CURRICULUM MAP

Mrs. Ammons 8th Grade Language Arts

Week
Week 1
Quarter 1

Date: 2014
Mon August 4

Topics:
First day of school Quarter 1
Student Introductions Airplanes Activity
Class Procedures
Syllabus signed by 8/8

Tue August 5

Class Procedures Review

Rules & Consequences
Draw a Map of the Room
Begin Peer Interviews due 8/8
Work on Peer Interviews
Bring new/blank journal 8/8
Peer Interviews, blank journal, & signed
syllabus due
Procedures: How to organize journals

Wed August 6
Thu August 7
Fri August 8

Week 2

Mon August 11

Front Loading Lord of the Flies Unit

Survivor Game
Vocabulary #1

Tue August 12

Front Loading LOTF

Human Nature Quotes (Locke, Hobbes,
Voltaire, etc)
Begin LOTF Literature Circles
Ch 1-2, assign roles
Vocabulary Quiz #1
Theme: Discuss rules and order
Reading Quiz #1 Ch 1-2
Meet w/ Lit. Circles
Discuss Ch 1-2
Assign Ch 3-5 roles
Bellwork Journal Due

Wed August 13
Thu August 14
Fri August 15

Week 3

Mon August 18

Vocabulary #2
Reading Quiz # 2 Ch 3-5

Tue August 19
Wed August 20
Thu August 21
Fri August 22

Week 4

Mon August 25
Tue August 26

Wed August 27
Thu August 28
Fri August 29

Week 5

Mon September 1
Tue September 2
Wed September 3
Thu September4
Fri September 5

Week 6

Mon September 8
Tue September 9

Meet w/ Lit. Circles

Discuss Ch 3-5
Assign Ch 6-8 roles
Theme: Discuss innocence
Texting POV Activity
Vocabulary Quiz #2
Theme: Discuss character
Reading Quiz #3 Ch 6-8
Meet w/ Lit. Circles
Discuss Ch 6-8
Assign Ch 9-10 roles
Vocabulary #3
Human Nature Declaration of Independence
Reading Quiz #4 Ch 9-10
Meet w/ Lit. Circles
Discuss Ch 9-10
Assign Ch 11-12 roles
Cultural Perspective Activity
Vocabulary Quiz #3
Theme: Discuss fear and power
Reading Quiz # 5 Ch 11-12
Meet w/ Lit. Circles
Discuss Ch 11-12
Bellwork Journal Due
No School Labor Day
Lecture: Human Nature Philosophers
Choose Philosophers
Research Day: Philosophers
Work Day: Essay Due 9/9
Assigned Philosophy seen in LOTF
Work Day: Essay
Assigned Philosophy seen in LOTF
Work Day: Peer editing Philosophy Essay
Philosophy Essay Due
Write Human Nature Skits
Write Human Nature Skits Continued

Wed September
10
Thu September 11 Half Day
Perform Human Nature Skits
Fri September 12 Half Day
Perform Human Nature Skits
Bellwork Journal Due
Week 7

Mon September
15

Front Loading Root Words

Lecture root words
Homework: Root words definitions

Week 8

Tue September 16

Root Words card game activity

Wed September
17
Thu September 18
Fri September 19

Words of Shakespeare
Create your own words and meanings
Grammar Guru
Grammar Guru

Mon September
22

Fairy Tale Unit

Lecture history of the fairy tale
Vocabulary #4

Tue September 23
Wed September
24

Textbook: read fairy tales in class

Bring your favorite fairy tale to class to share
in groups
Character activity
Thu September 25 Write your own narrative
Create a childrens story in groups
Focus on event sequence and dialogue

Week 9

Fri September 26

Bellwork Journal Due

Vocabulary #4 Quiz
Deconstruct childrens story and reconstruct
with proper event sequence

Mon September
29
Tue September 30

Work Day No Students

Wed October 1

Thu October 2

Fri October 3

Week 10
Quarter 2

Mon October 6

Bellwork: write about inventions that changed

the world. How do you think they were
invented?
Lecture: Worlds Fair inventions
Article of the Week: Zipper Innovation
Complete reading in class
Fill out active reading worksheet
Work day: Your Own Invention
Create an invention of your own why is
there a need for it, what does it do, who uses
it?
Work day: Your Own Invention
Continue Your Own Invention paper due 10/13
Bring materials for invention due 10/13
End Quarter 1
Begin Quarter 2
Fall Break

Week 11

Tue October 7
Wed October 8
Thu October 9
Fri October 10

Fall Break
Fall Break
Fall Break
Fall Break

Mon October 13

Your Own Invention

Draw or plan to recreate your invention
Collage or poster board
Present Inventions
Why is it important?
How will it change the world?
Misused homonyms
There, Their, Theyre Story

