Assessment Techniques

English Language Arts: Grade 8

Language Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Academic Expectations

“Students will learn to seek and use information effectively, creatively, and ethically to construct knowledge”

Composition Standards:

19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25

Academic Expectation

“Students will speak and write effectively.”

Reading/Literature Standards:

8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18  Academic Expectation "Students will read actively and critically."

Media

Standards:

26.4, 27.4, 27.5

Academic Expectation

“Students will learn to seek and use information effectively to construct knowledge.”

I. Teacher-made quizzes and tests

II. Student self-assessment (formative assessments, student-generated rubrics.)              

III.  Performance tests

IV. Criterion Referenced tests (student self-selected individual objectives.) 

V. Criterion referenced tests based on small group objectives.

VI, Standardized Achievement Tests

VII. Criterion-referenced achievement tests based on a student’s potential

At the conclusion of Grade 8, students will be able to:

Infer meaning of unknown vocabulary words from the context of their reading by using the prefix, suffix, or root; identify the main idea of a paragraph;

Make logical inferences about character;

Be able to apply basic poetic terms and concepts (See Glossary in McDougall-Littell, Literature Green Level)

Write sentences that reflect knowledge and understanding of Standard English Conventions

Write a unified, coherent 5 paragraph essay;

Understand what plagiarism is and offer specific ways to avoid it;

Exchange information cooperatively in groups and make contributions based on reading or research;

Make oral presentations that demonstrate evidence of accurate research and critical reading.

Discussion: Standard 1.4

Students will be able to know and apply rules for formal discussion in the educational setting.

Interviewing Techniques:

Standard 2.4

Students will interview each other using student generated questions on a selected topic and present relevant information from discussions either orally or written.

Oral Presentations:

Standards 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13

Students use creative dramatics to present an interpretation of a literary work, film, or dramatic production.

Oral presentations must have:

1. Clarity
2. Pace
3. Purpose
4. Audience
5. Tone
6. Continuity
7. Volume projection and inflection
8. Style

Assessment:

Teacher generated rubric

Vocabulary:

Standards 4.20, 4.21, 4.23

Students will determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues, Greek and Latin roots, suffixes and prefixes, etymologies of word, word origin, parts of speech and other appropriate strategies using various resources i.e.

Text books

Dictionaries

Thesauruses

Informational texts

Structure and Origins of Modern English:

Standards 5.15, 5.16, , 5.18, 5.19, 5.20 continue to address as needed

5.17, 5.21, 5.22

and see Appendix A

Formal and Informal English:

Standard 6.7

Students will analyze the language styles of different characters in literary works.

Suggestions:

“Jumping Frog from Calaveras Country”, Twain excerpt from “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, Twain and/or other appropriate selections to meet the standard

Standard English Conventions

Standard 22.8

Students will use standard English conventions in their writing, revising and editing, including knowledge of types of sentences, correct mechanics, correct usage of pronoun reference, and standard English spelling when writing and editing.

Mechanics

1.       Avoid using personal pronouns in formal essays.

2.       Conventions

3.       Content specific vocabulary

4.       Conscious attention to spelling and capitalization.

Revising

Standards 21.6, 21.7

Students will revise writing to improve organization and diction after checking the logic underlying the order of ideas, the revision of vocabulary used, and the economy of writing.

Students will improve word choice by using a variety of references

Standards 19.19, 23..9

Students will write a story using the elements of fiction including:  plot, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action.  The story should have a clear conflict with sufficient details and include an example of flashback.

Standard: 19.20

Students will write poems using poetic techniques, figurative language, and graphic elements to include, capital letters, letter length, word position.

