LANGUAGE ARTS

 
Standard 1.

WORD ANALYSIS, FLUENCY, AND SYSTEMATIC VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT.

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Students use their knowledge of word origins and word relationships, as well as historical and literary context clues, both to determine the meaning of specialized vocabulary and to understand the precise meaning of grade-level-appropriate words.
 
 

 
Vocabulary and Concept Development.

 
Skills:

 
1.1 Use idioms, analogies, metaphors, and similes to infer the 
literal and figurative meanings of phrases.

 
1.2 Understand the most important points in the history of 
English language and use common word origins to determine
the historical influences on English word meanings.

 
1.3 Use word meanings within the appropriate context and be 
able to verify those meanings by definition, restatement, example, comparison, or contrast.

 
Standard 2.

READING COMPREHENSION (FOCUS ON INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS)

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Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They describe and connect the essential ideas, arguments, and perspectives of text, and they relate text structure, organization, and purpose. The quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students are illustrated in the California Reading List. In addition, by grade 8, students read one million words annually on their own, including a good representation of narrative (i.e., classic and contemporary literature) and expository (e.g., magazines, newspapers, on-line information) text appropriate for each grade.
 

 
Structural Features of Informational Materials.

 
Skills:

 
2.1 Compare and contrast the features and elements of consumer
materials to gain. meaning from documents.

 
2.2 Analyze text which uses proposition-and-support patterns.

 
Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text .

 
Skills:

 
2.3 Find similarities and differences among texts in the treatment, 
scope, or organization of ideas.

 
2.4 Compare original text to a summary for accuracy of the main
ideas, inclusion of critical details, and the extent to which it 
conveys the underlying meaning of the original text.

 
2.5 Understand and explain the use of a complex mechanical 
device by following technical directions.

 
2.6 Use information from a variety of consumer, workplace, and 
public documents to explain a situation or decision and/ or to 
solve a problem.

 
Expository Critique.

 
Skills:

 
2.7 Evaluate the unity, coherence, logic, internal consistency, and
structural patterns of text.

 
Standard 3.

LITERARY RESPONSE AND ANALYSIS .

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Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of world literature, particularly American and British literature. They clarify the ideas and connect them to other literary works. The quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students are illustrated in the California Reading List.
 

 
Structural Features of Literature.

 
Skills:

 
3.1 Determine and articulate the relationships among the purposes
and characteristics of different forms of poetry.

 
Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text.

 
Skills:

 
3.2 Evaluate the structural elements of the plot, the plot's
development, and how (and whether) conflicts are (or are not) 
addressed and resolved.

 
3.3 Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary 
characters from different historical eras confronting similar
situations or conflicts.

 
3.4 Analyze relevance of setting (place, time, and customs) to 
the mood, tone, and meaning of text.

 
3.5 Identify and analyze recurring comparative themes across
works.

 
3.6 Identify significant literary devices that define a writer's style, 
and use those elements to interpret the work.

 
Literary Criticism

 
Skills:

 
3.7 Analyze how a work of literature reflects the heritage, 
traditions, attitudes, and beliefs of its author.

 
Standard 1. 

WRITING STRATEGIES.

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Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays. Writing exhibits awareness of audience and purpose. Essays contain formal introductions, bodies of supporting evidence, and conclusions. Students successfully use the stages of the writing process, as needed.
 

 
Organization and Focus.

 
Skills:

 
1.1 Create compositions that establish a controlling impression, 
have a coherent thesis, and/or a clear and well supported conclusion.

 
1.2 Establish coherence within and among paragraphs through 
effective transitions, parallel structures, and similar writing
techniques.

 
1.3 Support theses or conclusions with analogies, paraphrases,
quotations and opinions from authorities, comparisons, and 
similar devices.

 
Research and Technology

 
Skills:

 
1.4 Plan and conduct multiple step information searches using 
computer networks and modem delivered services.

 
1.5 Achieve effective balance between researched information 
and original ideas.

 
Revising and Evaluating Writing

 
Skills:

 
1.6 Revise writing for word choice, appropriate organization, 
consistent point of view, and transitions among paragraphs, 
passages, and ideas.

 
Standard 2.

WRITING APPLICATIONS. (GENRES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS)

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Students write narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive text of at least 500 to 700 words. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard English and the research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0.
 

 
Using the Grade 8 Writing Strategies.

 
Skills:

 
2.1 Write biographies, autobiographies, short stories, and/or 
narratives that (1) relate a clear, coherent incident, event, or 
situation by using well chosen details; (2) reveal the significance 
of, or the writer's attitude about, the subject. (3) Employ narrative
and descriptive strategies.

 
2.2 Write responses to literature that (1) develop interpretations
which exhibit careful reading and insight; (2) connect the student's
own responses to the writer's techniques and to specific textual 
references. (3) Draw supported inferences about the effects of a 
literary work on its audience; (4) Support judgments through
references to the text, other works, other authors, or to personal
knowledge.

