Grade Eight
Eighth-grade students should be engaged in writing and reading exercises that enforce common
Standard English rules. They should have already mastered a working knowledge of the seven parts of
speech, preparing them for an introduction to more complex sentence structure including the use of
verbals and gerunds, for instance, and the multiple uses of commas.
Through their reading, students should be able to identify the central idea in a piece of writing and
summarize the content. In addition, they should be able to develop rational conclusions and support
those conclusions, drawing evidence from the text. They should also be able to recognize parallels
between the details addressed in a text and the events in the historical context in which it was written.
Eighth-grade students should write with a heightened awareness of the rhetorical elements of audience,
purpose, and context. The narrative form is an effective tool through which this grade level can practice
writing in regard to accurate detail and chronological order and reflection. Each writing assignment
should emphasize the role of the thesis and its relationship to the topic sentence as well as the
development of each paragraph. In addition, students should understand the basic concept of
plagiarizing written sources and the resulting consequences.
ANCHOR STANDARDS
CONVENTIONS OF STANDARD ENGLISH | KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGE | VOCABULARY ACQUISITION AND USE
{Review the function of verbals including gerunds, infinitives, and participles.}
These are verbs that function as another part of speech. After reviewing verbals, use the following
sentences and decide if the word or phrase in bold is a participle, a gerund, or an infinitive.
1. The children's singing and laughing woke me up.
2. Molly likes to dance in the rain.
3. There are many ways of breaking a heart.
4. A broken heart will mend over time.
5. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner.
{Use commas, ellipsis, and dashes correctly to indicate a pause or break in a sentence.}
Know which punctuation is appropriate in various sentences. Refer to the following sentences for
practice. Each contains a pause or a break and requires a comma, an ellipsis, or a dash to make it
correct.
1. John Taylor the current mayor is running for office again.
2. Thomas came home from work he was an electrician and turned on the air conditioner.
3. I was thinking maybe we should call home.
4. To feed, clothe, and find shelter for the needy these are real achievements.
5. Amy could you please see me after class?
ANCHOR STANDARDS
TEXT TYPES AND PURPOSES | PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF WRITING | RESEARCH TO BUILD AND PRESENT
KNOWLEDGE
{After engaging in a close reading of The Diary of Anne Frank: A Play, research a present day situation
involving war, turmoil, or a dictatorship similar to the circumstances that take place in the play.}
Examples may include Sudan, Egypt, Afghanistan, Palestine, etc. Gather information from relevant print
and digital sources. Create a graphic organizer that organizes quotes about the situation you are
choosing as well as comparable quotes from the play. Compose an informative essay that examines
what was taking place during Anne Frank’s time and compare this to the situation that has been
researched. Include supporting details previously recorded in the graphic organizer. Cite these details
correctly with parenthetical documentation. Provide transitions that appropriately connect ideas
between the two situations. Include a conclusion statement or paragraph that supports the information
presented.
{Compose a narrative essay that introduces a special person to readers that only the writer knows.}
The narrative should be organized by using an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. Use
narrative techniques such as dialogue, description, pacing, and reflection to develop events and
characters. Use appropriate transition words and phrases to indicate shifts from one event to another.
Include a conclusion that supports and reflects on the events previously mentioned. The essay should be
written in MLA format by adhering to font style, size, and spacing. Include a heading and title that also
follows MLA format.
ANCHOR STANDARDS
KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS | CRAFT AND STRUCTURE | INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS | RANGE OF READING
AND LEVEL OF TEXT COMPLEXITY
{Engage in a close reading of The Diary of Anne Frank: A Play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett.}
Refer to Anne Frank’s famous quote: “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at
heart.” Choose a character from the play and prove or disprove whether or not this applies to that
character. Support your claim with clear and relevant textual evidence by creating a graphic organizer
that separates each piece of evidence. Compose an essay using your findings. The claim should be
clearly stated within the first paragraph and the following paragraphs should use evidence that comes
from the graphic organizer previously mentioned.
{Louisa May Alcott’s book, Little Women, contains several characters and alternate points of view.}
After closely reading the book, create a graphic organizer that addresses the following questions about
each sister: What significant experiences impact this character? What does this character value? (This
may be more than one thing and the value may change. Record all that is noticed.) What possible theme
could be shown from the information presented about this character? Use relevant evidence from the
text to support findings that answer these questions. Choose one of the sisters and use the information
that you have documented to compose an essay that analyzes her point of view, values, and a theme
that her experiences may present.
ANCHOR STANDARDS
COMPREHENSION AND COLLABORATION | PRESENTATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS
{Engage in an individual close reading of Walt Whitman’s poem, “O Captain! My Captain!” and annotate
in order to improve understanding.}
Circle words that you are unsure of and locate the meaning in some form of a reference material to
ensure understanding. Underline key passages that draw your attention or seems worthy of researching.
When finished, research the poem and its meaning. Be prepared to engage in a class discussion about
the poem’s significance by focusing on the time period it was written, who it was written for, and the
figurative language that is used throughout the poem. Engage in a class or group discussion about your
findings. Be able to refer to specific line numbers, words, and phrases to explain your conclusions, and
be able to participate in a discussion using academic language. Be prepared to recognize other findings
and clearly explain your own.
{After engaging in a close reading of The Diary of Anne Frank: A Play, create a timeline of events using
some form of diverse media.}
The timeline should focus on key events surrounding the play, and it should contain graphics or visual
images that could be used to symbolize the various events being used. Use text, dates, and numbering
as necessary to explain your timeline accurately. Be prepared to share your timeline with a group of
peers. Speak clearly during your oral presentation and show knowledge of the plot of the play as well as
the time period surrounding the play. Allow peers to respond to the information you have presented
and be prepared to clarify any questions or ideas that challenge your thoughts.