Thompson Pacing Guide

Grading Period

Grade/Course English 8
Time
Fra
me

Week 16
8/69/18/15

Unit/SOL

1st 6 weeks
SOL
#

Strand

Resources

Grade 8 Reading & Writing Benchmarks

Pre-writing strategies and writing as a process
Paragraphs: 5 Steps to a Great Paragraph
Prewriting, revising, editing, and proofreading
Generating writing ideas from pre-writing
Outlines and graphic organizers
Logical order of thoughts & ideas
Content, unity, coherence
How to write a paragraph
Paragraphs with topic sentences, details, organization, and
closing statements & main idea and supporting details
Digging Deeper-elaborating in paragraph writing
Essay Writing:
Parts to an essay & thesis statements
Identifying& using transition words and phrases
Essay #1
Letter #1 Corresponds to Essay #1 (intro to letter writing &
formatting)
Writing:
Creative Writing- Once weekly video journaling, discussion &
debate questions, & journal responses to quotes
Outlines and graphic organizers
Complete/effective sentences
Grammar:
Capitalization /Punctuation Marks
Writing a complete sentence while avoiding comma splices & run
on (Use student writing samples)
Parts of Speech: Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, & Adjectives (yearlong)
Eight parts of speech (Honors & Semester class)
Pronoun & Antecedent Agreement
Once a week-real word grammar-social media slip ups
Short story #1 The Lottery:
Using Context Clues

8.7
8.8

Writing

8.8

Writing

Create Better
Writers
Online
Resources
Blowing Away
the
State Writing
Assessment Test

Online, SOL, &

Teacher
Resources
8.4
8.5
8.6

Reading/
literature
Elements of
Literature

 Characters
Irony
Foreshadowing
Reading skills: The Outsiders
Once weekly reading passage with 6 questions
Once weekly SOL reading passage with questions
Building Background Knowledge
Inferences
Comprehension
Main idea
Summarize
Context Clues
Analyze/ learn to annotate poetry
Paraphrase
Toss & talk ball for end of stories & novels
What is the question to this answer (ongoing with short stories &
novels)
Nonfiction
Identify the main idea.
Summarize text relating supporting details.
Identify an authors organizational pattern using textual clues,
such as
transitional words and phrases.
Identify cause and effect relationships
Make inferences and draw conclusions using evidence from text
Analyze the authors qualifications, viewpoint, and impact
Analyze details for relevance and accuracy & differentiate
between fact and opinion
Vocabulary/Spelling:
Connotation and denotation
On-going tier 2 & 3 words
Word root of the week
Use word analysis strategies
Use word reference materials
Word Origins
Multiple meanings
Synonyms & antonyms

Prentice Hall
Literature
Online
Resource
s
Preparation for
State Reading
Assessments
SOL Resources
Short Stories
Novels (class &
student choice)

8.6

8.4

Nonfictio
n
Teacher
Resources
Online
Resources
Scholastic Scope
(yearlong
students)
New York Times
Upfront (honors)
Preparation for
State Reading
Assessments
Vocabulary for
the Middle
School Student
Vocabulary for
the College
Bound Students
Online
Resources

Grade/Course:
Time
Fra
me
Week 712
9/1910/30/1
5

Grading Period

English 8
Unit/SOL

Grammar:
Capitalization /Punctuation Marks
Writing a complete sentence while avoiding comma splices
& run on (Use student writing samples)
Parts of Speech: Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, & Adjectives
(yearlong)
Eight parts of speech (Honors & Semester class)
Pronoun & Antecedent Agreement
Once a week-real word grammar-social media slip ups
Comparatives & Superlatives
Essay Writing:
Review & remind- Parts to an essay & thesis statements
Essay #2
Letter #2 Corresponds to Essay #2 (intro to letter writing
& formatting)
Applying proofreading skills
Evaluating, revising, proofreading and publishing
Writing:
Creative Writing- Once weekly video journaling, discussion
& debate questions, & journal responses to quotes
Outlines and graphic organizers
Complete/effective sentences
Short stories/Novels: Short Story #2 & #3 The Hounds of Fate &
The Monkeys Paw
Comprehension
Establishing a purpose
Making predictions
Recognizing character traits
Personification, hyperbole, foreshadowing, allusion,
onomatopoeia, simile, metaphor, imagery, point of view,
tone, & mood (indentifying & analyzing figurative
language activities (once weekly)
Toss & talk ball for end of stories & novels
What is the question to this answer (ongoing with short

SOL
#

2nd 6 weeks

Strand

8.7
8.8

Writing
Writing

8.5

Reading/
Literature

8.6

Reading/nonfictio

Resources

Online, SOL, & Teacher

Resources

Elements of Literature
Prentice Hall Literature
Online Resources
Preparation for State
Reading Assessments
SOL Resources
Short Stories
Novels (class & student
choice)

