• GRADE 8

     

    The Penn-Delco School District’s Secondary Language Arts Curriculum is based on the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.

     

    A.   Students in Grade 8 who meet the reading standards are able to:

    • Locate appropriate texts for an assigned purpose.
    • Use knowledge of root words, context clues and glossaries to understand vocabulary.
    • Identify basic facts and ideas in texts through recall, asking questions, rereading, predicting, visualizing, and clarifying through discussions.
    • Expand reading vocabulary by identifying idioms and words with literal and figurative meanings.
    • Demonstrate after reading understanding and interpretations of both fiction and non-fiction text by citing evidence, comparing and contrasting, making extensions and analyzing positions.
    • Demonstrate fluency by reading aloud with accuracy, self correcting mistakes, using appropriate flow and pronunciation.
    • Differentiate between fact and opinion and essential and nonessential information.
    • Draw inferences based on a variety of information sources.
    • Evaluate text organization and content to determine author’s purpose and effectiveness.
    • Read works of literature and analyze using literary elements, including characterization, setting, plot, point of view, tone and style.
    •  Analyze literary devices including rhyme, rhythm, meter, alliteration, hyperbole, personification, metaphor, simile and illusion.
    • Identify various poetic forms.
    • Analyze drama to determine reasons for a character’s actions.

     

    B.   Students in Grade 8 who meet the writing standards are able to:

    • Write original short stories, poems and plays,
    • Write multi-paragraph informational pieces including letters, directions, reports, essays, articles and interviews.
    • Write persuasive pieces with a clearly stated opinion, detailed support and counter argument.
    • Write with a distinct focus, well developed content, logical organization and smooth transitions.
    • Demonstrate understanding of stylistic aspects of writing by using varied sentences, precise word choice, tone and voice.
    • Revise writing after rethinking the logic of organization and rechecking the central idea, content, paragraph development, details, style, tone  and word choice.
    • Edit writing using the conventions of language including correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation and sentence structure.

     

    C.   Students in Grade 8 who meet the speaking and listening standards are able to:

    • Listen to others, analyze the information and take notes when necessary.
    • Relate listened to selection to prior knowledge, predict outcomes, summarize events and identify new words and concepts.
    • Speak using complete sentences and accurate pronunciation.
    • Adjust volume to purpose and audience and adjust pace to convey meaning.
    • Contribute to discussions with relevant comments and respond appropriately.
    • Participate in both large and small discussions and presentations.
    • Conduct interviews
    • Participate in informal debates.

     

    D.   Students who meet the characteristics and functions of the English language standard are able to:

    • Describe the origins and meanings of foreign words commonly used in the English language.
    • Analyze the role and place of standard American English in speech, writing and literature.
    • Identify new words added to the English language over time and those that have evolved in meaning.

     

    E.   Students in Grade 8 who meet the research standard are able to:

    • Locate information from a variety of sources and evaluate the sources.
    • Use traditional and electronic sources.
    • Organize, summarize and present the information found through the research.