Language Arts

Module 1

Novel: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Lightning Thief

Learning Targets

• Students cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

• Students describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution

• Students determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone

• Students explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text

• Students 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

• Students consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech

• Students 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)

• Students demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings

• Students interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context

• Students use the relationship between particular words (e.g., cause/effect, part/whole, item/category) to better understand each of the words

• Students distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., stingy, scrimping, economical, unwasteful, thrifty)

• Students acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression

Module 2

Novel: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Learning Targets

• Students cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

• Students determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments

• Students analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes)

• Students determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings

• Students analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas

• Students conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate

• Students gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources

• Students write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences

• Students 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

• Students interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context

Module 3

Novel: Two Roads

Learning Targets

• Students cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

• Students describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution

• Students analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot

• Students explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text

• Students determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments

• Students determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings

• Students determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text

• Students integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issues

• Students use intensive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves)

• Students recognize variations from standard English in their own and others' writing and speaking, and identify and use strategies to improve expression in conventional language

• Students interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context

• Students distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., stingy, scrimping, economical, unwasteful, thrifty)

Module 4

Novel: Hidden Figures

Learning Targets

• Students cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

• Students determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings

• Students determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text

• Students trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not

• Students write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences

• Students distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., stingy, scrimping, economical, unwasteful, thrifty)

• Students cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

• Students analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes)

• Students determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text

• Students trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not

• Students compare and contrast one author's presentation of events with  that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same person)

Module 1

Novel: A Long Walk to Water

Learning Targets

• Students cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

• Students determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text

• Students analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot)

• Students determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama

• Students analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text

• Students come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion

• Students follow rules for collegial discussions, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed

• Students pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed

• Students determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies

• Students 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

• Students use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., belligerent, bellicose, rebel)

• Students consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech

• Students 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)

• Students acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression

• Students cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

• Students analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events)

• Students determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone

• Students analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas

• Students determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies

• Students 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

• Students use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., belligerent, bellicose, rebel)

• Students consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech

• Students 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)

• Students acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression

• Students cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

• Students determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text

• Students determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama

• Students analyze how a drama's or poem's form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning

• Students compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a film)

• Students interpret figures of speech (e.g., literary, biblical, and mythological allusions) in context

• Students distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., refined, respectful, polite, diplomatic, condescending)

• Students acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression

Module 2

Novel: Patient Zero

Learning Targets

• Students cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text
• Students determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text
• Students determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others
• Students compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium's portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words)

Module 3

Novel: Shuffle Along (Musical)

Learning Targets

• Students cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text
• Students determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text
• Students determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama
• Students analyze how a drama's or poem's form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning
• Students compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a film)

• Students interpret figures of speech (e.g., literary, biblical, and mythological allusions) in context

• Students distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., refined, respectful, polite, diplomatic, condescending)

• Students acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression

• Students cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

• Students analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot)

• Students analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text

Module 4

Novel: Trash Vortex and A Plastic Ocean (Documentary)

Learning Targets

• Students cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text
• Students determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text
• Students determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others
• Students compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium's portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words).

  Speaking and Listening

• Students analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study

• Students delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence

• Students 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

Module 1

Novel: Summer of the Mariposas

Learning Targets

• Students cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text
• Students analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision
• Students 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 and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts
• Students analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor
• Students determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies
• Students 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
• Students use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede)
• Students consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech
• Students 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)
• Students interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in context
• Students acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression
• Students write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences
• Students engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically
• Students use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters
• Students use a variety of transition 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
• Students use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events
• Students provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events
• Students write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences
• Students write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content
• Students introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension
• Students develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples
• Students use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts
• Students use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic
• Students establish and maintain a formal style
• Students provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented
• Students produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above)
• Students apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new")

Module 2

Novel: The Omnivore's Dilemma

Learning Targets

• Students cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text
• Students determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text
• Students analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision
• Students 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 and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts
• Students analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept
• Students determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints
• Students evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea
• Students delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced
• Students analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation
• Students analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation
• Students delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced
• Students produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above)
• Students use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

Module 3

Novel: Maus I

Learning Targets

• Students cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text
• Students determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text
• Students analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision
• Students 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 and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts
• Students apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new")
• Students write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences
• Students form and use verbs in the active and passive voice
• Students 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).

Module 4

Novel: Farewell to Manzanar

Learning Targets

• Students cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text
• Students analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories)
• Students determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts
• Students write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences
• Students write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence
• Students produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
• With some guidance and support from peers and adults, students develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 8)
• Students come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion
• Students follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed
• Students 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
• Students use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede)
• Students interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in context
• Students distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute)
• Students spell correctly
• Students interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in context
• Students qcquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression