8th Grade Writing Skills
Prior Standards Implementation

The standards listed below have been replaced by a newer set of standards.

Please go to Current 8th Grade Language Arts Standards for current resources.

Writing
Process
Identify within context a variety of appropriate sentence-combining techniques (e.g., comma + coordinating conjunction, use of semi-colon, and introductory phrases or clauses). WP	The Colon - an explanation from The Guide to Grammar and Writing Commas vs. Semicolons in Compound Sentences - Brought to you by the Purdue University Online Writing Lab Semicolons in Compound Sentences - Use a semicolon to separate independent clauses in a compound sentence. Semicolon and Colon Quiz - this quiz is interactive and self checking Grammar and Style: Semicolons - from the Writer's Handbook Using Colons Effectively - Click on " The sentence, please! " and a sentence to edit will appear in the top text-area . Using Commas - Brought to you by the Purdue University Online Writing Lab Proofreading for Commas - Brought to you by the Purdue University Online Writing Lab Review: The Comma - Using a separate sheet of paper, rewrite each sentence to correct the comma usage. (answers provided) A Brief, No-Nonsense Guide to Comma Usage (plus a great cartoon)
Complete a graphic organizer (clustering, listing, mapping, and webbing) with information from notes for writing a writing selection. 8.2.1 WP	Bibliographic Blunders (6-8) use note cards to collect information. Take Notes - students evaluate what items should be included in the opening paragraph of a news story
Select appropriate transitional devices or time order words to enhance the flow of the writing. 8.2.2 WO	Transitions indicate relations , whether from sentence to sentence, or from paragraph to paragraph. This is a list of "relationships" that supporting ideas may have, followed by a list of "transitional" words and phrases that can connect those ideas: Using Transitions - Transitional words and phrases can create powerful links between ideas in your paper and can help your reader understand the logic of your paper Writing Research Papers : Transition Words and Phrases Writing Academic Essays - transition words A chart of the transitional devices - also called conjunctive adverbs or adverbial conjunctions Transitional Devices (Connecting Words) - Brought to you by the Purdue University Online Writing Lab Transitional Devices - transitional guides are connectives (symbols,words, phrases; sometimes whole sentences and paragraphs) that make possible a smooth "passing over" from one idea to the next.
Identify the purpose for writing (e.g., to inform, describe, explain, and persuade). 8.2.3 WP	A Handbook of Rhetorical Devices - definitions and examples of more than sixty traditional rhetorical devices, all of which can still be useful today to improve the effectiveness, clarity, and enjoyment of your writing Creating an Argument - This exercise will guide you through the prewriting, organizing and writing stages of producing a philosophy. Critical Reasoning Warm-ups - (Scroll down, it's there!) These are warm-ups for people who are somewhat familiar with critical reasoning questions. These questions are a good way to start your brain thinking before you answer the real questions. Take Notes - students evaluate what items should be included in the opening paragraph of a news story
Identify the targeted audience for a selected passage. 8.2.4 WP
Rearrange multi-paragraphed work in a logical and coherent order. 8.2.5 WO	Class Exercise: Paragraph Coherence - Practice creating paragraphs that treat one main topic in a common-sense order Cohesion : using repetition and reference words to emphasize key ideas in your writing Paragraph Coherence - a paragraph to read followed by questions to answer Paragraph Coherence Exercise - identify a potential topic sentence for the paragraph, identify what information presented in the paragraph is irrelevant, and then arrange what relevant information is left into a more coherent, well-structured paragraph Paragraph Development - Coherence Paragraph Coherence - Coherence in a paragraph is the technique of making words, phrases, and sentences move smoothly and logically from one to the other Paragraph Structure Exercise - number sentences in an appropriate order to form a well-structured paragraph
Identify sentences irrelevant to a paragraph’s theme or flow. 8.2.6 WP	Information Elimination (6-8) model, instruct, and practice narrowing a topic for expository writing. Irrelevance Quiz - Click on the sentences that are irrelevant. Paragraph Unity Worksheet - Cross out the irrelevant sentences and put the numbers of those in the spaces provided. Straying off the point - Identify which sentences are not connected to the main focus of the paragraph.
Integrate all steps of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. 8.2.10 WA	Prewriting Tactics (6-8) organize and group related ideas. Step-by-step Guide to Brainstorming - an effective way to generate lots of ideas and then determine which idea(s) best solves the problem Prewriting Techniques from Friends University Writing Center Prewriting Techniques from Mason, Kentucky
Identify levels of reliability among resources (e.g., eyewitness account, newspaper account, supermarket tabloid account, and internet source). 8.2.11 T	Critically Analyzing Information Sources -evaluating a physical information source Evaluating Web Pages - Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask Quality Information Checklist - Here are eight ways of checking information on web sites. TV News Magazines and the Credibility Issue: The Scope of the Problem - article about reliability.
