8th Grade Historical Literacy Unit Plans

8th Grade Historical Fiction Units

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

Unit Topic & TimeMini-Lessons/ Teaching PointsMentor Texts/ ResourcesDiscussion Topics & TasksAssessments/ RubricsStandards
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 GroupsSummativeExpository: 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
SummativeArgumentative: 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
SummativeFinal 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 & TimeMini-Lessons/ Teaching PointsMentor Texts/ ResourcesDiscussion Topics & TasksAssessments/ RubricsStandards
Culture of MeLife in the 1900s9 WeeksWeek 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 WeeksWeek 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 WeeksWeek 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
SummativeMock 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 WeeksWeek 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 GroupsSummativeNewscast
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


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