Grade Eight Unit 6 Planner for Language Arts
Unit 6: Investigations
Priority Standards:
8.RI.8 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.
8.W.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing
on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of
exploration.
8.W.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively;
assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of
others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
8.W.9b Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “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”).
8.SL.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant
evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume,
and clear pronunciation.
Supporting Standards:
8.RI.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text.
8.W.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships
between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
8.W.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
8.SL.5 Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen
claims and evidence, and add interest.
8.L.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
8.L.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
8.L.2c Spell correctly.
8.L.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
8.L.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on
grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
8.L.4a 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.
8.L.4c Consult general and specialized 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.
8.L.4d 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).
Overarching Standards (Apply across all units):
8.RL.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.
8.RI.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.
8.W.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.
8.SL.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when
indicated or appropriate
8.L.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.