ELA Grade 8 READING

New York State Learning Standards

designed,
aligned and
supported by

Main Menu

Grade 8
Aligned Lessons

ELA: Grade 8 - READING
Standard One Standard Two Standard Three Standard Four Literary Competencies Top
Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
	8.1.R.1	Locate and use school and public library resources independently to acquire information	An Exploration of Text Sets: Supporting All Readers Book Reviews, Annotation, and Web Technology Beyond the Story: A Dickens of a Party Listening to History Biography Project: Research and Class Presentation Folktale Frenzy: WebQuest Writing Tenement Life: Mapping Texts and Making Models Picture Books as Framing Texts: Research Paper Strategies for Struggling Writers "Esperanza Rising": Not Being Afraid to Start Over Inquiry on the Internet: Evaluating Web Pages for a Class Collection Exploring Free Speech and Persuasion With '"Nothing But the Truth" Let it Grow: An Inquiry-Based Organic Gardening Research Project Investigating Names to Explore Personal History and Cultural Traditions Working Together for the Manatee Great American Inventors: Using Nonfiction to Learn About Technology Inventions Discovering Memory: Li-Young Lee's Poem "Mnemonic" and the Brain Developing Searching, Skimming, and Scanning Skills With Internet Bingo Defining Literacy in a Digital World: Student Interactive Defining Literacy in a Digital World Crit Lit for Kids: From Critical Consciousness to Service Learning Airport Numbers Can It Be? Tales of King Arthur Timelines and Texts: Motivating Students to Read Nonfiction Travel Brochures: Highlighting the Setting of a Story Trekking to Timbuktu: Timbuktu -- A Center of Trade Viking Voyagers: Navigating Online Content Area Reading Wading Through the Web: Teaching Internet Research Strategies Who Were the Foremothers of Women's Equality? Pygmies: Getting Right to the Point Viewing Vocabulary: Building Word Knowledge Through Informational Websites Students as Creators: Exploring Multimedia
	8.1.R.2	Apply thinking skills, such as define, classify, and infer, to interpret data, facts, and ideas from informational texts	Comparison and Contrast Guide: Student Interactive Slipping, Sliding, Tumbling: Reinforcing Cause and Effect Through Diamante Poems Writing Technical Instructions Fair Use Travelogue: Student Interactive Gold Rush Web Resources: Student Interactive Tragic Love: Introducing Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet"
	8.1.R.3	Read and follow written multistep directions or procedures to accomplish a task or complete an assignment	Airport Numbers Writing Technical Instructions Peer Edit With Perfection! Tutorial: Student Interactive Students as Creators: Exploring Multimedia
	8.1.R.4	Preview informational texts to assess content and organization and select texts useful for the task	Biography Project: Research and Class Presentation Defining Literacy in a Digital World: Student Interactive Travel Brochures: Highlighting the Setting of a Story Using THIEVES to Preview Nonfiction Texts Weaving the Threads: Integrating Poetry Annotation and Web Technology Viewing Vocabulary: Building Word Knowledge Through Informational Websites
	8.1.R.5	Use indexes to locate information and glossaries to define terms	Weaving the Threads: Integrating Poetry Annotation and Web Technology Exploring the Judicial System Through a Literary Mock Trial: Student Interactive
	8.1.R.6	Use knowledge of structure, content, and vocabulary to understand informational text	Improve Comprehension Using a Word Card Game With Root Words and Affixes I've Got It Covered! Creating Magazine Covers to Summarize Texts Every Punctuation Mark Matters: A Mini-Lesson on Semicolons Introducing Shakespeare: The Bard's English Using THIEVES to Preview Nonfiction Texts
	8.1.R.7	Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information	Book Report Alternative: Creating Careers for Characters Memories Matter: The Giver and Descriptive Writing Memoirs Research Building Blocks: Notes, Quotes, and Fact Fragments I've Got It Covered! Creating Magazine Covers to Summarize Texts Play Ball! Encouraging Critical Thinking Through Baseball Questions Travel Brochures: Highlighting the Setting of a Story Trekking to Timbuktu: Timbuktu -- A Center of Trade Weaving the Threads: Integrating Poetry Annotation and Web Technology Who Were the Foremothers of Women's Equality? Pygmies: Getting Right to the Point Fair Use Travelogue: Student Interactive Gold Rush Web Resources: Student Interactive
	8.1.R.8	Identify missing, conflicting, or unclear information	Weaving the Threads: Integrating Poetry Annotation and Web Technology Pygmies: Getting Right to the Point
	8.1.R.9	Formulate questions to be answered by reading informational text	Examining "Island of the Blue Dolphins" through a Literary Lens Play Ball! Encouraging Critical Thinking Through Baseball Questions
	8.1.R.10	Compare and contrast information from a variety of different sources	An Exploration of Text Sets: Supporting All Readers Online Music Jefferson vs. Franklin: Renaissance Men Dynamic Duo Text Talks: Examining the Content of Internet Sites Discovering Memory: Li-Young Lee's Poem "Mnemonic" and the Brain Defining Literacy in a Digital World Comparison and Contrast Guide: Student Interactive Airport Numbers Climbing Mount Everest: Then and Now Colonial Broadsides and the American Revolution Comparing and Contrasting: Picturing an Organizational Pattern Ecosystem Services - Water Purification The Statue of Liberty: Bringing the "New Colossus" to America Three-Voice Narrative Venn Diagram: Student Interactive What's in a Name?: Student Interactive Exploring the Judicial System Through a Literary Mock Trial: Student Interactive
	8.1.R.11	Condense, combine, or categorize new information from one or more sources	Research Building Blocks: Notes, Quotes, and Fact Fragments Child Labor: Giving Voice to the Industrial Revolution Through Monologues Great American Inventors: Using Nonfiction to Learn About Technology Inventions Discovering Memory: Li-Young Lee's Poem "Mnemonic" and the Brain Airport Numbers Climbing Mount Everest: Then and Now Colonial Broadsides and the American Revolution Guided Comprehension in Action: Teaching Summarizing With the Bio-Cube My Life/Your Life: A Look at Your Parents' Past Tales of King Arthur The Statue of Liberty: Bringing the "New Colossus" to America Travel Brochures: Highlighting the Setting of a Story Trekking to Timbuktu: Timbuktu -- A Center of Trade Pygmies: Getting Right to the Point Viewing Vocabulary: Building Word Knowledge Through Informational Websites What's in a Name?: Student Interactive Gold Rush Web Resources: Student Interactive
	8.1.R.12	Draw conclusions and make inferences on the basis of explicit and implied information	Book Report Alternative: Creating Careers for Characters Lights, Camera, Action: Interviewing a Book Character Research Building Blocks: Notes, Quotes, and Fact Fragments Great American Inventors: Using Nonfiction to Learn About Technology Inventions A Directed Listening-Thinking Activity for "The Tell-Tale Heart" Climbing Mount Everest: Then and Now My Life/Your Life: A Look at Your Parents' Past
	8.1.R.13	Make, confirm, or revise predictions	Reading and Writing Workshop: Freak The Mighty A Directed Listening-Thinking Activity for "The Tell-Tale Heart" Can It Be? Climbing Mount Everest: Then and Now
Standard One Standard Two Standard Three Standard Four Literary Competencies Top
Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
	8.2.R.1	Read silently and aloud from a variety of genres, authors, and themes	Reading and Analyzing Multigenre Texts Say Hi to Haibun Fun: Student Interactive Three-Voice Narrative Venn Diagram: Student Interactive
	8.2.R.2	Interpret characters, plot, setting, theme, and dialogue, using evidence from the text	Beyond the Story: A Dickens of a Party Lights, Camera, Action: Interviewing a Book Character Expository Escapade-Detective's Handbook Jack London's Call of the Wild: "Nature Faker?" The Jataka Tales: 550 Lessons of the Buddha The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Action Is Character: Exploring Character Traits with Adjectives Poems That Tell a Story: Narrative and Persona in the Poetry of Robert Frost Teaching Plot Structure Through Short Stories Weaving the Multigenre Web Chaucer's Wife of Bath Word Maps: Developing Critical and Analytical Thinking About Literary Characters Interactive Genre Selection Chart: Student Interactive Literary Elements Map: Student Interactive Leading to Great Places in the Middle School Classroom Interactive Circle Plot Diagram: Student Interactive Exploring Change through Allegory and Poetry Daily Book Boosts Crit Lit for Kids: From Critical Consciousness to Service Learning Character Traits Chart: Student Interactive Character Trading Cards: Student Interactive Character Childhood Planning Chart: Student Interactive Empowered Fiction Writers: Generating and Organizing Ideas for Story Writing Plot Structure: A Literary Elements Mini-Lesson Robert Frost Prompts the Poet in You Story Character Homepage Tales of King Arthur Say Hi to Haibun Fun: Student Interactive Story Mapping: Student Interactive Summer Blockbusters Teaching Plot Structure Through Short Stories: Student Interactive The Elements of Fiction: Student Interactive What Makes a Poem an Epic?: Student Interactive Basic Character Analysis Questions: Student Interactive Thoughtful Threads: Sparking Rich Online Discussions