 
2.3 Write research reports that (1) define a thesis; (2) record
important ideas, concepts, and direct quotations from significant
information sources, paraphrasing and summarizing all perspectives
on the topic, as appropriate. (3) Use a variety of primary and 
secondary sources, distinguishing the nature and value of each;
(4) organize and record information on charts, maps, and graphs.

 
2.4 Write persuasive compositions that (1) include a well defined 
thesis that makes a clear and knowledgeable judgment; 
(2) support arguments with detailed evidence, examples, and
reasoning, differentiating between evidence and opinion. 
(3) Arrange details, reasons, and examples, effectively, 
anticipating and answering reader concerns and counter-arguments

 
2.5 Write documents related to career development, including 
simple business letters and job applications, that (1) are 
purposeful and reflect the intended audience; (2) meet the
needs of the audience efficiently. (3) Follow the conventional 
style for the type of document.

 
2.6 Write technical documents that explain a complex operation 
or situation that (1) identify the sequence of activities needed to
create the product, service, or system; (2) include all the factors
and variables that need to be considered. (3) Use formatting
techniques to aid comprehension.

 
Standard 1.

WRITTEN AND ORAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS.

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Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions that are appropriate to each grade level.
 

 
Sentence Structure.

 
Skills:

 
1.1 Use correct and varied sentence types and sentence openings 
to reinforce the presentations of a lively and effective personal style.

 
1.2 Identify and use parallel structure in all written discourse, including similar grammatical forms to present items in a series, complements,
and items juxtaposed for emphasis.

 
1.3 Use subordination, coordination, apposition, and other devices
to indicate the relationship between ideas clearly.

 
Grammar

 
Skills:

 
1.4 Edit written manuscripts to reflect proper grammar.

 
Punctuation and Capitalization.

 
Skills:

 
1.5 Use correct punctuation and capitalization.

 
Spelling.

 
Skills:

 
1.6 Use correct spelling conventions.

 
Standard 1.

LISTENING AND SPEAKING STRATEGIES.

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Students deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey ideas clearly and relate to the background and interests of the audience. They evaluate the content of oral communication.
 

 
Comprehension.

 
Skills:

 
1.1 Analyze oral interpretations of literature, including language
choice and delivery, and how they affect the listener.

 
1.2 Paraphrase a speaker's purpose and point of view, and ask 
relevant questions concerning the speaker's content, delivery, and
purpose.

 
Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication.

 
Skills:

 
1.3 Organize information to achieve particular purposes, matching 
message, vocabulary, voice modulation, expression, and tone to
audience and purpose.

 
1.4 Prepare a speech outline based upon a chosen pattern of 
organization, generally including an introduction, transitions, 
previews, and summaries; a logically developed body; and an 
effective conclusion.

 
1.5 Use precise language, action verbs, sensory details, appropriate
and colorful modifiers, and active rather than passive voice in ways
that enliven oral presentations.

 
1.6 Use appropriate grammar, word choice, enunciation, and pace
during formal presentations.

 
1.7 Use audience feedback to (1) reconsider and modify organizational structure/plan; (2) rearrange words and sentences to clarify meaning.

 
Analysis and Evaluation of Oral and Media Communications.

 
Skills:

 
1.8 Evaluate the credibility of a speaker.

 
1.9 Interpret and evaluate various ways the visual image makers communicate information and affect impressions and opinions.

 
Standard 2.

SPEAKING APPLICATIONS (GENRES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS)

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Students deliver well-organized formal presentations employing traditional rhetorical strategies (i.e., narration, exposition, persuasion, and description). Student speaking demonstrates a command of standard English and the organization and delivery strategies outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard 1.0.
 

 
Using the Grade 8 Speaking Strategies.

 
Skills:

 
2.1 Deliver narrative presentations that (1) relate a clear, 
coherent incident, event, or situation by using well chosen 
details; (2) reveal the significance of or the subject's attitude 
about the incident, event, or situation. (3) Employ narrative 
and descriptive strategies ( relevant dialogue, specific action, 
physical description, background description, comparison or 
contrast of characters)

 
2.2 Deliver oral responses to literature that (1) interpret reading 
and provide insight; (2) connect own responses to the writer's
techniques and to specific textual references (3) draw supported 
inferences about the effects of a literary work on its audience.
(4) Support judgments through references to the text, other works,
other authors, or personal knowledge.

 
2.3 Deliver research presentations that (1) define a thesis; 
(2) record important ideas, concepts, direct quotations from 
significant information sources, paraphrasing and summarizing
all relevant perspectives on the topic, as appropriate. (3) Use a
variety of primary and secondary sources, distinguishing the 
nature and value of each; (4) organize and record information on 
charts, maps and graphs.

 
2.4 Deliver persuasive presentations that (1) include a well defined
thesis that makes a clear and knowledgeable judgment; (2) support arguments with detailed evidence, examples and reasoning, 
differentiating evidence from opinion. (3) Effectively anticipate and 
answer listener concerns and counter-arguments through the
inclusion and arrangement of details, reasons, examples, and other 
elements; (4) maintain a reasonable tone.

 
2.5 Recite poems, sections of speeches, or dramatic soliloquies, using voice  modulation, tone, and gestures expressively to enhance meaning.