Unit Plan 1 (Grade 8 ELA): Launching Our Reading–Writing Community

Focus: Routines, stamina, close reading norms, writer’s workshop expectations

Grade Level: 8

Subject Area: English Language Arts (Reading—Literature; Writing—Process & Clarity; Speaking/Listening—Discussion; Language—Usage)

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

I. Introduction

We’ll kick off the year by building our reading–writing community: setting discussion norms, launching independent reading routines, establishing close-reading/annotation practices, and opening writer’s workshop with clear expectations for drafting, feedback, and revision. By week’s end, students will have a personal reading plan, a baseline writing sample, and a class set of agreements that make rigorous talk and thoughtful writing possible.

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…

1. Sustain independent reading and apply annotation/close-reading routines to grade-level texts (RL.8.10).
2. Produce clear, coherent writing suited to task, purpose, and audience; follow class workshop processes (W.8.4).
3. Participate in collaborative discussions using norms, evidence, and accountable talk stems (SL.8.1).
4. Demonstrate command of standard English grammar and usage in short on-demand writing (L.8.1).

Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 8

• RL.8.10: Read and comprehend literature (stories/dramas/poems) at the grades 6–8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
• W.8.4: Produce clear/coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
• SL.8.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions; build on others’ ideas and express own clearly.
• L.8.1: Command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage.

Success Criteria — student language

• I can choose a just-right text and maintain a reading log with purposeful annotations.
• I can contribute to discussion with evidence and respectful turn-taking.
• I can draft a well-focused paragraph/page with clear structure and appropriate tone.
• I can identify and correct common grammar/usage issues in my own writing.

III. Materials and Resources

Mentor Texts — teacher acquires/curates

• One short high-interest literary passage (1–2 pages) for shared close reading.
• One short narrative paragraph exemplar showing strong clarity and conventions.
• Independent reading choices (class library, digital texts) spanning genres/levels.

Tools & Displays

• Anchor charts: “Close Reading Routine (preview → annotate → analyze),” “Annotation Key (questions • connections • word choice • structure • theme),” “Accountable Talk (stems for agreeing, probing, building),” “Workshop Expectations (draft → confer → revise → edit → publish),” “Conventions Quick Guide (subjects/verbs • pronouns • phrases/clauses).”
• Organizers: Reading Ladder/Log, Goal Sheet, Discussion Norms Contract, Quick-Write Frame, Revision Checklist, Conventions Self-Check.

Preparation — before Session 1

1. Prepare class library browse system and book talk a few titles.
2. Print annotation bookmarks and talk stems.
3. Create shared docs/folders for reading logs and writing drafts.

IV. Lesson Procedure

Each session follows: Mini-Lesson → Guided Practice → Independent/Group Work → Share → Exit Ticket

Session 1: Community Agreements & Reading Identities (SL.8.1; RL.8.10)

• Mini-Lesson (10–12 min): Introduce discussion norms (listen actively, cite text, build on ideas) and model accountable talk stems.
• Guided (10 min): “Four Corners” about reading habits; practice stems while moving from opinion to text-based comments.
• Independent (20 min): Students complete a Reading Identity + Goals sheet (genres, stamina target, strategies). Begin independent reading browse and select a launch text.
• Share (5 min): Two volunteers give a 30-second book pitch.
• Exit Ticket: Write one community norm you’ll uphold and how it helps learning.

Session 2: Close Reading & Annotation Norms (RL.8.10)

• Mini-Lesson (10–12 min): Model a three-pass close read of the mentor passage:
  1. Preview (gist, predictions), 2) Annotate (questions, word choice, structure), 3) Analyze (what it suggests about character/theme).
• Guided (10–12 min): Annotate a new paragraph together; label evidence + inference.
• Independent (15–20 min): Students annotate a second paragraph; add two margin notes explaining how a word/phrase shapes meaning or tone.
• Share (3–4 min): Pair & compare annotations; star one most insightful note.
• Exit Ticket: One-sentence central observation about the passage with a line reference.

Session 3: Seminar Light—Speaking to Evidence (SL.8.1; RL.8.10)

• Mini-Lesson (8–10 min): Teach small-group discussion roles (facilitator, evidence finder, synthesizer) and norms for building on ideas.
• Guided (10–12 min): Model a quick “text-to-talk” exchange using annotation notes; facilitator prompts evidence, synthesizer names agreement/disagreement.
• Independent (18–20 min): In groups of 4, run two 6-minute mini-discussions on prompts (e.g., “Which detail best reveals the character’s motivation?”). Rotate roles.
• Share (5–6 min): Whole-class debrief: Which stems kept talk academic?
• Exit Ticket: Self-assess SL.8.1 on a scale (one + why), and set one speaking goal for next time.

