MIDDLE SCHOOL Grade 8

Writing

CONTENT STANDARD

Convey clear, focused main ideas with accurate and relevant supporting details appropriate to audience and purpose.
  • purpose and main idea clearly stated
  • provide supporting details
  • audience and purpose
  • use resources

CONTENT STANDARD

Demonstrate organization by developing a beginning, middle and end with clear sequencing of ideas and transitions.
  • develop a clearly stated topic
  • use sequencing
  • state a clear conclusion
  • uses transitional words and phrases
/

CONTENT STANDARD

Use complex sentences to increase variety in sentence structure
  • piece flows naturally
  • sentences vary in length
  • uses complex sentences

CONTENT STANDARD

Use correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, paragraphing and documentation.
  • spelling
  • punctuation
  • grammar and usage
  • capitalization
  • paragraphing
  • citing sources

CONTENT STANDARD

Uses a variety of modes and forms to express ideas appropriate to audience and purpose
  • narrative
  • imaginative
  • expository
  • persuasive
  • essay
  • stories
  • business memos
  • research papers
/

MATERIALS

MacMillan English
State Scoring Guides
Prompts

MIDDLE SCHOOL Grade 7

Writing

CONTENT STANDARD

Convey clear, focused main ideas with accurate and relevant supporting details appropriate to audience and purpose.
  • purpose and main idea clearly stated
  • provide supporting details
  • audience and purpose
  • use resources

CONTENT STANDARD

Demonstrate organization by developing a beginning, middle and end with clear sequencing of ideas and transitions.
  • develop a clearly stated topic
  • use sequencing
  • state a clear conclusion
  • uses transitional words and phrases
/

CONTENT STANDARD

Use complex sentences to increase variety in sentence structure
  • piece flows naturally
  • sentences vary in length
  • uses complex sentences

CONTENT STANDARD

Use correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, paragraphing and documentation.
  • spelling
  • punctuation
  • grammar and usage
  • capitalization
  • paragraphing
  • citing sources

CONTENT STANDARD

Uses a variety of modes and forms to express ideas appropriate to audience and purpose
  • narrative
  • imaginative
  • expository
  • persuasive
  • essay
  • stories
  • business memos
  • research papers
/

MATERIALS

MacMillan English
State Scoring Guides
Prompts
Sentence Combining

MIDDLE SCHOOL Grade 6

Writing

CONTENT STANDARD

Convey clear, focused main ideas with accurate and relevant supporting details appropriate to audience and purpose.
  • purpose and main idea clearly stated
  • provide supporting details
  • audience and purpose
  • use resources

CONTENT STANDARD

Demonstrate organization by developing a beginning, middle and end with clear sequencing of ideas and transitions.
  • develop a clearly stated topic
  • use sequencing
  • state a clear conclusion
  • uses transitional words and phrases
/

CONTENT STANDARD

Use complex sentences to increase variety in sentence structure
  • piece flows naturally
  • sentences vary in length
  • uses complex sentences

CONTENT STANDARD

Use correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, paragraphing and documentation.
  • spelling
  • punctuation
  • grammar and usage
  • capitalization
  • paragraphing
  • citing sources

CONTENT STANDARD

Uses a variety of modes and forms to express ideas appropriate to audience and purpose
  • narrative
  • imaginative
  • expository
  • persuasive
  • essay
  • stories
  • business memos
  • research papers
/

MATERIALS

MacMillan English
State Scoring Guides
Prompts
DOL
The Write Source 2000

MIDDLE SCHOOL Grade 8

Reading/Language

Vocabulary/Word Meaning

CONTENT STANDARD

Determine meanings of words using contextual clues and illustrations and other reading strategies.
  • understands content-vocabulary
  • uses common prefixes and suffixes
  • uses grammatical elements
  • recognizes figurative language

