8th Grade ELA (Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks)

Reading: Literature (RL)

• RL.8.1 Cite the evidence that best supports analysis of what a text says and implies, quoting or paraphrasing.
• RL.8.2 Work out a theme or central idea, analyze how it develops with characters, setting and plot, and summarize objectively.
• RL.8.3 Analyze how particular dialogue or incidents drive the action, reveal character or prompt decisions.
• RL.8.4 Work out figurative and connotative meanings and analyze how word choices, including allusion and irony, affect meaning, tone or mood.
• RL.8.5 Compare how two or more texts are structured and how each structure adds to its meaning and style.
• RL.8.6 Analyze how gaps between what characters and the audience know (e.g. dramatic irony) create suspense or humor.
• RL.8.7 Judge how far a recorded, filmed or staged production stays true to or departs from the text, evaluating directors' or performers' choices.
• RL.8.9 Analyze how a modern novel or story reuses themes, plots or character types from myths, traditional tales or religious works and makes them new.
• RL.8.10 Read and understand grade 8 literary texts of many genres, cultures and perspectives on your own.

Reading: Informational Text (RI)

• RI.8.1 Cite the evidence that best supports analysis of what a text says and implies, quoting or paraphrasing.
• RI.8.2 Work out central ideas, analyze how they develop alongside supporting ideas and summarize objectively.
• RI.8.3 Analyze how a text connects and separates people, ideas or events, e.g. with comparisons, analogies or categories.
• RI.8.4 Work out figurative, connotative and technical meanings and analyze how word choices, including analogies and allusions, affect meaning and tone.
• RI.8.5 Analyze in detail how particular sentences, paragraphs and features develop and refine a key concept.
• RI.8.6 Work out the author's point of view or purpose and how the author answers conflicting evidence or views.
• RI.8.7 Weigh the pros and cons of different media (print, digital, video, multimedia) for presenting a topic.
• RI.8.8 Outline and judge an argument: is the reasoning sound and the evidence relevant and enough? Notice irrelevant evidence.
• RI.8.9 Analyze texts that give conflicting information on one topic and pinpoint where they disagree on facts or interpretation.
• RI.8.10 Read and understand grade 8 literary nonfiction of many genres, cultures and perspectives on your own.

Writing (W)

• W.8.1 Write arguments (essays, letters to the editor, advocacy speeches) backing claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
  • a. Introduce claims, set them apart from opposing claims and organize reasons and evidence logically.
  • b. Support claims with sound reasoning and relevant evidence from accurate, credible sources.
  • c. Use words, phrases and clauses to link claims, counterclaims, reasons and evidence smoothly.
  • d. Set up and keep a style that suits reader and purpose.
  • e. End with a conclusion that follows from and supports the argument.
• W.8.2 Write informative/explanatory texts that examine a topic by choosing, organizing and analyzing relevant content.
  • a. Introduce the topic with a preview, organize ideas into broader categories and add features or graphics if helpful.
  • b. Build the topic with well-chosen facts, definitions, details, quotations and examples.
  • c. Use varied transitions to link ideas and show how they relate.
  • d. Use exact language and subject vocabulary.
  • e. Set up and keep a style that suits reader and purpose.
  • f. End with a conclusion that follows from and supports the explanation.
• W.8.3 Write narratives using literary techniques, relevant detail and well-structured events.
  • a. Draw the reader in with a context, point of view and narrator or characters, and order events sensibly.
  • b. Use dialogue, pacing, description and reflection to develop events and characters.
  • c. Use varied transitions to show order, changes of time or place and how events relate.
  • d. Use exact words and detail to set a tone (humorous, serious, ironic) and show events.
  • e. End with a conclusion that reflects on the events.
• W.8.4 Produce clear, coherent writing whose development, organization and style fit the task, purpose and reader.
• W.8.5 Plan, revise, edit, rewrite or try a new approach, checking how well purpose and reader are served.
  • a. Use standard English conventions up to grade 8 Language Standards 1–3.
  • b. Choose accurate vocabulary for the reader and purpose, up to grade 8 Language Standards 4–6.
• W.8.6 Use technology, including web-based platforms, to produce and publish writing, show links between ideas efficiently and collaborate.
• W.8.7 Carry out short and longer research projects, including on your own questions, using several sources and opening new lines of inquiry.
• W.8.8 Gather information from several sources with good search terms, judge credibility and accuracy, and quote or paraphrase without plagiarism with citations.
• W.8.9 Draw on evidence from literary or informational texts in analysis, interpretation, reflection and research.
• W.8.10 Write regularly over long and short time frames for many subject tasks, purposes and readers.

Speaking and Listening (SL)

• SL.8.1 Discuss grade 8 topics, texts and issues well in pairs, groups and class, building on others' ideas and stating your own clearly.
  • a. Come prepared and refer to evidence to probe and reflect on ideas.
  • b. Follow rules for respectful discussion and decision making, track goals and deadlines and give roles.
  • c. Ask questions that connect several speakers' ideas and reply with relevant evidence and observations.
  • d. Take on board new information and qualify or justify your views in light of the evidence.
• SL.8.2 Analyze why information is presented in different media and judge the motives (social, commercial, political) behind it.
• SL.8.3 Outline a speaker's argument and claims, judge the reasoning and evidence and notice irrelevant evidence.
• SL.8.4 Present claims and findings clearly and coherently with relevant evidence, sound reasoning, chosen details and good delivery.
• SL.8.5 Blend multimedia and visuals into talks to make information clearer, strengthen claims and add interest.
• SL.8.6 Adjust speech to the situation and task, showing command of formal English when needed.

Language (L)

• L.8.1 Use standard English grammar and usage in writing and speaking, keeping earlier skills.
  • a. Coordinate phrases and clauses in all sentence types, with pronouns agreeing with their antecedents.
  • b. Use active and passive voice and the different verb moods (statements, commands, questions, conditions, wishes) for meaning.
• L.8.2 Use standard English capitals, punctuation and spelling when writing.
  • a. Show a pause or break with a comma, ellipsis or dash.
  • b. Show that words were left out with an ellipsis.
  • c. Spell correctly, knowing some words have accepted variants.
• L.8.3 Apply what you know about how language works when you write, speak, read and listen.
  • a. Keep style and tone consistent while varying sentence patterns for meaning and interest.
  • b. Spot non-standard or informal English, judge whether it suits the purpose and reader, and change it if needed.
• L.8.4 Figure out what unfamiliar words and words with several meanings mean, choosing from a range of strategies.
  • a. Use context, such as the sentence's meaning or a word's position, as a clue.
  • b. Treat Greek and Latin word parts (prefixes, suffixes, roots) as clues to meaning (precede, recede, secede).
  • c. Check general and specialist references for pronunciation, exact meaning or part of speech.
  • d. Confirm a first guess at a meaning from context or a dictionary.
• L.8.5 Understand figurative language, word relationships and shades of meaning.
  • a. Interpret figures of speech such as verbal irony and puns in context.
  • b. Use how particular words relate to understand each one better.
  • c. Tell apart connotations of words with similar meanings (willful, persistent, resolute).
• L.8.6 Learn and use grade 8 academic and subject words, researching words on your own.