Greenbrier Middle School
8th Grade Language Arts
Created by:Andrea Smock and Leslie Wright
Unit 1-Coping With and Overcoming Adversities
Priority Standards:
READING INFORMATIONAL (RI)
KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS
ELACC8RI1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well
as inferences drawn from the text.
ELACC8RI2: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its
relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
ELACC8RI3: Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events
(e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).
CRAFT AND STRUCTURE
ELACC8RI4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative,
connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including
analogies or allusions to other texts.
ELACC8RI5: Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular
sentences in developing and refining a key concept.
ELACC8RI6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges
and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS
ELACC8RI7: Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text,
video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.
ELACC8RI8: Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is
sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced.
ELACC8RI9: Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and
identity where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.
RANGE OF READING AND LEVEL OF TEXT COMPLEXITY**
ELACC8RI10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 6-8
text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Students will know and understand…
•
that various forms of text and media are used to persuade others and argue a point
•
how to differentiate arguments from opinion
•
how to identify irrelevant information in text
•
unit specific vocabulary
•
various media formats and resources
•
common organizational structures
Students will:
•
practice careful and attentive reading
•
Be able to respond to all genres of text in writing and discussion by making inferences and claims and
backing them up with evidence from the text
•
distinguish between evidence that is important and irrelevant
•
identify evidence that supports a claim
•
analyze and evaluate common textual features (including word choice) and organizational structures
•
analyze author’s purpose, intended audience, and possible bias
•
notice kinds of evidence utilized in various types of texts
•
analyze information used in various media
•
acquire knowledge of the persuasive techniques used in arguments (propaganda techniques)
•
effectively implement the rule of Standard English
•
Be able to identify and write in active and passive voice
•
Be able to identify and write in the different verb moods
•
how to discuss and write comparison and contrast text
•
Be able to identify, discuss, and write about the elements of informational text, arguments, and literature
(thesis/point of view, purpose, audience, genre, theme)
•
how to identify, discuss, and write the various forms of persuasion/argument(claim,
counterclaim/counterargument pathos, ethos, logos, loaded language)
•
Be able to eliminate irrelevant information in their own writing
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
•
How does the historical context of a text impact my reading/ understanding of the content?
•
Why is it important to ask questions/make annotations when reading a text particularly for the first time?
•
How do I draw evidence from my readings to support my understandings, ideas, and claims in a text?
•
How does point of view impact the way the reader understands and connects to the text?
•
How can I use background knowledge and context to draw inferences from the text to support my
understanding of the text?
•
How do I determine the meaning of unknown and multiple meaning words or phrases in a reading?
•
How is listening to a text different from reading it?
•
How do I compare different authors writing in the same genre?
•
How do word choice and connotation work to assist the reader in making inferences and more clearly
comprehend the author’s purpose?
•
How do meanings, connotative, figurative, and technical, of words affect my understanding of a text?
•
How is a film version of a text different from the print version?
•
What is the purpose of information presented in diverse media formats?
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How can I support my claims in discussion and writing with textural evidence?
•
How does the use of active and passive voice affect the writer’s purpose?
•
What is the difference in active and passive voice?
•
How do I recognize and correct inappropriate verb shifts in my writing?
•
How do I draw evidence from my readings to write a narrative written response?
•
How can I succeed on the assessment for this unit?
List Lesson Essential Questions (LEQ) to guide lesson development
1.
What is the difference between active and passive voice verbs?
2.
Why is it important to use all moods of verbs when writing?
3.
What types of evidence are effective in discussion and writing?
4.
As I read, what adversities do I come across that characters must endure and how do they fail and/or
overcome?
5.
Which parts of my reading can I further dissect, reflect on, make inferences, analyze and prove with
evidence?
6.
How is a good written argument structured?
7.
What technical steps must be taken to format a MLA or APA writing assignment?
Prior Knowledge Vocabulary; Extended Vocabulary:
Compare/contrast
Nonfiction
Informational
Persuasion/Argument
Audience
Author’s purpose
Opinion
Fact
Figurative
Tone and Mood
Research
Summary
Tier 2 and Tier 3 Vocabulary :
Pathos/Logos/ethos
Explicit/Implicit
Inference/ Inferred
Annotation
Primary Source
Secondary Source
Irrelevant
APA/MLA
Citation
Credible
Adversity
Endure
Perspective
Significant
Paraphrase
Analysis
Analogy
Suggested Reading Resources-Based on Text Complexity Demands, Practice Texts, and Enrichment Texts
Extended Text:
Excerpt from
“To Seek A Newer World”
A History of Columbia County Georgia
(Lexile 1480)
Shorter Texts:
1.
“Roots” by Walter Dean Meyers (Lexile 970)
2.
“Roots” excerpt from Soul Surfer (Lexile 960)
3.
“Declaration of Sentiments” By Elizabeth Stanton (Common Core Clinics) (Lexile 1440)
4.
Assessment “Strongest Dad in the World” (Time Magazine) and “The Story of the Vanishing Patient”
(Common Core Clinics)
5.
Excerpt from Hunger Games where Katniss explains her role as primary caregiver for Prim and The
Reaping where she sacrifices for Prim (Lexile 810)
6.
What if the Hunger Games Were Real?” and “Real Life Fight to the Death” (Lexile 900)
(Scope Feb 20, 2012)
7.