Persuasive Essay: Standards 19.22, 19.23, 20.4

Students will write a persuasive, multi-paragraph essay, (minimum of 5 paragraphs) based on a personal interpretation of a selected reading that convinces the audience and includes;

1.       a topic statement

2.       logical organization

3.       supporting details

4.       effective use of language

5.       a clear conclusion

Organize Ideas in Writing:

Standard 23.11  Students will write a comparison and contrast essay, a minimum of 4 paragraphs, using a graphic organizer to organize ideas

Research

Standards 19.21, 23.10, 24.4  Students will write a coherent research report using a guideline of 500 words, that includes a clear thesis statement, uses transitions and has a conclusion.

Students will be introduced to what supporting documents mean:

1.        Minimum number of sources

2.       Types of sources including primary/secondary source materials

3.       MLA Format

Teaching documentation will include how to avoid plagiarism (see plagiarism policy).

Evaluating Writing and Presentations

Standard 25.4  Students will develop and use scoring guides or rubrics to improve organization and presentation of written and oral projects.

McDougall-Littell, Literature:   Green Level                         (various selections of Literature to meet Reading/Literature Standards)

Fiction:

Standards  8.23, 8.25, 10.4, 12.4 Recommended selections from McDougall-Littell                    Flowers For Algernon, Keyes    Stop The Sun, Paulsen  or other short story/novel(s) appropriate to meet the standards.

Identify elements of fiction (page 15) such as plot, exposition, setting, conflict, rising action, climax, foreshadowing, irony, symbolism, imagery, theme 

Nonfiction:  Standards 8.23, 8.26, 8.27, 8.28, 10.4, 11.4, 13.18, 13.19, 13.20, 13.21, 13.22, 13.23

Farewell  to Manzanar, Hudson & Houston (required)  Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, Armstrong (required)    

Other selections could include excerpts from McDougall-Littell, novels on suggested reading list, expository text (i.e. newspapers, magazines, journals, biographies) 

To evaluate theme across selections, compare Farewell to Manzanar with Japanese Haiku poetry or other similar connections

Identify elements of nonfiction (page 40) such as persuasion, logic, mood, tone, voice, point of view, rhetorical devices, bias

Poetry: Standards 8.23, 8.24, 9.5, 10.4, 11.4, 14.4, 15.5, 15.6  Recommended selections from McDougall-Littell   “Paul Revere's Ride”, Longfellow

“O Captain, My Captain”, Whitman or other appropriate poems to meet the standards.                            

To relate a literary work to its historical context, “Paul Revere's Ride” can be tied to The American Revolution and “O Captain, My Captain” can be tied to Abraham Lincoln and The Civil War                                          

To evaluate theme across selections, compare Farewell to Manzanar with Japanese Haiku poetry or other similar connections

Identify elements of poetry (page 89) including figures of speech, the significance of images in a poem, the poem's tone versus its mood, and other significant poetic forms

Mythology: Standards 8.23, 10.4, 16.9, 16.10                           Identify conventions in Epic tales using Hercules, Perseus, Theseus, Herakles                              Identify and analyze similarities and differences in Greek and Roman Mythology to include the purpose and characteristics of the deities and myths

Suggested Reading "The Palace of Olympus" (Xeroxed)

Drama:

Standards 8.23, 8.24, 10.4, 15.5, 15.6, 17.5, 17.6, 18.4      

Diary of Anne Frank or any other appropriate drama to meet the standards.  Identify elements of drama (page 207) including exposition, rising action, climax, falling denouement, aside, soliloquy, and other dramatic conventions

Analysis of Media

Standard 26.4  Using the nonfiction work, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, and a media production of Shackleton’s adventure, students will analyze the effect on the reader’s or viewer’s emotions of text and image in print journalism, and images, sound, and text in electronic journalism, distinguishing techniques used in each to achieve these effects.

Media Production

Standards 27.4, 27.5

Students will design and create a media presentation based on their research report to be presented to an audience using criteria to assess the effectiveness of media presentations. 

Students will prepare a rubric for the audience to evaluate the media presentation.

Media Productions could include, an audio, video production, PowerPoint presentation, or an Internet based production such as creating a website, web quest etc.