Descriptive Writing Unit Kick-off!
Students went through six different centers. Each of them dealt with a different sense: smell, taste, sound, touch, sight, and emotion. They then had to describe the what they were dealing with by using descriptive words choice.
Louisville Public Schools
8th Grade: Curriculum Topics
8th Grade Language Arts & Reading
Updated Fall 2014
The Learner Will...
LA 8.1 Reading: Students will learn and apply reading skills and strategies to comprehend text.
LA 8.1.3 Word Analysis: Students will use knowledge and phonetic and structural analysis to read and write grade-level text across all disciplines.
LA 8.1.5 Vocabulary: Students will build and use conversational, academic, and content- specific grade-level vocabulary.
LA 8.1.6 Comprehension: Students will construct meaning by applying prior knowledge, using text information, and monitoring comprehension while reading increasingly complex grade-level literary and informational text.
LA 8.2 Writing: Students will learn and apply writing skills and strategies to
communicate.
LA 8.2.1 Writing Process: Students will apply the writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writing using correct spelling, usage, punctuation, and other conventions of standard English appropriate for grade-level.
LA 8.2.2 Writing Modes: Student will write in multiple modes for a variety of purposes and audiences across disciplines.
LA 8.3 Speaking and Listening: Students will develop and apply speaking and listening
skills and strategies to communicate for a variety of purposes.
LA 8.3.2 Listening: Students will develop and demonstrate active listening skills across a variety of situations.
citizenship.
LA 8.4.1 Information Fluency: Students will evaluate, create, and communicate information in a variety of media and formats (textual, visual, and digital).
Characterization
Conflict Expository Writing Historical Fiction Literacy technique Main Idea & Detail
Read Aloud
Setting
Theme
Six Traits of Writing
Spelling
Organization for Compositions
Basic Grammar Skills
Descriptive Writing Vocabulary Development Presentation Skills Listening Skills
Individual reading goals
Characterization
Mystery
Nonfiction-- Lincoln Photo Biography
Plot
Point of View
Read Aloud
Finding/Using Resources Different Types of Text
Analyze Fiction Punctuation
Basic Grammar Skills
Mechanics of Writing Comprehension Strategies
Analyze NonFiction
8th Grade: Curriculum Topics
8th Grade Language Arts & Reading
Updated Fall 2014
The Learner Will...
- Create flowing, rhythmic sentences by varying sentence length and structure.
- Use the six traits to create an effective composition of writing.
- Creates and presents a final draft of writing that is appropriate for the purpose, audience, and occasion.
- Use a variety of strategies and sources to assure proper spelling, capitalization, punctuation and usage.
- Document information from reference material for writing drafts.
- Continue to develop independent reading skills.
- Uses an outline, web, quad sheet or other prewriting strategy
- Add lively verbs, precise nouns, and sensory details where needed.
- Self monitor comprehension
LA 8.1 Reading: Students will learn and apply reading skills and strategies to comprehend text.
LA 8.1.3 Word Analysis: Students will use knowledge and phonetic and structural analysis to read and write grade-level text across all disciplines.
- Selects and applies context clue strategies. (8.1.3.a)
- Determines meaning of words through, structural analysis, using knowledge of Greek,
Latin and Anglo-Saxon roots, prefixes, and suffixes to understand complex words. (8.1.3.a)
LA 8.1.5 Vocabulary: Students will build and use conversational, academic, and content- specific grade-level vocabulary.
- Determines meaning of words through, structural analysis, using knowledge of Greek, Latin and Anglo-Saxon roots, prefixes, and suffixes to understand complex words. (8.1.5.a)
- Selects and applies context clue strategies. (8.1.5.b)
- Acquire new academic and content-specific grade-level vocabulary, relate to prior
knowledge, and apply in new situations. (8.1.5.c) - Analyze and use semantic relationships (e.g., multiple meanings, synonyms, antonyms,
figurative language, connotations, subtle distinctions) to determine the meaning of words, aid in comprehension, and improve writing. (8.1.5.d)
LA 8.1.6 Comprehension: Students will construct meaning by applying prior knowledge, using text information, and monitoring comprehension while reading increasingly complex grade-level literary and informational text.
- Analyze the meaning, reliability, and validity of text considering author's purpose and perspective. (8.1.6.a)
- Analyze and explain the relationships between elements of literary text (e.g., character development, setting, plot, conflict, point of view, inferred and recurring themes). (8.1.6.b)
- Analyze the author's use of literary devices (e.g., simile, metaphor, personification, idiom, oxymoron, hyperbole, alliteration, onomatopoeia, analogy, tone, mood). (8.1.6.c)
- Summarize, analyze and synthesize the development of a common theme between two literary text and/or media. (8.1.6.d)
- Summarize, analyze, and synthesize the connection between the main ideas of two informational texts and/or media. (8.1.6.e)
- Analyze and evaluate information from print and digital text features to support comprehension. (8.1.6.f)
- Analyze the social, historical, cultural, and biographical influences in a variety of texts, citing textual evidence from literary and informational text to develop a national and international multicultural perspective. (8.1.6.h)
- Select text for a particular purpose (e.g., answer a question, solve problems, enjoy, form an opinion, understand a specific viewpoint, predict outcomes, discover models for own writing, accomplish a task), citing evidence to support analysis, reflection, or research. (8.1.6.k)
- Build background knowledge and activate prior knowledge to clarify text, deepen understanding, and make connections while reading complex text. (8.1.6.l)
- Self-monitor comprehension and independently apply appropriate strategies to understand text. (8.1.6.m)
- Make and confirm/modify inferences with text evidence while previewing and reading literary, informational, digital text, and/or media. (8.1.6.n) nonfiction
- Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story, drama, or poem resembles or differs from the text or script. (8.1.6.p)
LA 8.2 Writing: Students will learn and apply writing skills and strategies to
communicate.
