East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
Each selection and activity can be found electronically at http://www.myhrw.com
Collection One
Aug 6- Sept 17
Collection Two
Sept 17- Nov 2
Collection Three
Nov 2- Dec 18
Collection Four
Dec 18 – Feb 18
Collection Five
Feb 18 – Apr 11
Collection Six
Apr 11 – May 20
Review:
Sep 10-11
Summative Assessment:
Sep 14-15
Review:
Oct 23-26
Summative Assessment:
Oct 27-28
Review:
Dec 10-11
Comprehensive Mid-Term:
Dec 14-15
Review:
Feb 10-11
Summative Assessment:
Feb 12-15
*Phase 1 iLEAP Mar 14-18*
Review:
Apr 4-5
Comprehensive PostAssessment:
Apr 6-7
*Phase 2 iLEAP Apr 25-29*
Review:
May 12-13
Summative Assessment:
May 16-17
Collection 1:
Culture and Belonging
Collection 2:
The Thrill of Horror
Collection 3:
The Move Toward Freedom
Collection 4:
Approaching Adulthood
Collection 5:
Anne Frank’s Legacy
Collection 6:
The Value of Work
Academic Vocabulary:
contribute, immigrate,
reaction, relocate, shifting
Academic Vocabulary:
convention, predict,
psychology, summary,
technique
Academic Vocabulary:
access, civil, demonstrate,
document, symbolize
Academic Vocabulary:
debate, deduce, license,
sufficient, trend
Academic Vocabulary:
communicate, draft,
liberation, philosophy,
publish
Academic Vocabulary:
commentary, minors,
occupation, option, style
ANCHOR TEXT:
SHORT STUDY
“My Favorite Chaperone”
by Jean Davies Okimoto
ANCHOR TEXT:
SHORT STORY
“The Tell-Tale Heart”
by Edgar Allan Poe
ANCHOR TEXT:
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
from Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass, an
American Slave
by Frederick Douglass
ANCHOR TEXT:
SHORT STORY
“Marigolds”
by Eugenia Collier
ANCHOR TEXT:
DRAMA
from The Diary of Anne
Frank
by Frances Goodrich and
Albert Hackett
ANCHOR TEXT:
NOVEL EXCERPT
from The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer
by Mark Twain
1
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
Collection 1: Culture and Belonging
Collection 1 Academic Vocabulary: contribute, immigrate, reaction, relocate, shifting
Performance Task:
A Write an Expository Essay W 2a–e, W 4, W 5, W 8
B Write a Personal Narrative W 3a–e, W 4, W 5, W 10
Selection/Feature Title
Critical Analysis
Vocabulary Strategy
(primary instructional CCSS)
(Critical Vocabulary)
ANCHOR TEXT:
Analyze Stories: Plot
STRATEGY:
SHORT STUDY
RL1, RL3
Context Clues
“My Favorite Chaperone”
L4a, L4d
by Jean Davies Okimoto
Analyze Stories: Character
RL1, RL3
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
CLOSE READER:
sponsor, stun, dispatcher, scuffle,
SHORT STORY
whimper
“Golden Glass”
by Alma Luz Willanueva
PERSONAL ESSAY
Determine Central Idea and
STRATEGY:
“Bonne Année”
Details RI2
Using a Glossary L4c
by Jean-Pierre Benoît
Analyze Text: Personal Essay
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
RI3, RI5
predominate, coup, persecution,
dispossess, natal
RESEARCH STUDY
Analyze Nonfiction Elements
STRATEGY:
“A Place to Call Home”
RI3
Using Greek Prefixes
by Scott Bittle and Jonathan
L4b,L6
Rochkind
