Grade 8 ELA Nebraska standards Standards

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

Comprehension and Collaboration

Speaking and Listening

Modes of Writing

Production of Writing

Writing

Context and Connotation

Acquisition and Use

Vocabulary

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

Knowledge and Ideas

Author's Craft

Central Ideas and Details

Reading Informational text

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

Knowledge and Ideas

Author's Craft

Central Ideas and Details

Reading Prose and Poetry

Foundations of Reading

Determine two or more implied or explicit central ideas and how they develop over the course of an informational text, including their relationship to supporting ideas.

Analyze how particular events, interactions between individuals, or key facts and details contribute to meaning.

Analyze how an author establishes, conveys, and contrasts perspective or purpose in a text and how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

Compare and contrast the structure of a specific paragraph in an informational text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept.

Analyze how two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic, including where the texts disagree on matters of evidence or interpretation.

Analyze the development of an argument and evaluate the effectiveness of the type(s) of reasoning used to support the argument.

Analyze regional, national, international, and/or multicultural perspectives to make connections among and distinctions between individuals or ideas within and across a range of informational texts.

Read and comprehend a wide range of informational texts of appropriate complexity at the high end of the 6-8 grade band independently and proficiently.

Determine two or more implied or explicit themes of a text and how they develop over the course of a literary text, including their relationship to supporting ideas.

Analyze how particular events, lines of dialogue, or descriptive details develop the plot, reveal aspects of characters, or create meaning.

Analyze how an author establishes, conveys, and contrasts the points of view of the audience and the characters to create effects such as suspense, humor, or dramatic irony in a literary text.

Compare and contrast the structure of two or more literary texts and how their structures contribute to style and meaning.

Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works.

Synthesize the implied or stated theme(s) in a literary text to draw conclusions and deepen understanding of self and others.

Analyze regional, national, international, and/or multicultural perspectives to make connections among and distinctions between characters or ideas within and across a range of literary texts.

Read and comprehend a wide range of literary texts of appropriate complexity at the high end of the 6-8 grade band independently and proficiently.

Initiate and participate in structured discussions and collaborations about 8th grade topics and texts.

Ask relevant questions to build on ideas, clarify own ideas, or acquire or confirm information.

Demonstrate interpretation of verbal and non-verbal messages in a conversation.

Converse with peers and adults in an all-inclusive manner to foster positive relationships while respecting diverse perspectives.

Demonstrate active and attentive listening skills (e.g., eye contact, nonverbal cues, taking notes, summarizing, questioning).

Complete a task following complex, multi-step directions.

Present claims and findings, emphasizing key ideas in a focused, coherent manner with relevant descriptions, facts, details, and examples to clarify themes or central ideas.

Demonstrate and adjust speaking techniques (e.g., appropriate eye contact, pacing, adequate volume, clear pronunciation) for a variety of purposes and situations, including interpreting 8th grade texts.

Convey a perspective with clear reasoning and valid evidence.

Analyze the purpose of information being presented and evaluate its motives (e.g., social, commercial, political).

Demonstrate awareness of and sensitivity to the appropriate use of words (e.g., stereotypes, multiple meanings of words).

Select and use appropriate visual and/or digital tools to enhance verbal communication and add interest.

Integrate grade-level academic vocabulary appropriately for a variety of tasks and purposes.

Use context clues (e.g. the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word's position or function in a sentence) to determine the meanings of words and phrases.

Use commonly occurring Greek and Latin affixes and roots to determine the meanings of words (e.g., recede, precede).

Consult general and specialized reference materials to determine or clarify the precise meanings, pronunciations, or parts of speech of words.

Interpret an author's use of figurative, connotative, and technical language in grade-level literary and informational text.

Interpret figures of speech (e.g., verbal irony, puns) in context.

Determine the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words.

Distinguish between the connotations of words with similar denotations (e.g., willful, resolute).

Create grammatically correct multi-paragraph compositions with varied sentence structures.

Apply knowledge of rules for capitalization.

Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dashes) to indicate a pause or break and an ellipsis to indicate an omission.

Explain the function of and use different types of verbals in sentences (e.g., gerunds, participles, infinitives).

Distinguish between and use active and passive voice, formal and informal tone, and types of grammatical mood (e.g. indicative, subjunctive, conditional, imperative).

Use appropriate parallel structure in words, phrases, and clauses.

Identify and revise fragment and run-on sentences and inappropriate shifts in verb tense, number, voice, and mood.

Use a recursive writing process to develop, strengthen, and produce writing appropriate to the audience, purpose, and discipline.

Identify and use resources and inquiry tools to plan, organize, and draft writing.

Adapt writing processes to sustain engagement in short and long-term writing tasks of increasing length and complexity.

Improve and clarify the content, structure, and organization of writing by revising, considering feedback from adults and peers.

Improve and clarify writing by editing and proofreading, considering feedback from adults and peers.

Use appropriate print and digital/multimedia tools to produce, enhance, and/or publish writing individually or in collaboration with peers.

Write in a variety of literary forms to convey real or imagined experiences or events in which the development and structure are appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience.

Engage and orient the reader by establishing a conflict, situation, or observation, introducing a narrator and/or character(s), and establishing and maintaining point(s) of view; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.

Use literary techniques (e.g., dialogue, pacing, description, multiple plot lines) to develop experiences, events, characters, and settings.

Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole.

Use precise words and phrases, descriptive/sensory details, and figurative language to establish mood and tone and convey a vivid picture.

Provide a conclusion that is clearly related to and reflects upon what is experienced, observed, or left unresolved over the course of the piece.

Write arguments that develop a perspective with supporting reasons and evidence, organized as appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience.

Develop a structure to sequence ideas appropriately; introduce a clear claim where appropriate.

Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or supporting claims, and develop a structure in which ideas are grouped logically.

Explain and cite relevant evidence from multiple credible sources.

Use words, phrases, and key vocabulary to create cohesion and clarify the relationship between the claim(s) and supporting evidence.

Adapt style and tone appropriate to the norms and conventions of the task and discipline.

Provide a conclusion that follows from and supports the argument(s) presented.

Write informative/explanatory pieces to clearly convey ideas and information in which the development and structure are appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience.

Introduce a topic clearly and provide a specific focus; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories or sections including text features, illustrations, and/or multimedia elements.

Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, and/or other information and examples.

Use appropriate transitions and domain-specific vocabulary to clarify relationships among ideas and concepts.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the information or explanation(s).

Gather and use credible evidence from multiple trustworthy sources and assess its relevance in answering the research question(s).

Integrate evidence into writing by quoting or paraphrasing data and conclusions while avoiding plagiarism.

Locate and evaluate the credibility of evidence (e.g., the expertise or motivation of the creator of an information product, potential bias and/or deception) from print and digital sources to generate and answer questions and create new understandings.

Select and use appropriate note-taking formats to collect and organize information.

Demonstrate academic integrity by avoiding overreliance on any one source and citing sources within text (e.g., parenthetical and numerical); provide a list of sources using a standard format.

Practice safe and ethical behaviors when communicating and interacting with others digitally (e.g., safe information to share, utilize appropriate sites and materials, appropriate language use, respect diverse perspectives).

Citing relevant and thorough textual evidence to support ideas, evaluate the development of themes or central ideas in grade-level informational texts.

Citing relevant and thorough evidence to support ideas, evaluate the development and interaction of individuals, ideas, and events in grade-level informational texts.

Citing relevant and thorough textual evidence to support ideas, evaluate how an author's perspective or use of point of view shapes the style and meaning of grade-level informational texts.

Read and comprehend complex, grade-level informational texts independently and proficiently.

Citing relevant and thorough textual evidence to support ideas, evaluate the development of themes or central ideas in grade-level literary texts.

Citing relevant and thorough evidence to support ideas, evaluate the development and interaction of individuals, ideas, and events in grade-level literary text.

Citing relevant and thorough textual evidence to support ideas, evaluate how an author's perspective or use of point of view shapes the style and meaning of grade-level literary text.

Read and comprehend complex, grade-level literary texts independently and proficiently.

Communicate effectively and appropriately in collaborative activities for a variety of tasks, purposes, and audiences to express ideas, share knowledge, and generate new understandings.

Present information, findings, and supporting evidence in which the organization, development, and style are appropriate to the discipline, audience, and/or context.

Build and use a range of conversational, academic, and discipline-specific grade-level vocabulary and apply to reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

Use a recursive writing process to produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to the discipline, audience, and/or context.

Write in a variety of modes for a variety of purposes and audiences across disciplines.