ELA Grade 8: 1st 9 Weeks

Research Project

W.8.7:
Distinguish how research differs
from other types of writing. (K)
Focus my research around a central
question that is provided or
determine my own research
worthy questions (S)
Choose several sources and gather
information to answer my research
question. (R)
Analyze the information found in
my sources to determine if it
provides enough support to answer
my question. (R)
Create additional focused
questions that relate to my original
topic to further investigate my
research. (P)

W.8.8:
Determine the credibility and
accuracy of a source by reviewing
who wrote it, when it was written,
and why it was written. (R)
Use search terms effectively to
gather information needed to
support my research. (S)
Determine when my research data
or facts must be quoted in my
writing. (R)
Avoid plagiarism by paraphrasing
and/or summarizing my research
findings. (S)
Follow a standard format for

Media Specialist/
Teacher Connection

Journeys Text and/or

Exemplary Text
Correlation

Web Resources

Engage: Along with

teacher select a
research topic that
lends itself to students
investigating and/or
solving a problem.

Teacher guide:
(Better Lessons)
http://bit.ly/1G9acto

Explore: Have
students self-select
among topics given by
teacher

(Issues database)

Limitless Libraries
www.limitlesslibraries.org

Explain: Mini lesson

on the four types of
evidence (analogical,
testimonial,
anecdotal, and
statistical)
See definitions here
http://bit.ly/1G9acto
Evaluate: Using a
graphic organizer
separated into the
four types of
evidence; students
will
gather evidence about
their
Engage: Students with
essential question
How do I evaluate the
credibility of sources
and determine which
one to use for a
specific task?
Explore: Present
students with a variety
of articles, videos, etc.
that tells about the
Montgomery Bus
Boycott
Explain: Introduce
students to the CAR
check-list
(creditability,

Common Core:
Appendix B
The Story of the
Montgomery Bus
Boycott

Scholastic Teacher Guide:

Identifying Sources
http://bit.ly/1G9acto

citation to create a bibliography for

sources that I paraphrased or
quoted in my writing. (K)

accuracy, and
reliability)
Evaluate:
Have students
evaluate each source
using the CARS
method.
http://bit.ly/1CjBRc2
Extension: Review
with students how to
make note cards;
using the tutorial
below
http://bit.ly/1Kjoevr

W.8.9:
Determine textual evidence that
supports my analysis, reflection,
and/or research. (R)
Compose written responses and
include textual evidence to
strengthen my analysis, reflection,
and/or research (P)

Engage: Show a video

clip about the Great
Fire

Common Core:
Appendix B
The Great Fire

Teacher Modeling
standard
(Teaching Channel)
http://bit.ly/1MDR099

Common Core:

Teacher Guide:

Explore: Post the

essential question;
What lessons can we
learn from disaster?
Explain: Mini lesson
on textual evidence
sentence starters (see
anchor chart
http://bit.ly/JfOBr7)
Evaluate: Have
students use each of
the listed sentence
stems (see anchor
chart above) to
provide textual
evidence to answer
the question What
lessons or benefits
came out of the Great
Fire?

RL/RI.8.1:

Extension: Have
students use their
completed sentence
steps to create a
paragraph that
answers the essential
question.
Engage: In table

Identify explicit textual evidence

and inference (K)
Explain how a reader uses textual
evidence to reach a logical
conclusion. (R)
Read text closely and find answers
explicitly stated in text as well as
answers that require an inference.
(S)

groups have students

create a list of what
items that are
considered evidence
(Example:
fingerprints). Define
evidence

Appendix B
Discuss with teacher text
to meet this lesson (Ex.
Oranges)

Explore: Pose
questions: We have
just defined evidence
what do you think is
meant by the term
textual evidence.
Have students share
answers.
Explain: Mini lesson
on sentence starters
for citing evidence:
1. The author
describes
2. According to the
text
3. For instance, (using
quotes)
Evaluate: Using a
teacher approved text
have students
highlight evidence
that shows characters
feelings, personality,
etc

RL/RI.8.2
Identify theme and central idea in a
text. (K)

Engage: Have words

main idea and
theme on board.

