Academic standards list
Grade 8 — English Language Arts & Literacy
Introduction
Academic standards define the expectations for knowledge and skills that students are to learn in a subject by a certain age or at the end of a school grade level. This page contains a list of standards for a specific content area, grade level, and/or course. The list of standards may be structured using categories and sub-categories.
Reading: Literature
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL
Key Ideas and Details
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters,…
Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
Craft and Structure
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific…
Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.
Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create…
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the…
Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such…
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6-8 text complexity band…
Reading: Informational Text
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI
Key Ideas and Details
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide…
Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).
Craft and Structure
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact…
Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept.
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic…
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and…
Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact…
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Writing
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W
Text Types and Purposes
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence
There are 5 components within this standard.
There are 5 components within this standard.
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis…
There are 6 components within this standard.
There are 6 components within this standard.
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event…
There are 5 components within this standard.
There are 5 components within this standard.
Production and Distribution of Writing
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific…
With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a…
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well…
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional…
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each…
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
There are 2 components within this standard.
There are 2 components within this standard.
Range of Writing
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two)…
Speaking & Listening
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL
Comprehension and Collaboration
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts,…
There are 4 components within this standard.
There are 4 components within this standard.
Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g.,…
Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and…
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen…
Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 8 Language…
Language
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L
Conventions of Standard English
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
There are 4 components within this standard.
There are 4 components within this standard.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
There are 3 components within this standard.
There are 3 components within this standard.
Knowledge of Language
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
There are 1 components within this standard.
There are 1 components within this standard.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range…
There are 4 components within this standard.
There are 4 components within this standard.
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
There are 3 components within this standard.
There are 3 components within this standard.
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a…
Reading in History/Social Studies
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH
Key Ideas and Details
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior…
Identify key steps in a text's description of a process related to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are…
Craft and Structure
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Reading in Science & Technical Subjects
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST
Key Ideas and Details
Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.
Craft and Structure
Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical…
Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to an understanding of the…
Analyze the author's purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a…
Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on…
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Writing in History/Social Studies, Science, & Technical Subjects
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST
Text Types and Purposes
Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
There are 5 components within this standard.
There are 5 components within this standard.
Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
There are 6 components within this standard.
There are 6 components within this standard.
Production and Distribution of Writing
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or…
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and…
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional…
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each…
Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Range of Writing
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a…
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