English Language Arts Grades 7-8 (2023)
Course Preface
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Core Standards of the Course

Speaking and Listening (7-8.SL)
Students will learn to collaborate, express and listen to ideas, integrate and evaluate information from various sources, use media and visual displays as well as language and grammar strategically to help achieve communicative purposes, and adapt to context and task.

Standard 7-8.SL.1:
Participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations on topics, texts, and issues.

1. Respond thoughtfully in democratic discussions that involve decision-making and role-taking and determine if additional information or research is required to deepen the discussion.
   
2. Participate in conversations by asking and responding to questions and provide the opportunity to consider a range of perspectives.
   

Standard 7-8.SL.2:
Evaluate the credibility of multiple sources of information presented in various formats and media to make informed decisions.

Standard 7-8.SL.3:
Use appropriate language, grammar, organization, development, and delivery styles appropriate to purpose and audience for formal or informal contexts.

1. Convey a clear perspective by presenting and citing information, findings, and supporting evidence so that listeners can follow the line of reasoning.
   

Reading (7-8.R)
Students will learn to proficiently read and comprehend grade level literature and informational text, including seminal U.S. documents of historical and literary significance, at the high end of the grade level text complexity band, with scaffolding as needed. *Standard R.4 includes an asterisk to refer educators back to the Text Complexity Grade Bands and Associated Lexile Ranges in the introduction of the standards.

Standard 7-8.R.1:
Mastered in preschool.

Standard 7-8.R.2:
Mastered in grade 3.

Standard 7-8.R.3:
Mastered in grade 5.

Standard 7-8.R.4:
Read grade-level text* with accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. (RL & RI)

Standard 7-8.R.5:
Cite textual evidence that supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. (RL & RI)

Standard 7-8.R.6:
When reading texts, including those from diverse cultures, determine a theme, analyze its development including its relationship to the characters, settings, and plot, and provide an objective summary that includes textual evidence. (RL)
When reading texts, including those from diverse cultures, determine the main idea, analyze its relationship to supporting ideas, and provide an objective summary that includes textual evidence. (RI)

Standard 7-8.R.7:
Analyze the impact of character and plot development on the overall story or drama. (RL)
Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text. (RI)

Standard 7-8.R.8:
Determine the meaning of words and phrases, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings. Analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning, tone, and mood, including words with multiple meanings within a text. (RL & RI)

Standard 7-8.R.9:
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. (RL & RI)

1. Determine and consult appropriate reference materials to find the pronunciation of a word or determine its precise meaning or its part of speech.
   

Standard 7-8.R.10:
Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, and how it contributes to the text meaning. (RL & RI)

Standard 7-8.R.11:
Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text and how this creates a variety of effects (e.g., humor, sadness, suspense). (RL)
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes their position from that of others and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints. (RI)

Standard 7-8.R.12:
Compare a text to another text in a different medium about the same topic and evaluate the impact of the differences on the audience. (RL & RI)

Standard 7-8.R.13:
Not applicable to RL.Evaluate an argument and specific claims in a text, assessing the validity of key statements by examining whether the supporting evidence is relevant and sufficient. (RI)

Standard 7-8.R.14:
Compare two or more works of fiction with similar themes or topics, drawing on patterns of events or character types. (RL)
Compare how two or more texts about the same topic shape their presentations by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts; identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation. (RI)

Writing (7-8.W)
Students will learn to write for a variety of tasks, purposes, and audiences using appropriate grammar/conventions, syntax, and style.

Standard 7-8.W.1:
Write arguments to support claims with logical reasoning, relevant evidence from accurate and credible sources, and provide a conclusion that follows from and supports the argument presented.

1. Introduce claims, distinguish the claims from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
   
2. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claims, counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
   
3. Use appropriate conventions and style for the audience, purpose, and task.
   

Standard 7-8.W.2:
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content, and provide a conclusion that supports the information or explanation presented.

1. Introduce a topic, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas and information into broader categories; utilize formatting, graphics, and multimedia related to the topic.
   
2. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, and examples.
   
3. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas.
   
4. Use precise language and content-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
   
5. Use appropriate conventions and style for the audience, purpose, and task.
   

Standard 7-8.W.3:
Write narrative texts to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-structured event sequences, descriptive details, and provide a logical resolution.

1. Engage and orient the reader by describing a problem, situation, or observation.
   
2. Introduce a setting, narrator and/or characters.
   
3. Apply narrative techniques, such as dialogue and description, to develop characters and well-structured event sequences.
   
4. Utilize descriptive language to create a mood and tone appropriate to purpose, task, and audience.
   
5. Use appropriate conventions and style for the audience, purpose, and task.
   

Standard 7-8.W.4:
Conduct short research projects to craft an argument, answer a question, or provide an analysis.

1. Gather, assess, and use information from credible sources on the topic.
   
2. Generate ideas to demonstrate understanding of the topic and purpose.
   
3. Avoid plagiarism by quoting, paraphrasing, and citing, using a standard format for citation of evidence.
   
4. Interact and collaborate with others throughout the writing process.
   

Standard 7-8.W.5:
Mastered in grade 5.

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http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialist - Naomi  Watkins and see the Language Arts - Secondary website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - Jennifer  Throndsen.

These materials have been produced by and for the teachers of the State of Utah. Copies of these materials may be freely reproduced for teacher and classroom use. When distributing these materials, credit should be given to Utah State Board of Education. These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other format, without the written permission of the Utah State Board of Education, 250 East 500 South, PO Box 144200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4200.