8th Grade English Curriculum Map Rumsey Hall School
Content
ASSESMENT
SKILLS
? Read: To Kill a Mockingbird ? Oral presentations and research papers on topics related to segregation. ? Genre: Historical fiction ? Personal essay writing ? Creative essay writing ? Informal journal responses ? Quotation responses ? Independent reading and book talks ? Supplementary reading on The Depression, the South in the 1930�s, prologue to the Invisible Man. ? Videos: To Kill a Mockingbird, Ghosts of Missisippi, Eyes on the Prize (The Civil Rights Movement), Frontline Documentry on segregation and prejudice (1984) ? Literature group discussions and written work. ? Vocabulary ? Compare and contrast diagram Scottsboro Trial vs. Tom Robinson Trial and Harper Lee�s childhood to Scout�s. ? Discussions and final writing assignment on the following themes: ? Growing up ? Family ? Prejudice Final Test
? Read and comprehend text, make inferences about the plot, characters, and themes that are prevalent throughout the book. ? Underlining and note taking ? Close reading of plot: summarize reading and facilitate days discussion group as a discussions director, find important passages relevant to each night�s reading as a passage finder, and vocabulary building as the vocabulary finder. In addition, varying points of view on each night�s reading from the illustrator and character identification and descriptions as a character guide. ? Critical analysis through journal responses on various significant quotation by the characters. ? Gain a broader knowledge base of African American history through additional required readings as well as independent supplemental readings and book talks that promote sharing and public speaking skills. ? Informal research on the internet on the Scottsboro Trial so students will read about the Robinson trial with a better understanding of the real life events that inspired Harper Lee to write the book. ? Research Skills: ? Looking up material from two sources. ? Taking notes ? Developing an outline ? Developing a thesis ? Writing a research paper ? Editing/revising/final draft ? 2-3 minute oral presentation ? public speaking skills ? Create venn diagrams comparing and contrasting Scottsboro to Robinson trial and one comparing and contrasting Lee�s childhood to Scout�s. ? Building vocab, review parts of speech, writing contextual sentences
? Comprehension quizzes ? Journal responses ? Research paper and oral presentation based on a rubric. Three grades: paper and bibliography, note cards and outline, and oral presentation. 25% of term grade. ? Three vocabulary quizzes. ? Must give at least one book talk on independent reading. ? Two venn diagrams ? Literature group written work and discussion participation counts for a homework grade each day they meet. ? Quiz grade on 1 to 2 page essay. Choice of personal or creative essay. Two night assignment. ? Final writing assignment on growing up, family, or prejudice. Test grade Final test on the book...vocabulary, quotations, character identifications, short essay, and long essay.