Tue October 14

Wed October 15

Thu October 16

Fri October 17

Week 12

Library: choose outside reading book

Cover book requirements, length, and
guidelines
Reading logs
Cover requirements, length, format

Mon October 20

Poetry Unit
Vocabulary #5
Front Loading Songs as poetry read familiar
songs dramatically as poems
Poetry terminology introduction

Tue October 21

Introduce Scary Stories and Create a Creature

Assignment
(Choose 3 prompts from the assignment
menu)

Wed October 22

Complete Scary Story

Draw creatures
Hang drawings in classroom for gallery walk
Bellwork : Respond to Quote: "All that we see
or seem is but a dream within a dream" Edgar
Allan Poe
Lecture Edgar Allan Poe
Read in class The Tell-Tale Heart
Write acrostic poem in response
Bellwork Journal Due
Vocabulary Quiz #5
Reading log check #1

Thu October 23

Fri October 24

Week 13

Mon October 27

Tue October 28
Wed October 29
Thu October 30

Fri October 31

Week 14

Mon November 3

Poetry Continued
Lecture Haiku
Write and share haiku
Vocabulary #6

Tue November 4

Lecture Epigram
Write and share epigrams
Lecture Kennings
Excerpts from Grendel and Beowulf
Write and share kennings
Poetry Test Review
Poetry Test
Reading log check #3
Bellwork Journal Due
Vocabulary Quiz #6

Wed November 5
Thu November 6
Fri November 7

Week 15

Bellwork: Make a list of superstitions

Read The Raven by Poe through interactive
website
Follow along with audio, look up words you
do not know
Class reads The Raven out loud
Plot of the poem
Symbolism in The Raven
Authors Party
Share students Scary Stories with class
Gallery Walk their Creatures
Halloween
Reading log check #2
Watch The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror
The Raven and The Tell-Tale Heart

Mon November
10

Shakespeare Unit
KWL Chart - Shakespeare
Grammar Guru
Vocabulary #7

Tue November 11
Wed November
12
Thu November 13

No School Veterans Day

Lecture Introduction to Shakespeare
Comedies, histories, tragedies
Shakespeare Documentary
Movie graphic organizer take notes
Begin outside reading book author research

Fri November 14

for biography and book report due 11/21

Reading log check #4
Vocabulary Quiz #7
Week 16

Mon November
17
Tue November 18

Work Day
Outside reading book report
Work Day
Outside reading book report
Wed November
Presentations
19
Dress as main character or author
Try to sell us your book
Thu November 20 Presentations
Dress as main character or author
Try to sell us your book
Fri November 21 Half Day
Book Report Due
Bellwork Journal Due

Week 17

Mon November
24

Lecture Introduction
Globe Theater
Queen Elizabeth

Tue November 25

A Midsummer Nights Dream picture book

Basic plot for understanding
No School - Thanksgiving

Wed November
26
Thu November 27 No School - Thanksgiving
Fri November 28 No School - Thanksgiving
Week 18

Mon December 1
Tue December 2
Wed December 3
Thu December 4
Fri December 5

Week 19

Mon December 8
Tue December 9

Wed December

Read AMND Act 1 Scene 1-2

Watch AMND Act 1 Scene 1-2 to understand
setting and characters
Read AMND Act 2 Scene 1-2
Group Acting
Modern Day Act out Act 2 Scene 1-2
Review AMND
Comprehension Quiz AMND #1
Bellwork Journal Due
Read AMND Act 3 Scene 1-2
Group Drawing
Modern Day draw and present Act 3 Scene
1-2
Read AMND Act 4 Scene 1-2

10
Thu December 11

Fri December 12

Week 20

Mon December
15
Tue December 16

Wed December
17
Thu December18
Fri December 19

Week 21

Week 22

Week 23
Quarter 3

Group TV Show
Modern Day act out a TV episode from Act
4 Scene 1-2
Review AMND
Comprehension Quiz AMND #2
Read AMND Act 5 Scene 1-2
Group Acting
Act out Act 5 Scene 1-2 in your own
Shakespearean language
Review Midterm Exam LOTF, Poetry,
Shakespeare
Midterm Exam LOTF, Poetry, Shakespeare
Watch last half of AMND movie
Bellwork Journal Due
End Quarter 2