Session 4: Writer’s Workshop Launch—Clarity & Conventions (W.8.4; L.8.1)

• Mini-Lesson (10–12 min): Using the exemplar paragraph, unpack focus, organization, and sentence control; spotlight one grammar move (e.g., combining with phrases/clauses for precision).
• Guided (10–12 min): Shared quick-write from a prompt tied to the mentor text; then model revising a sentence for clarity and concision (cut filler, precise verbs, fix agreement).
• Independent (18–20 min): Students compose a baseline paragraph (8–10 sentences) responding to a focused prompt; then complete a Conventions Self-Check (subjects/verbs, pronouns, sentence boundaries).
• Share (3–4 min): Turn-and-tell: name one revision you made and why.
• Exit Ticket: Identify one grammar/usage habit you’ll monitor.

Session 5: Systems & Goals—Reading Stamina and Workshop Workflow (RL.8.10; W.8.4; SL.8.1)

• Mini-Lesson (8–10 min): Launch reading log expectations (minutes, pages, annotation focus) and workshop workflow (draft → peer conference → revise).
• Guided (10–12 min): Calibrate stamina with a 10-minute silent read; pause to log gist + one annotation target for tonight.
• Independent (18–20 min): Set personal goals (weekly pages; discussion target; one writing skill). Upload baseline paragraph and log to shared folder.
• Share (3–4 min): Volunteers read their goal statement; peers suggest one strategy to hit it.
• Exit Ticket: Submit the Week 1 plan: title of IR book, daily reading windows, and one annotation lens you’ll use first.

V. Differentiation and Accommodations

Advanced Learners

• Stretch texts: choose a higher-band narrative or poetry sequence; add a second annotation lens (structure or motif).
• Writing: add a sentence-level style challenge (appositive phrase; varied openings) and a brief note explaining effect.

Targeted Support

• Provide leveled excerpts of the mentor text; allow audio support.
• Sentence frames for discussion: “Building on ___, the line at ___ suggests ___ because ___.”
• Writing scaffolds: quick-write frame and a checklist with example fixes.

Multilingual Learners

• Bilingual mini-glossary: annotate, inference, gist, clause, revise, evidence.
• Allow annotations in home language; require English summary statements.
• Model before/after sentences to highlight grammar/usage edits visually.

IEP/504 & Accessibility

• Chunked reading with timers; clear visual steps for the close-reading routine.
• Option to submit the baseline paragraph as audio + transcript; allow speech-to-text.
• Provide structured discussion roles with printed prompts.

VI. Assessment and Evaluation

Formative Assessment — Daily

• Session 1: Discussion Norms Contract + reading goals (SL.8.1).
• Session 2: Annotated passage with evidence/inference labels (RL.8.10).
• Session 3: Mini-discussion self-assessment + facilitator checklist (SL.8.1).
• Session 4: Baseline paragraph + Conventions Self-Check (W.8.4; L.8.1).
• Session 5: Reading log setup + Week 1 plan (RL.8.10).

Summative Assessment — End of Week; 0–2 per criterion, total 10

1. Reading Routine & Comprehension Evidence (RL.8.10)
   • 2: Annotations purposeful; central observation accurate; log complete.
   • 1: Some purposeful notes; gist mostly clear; log partial.
   • 0: Minimal/unclear annotations; log missing.
2. Discussion Participation (SL.8.1)
   • 2: Uses stems, cites text, builds on peers’ ideas.
   • 1: Participates; limited evidence-building.
   • 0: Rarely engages or off-task.
3. Clarity & Organization in Writing (W.8.4)
   • 2: Focused response; logical structure; audience-appropriate tone.
   • 1: Generally clear; some drift or uneven organization.
   • 0: Unclear focus; weak organization.
4. Conventions—Grammar/Usage (L.8.1)
   • 2: Few errors; correct sentence boundaries; accurate agreement/pronouns.
   • 1: Minor errors that don’t obscure meaning.
   • 0: Frequent errors impede clarity.
5. Goal Setting & Systems
   • 2: Specific, measurable goals with strategies; files organized.
   • 1: Goals present but vague; minor organization issues.
   • 0: Missing or minimal planning.

Feedback Protocol

• Two strengths (e.g., “Your annotation linked diction to tone”) and one next step (“Tighten topic sentence to match claim”).
• Micro-goals for Week 2: add one deeper question to annotations, use one new talk stem, and fix one recurring grammar pattern.

VII. Reflection and Extension

Reflection Prompts

• “What annotation move helped you understand the text most?”
• “Where did you build on a peer’s idea in discussion?”
• “Which sentence in your baseline paragraph shows your clearest thinking, and why?”

Extensions

• Reading Ladder Start: Set a 6-week stretch text and checkpoint pages.
• Style Lift: Revise two baseline sentences using a phrase or clause for precision; write a note about the effect.
• Family Connection: Share your reading goal and ask a family member to suggest a reading time you can stick to.

Standards Trace — When Each Standard Is Taught/Assessed

• RL.8.10 taught Sessions 1–3 & 5; assessed Summative Criterion 1.
• W.8.4 taught Session 4; assessed Summative Criterion 3.
• SL.8.1 taught Sessions 1 & 3; assessed Summative Criterion 2.
• L.8.1 taught Session 4; assessed Summative Criterion 4.