LANGUAGE ARTS
GRADE 8 LITERATURE CURRICULUM

READING

Word Recognition

Students Will:

Recognize frequently encountered words in print, reading fluently and increasing steadily

Explain and use word structure, sentence structure, and prediction to decode and comprehend words in context

Use structural, syntactic, and semantic analysis to recognize new words in context.

- idioms

- analogies

- metaphors

- similes

Infer the history of the English language, and common word origins

Acquire and apply strategies to identify unknown words and their meanings

Know the meanings of words encountered in grade-level reading and oral language contexts

Word Study/Vocabulary

Students Will:

Determine meaning of words and phrases

- content area vocabulary

- literary terms

Review strategies

- activate prior knowledge

- use text feature/structures

- utilize authentic content-related resources i.e. dictionary/thesaurus

Fluency

Students Will:

Read grade-level text fluently through oral reading

Increase fluency in demanding texts through oral reading

Narrative Text

Students Will:

Investigate various examples of distortion and stereotypes

- gender

- race

- class

- religion

Read quality classic, multicultural, and contemporary literature

Analyze structure, elements, style, and purpose of narrative genre:

- historical fiction

- science fiction

- realistic fiction

- mystery

- drama

- journal & diary

Peruse rising/falling actions; minor characters in relation to conflict; narrator credibility.

Study author's craft including symbolism, imagery and consistency,

Informational Text

Students Will:

Critique structure, elements, features, style, and purpose .

Include comparative essays, newspaper writings, technical writings, and persuasive essays.

Scrutinize organizational patterns.

Explain how authors use text features to enhance understanding

- graphics

- author’s pages

- prefaces

- marginal notes

Comprehension

Students Will:

Connect personal knowledge, experience, and understanding of the world to themes in text through oral and written responses.

Retell through summarization grade-level narrative and informational text.

Analyze global /universal themes/truths to draw conclusions; making inferences, and synthesizing.

Apply significant knowledge from grade-level science, social studies, and mathematics’ texts.

Meta-cognition

Students Will:

Self-monitor comprehension by applying strategies that include

- predicting

- constructing mental images

- visually representing ideas in text

- questioning

- rereading/re-listening

Infer, summarize, and engage in interpretive discussions.

Plan, monitor, regulate and evaluate skills, strategies, and processes.

Critical Standards

Students Will:

Evaluate the appropriateness of shared, individual, and expert standards based on purpose, context, and audience.

Assess own writing and others.

Reading Attitude

Students Will:

Be enthusiastic about reading

Do independent substantial reading and writing

Select six different genres, of choice, for monthly in-class book report

Maintain reading log of monthly book choices, noting genres

WRITING

Grammar and Usage

Students Will:

Use style conventions (MLA) correctly.

Employ a variety of parts of speech in assignments.

Compose original sentences, using text selections' vocabulary monthly, embracing strict grammar perimeters.

Spelling

Students Will:

Use correct spelling conventions.

Engage in dictionary use.

Handwriting

Students Will:

Write neatly and legibly.

Master legibility through in-class book reports on loose leaf.

Writing Attitude

Students Will:

Be enthusiastic.

Experiment in a personal style such as humorous, opinionated, emotional when critiquing monthly book reports.

Encourage thesaurus use while discouraging unnecessary repetitiveness

SPEAKING

Conventions

Students Will:

Adjust use of language to communicate effectively for different audiences/purposes

Enunciate to emphasize ideas and concepts

Use body language

- gestures

- posture

- facial expressions

- tone of voice

- pace of speaking

Participate in annual class performance of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens

Discourse

Ongoing:

Engage in interactive, extended discourse in Battle of the Books’ class groups (every other year)

Discuss plot devices

Critique assigned books

Share insights

Prepare for competition

LISTENING AND VIEWING

Conventions

Students Will:

Analyze differences

Critique literary merit

Discuss likes and dislikes

Response

Students Will:

Compare/Contrast differences in film vs. text: Diary of Anne Frank, “It’s A Beautiful Life”, “The Mystery of the Speckled Band”

React to “The Tell-Tale Heart” on tape after reading/discussing story