8th Grade Reading Unit 1 Changes and Progress

Essential Question:
In what ways can change/progress/growth be both positive and negative?
Duration: 5 weeks
Terminology:
connotative meaning
explicit textual evidence
implicit textual evidence
literal vs. figurative language
setting
theme
travelogue
Resources:
McDougal Littell Literature Textbook
Selected stories, nonfiction, and poems (some listed below)
The Cremation of Sam McGee (poem)
Western Wagons (poem)
The Other Pioneers (poem)
The Ransom of Red Chief (short story)
A Retrieved Reformation (short story)
Excerpt from Roughing It (memoir)
The Great Rat Hunt (short story)
Chicago (poem)
The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 (magazine article)
The Great Fire (book)

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 Call of the Wild (novel)

Focus 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
RI.8.6: Determine an authors point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author
acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints
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.8.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8, 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 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
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 words position or
function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word of 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)
Objectives:
Read and discuss a variety of fiction and nonfiction, specifically what these genres reveal about
change and progress, and about life during the Westward Expansion period
Write a variety of responses to literature, poetry, and informational text
Compare and contrast story characters, plots, themes, and settings from stories about change
and progress, and about Westward Expansion
Analyze different accounts of the same event
Write poetry (concrete or haiku) and perform it for classmates

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8th Grade Reading Unit 2 Conflicts

Essential Question:
What can we learn from confronting or avoiding a problem?
Duration: 5 weeks
Terminology:
genre
setting (review)
text structures
explicit textual evidence (review)
implicit textual evidence (review)
travelogue

Resources:
McDougal Littell Literature Textbook
Selected stories, nonfiction, and poems (some listed below)
Civil War Journal (primary source)
Drummer Boy of Shiloh (short story)
O Captain! My Captain! (poem)
Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad (biography, letter/primary
source)
The Mysterious Mr. Lincoln (biography)
The Hitchhiker (drama)
The Road Not Taken (poem)
Barbara Frietchie (poem)
Notes from the Midnight Driver (novel)
Pink and Say (picture book)
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 The Red Badge of Courage (novel/ebook)

Focus Standards:
RL.8.5: Compare and contrast the structure or two or more texts and analyze how the differing
structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style
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
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)
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): Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning
and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify,
verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent an creative
perspectives
SL.8.1 (d): Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and
evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and
determine what additional information on research is required to deepen the
investigation or complete the task
L.8.4: Determine or clarify the meaning or unknown and multiple=meaning words or phrases
based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies
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)

Objectives:
Read and discuss a variety of fiction and nonfiction, specifically what these genres reveal about
life during the Civil War period

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 Compare and contrast information learned about life during the Civil War with the previous
study of Westward Expansion
Compare and contrast story characters, plots , themes, and settings from stories that are set
during the Civil War time period
Write a variety of responses to literature, poetry, and informational text
Evaluate the structure of various texts and discuss the impact of structure on its meaning
Write an argument, supported by clear reasons and evidence, related to the Civil War that you
believe was most memorable
Recognize nuances in meaning among similar words
Participate in group discussions

8th Grade Reading Unit 3 Technology and Advancement

Essential Question: Does technology improve life or harm it?
Duration: 4 weeks
Terminology:
character types
historical fiction
patterns of evidence
point of view
pre-conceived notion
Resources:
McDougal Littell Literature Textbook
Selected stories, nonfiction, and poems (some listed below)
excerpts from Ashes of Roses (novel)
Flowers for Algernon (short story)
The City of Ember (novel)
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 We Were There, Too (nonfiction book)

