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Teaching & Learning Curriculum Comprehensive Writing ProgramGrade Level Expectations - Eighth Grade
Teaching & Learning Curriculum Comprehensive Writing ProgramGrade Level Expectations - Eighth GradeGrade Level Writing Expectations: Eighth Grade
Writes Clearly and Effectively
Ideas/Development
- Integrates the elements of character, setting, and plot to create a convincing world
- Includes flashbacks and foreshadowing effectively
- Writes responses to text and papers that are detailed, analytical, and honest, citing supporting evidence from text
- Focuses writing with thesis statement or controlling idea that maps the progression of ideas/arguments and the selection of supporting details/evidence
- Analyzes and synthesizes information from a variety of sources
- Establishes subject and purpose of writing in a thesis statement within the introduction
Organization
- Knows how to select and communicate an effective organizational structure (e.g., chronological, procedural/process, spatial, order of importance, main ideas/supporting detail)
- Emphasizes key ideas through appropriate use of text features (e.g., headings, charts, diagrams, graphs)
- Adapts some writing for visual formats (e.g., graphs, charts, outlines, bulleted statements, web pages)
Voice
- Maintains an individual, authoritative voice in expository and persuasive writing
- Produces text which is individualistic and expressive Sentence Fluency
- Writes sentences which are varied in structure and length Word Choice
- Selects persuasive, informational/technical, descriptive language appropriately
Sentence Fluency
- Describes possible outcomes in a simple experiment where outcomes are not equally likely
- Collects, organizes, and displays data in familiar situations from other disciplines using tables, bar graphs, pictographs, and Venn diagrams
- Describes data using words like "most often" and "least often"
Word Choice
- Selects persuasive, informational/technical, descriptive language appropriately
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Understands and Uses the Writing Process
Prewriting
- Uses prewriting stage to determine purpose, analyze audience, research background information, formulate theme, create characters, and/or organize text
- Maintains a log or journal to collect and explore ideas, record observations, dialogue, and/or description for later use as a basis for literary writing
Drafting
- Demonstrates independence as a writer by controlling the steps of the writing process as dictated by time and purpose
Sharing/Responding
- Accepts criticism as a means of improving writing; defends own vision with rationale
- Submits work for review, accepts feedback, and revises accordingly
Revising
- Revises for accuracy of content and clarity of focus
Editing
- Revises and edits for effective use of typographic devices and requirements of technical writing forms
- Edits to meet 8th grade standards of conventions
- Understands and uses standard proofreading marks
Publishing
- Presents final copy in a variety of ways, often using technology
- Selects different ways of presenting final draft and justifies choice
Reflecting
- Maintains a portfolio of own literary work
- Evaluates own work and that of others, independently and in groups, according to detailed scoring guide often developed collaboratively
- Self reflects on pieces selected for portfolio
Addresses Audience, Purpose, and Form
- Seeks wider audience to present work for sharing, review, critique, or publishing (e.g., writing groups, magazines, newsletters, contests, conferences)
- Anticipates reader's questions in persuasive writing
- Writes in text forms specific to the subject area
- Uses a reference style (e.g., APA, MLA) in reports and technical documents
Suggested Text Forms
| Suggested Literary Text Forms That May Be Worked Toward in Grades Eight through Ten | Content Text Forms That May Be Worked Toward in Grades Eight through Ten | |
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| Previously Introduced |
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