini-lesson on Irony using p. 241. Students need to understand both dramatic
and situational irony, so you can go to http://literarydevices.net/irony/ for definitions of
the different types of irony. You can also try http://www.shmoop.com/literatureglossary/irony.html for an explanation in student-friendly language. (L.8.5a)
 Discuss how O. Henry uses dramatic irony to create humor and situational irony to create a
surprise ending to the story.
 Latin Root –simul- p. 252
 Thinking Map Opportunities
 Use a Multi-Flow Map that shows the causes and effects of Jimmy Valentine becoming
Ralph Spencer.
 Use a Bubble Map to describe Jimmy Valentine.
 Use a Double Bubble Map to compare and contrast Jimmy Valentine and a phoenix.
 Use a Flow Map to sequence and summarize the events of the story.
EXPRESS UNDERSTANDING (Select one option):
 Class Discussion: In preparation for the discussion, have students work with a partner to create a
Thinking Map to gather information about Jimmy Valentine’s character and his actions in the story,
“A Retrieved Reformation.” Based on this evidence, they will decide whether Jimmy Valentine has
truly changed or not. During the class discussion, students should support their point of view with
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evidence from the text. (RL.8.3, SL.8.1)
 Class Debate: Facilitate a class debate over whether or not Ben Price should have arrested Jimmy
at the end. In preparation for the debate, divide the class in half and assign each half a side to
argue. Let students know that in a debate, it’s not always about what you yourself believe; it’s
often more about arguing a particular side. Have students work with their group to write out with
the best arguments for their side using formal language and including evidence from the text.
During the debate, have each side take turns giving their argument, one reason at a time
(alternating between sides). Perhaps allow them time to formulate a rebuttal to the other side’s
arguments. In the end, the teacher can evaluate the two arguments and proclaim a winner based
on the clarity and strength of the arguments. (RL.8.1, RL.8.3, W.8.1a-b, SL.8.1, SL.8.6)
ASSESSMENT: 2 DAYS
October 5-6
ON-DEMAND WRITING ASSESSMENT
UNIT 2
LESSON 1: 1 DAY
October 7
Begin Lesson 1 of Unit 2. See Unit 2 Instructional Sequence.
ASSESSMENT: 2 DAYS
October 10-11
SBAC INTERIM ASSESSMENT: READING LITERARY TEXT
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