LA 8.2.1 Writing Process: Students will apply the writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writing using correct spelling, usage, punctuation, and other conventions of standard English appropriate for grade-level.
- Use prewriting activities and inquiry tools to recursively generate ideas, organize information, guide writing, answer questions, and synthesize information. (8.2.1.a)
- Generate a draft that conveys complex ideas through analysis and use of organizational patterns that are suited to the purpose and intended audience and includes a strong body, conclusion, and appropriate transitions linked to the purpose of the composition. (8.2.1.b)
- Compose paragraphs with grammatically correct simple, compound, and complex sentences of varying length and complexity. (8.2.1.d)
- Revise to improve and clarify writing through self-monitoring strategies and feedback from others. (8.2.1.e)
- Provide oral, written, and/or digital descriptive feedback to other writers. (8.2.1.f)
- Proofread and edit writing recursively for format and conventions of standard English (e.g., spelling, capitalization, grammar, punctuation, syntax, semantics). (8.2.1.h)
- Display academic honesty and integrity by avoiding plagiarism and/or overreliance on any one source and by following a standard format for citation. (8.2.1.i)
- Publish a legible document using a variety of media, and apply formatting techniques to enhance the readability and impact of the document (e.g., fonts, spacing, design, images, citations). (8.2.1.j)
LA 8.2.2 Writing Modes: Student will write in multiple modes for a variety of purposes and audiences across disciplines.
- Communicate information and ideas effectively in descriptive, informative, narrative, persuasive, and reflective modes to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats. (8.2.2.a)
- Provide evidence from literary or informational text to support analysis, reflection, and research. (8.2.2.b)
- Conduct and publish short projects to answer questions or solve problems. (8.2.2.c)
- Use precise word choice and domain-specific vocabulary to write in a variety of modes.
(8.2.2.d) - Analyze various mentor texts and/or exemplars in order to create a similar piece. (8.2.2.e)
LA 8.3 Speaking and Listening: Students will develop and apply speaking and listening
skills and strategies to communicate for a variety of purposes.
LA 8.3.2 Listening: Students will develop and demonstrate active listening skills across a variety of situations.
- Utilize active and attentive listening skills (e.g., eye contact, nonverbal cues, taking notes, summarizing, questioning) for multiple situations and modalities. (8.3.2.a)
- Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats, evaluate its motives (e.g., social, commercial, political), and determine its credibility. (8.3.2.b)
- Apply appropriate social etiquette and practice social protocols when communicating. (8.3.3.a)
- Demonstrate awareness of and sensitivity to the appropriate use of words (e.g., stereotypes, connotations, subtleties of language) in conversation. (8.3.3.b)
- Apply conversation strategies to recognize, consider, and explain new information presented by others in relationship to one's own ideas. (8.3.3.c)
- Listen, ask probing questions, and interpret information being communicated and consider its contribution to a topic, text, or issue under study. (8.3.3.d)
- Collaboratively converse with peers and adults on grade-appropriate topics and texts, building on others' ideas to clearly and persuasively express one's own views while respecting diverse perspectives. (8.3.3.e)
citizenship.
LA 8.4.1 Information Fluency: Students will evaluate, create, and communicate information in a variety of media and formats (textual, visual, and digital).
- Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information from print and digital resources to generate and answer questions and create new understandings. (8.4.1.a)
- Use or decipher multiple formats of print and digital text (e.g., cursive, manuscript, font, graphics, symbols). (8.4.1.c)
- Practice safe and ethical behaviors when communicating and interacting with others digitally (e.g., safe information to share, appropriate language use, utilize appropriate sites and materials, respect diverse perspectives). (8.4.2.a)
- Use appropriate digital tools (e.g., social media, online collaborative tools, apps) to communicate with others for conveying information, gathering opinions, and solving problems. (8.4.2.b)
SUMMARY:- Uses an outline, web, or other prewriting strategy.
- Uses text and prior knowledge to increase understanding an make text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections.
- Paraphrases, summarizes, analyzes, and synthesizes information from text.
- Discovers inferences, and draws conclusions based on the characteristics of informational
text. - Analyzes literary elements and techniques including; theme, idiom, symbolism, suspense,
plot, point-of-view, conflict, climax resolution, narrator, flashback, foreshadowing, simile,
metaphor, personification, irony) - Applies knowledge of organizational patterns found in informational text
- Matches the tone and purpose to the audience.
- Edits text as needed.
- Use effective sentences, combining and reduction skills
- Adds lively verbs, precise nouns, and figurative language techniques.
- Uses a variety of strategies and sources assure proper spelling, capitalization, punctuation,
and usage, both traditional and electronic methods. - Creates a final draft that is appropriate for the purpose and audience.
- Continue to document and celebrate independent reading selections.
- Participate in dialogue and projects that represents the characters, plot, theme and timeline of class novels.
Characterization
Conflict Expository Writing Historical Fiction Literacy technique Main Idea & Detail
Read Aloud
Setting
Theme
Six Traits of Writing
Spelling
Organization for Compositions
Basic Grammar Skills
Descriptive Writing Vocabulary Development Presentation Skills Listening Skills
Individual reading goals
Characterization
Mystery
Nonfiction-- Lincoln Photo Biography
Plot
Point of View
Read Aloud
Finding/Using Resources Different Types of Text
Analyze Fiction Punctuation
Basic Grammar Skills
Mechanics of Writing Comprehension Strategies
Analyze NonFiction