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
CLOSE READER:
tumult, pernicious, naturalize,
ESSAY
telecommunications, perpetual
“What to Bring”
by Naisha Jackson
ANCHOR TEXT:
Analyze the Meanings of
STRATEGY:
MEMOIR
Words and Phrases RI4
Using Latin Prefixes L4b, L4d, L6
from The Latehomecomer
by Kao Kalia Yang
Analyze Text: Memoir
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
RI3
requisite, resonate, nominal, recap,
CLOSE READER:
repatriate, chide, expiration,
MEMOIR
despondent
CCSS in Collection 1:
RL 1, RL 2, RL 3, RL 4, RL 9, RI 2, RI 3, RI 4, RI 5, RI 7
W 2, W 2a–e, W 3a–e, W 4, W 5, W 7, W 8, W 9, W 9a, W 10
SL 1a, SL 2, SL 5
L 1a–c, L 3a, L 4a–d, L 6
Language Conventions
Performance Task
Imperative Mood
L1c
Writing Activity:
Summary
RL2, W2, W4, W9a, W10
Participles
L1a
Media Activity:
Poster
W7, SL1a
none
Writing Activity:
Explanation
W7, W8
Active and Passive Voice
L1b, L3a
Writing Activity:
Report
W2, W7, W8
2
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
“Museum Indians”
by Susan Power
MEDIA ANALYSIS:
DOCUMENTARY
New Immigrants Share Their Stories
directed by Lisa Gossels
POEM
“The Powwow at the End of the
World”
by Sherman Alexie
Analyze Media
RI7, SL2
none
none
Media Activity:
Video
W7, SL5
Determine Meaning of Words
and Phrases
RL4, RL9
none
none
Speaking Activity:
Discussion
RL9, W7, W9
Make Inferences
RL1
Collection 2: The Thrill of Horror
Collection 2 Academic Vocabulary: convention, predict, psychology, summary, technique
Performance Task:
A Deliver a Persuasive Speech W 1a–e, W 4, W 5, W 8, W 10, SL 4, SL 5, SL 6
B Write a Literary Analysis RI 1, W 2a–f, W 5, W 9a, W 10
Selection/Feature Title
Critical Analysis
Vocabulary Strategy
(primary instructional CCSS)
(Critical Vocabulary)
ANCHOR TEXT:
Analyze Point of View
STRATEGY:
SHORT STORY
RL6
Use a Thesaurus L4c
“The Tell-Tale Heart”
by Edgar Allan Poe
Analyze Suspense
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
RL6
conceive, vex, stifle, crevice,
CLOSE READER:
audacity, vehemently, derision,
SHORT STORY
hypocritical
“The Outsider”
by H.P. Lovecraft
ESSAY
Determine Author’s Viewpoint
none
“Scary Tales”
RI6
by Jackie Torrence
Analyze the Meanings of
Words and Phrases RI4
SHORT STORY
Determine Theme
STRATEGY:
“The Monkey’s Paw”
RL2, RL9
Latin Roots L4a–d
by W.W. Jacobs
CCSS in Collection 2:
RL 2, RL 3, RL 6, RL 7, RL 9, RI 1, RI 2, RI 3, RI 4, RI 6, RI 7
W 1a–e, W 2a–f, W 4, W 5, W 7, W 8, W 9a, W 10
SL 1a, SL 1c, SL 2, SL 3, SL 4, SL 5, SL 6 L 1, L 1c, L 2a, L 3a, L 4a–d
Language Conventions
Performance Task
Using Dashes L2a
Writing Activity:
Profile
W2b, W9a
Subject-Verb Agreement L
1
Speaking Activity:
Debate
SL1a, SL1c, SL3, SL4
Subjunctive Mood
L1c,L3a
Writing Activity:
Report
W2b, W7, W8, W9a
3
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
CLOSE READER:
POEM
“Frankenstein”
by Edward Field
MEDIA ANALYSIS:
FILM CLIP
from The Monkey’s Paw
by Ricky Lewis Jr.
Analyze Stories:
Foreshadowing
RL3
ANCHOR TEXT:
LITERARY CRITICISM
“What Is the Horror Genre?”
