Grade 8 ELA IAS Standards

Students actively engage in listening, discussing, and presenting ideas justified by sound reasoning and textual evidence.

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (e.g., one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) on grade-appropriate topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing personal ideas clearly. (E)

Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas. (E)

Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify personal views in reference to the evidence presented.

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.

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.

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.

Develop engaging presentations that integrate multimedia components and visual displays to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.

Identify and analyze persuasive and propaganda techniques used in visual and verbal messages by electronic, print, and mass media, and identify false or misleading information. (E)

Students analyze the author's technique, structure, main ideas, purpose, and perspective in grade-level fiction and nonfiction text, using textual evidence to support analysis.

Analyze what a text says explicitly as well as draw inferences through strong and supportive textual evidence. (E)

Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede).

Interpret figures of speech (e.g., verbal irony, puns) in context.

Analyze the development of a theme or central idea over the course of a work of literature, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide a detailed summary that supports the analysis. (E)

Compare and contrast the structure of two or more related works of literature (e.g., similar topic or theme), and analyze and evaluate how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style. (E)

Analyze the development of a central idea over the course of a text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide a detailed, objective summary of the text.

Determine an author's perspective or purpose in a text, and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

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. (E)

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.

Use context to determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases.

Distinguish among the connotations of words with similar denotations.

Students compose writing and presentations for various genres which demonstrate a command of English grammar and usage through the writing and research processes.

Write arguments in a variety of forms that:

Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.

Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

Use effective transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

Establish and maintain a consistent style and tone appropriate for the purpose and audience.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows and supports the argument presented. (E)

Write informative compositions in a variety of forms that:

Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aid comprehension.

Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples from various sources and texts.

Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.

Choose language and content-specific vocabulary that express ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.

Establish and maintain a style appropriate for the purpose and audience.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows and supports the information or explanation presented. (E)

Write narrative compositions in a variety of forms that:

Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters.

Organize an event sequence (e.g., conflict, climax, resolution) that unfolds naturally and logically, using a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.

Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.

Provide an ending that follows and reflects on the narrated experiences or events. (E)

Apply the writing process to all formal writing including but not limited to argumentative, informative, and narrative:

Plan and develop, draft, and revise writing using appropriate reference materials. Rewrite, try a new approach, and edit to produce and strengthen writing that is clear and coherent with some guidance and support from peers and adults.

Use technology to interact and collaborate with others to generate, produce, and publish writing and present information and ideas efficiently.

Conduct research assignments and tasks to build knowledge about the research process and the topic under study.

Formulate a research question.

Gather relevant information from multiple sources, using search terms effectively, and annotate sources.

Assess the credibility and accuracy of each source.

Quote or paraphrase the information and conclusions of others.

Avoid plagiarism and follow a standard format for citation.

Present information, choosing from a variety of formats. (E)

Demonstrate command of English grammar and usage, focusing on: a. Verbs – Explaining the function of verbals (e.g., gerunds, participles, infinitives) in general and their function in particular sentences; forming and using active and passive voice; recognizing and correcting inappropriate shifts in verb voice. (E)

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, focusing on:

Punctuation – Using punctuation (e.g., comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a pause, break, or omission. (E)

Writing

Communication and Collaboration

Reading Comprehension