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POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 1 cs 4/2013 1
COURSE: English Language Arts GRADE(S): 8
UNIT 1: AMERICA AND ITS AUTHORS
KEY CONCEPTS: America and Its Authors
This four-week unit allows student reflections on the settings of stories and events—including poems, short
stories and nonfiction.
THEME: In this unit, students explore literary elements such as characters, theme, setting, plot, imagery,
tone, point-of-view, author’s purpose, etc. Students examine how text structures contribute to story
development. They identify and explain the characteristics of different genres. Students work on citing
textual evidence that reveals setting and character traits.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How are literary elements demonstrated in various genres of literature?
NATIONAL STANDARDS:
These Focus Standards have been selected for the unit from the Common Core State Standards.
RI.8.1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text
RL.8.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course
of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective
summary of the text.
RI.8.6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author
acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
RI.8.2: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text,
including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
W.8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
SL.8.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas
and expressing their own clearly.
SL.8.1(c): Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others’
questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.
SL.8.1(d): Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or
justify their own views in light of the evidence presented.
L.8.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based
on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
L.8.4(a): Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or
function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
L.8.4(b): Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning
of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede).
L.8.4(c): Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries,
thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its
precise meaning or its part of speech.
L.8.4(d): Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by
checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
English Language Arts Assessment Anchors & Eligible Content:
Refer to PMSD PA CCSS Curriculum Framework Document
UNIT OBJECTIVES:
Compare and contrast story characters, plots, themes, and settings from work by American
authors.
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 1 cs 4/2013 2
Distinguish between explicit and implicit ways of describing the effect of setting on characters,
plots, and themes.
Analyze the ways in which the structure of a work affects how the setting is conveyed.
Prepare, organize, and present literary interpretation.
Analyze text for evidence to support inferences and arguments.
Write poetry and perform it for classmates.
Utilize a variety of strategies to read unfamiliar words and build vocabulary.
Analyze the structure of the writer.
Define and identify topic sentences.
Define related words and identify their parts of speech.
TERMINOLOGY:
Genre
Explicit textual evidence
Implicit textual evidence
Setting
Text structures
Characterization
Plot
Suspense
Mood
Point-of-view
Topic sentence
ACTIVITIES:
Argumentative Writing, Language Usage
After reading ―The Tell-Tale Heart‖ by Edgar Allan
Poe, students will construct an essay response to the
following prompt: Is the narrator of the ―Tell-Tale
Heart‖ sane or insane? Provide evidence from the
text to support your answer.
Students will utilize the writing process to produce
their writing. A brainstorming chart will be provided
to assist students. Students will be advised to include
an engaging opening statement of their position.
Students will be asked to highlight their topic
sentence on their final draft. (W.8.1, W.8.7, W.8.5,
W.8.6, L.8.1a,b, L.8.2a,b)
Vocabulary
Where do words come from? How does knowing
their origin help us not only to spell the words, but
also to understand their meaning? Add words found,
learned, and used throughout this unit to your
personal dictionary. This dictionary will be used all
year to explore the semantics (meanings) of words
and their origins. (L.8.4)
Art, Speaking and Listening
Select an image of setting to present to the class.
Ask students to discuss the details of the illustration
ASSESSMENTS:
Academic history review of each student
Summative
Benchmark assessment
Course final exam
End of unit test
Individual or group vocabulary projects
and presentations
Keystone
Portfolio
Rubric
Passage checks
Formative
Collaborative learning
Graphic organizers
Journals/logs
KWL
Outline
Surveys, polls and exit slips
Diagnostic
CDTs – ALL LEVELS
STAR – AS ADMINISTERED AND INDIVIDUAL
EVALUATION BY READING SPECIALIST
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 1 cs 4/2013 3
aloud and then have students brainstorm possible
stories that might take place in the setting. Students
will share their ideas in small groups. After listening
and evaluating ideas in small groups, students will
select one idea per group to be presented to the
class. (SL.8.1, SL.8.2, SL.8.4, SL.8.5)
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
As you read novels and/or short stories from this unit,
take notes in your journal or on a spreadsheet about
the story characters, plot, theme, and setting. As you
take notes about these categories, think about how
the setting affects the story. Be sure to note page
numbers with relevant information or mark your book
with sticky notes so you can cite the text during class
discussion.
Who are the major character(s)?
What is the problem faced by the
character(s)? How do he/she/they resolve
the problem?
What is the theme of the novel (i.e., good vs.
evil, overcoming challenges, etc.)?
What is the effect of the setting(s) on the
characters?
Is the effect of the setting stated or implied?
What unique words and phrases are used to
describe the setting(s)?
Prior to class discussion, the teacher may give
students the opportunity to share their notes with a
partner who read the same text. (RL.8.5, RL.8.1,
RL.8.2, R.L8.4)
Vocabulary
As a class, create a Vocabulary Word Wall bulletin
board where, throughout the year, you will add and
sort words as you learn them in each unit of study.
(L.8.4)
Reading Poetry, Performance
Read ―Taught Me Purple,‖ ―The City Is So Big‖ and
―Those Winter Sundays‖.
Discuss the setting of each poem. How does
the setting impact the poem?
As a class, discuss the themes present in
these three poems. Make connections
between texts. What themes do they share
in common. How do the authors approach
the theme differently?
Have students construct a poem that
includes both elements discussed in this
activity: theme and setting. Students will
present their poems to the class. (RL.8.5,
SL.8.6)
IRI – (INDIVIDUAL READING INVENTORY)
SORT – (SLOSSON ORAL READING TEST)
STUDY ISLAND BENCHMARKS
OER’S – RELEASED ITEMS (OPEN ENDED
RESPONSES)
REMEDIATION AND ENRICHMENT MAY BE DRIVEN
BY IEP AND GIEP DOCUMENTS OR MAY BE
PROVIDED ON AN AS NEEDED/REQUESTED BASIS
REMEDIATION:
Adapted assignments
Apprentice text
(Apprentice text is a short, one- to four-
paragraph passage on the students’
independent level devoted to bridging
the gap between the introduction of the
standard- and grade-level application.)
Explicit modeling followed by systematic
guided practice of each skill
Reinforcement
Study Island
Diagnostics to evaluate need
Colored highlighters for focus
Multi-modal approach
Individual conferences
Process Skill Builders – Pre and Post-reading
process
One-on-one instruction
Qualifying students receive Wilson
SAS Portal
Teachertube.com
(As needed, establish baseline via video
clips)
ENRICHMENT:
In-depth discussion and extended
activities
Individualized enriched vertical
assignments and projects
Posting resources for further study
Preview college professor’s online notes
and study guides
Extending skills to the next level of
complexity
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES & TOOLS:
Anticipation guides
Class discussion
Cooperative Learning
Guided Questioning
Integrated technology and 21st century
skills
Modeling
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 1 cs 4/2013 4
Reading Literature and Informational Text, Writing
Explore the web site http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org
This online source allows students to learn about Poe
independently. Students should read the article,
“Poe the Writer,” and record pertinent information in
their notes. It also allows them to read the story,
“TheTell-Tale Heart,” while making and recording
independent notes, observations and self-
generated questions. This activity encourages
students to be active readers.
Reading Information Text, Informative Writing,
Language Usage
Students will write an informative response that
analyzes conflict in Wright’s personal essay, ―The
Street.‖ They should be instructed to include a
minimum of three examples with citation from the
text. The teacher will hold a guided revising session
for students so they can make improvements to their
own writing. Students will then be provided an
opportunity to work with a partner to strengthen and
edit their work. Students will be asked to identify
their topic sentence on the final draft. (RL.8.1, RL.8.2,
RL.8.4, RL.8.5, SL.8.1, SL.8.3, L.8.1a,b, L.8.2a,b)
Language Mechanics
As a class, continue adding to the Mechanics/
Grammar bulletin board started in Unit One.
Remember—once skills are taught in a mini-lesson
and listed on the bulletin board, you are expected
to edit your work for these elements before
publication. (L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3)
Language Mechanics
Your teacher will teach mini-lessons on the individual
language standards. For example, your teacher will
give you a set of paragraphs that do not contain
commas. Working with a partner, you will insert
commas when necessary. (L.8.2b)
Speaking and Listening, Multimedia Presentation
View United Streaming Video - Great Books: Tales of
Edgar Allan Poe. After viewing the video from
United Streaming, "Great Books: Edgar Allan
Poe," consider how his life experiences are reflected
in his writing. How did the tragic events in Poe's life
influence his short stories? (RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.6, RI.8.7)
Reading Literature, Speaking, Listening and Writing
Making Predictions - Students will read the first part
of the story, ―Charles, by Shirley Jackson (to the part
where Laurie’s mom is headed to the PTA meeting).
Students will be asked to write a prediction as to
what will happen at the meeting. Volunteers can
share what they wrote.
Think Aloud
Think/pair/share
Thinking Maps
K/W/L’s
Read/Evaluate/Write
Rituals
Integrated Skill Practice
Close Reading
(A close reading is a careful and
purposeful reading. Close reading is one
of the six shifts in the CC that demands
student focus on what the author has to
say, the author’s purpose, the text
structure and the meaning of the author’s
chosen words.)
Marginal note questions
Skill/Drill for texts
UTILIZATION OF SPECIALIZED STAFF AS NEEDED
ESL Teachers
Guidance Counselors
Librarian/Media Specialist
Reading Specialists
Related Arts Teachers
Special Education Teachers
Optional Text
Poetry
―Mending Wall‖ by Robert Frost
Literature
―Raymond’s Run‖ by Toni Cade Bambara
Informational Text
Nonfiction
Travels with Charley: In Search of America by
John Steinbeck
―Darkness at Noon‖ by Harold Krents
―Forest Fire‖ by Anais Nin
Supplemental Tens Novels
Blackwater Eve Bunting
Brian’s Winter Gary Paulsen
Buried Onions Gary Soto
Dicey’s Song Cynthia Voigt
Go Ask Alice Anonymous
Hatchet Gary Paulsen
Holes Louis Sachar
Homecoming Cynthia Voigt
Night John Gary Paulsen
Scorpions Walter Dean Meyers
Slam! Walter Dean Meyers
Soldier X Don Wulffson
Soldier’s Heart Gary Paulsen
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 1 cs 4/2013 5
Language Usage, Speaking and Listening
Edit a newspaper article or magazine article (or a
classmate’s essay) by changing passive to active
voice when possible. Discuss with your partner how
these changes affect the tone and/or meaning of
the text. (L.8.3)
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
A first-person narrative is an account of a writer's
own experience. In a first-person narrative, the
author gives his or her reactions to and reflections on
the meaning of an event, often revealing a personal
viewpoint. As a class, discuss the question: where in
the essay, "Debbie," does James Herriot offer his
personal viewpoint? Students should give specific
examples from the essay to support their answer.
