introduction to the teacher

CommonCoreLanguageArtsWorkouts:Grade8

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Introduction to the Teacher

IntroductiontotheTeacher

The timehascome tomakeour children’s reading,writing,andspeakingeducationmore rigorous.TheCommonCoreStateStandardsweredeveloped for thispurpose.Theyguideeducatorsandparentsbyoutliningtheskillsstudentsareexpectedtomasterateachgradelevel.Thebarhasbeensethigh,butwithalittlehelp,studentscanmeetthechallenge.

Common Core Language Arts Workouts, Grade 8 isdesignedtoassistteachersandparents who are implementing the new requirements. It is filled with skills practice pages,critical-thinkingtasks,andcreativeexercisesthatcorrespondtoeachstandardforlanguagearts.

Eachday,studentswillworkwithadifferentgrade-level-specificlanguageartsskill.Thebriefexerciseswillchallengethemtoread,think,andspeakwithimprovedfacility.

Everypagecontainsatleastone“workout.”Theworkoutsvaryaccordingtothestandardcovered.Somearesimplepracticeexercises.Othersposecreativeoranalyticalchallenges.Certainpagesinvitefurtherexploration.Suggestedstudentprojectsincludereports,speeches,discussions,andmultimediapresentations.

Theworkoutpagesmakegreatwarm-uporassessmentexercises.Theycanset thestageandteachthecontentcoveredbythestandards.Theycanalsobeusedtoassesswhatstudentshavelearnedafterthecontenthasbeentaught.

Wehopethattheideasandexercisesinthisbookwillhelpyouworkmoreeffectivelywith the Common Core State Standards.The series also includes books for Grade 6 andGrade7.Withyourhelp,weareconfidentthatstudentswilldevelopincreasedlanguageartspowerandbecomemoreeffectivecommunicators!


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Name: Date:

ReadingLiterature:KeyIdeasandDetails

READING LITERATURE: KEy IDEAS AND DETAILS—Understanding the Text

CCSS.ELA-LITERACy.RL.8.1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports ananalysisofwhatthetextsaysexplicitlyaswellasinferencesdrawnfromthetext.

Directions:Readtheselectionandthenanswerthequestions.

Bad Day on Route 22 Adisheveledmanslightlynorthof40stumbledintotheroadsidecafé.Itwasalittle

pastnoonandallthestoolsatthecounterwereoccupiedbytruckersandloggers.Theywereconcentratingontheirsandwichesandcoffeesotheydidn’tnoticewhenthenew-comercollapsedintothetoo-softredcushionsofacornerbooth,grimacingslightly.

Eileennoticedthough,itwasherjobtomonitoreveryoneandeverythingthatcamethroughthatdoor,especiallyafter thecallshehadjustreceivedfromPete, theheadrangeroutatthenationalpark.Thischaractermatchedhisdescriptionperfectly.

Eileenglancedbackatthemanbeforeslippingthroughtheswingingdoorsintothekitchen.Theplatesonhertrayjiggled.

Jake stopped flipping a pancake and studied her curiously. “Shaky this morning,eh?”

Eileenshookherhead,setthetraydown,andthenheadedforthephoneonthewallbythesink.

1. Doesthisstorytakeplaceinthedesert,themountains,orthecity?Whichdetailsintheselectionletyouknow?

2. HowdoesEileenfeelaboutthedisheveledmanwhohasjustenteredthecafé?Whichdetailsintheselectionletyouknow?

3. WhoisJake?Whichdetailsintheselectionletyouknow?

4. WhatwasEileenplanningtodo?



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READING LITERATURE: KEy IDEAS AND DETAILS—Fiction Analysis Record Sheet

CCSS.ELA-LITERACy.RL.8.2:Determinea themeorcentral ideaofa textandanalyze itsdevelopmentoverthecourseofthetext, includingitsrelationshiptothecharacters,setting,andplot;provideanobjectivesummaryofthetext.

Directions:Readashortstoryornovel.Fillintheinformationbelow.

Title:

Author:

Theme(coming-of-age,managainstnature,greed,love,friendship,perseverance,patience,

individuality,courage,gratitude,etc.):

Viewpoint character or characters(narrator):

Narrative Point of View(first-,second-,orthird-person?):

Main character(protagonist):

Main character’s problem(Whatdoesheorshewant?):

Main character’s flaw(examples:fear,pride,greed,envy,tootrusting):

Villain or Opposing Force(antagonist):

Villain’s problem(Whatdoesheorshewant?):

Villain’s flaw:

Howisthemaincharacter’sproblemrelatedtothestory’scentralideaortheme?

Setting(timeandplace):

Howdoesthesettingcontributetothetheme?

Inafewsentences,explainwhatthisnovelorstoryisabout.



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READING LITERATURE: KEy IDEAS AND DETAILS—Analyzing Dialogue

CCSS.ELA-LITERACy.RL.8.3: Analyzehowparticularlinesofdialogueorincidentsinastoryordramapropeltheaction,revealaspectsofacharacter,orprovokeadecision.

Directions:Readtheselection.Answerthequestions.

Martinputafingertohislips.“Shh!Ithinkhe’scomingback.” Angelnodded.Thedarkeneddininghallwaseerilyquiet.Alingeringaromaofmaca-

roniandcheeseblendedwiththesharpscentofpinedisinfectant.AwaveofnauseasweptoverAngel,buthetookadeepbreathanditpassed.Aroundthem,legsofchairsstackedupsidedownontabletopsloomedlikebizarremetalantennae.

Angelfeltsomeonepokehiminthebackand,involuntarily, jumped.HispoundingheartslowedalittlewhenheheardRobin’stremblingvoice.“WhatwillMr.Collinsdowhenhefindsoutwearen’tinthedormitory?”

Angelshookhishead. Insistent,Robintuggedatthearmofhissweatshirt.“ButAngel,whatwillhedo?” “Robin,think!What’sgoingtohappenifhehearsyou?”Martinglaredattheterrified

third-grader. Angel pulledhis brother downwith onehand, covering theboy’smouthwith the

other.Thetriocrouchedbehindacounterandwaited. The school’s headmaster strode down the hallway.When his footsteps receded,

Martinstoodupcautiouslyandlookedaround.“Wehavetogetoutofhere.”

1. Howdotheboysfeel? Howdoyouknow?

2. Whoisincharge? Howdoyouknow?

3. Whoistheviewpointcharacter? Howdoyouknow?

4. Theword“said”doesnotappearinthispassage.Howdoesthewriterletyouknowwho

isspeaking?Giveanexample.

5. Whichcharacterdoyoulikethebest?Why?

Challenge:Onanotherpaper,analyzeapageofdialoguefromanovelorshortstory.Explainhoweachcharacter’sdialoguerevealshispersonalityormotivatesaction.



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ReadingLiterature:CraftandStructure

READING LITERATURE: CRAFT AND STRUCTURE—Using Context to Understand Vocabulary

CCSS.ELA-LITERACy.RL.8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they areusedinatext, includingfigurativeandconnotativemeanings;analyzetheimpactofspecificwordchoicesonmeaningandtone,includinganalogiesorallusionstoothertexts.

Directions:Readtheverse.Answerthequestions.

An Old Lady From Breen

TherewasanoldladyfromBreen Whowasastoundinglyclean. Shewasquitemeticulous Infactsoridiculous Shescouredsnowflakesandairinbetween.

1. Whatdoesmeticulousmean?

2. Whatdoesridiculousmean?

3. Whatdoesastoundinglymean?

4. Whatdoesscoured mean?

5. Whatisthetoneofthisverse?(Examples:serious,angry,humorous,romantic)

6. Howdoesthewriter’schoiceofvocabularyhelptoestablishthetoneoftheverse?

7. Whatistheformofthisverse?(Examples:couplet,limerick,sonnet,ballad,ode)

8. Whatisridiculousaboutheractionsinthelastline?

Challenge:Read“TheNewColossus”byEmmaLazarus(availableonline.)Onanotherpaper,compare the poem’s form, tone, and vocabulary to their counterparts in the verse above.Explainthemeaningofeachofthefollowingphrases:“brazengiantofGreekfame,”“storiedpomp,”“tempest-tost,”and“mightywomanwithatorch.”Inthelinethatbegins“Keepancientlands…”whoisbeingquoted?



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READING LITERATURE: CRAFT AND STRUCTURE—Different Forms, Different Purposes

CCSS.ELA-LITERACy.RL.8.5:Compareandcontrastthestructureoftwoormoretextsandanalyzehowthedifferingstructureofeachtextcontributestoitsmeaningandstyle.

Directions:Readtheselections.Writeashortparagraphtoanswereachquestion.

