Challenging Common Core Language Arts Lessons

<p>This book, from the Center for Gifted Education at William & Mary, provides gifted and advanced learners challenging activities to master and engage with the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts through four mini units. Each mini unit is packed with activities that enrich and extend grade-level ELA content for grade 8. Included texts have messages and characters that are developmentally suitable for students. Through higher order reasoning questions, resulting discussions, and student-created products associated with these texts, gifted and advanced students' needs are met while still maintaining messages and characters to which students can relate. Students will be exposed to themes such as “life is what you make it,” “don't judge a book by its cover,” nature and vulnerability, and respect. Each theme was chosen with advanced eighth-grade students in mind and their emerging need to learn more about themselves, their world, and how to work through adversity to accomplish their goals.<br><br>Grade 8</p> INTRODUCTION 1 Unit I: Nature Proves Our Vulnerability Lesson 1.1: Overcoming Natural Disasters Lesson 1.2: Dust in the Wind Lesson 1.3: Man Versus Mother Nature Lesson 1.4: Plant Invasion Lesson 1.5: Symbol of Power Unit I: Culminating Essay Prompt Unit II: Life Is What You Make It Lesson 2.1: Exploring Civil Rights Lesson 2.2: What’s Your Symbol? Lesson 2.3: Those Who Don’t Learn History Are Doomed to Repeat It Lesson 2.4: Analyzing “Bodies” of Work Lesson 2.5: What’s the Point . . . of View? 3 Unit II: Culminating Essay Prompt Unit III: Respect Is Harder Earned Than Lost Lesson 3.1: Respectfully Considered Lesson 3.2: Where’s the Divide? Lesson 3.3: Overcoming Obstacles Lesson 3.4: Autism Can’t Stop Me Unit III: Culminating Essay Prompt Unit IV: Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover Lesson 4.1: In Suspense Lesson 4.2: Blinded by the Truth Lesson 4.3: Trail of Tears Lesson 4.4: A Word From a President Lesson 4.5: Satirically Yours Unit IV: Culminating Essay Prompt ANSWER KEY REFERENCES ABOUT THE AUTHOR COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ALIGNMENT