Curtis Junior High Grade 8 Language Arts Curriculum Map At-a-Glance
Unit / Unit 1:
Short Story / Unit 2:
The Pearl by Steinbeck / Unit 3:
The Giver by Lowry
Time Frame / September/October / November/December / January
Essential Question / What are the common human experiences that we all share? / What role does fate or destiny play in life? / How does the protection of a group infringe on personal freedom?
Academic
Vocabulary / protagonist, antagonist, plot, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, theme, conflict (internal/external), point-of-view (first, third, omniscient, unreliable narrator), characterization (direct/indirect), tone, suspense, symbolism, foreshadowing, author’s purpose, marginal annotation / protagonist, antagonist, plot, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, theme, conflict (internal/external), point-of-view (third person limited), characterization (direct/indirect), tone, suspense, symbolism, foreshadowing, author’s purpose, marginal annotation / Protagonist, antagonist, plot, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, tone, resolution, theme, author’s purpose, conflict (internal/external), point-of-view (third person limited), characterization (direct/indirect), suspense, symbolism, foreshadowing, dystopia, utopia
Content / Holt McDougal Grade 8 Literature Book
·  “Raymond’s Run” by T. C. Bambara
·  “Tell-Tale Heart” by E. A. Poe
·  “Treasure of Lemon Brown” by W. D. Myers
·  “Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury
·  “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl
Jamestown Critical Reading Series
Jamestown Above and Beyond Series
Scholastic Scope Magazine
Vocabulary: prodigy, imperceptible, fate, obligation, tentatively, commence, stifle, ominous, resolute, authentic, acute, vex, audacity, vehemently, stealthily, derision, hypocritical, grimace, compensation, resignation / The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Reading Strategies, Lit. Elements/Terms
·  Author’s Use of Lit Devices
·  Author’s Purpose
·  Theme
·  Symbolism and Imagery
Plot Development
Scholastic Scope Magazine
Vocabulary: apprehensively, avarice, collusion, contemptuous, dissemble, incandescence, indigent, judicious, lament, lethargy, monotonous, parable, perception, perplexed, petulance, precipitate, remote, subjugate, undulating, weary / The Giver by Lois Lowry
Reading Strategies and Literary Elements/Terms
·  Author’s Use of Lit Devices
·  Author’s Purpose
·  Theme
·  Symbolism and Imagery
Plot Development
Scholastic Scope Magazine
Vocabulary: adhere, admonition, aptitude, assimilate, chastise, distraught, empathy, indolence, intricate, magnitude, meticulous, obsolete, permeate, placid, relinquish, requisition, serene, solemn, suppress, transgression
Common
Assessments / ·  Vocab Quizzes/Comprehension Quizzes
·  Formal Essay Writing: Argumentative, Expository, Narrative
·  Close Reads
·  Common Short Story Unit Test
·  Socratic Seminar / ·  Vocab Quizzes/Comprehension Quizzes
·  Common The Pearl Unit Test
·  Formal Essay Writing: Argumentative, Expository, Narrative
·  Close Reads
·  Socratic Seminar / ·  Vocab Quizzes/Comp Quizzes
·  Common The Giver Unit Test
·  Formal Essay Writing: Argumentative, Expository, Narrative
·  Close Reads
Socratic Seminar
Ongoing Unit Objectives and Skills
Updated 8/24/16 / Reading Objective: Students will use purposeful strategies to construct meaning as well as monitor and improve comprehension and fluency.
1.  Regularly implements before-reading strategies: identify purpose, preview and predict, activate prior knowledge, seek background knowledge, identify vocab
2.  Regularly implements during-reading strategies: visualize, make connections, predict, question, take notes, make adjustments, infer, fix it, challenge the text, author’s purpose
3.  Regularly implements after-reading strategies: summarize, paraphrase, analyze, reflect, infer, make connections, and challenge text. / Vocabulary Objective: Students will build vocabulary to enhance writing and reading comprehension and fluency.
