Literary characters on trial: Combining persuasion and literary analysis

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 8

• Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives through analysis of personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.
  • Objective 1.02: Analyze expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
    • monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard, and/or viewed.
    • reviewing the characteristics of expressive works.
    • determining the importance of literary effects on the reader/viewer/listener.
    • making connections between works, self and related topics.
    • drawing inferences.
    • generating a learning log or journal.
    • maintaining an annotated list of works that are read or viewed, including personal reactions.
    • taking an active role in and/or leading formal/informal book/media talks.
  • Objective 1.03: Interact in group activities and/or seminars in which the student:
    • shares personal reactions to questions raised.
    • gives reasons and cites examples from text in support of expressed opinions.
    • clarifies, illustrates, or expands on a response when asked to do so, and asks classmates for similar expansion.
• Goal 2: The learner will use and evaluate information from a variety of sources.
  • Objective 2.01: Analyze and evaluate informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
    • monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and/or viewed.
    • recognizing the characteristics of informational materials.
    • summarizing information.
    • determining the importance of information.
    • making connections to related topics/information.
    • drawing inferences.
    • generating questions.
    • extending ideas.
  • Objective 2.02: Use multiple sources of print and non-print information to explore and create research products in both written and presentational forms by:
    • determining purpose, audience, and context.
    • understnaing the focus.
    • recognizing and/or choosing a relevant topic.
    • recognizing and/or selecting presentational format (e.g., video, essay, interactive technology) appropriate to audience.
    • evaluating information for extraneous detail, inconsistencies, relevant facts, and organization.
    • researching and organizing information to achieve purpose.
    • using notes and/or memory aids to structure information.
    • supporting ideas with examples, definitions, analogies, and direct references to primary and secondary sources.
    • noting and/or citing sources used.
    • recognizing the use of and/or employing graphics such as charts, diagrams,and graphs to enhance the communication of information.
• Goal 3: The learner will continue to refine the understanding and use of argument.
  • Objective 3.03: Evaluate and create arguments that persuade by:
    • understanding the importance of the engagement of audience by establishing a context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing interest.
    • noting and/or developing a controlling idea that makes a clear and knowledgeable judgment.
    • arranging details, reasons, and examples effectively and persuasively.
    • anticipating and addressing reader/listener concerns and counterarguments.
    • recognizing and/or creating an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context.
• Goal 4: The learner will continue to refine critical thinking skills and create criteria to evaluate print and non-print materials.
  • Objective 4.01: Analyze the purpose of the author or creator and the impact of that purpose by:
    • monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard, and/or viewed.
    • evaluating any bias, apparent or hidden messages, emotional factors, and/or propaganda techniques.
    • evaluating the underlying assumptions of the author/creator.
    • evaluate the effects of the author's craft on the reader/viewer/listener.
• Goal 5: The learner will respond to various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative processes.
  • Objective 5.01: Increase fluency, comprehension, and insight through a meaningful and comprehensive literacy program by:
    • using effective reading strategies to match type of text.
    • reading self-selected literature and other materials of interest to the individual.
    • reading literature and other materials selected by the teacher.
    • assuming a leadership role in student-teacher reading conferences.
    • leading small group discussions.
    • taking an active role in whole class seminars.
    • analyzing the effects of elements such as plot, theme, charaterization, style, mood, and tone.
    • discussing the effects of such literary devices as figurative language, dialogue, flashback, allusion, irony, and symbolism.
    • analyzing and evaluating themes and central ideas in literature and other texts in relation to personal and societal issues.
    • extending understanding by creating products for different purposes, different audiences, and within various contexts.
    • analyzing and evaluating the relationships between and among characters, ideas, concepts, and/or experiences.
• Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
  • Objective 6.01: Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:
    • using a variety of sentence types, punctuating properly, and avoiding fragments and run-ons.
    • using subject-verb agreement and verb tense that are appropriate for the meaning of the sentence.
    • applying the parts of speech to clarify language usage.
    • using pronouns correctly, including clear antecedents and case.
    • using phrases and clauses correctly, including proper punctuation (e.g. prepositional phrases, appositives, dependent and independent clauses.)
    • determining the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words using context clues, a dictionary, a glossary, a thesaurus, and/or structural analysis (roots, prefixes, suffixes) of words.
    • extending vocabulary knowledge by learning and using new words.
    • evaluating the use and power of dialects in standard/nonstandard English usage.
    • applying correct language conventions and usage during formal oral presentations.
  • Objective 6.02: Continue to identify and edit errors in spoken and written English by:
    • using correct spelling of words appropriate in difficulty for eighth graders and refining mastery of an individualized list of commonly misspelled words.
    • producing final drafts/presentations that demonstrate accurate spelling and the correct use of punctuation, capitalization, and format.
    • self correcting errors in everyday speech.
    • independently practicing formal oral presentations.