by Sharon A. Russell
Analyze Text: Literary Criticism
RI2, RI3, RI6
Evaluate Media
RL7, RI7, SL2
Summarize Text
RI2
CLOSE READER:
ESSAY
“Man-Made Monsters”
by Daniel Cohen
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
peril, condole, grimace, fate,
credulity, prosaic, compensation,
resignation
none
STRATEGY:
Using Suffixes
L4b
none
Media Activity:
Storyboard
SL2, SL4, SL5
Using Commas
L2a
Speaking Activity:
Discussion
SL1a, SL4
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
intensify, justify, parallel, quest
Collection 3: The Move Toward Freedom
Collection 3 Academic Vocabulary: access, civil, demonstrate, document, symbolize
Performance Task:
A Create a Visual Presentation W4, W6, W7, SL5
B Write a Literary Analysis RL1, W2a–f, W5, W7, W9a, SL1a
CCSS in Collection 3:
RL 1, RL 2, RL 3, RL 4, RI 3, RI 4, RI 5, RI 6
W 2a–f, W 4, W 5, W 6, W 7, W 8, W 9a–b
SL 1, SL 1a, SL 4, SL 5, SL 6
L 1a, L 1c, L 3a, L 4a, L 4d, L 5a–c, L 6
Selection/Feature Title
Language Conventions
Performance Task
none
Writing Activity:
Literary Analysis
W2b, W9b
ANCHOR TEXT: AUTOBIOGRAPHY
from Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass, an American
Slave
by Frederick Douglass
CLOSE READER:
HISTORICAL WRITING
“My Friend Douglass”
by Russell Freedman
Critical Analysis
(primary instructional CCSS)
Analyze Text: Autobiography
RI3, RI6
Analyze Structure
RI5
Vocabulary Strategy
(Critical Vocabulary)
STRATEGY:
Use Context Clues
L4a, L4d
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
commence, apprehension,
prudence, unabated, denunciation,
vindication
4
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
BIOGRAPHY
from Harriet Tubman: Conductor
On the Underground Railroad
by Ann Petry
Analyze Text: Biography
RI3, RI5
STRATEGY:
Use Word Relationships L 5b
Analyze Structure
RI4, RI5
ANCHOR TEXT:
HISTORICAL FICTION
“The Drummer Boy of Shiloh”
by Ray Bradbury
Analyze Stories: Historical
Fiction
RL2, RL3
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
disheveled, instill, dispel, linger,
sullen, eloquence, evoke, cajole
STRATEGY:
Interpret Figures of Speech
L4a, L5a, L6
Determine Meanings of Words
and Phrases
RL4
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
solemn, askew, strew, legitimately,
resolute, muted
Analyze Structure: Comparison
and Contrast
RI3, RI5
STRATEGY:
secede, succumb, jubilation,
oppress, ruffian, looter, provisions,
throng, boon, vengeance
CLOSE READER:
SHORT STORY
“A Mystery of Heroism”
by Stephen Crane
HISTORY WRITING
from Bloody Times: The Funeral of
Abraham Lincoln and the Manhunt
for Jefferson Davis
by James L. Swanson
CLOSE READER:
JOURNAL ENTRIES
“Civil War Journal”
by Louisa May Alcott
POEM
“O Captain! My Captain!”
by Walt Whitman
Analyze Connotative Meanings
RI4, L5c
Determine Meanings of Words
and Phrases
RL4, RL5
Conditional Mood
L1c, L3a
Speaking Activity:
Speech
SL1a, SL4, W7, W9b
Indicative Mood
L1c
Speaking Activity:
Research
W7, W8, SL4
Gerunds
L1a
Writing Activity:
Character Sketch
W9b
none
Speaking Activity:
Respond by Speaking
SL1, SL6
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
Use Context Clues
L4a, L4d
none
Analyze Structure RL5
5
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
Collection 4: Approaching Adulthood
Collection 4 Academic Vocabulary: debate, deduce, license, sufficient, trend
Performance Task:
A Write a Literary Analysis RL1, RL2, W2a–f, W5, W9a, W10
B Produce a Multimedia Campaign RI1, W1a–e, W5, W6, W8, W9b, SL4, SL5
CCSS in Collection 4:
RL 1, RL 2, RL 3, RL 4, RI 1, RI 2, RI 3, RI 4, RI 5, RI 7, RI 8
W 1a–e, W 2a–f, W 5, W 6, W 8, W 9a–b, W 10
SL 1a–b, SL 4, SL 5, SL 6
L 1, L 1c, L 2, L 4b, L 4c, L 4d, L 5a
Selection/Feature Title
Language Conventions
Selection Performance Task
Infinitives
L1a
Writing Activity:
Essay
W2, W4, W9a, W10
Words Ending in y
L2c
Writing Activity:
Comparison
W4, W9a, W10
Shifts in Voice and Mood
L1d
Speaking Activity:
Debate
W7, SL3, SL4, SL5, SL6
ANCHOR TEXT:
SHORT STORY
“Marigolds”
by Eugenia Collier
CLOSE READER:
SHORT STORY
“The Whistle”
by Anne Estevis
POEM
“Hanging Fire”
by Audre Lorde
POEM
“Teenagers”
by Pat Mora
Critical Analysis
(primary instructional CCSS)
Analyze Stories: Characters’
Motivation
RL3
Vocabulary Strategy
(Critical Vocabulary)
STRATEGY:
Use Latin Suffixes
L4b, L4d, L5
Determine Theme
RL2, RL4
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
poignant, ostensible,
retribution, stoicism, perverse,
bravado, impotent, exuberance,
degradation, squalor
none
Make Inferences
RL1, RL2
Determine Theme
RL1, RL2
CLOSE READER:
POEM Comparison
“Identity”
by Julio Noboa Polanco
“Hard on the Gas”
by Janet S. Wong
ANCHOR TEXT: ARGUMENTS
“When Do Kids Become
Adults?”