Selection 1The Star Spangled Banner (Verse 1)

Osay,canyousee,bythedawn’searlylight, Whatsoproudlywehailedatthetwilight’slastgleaming? Whosebroadstripesandbrightstars,throughtheperilousfight, O’ertherampartswewatched,weresogallantlystreaming! Andtherockets’redglare,thebombsburstinginair, Gaveproofthroughthenightthatourflagwasstillthere: Osay,doesthatstar-spangledbanneryetwave O’erthelandofthefreeandthehomeofthebrave? FrancesScottKey

Selection 2 The actual Star-Spangled Banner was one of two flags commissioned by Major

George Armistead when he assumed command of Fort McHenry in Baltimore.Thefamedhand-craftedbannerwascolossal. Itmeasured30’x42’.Designedtoflyfromatopa90footpole,theflag’senormoussizeenabledobserverstospotitfromfaraway.FollowingspecificationsestablishedbytheSecondFlagActofJanuary13,1794,ithad15starsand15stripes.

1. Whatisthepurposeofeachselection?

2. Howdoesthelanguageofeachselectioncontributetoitspurpose?

3. Howdoestheformandstyleofeachselectioncontributetoitspurpose?



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READING LITERATURE: CRAFT AND STRUCTURE—All the World Is a Stage

CCSS.ELA-LITERACy.RL.8.6:Analyzehowdifferencesinthepointsofviewofthecharactersandtheaudienceorreader(e.g.,createdthroughtheuseofdramaticirony)createsucheffectsassuspenseorhumor.CCSS.ELA-LITERACy.RL.8.7:Analyze theextent towhichafilmedor liveproductionofastoryordramastaysfaithfultoordepartsfromthetextorscript,evaluatingthechoicesmadebythedirectororactors.

Directions: ViewaliveorfilmedversionofRomeo and JulietbyWilliamShakespeare.Thenreadtheoriginalplay.Comparethetwo.Answerthefollowingquestionsonanotherpaper.

1. How did physical elements such as props, sets, andcostumesenhanceorchangetheexperience?

2. Howdidspecialeffectssuchasstagelightingandsoundaffecttheexperience?

3. How did the performances of the actors affect theexperience?

4. Were any of the actors too old or too young for theirparts?Ifso,howdidthisaffectthemeaningoftheplay?

5. Whatwasleftoutortheliveorfilmversion,ifanything?Didomissionschangethemean-ingoftheplay?Ifso,inwhatways?Iftheplaywasnotcut,wasittoolong?Whatcouldhavebeencutwithoutchangingthemeaning?

6. When theplayopens,whatdoes theaudienceknowaboutRomeoandJuliet that thecharactersdonotknow?

7. WhenJuliet isstandingonherbalcony talkingaboutRomeo,whatdoes theaudienceknowthatshedoesnot?Howdoesthataffecttheimpactofthescene?

8. Describeanotherscenefromtheplaywhentheaudienceknowssomethingthecharac-tersdonotknow.(Thisiscalleddramaticirony.)

Challenge: 1. Usingthefirstfivequestionsabove,compareanynovelorshortstorytoitsfilmversion.2. Inatelevisioncomedyormysteryepisode,findanexampleofdramaticirony.Whatdoes

theaudienceknowthatthecharactersdonot?Whatdoesthisaddtotheeffectof thestory?



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READING LITERATURE: CRAFT AND STRUCTURE—Modern Fiction Based on Mythology: Teacher Resources

CCSS.ELA-LITERACy.RL.8.9: Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes,patternsofevents,orcharactertypesfrommyths,traditionalstories,orreligiousworkssuchastheBible,includingdescribinghowthematerialisrenderednew.

Possible Fiction Selections

•The Mark of Athena, The Lightning Thief,andThe Battle of the LabyrinthbyRickRiordan (variousmythologicalcharactersandelementssuchasTitan,Kronos,andtheLabyrinth)•The Hunger GamesbySuzanneCollins (TheseusandtheMinotaur)•Orphans of ChaosbyJohnC.Wright (variousmythologicalcharacters)•The Fault in Our StarsbyJohnGreen (Sisyphus)•Frankenstein: The Modern PrometheusbyMaryShelley (Prometheus)•His Dark Materials(series)byPhilipPullman (BiblicalreferencesandMilton’s“ParadiseLost”)•Alice’s Adventures in WonderlandbyLewisCarroll (Psyche)•Till We Have FacesbyC.S.Lewis (CupidorErosandPsyche)•Goddess of Yesterday: A Tale of TroybyCarolineB.Cooney (HelenofTroy)•StarcrossedbyJosephineAngelini (HelenofTroyandtheFuries)•AbandonbyMegCabot (Persephone)•The Maze RunnerbyJamesDasher (TheLabyrinth)•The Labours of Hercules(shortstorycollection)byAgathaChristie (Hercules)

Suggested Questions1. Summarizetheoriginalmythormythsinafewsentences.2. Howisthenovelsimilartothemyth?3. Howdoesthenoveldifferfromthemyth?4. Whatisthethemeofthemyth?5. Isthethemeofthenovelthesameordifferentfromthethemeofthemyth?