There Will Come Soft Rains (short story)
The Chimney Sweeper (both versions-poetry)
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (poetry)
Us and Them (essay)
The Story of an Eyewitness (eyewitness account)
Robo-Legs (magazine article)
Eureka: Scientific Twists of Fate (online article)
from An American Plague (nonfiction book)
The Giver (novel)
We Shall Not Be Moved: The Womens Factory Strike of 1909 (nonfiction book)
excerpts from The Great Gatsby (novel)
Focus Standards:
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
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
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
Objectives:
Read and discuss a variety of fiction and nonfiction about events from Americas past
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 Compare and contrast story characters, plots, themes, and settings from stories about American
history, specifically the period of the Industrial Revolution
Analyze how historical fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from
myths or traditional stories
Write a variety of responses to literature, poetry, and informational texts, notably the
Constitution
Determine an authors point of view in a text, and discuss the impact that has on what was
written
Recite poetry with classmates
Conduct an in-depth research project on a historical event of choice, followed by a multimedia
report that includes insights from historical fiction
Participate in group discussions
8th Grade Reading Unit 4Tough Times
Essential Question: In what ways does adversity bring out the best and the worst in people?
Duration: 4 weeks
Terminology:
authors style
humor
irony
mood
perspective (worms eye, birds eye)
point of view
tone

Resources:
McDougal Littell Literature Textbook
Selected stories, nonfiction, and poems (some listed below)

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 A Long Way from Chicago (novel)

Witness (novel)
The Monkeys Paw (short story)
The Landlady (short story)
Leaving Desire (nonfiction)
FDR Inaugural Address (nonfiction/primary source)
FDR Fireside Chats (nonfiction/primary source)
The Tell-Tale Heart (short story)
excerpts from Out of the Dust (novel)
various photographs by Dorthea Lange (photographs)
Sharing Memories: 1930s Life on the Farm During the Great Depression (online
autobiography)
Nonfiction article on Great Depression
Excerpts from The Grapes of Wrath (novel)
Children of the Great Depression (nonfiction)
Children of the Dust Bowl (nonfiction)

Focus 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

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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) behinds 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)

Objectives:
Read and discuss a variety of fiction and nonfiction, specifically what these genres reveal about
the time period of World War I
Determine an authors point of view in a text, compare it with an artists perspective in a work
of art, and discuss the impact perspective has on what was created
Compare and contrast authors and artists motivation for creativity
Conduct research on a Civil War topic/figure of choice
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used to describe Civil War events and
historical figures, including figurative, connotative, and technical vocabulary
Discuss how the use of literary techniques, such as humor or point of view, helps engage readers
with the text
Write a variety of responses to literature, poetry, informational text, and works of art
Participate in group discussions

8th Grade Reading Unit 5Beliefs and Ideals

Essential Question: How can acts of inhumanity challenge our beliefs and assumptions about the
world?

Duration: 4 weeks
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Terminology:
authors style
irony
mood
perspective (worms eye, birds eye)
point of view
tone
Resources:
McDougal Littell Literature Textbook
Selected stories, nonfiction, and poems

Focus 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) behinds 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

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L.8.5 (c): Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations
(definitions) (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute)

Objectives:
Read and discuss a variety of fiction and nonfiction, specifically what these genres reveal about
the time period of World War I
Determine an authors point of view in a text, compare it with an artists perspective in a work
of art, and discuss the impact perspective has on what was created
Compare and contrast authors and artists motivation for creativity
Conduct research on a Civil War topic/figure of choice
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used to describe Civil War events and
historical figures, including figurative, connotative, and technical vocabulary
Discuss how the use of literary techniques, such as humor or point of view, helps engage readers
with the text
Write a variety of responses to literature, poetry, informational text, and works of art
Participate in group discussions

8th Grade Reading Unit6Worth the Fight

Essential Question: What is worth fighting for?

Duration: 4 weeks
Terminology:
allegory
explicit
hero/heroine

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 implicit
satire
strength of character
symbolism
writing style
Resources:
McDougal Littell Literature Textbook
Selected stories, nonfiction, and poems

Focus 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

Objectives:
Read and discuss a variety of novels /stories/nonfiction pieces 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

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 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
character
Analyze how writing styles and literary techniques, such as symbolism or satire, are used and
how their use impacts 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
stated or implied
Participate in group discussions

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