Scope & Sequence
Grade 8
Unit 1: Using Context Clues
Infer meaning of unfamiliar words from context by
• using shared meaning elements to extract the meaning of an unfamiliar word
• differentiating between adequate context (sufficient clues) and inadequate context (insufficient clues)
• using the dictionary to find word meaning when there is inadequate context
• writing definitions for new words, using sentence and passage context
• using the new words in new contexts by writing prose
Unit 2: Analyzing Literary Structures
Evaluate the cohesion of setting, mood, and plot by
• making inferences about setting and mood
• interpreting unfinished or interrupted dialogue
• analyzing conflict resolution/resolution plot lines: person against himself or herself, person against nature, and person against others
• analyzing the sequence of events: chronological events, simultaneous events, and flashbacks
• writing a plot summary that includes the main events related to the type of conflict/resolution plot line
• analyzing stories and plays
• interpreting the theme in relation to the plot
Unit 3: Interpreting Figurative Language and Poetry
Interpret figurative language and symbols in poetry by
• analyzing figurative words and expressions that create mood or rhythm, suggest sounds or movement, and make unusual comparisons
• defining and using alliteration, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, personification, similes, and metaphors
• inferring symbolic meaning from attributes and functions
• identifying key symbols and their corresponding symbolic meaning
• inferring the main idea of a poem from its key symbols
Unit 4: From Facts to Complex Inferences
Make valid inferences by
• defining valid and invalid inferences
• making plot, setting, and character motive inferences by integrating clues in the article with one’s own knowledge while reading
• turning inferences into questions
• rereading with questions in mind
• locating the part of the passage related to one’s questions
• evaluating an inference to see if it is valid or invalid by referring back to the facts in the article
• deriving and evaluating inferences from figurative expressions and descriptive details
• analyzing clues in complex prose and integrating related personal knowledge to make inferences and evaluate their validity
Unit 5: Summarizing and Evaluating Literature
Summarize and evaluate literature by
• using a strategy to analyze the comparative intensity of word meaning
• using graphic organizers, such as charts and webs, to analyze story structure and character relationships
• taking notes on story elements (setting, plot, and character)
• taking notes that trace the development of a character as revealed by action, direct statement, and dialogue
• analyzing the effect of setting – environment, family and social groupings, political organizations, and economics – on plot and character
• analyzing a novel by mapping the plot elements (opening, obstacles, events, climax, and resolution)
• analyzing theme in a novel as it relates to the conflict and supporting the analysis with evidence
• using notetaking strategies to evaluate theme and style
• evaluating universal and current themes
• writing four styles of book review that analyze, summarize, and evaluate the setting, plot, and characters in a novel
