Grade 8 English ­ Unit 2.notebook

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Grade 8 English Language Arts

Unit 2: Tech Then & Now

Oct 20­9:33 AM

Focus on Reading: How to Ask Questions

Asking questions about what you are reading can help you to better understand a text. There are three types of questions you can ask.

Three types of questions:1. Literal or “On the Line” Questions

‐ The answer can be found directly in the text.Example: What does the main character look like?

2. Inferential or “Between the Lines” Questions‐ You need to look at the clues in the text and connect information to get the answer.

Example: Based on the main character’s actions, what can you say about his/her personality?

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3. Evaluative or "Beyond the Lines" Question‐ These questions deal with a text’s quality, logic or point of view. You need to use clues/evidence in the text and add your own ideas to answer the question. Answers are usually different for each person on this type of question.

Examples: Is the story/article logical? Why?

Read page 58

Focus on Reading: How to Ask Questions

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*Language Convention* ‐ Concrete Poetry

Concrete Poetry: poetry in which the arrangement of the letters and words on the page create a visual that relates to the subject of the poem.

Here are some words and phrases that can easily be shaped to reflect the word’s meaning: roller coaster, nervous, falling, climbing, squished, wide open.

Changes that can be made: 1. Size of letters 2. S p a c i n g between letters 3. Pattern and placement of the letters 4. Shapes of letters

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Some writers of concrete poetry put entire lines into one whole shape as in the poem “Light Bulb”.

They also choose descriptive words to make the poem more effective. Ex: hesitate/incubate, intense delight, squeezed his thoughts into a bulb.

** Read BLM 19: Writing Concrete Poetry and try writing your own concrete poem.

*Language Convention* ‐ Concrete Poetry

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Suffix: a letter or group of letters added at the end of a word or word part to form another word

Ex: "‐ly" in "quickly" or "‐ing" in "talking"

‐Read INSPIRED TO INVENT and find words that are occupations. ‐Place each occupation in the appropriate column according to the word’s suffix.‐Come up with at least 10 more occupations on your own, and place them in the appropriate columns. ‐Come up with 5 occupations that do not fall into any of the columns and write them below the chart.

*Language Convention* ‐ Word Structures

Grade 8 English ­ Unit 2.notebook

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*Language Convention* ‐ Word Structures

‐ER ‐OR ‐IST ‐IAN

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Focus on Writing: How to Organize IdeasTypes of Organizational Patterns

1. Sequence: Steps or events told in order

2. Problem/Solution: A problem is presented and one or more solutions are suggested.

3. Compare and Contrast: Similarities and differences between two topics are described.

4. Description: The characteristics or attributes of a topic are described.

5. Generalization: A general statement is made and supported.

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Focus on Writing: How to Organize IdeasHow do you find out if a text is organized logically?

Look for these things:1. The pattern makes sense. If the text is about baking a cake, the instructions are in order and it uses a sequence.2. The main idea shows up first (at the beginning). The idea shows up in the middle of the text and again in the conclusion.3. Transitions exist in the text. They help to go from one point to the next.

Examples: however, similarly, since, because, as a result, in conclusion

4. Headings help you to follow what is being discussed. There may also be visuals, charts, etc…

**Please read page 70 in your text book.

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Find as many examples from the text using "nano‐" as you can!

*Language Convention* ‐ New Words

NANO

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was derived from the Greek word "nanos," which means dwarf, little old man.

Have we heard the term "nanosecond" before?

It means one billionth of a second, nano is one of the many numerical prefixes in the SI metric system ‐ SI stands for Systeme Internationale (or International System of Units)

*Language Convention* ‐ New Words

NANO

Oct 20­9:33 AM

Focus on Speaking: How to Deliver PresentationsGreat presentations come from a combination of important content and powerful delivery.

Presentation tips:1. Start your presentation in an engaging way. For example, make your audience become personally connected to your topic.

2. Use a language style that engages your audience. For example, if you are speaking with a group of teens, you want to use informal language and words that they will understand.

Grade 8 English ­ Unit 2.notebook

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3. Make the organization of your thoughts clear. Tell your audience early on, and in a clear way, what your message is about.

4. Have passion, and energy and conviction in your voice. If you are excited about your topic then your audience will become excited about your topic as well.

