unit 1 theme: exploring poetry/overcoming … 1 theme: exploring poetry/overcoming obstacles...

Shelburne Middle School English Department

2010-2011 8th

Grade English Curriculum Map

Unit 1 Theme: Exploring Poetry/Overcoming Obstacles Duration: 4-6 weeks (Oct) Essential Question &

Essential

Understandings

How Students Will Demonstrate Their

Understanding

Standards Based Essential Skills

and Concepts Targeted Throughout

Unit

Instructional Resources for

Unit

Essential Questions:

How do authors use

figurative language in

poetry?

How do writers

compose free verse

poetry

What are the “rules”

for poetry?

Essential

Understandings:

8.4 a

8.5 a, b, d

8.7 a, c, d

Summative

Assessments:

Poetry

collection which

includes a

variety of poetry

types – free

verse and set

form. Poems

also include

poetic elements

such as

figurative

language and

elements of

sound

Multiple choice

practice from

released tests –

focus on poetry

Analysis

paragraph that

describes the

theme of a poem

Formative

Assessments:

Identify patterns in

poetry – rhyme,

rhythm, meter

Identify different

types of figurative

language in poetry

Write short texts

that include

figurative language

and other poetic

elements

Reading:

Nancie Atwell text on poetry

Variety of poetry focusing on

free verse, limericks, haiku,

and ballads

Anchor Texts throughout

Unit:

“Thank You, M’am” by

Langston Hughes

“Eleven” by Sandra

Cisneros

“Oranges” by Gary Soto

“In Response to

Executive Order 9066”

by Dwight Okita

Model Texts and Reading

Workshop Texts:

For practice with visualizing and

making connections:

“The All American

Slurp” by Gish Jen

“No Guitar Blues” by

Gary Soto

Various narrative poetry

For practice identifying the voice

of a narrator:

Excerpt from

Identify simile, metaphor,

personification, hyperbole, and

analogy (8.4 a)

Explain the use of symbols and

figurative language (8.5 a)

Describe inferred themes, using

evidence from the text as support

(8.5 b)

Draw conclusions based on

explicit and implied information

(8.6 h)

Make inferences based on explicit

and implied information (8.6 i)

Writing:

Prewrite

Generate ideas for poetry based

on writing territories

Plan

Draft

Focus on form of poetry while

drafting (is there a set rhyme or

rhythm?)

Revise

Revise with specific focus on:

o Word choice, voice, tone,

line length, repetition,

beginning and ending

Edit

Correct spelling

Shelburne Middle School 2010-2011 8th


“Raymond’s Run” by

Toni Cade Bambara

“The All American



Gary Soto

Excerpt from Tangerine

by Edward Bloor

Essays to model persuasive

writing:

“Summer”

“To Each His Own” by

Andy Rooney

“Don’t Touch that

Towel”

Various persuasive

essays for reading

workshop

Texts to practice identifying

main idea and theme:

“You Be the Judge –

Bottle Rocket””

“Pieces of Grass”

“The Last Great Race”

“Smart Cookie” by

Sandra Cisneros

Various non-fiction

texts, persuasive texts

and poetry of high

interest

Suggested novel for voice:

Monster by Walter Dean



Myers

Scorpions by Walter

Dean Myers

Prom by Laurie Halse

Anderson

Tangerine by Edward

Bloor

Drums, Girls, and

Dangerous Pie by

Jordan Sonnenblick

The Schwa Was Here by

Neal Shusterman

Strategies or Best Practices Used to

Explicitly Teach Skills and Concepts

Research:

Reading Workshop

Model Texts

Think Alouds

Read Alouds



Annotating and highlighting texts

Double entry journals

Practice reading strategies:

o Visualizing

o Making connections

o Making inferences

Vocabulary:

Understand vocabulary relevant to poetry:

Symbolism

Simile

Metaphor

Personification

Hyperbole

Onomatopoeia

Rhyme

Rhythm

Repetition

Pun

Oxymoron

Tone

Limerick

Haiku

Ballad

Free verse

Couplet

Quatrain

Benchmark: September 27



Unit 2 Theme: Finding Your Voice Duration: 8 weeks (Oct-Nov) Essential Question &

Essential

Understandings


Understanding

Standards Based Essential Skills and

Concepts Targeted Throughout Unit


Unit


What do I believe

about the world

around me?