1.  Define and identify literary terminology.
2.  Define and identify parts of the plot triangle.
3.  Use context clues to determine meaning.
4.  Memorize and use correctly100 textual vocabulary words by the end of the school year.
5.  Define and identify synonyms and antonyms.
6.  Use frequently misused homonyms correctly.
7.  Use flashcards, repetition, pictures, and examples/non examples. / Speaking and Listening Objective: Students will recognize and participate in quality oral communication.
1.  Use body language, eye contact, and gestures to deliver message.
2.  Speak with expression using appropriate volume, articulation, rate, and tone.
3.  Use communication skills that demonstrate respect.
4.  Apply a variety of listening and observation skills to interpret, evaluate and share information.
5.  Establish personal communication goals.
Unit / Unit 5:
Oral History / Unit 6: Animal Farm by George Orwell / Unit 7: “The Diary of Anne Frank” by Goodrich and Hackett / Writing
(Ongoing Unit)
Time Frame / February / March/April / May/June / Throughout Year
Essential Question / How do stories of your family or friends affect your intellectual understanding and growth? / How can literature reveal the imperfections of humanity? / How does drama recreate the human experience? / How do your writing skills impact your ability to express your opinions and ideas?
Academic
Vocabulary / Interview, sensory details, point-of-view, writing process, narrative, pace/rate, nonverbal communication, volume/inflection, expression, tone, body language, gestures, eye contact, posture, articulation / Protagonist, antagonist, plot, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, tone, resolution, theme, author’s purpose, conflict, point-of-view, characterization, symbolism, foreshadowing, allegory, dystopia, utopia, fable, paradox, propaganda, satire / Basic dramatic principles (crisis, conflict, complication, climax, resolution), flashback, shock of recognition, dramatic irony, static character, dynamic character, act, scene, stage directions, script, set, and prop / Writing process, prewriting, drafting, editing, proofreading, transition, rubric, citation, parenthetical documentation, revising
Content / Narrative Writing
Interview Skills
Note-taking Skills
Recording an Oral History
Presenting an Oral History to a Group / Animal Farm by George Orwell
Reading Strategies and Literary Elements/Terms
·  Author’s Use of Lit Devices
·  Author’s Purpose
·  Theme
·  Symbolism and Imagery
Plot Development
Scholastic Scope Magazine
Vocabulary: benevolent, capitulate, confer, cryptic, eloquent, ensconce, exploit, expound, feeble, indefatigable, laborious, maxim, obstinate, preeminent, procure, reverent, shirk, shrewd, vice, vivacious / Drama Vocabulary
Elements of Drama
“The Diary of Anne Frank”
Jamestown Critical Reading Series
Jamestown Above and Beyond Series
Scholastic Scope Magazine
Holt McDougal Grade 8 Literature Book
Vocabulary: abruptly, animation, appalled, conspicuous, deport, disgruntled, forlorn, fortify, gingerly, hysterically, inarticulate, indicate, indifference, indignantly, loathe, ostentatiously, remorse, tyranny, unabashed, zeal / Formal Essay/Paragraph Writing:
·  Argumentative
·  Expository
·  Narrative
Unlocking the Prompt
Writing Process
1.  Rubric Content
2.  Organization
3.  Style, Word Choice, Voice
4.  Conventions
Common
Assessments / ·  Formal Multi-paragraph Oral History (Narrative Writing)
·  Oral Presentation Oral History / ·  Vocab Quizzes/Comprehension Quizzes
·  Formal Essay Writing: Argumentative
·  Common Animal Farm Unit Test
·  Socratic Seminar / ·  Vocab Quizzes/Comprehension Quizzes
·  Common “Diary of Anne Frank” Unit Test
·  Close Reads
·  Socratic Seminar / See individual units
Ongoing Unit Objectives and Skills
(repeated) / Literature Objective: Students will use knowledge of literary elements and devices to analyze short stories, novels, and nonfiction pieces.