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening,
Informative Writing
Travels with Charley is considered a "travelogue.‖
How does the structure contribute to the meaning in
a way that is different from the way poetic structures
shape meaning in poetry? Talk about your ideas
with a partner. Then, in your journal, describe how
Steinbeck uses point of view and other literary
devices to convey his thoughts and feelings about
America. Cite specific examples and page numbers
from the text. Your teacher may ask you to post your
thoughts on the classroom blog in order to get
feedback from your classmates. (RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.4,
RL.8.5, RL.8.6, L.8.1a,b, L.8.2a,b).
PRIMARY RESOURCES:
(E) indicates a CCSS exemplar text; (EA)
indicates a text from a writer with other works
identified as exemplars.
Literature
Poetry
―Taught Me Purple‖ by Evelyn Tooley Hunt
―The City Is So Big‖ by Richard Garcia
―Those Winter Sundays‖ by Robert Hayden
Short Stories
―The Tell-Tale Heart‖ by Edgar Allen Poe (E)
―Charles‖ by Shirley Jackson (E)
Informational Texts
Nonfiction
―Debbie‖ by James Herriot (E)
―The Street‖ by Richard Wright(E)
Speak Anderson
Swallowing Stones Joyce McDonald
They Cage the Animals Jennings Michael
At Night Burch
Anthologies:
Family Matters – Perfection Learning
Timeless Voice, Timeless Themes – Prentice
Hall Literature
Online
Teacher recommended digital resources.
Examples:
www.youtube.com
www.literature.org
www.unitedstreaming.com
www.ducksters.com
www.Lit2go.com
www.promethanplanet.com
www.gutenberg.org
www.barleyby.com
www.teachertube.com
www.kahnacademy.org
TEACHER CREATED MATERIALS
Charts
Diagrams
Discussion questions
Double entry journals
Excerpts
Graphic organizers
Historical fiction
Interviews
Open ended question
Outlining
Picture starters
PowerPoint presentations
Quotations
Timelines
Vocabulary journals
Writing starters
TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODULES
Login to PMSD Share Drive, click open ELA
Curriculum file, open PD file to select the
module Strategies to Guide Differentiated
Instruction *
*Module library will be continually updated
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 1 cs 4/2013 6
Art, Music and Media
Media
Tell-Tale Heart
Tell-Tale Heart video animated film version
available at http://www.youtube.com
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 2 cs 4/2013 1
COURSE: English Language Arts GRADE(S): 8
UNIT 2: A FOCUS ON SPEECHES AND MEMOIRS
KEY CONCEPTS: A Focus on Speeches and Memoirs
This four-week unit of eighth grade will allow students to explore historical events through the analysis of
speeches and memoirs.
THEME: Students read historical speeches and then have an opportunity to listen to oral presentation via
media sources. They will analyze how the reading and listening to a text can enhance a student’s
learning experience. Students will also evaluate author’s techniques for grabbing reader attention
through the analysis of memoirs and speeches. This unit ends with an informative/explanatory essay after
research of a historical event or the construction of a persuasive essay/speech.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How does learning through literature differ from learning through informational text?
NATIONAL STANDARDS:
These Focus Standards have been selected for the unit from the Common Core State Standards.
RL.8.9: Analyze how a memoir reveals themes, patterns of events, or character traits.
RI.8.3: Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals,
ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).
RI.8.6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author
acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints
RI.8.7: Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or
digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.
RI.8.9: Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether
the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant
evidence is introduced.
W.8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence
W.8.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated
question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions
that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
W.8.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style
are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing
types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
W.8.5: With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen
writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing
on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.
W.8.8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms
effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the
data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for
citation.
SL.8.5: Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information,
strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.
L.8.3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or
listening.
English Language Arts Assessment Anchors & Eligible Content:
Refer to PMSD PA CCSS Curriculum Framework Document
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 2 cs 4/2013 2
UNIT OBJECTIVES:
Identify writer’s purpose and how it is conveyed by the speakers.
Compare and contrast two speeches by political figures.
Discuss how creating a sound argument is essential to engaging listeners in a speech.
Analyze how reading a memoir helps to enhance an individual’s understanding of history. Conduct an in-depth research project on a historical event of choice.
Utilize the writing process to improve writing skills.
TERMINOLOGY:
Tone
Repetition
Perspective
Point of View
Figurative Language
The Writing Process: Brainstorming, Prewriting, Revising, Editing, Final Copy, Publishing
ACTIVITIES:
Reading Informational Text, Speaking and Listening
Select two political speeches, such as those by
Franklin D. Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr. Read
them closely. How are they similar? How are they
different? What perspectives do they bring to their
speeches? How do these speakers inspire listeners?
What is important for us to learn from these
speeches, and why is it important to continue
reading them from generation to generation? Share
ideas with a partner and then write your own
response in your journal or on the classroom blog.
(RL.8.2, RL.8.4, RL.8.5, RL.8.6, SL.8.1)
Reading Informational Text, Media, Speaking and
Listening
Students will create a T-chart or Venn diagram in
where they compare two speeches, such as the
“Pearl Harbor Speech” (also titled “Infamy”) by
Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Martin Luther King
Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The students will
delineate each speaker’s arguments and specific
claims, evaluate the soundness of the reasoning,
and make a judgment about the relevance and
sufficiency of the evidence. They will point out any
particular words that they understand better
because of how they were used in context. Then
students will write a response to this question in your
journal or on the classroom blog: "What is the
difference between reading the speech and
hearing it/seeing it performed live?" (SL.8.3,
L.8.5a,b,c; RL.8.5, SL.8.1a,b,c,d)
Reading Poetry, Performance, Speaking and
Listening
After reading " Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou,
discuss the meaning of this poem as it relates to life
ASSESSMENTS:
Academic history review of each student
Summative
Benchmark assessment
End of unit test
Individual or group projects and
presentations using PowerPoint and
Microsoft Publisher
PSSA
Study Island
Formative
Collaborative learning
Graphic organizers
Journals/logs
KWL
Outline
Surveys, polls and exit slips
Study Island
Ticket out
Teacher observation
Diagnostic
CDTs – ALL LEVELS
STAR – AS ADMINISTERED AND INDIVIDUAL
EVALUATION BY READING SPECIALIST
IRI – (INDIVIDUAL READING INVENTORY)
SORT – (SLOSSON ORAL READING TEST)
STUDY ISLAND BENCHMARKS
OER’S – RELEASED ITEMS (OPEN ENDED
RESPONSES)
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 2 cs 4/2013 3
in America. How does the structure of poetry
contribute to its meaning in a different manner than
prose? Does the caged bird remind you of any
character types from other stories read? Decide
how to share lines or stanzas with a classmate, and
perform a dramatic reading of this poem for your
classmates. Record your performance using a video
camera so you can evaluate your performance.
(RL.8.5, RL.8.9, SL.8.6, L.8.3)
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
As students read the memoir “I Know Why the
Caged Bird Sings,” they will take notes in their journal
or on a spreadsheet about the characters, plot,
themes, patterns of events, and setting. As they take
notes about these categories, continue to think
about how the historical setting affects the story.
Students should be sure to note page numbers with
relevant information or mark text with sticky notes so
they can cite the text during class discussion.
Who are the major character(s)?
Do they remind you of any character types
from myths or other traditional stories? How?
What is the problem faced by the
character(s)? How does he/she/they resolve
the problem?
What is the theme of the novel? (i.e., good
vs. evil, overcoming challenges, etc.)
What is the effect of the historical setting(s)
on the characters, plot, or theme?
Are there any recognizable patterns of
events? What are they, and what do they
remind you of?
Prior to class discussion, your teacher may give you
the opportunity to share your notes with a partner
who read the same text. (RL.8.5, RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.9)
Speaking and Listening
Angelou describes the effect Mrs. Flowers’s reading
aloud as "a wonder in my ears." Prepare a reading
of a portion of Angelou's memoir. With a group,
students discuss delivery techniques that can
enhance a listener's appreciation for what is being
read. Techniques include volume, tone of voice,
and enunciation. (SL.8.1, SL.8.2, SL.8.4, SL.8.5)
Vocabulary
Where do words come from? How does knowing
their origin help us not only to spell the words, but
also to understand their meaning? Add words found,
learned, and used throughout this unit to your
personal dictionary. This dictionary will be used all
year to explore the semantics (meanings) of words
and their origins. (L.8.4)
REMEDIATION AND ENRICHMENT MAY BE DRIVEN
BY IEP AND GIEP DOCUMENTS OR MAY BE
PROVIDED ON AN AS NEEDED/REQUESTED BASIS
REMEDIATION:
Appropriate accommodations
Apprentice text
(Apprentice text is a short, one- to four-
paragraph passage on the students’
independent level devoted to bridging
the gap between the introduction of the
standard- and grade-level application.)
Colored highlighters for focus
Explicit modeling followed by systematic
guided practice of each skill
Focus modality approach (i.e. VAKT –
visual auditory kinesthetic and tactile)
Individual conferences
One-on-one instruction
Qualifying students receive Wilson or Just
Words
Re-teaching challenging concepts to gain
mastery
SAS Portal as directed by CDTs
Study Island
Teachertube.com
(As needed, establish baseline via video
clips)
Word analysis mini lessons
ENRICHMENT:
In-depth discussion and extended
activities
Individualized enriched vertical
assignments and projects
Preview college professor’s online notes
and study guides
Extending skills to the next level of
complexity
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES & TOOLS:
Anticipation guides
Access and Conquer-Graphic Strategy
Baseline information for text
Class discussion
Close Reading
(A close reading is a careful and
purposeful reading. Close reading is one
of the shifts in the CC that demands
student focus on what the author has to
say, the author’s purpose, the text
structure and the meaning of the author’s
chosen words.)
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 2 cs 4/2013 4
Research, Informative Writing, Language Usage,
Language Mechanics
Focusing on the connections among individuals,
ideas, and events, choose an event from America’s
past to research. In order to find multiple
perspectives on the event, draw on several sources,
including a variety of literary, informational, primary,
secondary, and multimedia texts. Utilizing the writing
process, write an informative/explanatory essay. As
you draft your essay, work with classmates to
strengthen its quality. Be sure to cite your sources
accurately using the standard bibliographic format
preferred by your teacher. (RL.8.6, RI.8.3, RI.8.6, RI.8.7,
RI.8.8, W.8.2, W.8.7, W.8.5, W.8.6, L.8.3, SL.8.4, SL.8.5,
L.8.1a,b,c; L.8.2, L.8.3)
Research, Persuasive Writing, Language Usage,
Language Mechanics
After reading the example essay “Darkness at Noon”
by Harold Krents, students will write a persuasive
essay utilizing the writing process. Students will
brainstorm a list of ideas for their persuasive essay.
