Grade 8 Objectives

Darren Genson 

LANGUAGE ARTS OBJECTIVES:

1.      Identify the uses of structures, styles and genres in literature.

2.   Identify and discuss relationships among basic literary elements.

3.      Explore word etymology.

**1 and 2 are met through the reading response journals; 3 is met by the group’s etymologist.

READING (MEANING CONSTRUCTION):

            1.  Be able to select appropriate reading material for enjoyment, information,     

     sampling, confirmation, etc., in response to identified purposes, including

     teacher/student negotiated criteria.

2.      Evaluate and organize information from a number of resources and personal

observations to broaden understanding of a topic, theme. or subject.

3.      Develop interpretation of text using background knowledge, literary elements

and influences.

            5.  Identify main ideas in both fiction and nonfiction.

8. Respond to reading texts on an individual and group basis, connecting

      new concepts/ideas to prior knowledge.

**All of the above are met through the requirements of the reading response journal (synopsis, recommendations, etc.).  2 and 3 are also met by the group’s historian.  

READING (APPLICATION):

2.      Be able to follow directions of two to five steps.

4.   Interpret vocabulary used in daily living.

5.   Expand personal criteria for selecting literature.

6.   Engage in reading for a sustained period of time.

            7.    Integrate reading with speaking, listening, viewing, and

                   writing experiences.    

8.        Expand the use of reference sources and illustrative materials for gathering

appropriate information.

9.        Demonstrate the ability to use an expanded repertoire of study strategies to

aid in content reading.

**2 met through student-selected activities; 4 and 5 met in reading response journals; 6 met by reading the assigned/chosen; 7,8, and 9 met by presentations and website.

READING (MULTIDISCIPLINARY):

1.      Extend knowledge and appreciation of dialects and cultures through reading

experiences.

2.      Extend awareness of gender, cultures, and historical perspectives through

literature.

3.      Extend knowledge of stereotypes and mind sets, including gender, through

 literature.

5. Extend the use of study skills, reading strategies, and processes to all subject

                areas.

7.      Extend and enrich reading experiences through technology and multimedia

activities.

**1,2, and 3 met through assigned/chosen readings; 5 by response journal; 7 by website.

WRITING (STRUCTURE):

1.      Vary writing style according to purpose.

**Satisfied by reading response journal’s synopsis and reflection. Also included through website contributions.

WRITING (MEANING CONSTRUCTION):

            ***All eight are met through the reading response journals and website contributions.

WRITING (APPLICATION):

2.      Engage in writing for a sustained period of time.

3.      Expand knowledge of content areas through writing.

4.      Write, evaluate, and publish individually and cooperatively.

**2 and 3 fulfilled through response journals; 4 fulfilled by each member’s role.

WRITING (MULTIDISCIPLINARY):

1.      Explore global issues through writing.

2.      Extend awareness of world culture and historical perspectives through writing.

**1 met by reading books such as Out Of The Dump.  2 met by reading assigned/chosen books.

LISTENING/VISUAL LITERACY (STRUCTURE):

4.  Expand vocabulary through listening and viewing.

5.      Explain differences in grammar and syntax according to the author’s purpose.

**Group etymologist role fulfills these objectives.

LISTENING/VISUAL LITERACY (MEANING CONSTRUCTION):

1.      Learner will gather information from a variety of listening/viewing sources.

**Video selection fulfills this requirement.

LISTENING/VISUAL LITERACY (APPLICATION):

1.      Listen/view media for a variety of purposes.

5.   Use a variety of technology and media to conduct research, solve problems,

      and/or make decisions.

6.      Integrate listening/viewing with reading, writing and speaking.

**1 and 5 fulfilled by the video and website; 6 completed by the project itself.

LISTENING/VISUAL LITERACY (MULTIDISCIPLINARY):

1.      Broaden knowledge of dialects, language differences and cultures through

visual and listening experiences.

2.      Effectively engage in small-group and large-group discussions.

**1 met by readings; 2 completed in literature circle discussions and presentation.

ORAL COMMUNICATION (STRUCTURE):

1.      Clarify understanding through talking with the teacher and/or peer discussion.

2.      Organize information to prepare for oral communication.

3.      Broaden ideas and concepts through oral communication.

4.      Use audience reaction to determine if meaning is clear when speaking in small groups or whole-class situations.

**Objectives met through our presentations.

ORAL COMMUNICATION (MEANING CONSTRUCTION):

3.      Exhibit the ability to use standard syntax, grammar and usage in oral

presentations.

**Fulfilled in class presentations.

ORAL COMMUNICATION (APPLICATION):

1.      Speak to small- and large-group audiences for a variety of assigned and

self-selected purposes.

2.      Develop and demonstrate strategies for an effective speech that include

preparation, organization, and practice.

3.      Integrate speaking with reading, writing, and listening/viewing experiences.

**Fulfilled through class presentations.

ORAL COMMUNICATION (MULTIDISCIPLINARY):

1.      Participate in small- or large-group oral language activities that focus on

 common interests or themes.

2.      Discuss reading and writing in small-group and whole-class activities.

3.      Use technology to analyze and evaluate speaking effectiveness.

4.      Use technology and media to enhance an oral presentation and engage

an audience.

**Objectives met by usage of website during our presentations.

Performance Objectives---Grade Eight:

READING:

1.      Presented with a fictional selection of at least 500 words which has topical and structural integrity and is at an appropriate level of instruction, the learner will demonstrate and integrated understanding of the language, elements of plot, possible themes, likely motives and traits of characters, and the effect of setting, as evidenced in part by the capacity to:

            a.   Use contextual clues to determine the meaning of new words  

                                          and the appropriate meaning of words with multiple meanings.

b.      Respond to questions dealing with a problem and its solutions    or important details.

e.       Identify both stated and inferred cause and effect relationships.

f.        Distinguish between what is directly stated and what a reader

might infer from the passage.

g.       Answer questions that demonstrate comprehension of the main

idea and supporting details.