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ReadingLiterature:RangeofReading/TextComplexity

READING LITERATURE: RANGE OF READING AND LEVEL OF TExT COMPLExITy

CCSS.ELA-LITERACy.RL.8.10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature,includingstories,dramas,andpoems,at thehighendofGrades6–8 textcomplexitybandindependentlyandproficiently.

Eighth-Grade Short Stories RayBradbury,“ASoundofThunder” RayBradbury,“TheWorldtheChildrenMade”(TheVeldt) AntonChekhov,“TheBet” RobertCormier,“TheMustache” RichardConnell,“TheMostDangerousGame” NathanielHawthorne,“DoctorHeidegger’sExperiment” FranzKafka,“TheMetamorphosis” DanielKeyes,“FlowersforAlgernon” ShirleyJackson,“TheLottery” W.W.Jacobs,“TheMonkey’sPaw” JackLondon,“ToBuildaFire” H.H.Munro(Saki),“TheOpenWindow” WalterDeanMyers,“Jeremiah’sSong” EdgarAllanPoe,“TheFalloftheHouseofUsher” EdgarAllanPoe,“TheTelltaleHeart” EdgarAllanPoe,“TheBlackCat” LaurenceYep,“WeAreAllOne”

Eighth-Grade Novels LewisCarroll,Alice’s Adventures in WonderlandandThrough the Looking-Glass CharlesDickens,A Christmas Carol LoisLowry,The Giver S.E.Hinton,The Outsiders HarperLee,To Kill a Mockingbird KarenHesse,Out of the Dust JohnSteinbeck,Of Mice and Men

Eighth-Grade PoemsOnlineCollections: “Poetry180:APoemaDayforAmericanHighSchools” http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/003.html “TheEServerPoetryCollection” http://poetry.eserver.org/

Eighth-Grade Plays OscarWilde,The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People ThorntonWilder,Our Town WilliamShakespeare,Romeo and JulietandMacbeth



Name: Date:

ReadingInformationalText:KeyIdeasandDetails

READING INFORMATIONAL TExT: KEy IDEAS AND DETAILS—Facts and Inferences

CCSS.ELA-LITERACy.RI.8.1:Citethetextualevidencethatmoststronglysupportsananalysisofwhatthetextsaysexplicitlyaswellasinferencesdrawnfromthetext.CCSS.ELA-LITERACy.RI.8.2: Determineacentralideaofatextandanalyzeitsdevelopmentoverthecourseofthetext,includingitsrelationshiptosupportingideas;provideanobjectivesummaryofthetext.

Directions:Readtheselection.Answerthequestions.

Jedediah Smith JedediahSmithwasamountainman.Bornin1799toapioneerfamily,Smithspent

hisliferoamingtheformidablemountainsanddesertsoftheWesternwilderness.AsateenhewaspurportedlytransfixedbythejournalsofLewisandClark.

Whenhewas22,SmithjoinedatrappingexpeditionledbyGeneralWilliamAshleytocollectbeaverpeltsalongtheMissouriRiver.ThenextyearheledasimilarexpeditionintotheRockyMountains.LaterhetraversedswelteringdesertstoreachterritoriesthatlaterbecamethestatesofArizonaandCalifornia.

1. InwhatyeardidSmithjoinhisfirstexpedition?

2. WhatanimalsdidGeneralWilliamAshleyhunt?

3. WhatwasthepurposeofJedediahSmith’sexpeditionintotheRockyMountains?

4. HowdoyouthinkcustomersusedtheproductSmithbroughtbackfromhisexpeditions?

5. IstheauthorsurethatJedediahSmithwasinspiredbythejournalsofLewisandClark?

Explainyouranswer.

6. Whatisthecentralideaofthisselection?

7. Listthreefactsthatsupportthecentralidea.

a.

b.

c.

Challenge:TheLewisandClarkExpeditionlefttheshoreoftheMississippiRiveronMay14th,1804.ReadtheentriesfromtheirjournalsforthefirstsevendaysontheProjectGutenbergsite.Thenanswerthequestionsonanotherpaper.1. Whathazardsdidthegroupfaceduringthefirstfewdays?2. WhatproblemsdidLewisandClarkhavewithothermembersoftheexpedition?