Once students have selected a topic they will begin
brainstorming their main ideas. Teachers will remind
students to consider their audiences’ needs and
beliefs as they put together their ideas. Students
will also be given an opportunity to research their
topic to gather evidence to assist in their argument.
As they draft their essay, students will work with
classmates to strengthen its quality. Students will
also be required to cite their sources accurately
using the standard bibliographic format preferred by
their teacher. [A guide to persuasive composition is
available in Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices,
Timeless Themes page 412-415.] (RL.8.6, RI.8.3, RI.8.6,
RI.8.7, RI.8.8, W.8.2, W.8.7, W.8.5, W.8.6, L.8.3, SL.8.4,
SL.8.5, L.8.1a,b,c; L.8.2, L.8.3)
PRIMARY RESOURCES:
(E) indicates a CCSS exemplar text; (EA)
indicates a text from a writer with other works
identified as exemplars.
Literature
Poetry
“Caged Bird” (Maya Angelou)
Memoir
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” (Maya
Angelou)
Informational Texts
Speeches
“I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King Jr.
“Pearl Harbor Speech” or “Infamy” by
Cooperative Learning
Differentiated instruction
Guided questioning
Integrated technology and 21st century
skills
K/W/L’s
Marginal note questions
Mnemonic devices
Modeling
Online resources
Personal dictionaries
Read/Evaluate/Write
Read it, write it, link it
Rituals as learning tools
Think Aloud
Think/pair/share
Thinking Maps
Writing Journals
UTILIZATION OF SPECIALIZED STAFF AS NEEDED
ESL Teachers
Guidance Counselors
Librarian/Media Specialist
Reading Specialists
Related Arts Teachers
Special Education Teachers
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
15 Historical Events that Fascinate Us
(Frikoo.Com)
Maya Angelou by Patricia Kirkpatrick
Maya Angelou by Patricia Kite
Black Americans of Achievement by Miles
Shapiro
Anthologies:
Timeless Voice, Timeless Themes – Prentice
Hall Literature
Online
Teacher recommended digital resources.
Examples:
www.youtube.com
www.literature.org
www.unitedstreaming.com
www.ducksters.com
www.Lit2go.com
www.promethanplanet.com
www.gutenberg.org
www.barleyby.com
www.teachertube.com
www.kahnacademy.org
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 2 cs 4/2013 5
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Biographies
America’s Paul Revere (Esther Forbes and
Lynd Ward)
Nonfiction
“Darkness at Noon” by Harold Krents
Art, Music and Media
Media
Online biography Maya Angelou
http://www.biography.com/people/maya-
angelou-9185388
Martin Luther King Jr. 'I Have a Dream'
speech video, complete text and audio
http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/national/
martin-luther-king-jr-i-have-a-dream-speech-
video-complete-text-and-audio
FDR Asks Congress to Declare War on Japan
http://www.history.com/topics/pearl-
harbor/speeches#fdr-asks-congress-to-
declare-war-on-japan\
TEACHER CREATED MATERIALS
Charts
Diagrams
Discussion questions
Double entry journals
Excerpts
Graphic organizers
Historical fiction
Interviews
Open ended question
Outlining
Picture starters
PowerPoint presentations
Quotations
Timelines
Vocabulary journals
Writing starters
TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODULES
Login to PMSD Share Drive, click open ELA
Curriculum file, open PD file to select the
module Strategies to Guide Differentiated
Instruction *
*Module library will be continually updated
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 3 cs 4/2013 1
COURSE: English Language Arts GRADE(S): 8
UNIT 3: THE HOLOCAUST
KEY CONCEPTS: The Holocaust
This eight-week unit will reflect on the Holocaust and provide an opportunity to explore fiction and
nonfiction work from a historical perspective.
THEME: Students read works of historical fiction and nonfiction and discuss how authors' perspectives
might produce accounts of historical events that differ from what actually happened. Students work
collaboratively to reconcile different authors’ points of view and discuss why these differences occur.
Students read The Diary of Anne Frank and selections from the anthology, Voices of the Holocaust. They
study the actual events of that time period to consider the effect that literature can have on historical
memory. Students will research the time period and share their findings through class discussions and
presentations. Students will analyze how the use of flashback can create a sense of suspense in the
reader/listener. They will pay special attention to diction and how connotation may be enhanced
through tone and inflection.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: Why is it important to learn about the events of the past to ensure a better future for
society?
NATIONAL STANDARDS:
These Focus Standards have been selected for the unit from the Common Core State Standards.
RI.8.1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports the analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.8.5: Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing
structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.
RL.8.9: Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character
types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how
the material is rendered new.
RI.8.3: Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas,
or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).
RI.8.9: Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same
topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.
RL.8.3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action,
reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
RL.8.6: Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader
(e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.
W.8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
W.8.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question),
drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for
multiple avenues of exploration.
L.8.3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or
listening.
L.8.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word
meanings.
SL.8.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas
and expressing their own clearly.
SL.8.1(a): Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study;
explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 3 cs 4/2013 2
and reflect on ideas under discussion.
SL.8.1(b): Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific
goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
SL.8.1(c): Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others’
questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.
SL.8.1(d): Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or
justify their own views in light of the evidence presented.
SL.8.5: Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen
claims and evidence, and add interest.
English Language Arts Assessment Anchors & Eligible Content:
Refer to PMSD PA CCSS Curriculum Framework Document
UNIT OBJECTIVES:
Compare and contrast characters, plots, themes, and settings from various genres related to the
history of the Holocaust.
Analyze how historical fiction and nonfiction connect to themes, patterns of events, or character
types.
Determine the author’s point of view in two texts about the same topic and discuss the effect it
has on the work.
Conduct research on a historical event of this time period and connect the information learned to
the historical literature studied.
Read and discuss a variety of dramatic fiction and nonfiction, including plays, short stories and
poetry.
Analyze how particular lines of dialogue propel the action and reveal aspects of a character.
Compare and contrast characters, plots, themes, settings, and literary techniques used in a play.
TERMINOLOGY:
Drama
Character types
Historical fiction
Patterns of events
Point of view
Dialogue/monologue
ACTIVITIES:
Art, Speaking and Listening
View Ben Shahn’s work titled WARSAW 1952 (cover
art on Voices of the Holocaust anthology). Can you
identify what message and/or emotions the artist
wants to convey? Do you believe that there is any
social commentary present in this work? (SL.8.1,
SL.8.2, SL.8.4, SL.8.5)
Vocabulary
Record the words we have found, learned, and
used throughout this unit to your personal dictionary
(e.g., from The Diary of Anne Frank, genocide,
annihilation, anti-Semitism, propaganda, belfry, and
ghetto). This dictionary will be used all year long to
explore the semantics (meanings) of words and their
origins. (L.8.4)
ASSESSMENTS:
Academic history review of each student
Summative
Benchmark assessment
End of unit test
Individual or group projects and
presentations using PowerPoint and
Microsoft Publisher
PSSA
Study Island
Formative
Collaborative learning
Graphic organizers
Journals/logs
KWL
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 3 cs 4/2013 3
Vocabulary
Where do words come from? How does knowing
their origin help us not only to spell the words, but
also to understand their meaning? Add words found,
learned, and used throughout this unit to your
personal dictionary. This dictionary will be used all
year to explore the semantics (meanings) of words
and their origins. (L.8.4)
Reading Literature, Argumentative Writing
Why has Anne Frank’s story stood the test of time?
Why do we study her diary today? Talk through your
ideas with a partner. Then write an argument in
support of studying the Holocaust in eighth grade,
including citations from selections read. You may
choose to make connections between the plays
and other novels, plays, poems, or films. (W.8.1,
W.8.4, SL.8.1, RL.8.6, RL.8.9)
Research, Informative Writing, Language Usage,
Language Mechanics, Oral Presentation, Multimedia
Presentation
Focusing on the connections among individuals,
ideas, and events, choose an event from the
Holocaust to research. In order to find multiple
perspectives on the event, draw on several sources,
including a variety of literary, informational, primary,
secondary, multimedia texts and suggested web
sites. Write an informative/explanatory essay and, as
you draft your essay, work with classmates to
strengthen its quality. Be sure to cite your sources
accurately, using the standard bibliographic format
preferred by your teacher. Prior to publishing,
integrate multimedia and/or visual displays into your
report to clarify information and strengthen your
claims with evidence. Edit your writing for form as
well as for spelling and punctuation when
paraphrasing and including direct quotations.
Present your report to the class and upload it to a
class web page for this unit. (RL.8.6, RI.8.3, RI.8.6,
RI.8.7, RI.8.8, W.8.2, W.8.7, W.8.5, W.8.6, L.8.3, SL.8.4,
SL.8.5, L.8.1a,b,c; L.8.2,)
Reading Informational Text, Speaking and Listening,
Performance
Read “Anti-Semitism: A History of Hate,” “Faces of
the Holocaust” and “Major Events of World War II
and The Holocaust” from Voices of the Holocaust
silently and then reread as a class. Then discuss how
the history of anti-Semitism led to the events of The
Holocaust.
Note the words that are new to you and
discuss what you think they mean.
Confirm the meanings of the words by using
a dictionary.
Outline
Surveys, polls and exit slips
Study Island
Ticket out
Teacher observation
Diagnostic
CDTs – ALL LEVELS
STAR – AS ADMINISTERED AND INDIVIDUAL
EVALUATION BY READING SPECIALIST
IRI – (INDIVIDUAL READING INVENTORY)
SORT – (SLOSSON ORAL READING TEST)
STUDY ISLAND BENCHMARKS
OER’S – RELEASED ITEMS (OPEN ENDED
RESPONSES)
REMEDIATION AND ENRICHMENT MAY BE DRIVEN
BY IEP AND GIEP DOCUMENTS OR MAY BE
PROVIDED ON AN AS NEEDED/REQUESTED BASIS
REMEDIATION:
Appropriate accommodations
Apprentice text
(Apprentice text is a short, one- to four-
paragraph passage on the students’
independent level devoted to bridging
the gap between the introduction of the
standard- and grade-level application.)