RI.8.2
Determine how an authors use of
details conveys two or more central
ideas in a text. (R)

Explore: Give students

5-8 minutes to create
a Venn-diagram that
compares/contrasts
the two. Tell them
themes develop from
main ideas throughout
the text, but that
themes are
statements about life
or human nature,
while main ideas are
just the ideas that

Common Core:
Appendix B
Roll of Thunder, Hear my
Cry

http://bit.ly/1I8ZhEf

recur throughout the

work.
**This particular
lesson is using the
text Roll of Thunder
Hear My Cry Chapter
7***
Explain: Use this prezi
http://bit.ly/1GZxju2
and student guide
sheet (must print-off
from teacher guide)

RL.8.2
Determine how key events,
characters actions and
interactions, and setting develop
over the course of the text to
contribute to the theme. (R)

Evaluate: Completion
of student guide sheet
(see teacher guide for
example)
Engage: Show various
cartoon strips with no
words. Call on
volunteers to re-tell
the story with words
(paying attention to
students key events
and characters
actions)
Explore: Using
explanation guide
found here
http://bit.ly/1I8ZhEf;
model completing a
characterization chart
Explain: Using preapproved text from
teacher have students
create a character
trait study sheet

RL.8.3
Identify particular lines of dialogue
and/or incidents in a story or
drama that propel the action,
reveal aspects of a character, or
provoke a decision. (K)
Recognize how making a change to

Evaluate: Accuracy of
student guide
Engage: Give each
table group a slip of
paper with a dialogue
to act out (example:
parent yelling,
someone calling
police, winning the
lottery)

Teacher Guide
http://bit.ly/1I8ZhEf

one line of a dialogue or one

incident of a story or drama could
affect the actions, aspects of a
character, or decisions. (R)

Explore:
View the PowerPoint
that discusses voice,
tone, mood
http://bit.ly/1CBntKZ
Explain: Using teacher
approved text assign
each group a line of
text. Have them
change the tone of
each line to a new
tone; allow them time
to practice acting this
out.

RI.8.3
Explain how the individuals, events,
and/or ideas in a text affect one
another. (R)

Evaluate: Have each

group read the
original line of text,
then act of the text
with changes. Have
audience determine
the new
tone/mood/action
**work with teacher
to select a text to
complete this lesson;
example given
Engage: Read two
short excerpts from a
text
Explore: Model with
students using these
texts. (see explain)
Explain: Have words
individuals, events,
and ideas on three
separate envelopes.
Place examples from
each text in each
envelope. Have pairs
pick a phrase from
each envelope.
Evaluate: Have
students write down
the connections that
can be made from the

Common Core:
Appendix B
Letter on Thomas
Jefferson
Common Core:
Appendix B
Narrative of the life of
Frederick Douglas

Teacher Guide:
http://bit.ly/1F0Ns1A

RL/RI.8.4
Identify various forms of figurative
language. (K)
Distinguish between literal
language and figurative
language.(K)
Recognize the difference between
denotative meanings and
connotative meanings. (K)
Identify analogies and allusions. (K)

items they pulled.

**this lesson focuses
on the one subsection of the
standard

Common Core:
Appendix B
Role of Thunder Hear My
Cry

Example Lesson
http://bit.ly/1xGwEe5

Common Core:
Appendix B

Teacher Guide:
http://bit.ly/1yKm00Q

Engage: Place the two

statements on the
board: A weasel is a
small mammal and A
weasel is not to be
trusted. Ask students
the difference in the
sentences
Explore: Define terms
denotative (dictionary
term) and
connotative (emotion
attached to term)
Explain: Share lines
from text Roll of
Thunder Hear my Cry
have students create a
two-column list with
both denotative and
conative terms

RI.8.4
Recognize words that have
technical meaning and understand
their purpose in a specific text. (R)

Evaluate: Accuracy of
two-column chart
Engage: Place several
technical manuals
on tables (car, air
conditioning, phone,
etc)
Explore: Have
students read a page
and respond to
following question(s)
Was the information
easy or difficult to
read? Why?
Explain: Define
technical as the
meaning the word has
in specific subject
areas. Have students
read the article
California Invasive

California Invasive
Plant Council

Plant Council. While

reading have students
list all the technical
terms they find

RL/RI.8.5
Compare and contrast the
structures found in two or more
texts. (R)
Analyze the structure of a specific
paragraph in a text and determine
how this paragraph helps to
develop or refine a key concept. (R)
Analyze and explain how the role of
particular sentences helps to
develop and refine the authors key
concept. (R)

Evaluate: Have
students complete a
paragraph detailing
the nature of the text
and how their
knowledge and/or lack
of the technical terms
impacted their
comprehension.
**determine with
teacher which text
structure they would
like to focus on**
Engage: Play a round
of guess the structure.
List words that match
each structure
(first/next; as a
result/consequently)
Explore: Mini-lesson
on various text
structures found here:
http://bit.ly/1Iby7Nb
Explain: Give each pair
of students a short
text to read and have
them highlight
evidence that
proves the structure.