Teacher Resources

stories & novels)

Analyze/ learn to annotate poetry

Nonfiction
Identify the main idea.
Summarize text relating supporting details.
Identify an authors organizational pattern using textual
clues, such as
transitional words and phrases.
Identify cause and effect relationships
Make inferences and draw conclusions using evidence
from text
Analyze the authors qualifications, viewpoint, and impact
Analyze details for relevance and accuracy & differentiate
between fact and opinion
Vocabulary and spelling:
Connotation and denotation
On-going tier 2 & 3 words
Word root of the week
Use word analysis strategies
Use word reference materials
Word Origins
Multiple meanings
Synonyms & antonyms

8.4

Online Resources
Scholastic Scope
(yearlong students)
New York Times Upfront
(honors)
Preparation for State
Reading Assessments

Vocabulary for the

Middle School Student
Vocabulary for the
College Bound Students
Online Resources

Grade/Course
Time
Fra
me

Week
13-18
10/3112/16/1
5

Grading Period

English 8

3rd 6 weeks

SO
Unit/SOL

Writing
Evaluating Prompts
Applying proofreading skills
Evaluating, revising, proofreading and publishing
Outlines and graphic organizers
Complete/effective sentences
Essay # 3 & Letter #3
Short Stories/Novels The Boy in the Striped Pajamas & Short story #4
(if time allows)
Analyzing theme
Using Point-of-view
Monitoring comprehension
Using context clues
Identifying cause and effect
Verifying conclusions
Comprehension
Establishing a purpose
Making predictions
Recognizing character traits
Personification, hyperbole, foreshadowing, allusion,
onomatopoeia, simile, metaphor, imagery, point of view, tone, &
mood (indentifying & analyzing figurative language activities
(once weekly)
Toss & talk ball for end of stories & novels
What is the question to this answer (ongoing with short stories
& novels)
Analyze/ learn to annotate poetry
Nonfiction
Identify the main idea.
Summarize text relating supporting details.
Identify an authors organizational pattern using textual clues,

Strand

8.7
8.8
8.1
8.2

Writing

8.5
8.6

Reading/
Literature
Reading/Fiction
Reading/nonficti
on
Writing

Resources

Create Better
Writers
Online Resources

Elements of
Literature
Prentice Hall
Literature
Online Resources
Preparation for
State Reading
Assessments
SOL Resources
Short Stories
Novels (class &
student choice)

8.6
Reading/non
fiction
Online & teacher
resources
Scholastic Scope
(yearlong students)
New York Times
Upfront (honors)

such as
transitional words and phrases.
Identify cause and effect relationships
Make inferences and draw conclusions using evidence from text
Analyze the authors qualifications, viewpoint, and impact
Analyze details for relevance and accuracy & differentiate
between fact
and opinion
Identify cause and effect relationships

Grammar: Semester review & remediation if necessary

Maintain consistent verb tense across paragraphs
Use quotation marks with dialogue and direct quotations
Commas
Vocabulary and spelling:
Connotation and denotation
On-going tier 2 & 3 words
Word root of the week
Use word analysis strategies
Use word reference materials
Word Origins
Multiple meanings
Synonyms & antonyms
STAR Reading Test
8th grade reading & writing mid-year benchmarks

Preparation for
State Reading
Assessments
8.8
Writing
Online, SOL, &
Teacher Resources
8.4

Vocabulary for the

Middle School
Student
Vocabulary for the
College Bound
Students
Online Resources

Grade/Course
Time
Fra
me

Week
19-24
1/62/12/16

Grading Period

English 8

Unit/SOL

Short Stories:
Comprehension
Developing vocabulary through context clues
Review figurative language & analyze effect on a story
Personification, hyperbole, foreshadowing, allusion, onomatopoeia,
simile, metaphor, imagery, point of view, tone, & mood (indentifying &
analyzing figurative language activities (once weekly)
Toss & talk ball for end of stories & novels
What is the question to this answer (ongoing with short stories &
novels)
Analyze/ learn to annotate poetry

Nonfiction
Reading a timeline
Making predictions
Using resources
Using prior knowledge
Comparing and contrasting
Using text organizers
Analyzing and evaluating mass media
Persuasion/stating and supporting opinions
Creating anti-/pro-commercials
Understand How to article
Essay Writing/Letter Writing/ Persuasive Writing
Review prewriting strategies
Review writing process
Essays # 4 & 5 & Letters #4 & 5
Write a persuasive essay
Review first 25 prompts

