Language Arts
Grade 8: Writing |
Planning: Term # Tracking: Ach. Level |
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Overall Expectations |
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1.
generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended
purpose and audience; |
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2.
draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary,
and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and
audience; |
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3.
use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge
of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present
their work effectively; |
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4.
reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement,
and the strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing
process. |
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Specific Expectations
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1.
Developing and Organizing |
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Purpose
and Audience: 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audience for more complex
writing forms (e.g., a personal memoir about the school experience to share
with classmates, family, and friends at graduation; a report on a topic of
current interest in the style of a newspaper article, including headlines,
for a school or community newspaper; a campaign flyer or brochure to promote
a candidate for school government) |
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Developing
Ideas: 1.2 generate ideas about more challenging topics and identify those
most appropriate to the purpose |
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Research:
1.3 gather information to support ideas for writing, using a variety of
strategies and a wide range of print and electronic sources (e.g., produce a
plan and timeline for carrying out research tasks; interview people with
knowledge of the topic; identify and use graphic and multimedia resources;
record sources used and information gathered in a form that makes it easy to
understand and retrieve) |
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Classifying
Ideas: 1.4 sort and classify ideas and information for their writing in a
variety of ways that allow them to manipulate information and see different
combinations and relationships in their data (e.g., by using electronic
graphic organizers, tables, charts) |
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Organizing
Ideas: 1.5 identify and order main ideas and supporting details and group
them into units that could be used to develop a summary, a debate, or a
report of several paragraphs, using a variety of strategies (e.g., making jot
notes; making sketchboard outlines of a procedure or series of events) and
organizational patterns (e.g., combined/multiple orders such as order of importance
and cause and effect) |
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Review:
1.6 determine whether the ideas and information they have gathered are
relevant, appropriate, and sufficiently specific for the purpose, and do more
planning and research if necessary (e.g., check for depth and breadth of
coverage of the topic) |
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2.
Using Knowledge of Form and Style in Writing |
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Form:
2.1 write complex texts of a variety of lengths using a wide range of forms
(e.g., a memoir of a significant Canadian; a report comparing the economies
of two nations and explaining how a new industry might affect each nation's
economy; briefing notes for an oral debate outlining both sides of an
argument, including appeals to both logic and emotion; a narrative in the
style of a particular author, adding to or extending a text by that author;
an original satirical, science-fiction, or realistic fiction piece modelled
on the structures and conventions of the genre; a free verse or narrative
poem, or a limerick) |
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Voice:
2.2 establish a distinctive voice in their writing appropriate to the subject
and audience, (e.g., use emotive language to persuade the audience to share
their feelings, and explain the effect they think it will have on the
audience) |
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Word
Choice: 2.3 regularly use vivid and/or figurative language and innovative
expressions in their writing (e.g., adjective phrases: The car with the
fluorescent red racing stripe; adverb phrases: He walked with the gait of a
sailor; specialized vocabulary and terminology; analogies and idioms). Teacher
prompt: "Identify three language choices you have made and explain the
effect they will have on a reader." |
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Sentence
Fluency: 2.4 vary sentence types and structures for different purposes (e.g.,
to alter the pace or mood), with a focus on using a range of relative
pronouns (e.g., who, which), subordinate conjunctions (e.g., whenever,
because, although), and both the active and passive voice |
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Point
of View: 2.5 identify their point of view and other possible points of view,
evaluate other points of view, and find ways to respond to other points of
view, if appropriate Teacher
prompt: "How can you address in your writing the questions that would
come from others who hold a different point of view?" |
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Preparing
for Revision: 2.6 identify elements in their writing that need improvement,
selectively using feedback from the teacher and peers, with a focus on depth
of content and appropriateness of tone. Teacher prompts: "Are there any
key ideas that are missing or need more explanation?" "Does your
writing have an identifiable tone (e.g., sincerity, humour, horror, irony,
pathos)? Is the tone appropriate to the subject matter? Does it accurately
reflect your point of view?" |
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Revision:
2.7 make revisions to improve the content, clarity, and interest of their
written work, using a variety of strategies (e.g., use sticky notes while
rereading to record questions and ideas; cut and paste to improve logic of
organization; add or substitute words and phrases, including vocabulary from
other subject areas; use idioms, figurative language, and rhetorical devices
such as analogy to achieve particular effects; adjust sentence length, type,
and complexity to suit the audience and purpose; use patterns such as
repetition with variations to emphasize important points and hold the
attention of the audience. Teacher prompt: "Could you use two different
sentence lengths and patterns to highlight the two points of view in your
argument?" |
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Producing
Drafts: 2.8 produce revised draft pieces of writing to meet identified
criteria based on the expectations (e.g., adequate development of information
and ideas, logical organization, appropriate use of form and style, appropriate
use of conventions) |
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3.