From “Room for Debate” in the
New York Times
Trace and Evaluate an Argument
RI5, RI6, RI8
STRATEGY:
Greek Roots
L4b, L4d
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
arbitrary, unmoor, confluence,
6
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
CLOSE READER:
HISTORY ARTICLE
“Much Too Young to Work So
Hard”
by Naoki Tanaka
Compare Texts
ARTICLE
“Is 16 Too Young to
Drive a Car?”
by Robert Davis
ARTICLE
“Fatal Car Crashes Drop for 16Year-Olds, Rise for Older Teens”
by Allison Aubrey
Compare Texts
egregious, inadequate, diffuse,
autonomous, thwart, cohort
Determine Central Ideas and
Details
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI5
Analyze Text
RI1, RI3, RI4, RI7, RI8
Analyze Information in Texts
RI9
STRATEGY:
Domain-Specific Words
L4a, L6
Fragments
L1
Writing Activity:
Opinion
W1a, W1b, W4, W9b, W10
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
notion, novice, bane, paradox,
impetuous, anecdote
COMPARE MEDIA:
PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENT—FILM
“Your Phone Can Wait”
by Stephanie Ramirez
PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENT—POSTER
“Driving Distracted”
COMPARE MEDIA
Analyze Ideas in Media
SL2
none
none
Analyze Diverse Media
SL2
none
none
Evaluate Media
RI7, SL2
n/a
n/a
Media Activity:
Public Service Announcement
W1a, W1b, W7, SL2, SL5
7
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
Collection 5: Anne Frank’s Legacy
Collection 5 Academic Vocabulary: communicate, draft, liberation, philosophy, publish
Performance Task:
Write an Expository Essay
W2a–f, W4, W5, W7, W9b, W10
Selection/Feature Title
Critical Analysis
Vocabulary Strategy
(primary instructional CCSS)
(Critical Vocabulary)
ANCHOR TEXT:
Analyze Drama
none
DRAMA
RL1, RL3
from The Diary of Anne Frank
by Frances Goodrich and Albert
Analyze Dialogue in Drama
Hackett
RL3
Analyze Incidents in Drama
CLOSE READER:
RL3
DRAMA
The Diary of Anne Frank; Act 1,
Scenes 1 and 2
DIARY
Analyze Text: Elements of a
STRATEGY:
from The Diary of a Young Girl
Diary
Connotation and Denotation
by Anne Frank
RI3, RI6
L4a, L4d, L5c
LITERARY CRITICISM
from Anne Frank: The Book, The
Life, the Afterlife
by Francine Prose
SPEECH
“After Auschwitz”
by Elie Wiesel
POEM
“There But for the Grace”
by Wisława Szymborska
none
Writing Activity:
Character Sketch
W4, W9a, W10
none
Speaking Activity: Performance
SL1a, SL1b
Use Ellipses
L2a, L2b
Writing Activity:
Analysis
RI8, W4, W9b, W10, SL1a, SL1b
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
intersperse, ineradicable, refuge,
incisive, precocious, tangential,
emblematic, impervious, poignant,
banal
none
none
none
none
Speaking Activity:
Discussion
W7, W8, SL1a, SL1b
Writing Activity:
Analysis W1a–e, W4, W9a,W10
Make Inferences
RI1
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
insolent, reproach, mediate,
splendid, conjecture
Determine Author’s Point of View
RI6
STRATEGY:
Latin Suffixes
L4b, L4d
Analyze the Meanings of Words and
Phrases
RI4
Analyze Word Choices
RI4
Analyze Sound Devices
RL4
CCSS in Collection 5:
RL 1, RL 3, RL 4, RI 1, RI 3, RI 4, RI 6, RI 8
W 1a–e, W 2a–f, W 4, W 5, W 7, W 8, W 9a–b, W 10
SL 1a–b
L 2a–b, L 4a, L 4b, L 4d, L 5c
Language Conventions
Performance Task
8
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
Collection 6: The Value of Work
Collection 6: Academic Vocabulary: commentary, minors, occupation, option, style
Performance Task:
A Write a Short Story W3a–e, W4, W5, W10
B Write an Argument RI1, W3a–e, W4, W5, W8, W9b, W10
Selection/Feature Title
Critical Analysis
Vocabulary Strategy
(primary instructional CCSS)
(Critical Vocabulary)
ANCHOR TEXT:
Analyze Point of View
STRATEGY:
NOVEL EXCERPT
RL4, RL6
Verbal Irony and Puns
from The Adventures of Tom
L5a
Sawyer
Determine Meaning of Words
by Mark Twain
and Phrases
CRITICAL VOCABULARY:
RL4, RL6
tranquil, survey, contemplate,
CLOSE READER:
particular, alacrity, dilapidated,
SHORT STORY
covet, attain
“The Flying Machine”
by Ray Bradbury
CCSS in Collection 6:
RL 1, RL 2, RL 4, RL 5, RL 6, RI 1, RI 2, RI 4, RI 5, RI 8
W 1a–e, W 3a–e, W 4, W 5, W 7, W 8, W 9a–b, W 10
SL 1a–b, SL 4, SL 5, SL 6
L 1, L 1c, L 2, L 4b, L 4c, L 4d, L 5a
Language Conventions
Performance Task
Interrogative Mood
L1c
Writing Activity:
Analysis
RL2, W4, W9a, W10
Semicolons and Run-ons
L1, L2
Speaking Activity: Presentation
RI2, SL1a, SL1b
none
Speaking Activity:
Oral Report
W7, SL4, SL5, SL6
CLOSE READER:
GRAPHIC STORY
“The Flying Machine”
by Bernard Krigstein
MEMOIR
“One Last Time”
by Gary Soto
CLOSE READER:
BIOGRAPHY
“The Real McCoy”
by Jim Haskins
ARGUMENT
“Teens Need Jobs, Not Just
Cash”
by Anne Michaud
ARGUMENT
“Teens at Work”
Cite Evidence
RI1
Analyze the Meanings of Words
and Phrases
RI4
Delineate and Evaluate an
Argument
RI5, RI8
STRATEGY:
Using a Dictionary
L4c, L4d
CRITICAL VOCABULARY: ramble,
foreman, grope, feeble, stoop,
contractor, irate, predicament
STRATEGY:
Using Greek Suffixes
L4b, L4d
CRITICAL VOCABULARY: sustain,
borne, renowned, avert,
initiative, detrimental,
9
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
from The Record-Journal
COMPARE ANCHOR TEXTS
POEM
“Chicago”
by Carl Sandburg
POEM
“Find Work”
by Rhina P. Espaillat
implication, deficiency
Determine Meaning of Words
and Phrases
RL1, RL4
none
none
none
none
Determine Theme
RL2
Analyze Structure
RL5
POEM
“My Mother Enters the Work
Force”
by Rita Dove
Analyze Structure
RL5
COMPARE TEXTS
Analyzing the Text
RL1, RL2, RL4, RL5
CLOSE READER:
POEM
“To be of Use”
by Marge Piercy
Writing Activity:
Compare and Contrast
W4, W9a, W10
CLOSE READER:
POEM
“A Story of How a Wall Stands”
by Simon J. Ortiz
10
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
STUDENT RESOURCES
PERFORMANCE TASK REFERENCE GUIDE
Writing an Argument
Writing an Informative Essay
Writing a Narrative
Conducting Research
Participating in a Collaborative Discussion
Debating an Issue
READING INFORMATIONAL TEXTS
Main Ideas and Supporting Details
Chronological Order
Cause-Effect Organization
Compare-and-Contrast Organization
Problem-Solution Order
READING PERSUASIVE TEXTS
Analyzing an Argument
Recognizing Persuasive Techniques
Analyzing Logic and Reasoning
Evaluating Persuasive Texts
GRAMMAR
Quick Reference:
Parts of Speech
The Sentence and Its Parts
Grammar Handbook:
Nouns
Pronouns
Verbs
Modifiers
The Sentence and Its Parts
Verbal and Verbal Phrases
VOCABULARY AND SPELLING
Using Context Clues
Analyzing Word Structure
Understanding Word Origins
Synonyms and Antonyms
Denotation and Connotation
Analogies
W 1a–e, W 4
W 2a–f, W 4
W 3a–e, W 4
W 7, W 8
SL 1a–d
SL 3, SL 4
RI 2, RI 3, RI 5
RI 2, RI 4, RI 5, RI 6, RI 8
L 1a–e, L 2a, L 3a
Punctuation
Capitalization
Clauses
The Structure of Sentences
Writing Complete Sentences
Subject-Verb Agreement
Phrases
L 2b, L 4a–c, L 5a–c, L 6
Words with Multiple Meanings
Specialized Vocabulary
Using Reference Sources
Spelling Rules
Commonly Confused Words
Homonyms, Homographs, and Homophones
11
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
Collections
Materials List
Teacher Materials
Tool
Grade
Level
Teacher Editions
1 for Collections and
1 for the Close Reader
6-12
Offer easy organization and Instructional support for Whole-Group Instruction, Small Group Instruction, Extended
Reading, Intervention, and ELL Support.
