Grade 8 English

In all middle schools, the English Language Arts Program focuses on four organizing topics as outlined in the Virginia English Standards of Learning: communication and multimodal literacies, reading, writing, and research. Competence in these areas leads to advanced student thinking and success both in and out of school. Curriculum follows a concept-based framework that focuses on enduring understandings and essential questions.

• There is a continued emphasis on reading comprehension by comparing fiction and nonfiction texts. In fiction texts, students will explain the development of themes, and compare/ contrast authors’ styles. There is an increased emphasis on nonfiction reading, and students will analyze authors’ qualifications, point-of-view, and style.
• The student will continue the study of word origins, roots, connotations, and denotations.
• The student will plan, draft, revise, and edit while writing in a variety of forms with an emphasis on expository and persuasive writing. Students will compose a thesis statement and defend a position with reasons and evidence, including counterclaims.
• Students will evaluate, analyze, develop, and produce media messages. Students will create multimodal presentations that include different points-of-view.
• Students will collaborate with others to exchange ideas, make decisions, accomplish goals, and solve problems.
• The student will apply research techniques to analyze information gathered from diverse sources by identifying misconceptions and possible bias. Students will cite primary and secondary sources using either MLA or APA style. The meaning and consequences of plagiarism will be stressed.