	8.2.R.3	Identify the author�s point of view, such as first-person narrator and omniscient narrator	Edgar Allen Poe, Ambrose Bierce, and the Unreliable Narrator (6-8) Choose Your Own Adventure: A Hypertext Writing Experience Chaucer's Wife of Bath Hawthorne: Author and Narrator Leading to Great Places in the Middle School Classroom Alphabiography Project: Totally You Letters and Learning Genre The Elements of Fiction: Student Interactive
	8.2.R.4	Determine how the use and meaning of literary devices, such as symbolism, metaphor and simile, illustration, personification, flashback, and foreshadowing, convey the author�s message or intent	Modeling Reading and Analysis Processes with the Works of Edgar Allan Poe Using the Four-Square Strategy to Define and Identify Poetic Terms Alliteration in Headline Poems Poems That Tell a Story: Narrative and Persona in the Poetry of Robert Frost Pictures in Words: "The Charge of the Light Brigade" and "The Highwayman" What Am I? Teaching Poetry through Riddles Exploring Change through Allegory and Poetry Comic Vocabulary: Student Interactive Every Punctuation Mark Matters: A Mini-Lesson on Semicolons Lonely as a Cloud: Using Poetry to Understand Similes Plot Structure: A Literary Elements Mini-Lesson The Statue of Liberty: Bringing the "New Colossus" to America Say Hi to Haibun Fun: Student Interactive The Elements of Fiction: Student Interactive The ABCs of Poetry Birches, Too: Student Interactive Birches: Student Interactive
	8.2.R.5	Recognize how the author�s use of language creates images or feelings	Modeling Reading and Analysis Processes with the Works of Edgar Allan Poe The Poet's Voice: Langston Hughes and You Poems That Tell a Story: Narrative and Persona in the Poetry of Robert Frost Pictures in Words: "The Charge of the Light Brigade" and "The Highwayman" After the American Revolution: Free African Americans in the North Style: Defining and Exploring an Author's Stylistic Choices Style: Translating Stylistic Choices from Hawthorne to Hemingway and Back Again "Holes" Found Poem Word Mover: Student Interactive Leading to Great Places in the Middle School Classroom Found Poems/Parallel Poems Alphabiography Project: Totally You Introducing Shakespeare: The Bard's English Once Upon a Fairy Tale: Teaching Revision as a Concept Robert Frost Prompts the Poet in You Polishing Preposition Skills through Poetry and Publication Say Hi to Haibun Fun: Student Interactive Dancing A Christmas Carol
	8.2.R.6	Identify poetic elements, such as repetition, rhythm, and rhyming patterns, in order to interpret poetry	Modeling Reading and Analysis Processes with the Works of Edgar Allan Poe Using the Four-Square Strategy to Define and Identify Poetic Terms Poems That Tell a Story: Narrative and Persona in the Poetry of Robert Frost Exploring Onomatopoeia: Student Interactive Put That on the List: Collaboratively Writing a Catalog Poem The Magnetism of Language: Parts of Speech, Poetry, and Word Play Latino Poetry Blog: Blogging as a Forum for Open Discussion
	8.2.R.7	Compare motives of characters, causes of events, and importance of setting in literature to people, events, and places in own lives	A High-Interest Novel Helps Struggling Readers Confront Bullying in Schools Word Maps: Developing Critical and Analytical Thinking About Literary Characters Crit Lit for Kids: From Critical Consciousness to Service Learning Story Character Homepage Cultural Relevance Rubric: Student Interactive Thoughtful Threads: Sparking Rich Online Discussions Tragic Love: Introducing Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet"
	8.2.R.8	Identify social and cultural contexts and other characteristics of the time period in order to enhance understanding and appreciation of text	The Jataka Tales: 550 Lessons of the Buddha Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges: Critical Discussion of Social Issues Making Personal and Cultural Connections Using "A Girl Named Disaster" Traveling the Road to Freedom Through Research and Historical Fiction Writing Free Verse in the "Voice" of Cesar Chavez Crit Lit for Kids: From Critical Consciousness to Service Learning Book Report Alternative: A Character's Letter to the Editor Colonial Broadsides and the American Revolution Introducing Shakespeare: The Bard's English My Life/Your Life: A Look at Your Parents' Past New Takes on Old Tales Tales of King Arthur Trekking to Timbuktu: Timbuktu -- A Center of Trade When I Was Young In... A Literature to Language Experience Who Were the Foremothers of Women's Equality? Dancing A Christmas Carol
	8.2.R.9	Compare a film, video, or stage version of a literary work with the written version	You Know the Movie Is Coming -- Now What?
