8th Grade Historical Literacy consists of two 43 minute class periods. Writing is one 43 minute block and reading is another. The teacher has picked themes based on social studies standards, and a read-aloud novel based on social studies serves as the mentor text for writing and reading skills. More social studies content is addressed in reading through teaching nonfiction reading skills and discussion.
Standards reflect CCSS ELA, Reading, and Social Studies Standards.

Students form literature circles, read "Esperanza Rising" or "Becoming Naomi Leon" by Pam MuĐoz Ryan, use a Critical Thinking Map to discuss social issues, and use a class wiki.

This Lesson was created to use in conjunction with materials in Clusive [https://clusive.cast.org], a free, online learning environment that makes materials flexible and accessible.  The Lesson is designed for students in grades 6-8, and targets ELA standards as well as SEL skills of self-awareness and learner agency. As you use this lesson, students will be guided to recognize, understand, and apply key elements of a mystery story, tools that they can use to build learner agency, self-awareness, and comprehension

This Lesson was created to use in conjunction with materials in Clusive [https://clusive.cast.org], a free, online learning environment that makes materials flexible and accessible.  The Lesson is designed to engage and support middle school teachers and their students to evaluate Tom Sawyer as one of a long-line of trickster characters in world literature. 

This a a cross curricular unit encompassing English, History, and Math Common Core Standards to teach the Child Labor practices of 1800s U.S. with the tragedy of Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911 which lead to child labor reform throughout the world and into the modern era.

In ths lesson seed, students will compare a poem and a text about Booker T. Washington.  Students will identify the central idea and supporting evidence in each text. 

Students will be introduced to irony with a focus on the three types of irony:  verbal, situational, and dramatic.  RL 8.4  Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.Students will review the definitions of the three types of irony.  After viewing examples and taking notes, they will view three videos:  verbal irony, situational irony, and dramatic irony.Students will get a copy of the lyrics to the song "Ironic" by Alanis Morissette.  They will listen to the song a few times.and highlight examples of irony. Students will then work with a partner to share and discuss.  Next, students will type their own song lyrics using the song "Ironic" as a template portraying examples of irony.Students will then share with the class.  During presentations, students will highlight examples of irony using classmates' lyrics.  

In this literary unit, students explore rural life during the Great Depression by analyzing Richard Peck's A Year Down Yonder.

“The Treasure of Lemon Brown” by Walter Dean MyersSee Overview attachment for lesson details.