What is the voice of a

writer?

How is a

writer/reader’s voice

influenced?

What is my writing

process?

What is my reading

process?

Essential

Understandings:

8.4 b

8.5 b

8.6 b, d, f, g

8.7 a-d

8.8 b

Summative

Assessments:

5 paragraph

persuasive essay

Annotated

Bibliography –

including a

summary and

critique of a

source

Multiple Choice

Reading

assessment

(focus on main

idea, summary,

distinguishing

fact from

opinion)

Bookmark for

Novel with

Voice –

focusing on the

voice of the

narrator (topics

are summary

and voice)

Formative

Assessments:

Writing a thesis

statement for a

persuasive essay

Creating an outline

that includes details,

evidence, examples,

and reasoning to

support arguments

Describing in

summary form the

main idea from a

text using evidence

from the text as

support

Distinguishing fact

from opinion while

reading persuasive

texts

Analyzing the

relevancy and

accuracy of details

in persuasive texts

Reading: Anchor Texts throughout

Unit:

“Thank You, M’am” by

Langston Hughes

“Eleven” by Sandra

Cisneros

“Oranges” by Gary Soto

“In Response to

Executive Order 9066”

by Dwight Okita

Model Texts and Reading

Workshop Texts:

For practice with visualizing and

making connections:

“The All American



Gary Soto

Various narrative poetry

For practice identifying the voice

of a narrator:

Excerpt from

“Raymond’s Run” by

Toni Cade Bambara

“The All American



Gary Soto

Excerpt from Tangerine

by Edward Bloor

Use context and structure to

determine meanings of words and

phrases (8.4 b)

Describe inferred main ideas or

themes, using evidence from text

as support (8.5 b)

Analyze an author’s viewpoint,

credentials and impact (8.6 b)

Analyze details for relevancy and

accuracy, placement,

thoroughness, and effectiveness

(8.6 d)

Summarize and critique text (8.6

f)

Evaluate and synthesize

information to apply in a written

essay (8.6 g)

Writing:

Prewrite

Focus on listing

Prewrite for leads

Plan

Plan for a persuasive essay using

an outline

Plan to create unity with a lead,

body paragraphs, and a

conclusion

Draft

Fact and question lead

Use evidence as support to back

up opinions

Create unity with lead, body, and



conclusion

Address opposing arguments

Apply the elements of composing:

o Unity

o Organization

Revise

Use evidence as support to back

up opinions

Revise with attention to:

o Voice and tone

o Transitional words and

phrases

o Purposeful tone

o Sentence variety

Edit

Indent all paragraphs

Use complete sentences

Use correct end punctuation

Use commas in compound

sentences

Essays to model persuasive

writing:

“Summer”

“To Each His Own” by

Andy Rooney

“Don’t Touch that

Towel”

Various persuasive

essays for reading

workshop

Texts to practice identifying

main idea and theme:

“You Be the Judge –

Bottle Rocket””

“Pieces of Grass”

“The Last Great Race”

“Smart Cookie” by

Sandra Cisneros

Various non-fiction

texts, persuasive texts

and poetry of high

interest

Suggested novel for voice:

Monster by Walter Dean

Myers

Scorpions by Walter

Dean Myers

Prom by Laurie Halse



Research:

Reading Workshop

Model Texts

Think Alouds

Read Alouds



Practice reading strategies:

o Visualizing

o Making connections

Webbing

Generating word lists

Context clue strategies

How to use a database

Using key words

Sorting through sources

Identifying relevant and accurate

sources

How to use information from sources

Identifying relevant and accurate

details

Summarizing details in own

writing composition

Vocabulary:



Evaluate writing through the use of

NCS Mentor

Roots: bene, mal, jud, jur, jus,

liber, fug, mand, mem

Prefixes: co-, auto-, omni-, pro-,

ethno-, dis-, con-

Suffixes: -al, -age, -ise/ize/yze, -

ence/ance, -ist, -ary

Use context clues to determine

unknown words

Anderson

Tangerine by Edward

Bloor

Drums, Girls, and

Dangerous Pie by

Jordan Sonnenblick

The Schwa Was Here by

Neal Shusterman

NCS Mentor

Benchmark: December 1



Unit 3 Theme: Understanding Dystopias Duration: 10 weeks (Dec to Jan) Essential Question &

Essential

Understandings


Understanding



Unit


Unit


What is justice?

