Georgia Standards of Excellence Grades 6-8

Four Integrated Components Reading Writing Speaking and Listening Language

Skills Progression Spiral

Reading Reading Literature and Informational Texts Cite textual evidence Determine themes and central ideas Analyze author’s use of literary elements, ideas, or events

Writing Types and Purposes for Writing Production of Writing Argumentative Informative/explanatory Narrative Production of Writing Writing process Writing to an audience Research Skills Conducting research Choosing good sources Avoiding plagiarism Range of Writing Both short and more extended pieces *emphasis on using evidence to support thinking

Speaking and Listening Engage in and prepare for discussions effectively Analyze information in various formats (consumers of information) Analyze a speaker’s arguments Present ideas to others (speech) Include visual or media components

Language Conventions of Standard English Knowledge of Language In speaking and writing Knowledge of Language Vocabulary Acquisition and Use Adding new words to vocabulary Understanding nuances of meaning Learning how to figure out unfamiliar words 6th – 8th Grade: emphasis on Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes Mal—bad Bene—good Beneficial—something is “good” Malignant—something is “bad” Benign—harmless “good”

How To Help Encourage your child to… check itslearning regularly attend or request help sessions read widely and often read writing out loud share writing with you explain his or her thinking practice speeches in front of you be resourceful Explain thinking: “Why do you think that?” “How do you know that?”

How To Help Your child may need help with… organizational skills time management ideas (be a sounding board) feedback on writing gathering sources for research studying vocabulary practicing presentations

Resources Newsela.com andyspinks.com Experience Online Testing Georgia Forsyth County Library borrow books that can be reserved and picked up Newsela.com current events articles at different levels andyspinks.com research citation help Experience Online Testing Georgia milestones online platform practice (not content) Georgia Milestones Assessment Resources list of parent resources (half-way down page on right) Quizlet create flash cards and quizzes to study