Standard 3: Critical Reading and Writing

Students will apply critical thinking skills to reading and writing.

Reading

Students will comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and respond to a variety of complex texts of all literary and informational genres from a variety of historical, cultural, ethnic, and global perspectives.

Writing

Students will write for varied purposes and audiences in all modes, using fully developed ideas, strong organization, well-chosen words, fluent sentences, and appropriate voice.

 For more specific genre information, please refer to Genre Guidance (page 4 of the Support Documents.).

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

8.3.R.1 Students will analyze works written on the same topic and compare the methods the authors use to achieve similar or different purposes and include support using textual evidence.

• Students will examine various texts containing the same topic.

• Students will compare and contrast the techniques authors use to write different texts on the same topic.

• Students will reference evidence from texts.

• Teachers model how to reference evidence from texts.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to reference evidence from texts.

• Teachers monitor students’ understanding of how to reference evidence from texts.

• Teachers provide feedback as necessary as students reference evidence from texts.

8.3.R.2 Students will evaluate points of view and perspectives and describe how this affects grade-level literary and/or informational text.

• Students will analyze how the author’s point of view affects the reader’s perspective of the literary or informational text.

8.3.R.3 Students will analyze how authors use key literary elements to contribute to the meaning of a text:

• setting

• plot

• characters (i.e., protagonist, antagonist)

• characterization

• theme

• conflict (i.e., internal and external)

• Students will provide an explanation of how time and place in which events in a short story, novel, drama, or narrative poem contribute to the meaning of the text. (setting)

• Students will examine how the sequence of events or actions in a short story, novel, drama, or narrative poem contribute to the meaning of the text. (plot)

• Students will examine how the protagonist: central character of a short story, novel, or narrative poem or the antagonist: the character who stands directly opposed to the protagonist affect the meaning of the text. (characters)

• Students will focus on the personality of a character and explain how it adds to the meaning of the text. (characterization)

• Students will infer the central meaning of a literary work and explain how it contributes to the meaning of the text. (theme)

• Students will explain how the struggle or clash between opposing characters, forces, or emotions affect the meaning of the text. (conflict)

• Students will analyze how the internal or external conflict contribute to the meaning of the text. (internal and external conflict)

8.3.R.4 Students will evaluate literary devices to support interpretations of literary texts:

• simile

• metaphor

• personification

• onomatopoeia

• hyperbole

• imagery

• tone

• symbolism

• irony

• Students will explain how the literary devices contribute to their understanding of the text.

• Teachersmodel how to explain how literary devices support interpretations of literary texts. Example: Discuss how the author uses imagery to evoke a certain feeling in the reader.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to explain how literary devices support interpretations of literary texts.

• Teachers monitor student understanding of literary elements and give feedback as necessary.

• Students will judge how a combination of two things that are unlike, usually using the words like or as support the understanding of the text. (simile)

• Students will judge how a direct comparison of two unlike things will support their understanding of the text. (metaphor)

• Students will explain how human qualities on animals, ideas, or things contribute to their understanding of the text. (personification)

• Students will explain the use of words that mimic the sounds they describe support their understanding of the text. (onomatopoeia)

• Students will identify the use of words to express something other than the opposite of the literal meaning.  (hyperbole)

• Students will explain how words represent objects, actions, and ideas in such a way that it appeals to our physical senses. (imagery)

• Students will explain the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities for literary effect. (symbolism)

• Students will explain the speaker’s attitude toward a subject. (tone)

• Students will explain words that express something opposite of its literal meaning. (irony)

• Students will determine use evidence from a text to determine if a claim has been proven or not.

• Teachers model how to determine if a claim has been proven or not.

• Teachers provide examples of writing where claims have been proven, as well as examples where claims have not been proven.

• Teachers will provide opportunities for students to determine if a claim has been proven.

• Teachers will monitor students’ understanding how to use textual evidence to determine if a claim has been proven or not.

• Students will closely evaluate the structure and content of the text.

• Teachers model how students to decide what type of text is being examined.

• Teachers model how to draw logical conclusions based on information in the text.

• Teachers model how to use textual evidence to support conclusions.

• Teachers provide multiple opportunities to examine text with different structures.

• Teachers monitor student understanding of text structure and give feedback as necessary.

• Students will examine similarities and differences about a text. (compare/contrast)

• Students will examine text structure in which the main ideas are organized into two parts: a problem and a subsequent solution that responds to the problem, or a question and an answer that responds to the question. (problem/solution)

• Students will examine text structure that notes a relationship in which an event or events (the cause) make(s) another event or action happen (effect). (cause/effect)

• Students will examine text structure that makes an assertion of the truth of something supported with evidence. (claims/evidence)

• Students will make assumptions based on the presented facts from the text.

• Students will be able to make connections, (for example theme, characters, and setting) between different types of texts.