What creates a

dystopia?

How do we avoid

becoming bystanders?

Essential

Understandings:

8.5 b

8.6 b, f, g, h, i

8.7 a-e

8.8 b, d

Summative

Assessments: Informational

essay about a

specific topic

about the

Holocaust

Short descriptive

piece about a

dystopia book

focused on

character, conflict,

and plot as well as

an analysis of

how it represents

a dystopia (The

Giver is one

possible novel)

Multiple choice

reading focused

on essential skills

and concepts

Multiple choice

writing (released

SOL)

Formative

Assessments: Describe in summary

form main idea using

evidence from text as

support

Distinguish fact from

opinion and analyze

relevancy/accuracy of

details

Draw conclusions

throughout reading of

non-fiction texts

Make inferences

throughout reading of

non-fiction texts and

class novel

Short journal entries

about class novel

focusing on character,

conflict and plot

Reading checks for

both reading

workshop and class

novel

Reading:

Suggested novels for

background about the

Holocaust:

The Cage

Flames of the Tiger

The Devil’s Arithmetic

Suggested dystopia novel:

The Giver by Lois

Lowry

Texts for Background on

the Holocaust:

“The Nazis Come to

Power”

“Life Before the

Holocaust”

“Hitler’s Destructive

Vision”

“War Begins”

Texts for Reading

Workshop to practice skills:

“Nazi Propaganda and

Censorship”

“Life in the Ghetto”

“A Sense of

Belonging”

“Men to the Front,


themes, using evidence from the

text as support (8.5 b)

Describe how authors use

character and conflict to create

meaning (8.5 c)


f)


information to apply in a written

essay (8.6 g)



(8.6 h)

Make inferences based on


(8.6 i)

Analyze an author’s viewpoint,

credentials and impact (8.6 b)

Analyze details for relevance and

accuracy (8.6 d)

Writing: Prewrite

Generate questions about the

Holocaust

Plan

Use an outline to create unity with

lead, body, and conclusion

Draft

Select specific vocabulary and

information


conclusion

Revise



Revise for word choice, sentence

variety, and transitions among

paragraphs

Edit

Use complete sentences

Use and properly punctuate

compound and complex sentences

(specifically those with phrases)

Maintain subject/verb agreement

Use correct words (homophones)

Correct capitalization

Women to the

Nursery”

“The Survivors”

“The Nuremberg

Trials”

“The War Refugee

Board”

“Rescue”

“The Nazi Terror

Begins”

“Hitler Comes to

Power”

“Nazi Racism”

“Killing Center

Revolts”

“The Warsaw Ghetto

Uprising”

***Extras for Honors and High

English:

“Harrison Bergeron”

“The Veldt”

“Barbie-Q”

“The Censors”

Utopia paintings and poetry from

Utopia resource

Novels for Honors (book groups)

Animal Farm

Fahrenheit 451

Uglies

Lord of the Flies (after

reading novel, students

will write an analytical

essay)



Research:

Reading Workshop

Model Texts

Think Alouds

Read Alouds



KWL to keep track of information

about the Holocaust

Anticipatory guide – regarding World

War II

Jigsaw – information about World War

II based on anticipatory guide

Show Don’t Tell

Use databases and search

engines

Use non-fiction books

(encyclopedias and other

reference sources)

Use key words to find

information in a web search

Sort through sources to find

accurate information

Generate a list of sources used

Create a works cited list

Vocabulary:




ethno-, dis-, con-




unknown words

Words from class novel

Benchmark: February 23



Unit 4 Theme: Exploring Narrative Writing Duration: 4 weeks (February) Essential Question &

Essential

Understandings


Understanding



Unit


Unit


How do I tell a story

about my own life?

How do authors craft

a narrative?