Select an appropriate thesis statement for a writing selection. 8.2.13 WO	Compose a Thesis Statement - Now that you have decided, at least tentatively, what information you plan to present in your essay, you are ready to write your thesis statement. How To Write a Thesis Statement Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements – from the OWL at Purdue
Select the most appropriate title for a passage. 8.2.14 WO
Select illustrations, explanations, anecdotes, descriptions, and/or facts to support key ideas. 8.2.15 WO	Anecdotes - 30 inspiring anecdotes
Choose the supporting sentence that best fits the context and flow of ideas in a paragraph. 8.2.16 WP	Great Sentences for Great Paragraphs - Write a t in front of the topic sentence and an s in front of the supporting sentence
Revise and edit writing for elements of language. 8.2.19 WA	Power Proofreading - Choose your level of skill and your areas of concepts to practice with an interactive activity (choose grade 8) There are over two dozen different passages to choose from.
Use precise language including active verbs, vivid words, colorful modifiers, figurative language, imagery, and experiment with incorporating allusion. 8.2.20 WA	Figurative Language - terms, definitions, and an example Literature-Figurative Language-Part 1 - Read these lines from poems. Identify the meaning you think fits best.
Select vivid words to strengthen a description (adjective or adverb) within a writing sample or passage. 8.2.21 WP	Adjective or Adverb Exercise 1 Adjective or Adverb Exercise 2
Compose clear and correctly punctuated complex sentences to vary sentence structure. 8.2.21 WA	Quiz on Using Quotation Marks - from the Guide to Grammar and Writing, sponsored by the Capital Community College Foundation, Hartford, CT Quotation Marks and Colons - online quiz Quotation Marks : Exercise to be printed and completed by students at their desk | answer to the exercise Quotation Marks - Place commas and periods inside, not outside, quotation marks. Place all other punctuation outside quotation marks unless it was contained in the original source. The Gallery Of "Misused" Quotation Marks Quotation Marks - In the United States, periods and commas go inside quotation marks regardless of logic. Single Quotation Marks - Use single quotation marks for a quotation or title using quotation marks inside another quotation or title which uses quotation marks. Worksheet - fifteen sentences to edit [quotation marks] Worksheet from Georgia Southern University - three passages to edit [quotation marks]
Demonstrate facility in the use of language. WA	Building the Literature Classroom - generic envisionment-building lesson that can be adapted to and used with any literary text
Support thesis with elaboration, using supporting details, supporting examples, and/or anecdotes. WA	Developing Paragraphs - ideas and activities on how to elaborate paragraphs. Guide to Writing Academic Essays - Guide to help support one's thesis. Outline - Outline of how to create a thesis. Thesis Paper help - ideas on giving the specifics, the precise details that will help your reader feel the full weight of your thought
Write engaging introductory paragraphs and strong and clinching concluding paragraphs. WA	Take Notes - students evaluate what items should be included in the opening paragraph of a news story Trailblazing Introductions (6-8) Students develop a sense of beginning by using strong leads. Trailblazing Conclusions (6-8) Students develop a sense of ending by using closure and thought-provoking statements.
Product
Write well-developed, organized, and coherent essays in response to expository prompts. 8.2.8 WA	Expository prompts - prompts that have personal connections between the writer and their ideas. The Expository Essay - Sample essays to study. Expository Essay Collection - Prompts and examples. Writing Expository Introductions and Conclusions - Do's and don'ts of introductions and conclusions.
Identify individual written selections as technical, narrative, persuasive, and/or descriptive in mode. 8.2.12 T	Quiz - identify the following types of paragraphs: expository, narrative, persuasive, and descriptive. Quiz - match a prompt to narrative, expository, persuasive, or descriptive writing.
Review Help
ISAT	Sample Tests - released sample items from the Illinois State Board of Education
Released tests	FCAT Sample Reading Test - [ 2008 ] sample questions and test taking tips FCAT Sample Answer Book - [ 2008 ] FCAT Sample Writing Test - [ 2008 ] sample questions and test taking tips FCAT Sample Answer Book - [ 2008 ] Texas end-of-year reading test from 2003
Testing Reviews	Grade Eight English Questions - Nine weekly sheets to print and distribute (read selections and answer questions) Eight Grade Reading Test - Online quiz that covers most areas of Standardized testing. Click on Return to Program to begin test. Reading Comprehension stories - Interactive quizzes online for 5 stories - Each text is followed by a grammar exercise and summary writing exercise.
Online Reading Skills Practice	Online Lessons - Cloze exercises, speed reading and more Online Practice for Reading - Many choices of text selections - Choose specific activity from the frame on the left to practice skills. Cloze Tests Exercises - Scroll to find Cloze tests in the list of Tests and Exercises. Cloze Test: (Reading test - Proficiency level) - Students are to complete the text with one word in each gap. Cloze Test: (Exploration - Why in the World?) - Students are to complete the text with one word in each gap. Cloze Test: (Juliet) - longing for Romeo to arrive - Act III, Scene 2. Cloze Test: (The Chink) - A long (and fairly difficult) cloze exercise about the experiences of a young man of Japanese extraction during World War Two.

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