• Teachers model taking different types of text and making connections, providing textual evidence supporting their inferences.

• Teachers provide multiple opportunities to make connections between stories and provide textual evidence to support their inferences.

• Teachers monitor student understanding of making connections and inferencing and give feedback as necessary.

• Students will give evidence to support their connections within each text.

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

8.3.W.1 NARRATIVE Students will write narratives incorporating characters, plot (i.e., flashback and foreshadowing), setting, point of view, conflict, dialogue, and sensory details.

The following statements are elements of a narrative piece of writing.  While composing, teachers and students

need to keep in mind the writing process (8.2.W), word choice (8.4.W), and language (8.5.W). 

• Students will compose a real or imagined story.

• Teachers provide examples of strong narratives that include characters, plot, setting, the point of view, conflict (i.e., internal, external), and dialogue.

• Teachers model how to create a narrative.

• Teachers share mentor texts to show how authors

• Establish characters

• Use plot (i.e., flashback and foreshadowing)

• Establish setting (time and place)

• Initiate point of view

• Demonstrate  conflict (i.e. internal, external)

• Use dialogue

• Use sensory details

• Teachers model how to write a narrative by thinking aloud through a piece of their own writing.

• Teachers allow time for students to practice composing narratives while realizing not every piece needs to be taken completely through the writing process.

• Students will establish the characters and setting (time and place) of their story.

• Students will create a well-structured event sequence that moves the reader through the story or experience using plot elements such as flashback and foreshadowing.

• Students will clearly define context and point of view.

• Students will establish a clear conflict and solution/resolution.

• Students will use dialogue in their writing (when appropriate).

• Students will use sensory details to enhance the story.

8.3.W.2 INFORMATIVE Students will compose essays and reports about topics, incorporating evidence (e.g., specific facts, examples, details) and maintaining an organized structure and a formal style.

The following statements are elements of an informative piece of writing.  While composing, teachers and students need to keep in mind the writing process (8.2.W), word choice (8.4.W), language (8.5.W), and research (8.6.W). 

• Students will compose informational writing to explain ideas.

• Teachers share mentor text of strong informative essays and reports about topics that

• incorporate evidence (e.g., specific facts, examples, details) and maintain an organized structure.

• use appropriate text structures and text features for clarity.

• maintain a well-organized structure for the informative writing introduction, body, and conclusion.

• use a formal style.

• Teachers model:

• introducing a topic and compose a well-developed thesis statement.

• adding relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples to develop the topic.

• using transitions between ideas and concepts using appropriate words and phrases.

• writing a conclusion to bring all ideas to a close.

• Teachers allow time for students to practice composing informational pieces while realizing not every piece needs to be taken completely through the writing process. 

• Students will select and maintain appropriate text structures for clarity.

• Students will introduce a topic and compose a well-developed thesis statement.

• Students will add relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples to develop the topic.

• Students will transition between ideas and concepts using appropriate words and phrases.

• Students will consistently use a formal style. 

• Students will write a conclusion to bring all ideas to a close. 

8.3.W.3 ARGUMENT - Grade Level Focus Students will introduce a claim, recognize at least one claim from an opposing viewpoint, and organize reasons and evidences, using credible sources.

The following statements are elements of an argument piece of writing.  While composing, teachers and

students need to keep in mind the writing process (8.2.W), word choice (8.4.W), language (8.5.W), and research (8.6.W). 

• Students will introduce a topic and compose a well-developed thesis statement.

• Teachers share mentor texts that show how an author forms a strong argument essay that:

• maintain an organizational structure in writing, including introductions, claims, opposing viewpoint and conclusions.

• introduces topics, claim, and includes a thesis statements.

• uses relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples to develop the topic.

• uses credible sources.

• address a claim from an opposing viewpoint.

• Teachers model:

• introduce a topic and compose a well-developed thesis statement.

• maintain an organizational structure in writing, including introductions, claims, opposing viewpoint, and conclusions.

• how to introduce a topic, claim, and thesis.

• incorporate other information into writing to develop a topic.

• Teachers allow time for students to practice composing arguments while realizing not every piece needs to be taken completely through the writing process. 

• Students will make a claim by stating their position on a topic.

• Students will address the opposing viewpoint in argumentative writing.

• Students will add relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples from credible sources to develop the topic following an agreed upon structure.

• Students will take a position and show a connection with a stance using reasons and evidence.

• Teachers share mentor texts to show how authors

• Take positions on various topics and support them with reasons and evidence.

• use transitions to move smoothly between the claim, reasons, and evidence.

• draw logical conclusions from information presented.

• Teachers allow time for students to practice composing arguments while realizing not every piece needs to be taken completely through the writing process.

• Students will use transitions to create connections and clarify relationships among a claim, reasons, and evidence.

• Students will include a logical conclusion from the information presented.