Colored highlighters for focus
Explicit modeling followed by systematic
guided practice of each skill
Focus modality approach (i.e. VAKT –
visual auditory kinesthetic and tactile)
Individual conferences
One-on-one instruction
Qualifying students receive Wilson or Just
Words
Re-teaching challenging concepts to gain
mastery
SAS Portal as directed by CDTs
Study Island
Teachertube.com
(As needed, establish baseline via video
clips)
Word analysis mini lessons
ENRICHMENT:
In-depth discussion and extended
activities
Individualized enriched vertical
assignments and projects
Preview college professor’s online notes
and study guides
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 3 cs 4/2013 4
(RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.4, RI.8.7, RI.8.9, L.8.1, L.8.3, SL.8.6)
Informative Writing, Language Usage, Language
Mechanics
Write an informative/explanatory essay in response
to the essential question: Why is it important to learn
about the events of the past to ensure a better
future for society? Make sure to include words and
phrases you have learned as part of word study,
including figurative and connotative language, and
refer to literature and informational texts you have
read. After your teacher reviews your first draft, work
with a partner to strengthen your writing and edit it
before writing a final draft. Be prepared to record
your essay and upload it as a podcast or other
multimedia format of your choice on the class web
page for this unit. (W.8.4, W.8.9a,b, SL.8.1, SL.8.4, L.8.3,
L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3)
Reading Informational Text, Informative Writing,
Language Usage, Language Mechanics
Compare fictional and nonfictional works from a
historical perspective. In your journal, describe how
events are perceived differently depending on your
point of view. Then, write a well-developed paper,
citing at least three specific examples from the text
as support. Utilize the writing process to produce an
informational piece of writing. (RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.3,
RL.8.6, L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3)
Reading Poetry, Language Usage, Speaking and
Listening
Respond to poetry selections found in Voices of the
Holocaust. What is the literal versus figurative
meaning? Discuss how literature can give a different
view of history than informational texts. Why are we
so drawn to poetry? Write responses to these
questions and share with a partner prior to class
discussion. (RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.4, RL.8.5, SL.8.1, SL.8.3,
L.8.3)
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
Compare and contrast the effect of historical
settings on characters, plots, and themes in the
various selections read. Can you make any
generalizations about the effect historical setting has
on these stories? After class discussion, create a
Venn diagram in your journal (or in an online
template) that outlines the similarities and
differences among the settings, characters, plots,
and/or themes. (SL.8.1, RL.8.9)
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
Read aloud the children’s book, Terrible Things, by
Eve Bunting. Discuss how the Bunting allegory relates
Extending skills to the next level of
complexity
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES & TOOLS:
Anticipation guides
Access and Conquer-Graphic Strategy
Baseline information for text
Class discussion
Close Reading
(A close reading is a careful and
purposeful reading. Close reading is one
of the shifts in the CC that demands
student focus on what the author has to
say, the author’s purpose, the text
structure and the meaning of the author’s
chosen words.)
Cooperative Learning
Differentiated instruction
Guided questioning
Integrated technology and 21st century
skills
K/W/L’s
Marginal note questions
Mnemonic devices
Modeling
Online resources
Personal dictionaries
Read/Evaluate/Write
Read it, write it, link it
Rituals as learning tools
Think Aloud
Think/pair/share
Thinking Maps
Writing Journals
UTILIZATION OF SPECIALIZED STAFF AS NEEDED
ESL Teachers
Guidance Counselors
Librarian/Media Specialist
Reading Specialists
Related Arts Teachers
Special Education Teachers
Anthologies:
Prentice Hall Literature The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances
Goodrich and Albert Hackett
Voices of the Holocaust
Online
Teacher recommended digital resources.
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 3 cs 4/2013 5
to the Holocaust. In small groups, students will work
cooperatively to brainstorm ideas for their own
allegory. After finalizing an idea, students will outline
their storyline for a children’s book. The groups will
share their ideas with the class (SL.8.1, RL.8.9, W.8.3)
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
As you read historical fiction from this unit, take notes
in your journal or on a spreadsheet about the
characters, plot, themes, patterns of events, and
setting. As you take notes about these categories,
continue to think about how the historical setting
affects the story. Be sure to note page numbers with
relevant information or mark your text with sticky
notes so you can cite the text during class discussion.
Who are the major character(s)?
Who are the tragic character(s)?
What is the problem faced by the
character(s)? How do he/she/they resolve
the problem?
What is the theme of the literatures (i.e.,
good vs. evil, overcoming challenges, etc.)?
What is the effect of the historical setting(s)
on the characters, plot, or theme?
Are there any recognizable patterns of
events? What are they, and what do they
remind you of?
Prior to class discussion, your teacher may give you
the opportunity to share your notes with a partner
who read the same text. (RL.8.5, RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.9)
Art, Speaking and Listening
The documentation of historical happenings through
photographs helps us interpret and record important
events. View the photographs in Voices of the
Holocaust and on suggested web sites. To what
extent does each image document the event
literally or capture its essence? How do works such
as these help us to appreciate the events they
depict? (SL.8.1, SL.8.2, SL.8.4, SL.8.5)
Reading Informational Text, Speaking and Listening,
Informative Writing
Read aloud “Address Unknown” in Voices of the
Holocaust (a series of letters between two
characters written during the Holocaust).
Discuss as a class:
Inferences made from text provided in order
to deduce the unfolding of events between
the characters.
The change of the political climate and the
growing tension over the course of time.
The effect of the use of letters as opposed to
narratives related to the plot.
The outcome of the letters.
Examples:
www.youtube.com
www.literature.org
www.unitedstreaming.com
www.ducksters.com
www.Lit2go.com
www.promethanplanet.com
www.gutenberg.org
www.barleyby.com
www.teachertube.com
www.kahnacademy.org
TEACHER CREATED MATERIALS
Charts
Diagrams
Discussion questions
Double entry journals
Excerpts
Graphic organizers
Historical fiction
Interviews
Open ended question
Outlining
Picture starters
PowerPoint presentations
Quotations
Timelines
Vocabulary journals
Writing starters
TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODULES
Login to PMSD Share Drive, click open ELA
Curriculum file, open PD file to select the
module Strategies to Guide Differentiated
Instruction *
*Module library will be continually updated
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 3 cs 4/2013 6
For homework, write a one- to three-paragraph
reaction to the letters and their outcome. Students
will then share their responses. (RI.8.2, RI.8.4, RI.8.6,
W.8.1, SL.8.1)
PRIMARY RESOURCES:
(E) indicates a CCSS exemplar text; (EA)
indicates a text from a writer with other works
identified as exemplars.
Literature
Poetry
Selections from Voices of the Holocaust,
including:
“An Anti-Semitic Demonstration” by Gail
Newman
“Crystal Night” by Lyn Lifshin
“The Little Boy with His Hands Up” by Yala
Korwin
“Saving the Children” by Frieda Singer
“The Survivor” by John C. Pine
Stories
Selections from Voices of the Holocaust,
including:
“Broken Glass, Broken Lives” by Arnold Geier
“Address Unknown” by Kressmann Taylor
“A Spring Morning” by Ida Fink
“The Ball” by Hans Peter Richter
Informational Texts
Biographies
Various selections available for classroom use
from the PMSD library.
Nonfiction
Selections from Voices of the Holocaust,
including:
“Anti-Semitism: A History of Hate”
“Serving My Fuhrer” by Eleanor Ayer
“A White Rose, Long Live Freedom” by Jacob
G. Hornberger
“A Survivor Remembers” by Berek Latarus
“Rescue in Denmark” by Harold Flender
“The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising” by Reuben
Ainsztein
“The Test Case” by Simon Wiesenthal
Children’s Book
Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust
by Eve Bunting
Art, Music and Media
Art
Ben Shahn, WARSAW (1952)
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 4 cs 4/2013 1
COURSE: English Language Arts GRADE(S): 8
UNIT 4: AUTHORS AND ARTISTS
KEY CONCEPTS: Authors and Artists
This fourth four-week unit of eighth grade examines the similarities between literary authors and artists.
THEME: In this unit, students step back and consider the motivations of authors and artists alike: What
inspires artists? Are their inspirations similar or different? How is the process of creating a painting or
sculpture similar to and different from the process of writing a story or poem? Students read books written
about artists and study artwork found in museums across America. Students work with classmates to
discern the unspoken meaning in literature and art. Students also discuss illustrations and other forms of
commercial art, looking for differences and similarities in fine and commercial art, in terms of both its
motivation and its presentation. They write an informative/explanatory essay about an artist of interest.
The unit ends with an informative/explanatory essay in response to the essential question: How are artists
and authors similar?
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How are artists and authors similar?
NATIONAL STANDARDS:
These Focus Standards have been selected for the unit from the Common Core State Standards.
RL.8.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course
of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective
summary of the text.
RI.8.5: Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of
particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept.
RI.8.8: Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the
reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant
evidence is introduced.
W.8.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and
information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
SL.8.2: Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its
presentation.
L.8.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word
meanings.
L.8.5(b): Use the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words.
L.8.5(c): Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations
(definitions) (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute).
English Language Arts Assessment Anchors & Eligible Content:
Refer to PMSD PA CCSS Curriculum Framework Document
UNIT OBJECTIVES:
Determine an author’s point of view in a text, compare it with an artist’s perspective in a work of
art, and discuss the effect that perspective has on the work.
Compare and contrast authors’ and artists’ motivations for creativity.
Conduct research on an artist of choice; define and refine a research question as research
proceeds.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used to describe authors and artists,
including figurative and technical vocabulary.
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 4 cs 4/2013 2
TERMINOLOGY:
Biography
Humor
Irony
Mood
Perspective
Point of view
Style
Tone
ACTIVITIES:
Art, Speaking and Listening
Introductory Activity: View artwork from the Harlem
Renaissance from picture books and websites such
as http://www.robinurton.com/history/Harlem.htm
with the class. How do the artists convey the
experience of modern black life in the urban North?
Consider creating, as a class, an ABC book or digital
presentation about the art and artists studied in this
unit. (RI.8.1, RI.8.6, RI.8.7)
Reading Literature, Opinion Writing, Informative
Writing
View the United Streaming Video ―The Harlem
Renaissance‖ and consider the following. How did
circumstances in America spark the Harlem
Renaissance? What themes were common in
poetry, art and music during the Harlem
Renaissance? Why? Write responses to these
questions in your journal or on the classroom blog,
citing specific examples and page numbers from
the text. (RL.8.1, RL.8.6, RL.8.9)
Vocabulary
Where do words come from? How does knowing
their origin help us not only to spell the words, but
also to understand their meaning? Add words found,
learned, and used throughout this unit to your
personal dictionary. This dictionary will be used all
year to explore the semantics (meanings) of words
and their origins. (L.8.4)
Art, Speaking and Listening
Look at a variety of art: fine art, illustrations, ads,
pictorial histories, etc. Evaluate the motives (e.g.,
social, commercial, or political) behind each
presentation. How does the motivation affect the
message? Why? Write responses to these questions
in your journal and share with a partner prior to class
discussion. Your teacher may ask you upload images
of the art onto a shared spreadsheet. Each class
member will add either audio or text that articulates
ASSESSMENTS:
Summative
Benchmark assessment
Course final exam
End of unit test
Individual or group vocabulary projects and
presentations
Keystone
Portfolio
Rubric
Passage checks
Formative
Collaborative learning
Graphic organizers
Journals/logs
KWL
Outline
Surveys, polls and exit slips
Diagnostic
CDTs – ALL LEVELS
STAR – AS ADMINISTERED AND EVALUATED BY
READING SPECIALISTS
REMEDIATION AND ENRICHMENT MAY BE DRIVEN
BY IEP AND GIEP DOCUMENTS OR MAY BE
PROVIDED ON AN AS NEEDED/REQUESTED BASIS
REMEDIATION:
Adapted Assignments
Apprentice text
(Apprentice text is a short, one- to four-
paragraph passage on the students’
independent level devoted to bridging the
gap between the introduction of the
standard- and grade-level application.)
