8th Grade Historical Literacy Unit Plans

Created April 16, 2019 by Jennifer Mortensen, Chelsea Kienitz

8th Grade Historical Fiction Units

Writing - 43 minute class periods, meeting five times a week

Unit Topic & Time	Mini-Lessons/ Teaching Points	Mentor Texts/ Resources	Discussion Topics & Tasks	Assessments/ Rubrics	Standards
Personal Narrative9 Weeks	Plot Logical sequencing Task, audience, purpose Present Ideas Conflict Details Hooks, clinchers Writing Process Memory map Zooming into small moment “seed story” Vivid words Developing characters Dialogue Transitions Inner thinking Sensory details POV (1st person) Peer edits/feedback Grammar/ punctuation (what do they need? I.e. commas, verb tense, paragraphs Vocab: Comes for mini-lesson content (plot, conflict, etc.)	Short Stories Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons Students selected texts	Topics: discussions based on mini-lessons, Debates, share own writing Tasks: Small group, partner, whole group, Home/Expert Groups	Summative: Personal Narrative: Choice topic (a moment in their life to show the “Culture of them”) Formative: Exit slips, Entrance slips, individual and small group conferringGraphic Organizer	W.8.3, W.8.4, W.8.5, W.8.6, W.8.7, W.8.10SL.8.1-6L.8.1-6L.8.1B, L.8.1D, L.8.2A, L.8.2B
Expository - Revolutions around the World10 Weeks	Non-Fiction Chronology Research Reliable sources Bibliography Note-taking In text citations 5 paragraph essay Introduction Thesis statement Hook Transition words Topic words Closing sentences Paragraph structure Quoting in text Word Choice Formal tone Important Vs Interesting Identifying what they need to add Main idea Logical sequencing Task, audience, purpose Self generated questions Vocab: Comes for mini-lesson content (non-fiction, chronology, etc.)	Short Stories Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons Students selected texts	Topics: discussions based on mini-lessons, Debates, share own writingTasks: Small group, partner, whole group, Home/Expert Groups	Summative: Expository: Choose a country and time period to write about their Revolution Formative: Exit slips, Entrance slips, individual and small group conferringGraphic Organizer	W.8.1, W.8.2, W.8.4, W.8.5, W.8.6, W.8.7, W.8.8, W.8.9, W.8.10SL.8.1-6L.8.1-6
Argumentative - Choice topic9 Weeks	5 paragraph essay Introduction Thesis Statement Counter argument Hook Transition Words Topic Sentence Paragraph Structure Picking most compelling evidence Quoting text Rebuttals Counter-arguments Real life examples/evidence Bibliography Non-Fiction Reliable sources Topic words Paragraph Structure Logical sequencing Task, audience, purpose Vocab: Comes for mini-lesson content (Thesis, Hook, etc.)	Short Stories Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Students selected texts	Topics: discussions based on mini-lessons, Debates, share own writing Tasks: Small group, partner, whole group, Home/Expert Groups	Summative: Argumentative: Choice Topic (5 paragraph essay) Formative: Exit slips, Entrance slips, individual and small group conferringGraphic Organizer	W.8.1, W.8.4, W.8.5, W.8.6, W.8.7, W.8.8, W.8.9, W.8.10SL.8.1-6L.8.1-6
Choice Writing4 Weeks	Review of Lessons from Term 1, 2, and 3 Vocab: Comes for mini-lesson content from previous terms	Current Events Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons The Boy in the Striped Pajamas A Long Walk to Water Poetry examples Students selected texts	Topics: discussions based on mini-lessons, Debates, share own writing, and current events topics Tasks: Small group, partner, whole group, Home/Expert Groups	Summative: Choice Writing piece (Rubrics above) Formative: Exit slips, Entrance slips, individual and small group conferring	W.8.1, W.8.4, W.8.5, W.8.6, W.8.7, W.8.8, W.8.9, W.8.10SL.8.1-6L.8.1-6
Poetry - Poetry Slam5 Weeks	Figurative language Structure Types of Poems Poetry Vocabulary Cultural Perspective Tone Vivid words Acrostic Concrete Couplet Haiku Tanka Cinquain Free-Verse Vocab: Comes for mini-lesson content (Tone, Acrostic, etc.) Metaphor Onomatopoeia Simile Personification Alliteration Hyperbole Idiom Oxymoron Symbolism Allusion	Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons Independent Word Walls with figurative language definitions & examples A Long Walk to Water Poetry examples Students selected texts	Topics: discussions based on mini-lessons, Debates, share own writing, and current events topics Tasks: Small group, partner, whole group, gallery walks, Home/Expert Groups	Summative: Final Free-Verse Poem: Presentation Formative: Exit slips, Entrance slips, individual and small group conferring	RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.4, W.8.3, W.8.4, W.8.10SL.8.1-6L.8.3, L.8.4, L.8.5, L.8.6

