Unit Title: Unit 5: Reading Scientific and Technical Texts and Writing Informative Texts
Content Area: Language Arts
Grade: 8
Instructional Weeks: 6
Common Core Standard(s):
RI.7.1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from
the text.
RI.7.2: Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective
summary of the text.
RI.7.3: Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or
how individuals influence ideas or events).
RI. 7.5: Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the
development of the ideas.
RI. 7.10: 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.
SL.7.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
L.7.4c: 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.
L.7.6: 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.
W.7.2a: Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; 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.
W.7.2b: Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
W.7.2c: Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
W.7.2d: Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
W.7.2e: Establish and maintain a formal style.
W.7.2f: Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.
W.7.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
W.7.5: 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, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for
conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade 7 here.)
W.7.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and
collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.
W.7.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused
questions for further research and investigation.
W.7.8: 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.
W.7.9b: Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. “Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text,
assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims”).
W.7.10: 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.
SL.7.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
L.7.1c: Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.*
L.7.3a: Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.*
L.7.4b: Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., belligerent,
bellicose,
L.7.6: 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.
Learning Targets:
I Can…
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Define cite
Find several pieces of textual evidence for support
Make inferences
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Determine two or more central ideas
Explain how two or more central ideas develop throughout the text
Write or present an unbiased summary
Explain how people, ideas, and situations interact in a text
Explain how an author uses the structure to develop ideas
Comprehend nonfiction writing at my grade level
Participate in one-on-one discussions
Participate in group discussions
Participate in teacher-led discussions
Prepare for a discussion
Follow rules for discussions
Ask questions of my group members
Respond to questions posed by my group members
Summarize the group’s discussion
Understand others’ perspectives
Use context clues to determine the meaning of a word
Use Greek or Latin roots to determine the meaning of a word
Use print reference materials
Use electronic reference materials
Use grade appropriate vocabulary
Write an informative/explanatory paper
Introduce a topic previewing the content
Use multiple strategies to organize information
Use charts, pictures, headings, etc. to organize
Support the topic with facts, details, quotes, and examples
Use transitions
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Use descriptive vocabulary
Use a formal style
Make a concluding statement
Develop grade-level appropriate writing for task
Develop grade-level appropriate writing for purpose
Develop grade-level appropriate writing for audience
Use feedback from teachers and/or peers
Use revision strategies
Use editing strategies
Revise for a specific purpose and audience
Use feedback from teachers and/or peer
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Use technology to publish writing
Link and cite sources
Use technology to collaborate
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Do a research project
Use several sources to answer a question
Generate focused questions for research
Find information from print sources
Find information from digital sources
Use search terms
Define credible
Decide if a source is credible
Define plagiarism
Paraphrase information
Include quotes
Cite sources
Produce a bibliography
Use pieces from literary texts to support my writing
Use pieces from informational texts to support my writing
Write for many reasons
Recognize and correct misplaced and dangling modifiers
Demonstrate proper usage of the eight parts of speech in writing and speaking
Explain the functions of phrases and clauses
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Recognize simple sentences
Recognize compound sentences
Recognize complex sentences
Recognize compound-complex sentences
Use the four types of sentences effectively
Use phrases and clauses
Use proper conventions
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Choose precise words
Recognize and eliminate wordiness
Essential Questions
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What do good readers do?
Am I clear about what I just read?
How do I know?
Author’s Choice: Why does it matter?
What makes a story a “great” story?
What makes collaboration meaningful?
Making meaning from a variety of sources:
What will help?
When a word doesn’t make sense, what can I
do?
How do I use what I know to figure out what I
don’t know?
What do good writers do?
What’s my purpose and how do I develop it?
Writing clearly: What makes a difference?
Final product: What does it take?
What do good researchers do?
“Cut and paste:” What’s the problem?
Why write?
What do good writers do?
Why do the rules of language matter?
Key Vocabulary
Textual evidence
Analyze
Inference
Explicit
Central idea
Summary
Objective
Individual
Event
Idea
Infer
Organizational structure(s)
Reading strategy
Comprehension
Collaborate
Elaborate
Integrate
Warranted
Context clues
Affix
Root
Reference material
Resources
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Communicating clearly: What does it take?
How does situation affect meaning?
How does author’s choice impact an
audience?
When a word doesn’t make sense, what can I
do?
How do I use what I know to figure out what I
don’t know?
General academic words
Domain specific words
Formatting structures
Transitions
Cohesion
Writing style
Task
Purpose
Audience
Revision strategy
Edit
Publish
Credible websites
Hyperlink
Research
Central question
Source
Credibility
Search terms
Plagiarism
Paraphrase
Analysis
Reflection
Writing format
Phrase
Clause
Simple sentence structure
Compound sentence structure
Complex sentence structure
Compound-complex sentence structure
Misplaced modifier
Dangling modifier
Precise
Concise
Wordiness
Redundancy
Daily Lesson Log
Date
(Day1) or
Date
Target(s)
Target Type
(K, R, S, P)
Activity
Assessment
(i.e. Bell Ringer, Flashback, Questioning,
Class Discussion, Think/Pair/Share,
Student Presentations, Unit Test,
Common Assessment, etc…)