Differentiation within texts/assignments
Explicit modeling followed by systematic
guided practice of each skill
Study Island
Remediation of skill areas
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 4 cs 4/2013 3
his/her thoughts regarding the artist’s motivation.
(SL.8.2, SL.8.1)
Informative Writing, Language Usage, Language
Mechanics
As you reflect on everything read, written, and
discussed in this unit, write an
informative/explanatory essay in response to the
essential question: How are artists and authors
similar? Make sure to include words and phrases
learned as part of word study, including connotative
language. After your teacher reviews your first draft,
work with a partner to strengthen your writing and
edit it for the grammar conventions studied so far
this year. Be prepared to record your essay and
upload it as a podcast or other multimedia format
on the class web page for this unit. (W.8.4, W.8.9a,b,
SL.8.1, L.8.1a,b,c; L.8.2, L.8.3, L.8.5b,c)
Research, Reading Informational Text, Writing Poetry
Read a variety of informational texts, in print and
online, about authors and artists, and choose one
that interests you. Write a bio-poem about this
person that includes important facts you think your
classmates should know. Include audio or visual
displays in your presentation, such as a digital slides
or a movie, as appropriate. Before turning in your
poem, edit your writing for the grammar conventions
studied so far this year. (RI.8.1, RI.8.8, RI.8.9, W.8.7,
L.8.1a,b,c; L.8.2, L.8.3)
Research, Reading Informational Text, Informative
Writing, Oral Presentation, Multimedia Presentation
Look at the websites listed earlier including
www.invia.org/harlem/home/html in order to select
an artist whose work you enjoy. Choose at least two
different biographies about this artist to read. As you
read the biographies, determine the figurative,
connotative, and technical meanings of words and
phrases as they are used to describe the artist and
his/her work. Supplement this reading with
additional research about the artist, his/her artistic
style, preferred subjects, and where his/her art is
exhibited. Possibly try to arrange a web interview
with the artist. Work with classmates to strengthen
your writing through planning, revising, and editing
your essay. Edit your writing for the grammar
conventions studied so far this year. Your teacher
may give you the option of adding a multimedia
component to your research report—either by
creating a digital slide presentation to highlight key
points, or by reading your essay set to music and
images from your country of choice. Present both to
the class. (RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.3, RI.8.4, RI.8.5, RI.8.8,
Assessment of improvement
Colored highlighters for focus
Multi-modal approach
Individual conferences
One-on-one instruction
Qualifying students receive Wilson
ENRICHMENT:
Furthering discussion and activities
Individualized enriched vertical assignments
Posting resources for further study
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES & TOOLS:
Anticipation guides
Class discussion
Cooperative Learning
Guided Questioning
Integrated technology and 21st century skills
Modeling
Think Aloud
Think/pair/share
Thinking Maps
K/W/L’s
Read/Evaluate/Write
Rituals
Integrated Skill Practice
Close Reading
A close reading is a careful and purposeful
reading. Close reading is one of the six shifts
in the CC that demands student focus on
what the author has to say, the author’s
purpose, the text structure and the meaning
of the author’s chosen words.
Marginal note questions
Skill/Drill for texts
UTILIZATION OF SPECIALIZED STAFF AS NEEDED
ESL Teachers
Guidance Counselors
Librarian/Media Specialist
Reading Specialists
Related Arts Teachers
Special Education Teachers
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Harlem Renaissance Websites
Websites related to African American history
African American Odyssey
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/
exhibit/aointro.html This website, produced
by the Library of Congress, presents an
overview of African American history
beginning with the Atlantic slave trade
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 4 cs 4/2013 4
W.8.5, W.8.6, W.8.7, W.8.2, L.8.1a,b,c; L.8.2, L.8.3)
Reading Poetry, Reading Fluency, Performance
After reading selections from poets.org and
poetryfoundation.org by Langston Hughes or
another Harlem Renaissance poet, select your
favorite poem. How does the structure of the poem
selected contribute to its meaning and style? How
does the point of view of the author create effects
such as suspense or humor? Share your insights with
a partner and then recite your favorite poem for
your classmates. Record your performance using a
video camera so you can evaluate it. (RL.8.5, SL.8.6)
Vocabulary, Language Usage
[Continuing activity from the third unit.] Add words
found, learned, and used throughout this unit to your
personal dictionary. This unit focuses on
distinguishing among the connotations of these
words as they are used by artists. This dictionary will
be used all year long to explore the semantics
(meanings) of words and their origins. (L.8.4, L.8.5b,c)
Language Mechanics
As a class, continue adding to the Mechanics/
Grammar bulletin board started in Unit One.
Remember—once skills are taught in a mini-lesson
and listed on the bulletin board, you are expected
to edit your work for these elements before
publication. (L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3)
Reading Literature, Opinion Writing, Informative
Writing
How does Langston Hughes’s short story, ―Thank You,
M’am‖ help you understand the character’s
motivations? Write responses to these questions in
your journal, citing specific examples and page
numbers from the text. (RL.8.1, RL.8.6, RL.8.9)
Reading Informational Text, Speaking and Listening
As you read biographies of authors and artists, take
notes in your journal or on a spreadsheet about the
creator’s motivation for creativity. As you take notes
about these categories, think about the similarities
and differences between authors and artists. Be sure
to note page numbers with relevant information so
you can go back and cite the text during class
discussion.
Who is the focus of the biography?
When did the author or artist first know that
he/she was a creative person?
How did the time in which the author or artist
lived, or his/her physical location (i.e., urban
and continuing through the 20th century.
Reconstruction: The Second Civil War
(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/reconstr
uction/ This website, produced as part of
the PBS series The American Experience,
discusses what happened to African
Americans during the second half of the
19th century.
Websites related to the Harlem
Renaissance
A Guide to Harlem Renaissance Materials
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/harle
m/harlem.html
The Library of Congress offers this
annotated collection of Library of
Congress resources related to the Harlem
Renaissance, included digital materials
collections, lesson plans, learning page
activities, and exhibits.
The Harlem Renaissance Collection
http://165.29.91.7/classes/humanities/amst
ud/97-98/harren/HARREN.HTM
This website provides a very brief historical
overview of the time period and includes
links to noted leaders, writers, and
entertainers.
Rhapsodies in Black: The Harlem Renaissance
(http://www.iniva.org/harlem/home.html)
This website describes the development of
the Harlem Renaissance and noted
examples of art, poetry, and literature.
Harlem 1900–1940: An African-American
Community
(http://www.si.umich.edu/chico/Harlem/)
This exhibition website, from the
Schomburg Center for Research in Black
Culture at the New York Public Library,
includes a timeline of the Harlem
Renaissance.
Drop Me Off in Harlem: Exploring the Intersections
(http://artsedge.kennedy-
center.org/exploring/harlem/)
This ARTSEDGE website explores the ways
that different art forms and social
movements interacted and flourished
during the Harlem Renaissance.
Jacob Lawrence websites
From Jacob Lawrence: Exploring Stories
(presented by the Whitney Museum of
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 4 cs 4/2013 5
or rural), affect his/her work?
What unique words and phrases are used to
describe the artist?
Prior to class discussion, your teacher may give you
the opportunity to share your notes with a partner
who read the same text. (RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.3, RL.8.3,
RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.4, RI.8.8)
Reading Informational Text, Reading Literature,
Informative Writing, Speaking and Listening
Read and compare the use of humor in “Life is Fine”
by Langston Hughes to the use of humor in ―We Real
Cool‖ by Gwendolyn Brooks. How does the use of
humor engage the reader? How do artists use
humor in their art to engage the observer? Write a
well-developed response to these questions, citing
at least three specific examples from the texts. Share
with a partner prior to class discussion. Edit your
writing for the grammar conventions studied so far
this year. (RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.3, RI.8.5, RL.8.2, RL.8.6,
L.8.1a,b,c; L.8.2, L.8.3)
Art, Speaking and Listening
Examine and discuss the variety of perspectives
used by the artists in the artworks (e.g., worm’s-eye
view, sitting at the table, far away, or up close).
Identify the perspective in each work. How does the
perspective affect the viewer’s relationship to the
work? How do these artists use perspective to draw
viewers in? Write responses to these questions in your
journal and share with a partner prior to class
discussion. Discuss how this compares to authors’ use
of point of view in the characters they create.
(SL.8.1, W.8.1, W.8.2)
Art, Speaking and Listening
If the elements and principles of art and design are
the building blocks for artists, what are the building
blocks for writers? Write responses to these questions
in your journal and share with a partner prior to class
discussion. Be prepared to defend your position with
examples. Your teacher may invite you and your
classmates to discuss the question on the classroom
blog. (SL.8.1, SL.8.4)
Reading Literature, Informative Writing, Language
Usage, Language Mechanics
“Thank You, M’am” takes place in Harlem. How does
the setting contribute to this story? Why? How are
the characters’ motivations (Roger and Mrs. Jones)
similar and different? Write a well-developed
response to these questions, citing at least three
specific examples from the text. Edit your writing for
the grammar conventions studied so far this year.
