8th Grade ELA

Course Content*

Literature Units of Study & Central Texts
Literary Elements: McDougal Littell Literature textbook, short stories, poetry
Different Perspectives: "Flowers for Algernon," Boxers & Saints
The Heroic Journey: To Kill a Mockingbird
Independent Reading, Accelerated Reader

Writing
Process Strategies: Six Traits, Schaffer Model 
MLA Format & Citation
Modes: Informative/Research, Argument, Narrative, Memoir, Poetry, Lit Analysis

Grammar
POS & Sentence Structures Review, Verbs, Verbals
Capitalization, Comma, Apostrophe, Quotes
Colon, Semicolon, Dash, Parentheses, Hyphen, Ellipsis, Numbers
Pronoun Case, Reference, Agreement; Modifier Placement; Parallel Structure

Vocabulary
Weekly Word Lists
Reference Materials, Context Clues
Prefixes & Suffixes, Roots, Analogies

Speaking

Lit Circles, Socratic Seminar,
Debate
Elements of Delivery, Modes of Speaking, ROPE Presentations

*Tentative. Subject to change.