Unit Plan 21 (Grade 8 ELA): Tone, Connotation, and Precise Language
8th graders explore how word choice shapes tone and meaning by analyzing diction, connotation, analogies, and allusions. Students compare shades of meaning, refine vocabulary for precision, and revise writing to maintain clear, consistent tone and style.
Focus: Shades of meaning; tone signals in context; style choices
Grade Level: 8
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Reading—Literature; Language—Vocabulary & Style)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Words carry baggage—associations, attitudes, and subtle shades that shape a text’s tone. This week, students will analyze how authors’ word choices (including analogies/allusions) create tone in literary passages, distinguish connotations among near-synonyms, and revise language to achieve precise effects in their own writing.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Determine the meaning of words and phrases (including figurative and connotative) and analyze how specific choices shape meaning and tone, including the impact of analogies or allusions (RL.8.4).
- Use word relationships (cause/effect, part/whole, item/category) to clarify meanings and distinguish connotations among words with similar denotations (L.8.5b–c).
- Make effective language choices for meaning and style—express ideas precisely and concisely; reduce wordiness; maintain consistent tone (L.8.3).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 8
- RL.8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases (figurative/connotative); analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
- L.8.5b–c: Use relationships between particular words to better understand each (b) and distinguish connotations among words with similar denotations (c).
- L.8.3: Use knowledge of language to make effective choices for meaning or style; express ideas precisely and concisely; reduce wordiness; maintain consistency in style and tone.
Success Criteria — student language
- I can name a tone (e.g., wry, reverent, caustic) and justify it with precise evidence (diction, image, analogy/allusion).
- I can separate denotation from connotation and explain how connotation shifts tone.
- I can revise a passage to make tone more precise/consistent and explain the effect of my changes in one or two sentences.