Eighth Grade Curriculum
English - Language Arts

The grade eight language arts curriculum emphasizes systematic, explicit skills instruction in reading and writing. Students read and comprehend a wide variety of grade-level appropriate literature. Students learn the writing process, writing strategies, and writing applications with an emphasis on written and oral English language conventions and correct spelling. Some examples of specific concepts and skills which students are to master are provided in the topic areas listed below:


READING:

Vocabulary and Concept Development

  • use idioms, analogies, metaphors and similes to infer the literal and figurative meanings of phrases
  • understand the history of the English language to determine the historical influences on word meanings
  • use word meanings within the appropriate context and show ability to verify those meanings by definition, restatement, example, comparison, or contrast

Comprehension

  • read and understand grade-level appropriate text
  • apply comprehension skills and strategies to read a variety of text and genres

Literary Response, Analysis, and Critique

  • read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance students’ study of history and social science
  • determine and articulate the relationships betwen the purposes and characteristics of different forms of poetry
  • evaluate the structural elements of the plot, the plot’s develoment, and the way in which conflicts are (or are not) addressed and resolved
  • identify significant literary devices (e.g., metaphors, symbolism, dialect, irony) that define a writer’s style and use those elements to interpret the work

Fluency

  • read numerous books to build fluency and comprehension
  • read narrative (classic and contemporary) literature and expository text: (magazine, newspapers, on-line information)

WRITING:

Application

  • write narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive text
  • write biographies, autobiographies, short stories, and/or narratives
  • write research reports
  • use correct and varied sentence types and sentence openings to present a lively and effective personal style
  • identify and use parallelism, including similar grammatical forms to present items in a series and items juxtaposed for emphasis
  • support thesis or conclusions with analogies, paraphrases or quotations
  • revise writing for word choice, organization, consistent point of view, transistion among paragraphs, and for clarity of ideas

Research and Technology

  • conduct multi-step information searches using computer networks and modems
  • achieve balance of research information and own ideas
  • use word processing skills to publish writing

Capitalization, Punctuation and Grammar

  • edit writing to reflect proper grammar
  • use correct punctuation and capitalization

Spelling

  • apply spelling rules and knowledge of patterns to correctly spell words
  • spell frequently misspelled words correctly (e.g., their, there, they’re, belief, receive)
  • use spelling skills in reading and written work

LISTENING AND SPEAKING:

  • deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey ideas clearly and relate to the background and interests of the audience
  • evaluate the content of oral communications
  • use appropriate grammar, word choice, enunciation, and pace during formal presentations