📌Language Standards — Knowledge of Language2 standards
8L3Use knowledge of language conventions1 sub-part
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
8L3a
Use verbs in active/passive voice for effect
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).
📌Language Standards — Vocabulary Acquisition and Use10 standards
8L4Determine meaning choosing flexibly from strategies4 sub-parts
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
8L4a
Use context as clue to meaning
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
8L4b
Use Greek/Latin affixes and roots as clues
Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede).
8L4c
Consult reference materials for pronunciation/meaning
Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses) to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.
8L4d
Verify preliminary determination of meaning
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).
8L5Demonstrate understanding of figurative language3 sub-parts
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
8L5a
Interpret figures of speech including irony/puns
Interpret figures of speech including irony and puns in context.
8L5b
Use word relationships to understand words
Use the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words.
8L5c
Distinguish connotations of similar-denotation words
Distinguish among the connotations of words with similar denotations (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute).
8L6
Acquire/use academic and content-specific words
Acquire and accurately use general academic and content-specific words and phrases; apply vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
📌Reading Standards (Literary and Informational Text) — Craft and Structure3 standards
8R4
Determine meaning, analyze impact of word choices
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings. Analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning, tone, and mood, including words with multiple meanings. (RI&RL)
8R5
Compare/contrast structures of two or more texts
In literary texts, and informational texts, compare and contrast the structures of two or more texts in order to analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to overall meaning, style, theme, or central idea. (RI&RL)
8R6
Analyze effects of differing points of view
In literary texts, analyze how the differences between the point of view, perspectives of the characters, the audience, or reader create effects such as mood and tone. (RL) In informational texts, analyze how the author addresses conflicting evidence or viewpoints. (RI)
📌Reading Standards (Literary and Informational Text) — Integration of Knowledge and Ideas3 standards
8R7
Evaluate advantages/disadvantages of different media
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different media—text, audio, video, stage, or digital—to present a particular subject or idea and analyze the extent to which a production remains faithful to or departs from the written text. (RI&RL)
Trace and evaluate an argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient and recognizing when irrelevant evidence is introduced. (RI&RL)
8R9
Develop criteria to evaluate quality, connect texts
Choose and develop criteria in order to evaluate the quality of texts. Make connections to other texts, ideas, cultural perspectives, eras, and personal experiences. (RI&RL)
📌Reading Standards (Literary and Informational Text) — Key Ideas and Details3 standards
8R1
Cite strong evidence to support analysis
Cite textual evidence to strongly support an analysis of what the text says explicitly/implicitly and make logical inferences. (RI&RL)
8R2
Determine themes, analyze development, summarize
Determine one or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; summarize a text. (RI&RL)
8R3
Analyze dialogue/events / how ideas are introduced/developed
In literary texts, analyze how particular lines of dialogue or events propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. (RL) In informational texts, analyze how individuals, events, and ideas are introduced, relate to each other, and are developed. (RI)
📌Speaking and Listening Standards — Comprehension and Collaboration7 standards
8SL1Engage effectively in collaborative discussions4 sub-parts
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners; express ideas clearly and persuasively, and build on those of others.
8SL1a
Come prepared, refer to evidence to probe ideas
Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
8SL1b
Follow norms for decision-making, track progress
Follow norms for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed
8SL1c
Pose questions connecting ideas of several speakers
Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.
8SL1d
Acknowledge info, qualify views in light of evidence
Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify personal views in light of the evidence presented.
8SL2
Analyze purpose of info, evaluate motives
Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse formats (e.g., including visual, quantitative, and oral) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.
8SL3
Delineate argument, identify irrelevant evidence
Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating for sound reasoning, and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence; identify when irrelevant evidence is introduced.
📌Speaking and Listening Standards — Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas3 standards
8SL4
Present claims emphasizing salient points with evidence
Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear enunciation.
8SL5
Integrate digital media to strengthen claims/engage audience
Integrate digital media and/or visual displays in presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add elements of interest to engage the audience.
8SL6
Adapt speech demonstrating command of formal English
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
📌Writing Standards — Research to Build and Present Knowledge2 standards
8W6
Conduct research, generate questions for exploration
Conduct research to answer questions, including self-generated questions, drawing on multiple sources, refocusing the inquiry when appropriate. Generate additional related questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
8W7
Gather info, assess credibility, cite sources
Gather relevant information from multiple sources; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others; avoid plagiarism and follow a standard format for citation.
📌Writing Standards — Text Types and Purposes22 standards
8W1Write arguments with clear reasons/evidence6 sub-parts
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
8W1a
Introduce claim, distinguish from counterclaims
Introduce a precise claim, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from a counterclaim, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
8W1b
Support claims with logical reasoning/credible sources
Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using credible sources while demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
8W1c
Use precise language/content-specific vocab to argue
Use precise language and content-specific vocabulary to argue a claim.
8W1d
Use varied transitions to create cohesion
Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
8W1e
Provide concluding statement explaining significance
Provide a concluding statement or section that explains the significance of the argument presented.
8W1f
Maintain appropriate style and tone
Maintain a style and tone appropriate to the writing task.
8W2Write informative text conveying ideas/concepts6 sub-parts
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
8W2a
Introduce topic, preview, organize using strategies
Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect.
8W2b
Develop topic with facts/definitions/multimedia
Develop a topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples; include formatting, graphics, and multimedia when useful to aid comprehension.
8W2c
Use precise language/content-specific vocab to explain
Use precise language and content-specific vocabulary to explain a topic.
8W2d
Use varied transitions to create cohesion
Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
8W2e
Provide concluding statement explaining significance
Provide a concluding statement or section that explains the significance of the information presented.
8W2f
Establish/maintain appropriate style
Establish and maintain a style appropriate to the writing task.
8W3Write narratives with effective techniques/sequencing5 sub-parts
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, relevant descriptive details and clear sequencing.
8W3a
Engage reader, establish point of view/narrator
Engage the reader by establishing a point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters.
8W3b
Use narrative techniques including pacing/reflection
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
8W3c
Use transitional words to convey sequence/relationships
Use a variety of transitional words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events.
8W3d
Use precise words/sensory language for action
Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
8W3e
Provide conclusion reflecting on narrative
Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.
8W4
Create response, explain divergences from original
Create a poem, story, play, artwork, or other response to a text, author, theme or personal experience; explain divergences from the original text when appropriate.
8W5
Draw evidence from texts, apply reading standards
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Apply the grade 8 Reading Standards to both literary and informational text, where applicable