Mon December
22
Tue December 23
Wed December
24
Thu December 25
Fri December 26

Winter Break

Mon December
29
Tue December 30
Wed December
31
Thu January 1
Fri January 2

Winter Break

Mon January 5

Begin Quarter 3
Anne Frank/WWII Unit
Bellwork: Response to quote: "Despite
everything, I believe that people are really
good at heart." Anne Frank
Front Loading WWII
KWL Chart WWII
Map of Europe Nazi Occupation
Blank Diary/journal/notebook due 1/9

Tue January 6

Lecture WWII
Slide show
Mini Report Topic Introduction
Group Read background information The
Diary of Anne Frank

Wed January 7

Winter Break
Winter Break
Winter Break
Winter Break

Winter Break
Winter Break
Winter Break
Winter Break

Thu January 8

Fri January 9

Week 24

Mon January 12

Tue January 13
Wed January 14
Thu January 15
Fri January 16

Week 25

Mon January 19
Tue January 20
Wed January 21
Thu January 22
Fri January 23

Week 26

Mon January 26

Tue January 27
Wed January 28
Thu January 29
Fri January 30

Week 27

Mon February 2

Introduce Mini Report

Choose topics and groups
Begin historical research
Notes Set Up for DOAF
Organize diaries for entries
The Secret Annex Workshop
Explore Anne Franks hiding place online
Vocabulary #8
Read DOAF Act 1 Scene 1
After reading questions
Project Meeting
Create blackout curtains over windows
Read DOAF Act 1 Scene 2
After reading questions
Read DOAF Act 1 Scene 3
After reading questions
Vocabulary Quiz #8
Bellwork Journal Due
Diary notebook check
No School- Martin Luther King Day
WWII Mini report papers peer edit
Read DOAF Act 1 Scene 4-5
Watch 1st half DOAF movie
Venn Diagram
Present WWII project (PowerPoint research)
Present WWII project (PowerPoint research)
Diary notebook check
Vocabulary #9
Read DOAF Act 2 Scene 1
After reading questions
Read DOAF Act 2 Scene 1
After reading questions
Holocaust Workshop
Treated Like a Jew Activity
Read DOAF Act 2 Scene 2-3
After reading questions
Read DOAF Act 2 Scene 4-5
After reading questions
Vocabulary Quiz # 9
Bellwork Journal Due
Diary notebook check
Watch 2nd half DOAF movie

Tue February 3
Wed February 4
Thu February 5

Fri February 6

Week 28

Week 29

Mon February 9

Discuss things they can fight for today

Begin/brainstorm Fight for Something
Essay due 2/19

Tue February 10
Wed February 11
Thu February 12
Fri February 13

Watch Freedom Writers Movie

Work Day Fight for Something Essay
Watch Freedom Writers Movie
Read journal entries from The Freedom
Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell
Compare, analyze, find central ideas
Bellwork Journal Due

Mon February 16
Tue February 17

No School Presidents Day

Read journal entries from The Freedom
Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell
Compare, analyze, find central ideas
Revise Fight for Something Essay adding
empowering words from movie and book
Fight for Something Essay due
Share topic
Brief summary presentation
Grammar Guru

Wed February 18
Thu February 19

Fri February 20
Week 30

Candle light study session for DOAF Test

DOAF Test
Tolerance Unit
Front loading Freedom Riders
Historical context 1960s
Compare Holocaust and Freedom Riders/
Riots
Jigsaw Activity

Mon February 23

Current Issues Unit

Bellwork: 3 reasons why it is important to cite
sources
Article of the week
Citing Sources
Vocabulary #10

Tue February 24

Wed February 25
Thu February 26
Fri February 27

Week 31

Mon March 2

Tue March 3
Wed March 4
Thu March 5
Fri March 6

MLA Format
How to format a research paper
Prior knowledge of WWII PowerPoint
presentations & research
Read & Analyze Immigration Articles
Read & Analyze Womens Roles Articles
Read & Analyze Freedom of Speech/Riots
Articles
Vocabulary Quiz #10
Bellwork Journal Due
Bring in own newspaper or magazine
Search for current issue to report on
Choose 1: write own newspaper article citing
your article, create a collage poster
summarizing current issue, create a protest
poster, write an opposition paper from other
viewpoint, create a video interviewing
students on topic
Work Day: Current Issue
Work Day: Current Issue
Work Day: Current Issue
Current Issues presentations/Gallery Walk
End Quarter 3

Week 32

Mon March 9
Tue March 10
Wed March 11
Thu March 12
Fri March 13

No School Spring Break

No School Spring Break
No School Spring Break
No School Spring Break
No School Spring Break

Week 33

Mon March 16

Lenses Unit
Frontloading Island of the Blue Dolphins
Bellwork: What does it mean to be courageous
Discuss responses
3 Groups: define 1 each courage, survival,
hardship (dictionary or own response)
Present a skit embodying word