Study Skills

CONTENT STANDARD

Locate information and clarify meaning by using tables of contents, glossaries, indexes, headings, graphs, charts, diagrams and/or tables.
  • follows directions
  • uses dictionary and glossary
  • uses a variety of reference sources
  • uses and designs an outline
  • uses a table of contents
  • uses headings to locate sections for information
  • uses graphic aids

Comprehension

CONTENT STANDARD

Identify in literary, informative and practical selections sequence of events, main ideas, facts, supporting details and opinions.
  • sequence events
  • identify main idea
  • identify supporting details
  • identify story elements
  • identify author’s point of view
  • can summarize
  • can identify opinion
/

CONTENT STANDARD

Identify relationships, images, patterns, or symbols and draw conclusions about their meanings.
  • identify cause and effect relationships
  • compare and contrast
  • sequence-time relationships
  • predicting outcomes
  • infer an author’s intentions

CONTENT STANDARD

Analyze and evaluate whether a conclusion is validated by the evidence in a selection.
  • accuracy of information
  • fact and opinion
  • biases and stereotypes
  • establishes author’s purpose
  • reads a variety of genres of literature

Literature

CONTENT STANDARD

Read and identify distinguishing characteristics of a variety of literary forms, including novels, short stories, poetry, plays, and nonfiction from a variety of cultures and time periods.
identify characteristics of a given passage
distinguish various literary forms
identify elements relating to culture/time periods

CONTENT STANDARD

Evaluate the effectiveness of literary elements such as character, plot, setting, theme and conflict/resolution on the overall impact of the selection
Identify and examine the treatment of similar themes in various literary works.
/ Examine the purpose of literary devices such as figurative language, allusion, dialect and dialogue in a literary selection.
Identify the author’s purpose and examine how stylistic decisions contribute to it.
  • judge literary elements and the impact on a selection
  • identify similar themes
  • identify literary devices

CONTENT STANDARD

Make connections between literary themes or messages and historical, social and cultural issues or events.
  • identifies historical events that influence selection
  • identify connections between themes and social/cultural events

MATERIALS

Novels:
Johnny Tremain
Red Badge of Courage
And One for All
Runaway to Freedom
The Outsiders
The Pearl
Two Old Women
Short Stories:
Flowers for Algernon
The Dinner Party
Accounts Settled
Thanksgiving Hunter
My Teacher the Hawk
Christmas Day in the Morning
Early Explorers

MIDDLE SCHOOL Grade 7

Reading/Language

Vocabulary/Word Meaning

CONTENT STANDARD

Determine meanings of words using contextual clues and illustrations and other reading strategies.
  • understands content-vocabulary
  • uses common prefixes and suffixes
  • uses grammatical elements
  • recognizes figurative language

Study Skills

CONTENT STANDARD

Locate information and clarify meaning by using tables of contents, glossaries, indexes, headings, graphs, charts, diagrams and/or tables.
  • follows directions
  • uses dictionary and glossary
  • uses a variety of reference sources
  • uses and designs an outline
  • uses a table of contents
  • uses headings to locate sections for information
  • uses graphic aids

Comprehension

CONTENT STANDARD

Identify in literary, informative and practical selections sequence of events, main ideas, facts, supporting details and opinions.
  • sequence events
  • identify main idea
  • identify supporting details
  • identify story elements
  • identify author’s point of view
  • can summarize
  • can identify opinion
/

CONTENT STANDARD

Identify relationships, images, patterns, or symbols and draw conclusions about their meanings.
  • identify cause and effect relationships
  • compare and contrast
  • sequence-time relationships
  • predicting outcomes
  • infer an author’s intentions

CONTENT STANDARD

Analyze and evaluate whether a conclusion is validated by the evidence in a selection.
  • accuracy of information
  • fact and opinion
  • biases and stereotypes
  • establishes author’s purpose
  • reads a variety of genres of literature

Literature

CONTENT STANDARD

Read and identify distinguishing characteristics of a variety of literary forms, including novels, short stories, poetry, plays, and nonfiction from a variety of cultures and time periods.
identify characteristics of a given passage
distinguish various literary forms
identify elements relating to culture/time periods

