Content Area: Language Arts Literacy

 

Index: 3.2 D Grade 8 CPI 10

 

Standard: 3.2 Reading

 

Strand: D - Writing for Forms, Audiences, & Purposes (exploring a variety of writing)

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator: 10 -   The student will state a position clearly and convincingly in a persuasive essay by stating the issue, giving facts, examples, and details to support the position, and citing sources when appropriate

 

Grade: 8

 

Sample Activities:

 

·       Students conduct a biographical research project for which they find information on the personal life, career, and contributions of a noted person. In their final report, they must cite sources of information in proper bibliographical form. Afterwards, the students evaluate their sources in terms of usefulness, ease of access, completeness, and accuracy.

 

·       Students research a time period from a historical novel. They identify important figures, events, and social conditions to discuss in a written report. The report should include a bibliography.

 

·       In preparation for writing research papers about environmental concerns, students with common interests, such as acid rain or industrial pollution, are collaborating in small groups. Each person in the group is responsible for locating three references as sources of information. The teacher models how to create source cards, and students prepare source cards for each of their three references. Each group presents a 15-minute presentation in which the students share their findings and cite their sources.