6-12
Guides teacher as they provide learning experiences in performance assessment, close reading, and citing textual
evidence
Teacher’s Guide
Common Core
Assessment
Purpose
Student Materials
Student Editions
1 for Collections and 1 for
the Close Reader
6-12
Hard-cover student book which will allow students to interact with text as they read selections. A consumable soft-cover
Close Reader which will allow students to read, annotate, and highlight text as they develop critical reading
comprehension strategies.
Resources to Support Instruction
The Teacher’s
Dashboard
http://www.myhrw.com
6-12
The Teacher Dashboard make it easier for you to manage your classes and assignments by giving you quick access to
key resources and student assignment progress and performance information as soon as you log in.
6-12
A consumable soft-cover Common Core Assessment book which will provide students experiences in Close Reading of
Complex Texts, Writing from Sources: Argument, Literary Analysis, Research Simulation, as well as Performance
Assessment Practice.
6-12
Electronic support for writing instruction: includes ideas for writing, interactive student models, interactive graphic
organizers, interactive revision lessons, a writing model bank and a rubric generator. Provides students with
opportunities to practice and improve their writing skills and strategies with Common Core and PARCC like tasks.
Assessments
Student Editions
Common Core
Assessment
Intervention
My Write Smart
Digital Resources
Teacher and Student
eversion
6-12
Collections has both Teacher and Student electronic versions.
Electronic Close
Reads
6-12
Electronic Apps that provide students with opportunities to read with scaffold coaching.
12
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
English Language Arts
Grade 8
Reading Standards for Literature
Key Ideas and Details
1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
3. Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
Craft and Structure
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning
and tone.
5. Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot.
6. Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they
“see” and “hear” when reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch.
8. (Not applicable to literature)
9. Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at
the high end of the range.
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details
1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
2. Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
3. Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).
Craft and Structure
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
5. Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.
6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue. A copy of the
English Language Arts Common Core State Standards for all grades is available at http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf.
8. Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.
9. Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same person).
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
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East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
Writing Standards
Text Types and Purposes
1. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
a. Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.
b. Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
a. Introduce a topic; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g.,
headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
c. Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the information or explanation presented.
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.
b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.
d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
5. 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.
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to
type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate. A copy of the English Language Arts Common Core State
Standards for all grades is available at http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while
avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
a. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres [e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories] in
terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics”).
b. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons
and evidence from claims that are not”).
Range of Writing
10. 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.
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East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
Speaking and Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’
ideas and expressing their own clearly.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; 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, set specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
c. Pose and respond to specific questions with elaboration and detail by making comments that contribute to the topic, text, or issue under discussion.
d. Review the key ideas expressed and demonstrate understanding of multiple perspectives through reflection and paraphrasing.
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.
3. Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact,
adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
5. Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, and sound) and visual displays in presentations to clarify information.
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Language Standards
Conventions of Standard English
1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
a. Ensure that pronouns are in the proper case (subjective, objective, and possessive).
b. Use intensive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves).
c. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person.
d. Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with unclear or ambiguous antecedents).
e. Recognize variations from standard English in their own and others’ writing and speaking, and identify and use strategies to improve expression in conventional language.
2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
a. Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements.
b. Spell correctly. A copy of the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards for all grades is available at http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf.
Knowledge of Language
3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
a. Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.
b. Maintain consistency in style and tone.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 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., audience, auditory, audible).
c. Consult 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).
5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
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East Baton Rouge Parish School System
2015-2016 English Language Arts Grade 8 Year-at-a-Glance
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context.
b. Use the relationship 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).
6. 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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