American Art):
Meet Jacob Lawrence
(http://www.whitney.org/jacoblawrence/
meet/index.html)
Jacob Lawrence's Art
(http://www.whitney.org/jacoblawrence/
art/index.html)
Jacob Lawrence: Over the Line
(http://www.phillipscollection.org/research
/over_the_line/index.html)
Over the Line: The Art and Life of Jacob
Lawrence (presented by the Seattle Art
Museum Special Exhibition Gallery)
(http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/exhibit
/exhibitDetail.asp?WHEN=&eventID=2923)
Remembering Jacob Lawrence
(http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/remem
ber/jan-june00/lawrence_6-13.html)
William H. Johnson websites
The William H. Johnson Foundation for the
Arts
(http://www.whjohnsongrant.org/whjohns
on.html)
A Journey Through Art with W.H. Johnson
(presented by the Smithsonian American
Art Museum)
(http://americanart.si.edu/education/john
son/index.html)
Rhapsodies in Black: William H. Johnson
(http://www.iniva.org/harlem/william.html)
Street Life, Harlem (by William H. Johnson,
presented within the Encyclopedia
Smithsonian: Harlem Renaissance entry)
(http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/onlin
e/highlights/artworks.cfm?id=AA&StartRow
=31)
Mom Alice (by William H. Johnson,
presented by American Art from the
Howard University Collection)
(http://www.founders.howard.edu/hucolle
ction/JohnsonWilliamH1.htm)
Duke Ellington websites
Duke Ellington: Celebrating 100 Years of
the Man and His Music
(http://dellington.org/)
PBS Biographies: Duke Ellington
(http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_
id_ellington_duke.htm)
Duke Ellington 1899–1974: America's Jazz
Ambassador
(http://library.thinkquest.org/10320/Ellingtn.
htm)
Photograph of Duke Ellington (from the
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 4 cs 4/2013 6
Share with a partner prior to class discussion. Enter
your response on the classroom blog to encourage
additional dialogue about this topic with your
classmates. (RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.6, L.8.1a,b,c; L.8.2,
L.8.3)
Speaking and Listening
Compare and contrast the lives of authors and
artists using the information from your notes. Can you
make any generalizations about how authors and
artists are similar? What are they? After class
discussion, create a Venn diagram in your journal or
in an online template that outlines the similarities
and differences among the lives of the artists. Post
your thoughts on the classroom blog in order to
continue the conversation with your classmates.
(SL.8.1, RL.8.4)
PRIMARY RESOURCES:
(E) indicates a CCSS exemplar text; (EA)
indicates a text from a writer with other works
identified as exemplars.
Literary Text
Poetry
“Harlem Night Song” (Langston Hughes)
Prentice Hall Literature, Timeless Voices,
Timeless Themes pages 834-835
“Life is Fine” (Langston Hughes)
―We Real Cool‖ (Gwendolyn Brooks)
Stories
“Thank You M’am” (Langston Hughes)
Prentice Hall Literature, Timeless Voices,
Timeless Themes pages 172-176
Anthologies:
Timeless Voices, Timeless Treasures Bronze Level
Online
Teacher recommended digital resources.
Harlem Renaissance Resources:
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources
/lesson_images/lesson252/websites.html
A Guide to Harlem Renaissance Materials
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/harlem/
harlem.html
Rhapsodies in Black: Artists of the Harlem
Renaissance
http://www.iniva.org/harlem/home.html
The Harlem Renaissance
http://historyoftheharlemrenaissance.weebly
.com/artists.html
Read Write Think
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-
Library of Congress)
(http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/odyssey/arc
hive/08/0811001r.jpg)
Bessie Smith websites
PBS Biographies: Bessie Smith
(http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_
id_smith_bessie.htm)
Bessie Smith 1894–1937: Jazz Singer
(http://library.thinkquest.org/2667/Smith.ht
m)
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum:
Bessie Smith
(http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.as
p?id=190)
Bessie Smith: Empress of the Blues
(http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/hist
ory/lavender/386/bsmith.html)
Langston Hughes websites
The Academy of American Poets:
Langston Hughes
(http://www.poets.org/poets/poets.cfm?4
5442B7C000C0E01)
America's Story from America's Library:
Langston Hughes
(http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-
bin/page.cgi/aa/hughes)
I Hear America Singing: Profile of Langston
Hughes
(http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/poet/hugh
es.html
A Centennial Tribute to Langston Hughes
(http://www.howard.edu/library/Referenc
e/Guides/Hughes/)
Countee Cullen websites
Modern American Poetry: Countee Cullen
(http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/
a_f/cullen/cullen.htm)
The Academy of American Poets: Countee
Cullen
(http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/5
5)
Countee Cullen
(http://www.afropoets.net/counteecullen.
html)
Rendezvous with Life: An Interview With
Countee Cullen
(http://newdeal.feri.org/magpie/docs/42
winp19.htm)
TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODULES
Login to PMSD Share Drive, click open ELA
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 4 cs 4/2013 7
resources/lesson-plans/harlem-renaissance-
retrospective-connecting-
252.html?tab=3#tabs
Online
Teacher recommended digital resources.
Examples:
www.Lit2go.com
www.promethanplanet.com
www.gutenberg.org
www.bartleyby.com
TEACHER CREATED MATERIALS – Suggestions:
Double entry journals
Graphic organizers
Outlining
Vocabulary journals
Skill and Drill worksheets to introduce
individual reading skills
Charts
Diagrams
Excerpts
Historical fiction
Interviews
Open-ended questions
Writing starters
Discussion questions
Picture starters
PowerPoint presentations
Quotations
Timelines
Curriculum file, open PD file to select the
module Strategies to Guide Differentiated
Instruction *
*Module library will be continually updated
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 5 cs 4/2013 1
COURSE: English Language Arts GRADE(S): 8
UNIT 5: DRAMATICALLY SPEAKING
KEY CONCEPTS: Dramatically Speaking
This eight-week unit of eighth grade continues an examination of the arts, focusing on the dramatic
performance of plays, speeches, and poems.
THEME: In this unit, students read Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare and compare it to a film with
a similar theme. They read and perform drama and poetry. While exploring the different genres, students
analyze lines of dialogue, scenes, or words that are critical to the development of the story or message.
They analyze how the use of foreshadowing can create a sense of suspense in the reader/listener. They
pay special attention to diction and how connotation may be enhanced through tone and
inflection. Students must also choose a genre that they prefer and defend that choice, strengthening
their skills at writing arguments. Finally, this unit ends with an informative/explanatory essay in response to
the essential question: How is reading a poem or a script for a play different from performing it?
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How is reading a poem or a script for a play different from performing it?
NATIONAL STANDARDS:
These Focus Standards have been selected for the unit from the Common Core State Standards.
RL.8.3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action,
reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
RL.8.6: Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader
(e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.
RL.8.7: Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to
or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.
W.8.1: Write an exposition to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence
SL.8.3: Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the
reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant
evidence is introduced.
L.8.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word
meanings.
L.8.5(a): Interpret figures of speech (e.g., verbal irony, puns) in context.
L.8.5(b): Use the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words.
English Language Arts Assessment Anchors & Eligible Content:
Refer to PMSD PA CCSS Curriculum Framework Document
UNIT OBJECTIVES:
Read and discuss a variety of dramatic fiction and nonfiction about plays, playwrights, and poets.
Analyze how particular lines of dialogue propel the action and reveal aspects of a character.
Compare and contrast characters, plots, themes, settings, and literary techniques used in plays
and films.
Analyze the extent to which a filmed or radio production of Romeo and Juliet stays faithful to or
departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.
Conduct research on a playwright or public speaker of choice.
Perform for classmates in a variety of styles (e.g., drama and poetry).
Participate in group discussions and critically evaluate classmates’ arguments.
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 5 cs 4/2013 2
TERMINOLOGY:
Dialogue
Diction
Drama
Foreshadowing
Monologue
Screenplay
Script
Staging
Dramatic irony
Figurative language
ACTIVITIES:
Reading Literature, Argument Writing
Why have Shakespeare’s plays, such as Romeo and
Juliet, stood the test of time? Why do we study these
plays today? Talk through your ideas with a partner.
Then write an argument in support of studying
Shakespeare in eighth grade, including citations
from selections read. You may choose to make
connections between the plays and other novels,
plays, poems, or films. Post your thoughts on a class
blog in order to continue the conversation with
others outside of your classroom. (W.8.1, W.8.4, SL.8.1,
RL.8.6, RL.8.9)
Vocabulary
Add words found, learned, and used throughout this
unit to your personal dictionary (i.e., dialogue,
monologue, staging, etc.). This unit will especially
focus on vocabulary unique to plays. This dictionary
will be used all year long to explore the semantics
(meanings) of words and their origins. (L.8.4,
L.8.5a,b,c)
Vocabulary
Where do words come from? How does knowing
their origin help us not only to spell the words, but
also to understand their meaning? Add words found,
learned, and used throughout this unit to your
personal dictionary. This dictionary will be used all
year to explore the semantics (meanings) of words
and their origins. (L.8.4)
Research, Informative Writing
Research background of the author, Shakespeare,
the Elizabethan period, and the theater. Write a
report on the information. (RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.3, RI.8.6,
W.8.7, W.8.5, W.8.6, W.8.2, L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3, L.8.5a,b,c)
Informative Writing, Language Usage, Language
Mechanics
Reflecting on your experiences reading and
ASSESSMENTS:
Academic history review of each student
Summative
Benchmark assessment
End of unit test
Individual or group projects and
presentations using PowerPoint and
Microsoft Publisher
PSSA
Study Island
Formative
Collaborative learning
Graphic organizers
Journals/logs
KWL
Outline
Surveys, polls and exit slips
Study Island
Ticket out
Teacher observation
Diagnostic
CDTs – ALL LEVELS
STAR – AS ADMINISTERED AND INDIVIDUAL
EVALUATION BY READING SPECIALIST
IRI – (INDIVIDUAL READING INVENTORY)
SORT – (SLOSSON ORAL READING TEST)
STUDY ISLAND BENCHMARKS
OER’S – RELEASED ITEMS (OPEN ENDED
RESPONSES)
REMEDIATION AND ENRICHMENT MAY BE DRIVEN
BY IEP AND GIEP DOCUMENTS OR MAY BE
PROVIDED ON AN AS NEEDED/REQUESTED BASIS
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 5 cs 4/2013 3
performing in this unit, write an informative/
explanatory essay in response to the following
prompt: Identify the three main causes for the
deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Write a well-developed
paper that includes at least three examples from the
play read. After your teacher reviews your first draft,
work with a partner to edit and strengthen your
writing. Edit your writing for shifts in verb mood and
voice. Be prepared to record your essay and upload
it as a podcast or other multimedia format of choice
on the class web page in order to facilitate sharing
with your classmates. (W.8.1, W.8.4, W.8.9a,b, SL.8.1,
L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3, L.8.5)
Writing Poetry
Students write a Shakespearean sonnet after
reading the one spoken by Romeo and Juliet in Act I
scene v. Writing occurs after lessons on quatrains,
couplets, iambic pentameter and rhyme scheme.
(W.8.1, W.8.4, W.8.9a,b, SL.8.1, L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3, L.8.5)
Language Mechanics
As a class, continue adding to the Mechanics/
Grammar bulletin board started in Unit One.
Remember—once skills are taught in a mini-lesson
and listed on the bulletin board, you are expected
to edit your work for these elements before
publication. (L.8.1d)
Reading Poetry, Reading Fluency, Performance
Choose your favorite scene from Romeo and Juliet.