“Raymond’s Run” (Textbook, pg. 13) (Lexile 1140)
8.
“Don’t Touch That Dial” (Coach Crosswalk)
9.
“Don’t Tell Me I Can’t” (play) May
Close Read Texts
1.
“Roots” Soul Surfer (practice)
2.
“Raymond’s Run” (assessment)
3.
“Don’t Touch That Dial”
4.
Assessment “Tigers”
Suggested Writings Connected to Readings:
Narrative:
1.
“I Am” poem in the beginning of the unit, and the end students will revisit and explain if their
perspectives changed and why. Students will analyze their poem, and write a paragraph explaining how
adversities seemed to shape their poems
2.
In the short story, “Raymond’s Run” the main character Squeaky puts her brother’s success ahead of her
own personal goals. In a similar fashion, Katinss from the novel Hunger Games, puts her needs behind
those of her sister. Think of a time in your life where you have put someone else’s needs or wants, like a
family member or friend, ahead of your own desires. Convey to an audience of your peers what the
circumstances of that time were, who you sacrificed for and what lead you to that decision. Compare
yourself to Katniss and Squeaky using evidence from the text. Ultimate Question to be answered: Is it
important to be selfless and sacrificing?
Informative/Explanatory: N/A
Argument:
1.
Create a chart with inferences and explicit evidence about Bethany and Walter. Cite evidence to prove
your inferences. Write four paragraphs comparing and contrasting the two people. Also, you must
address the following question somewhere in your writing. How do the “characters” situations and the
time periods they live in impact their lives and the situations in their lives?
2.
Using Elizabeth Stanton’s “Declaration of Sentiments,” as a quoted source and any other primary source
somewhere throughout writing, argue a right that you should have. Use APA format with in-text citations
and a references page/APA.
3.
President Woodrow Wilson once said, “You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater
vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world.” What does this
quote mean? Does it describe Bessie Coleman? Use rubric to write an essay answering BOTH questions.
Use text details from “Don’t Tell Me I Can’t” and video clips to support your ideas. Create an APA
references page.
4.
Gifted Enrichment: Write a three paragraph (short intro, body, short conclusion) argument addressing the
question: Was Franklin D. Roosevelt a trailblazer? Use research and the video from Pearl Harbor and other
book and magazine sources to cite as evidence. Must be done in APA format.
5.
Using evidence from three of the provided informational texts, discuss how everyone faces adversities
and how adversities can be overcome and allow people to learn, grow, and develop. Students must
support all claims with evidence from each of the three texts chosen.
Routine Writing:
1.
(Total of 4-6) Reading Response Journals (bi-weekly) and Magazine Article Summaries (bi-weekly)
(Rubrics attached)
Research Project:
Smaller research topics
-Civil War
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
--History of Aviation and trailblazers
Media Resources
Websites:
1. http://www.scholastic.com/scope
2. www.timeforkids.com
3. www.sciencenewsforkids.com
Videos: (PPT attached with Links)
1.
Video Excerpt from Hunger Games (students will compare the novel passage to the movie clip)
2.
“The Reaping” and “Bloodbath” Hunger Games video clips
3.
Gladiators Documentary Clip and GladiatorHollywood movie clip
4.
History of Telegraph, Bessie Coleman, Wright Brothers, and Tuskegee Airmen video clips
Art:
1.
2.
3.
Stories found in pictures and captions in “Don’t Tell Me I Can’t”
1900 Women’s Rights and Suffrage Editorial Cartoons
WWII Hitler/Germany photo (used for comparing to The Hunger Games)
Pre-Assessment/Diagnostic:
Practice reading comprehension, writing assignments, and the mini grammar assessments will allow each student
to move at their own pace.
Models for answering reading comprehension and model writing assignments will be given to students frequently
as well as posted around the room.
How will students receive and use the feedback and commentary in order to progress?
In their routine writing, Students will keep a spiral notebook of magazine article summaries and reading responses.
Teacher commentary will be on every entry. Each week, teacher will ask a question about the entry for the
student to have answered the following week. Their answer will be required in addition to a new entry.
Formative/Summative Assessments:
Reading- Close Read formative assessments with Close Read summative assessments to follow. Summative
assessments will use the same wording as the previous formative.
Reading comprehension questions before and check after discussion for practice. As the nine weeks progresses,
the reading comprehension questions will be assessed before any discussion begins. This will be a mixture of
multiple choice and critical thinking questions. Students will be required to cite evidence and page numbers even
with the multiple choice format.
Grammar- Skills will be broken down by element/component; assessed and reassessed as needed for each
individual student. Each student without mastery will be required a “retake” on the next assessment day. Also, to
assess application, students will be required to write incorporating each grammar skill that they learn.
Performance Task:
All writing assignments listed. Students will be given a checklist each time they have a writing assignment, and the
list will grow as the students progress. They will be required to label everything on their checklists.
Including new grammar skills into their writing will be a part of this.
Invention/Strategies
Each student without mastery of grammar will be required a “retake” on the next assessment day after required
practice and/or tutoring.
Students struggling with Reading Comprehension will be given reading passages to complete in small groups
Enrichment Activities/Strategies
Extended Analysis for texts
Grammar compacting out and moving on