**Objectives fulfilled by reading the books; writing in reading response journals; and discussions in literature circles of books read.

2.      Presented with a nonfiction selection of more than 500 words which has

topical and structural integrity and is at an appropriate level of instruction, the learner will demonstrate an integrated understanding of the major concepts, the evidence that supports those concepts, the possible application for the concepts, and the possible purposes the selection might serve, as evidenced in part by the capacity to:

a.        Respond to questions dealing with a problem and its solutions.

b.       Select the main idea implied in the passage.

c.        Identify both stated and inferred cause and effect relationships.

d.       Distinguish between information stated and inferred.

e.        Distinguish between fact and opinion.

g.    Cite specific sentences supporting the main idea or point.

i.          Select the best summary for a specified audience.

**Objectives fulfilled by reading the books; writing in reading response journals; and discussions in literature circles of books read.

3.      Presented with a variety of common/functional reading materials appropriate

to the level of instruction, the learner will identify, locate, and use information from the library and other sources, as evidenced in part by the

capacity to:

a.       Answer questions that require printed directions of at least five steps to

be followed mentally.

**Fulfilled in reading response journal completion.

4.      Presented with selections which have topical and structural integrity and are at

an appropriate level of instruction, the learner will identify basic elements and discuss relationships between those literary elements and textual meaning.

**Reading response journal; literature group discussion; oral presentation; and website.

5.      The learner will respond to reading by interpreting text, using background

knowledge, using literary elements, and developing inferences.

**Writing specified requirements in reading response journals fulfills this objective.

            1.  Given a prompt which elicits expository, narrative, or descriptive

                 writing, the learner will write in direct response to that prompt using

                 ideas , reasoning, examples, and/or commentary that is pertinent, as

                 evidenced in part by the capacity to:

a.       focus on topic with ample supporting ideas or examples

d. demonstrate a mature command of language

f.  communicate ideas and feelings

h.       develop a tone that considers audience, situation and purpose

**Objectives fulfilled by satisfactorily completing the tasks (prompts) of the reading response journals.

2.      Given a prompt, the learner will write in direct response to that prompt

Demonstrating knowledge of grammar, mechanics, and usage, as evidenced in part by the capacity to:

a.       Follow conventions of punctuation and capitalization.

b.      Spell words correctly.

c.       Maintain subject/verb agreement.

d.      Choose and use clear language.

e.       Use standard forms of verbs and nouns.

f.        Demonstrate the use of appropriate and varied adjectives and adverbs.

**Objectives fulfilled in reading response journal completion and others related to assignment (e.g. website).

3.      The student will use the writing process to develop and evaluate self-initiated

writing, as evidenced in part by the capacity to:

      e. Publish writing for an intended audience.

**Writing on website, for presentation, and for individual in reading response journals.

             1. The learner will demonstrate appropriate grade-level listening/viewing

                  skills by listening to/viewing a variety of media and being able to:

b.      Expand vocabulary through listening and viewing.

d.   Note relevant information while listening/viewing.

e.   Broaden knowledge of different cultures through visual

and listening experiences.

**Watching video on “orphan trains’, or if we would have decided to…on racism, poverty or homelessness.

                 skills, as evidenced in part by the ability to:

b.  Speak to small and large groups for a variety of assigned and                  

     self-selected purposes.

            c.  Participate in small- or large-group activities that focus on common

                 interests and/or themes.

                        d.  Use technology to analyze and evaluate speaking effectiveness.

e.       Use technology to enhance oral presentations.

1.      Group events by broadly defined historical eras, examine multiple tier time

Lines, and infer relationships between themes and events shown on tiers.

   **Fulfilled through group historian’s timelines; discussion among members in literature circles; and writing retrieved from group’s reading response journals.

2.      Assess the importance of causal factors for historical events, justify

Conclusions, and suggest examples of the accidental as a causal factor in history.

**Causal factors discussed in detail (orphans, homelessness, and poverty) through discussions amongst group members in literature circles. Example: “Why were there so many orphans running around New York the time preceding and during the orphan train era?”

3.      Utilize historical resources…

b.      Compare multiple perspectives in the records of human experiences.

**This is fulfilled by reading the variety of genres and formats in our assigned readings on orphans, homelessness and poverty.

4.      Assess the validity of historical narratives….

b.      Obtain historical data from eyewitness accounts and compare sources

to determine consistency and evaluate completeness.

**Fulfilled by reading books such as Orphan Train Rider.

5.      Identify significant historical developments and explain their importance.

**Fulfilled through reading of “orphan train” books, poverty in Out of the Dump;  and racist feelings exhibited in books such as White Socks Only.

6.      Examine historical developments that have impacted today’s culture.

**Development of the orphan trains and how it has helped save many future generations of the children’s offspring who rode on them.

SOCIAL STUDIES PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:

1.      Given an historical narrative, the learner will select significant changes which occurred during the time period of the narrative, discuss the importance of those changes, and place the changes on a time line while raising questions about possible cause and effect relationships.

**Fulfilled while reading selected books such as Orphan Train Rider and others associated with orphans.  Timelines created will show other historical occurrences that went on during that time (immigrant explosion, westward expansion, etc.) and how they effected one another.

4.      The learner will select and explain the significance of political,

economic, or ideological connections between different parts of the world.

**Students could explain the difference between the Guatemalan children’s lives in Out of the Dump with their own here in the United States. 

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