Standard One Standard Two Standard Three Standard Four Literary Competencies Top
Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
	8.3.R.1	Evaluate the validity and accuracy of information, ideas, themes, opinions, and experiences in texts: for example, identify conflicting information consider the background and qualifications of the writer question the writer�s assumptions, beliefs, intentions, and biases evaluate examples, details, or reasons used to support ideas identify fallacies of logic that lead to unsupported conclusions discriminate between apparent messages and hidden agendas identify propaganda and evaluate its effectiveness identify techniques the author uses to persuade (e.g., emotional and ethical appeals) identify differing points of view in texts and presentations identify cultural and ethnic values and their impact on content identify multiple levels of meaning	Promoting Diversity in the Classroom and School Library through Social Action Myth and Truth: The First Thanksgiving Critical Media Literacy: Commercial Advertising Points of View in the News Crit Lit for Kids: From Critical Consciousness to Service Learning Comparing Electronic and Print Texts About the Civil War Soldier Comparing and Contrasting: Picturing an Organizational Pattern When I Was Young In... A Literature to Language Experience
	8.3.R.2	Judge a text by using evaluative criteria from a variety of perspectives, such as literary, political, and personal	Points of View in the News Improve Students' Writing Using Online Workshops Daily Book Boosts Crit Lit for Kids: From Critical Consciousness to Service Learning Once Upon a Fairy Tale: Teaching Revision as a Concept Wading Through the Web: Teaching Internet Research Strategies
	8.3.R.3	Suspend judgment until all information has been presented
Standard One Standard Two Standard Three Standard Four Literary Competencies Top
Standard 4: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
	8.4.R.1	Share reading experiences with peers or adults; for example, read together silently or aloud with a partner or in small groups	Fairy Tale Autobiographies Teaching Plot Structure Through Short Stories Leading to Great Places in the Middle School Classroom Improve Students' Writing Using Online Workshops Great American Inventors: Using Nonfiction to Learn About Technology Inventions Exploring Change through Allegory and Poetry Daily Book Boosts New Takes on Old Tales Once Upon a Fairy Tale: Teaching Revision as a Concept Robert Frost Prompts the Poet in You Story Character Homepage Summertime Favorites 2005 The Magnetism of Language: Parts of Speech, Poetry, and Word Play Latino Poetry Blog: Blogging as a Forum for Open Discussion Thoughtful Threads: Sparking Rich Online Discussions
	8.4.R.2	Consider the age, gender, social position, and traditions of the writer
	8.4.R.3	Recognize the types of language (e.g., informal vocabulary, culture-specific terminology, jargon, colloquialisms, and email conventions) that are appropriate to social communication	Letters and Learning Genre Supporting Vocabulary Development with EASE
Standard One Standard Two Standard Three Standard Four Literary Competencies Top
Literacy Competencies
	8.LC.R.1	Word Recognition Recognize at sight a large body of high-frequency words and specialized content vocabulary
	8.LC.R.2	Word Recognition Use a variety of word recognition strategies, such as letter-sound correspondence, syllable patterns, decoding by analogy, word structure, use of syntactic (grammar) cues, and use of semantic (meaning) cues, to read unfamiliar words quickly and accurately
	8.LC.R.3	Word Recognition Use varied sources of information, including context, to monitor and self-correct for word-reading accuracy
	8.LC.R.4	Background Knowledge and Vocabulary Development Acquire grade-appropriate vocabulary by reading a variety of texts across subject areas	Internalization of Vocabulary Through the Use of a Word Map Nature and Culture Detectives: Investigating Jack London's "White Fang"
	8.LC.R.5	Background Knowledge and Vocabulary Development Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words, terms, and idioms by using context, dictionaries, glossaries, and other print and electronic resources	Reading and Writing Workshop: Freak The Mighty The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Using a Word Journal to Create a Personal Dictionary Internalization of Vocabulary Through the Use of a Word Map
	8.LC.R.6	Background Knowledge and Vocabulary Development Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words, terms, and idioms by using word structure knowledge, such as roots (e.g., Greek and Latin), prefixes, and suffixes, to determine word meaning	Flip-a-Chip: Examining Affixes and Roots to Build Vocabulary Flip-a-Chip: Student Interactive
	8.LC.R.7	Background Knowledge and Vocabulary Development Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words, terms, and idioms by using prior knowledge and context clues	ABC Bookmaking Builds Vocabulary in the Content Areas Using a Word Journal to Create a Personal Dictionary Internalization of Vocabulary Through the Use of a Word Map Alphabet Organizer: Student Interactive Tragic Love: Introducing Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet"
	8.LC.R.8	Background Knowledge and Vocabulary Development Recognize grade-appropriate synonyms and antonyms and use a thesaurus to identify additional examples
	8.LC.R.9	Background Knowledge and Vocabulary Development Recognize multiple meanings of words and connections among meanings of words
	8.LC.R.10	Fluency Read grade-appropriate texts with appropriate expression, phrasing, and pacing
	8.LC.R.11	Comprehension/Response Respond to and comprehend various genres for student-selected and teacher-selected purposes
	8.LC.R.12	Comprehension/Response Combine multiple strategies (e.g., predict/confirm, question, visualize, summarize, monitor, self-correct) to enhance comprehension and response	Modeling Reading and Analysis Processes with the Works of Edgar Allan Poe Focusing Reader Response Through Vocabulary Analysis Building Reading Comprehension Through Think-Alouds Using QARs to Develop Comprehension and Reflective Reading Habits Writing Alternative Plots for Robert C. O'Brien's Z for Zachariah Scaling Back to Essentials: Scaffolding Summarization With Fishbone Mapping A High-Interest Novel Helps Struggling Readers Confront Bullying in Schools Mind Pictures: Strategies That Enhance Mental Imagery While Reading
	8.LC.R.13	Comprehension/Response Use text structure and literary devices to aid comprehension and response
	8.LC.R.14	Comprehension/Response Work collaboratively with peers to comprehend and respond to texts	Beyond the Story: A Dickens of a Party Modeling Reading and Analysis Processes with the Works of Edgar Allan Poe Press Conference for "Bud, Not Buddy"
	8.LC.R.15	Comprehension/Response Analyze, contrast, support, and critique points of view in a wide range of genres	Critical Literacy: Point of View
	8.LC.R.16	Comprehension/Response Find, evaluate, and combine information from print and electronic sources for student-selected and teacher-selected inquiries	Metaphorical Gold: Mining the Gold Rush for Stories Web Site Evaluation Form: Student Interactive
	8.LC.R.17	Comprehension/Response Demonstrate comprehension and response through a range of activities, such as writing, drama, oral presentation, and mixed media performance	Beyond the Story: A Dickens of a Party Lights, Camera, Action: Interviewing a Book Character Modeling Reading and Analysis Processes with the Works of Edgar Allan Poe Making Personal and Cultural Connections Using "A Girl Named Disaster" Book Report Alternative: Character and Author Business Cards Writing Alternative Plots for Robert C. O'Brien's Z for Zachariah A High-Interest Novel Helps Struggling Readers Confront Bullying in Schools Technology and Copyright Law: A "Futurespective" What Do Scientists Do?
	8.LC.R.18	Motivation to Read Show interest in reading a wide range of texts, topics, genres, and authors
	8.LC.R.19	Motivation to Read Read voluntarily for a variety of personal and academic purposes	Developing Reading Plans to Support Independent Reading
	8.LC.R.20	Motivation to Read Be familiar with titles and authors of a wide range of grade-appropriate literature
	8.LC.R.21	Motivation to Read Engage in independent silent reading for extended periods of time	Fighting Injustice by Studying Lessons of the Past Student Contracting


	©2005-10 New York State Teacher Centers and the New York Institute of Technology. All rights reserved.