Tue March 17

Students introduce what courage is

(performing in front of a class, flying in a
plane, saving a life)
Read Ch 1 IBD to class students follow along
Reading check setting, characters, POV,
summary
Vocabulary #11
Explore Text w/ Microscope through Study
Guide

Wed March 18

Thu March 19

Fri March 20

Week 34

Mon March 23

Tue March 24

Wed March 25

Thu March 26

Fri March 27

Week 35

Mon March 30

Tue March 31

Wed April 1

Thu April 2

Review students notes Ch 1

Look up vocabulary in book, cite page #
rewrite sentence
Use vocabulary in their own sentence
HW: read Ch 2-3
Read Ch 4-5 as class
Go over study guide
HW: read Ch 6-8
Read Ch 9-10 as class
Go over study guide
Vocabulary Quiz #11
HW: read Ch 11-13
Vocabulary #12
Look up vocabulary in book, cite page #
rewrite sentence
Read Ch 14-15 as class
HW: read Ch 16-18
Go over study guide
Read Ch 19-20 as class
Go over study guide
HW: read Ch 21-23
Read Ch 24-25 as class
Go over study guide
HW: read Ch 26-27
Read Ch 28-29 as class
Go over study guide
Vocabulary #12 Quiz
Explore Text through Mirror
How was the main character courageous, how
might the story have been different if?
HW: Write Paper: describe how you would
have survived the same hardships in story
Bellwork Journal Due
Explore Text through Telescope
Honor people the students think are
courageous in their community (teacher,
student, fireman, president, soldier)
Draw a dolphin that represents the honoree
Students brainstorm how they can recognize
courageous person (certificate, fundraiser,
trophy, letter)
ELL students share experiences of courage in
their culture
Are they different?
Venn Diagram compare the courage and
survival skills of Ralph (Lord of the Flies) and

Fri April 3
Week 36

Mon April 6

Tue April 7
Wed April 8
Thu April 9
Fri April 10

Week 37

Mon April 13

Tue April 14
Wed April 15
Thu April 16
Fri April 17

Week 38

Mon April 20

Tue April 21
Wed April 22
Thu April 23
Fri April 24

Week 39

Mon April 27
Tue April 28
Wed April 29
Thu April 30
Fri May 1

Karina (Island of the Blue Dolphins)

No School Spring Holiday/Snow Day
Share Venn Diagrams
Do boys have different courage than girls?
Discuss
IBD Test Study Guide
IBD Test review
No School Staff Meetings
IBD Test
Bellwork Journal Due
Marine Biology Project
Introduce project that coincides with Science
Project research an animal
LA (written) & Science (oral) team up
Library: choose outside reading book
Begin reading logs
All Week: continue outside reading
Lecture: How to write a research paper
Review project outline (species, food web,
reproduction, predators, video)
Share example research reports
Describe project choices
Choose 1: childrens book, pamphlet, PSA,
letter to the editor, poem
Reading log due
Work Day: Project research
Fill in outline due 4/24
All Week: continue outside reading
Work Day: Project research
Fill in outline
Work Day: Project research
Fill in outline
Draw animal
Examples of researchers/types videos
Steve Irwin, Jacques Cousteau, Richard
Attenborough
Bellwork Journal Due
Reading log due
Outline due
Compile research essay due 5/1
All Week: continue outside reading
Compile research essay
Peer edit research essay
Last edits research essay
Research essay due w/ outline & drawing

Reading log due

Week 40

Mon May 4

Tue May 5
Wed May 6

Thu May 7
Fri May 8

Week 41

Week 42

Prepare for Science presentation

Dos & donts how to use notecards, look at
audience, dont read
All Week: continue outside reading
Memorization games and techniques
Practice speech/presentation
Write a speech: teach the class how to do
something in steps (how to score a goal, ride a
bike, bake a pie)
Memorize speech
Present How To speech
Write Science speech
Memorize speech
Reading log due
Bellwork Journal Due

Mon May 11

Book Report
Present speeches (in Science class)
All Week: continue outside reading
Work on Final study guide
Final due 5/21

Tue May 12
Wed May 13
Thu May 14
Fri May 15

Work Day: finish outside reading book

Work Day: book report due 5/15
Work Day: book report
Book report due
Final Reading log due

Mon May 18
Tue May 19
Wed May 20
Thu May 21

Work on Final study guide

Final review jeopardy game
Final review around the world game
Final Exam Diary of Anne Frank, The
Freedom Writers Diary, Island of the Blue
Dolphins
Bellwork Journal Due
End Quarter 4