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ReadingInformationalText:KeyIdeasandDetails

READING INFORMATIONAL TExT: KEy IDEAS AND DETAILS—Connections and Distinctions

CCSS.ELA-LITERACy.RI.8.3:Analyzehowatextmakesconnectionsamonganddistinctionsbetweenindividuals,ideas,orevents(e.g.,throughcomparisons,analogies,orcategories).

Directions:Readtheselection.Thenanswerthequestions.

Frances Scott Key and the Star-Spangled Banner OnAugust24,1814aphysiciannamedWilliamBeaneswastakenprisonerbythe

British.Atthetime,theUnitedStatesandGreatBritainwereatwar.Infact,thegooddoctorwasseizedwhentheEnglishcapturedWashington,D.C.,andburnedtheWhiteHouse.

FrancisScottKeywasaprominentlawyer.Though,becauseofreligiousbeliefs,heopposedthewar,Keylovedhiscountry.WhentheAmericangovernmentaskedhimtonegotiatewiththeBritishforthedoctor’srelease,hereadilyagreed.OnSeptember5,hesailedout to theBritishflagship,HMS Tonnant,whichwasanchored inBaltimoreHarbor.ColonelJohnSkinner,aprisonerexchangeagentfortheAmericangovernment,accompaniedhiminthesloop.

Though the negotiations were successful and Dr. Beanes was released, the triowasnotallowedtoreturntothecitythatnight.TheBritishbombardedFortMcHenryfor25hours,butwereunabletodestroyit.Inthemorning,inspiredbythesightoftheflagwavingoverthebeleagueredfort,Keyscribbleddownapoem.Itbegan,“Osaycanyousee…”

1. HowdidFrancesScottKeyfeelaboutthewar?Why?

2. WhydidFrancesScottKeygototheHMS Tonnant?

3. Howdidhegetfromtheshoretotheship?

4. WhowasColonelJohnSkinner,andwhydidheaccompanyKey?

5. WhyweretheBritishbombardingFortMcHenry?

6. WhywasthesightoftheflagimportanttoKeyandtheotherAmericansontheship?

7. WouldtheBritishaboardtheshiphavefeltthesamewayabouttheflag?Whyorwhynot?



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ReadingInformationalText:CraftandStructure

READING INFORMATIONAL TExT: CRAFT AND STRUCTURE—Building Vocabulary Through Context

CCSS.ELA-LITERACy.RI.8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they areusedinatext,includingfigurative,connotative,andtechnicalmeanings;analyzetheimpactofspecificwordchoicesonmeaningandtone,includinganalogiesorallusionstoothertexts.

Directions: Circlethebestmeaningforeachunderlinedword.

1. Thelatesthandhelddevicesincorporatemicroprocessors,whichcarryoutcomplexfunc-

tionsrapidlyandaccurately.

a. screens b. computers c. batteries d. cases

2. A neutral nation sent diplomats to mediate between opposing forces in the ongoing

conflict.

a. rest b. hurry c. referee d. stall

3. Theyear2001wasthebeginningofanewmillennium.

a. thousandyearperiod b. hundredyearperiod

c. billionyearperiod d. millionyearperiod

4. Anacidsuchasvinegarcanneutralizeabasesuchasbakingsoda.

a. counteract b. extend c. strengthen d. reinforce

5. TheSpanishwereconfidentthattheirmightyarmadawasinvincibleuntilacrushingdefeat

demonstrateditsvulnerability.

a. beautiful b. sizable c. unbeatable d. unavoidable

6. TheaveragelongevityofAmericanshasimprovedfromabout60yearsin1930toalmost

80in2010.

a. height b. weight c. intelligence d. lifespan

7. Scientists sometimes employ graduate students to monitor the progress of ongoing

experiments.

a. monetize b. check c. annihilate d. publicize

8. Theextinctionofaspeciesisusuallyconsideredirreversible,althoughthepopulationsof

manythreatenedspecieshaverebounded.

a. recovered b. scrutinized c. nosedived d. plummeted

9. ApoembyEmmaLazarusappearsonthepedestaloftheStatueofLiberty.

a. torch b. crown c. base d. gown

10. Ophthalmologistscheckperipheralvisionaswellasvisionstraightahead.

a. fringe b. color c. detail d. photogenic

Challenge:Createapersonaldictionary.Recordunfamiliarwordsyouencounterinscience,history,andgovernmenttexts,alongwithsamplesentencesandshortdefinitions.Trytoaddatleastoneentryperday.

introduction to the teacher

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