RI.8.6
Identify authors point of view as
how the author feels about the
situation/topic of a text. (K)
Determine an authors point of
view (What do I know about the
authors opinions, values, and/or
beliefs?) and explain his/her
purpose for writing the text. (R)

Evaluate: Accuracy of
article identification
Engage: Read story
Three Little Pigs
Explore: Have
students read
(independently) the
study sheet on
authors point of view
http://bit.ly/1GSyYAA
Explain: Assign each
student a different

scene; they are to rewrite the scene from

the perspective of
their choosing.
Evaluate:
Have students post
their re-written scene
on a blog and students
respond answering
the perspective and
given evidence.
RL.8.6
Recognize how the points of view
of characters and audience or
reader can be different. (K)
Identify conflicting evidence or
viewpoints presented in a given
text. (K)

**this lesson builds

on prior lesson**
Engage: Show a video
clipping of the Three
Little Pigs.
Explore:
After viewing have
students discuss the
point of view of the
pig versus the wolf
Explain: As a group go
through slides 1-12.
Then have students at
their individual
computers complete
practice slides (13-18)
http://bit.ly/1FdI8bx

RL/RI.8.7
Identify the different media
formats through which
informational text can be
presented.(K)
Identify how authors use different
mediums of presentation (e.g.,
video diary, Power Point, visual
display). (K)
Compare and contrast a filmed or
live production of a story or dram
and the original text and script. (R)

Evaluate: Student
answers on practice
slides.
Engage: Give each pair
a copy of I Have a
Dream Speech to read
over, then have
students watch a
clipping
Explore: Class
discussion : How does
the production differ
from the text or
script? Why do
**text o be
determined in
collaboration with the

Learn Zillion Lesson

http://bit.ly/1APMleX

teacher
Explain: Assign each
student an event from
a book (to compare it
to a scene from the
production. How are
they different and
why?

RI.8.8
Identify the claims of an argument
presented by an author. (K)
Identify claims that are supported
by fact(s) and those that are not (K)

Evaluate: Student
paragraph that cites
evidence of
differences between
text and production
Engage: Introduce
term evidence based
argument. Describe
the components of an
argument: the claim,
the reasons, the
evidence
Explore: Have
students review the
handout on persuasive
versus argumentative
writing
http://bit.ly/1BEPP2M
Explain: Have
students analyze a
text (as determined by
teacher) using the
elements of an
argument as
introduced above
Evaluate: Have
students work in pairs
to re-read formulate a
claim about the essay
and provide evidence
to support it
(Example: Gertrude
from Hamlet is easily
fooled)

RL/RI.8.9
Identify how two or more texts
provide conflicting information on
the same topic. (K)
Identify themes, patterns of events
and character types in myths,
traditional stories, and religious
works. (K)

*determine topic to
be investigated here
(love, friendship, etc.)
This lesson is an
example using
mythology

Teacher Helper:
http://bit.ly/1D1ydDD

Engage: Place a
number of books by
different authors
about the Greek gods
around the room
Explore: As a class
pick a god and read
both stories aloud to
students. Discuss as a
class: What topic does
both of the texts
address? How do the
texts differ in the
information
presented?
Explain: Have pairs of
students pick varying
stories to read about
the same Greek god.
During the reading
have students create a
graphic organizer
which identifies the:
themes, pattern of
events, and
characters.
Evaluate: Students
create a Venn-diagram
which compares and
contrast each story.

Additional Teaching Notes:

Some lessons are identical to the 7th grade guide as the standards remained the same.

Each lesson idea provided is designed to be used as a dialogue starter between the media
specialist and content area teacher. Examples are intended to be modified as needed to meet the
needs of the students and curricular mandates.