4th 6 weeks

SOL
#

Strand

Resources

8.3
8.4
8.5

Reading/
literature

Elements of
Literature
Prentice Hall
Literature
Online Resources
Preparation for
State Reading
Assessments
SOL Resources
Short Stories
Novels (class &
student choice)

8.6

Reading/non
fiction

Online & teacher

resources
Scholastic Scope
(yearlong
students)
New York Times
Upfront (honors)
Preparation for
State Reading
Assessments

8.7
8.8

Writing
Online & teacher
resources
Create Better
Writers
Online Resources
Blowing Away the
State Writing
Assessment Test

8.8
Grammar:
Continue with reviews & remediation if necessary
Vocabulary and spelling:
Connotation and denotation
On-going tier 2 & 3 words
Word root of the week
Use word analysis strategies
Use word reference materials
Word Origins
Multiple meanings
Synonyms & antonyms

Writing

8.4
Online, SOL, &
Teacher resources
Vocabulary for the
Middle School
Student
Vocabulary for the
College Bound
Students
Online Resources

Grade/Course
Time
Fra
me

Weeks
25-30
2/133/24/16

Grading Period

English 8

Unit/SOL

Short Stories/Poetry Review

Comprehension
Developing vocabulary through context clues
Review figurative language & analyze effect on a story
Personification, hyperbole, foreshadowing, allusion, onomatopoeia,
simile, metaphor, imagery, point of view, tone, & mood (indentifying
& analyzing figurative language activities (once weekly)
Toss & talk ball for end of stories & novels
What is the question to this answer (ongoing with short stories &
novels)
Analyze/ learn to annotate poetry
Informational Reading/Nonfiction:
Identify the main idea.
Summarize text relating supporting details.
Identify an authors organizational pattern using textual clues,
such as
transitional words and phrases.
Identify cause and effect relationships
Make inferences and draw conclusions using evidence from text
Analyze the authors qualifications, viewpoint, and impact
Analyze details for relevance and accuracy & differentiate
between fact and opinion
Grammar
Review & Practice
Library and computer research skills
Writing (Review):
Prewriting Strategies
Elaboration
Thesis Statement Review

5th 6 weeks

SOL
#

Strand

Resources

8.5
8.6

Reading/
Literature

Elements of Literature
Prentice Hall Literature
Online Resources
Preparation for State
Reading Assessments
SOL Resources
Short Stories
Novels (class & student
choice)

8.5
8.6

Reading/
Nonfiction

Online, SOL, & teacher

resources
Scholastic Scope
(yearlong students)
New York Times Upfront
(honors)
Preparation for State
Reading Assessments

8.8

Writing

8.7
8.8
8.9
8.1
8.2
8.4

Reading/
Research/
Writing

Online, SOL, & Teacher

Resources
Create Better Writers
Online Resources
Blowing Away the
State Writing
Assessment Test
Vocabulary for the

Review last 15 prompts

Essays # 6 & 7 & Letters # 6 & 7
Vocabulary and spelling:
Connotation and denotation
On-going tier 2 & 3 words
Word root of the week
Use word analysis strategies
Use word reference materials
Word Origins
Multiple meanings
Synonyms & antonyms

Middle School Student

Vocabulary for the
College Bound Students
Online Resources

Grade/Course
Time
Fr
a
m
e
Week
31-36
3/255/17/16

Grading Period

English 8

Unit/SOL

Short Stories/Poetry
Review & Remediation as necessary
Interviews
Speech
analyze, develop, and produce creative or informational media
messages

6th Six weeks

SOL
#

Strand

Resources

8.5
8.6
8.1
8.2
8.3

Reading/
Literature

Elements of Literature
Prentice Hall Literature
Online Resources
Preparation for State
Reading Assessments
SOL Resources
Short Stories
Novels (class & student
choice)

8.5
8.6

Reading/
Nonfiction

Online, SOL, & teacher

resources
Scholastic Scope
(yearlong students)
New York Times Upfront
(honors)
Preparation for State
Reading Assessments

8.8

Writing
Reading/
Research

Online, SOL, & Teacher

Resources

8.6
8.8
8.7

Writing

Online, SOL, & Teacher

Resources

Informational Reading/Nonfiction:
Review & Remediation as necessary

Grammar
Review & Practice
Library and computer research skills
Sol Practice Tests
Writing:
Creative Writing-Story Finishers
Research & Communication Skills

8.4

Vocabulary and spelling:

Connotation and denotation
On-going tier 2 & 3 words
Word root of the week
Use word analysis strategies
Use word reference materials
Word Origins
Multiple meanings
Synonyms & antonyms

Vocabulary for the

Middle School Student
Vocabulary for the
College Bound Students
Online Resources