Talk with a classmate about the meaning of the play
excerpt chosen. Practice reading it, changing the
words emphasized and inflection used. Memorize
and/or recite the excerpt for your class. Record
yourself using a video camera, not only so you can
evaluate your performance, but also so you can see
the different interpretations for yourself. Use these
experiences to help you articulate how different
recitations may change the way listeners interpret
the excerpt. (RL.8.2, RL.8.3, SL.8.6)
Reading Literature, Film, Speaking and Listening
Read the script of Romeo and Juliet with your
classmates. Discuss how the use of foreshadowing
adds suspense to the tone of the play. Then listen to
the radio drama version and/or view the film version
and compare these to the written version. Analyze
the extent to which a filmed or live production of a
story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the
text or script, evaluating the choices made by the
director or actors. Write responses to these questions
in your journal and share with a partner prior to class
discussion. (RL.8.3, RL.8.5, RL.8.6, RL.8.7, SL.8.6)
REMEDIATION:
Appropriate accommodations
Apprentice text
(Apprentice text is a short, one- to four-
paragraph passage on the students’
independent level devoted to bridging
the gap between the introduction of the
standard- and grade-level application.)
Colored highlighters for focus
Explicit modeling followed by systematic
guided practice of each skill
Focus modality approach (i.e. VAKT –
visual auditory kinesthetic and tactile)
Individual conferences
One-on-one instruction
Qualifying students receive Wilson or Just
Words
Re-teaching challenging concepts to gain
mastery
SAS Portal as directed by CDTs
Study Island
Teachertube.com
(As needed, establish baseline via video
clips)
Word analysis mini lessons
ENRICHMENT:
In-depth discussion and extended
activities
Individualized enriched vertical
assignments and projects
Preview college professor’s online notes
and study guides
Extending skills to the next level of
complexity
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES & TOOLS:
Anticipation guides
Access and Conquer-Graphic Strategy
Baseline information for text
Class discussion
Close Reading
(A close reading is a careful and
purposeful reading. Close reading is one
of the shifts in the CC that demands
student focus on what the author has to
say, the author’s purpose, the text
structure and the meaning of the author’s
chosen words.)
Cooperative Learning
Differentiated instruction
Guided questioning
Integrated technology and 21st century
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 5 cs 4/2013 4
Speaking and Listening
How is the delivery of spoken messages in plays and
speeches similar and different? When would you
choose to give a speech? When would you choose
to embed a speech (monologue) in a drama? What
are the similarities and differences between
performing in a play and delivering a speech? Write
responses to these questions in your journal or on the
classroom blog, citing specific examples and page
numbers from the texts read and speeches heard.
(RL.8.1, RL.8.5, SL.8.1)
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
Compare and contrast the plots, settings, themes,
characters, and literary techniques used. Can you
begin to make any generalizations about how films
and plays have different effects on viewers from the
effects literature has on readers? What are they?
Evaluate the claims made by your classmates and
evaluate the soundness of reasoning they use in
discussion. After class discussion, create a Venn
diagram in your journal or by using an online
template that outlines the similarities and differences
among the techniques used. Post your thoughts on
the classroom blog in order to continue the
conversation with your classmates. (SL.8.1, RL.8.6,
SL.8.3)
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
As you read the plays (and view the films) in this unit,
take notes in your journal or on a spreadsheet about
particular lines of dialogue or incidents that propel
the action, reveal aspects of a character, or
provoke a decision. Be sure to note page numbers
with relevant information so you can cite the text
during class discussion.
What is the setting of the play?
Who are the major and minor characters?
What is the theme of the play?
What problems are faced by the
character(s)? How does he/she overcome
this challenge?
Which lines of dialogue or events were
pivotal to the play? Why?
Describe the use of literary techniques, such
as flashback, in the play. How do these
reveal the point of view of the character
and create suspense?
Prior to class discussion, your teacher may give you
the opportunity to share your notes with a partner
who read the same text. (RL.8.3, RL.8.6, RL.8.7, RL.8.1,
RL.8.2)
skills
K/W/L’s
Marginal note questions
Mnemonic devices
Modeling
Online resources
Personal dictionaries
Read/Evaluate/Write
Read it, write it, link it
Rituals as learning tools
Think Aloud
Think/pair/share
Thinking Maps
Writing Journals
UTILIZATION OF SPECIALIZED STAFF AS NEEDED
ESL Teachers
Guidance Counselors
Librarian/Media Specialist
Reading Specialists
Related Arts Teachers
Special Education Teachers
Online
Teacher recommended digital resources.
Examples:
www.youtube.com
www.literature.org
www.unitedstreaming.com
www.ducksters.com
www.Lit2go.com
www.promethanplanet.com
www.gutenberg.org
www.barleyby.com
www.teachertube.com
www.kahnacademy.org
TEACHER CREATED MATERIALS
Charts
Diagrams
Discussion questions
Double entry journals
Excerpts
Graphic organizers
Historical fiction
Interviews
Open ended question
Outlining
Picture starters
PowerPoint presentations
Quotations
Timelines
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 5 cs 4/2013 5
Reading Literature, Film, Speaking and Listening
How is the plot and use of suspense similar and
different between Romeo and Juliet and West Side
Story? Write responses to these questions in your
journal and share with a partner prior to class or
classroom blog discussion. (RL.8.6, SL.8.1a,b,c,d)
PRIMARY RESOURCES:
(E) indicates a CCSS exemplar text; (EA)
indicates a text from a writer with other works
identified as exemplars.
Literary Text
Drama
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Informational Texts
Various informational texts about William
Shakespeare, Elizabethan Era, The Globe Theater,
Renaissance
Art, Music and Media
Film
Franco Zeffirelli, dir., Romeo and Juliet (1968)
Baz Luhrmann, dir., Romeo and Juliet (1996)
Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise, dir., West
Side Story (1961)
Vocabulary journals
Writing starters
TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODULES
Login to PMSD Share Drive, click open ELA
Curriculum file, open PD file to select the
module Strategies to Guide Differentiated
Instruction *
*Module library will be continually updated
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 6 cs 4/2013 1
COURSE: English Language Arts GRADE(S): 8
UNIT 6: “THE ROAD NOT TAKEN”
KEY CONCEPTS: “The Road not Taken”
This eight-week unit of eighth grade encourages students to explore their strengths by reading about
strong characters who venture against conventional wisdom in search of the greater good.
THEME: The stage is set by Robert Frost’s poem, ―The Road Not Taken.‖ Although students read from classic
and contemporary literature, writing and class discussions focus on how literature helps us define the
tension between the needs of the individual and the greater good of society. The goal of this unit is for
students not only to apply the reading, writing, speaking, and listening strategies and skills they have
learned, but also to analyze how authors use allegory, symbolism, and satire to affect the reader. As a
final reading, students will revisit ―The Road Not Taken‖ in order to see how this unit leads to a deeper
understanding of the poem. This unit ends with an essay in response to the essential question. (The essay is
followed with a choice for students: to write their own narratives or to create their own multimedia
presentations that demonstrate what they have learned.)
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How is reading a poem or a script for a play different from performing it?
NATIONAL STANDARDS:
These Focus Standards have been selected for the unit from the Common Core State Standards.
RL.8.7: Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to
or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.
W.8.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
SL.8.4: Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with
relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact,
adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
L.8.3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or
listening.
L.8.3(a): Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the conditional and subjunctive mood to
achieve particular effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action; expressing uncertainty or
describing a state contrary to fact).
English Language Arts Assessment Anchors & Eligible Content:
Refer to PMSD PA CCSS Curriculum Framework Document
UNIT OBJECTIVES:
Read and discuss a variety of novels that reveal, explicitly or implicitly, ―the greater good.‖
Experiment with performing poetry in a variety of styles and discuss how these changes affect its
interpretation.
Compare and contrast characters, plots, themes, settings, and literary techniques used in the
stories read.
Analyze how particular lines of dialogue in literature propel the action and reveal aspects of a
character.
Analyze how writing styles and literary techniques, such as symbolism or satire, are used and how
their use affects meaning and reader engagement.
Write a variety of responses to literature and informational text.
Analyze the extent to which a filmed version of a story stays faithful to or departs from the text,
evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.
Create a multimedia presentation on ―the greater good‖ where the message is either explicitly
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 6 cs 4/2013 2
stated or implied.
TERMINOLOGY:
Allegory
Hero/heroine
Satire
Strength of character
Symbolism
Style
Irony
ACTIVITIES:
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
After reading The Giver by Lois Lowry:
Discuss the role of setting in The Giver. Why
does Lowry put emphasis on the controlled
utopian society?
Why does Lowry create an ambiguous
conclusion to the novel? Why is this literary
technique effective? Write responses to
these questions in your journal or on the
classroom blog and share with a partner
prior to class discussion. (SL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.4,
RL.8.6, RL.8.10)
Reading Poetry, Speaking and Listening
Introductory Activity: Read "The Road Not Taken‖ by
Robert Frost. Talk with a classmate about what you
think the poem means, both literally and figuratively.
Write your ideas down in your journal or on a
spreadsheet. We will revisit this poem at the end of
the unit to see if our thoughts and ideas have
changed. (RL.8.2, RL.8.4, SL.8.5)
Reading Literature, Argumentative Writing, Narrative
Writing, Language Usage, Language Mechanics
Reflecting on your experiences reading novels and
viewing related films in this unit, as well as literature
read all year, write an argument in response to the
essential question: How can literature help us define
the greater good? Include at least three examples
from texts to support your position, explaining why
they help define what is necessary for a better
world. You may also choose to write a narrative that
reveals your definition of the greater good or
develop a multimedia presentation in which your
definition is revealed and explained. In your
narrative or presentation, include references to
specific examples of what you learned from novels
read and films viewed about characters, the effect
of settings, and pivotal lines of dialogue. Incorporate
a variety of words learned this year. Edit your writing
for the grammar conventions studied this year.
ASSESSMENTS:
Academic history review of each student
Summative
Benchmark assessment
End of unit test
Individual or group projects and
presentations using PowerPoint and
Microsoft Publisher
PSSA
Study Island
Formative
Collaborative learning
Graphic organizers
Journals/logs
KWL
Outline
Surveys, polls and exit slips
Study Island
Ticket out
Teacher observation
Diagnostic
CDTs – ALL LEVELS
STAR – AS ADMINISTERED AND INDIVIDUAL
EVALUATION BY READING SPECIALIST
IRI – (INDIVIDUAL READING INVENTORY)
SORT – (SLOSSON ORAL READING TEST)
STUDY ISLAND BENCHMARKS
OER’S – RELEASED ITEMS (OPEN ENDED
RESPONSES)
REMEDIATION AND ENRICHMENT MAY BE DRIVEN
BY IEP AND GIEP DOCUMENTS OR MAY BE
PROVIDED ON AN AS NEEDED/REQUESTED BASIS
REMEDIATION:
Appropriate accommodations
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 6 cs 4/2013 3
Publish your essay, story, or multimedia presentation
as your culminating project for eighth grade. (W.8.3,
W.8.5, W.8.6, W.8.8, W.8.9a,b, W.8.10, SL.8.4, SL.8.5,
L.8.5, L.8.6, L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3)
Reading Literature, Narrative Writing, Language
Usage, Language Mechanics
Read the short story, ―Eleven,‖ by Sandra Cisneros.
