NOTE: Changes to this plan are always possible but this is a good guide for what to expect for this school year.
Syllabus for 8th Grade
2011 - 2012
1st Six-Weeks
Literature Unit 1
- The Elevator
- Raymond’s Run
- The Ransom of Red Chief
- Media Literary: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
- The Tell-Tale Heart
- The Hitchhiker
- Writing Workshop: Personal Narrative (Speech)
Grammar: Parts of Speech Review
Shane
Project: Memory book assignment given
Literary Terms: 1, 2, and 3
Vocabulary: Roots 1, 2, and 3
TAKS Reading Benchmark
2nd Six-Weeks
Literature Unit 2
- Timeline: Evolution of the Blues and Basic Blues: An American Art Form and Musicians Know the Blues Firsthand
- Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad and Letter to Harriet Tubman
- What to the Slave is the Fourth of July
- Hallucination and from Ellis island and I and Science Wonder Stories
- News Reports
- Media Literacy: Whale Rider
- Writing Workshop: Descriptive Essay (Speech)
The Glory Field
Grammar: Complements and Phrases
Project: Work on memory book
Literary Terms: 4, 5, and 6
Vocabulary: SAT 1 and 2
3rd Six-Weeks
Literature Unit 3
- The Diary of Anne Frank (drama)
- from the Diary of Anne Frank
- from the Last Seven Months of Anne Frank
- from Anne Frank Remembered
- The Lady, or the Tiger? and The Monty Hall Debate and Cartoon
- The Lottery
- Guide to Computers
- Media Literacy: Documentary
- Writing: Short story (Speech)
Project: Memory book due
Project: Poetry project assigned
Grammar: Sentence structure – S, Cd, and CX and Complete Sentences
Literary Terms: All
Vocabulary: SAT 3 and 4
TAKS Reading Benchmark
4th Six-Weeks
Literature Unit 4
- Poetry
- My First Free Summer
- Paul Revere’s Ride and The Other Riders
- Going Where I’m Coming From and My Father and the Figtree
- Flowers for Algernon and from Charly
- Rules of the Game
- The Monkey’s Paw
Witch of Blackbird Pond (possible selection)
Project: Poetry project due
Grammar: Usage
Literary Terms: All
Vocabulary: SAT 5, 6, and 7
TAKS Reading Benchmark
5th Six-Weeks
Literature Unit 5
- The Snapping Turtle
- Out of Bounds
- The Spider Man Behind Spider-Man
- Over the Top: The True Adventures of a Volcano Chaser
- Zoos: Myth and Reality and Zoos Connect Us to the Natural World
- Position on Dodgeball in Physical Education and The Weak Shall Inherit the Gym
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Project: Research paper
Grammar: Review
Literary Terms: All
Vocabulary: SAT 8, 9, and 10
6th Six-Weeks
Literature Unit 6
- The Story of an Eyewitness and Letter from New Orleans: Leaving Desire
- The Old Grandfather and His Little Grandson and The Wise Old Woman
- Pandora’s Box and Loo-Wit, the Fire Keeper
The Pearl
Project: Research paper due
Grammar: Review
Literary Terms: All
Vocabulary: SAT 11 and SAT Writing Words
(Updated on July 26, 2011)
