imperative, interrogative, conditional, and
subjunctive mood
•
Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in
verb voice and mood
•
Demonstrate command of the conventions of
standard English capitalization, punctuation,
and spelling when writing
•
Use punctuation to indicate a pause or break
•
Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission
•
Spell correctly
•
Use knowledge of language and its conventions
when writing, speaking, reading, or listening
Knowledge of language
•
Use knowledge of language and its conventions
when writing, speaking, reading, or listening
•
Use verbs in the active and passive voice and
in the conditional and subjunctive mood to
achieve particular effects
•
Consistently perform rapid and accurate word
naming when reading grade level text
•
Consistently exhibit tone and flux when reading
grade level text or beyond
•
Continue to demonstrate connected text
comprehension when reading grade level text
Vocabulary acquisition and use
•
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown
and multiple-meaning words or phrases based
on grade 8 reading and content, choosing
flexibly from a range of strategies
•
Use context
•
Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or
Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning
of a word
•
Consult general and specialized reference
materials, both print and digital, to find the
pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify
its precise meaning or its part of speech
•
Verify the preliminary determination of the
meaning of a word or phrase
•
Demonstrate understanding of figurative
language, word relationships, and nuances in
word meanings
•
Interpret figures of speech in context
•
Use the relationship between particular words to
better understand each of the words
•
Distinguish among the connotations
(associations) of words with similar denotations
•
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate
general academic and domain-specific words
and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge
when considering word or phrase important to
comprehension or expression
WRITING
Conventions
•
Use appropriate spelling strategies to encode
unfamiliar, multisyllabic language
•
Incorporate and use independent and
dependent clauses
•
Use punctuation accurately to guide reader
through the text
•
Use commas to punctuate items in a series,
greeting and closing of letters, dates,
introductory words, dialogue, direct address,
interrupters, compound sentences, and
appositives
•
Identify and use simple, compound, and
complex sentences to express complex thoughts
•
Use a variety of more advanced punctuation
•
Use correct conventional grammar at
developmental levels
•
Combine complex paragraphs with main ideas
and supporting details
•
Use textual markers to help the reader move
through text
Ideas
•
Select and develop narrow, manageable topics
•
Define a thesis
•
Maintain consistent focus for extended periods
of time
•
Achieve an effective balance between research
and original ideas
•
Use specific details to enhance or support topic
•
Enhance ideas using relevant, insightful, quality
details
Organization
•
Use effective organization including inviting
introduction, logical and informative body, and
thoughtful conclusion
131
Eighth Grade
•
Consistently include graphics to enhance text
•
Refine pacing to allow for smooth flow of text
Voice
•
Choose voice appropriate to different
audiences and genres
•
Reveal uniqueness and personality
through words
•
Communicate own perspective and personal
preferences
Word Choice
•
Use patterns and vocabulary from diverse
writings
•
Consistently use a wide range of creative
language
Sentence Fluency
•
Use a variety of sentence structures including
simple, compound, and complex
•
Vary sentence beginnings and lengths
Presentation
•
Consistently use format suited to audience
•
Consistently use margins in final copies
•
Use proper heading on work
•
Use correct fonts and sizes when using
word processing
•
Integrate page numbers and bulleting into
appropriate text
Styles/Audiences
•
Determine the unique needs of different audiences
•
Write in a variety of creative forms: jokes, plays,
fairy tales, tall tales, fables, poems, journals,
stories, narratives, friendly letters, lists
•
Write in a variety of informative forms including
newspaper articles, persuasive papers,
research, brochures, observations, biographies,
mathematical explanations, lab reports, and
procedures
•
Identify different forms used to cite sources
when writing reports
•
Create a bibliography
•
Write and maintain assignment lists and
personal schedule
•
Show an awareness of audience
Prewriting
•
Organize and plan writing using the following:
•
Story mapping
•
Discussion
•
Webbing
•
Outlining
•
Brainstorming
•
Role playing
•
Recall of experience
•
Listing
•
Jotting
•
Free writing
•
Drawing
•
Graphic organizers
•
Visuals
•
Generate ideas and gather information from a
variety of sources:
•
Personal experiences
•
Literature
•
Periodicals
•
Multimedia
•
Reference materials
•
Interview
Drafts
•
Refer to prewriting activities while writing
rough draft
•
Draft fluently for long periods of time
•
Write complete phrases, sentences,
and thoughts
•
Focus on content, not convention
Revises
•
Recognize the need to improve and adjust a
rough draft
•
Reread writing to self to check for clarity
•
Conference with peers or teacher
•
Listen to audience response and considers
change in text
•
Apply rules for correct usage of conventions
•
Change or add language to enhance text
and style
•
Adjust text to reflect the seven-traits model of
effective writing
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Nobel Learning Curriculum Reference Guide