1.  Recognize, understand, and apply elements of literature (story elements)
2.  Evaluate author’s use of literary devices to enhance comprehension, e.g., figurative language.
3.  Analyze text to draw conclusions/develop insights
4.  Analyze author’s purpose/influence of audience / Writing Objective: Students will write a proficient multi-paragraph character analysis essay.
1.  Write fluently in response to prompt.
2.  Use an outline/graphic organizer to plan and draft writing.
3.  Write a proficient, properly-placed thesis statement for a character analysis essay.
4.  Produce clear and focused topic sentences.
5.  Select and cite evidence that proficiently supports thesis.
6.  Write a multi-sentence explanation showing how the evidence is connected to or proves the thesis.
7.  Recall and properly place the parts of introductory, body, and conclusion paragraphs.
8.  Produce varied, appropriate transitions.
9.  Use writing process to evaluate and improve.
10.  Publish writing using correct format.
Skills / Reading Skills / Language Skills / Speaking and Listening Skills / Nonfiction and Argumentation Skills
Time Frame / Throughout Year / Throughout Year / Throughout Year / Throughout Year
Essential Question / How will your reading skills impact your future? / How does your understanding of grammar support your speaking, reading and writing? / How do your communication skills affect your life and the lives of those influenced by you? / How does reading impact your life and your understanding of the world around you?
Whom can you believe?
Academic
Vocabulary / Genre, fiction, nonfiction, autobiography, biography / 8 parts of speech, antonym, synonym, contractions, first and second person pronouns, punctuation, context clues, nonverbal representation / Socratic method, seminar, debate, opinion, evidence, fact, inquiry, human experience, discussion, cooperative investigation / Main idea, supporting detail, inference, synonym, antonym, context clues, fact, opinion, recall, text structure, author’s purpose (inform, persuade, entertain), cause, effect, faulty, accurate, bias, convince, contrast, logic, claim, support, persuasive techniques, counterargument/counterclaim
Content / ·  Book selection
·  Library skills
·  Goal-setting
·  Documenting reading
·  Reading aloud
·  Marginal annotation
·  Setting a purpose / ·  Conventions
·  Proper Parenthetical Documentation
·  Parts of Speech
·  Sentence Structure / ·  Acquisition of fundamental listening, speaking, and thinking skills
·  Development of critical reading skills including: relating text and experience, utilizing questioning strategies, analyzing a text, supporting opinions with text, asking critical questions, exploring various interpretations / ·  Jamestown Critical Reading Series
·  Jamestown Above and Beyond Series
·  Scholastic Scope Magazine
·  Holt McDougal Grade 8 Literature Book
Common
Assessments / Book of the Month
Independent Reading Assignment (WWII)
Group Work Activities
Reading Tests and Quizzes / Essays (See individual units)
Vocab Quizzes (See individual units) / Teacher/student communication evaluation rubrics
Teacher/student content evaluation rubrics
Teacher/student reflection
Socratic Seminar / Scholastic Scope Reading Quizzes
Jamestown Reading Assessment
Argumentative Essay Graphic Organizers
Formal Argumentative Essay
Socratic Seminar
Objectives / Reading Objective: Students will select appropriate books and read independently.
1.  Use the library effectively.
2.  Select appropriate books for interest, age, and ability level.
3.  Identify and define genres of literature.
Read silently for 30 minutes with focus and good comprehension. / Grammar Objective: Students will apply rules of grammar and usage to formal writing and speaking.
1.  Recall and define the function of the eight parts of speech. (IVAN CAPP)
2.  Recall sentence structure, identifying subject and predicate.
3.  Identify and define contractions.
4.  Identify and categorize first, second, and third person pronouns.
Use proper punctuation regarding the following: capitalization, commas, apostrophes, and quotations.