Identify examples from the story that are vivid. As a
class, discuss memory and how it is an important
idea in the novel, The Giver. Brainstorm ideas for
specific memories that contain details that appeal
to the senses. Then write a personal narrative about
one specific memory, including descriptive
language. (W.8.3, W.8.5, W.8.6, W.8.8, W.8.9a,b,
W.8.10, SL.8.4, SL.8.5, L.8.5, L.8.6, L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3)
Vocabulary
Where do words come from? How does knowing
their origin help us not only to spell the words, but
also to understand their meaning? Add words found,
learned, and used throughout this unit to your
personal dictionary. This dictionary will be used all
year to explore the semantics (meanings) of words
and their origins. (L.8.4)
Language Mechanics
As a class, continue adding to the
Mechanics/Grammar bulletin board started in Unit
One. Remember—once skills are taught in a mini-
lesson and listed on the bulletin board, you are
expected to edit your work for these elements
before publication. (L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3)
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
As you read the novels (and view the films) in this
unit, take notes in your journal or on a spreadsheet
about particular lines of dialogue or incidents that
propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or
suggest the greater good. Be sure to note page
numbers with relevant information so you can cite
the text during class discussion.
What is the setting of the novel?
Who are the major and minor characters?
What problems or challenges do the
character(s) face? How does he/she
overcome these challenges?
Which lines of dialogue or events are pivotal
to the novel? Why?
What elements were changed between the
novel and the film version?
What traditional, mythical, or Biblical
references are made in the novel?
What elements of the greater good are
revealed, implicitly or explicitly, in the novel?
Apprentice text
(Apprentice text is a short, one- to four-
paragraph passage on the students’
independent level devoted to bridging
the gap between the introduction of the
standard- and grade-level application.)
Colored highlighters for focus
Explicit modeling followed by systematic
guided practice of each skill
Focus modality approach (i.e. VAKT –
visual auditory kinesthetic and tactile)
Individual conferences
One-on-one instruction
Qualifying students receive Wilson or Just
Words
Re-teaching challenging concepts to gain
mastery
SAS Portal as directed by CDTs
Study Island
Teachertube.com
(As needed, establish baseline via video
clips)
Word analysis mini lessons
ENRICHMENT:
In-depth discussion and extended
activities
Individualized enriched vertical
assignments and projects
Preview college professor’s online notes
and study guides
Extending skills to the next level of
complexity
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES & TOOLS:
Anticipation guides
Access and Conquer-Graphic Strategy
Baseline information for text
Class discussion
Close Reading
(A close reading is a careful and
purposeful reading. Close reading is one
of the shifts in the CC that demands
student focus on what the author has to
say, the author’s purpose, the text
structure and the meaning of the author’s
chosen words.)
Cooperative Learning
Differentiated instruction
Guided questioning
Integrated technology and 21st century
skills
K/W/L’s
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 6 cs 4/2013 4
Prior to class discussion, your teacher may give you
the opportunity to share your notes with a partner
who read the same text. (RL.8.3, RL.8.7, RL.8.9, RL.8.1,
RL.8.2, RL.8.10)
Art, Speaking and Listening
After reviewing the definition of imagery and its
relevance to Lowry’s novel, The Giver, the teacher
will present students with an illustration. Students will
be asked to bring the illustration to life in writing by
describing it, paying specific attention to figurative
language and the five senses. Students will share
their writing in small groups. After evaluating and
critiquing their work in small groups, one selection
from each group will be selected to be read
aloud.(SL.8.1, SL.8.2, SL.8.4, SL.8.5)
Reading Informational Text
After reading "The Front of the Bus‖ by Rosa Parks
from Decisions Decisions, respond to the following
question in your journal: How did Rosa Parks follow
"The Road Not Taken‖ in her defiance of
segregation? What can we learn from her? Post your
response on the classroom blog to encourage
conversation among your classmates. (RI.8.1, RI.8.6,
RI.8.8, W.8.4, RI.8.10, W.8.9b, L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3, L.8.5)
Reading Literature
Respond to the following questions in your journal or
on a spreadsheet:
Address multiple intelligences and
investigate how Lowry creates a satirical
utopia in order to criticize a desire for human
perfection?
How do the characters’ physical
characteristics reflect their inner feelings?
How does The Giver explore the idea of
utopia?
How is the idea of utopia related to ―the
greater good‖? (RL.8.4, RL.8.6, RL.8.9, W.8.4,
W.8.9a, L.8.5a,b,c)
Reading Literature
Compare the characters of Dr. Strauss and Dr.
Nemur from ―Flowers from Algernon” by Daniel
Keyes. How do their perspectives on life differ? Are
there any similarities between the two characters?
Write your responses to these questions in your
journal. (RL.8.1, RL.8.3, RL.8.6, RL.8.10)
Speaking and Listening, Reading Fluency,
Performance
Re-read the first poem read in this unit, "The Road
Not Taken.‖ After this unit of study, describe how
your understanding of this poem has changed.
Marginal note questions
Mnemonic devices
Modeling
Online resources
Personal dictionaries
Read/Evaluate/Write
Read it, write it, link it
Rituals as learning tools
Think Aloud
Think/pair/share
Thinking Maps
Writing Journals
UTILIZATION OF SPECIALIZED STAFF AS NEEDED
ESL Teachers
Guidance Counselors
Librarian/Media Specialist
Reading Specialists
Related Arts Teachers
Special Education Teachers
Anthologies:
Decisions Decisions, Perfection Learning
(2000)
Prentice Hall Literature Timeless Voices,
Timeless, Siliver Level (2002)
Online
Teacher recommended digital resources.
Examples:
www.youtube.com
www.literature.org
www.unitedstreaming.com
www.ducksters.com
www.Lit2go.com
www.promethanplanet.com
www.gutenberg.org
www.barleyby.com
www.teachertube.com
www.kahnacademy.org
TEACHER CREATED MATERIALS
Charts
Diagrams
Discussion questions
Double entry journals
Excerpts
Graphic organizers
Historical fiction
Interviews
Open ended question
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 6 cs 4/2013 5
What new insights have you gained? After class
discussion, practice reading the poem aloud,
emphasizing different words. How does changing
emphasis change the meaning? Highlight the words
and phrases you want to emphasize. Memorize and
recite it for your class. How is your interpretation
similar to and different from others? (RL.8.2, RL.8.4,
SL.8.
Reading Literature, Informative Writing, Language
Usage, Language Mechanics, Oral Presentation
Compare the societal discrimination that the Charlie
Gordon family experienced in ―Flowers for Algernon”
by Daniel Keyes to the racial discrimination
displayed in The “Front of the Bus” by Rosa Parks.
How are the characters’ experiences similar yet
different? Write a well-developed speech that
includes an engaging opening statement describing
your position and at least three examples cited from
the texts. Edit your writing for the grammar
conventions studied this year. Present your speech
to the class and record it using a video camera so
you can evaluate your performance. (RL.8.1, RL.8.2,
RL.8.3, RL.8.10, W.8.1, W.8.4, L.8.5, L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3,
L.8.5)
Reading Literature, Informative Writing, Speaking
and Listening
What important symbols are used in the works of
literature in this unit? How is the use of symbolism
integral to these poems, short stories or novels?
Make connections between the different texts.
Begin by outlining your ideas using a Venn diagram
in your journal or using an online template. Write an
informative/explanatory essay comparing and
contrasting the similarities and differences in these
novels, citing specific page numbers for explicit and
implicit text references. Share your essay with a
partner, and discuss as a class. Your teacher may
ask you to upload your essay to the classroom blog
in order to encourage an electronic conversation
with your classmates. (W.8.2, W.8.4, SL.8.1, RL.8.4,
RL.8.5, RL.8.9)
Film, Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
Read one of the novels from this unit. Then view
select scenes from the film version and compare
them to the scenes as written. Analyze the extent to
which a filmed or live production of a story or drama
stays faithful to or departs from the text, evaluating
the choices made by the director or actors. Write
responses to these questions in your journal and
share with a partner prior to class discussion. (RL.8.5,
RL.8.7, SL.8.6)
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
Outlining
Picture starters
PowerPoint presentations
Quotations
Timelines
Vocabulary journals
Writing starters
TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODULES
Login to PMSD Share Drive, click open ELA
Curriculum file, open PD file to select the
module Strategies to Guide Differentiated
Instruction *
*Module library will be continually updated
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 6 cs 4/2013 6
Compare and contrast settings, themes, and
characters, and how these story elements help us to
define the greater good. Evaluate the claims made
by your classmates and evaluate the soundness of
reasoning they use in discussion. Can you begin to
make any generalizations about what is the greater
good? Your teacher may encourage you to
continue the class discussion on the classroom blog
throughout the course of this unit. (SL.8.1, RL.8.9,
SL.8.3)
PRIMARY RESOURCES:
(E) indicates a CCSS exemplar text; (EA)
indicates a text from a writer with other works
identified as exemplars.
Literary Text
Poetry
―The Road Not Taken‖ (Robert Frost) (E) in
Prentice Hall Literature Timeless Voices,
Timeless Themes Silver Level page 44-45
―All But Blind‖ by Walter de la Mare in
Prentice Hall Literature Timeless Voices,
Timeless Themes Silver Level page 46
―The Choice‖ by Dorothy Park in Prentice Hall
Literature Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes
Silver Level page 48
―Dusting‖ by Julia Alvarez in Decisions,
Decisions.
―Traveling Through the Dark‖ by William
Stafford in Decisions, Decisions
―The Order of Things‖ by Michel Foucault in
Decisions, Decisions
Stories
―Flowers for Algernon‖ by Daniel Keyes in
Prentice Hall Literature Timeless Voices,
Timeless Themes Silver Level page182
―The Pedestrian‖ by Ray Bradbury
―Eleven‖ by Sandra Cisneros
Informational Texts
Nonfiction
“The Front of the Bus” by Rosa Parks from
Decisions, Decisions
Art, Music and Media
Art
Artemisia Gentileschi, Self-Portrait as the
Allegory of Painting (1638-1639)
Diego Velázquez, Juan de Pareja (1650)
POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM
ELA Grade 8 Unit 6 cs 4/2013 7
Film
Peter Weir, dir, The Truman Show (1998)
Ralph Nelson, dir, Charly (1968)
Jeff Blecker,, dir, Flowers for Algernon (2000)