Applying Knowledge of Language Conventions and Presenting Written Work
Effectively |
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Spelling
Familiar Words: 3.1 spell familiar words correctly (e.g., words from their
oral vocabulary, anchor charts, and shared-, guided-, and independent-
reading texts; words used regularly in instruction across the curriculum) |
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Spelling
Unfamiliar Words: 3.2 spell unfamiliar words using a variety of strategies
that involve understanding sound-symbol relationships, word structures, word
meanings, and generalizations about spelling (e.g., orally emphasize
differences in easily confused words: affect/effect,
technicality/technically; compare complicated words to words with known
letter patterns; use knowledge of the history of a word to help spell it:
sheep herder/shepherd; use knowledge of familiar words to spell technical
terms) |
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Vocabulary:
3.3 confirm spellings and word meanings or word choice using a wide variety
of resources appropriate for the purpose (e.g., locate entry words,
pronunciation keys, prefixes, and information about word origins in online
and print dictionaries, including thematic dictionaries such as a dictionary
of synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms, a science dictionary) |
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Punctuation:
3.4 use punctuation appropriately to communicate their intended meaning in
more complex writing forms, including forms specific to different subjects
across the curriculum, with a focus on the use of: commas to separate
introductory phrases from the main part of a sentence and to separate words,
phrases, and clauses in a series; quotation marks to distinguish words being
discussed as words and to indicate titles; ellipses (...) and dashes to
indicate sentence breaks, ambiguities, or parenthetical statements |
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Grammar:
3.5 use parts of speech correctly to communicate their meaning clearly, with
a focus on subject/verb agreement and the use of nouns, pronouns, adjectives,
adverbs, and prepositions |
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Proofreading:
3.6 proofread and correct their writing using guidelines developed with peers
and the teacher (e.g., an editing checklist specific to the writing task) |
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Publishing:
3.7 use a wide range of appropriate elements of effective presentation in the
finished product, including print, script, different fonts, graphics, and
layout (e.g., use legible printing and cursive writing; use an imaginative
text layout, drawings, and a table of contents in a class poetry anthology
for the school library; use a spreadsheet to display detailed specific
information) |
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Producing
Finished Works: 3.8 produce pieces of published work to meet identified
criteria based on the expectations (e.g., adequacy of information and ideas,
logic and effectiveness of organization, effective use of form and stylistic
elements, appropriate use of conventions, effective presentation) |
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4.
Reflecting on Writing Skills and Strategies |
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Metacognition:
4.1 identify a variety of strategies they used before, during, and after
writing, explain which ones were most helpful, and suggest future steps they
can take to improve as writers (e.g., use a three-column reflection journal
to monitor the writing process: What I learned/How I learned it/How I can use
it). Teacher prompt: "Explain how you used your writer's
notebook/journal to help you identify your strengths as a writer and your
next steps for writing." |
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Interconnected
Skills: 4.2 describe how their skills in listening, speaking, reading,
viewing, and representing help in their development as writers. Teacher
prompts: "How does assuming the role of the reader of your own writing
help you revise your writing?" "How do you think listening to oral
texts has helped you become a better writer?" "How can reading
texts from different cultures improve your writing?" |
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Portfolio:
4.3 select pieces of writing that they think reflect their growth and
competence as writers and explain the reasons for their choice |
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Expectations: Copyright The Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2006. Format: Copyright B.Phillips, 1998.