CONTENT STANDARD

Evaluate the effectiveness of literary elements such as character, plot, setting, theme and conflict/resolution on the overall impact of the selection
Identify and examine the treatment of similar themes in various literary works.
/ Examine the purpose of literary devices such as figurative language, allusion, dialect and dialogue in a literary selection.
Identify the author’s purpose and examine how stylistic decisions contribute to it.
  • judge literary elements and the impact on a selection
  • identify similar themes
  • identify literary devices

CONTENT STANDARD

Make connections between literary themes or messages and historical, social and cultural issues or events.
  • identifies historical events that influence selection
  • identify connections between themes and social/cultural events

MATERIALS

Novels:
Catherine Called Birdie
The Eye and the Ear
The Clay Marble
Tales from the Odyssey
Robin Hood
Short Stories:
The World Past and Present
World Regions
Earliest Civilizations
Conflicts in the Middle East
Pageants
Medieval Castle
Calliope
Riders on the Earth
Tales from Here and There
Tell me a Tale
Folktales from Asia and Australia

MIDDLE SCHOOL Grade 6

Reading/Language

Vocabulary/Word Meaning

CONTENT STANDARD

Determine meanings of words using contextual clues and illustrations and other reading strategies.
  • understands content-vocabulary
  • uses common prefixes and suffixes
  • uses grammatical elements
  • recognizes figurative language

Study Skills

CONTENT STANDARD

Locate information and clarify meaning by using tables of contents, glossaries, indexes, headings, graphs, charts, diagrams and/or tables.
  • follows directions
  • uses dictionary and glossary
  • uses a variety of reference sources
  • uses and designs an outline
  • uses a table of contents
  • uses headings to locate sections for information
  • uses graphic aids

Comprehension

CONTENT STANDARD

Identify in literary, informative and practical selections sequence of events, main ideas, facts, supporting details and opinions.
  • sequence events
  • identify main idea
  • identify supporting details
  • identify story elements
  • identify author’s point of view
  • can summarize
  • can identify opinion
/

CONTENT STANDARD

Identify relationships, images, patterns, or symbols and draw conclusions about their meanings.
  • identify cause and effect relationships
  • compare and contrast
  • sequence-time relationships
  • predicting outcomes
  • infer an author’s intentions

CONTENT STANDARD

Analyze and evaluate whether a conclusion is validated by the evidence in a selection.
  • accuracy of information
  • fact and opinion
  • biases and stereotypes
  • establishes author’s purpose
  • reads a variety of genres of literature

Literature

CONTENT STANDARD

Read and identify distinguishing characteristics of a variety of literary forms, including novels, short stories, poetry, plays, and nonfiction from a variety of cultures and time periods.
identify characteristics of a given passage
distinguish various literary forms
identify elements relating to culture/time periods

CONTENT STANDARD

Evaluate the effectiveness of literary elements such as character, plot, setting, theme and conflict/resolution on the overall impact of the selection
Identify and examine the treatment of similar themes in various literary works.
/ Examine the purpose of literary devices such as figurative language, allusion, dialect and dialogue in a literary selection.
Identify the author’s purpose and examine how stylistic decisions contribute to it.
  • judge literary elements and the impact on a selection
  • identify similar themes
  • identify literary devices

CONTENT STANDARD

Make connections between literary themes or messages and historical, social and cultural issues or events.
  • identifies historical events that influence selection
  • identify connections between themes and social/cultural events

MATERIALS

Novels:
My Side of the Mountain
The Cay
Call of the Wild
Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe
Myths and Legends
The Pinballs
Titanic
Anne of Green Gables
The Phantom Tollbooth
Incredible Journey
Treasure Island
The Crossing
From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E.
Frankweile
Swimming With the Whale
Other Materials:
Simon Bolivar Crosses the Andes
The Magic Compassr

Revised: 9/23/98 Msoffice\Curr\MiddleSchool\CourseStandards\MSSkills