Grade Eight English Language Arts: Unit 3 Secrets Grade Eight English Language Arts: Unit 3

Make Inferences Inferences happen when you use your own knowledge to expand on something that is occurring in your environment. When you make inferences you increase your understanding by making judgements, and reasoning about a text. Making inferences can help a reader draw a conclusion about a text

Making Inferences Making inferences can be challenging An important thing to do is to focus on the conclusions you are drawing as you read… Not after… During the actual reading… Information in the text will either confirm your inferences, or the way you are thinking may have to change by the end of a piece, the important thing is that you are thinking while you read THE WHOLE POINT IS TO BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE READING AS YOU ARE READING IT!!!!

Making Inferences Here are some examples of what readers should be infer about works of fiction: Moral of the story What does the setting offer What are the characters like? Traits, moods, motivation, values. Is there any bias on the part of the character or author? Is anything missing What happened before this all started

Making Inferences What readers infer about Nonfiction: Main ideas Missing details People’s moods, motivations, values, or beliefs Author’s or people’s biases or perspectives Preceding events

Making Inferences When trying to make inferences think of the following statements: How does this relate to my own experiences… I know how the author feels because… The evidence that supports my thinking is… By leaving out, or only including certain information the author is telling me… I can now conclude… because… My personal viewpoint about the topic may influence how I think about…

Focus on Writing: Add Voice to Informational Writing Voice: How our words sound to the reader. Adding voice strong voice to writing can make reading more enjoyable Strong voice allows the reader to get a sense of the writers personality

Add Voice to Informational Writing How to improve voice in your writing: Provide details and examples to back up the basic information. This will give your writing a confident voice and show you really understand your topic Show how you feel about the topic. Show curiosity, surprise, or worry Use lots of sensory language. Compare one item or idea to another by using metaphor, simile, metaphor, or analogy.

Add Voice to Informational Writing. Your voice in writing should be influenced by your purpose and audience. You need to tune in to what your audience will expect Are you angry, sad, curious?

Adding Voice to Informational Writing Informational Essay: How to drive a car. How do I feel about the topic? I feel that driving a car is wicked fun. 2. What details should I include? Can be dangerous, you need to be careful Getting the car to move. Some rules of the road.

Adding Voice to Informational Writing 3. Sensory language that can be used Sounds: Loud… Rumble… Purr… Clunk… tap tap bang Screech Feels: bumpy, Compressed, vibrating, rusty, smooth, Smells: Gasoline, New car smell, Burning rubber, Air conditioning Looks: shiny, curvy, clean, fast, 4. Comparisons I can use. like a wild stallioin Cuddly like a koala bear…. Not very cuddly…. It’s a bear…. It will bite you Flies better than a goose Like a great white shark

Make Inferences While Listening When listening to a speech, T.V. show or even friends talk you make inferences by combining what you are hearing to what you know about how it is being said. By making inferences and thinking about how things are being said you are better able to understand the message that is being communicated.

Making Inferences While Listening Strategies to help make good inferences while listening: Try to identify the speakers viewpoint Listen closely to the points they are making that will add knowledge and help you make inferences Reflect on the speakers tone or mood Study the tone, body language, and facial expressions . Be actively involved in taking notes, making graphic organizers or asking questions

Focus on Media: Create a Comic Making a graphic comic can be fun. The best way to learn about the different styles of comic is to experience them personally.

Focus on Media: Create a Comic Steps to making a comic: Step 1: Decide what your story will be about.

Step 2: Create an outline and a character web for your main character: How many characters will you need? What will happen to them?

Step 3: Experiment with drawing your characters. What should they look like? Draw some sketches…

Step 4: Create a first draft layout showing every frame with rough sketches and speech bubbles Not all frames need to be the right size or shape Not all features need to be drawn perfectly Mostly just an outline

Step 5: Create a final draft Re-draw each panel with speech bubbles that read from left to right, top to bottom. Write the dialogue first then draw the bubble Draw your text, then draw in your characters.

Focus on Text Pattern: Generalization Generalization text pattern organizes information in the following way: It begins with a general statement Next it uses facts to support the statement Sometimes the author will provide facts that oppose the statement and then argue against them Some say the sky is blue, this is not a valid point because… It ends in a conclusion that sums up the statement and main points.

Focus on Text Pattern: Generalization To create a strong piece all elements should work together. Effective writers follow the following guidelines: State viewpoint clearly, in first sentence of first paragraph Check that the points supporting the argument are trustworthy, good sources. Consider opposing views fairly and use logical arguments.

Focus on Text Pattern: Generalization Analyzing a generalization: Consider how the general statement is supported. Look for bullets, lists, or key words like “theory, reason, as a result, one reason, therefor, in conclusion, argument” to identify the arguments an author is making. Use tools like headings, subheadings, pictures, and font styles to help evaluate the text