Reading & Social Studies - 43 minute class periods, meeting five times a week

Unit Topic & Time	Mini-Lessons/ Teaching Points	Mentor Texts/ Resources	Discussion Topics & Tasks	Assessments/ Rubrics	Standards
Culture of MeLife in the 1900s9 Weeks	Week 1: Culture of 1900s Week 2: Industrial Revolution Week 3: Liberty and Freedom Week 4: Primary Sources Week 5: Secondary SourcesVocab: Credible Historical Lense Culture Revolution Primary Sources Secondary Sources Mini-Lessons: Annotating Texts Context Clues Main idea and supporting details Text Evidence Important VS Interesting Author’s purpose Structure’s purpose	Short Stories Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons Students selected texts Inquiry Week sites	Topics: How do your beliefs, values, and cultural background influence the way you behave? Discussions based on mini-lessons, Debates, share own research, and current events topics Tasks: Small group, partner, whole group, KWL Charts, Culture projects, Home/Expert Groups	Summative: Culture Project Research and Website Formative: Exit slips, Entrance slips, individual and small group conferring	Inq1BH1, BH3Geog2, Geog4Hist3RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.4, RL.8.5, RL.8.9RI.8.2, RI.8.3, RI.8.4, RI.8.5, RI.8.6
World War I10 Weeks	Week 1: Revolutions Week 2: Early 1900s, Human Rights Week 3: Causes of WWI Week 4: Alliances of WWI Week 5: 1914 and 1915 and strategyWeek 6: Christmas Truce Week 7: 1916 and 1917 and conflict Week 8: End of WWI and Treaties/PeaceVocab: Paraphrase Summarize Quote Main idea Revolution Alliances Nationalism Trench Warfare Allied Powers Axis Powers Treaty Mini-Lessons: Annotating Texts Context Clues Main idea and supporting details Text Evidence Important VS Interesting Author’s purpose Structure’s purpose	Short Stories Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons Students selected texts Inquiry Week sites	Topics: What are the factors that create an imbalance of power within a culture?Discussions based on mini-lessons, Debates, share own research, and current events topics Tasks: Small group, partner, whole group, KWL Charts, Culture projects, Home/Expert Groups	Summative: Culture Project Presentation, Culture Presentation Formative: Exit slips, Entrance slips, individual and small group conferring	Inq1, Inq2, Inq3BH1, BH2, BH3, BH4Econ1, Econ3, Econ4Geog1, Geog2, Geog3, Geog4, Geog5Hist1, Hist2, Hist3, Hist4PS2RL.8.3, RL.8.6RI.8.1, RI.8.7
World War II9 Weeks	Week 1: Moving to WWII Week 2: Causes of WWII Week 3: Who was involved in WWII Week 4: 1939 and 1940 Week 5: 1949-1943 Week 6: 1944 and 1945 Week 7: Effects of WWIIVocab: Treaty League of Nations Monarchy Dictator Stereotype Rationing Blitzkrieg Main Idea Evidence Mini-Lessons: Annotating Texts Context Clues Main idea and supporting details Text Evidence Important VS Interesting Author’s purpose Structure’s purpose	Short Stories Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Students selected texts Inquiry Week sites	Topics: How can you avoid cultural stereotyping? How can you learn to see things from another culture’s point of view? Discussions based on mini-lessons, Debates, share own research, and current events topics Tasks: Small group, partner, whole group, KWL Charts, Culture projects, Home/Expert Groups	Summative: Mock Trial Videos Formative: Exit slips, Entrance slips, individual and small group conferring	Inq1, Inq2, Inq3, Inq4BH1, BH2, BH3, BH4Econ1, Econ3, Econ4Geog1, Geog2, Geog3, Geog4, Geog5Hist1, Hist2, Hist3, Hist4PS2RL.8.7, RI.8.8, RI.8.9
Current Events10 Weeks	Week 1: Political Current Events Week 2: Political Current Events Week 3: Issues in Current Events Week 4: Issues in Current Events Week 5: Opinions of Current Events Week 6: Opinions of Current Events Week 7: Civics Week 8: CivicsVocab: Bias Research Summarizing Paraphrasing Main Idea Words with Current Events Mini-Lessons: Annotating Texts Context Clues Main idea and supporting details Text Evidence Important VS Interesting Author’s purpose Structure’s purpose	Current Events Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons The Boy in the Striped Pajamas A Long Walk to Water Poetry examples Students selected texts Inquiry Week sites	Topics: What is the importance of understanding cultural diversity?Discussions based on mini-lessons, Debates, share own research, and current events topicsTasks: Small group, partner, whole group, KWL Charts, Culture projects, Home/Expert Groups	Summative: Newscast Formative: Exit slips, Entrance slips, individual and small group conferring	Inq1, Inq2, Inq3, Inq4, Inq5BH1, BH3, BH4Econ1, Econ2, Econ3, Econ4Geog1, Geog2, Geog3, Geog4, Geog5Hist1, Hist2, Hist3, Hist4PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4RL.8.10RI.8.10