Unit Plan 8 (Grade 8 ELA): Informative Writing Foundations

Focus: Clear thesis; facts/definitions/examples; logical organization; domain vocabulary

Grade Level: 8

Subject Area: English Language Arts (Writing—Informative/Explanatory; Language—Usage & Conventions)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

Students launch an informative/explanatory writing cycle. They’ll craft a clear thesis, plan a logical structure, and develop ideas with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, and examples. They’ll weave in transitions for cohesion, apply domain-specific vocabulary, maintain a formal style, and finish with a concluding section that follows from and supports their explanation.

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…

1. Introduce a topic with a focused thesis and preview of organization (W.8.2a).
2. Develop the topic with relevant, accurate support (facts/definitions/examples/quotations) and smoothly integrated explanations (W.8.2b).
3. Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify relationships among ideas (W.8.2c).
4. Employ precise language and domain-specific vocabulary; make purposeful choices in grammar/usage for clarity (W.8.2d; L.8.1).
5. Maintain a formal style and produce a concluding statement/section that reinforces the explanation (W.8.2e–f).
6. Edit for capitalization, punctuation (including commas/ellipses/dashes), and spelling (L.8.2).

Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 8

• W.8.2a–f: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content
  • (a) introduce topic/thesis & organization; (b) develop with facts/definitions/details/quotes/examples; (c) transitions for cohesion; (d) precise language & domain vocabulary; (e) formal style; (f) concluding section.
• L.8.1: Command of grammar/usage (e.g., verbals; active/passive; mood) to enhance clarity.
• L.8.2: Conventions—capitalization, punctuation (commas, ellipses, dashes), spelling.

Success Criteria — student language

• My thesis names the topic and angle and signals my organization.
• Each body paragraph uses facts/definitions/examples and a clear explain-how/why sentence.
• My transitions make relationships obvious (cause/effect, compare/contrast, classification, sequence).
• I use domain words correctly and keep a formal tone.
• My conclusion follows from the explanation (no new claims, no opinion swing).
• My sentences are clear, with correct punctuation and spelling.