Are You Speaking Greek?
Students will be able to determine the meaning of words using Greek, Latin, or other linguistic roots and affixes.
Can You Summarize?
Students will work with partners, as well as independently, to create and evaluate summaries of expository text.
Reading Between the Lines
In this lesson, students will expand their critical thinking skills by making inferences found in a short film and listening to a literary fictional text on tablets. Working collaboratively in groups, students will create anchor charts to demonstrate their understanding of making inferences and present their detailed anchor charts to their classmates.
Sound Effects, Poetic Elements, and Analysis, Oh My! Visualizing the Text to Gain Meaning Out of Poetry
Students will be asked to use metacognition as they analyze a poem, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the overall meaning of a text.
Did You Get the "Text" Message?
Students will work independently and collaboratively to recognize the theme within a variety of texts. Students will create theme topics and theme statements from texts read.
The Golden Touch
Students will practice using a protocol to create a summary of an expository text.
Inferring with Dr. Seuss
Students will work collaboratively in groups as they practice their inferring skills using children’s literature books.
Click below to learn about the TEKS related to the unit and Research Lesson. The highlighted student expectation(s) is the chosen focus for the Research Lesson.
It’s All in the Details
This lesson demonstrates a small group intervention that scaffolds instruction of main idea for native English or Spanish speaking students. This lesson is scripted in both languages.
Inferring Through Imagery and Figurative Language
Students rotate to four posters which contain a single stanza from a common poem (“Digging” by Seamus Heaney), marking key literary elements (imagery, diction, figurative language) before rotating to explain the connotation of the words and phrases selected by the previous group. After text marking, students regroup to discuss the inferential connections between literary terms and their connotative meaning to theorize thematic meaning within the poem.
Making an Inference
The class will review previous learning about how authors describe characters using speech, thoughts, effects on others, actions, and looks (STEAL). Students will make annotations on an excerpt using the STEAL strategy. We will talk them through making a guided inference. Students will complete a short-answer response on chart paper with evidence and inference for the focus question
Analyzing Online Sources for Credibility
The students will analyze online sources for credibility and reliability while respecting others opinions through collaboration.
Catch Me If You Can—Retelling "The Gingerbread Man"
Students retell or re-enact events in sequence from "The Gingerbread Man" using pictures.
Building Vocabulary with a Morphing Mindset
Students will explore vocabulary words from other content areas and apply their learning of word parts to find meaning.
Teacher working with students
Stop, Collaborate, and Listen. Poetry is Our Mission! Thinking Deeply About Poetry
Students will actively engage with poetry in a blend of collaborative and independent analysis of poetic devices and an author’s use of devices to communicate a deeper meaning. Students will use their analysis to infer the meaning of a variety of poems.
Thesis Throwdown
After students watch a brief video introducing thesis statements, they will create a class thesis statement checklist, use a prompt to write a personal thesis, compare theirs to others in their group while working to craft and revise a group thesis to present to the class after participating in a Gallery Walk where they provide and incorporate revision suggestions.
Teacher Introducing Lesson
2 OnTRACK Grade 8 English: Vocabulary Development
OnTRACK Grade 8 English Reading, Module 1, Lessons 1 and 2. Students will learn how to understand new vocabulary and use it when reading and writing.
11 OnTRACK Grade 8 English: Comprehension of Literary Texts
OnTRACK Grade 8 English Reading Module 2, Lessons 1–11. Students will learn how to analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about literary texts.
5 OnTRACK Grade 8 English: Comprehension of Informational Text
OnTRACK Grade 8 English Reading Module 3, Lessons 1–5. Students will learn how to analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about informational text.
9 OnTRACK Grade 8 English: Writing
OnTRACK Grade 8 English Writing, Module 1 Lessons 1–9. Students will learn how to write literary texts, personal narratives, expository/procedural texts, and persuasive tests.
8 OnTRACK Grade 8 English: Editing
OnTRACK Grade 8 English Writing, Module 2, Lesson 1. Students will learn to revise drafts for word choice, consistenc, transitions, and effective sentence strategies. OnTRACK Grade 8 English Writing, Module 3, Lessons 1-7. Students will learn how to edit a draft for grammar, mechanics, and spelling. Students will learn the function of the conventions of academic language and will learn how to use these conventions when speaking and writing.