Essential

Understandings:

8.5 c

8.7 a-d

8.8 b-e

Summative

Assessments: Memoir about a

specific life

experience

Multiple choice

writing (released

SOL)

Writing prompt to

prepare for

Writing SOL

Formative

Assessments: Short descriptive

writing pieces using

sensory details and

complex sentences

Reading:

Model Texts for Memoirs

Use student samples

from Teen Ink for all

elements of memoir:

o Leads

o Sensory

images

o Complex

sentences

o Reflection

“Two Lies” by Nancie

Atwell to show good

and bad memoir

Describe how authors use characters,

conflicts, point of view, and tone to

create meaning (8.5 c)

Writing: Prewrite

Answer several prewriting prompts to

come up with topics for memoir:

o Questions about life

o What if…

o If I could ___________, I

would _____________.

Plan

Practice using a plot diagram to plan

memoir

Draft

Select specific vocabulary and

information


conclusion

Revise

Revise for specific word choice,

sensory imagery, sentence variety

Revise for a reflection in the

conclusion of the memoir

Edit

Consistent verb tense

Correct use of pronouns

Use commas correctly in compound

and complex sentences

Correct spelling and end punctuation

Correct use of dialogue rules





Research:

Reading Workshop

Model Texts

Think Alouds

Read Alouds



Show Don’t Tell

Sentence combining to create complex

and compound sentences

Use NCS Mentor to evaluate memoir

Set goals for Writing SOL based on

NCS evaluation

Sort prompts from released tests to

practice identifying purposes for

writing

Vocabulary:




ethno-, dis-, con-




unknown words



Unit 5 Theme: Social Justice Duration: 8 weeks (March-mid-May) Essential Question &

Essential

Understandings


Understanding



Unit


Unit


Why do people treat

people unfairly?

How have people

sought to make a

change in our world?

How can I make a

positive change in our

world?

How can I avoid

becoming a

bystander?

Essential

Understandings:

8.4 a – analogies

8.4 b –connotations of

words

8.5 b, c

8.6 a, c, f, g, h, i

Summative

Assessments:

Bookmark about

book on social

justice focused

on character,

conflict, and

theme

Informational

essay that

defines justice

through

examples of pas

t injustices,

present

injustices,

people who have

made change,

and how

students can

make a

difference in

their world

Multiple choice

reading –

focused on

essential

understandings

Reading

benchmark –

released SOL

Formative

Assessments:

Reading checks

while reading

informational texts

Short explanations

of quotes about

social justice

Analytical questions

while reading a

biography

Short synthesis

paragraphs about

different examples

of injustice

Comparison and

contrast of recent

injustices

Reading:

Read Aloud Texts

“The Bill of Rights”

The simplified version

of “The Universal

Declaration of Human

Rights”

“Ain’t I a Woman?”

by Sojourner Truth

“First Americans”

“Executive Order

9066” by Dwight

Okita

“The Speaking

Flower”

“Bono’s Acceptance

Speech for the Liberty

Medal”

Reading Workshop Texts

Various articles,

poems, short stories

about past injustices

and recent injustices –

based on student

interest inventory

Suggested Novels

Unwind by Neal

Shusterman

Hunger Games by

Suzanne Collins

Identify analogy (8.4 a)

Use connotations to determine the

meanings of words and phrases

(8.4 b)


themes, using evidence from the

text as support (8.5 b)

Describe how authors use

characters, conflict, point of view

and tone to create meaning (8.5 c)

Draw on background knowledge

and knowledge of text structures

to understand selections (8.6 a)

Analyze the author’s use of text

structure and word choice (8.6 c)


f)


information to apply in written

and oral presentations (8.6 g)



(8.6 h)

Make inferences based on explicit

and implied information (8.6 i)

Describe how authors use tone

to create meaning (8.5 c)

Compare and contrast the use

of the poetic elements of word

choice, dialogue, form, rhyme,

rhythm, and voice (8.5 d)

Writing:



Prewrite

Plan

Draft

Revise

Edit

Double Identity by

Margaret Haddix

Peterson

Gold Dust

Red Scarf Girl

The Ties that Bind

Kaffir Boy

To Kill a Mockingbird

Uprising

My Louisiana Sky

The Skin I’m In

Various biographies about

people who have been

affected by social injustice



Research:

Reading Workshop

Model Texts

Think Alouds

Read Alouds



Vocabulary:




ethno-, dis-, con-




unknown words

Analogies

Benchmark: May 4

unit 1 theme: exploring poetry/overcoming … 1 theme: exploring poetry/overcoming obstacles...

Documents