Please read page 80.

Focus on Speaking: How to Deliver Presentations

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**Language Convention ‐ Figures of Speech: Hyperbole‐ Hyperbole is a figure of speech.‐ It is a device which uses exaggeration to give a statement emphasis or humor. ‐ We hear it and use it frequently in every day conversation and read it often in books, newspapers and magazines.‐ It is so common that we are often not aware that we are using this technique.

Examples: ‐ I am so hungry I could eat a horse!‐ His face got beet red and I thought he would explode!‐ I told you to stop that a hundred times!‐ The banana split had whipped cream a mile high!!

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Using the questions below, come up with your own hyperboles:1. How cold was it?2. How good was the food?3. How old is it?4. How mad were you?5. How much did it rain?

** Please complete BLM 20.

**Language Convention ‐ Figures of Speech: Hyperbole

Oct 20­9:33 AM

Focus on Media: How to Evaluate Media Texts

‐ Every media text has specific assumptions.

‐ These assumptions are based on what the publisher thinks is important, what they value.

‐ The values may be obvious or EXPLICIT. EX: The producer of a fashion magazine values style and beauty.

‐ The values may also not be so obvious or IMPLICIT, with the viewer having to make inferences.

EX: If a TV commercial only shows rich kids having fun with a product, the unspoken message may be that you need to have money in order to be happy.

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Focus on Media: How to Evaluate Media Texts

‐ It is important to question the values of media texts that we read/watch so that we do not take on their values as our own, or believe the stereotypes that they perpetrate.

‐ Always question the assumptions behind a media text.

‐ It is also important to consider the information that is being left out.

** Read page 86‐87 in your text book and answer the “ACROSS THE CURRICULUM” question at the bottom of page 87.

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Focus on Text Patterns: NarrativeNarratives typically follow this text pattern:

1. Introduction: The writer introduces characters, setting, and problem or conflict.2. Rising Action: A series of events develop the problem or conflict.3. Climax: The character(s) succeed or fail at solving the problem.4. Falling Action: The action falls rapidly after the highest point of tension, the story’s climax.5. Resolution / Denouement: Falling action leads to the story’s ending or conclusion.

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Grade 8 English ­ Unit 2.notebook

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Focus on Text Patterns: NarrativeComplex Narratives: These types of narratives do not follow the typical order. An example of a complex narrative is when a story begins with a main characters death and then back tracks and tells everything that happened leading up to his/her death.

Subplots: Smaller stories within the larger story. They may help the reader to understand the characters or setting. These stories are usually resolved at the same time as the main story.

** PLEASE READ PAGE 92 in your text book.** Do the ACROSS THE STRANDS ‐ MEDIA LITERACY QUESTION on page 92.

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**Language Convention ‐ Character Traits

A character trait is a personality quality.

A word or phrase that describes how a character behaves.

Character traits can be positive. Ex: clever

Character traits can be negative. Ex: rude

Opposites are two words that mean different thingsEx. Nice and Rude

Synonyms are two words that mean the same thingEx. Happy and Glad

Please complete BLM 21 – Building Character.

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**Language Convention ‐ Irregular Plurals

The word plural refers to the form a noun takes when more than one thing is being mentioned. Most nouns have distinctive or REGULAR single and plural forms!Ex. Car/Cars... Dragon/Dragons... Book/Books

Some words don't follow the rules, some word change their spelling completely when they become plural and some words don't change at all!Ex. Millennium (singular)/ Millennia (plural)

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**Language Convention ‐ Irregular Plurals

Singular PluralMedium Media Cactus CactiFocus FociOctopus Octopi Nucleus NucleiPerson PeopleGoose GeeseChild ChildrenHero HeroesFoot FeetSheep SheepHoof Hooves/HoofsAnalysis AnalysesScissors Scissors

Nov 21­12:57 PM

Know For Test!!Unit 2 ‐ Tech Then and Now Study Guide1. How to Ask Questions ‐ 3 types: literal, inferential, evaluative2. Concrete Poetry3. Suffixes4. Organizing Ideas ‐ 5 types5. Prefixes6. Delivering Presentations7. Hyperbole & BLM208. Evaluate Media Texts9. Narratives (Worksheet is Important!!!!)10. Character Traits & BLM2111. Irregular Plurals