1. Collection 2: do the right thing
8th grade Literature

2. Introducing the Collection
The selections in this collection show real people from history and fictional characters struggling to act responsibly and do what is right.
Literary & Reading Skills
Analyze character and characterization; compare and contrast characters from different historical eras
Compare and contrast the way ideas are treated and organized texts

3. Elements of Literature- Characters
Characterization- the way the writer reveals character
Direct Characterization- the writer directly tells you what a character is like
Indirect Characterization- the writer shows their characters in action and lets you decide what the characters are like by describing appearance, allowing you to hear the characters speak, revealing the characters’ thoughts and feelings, and showing how others react to the characters

4. Elements of Literature- Characters, cont.
Motivation- what makes people behave the way they do
Motives- why they do the things they do

5. Before you read “Thanksgiving” by Kylene Beers
Reading Skills- understand comparing and contrasting
Comparisons- how things are similar
Contrasts- how things are different
Writers help you understand comparisons and contrasts by using signal words
Comparisons- additionally, similarly, further, also, both
Contrasts- except, although, but, however, instead
As you read the article about Thanksgiving, look for signal words or phrases that help you compare and contrast Thanksgiving traditions

6. Reading Assignment Read “Thanksgiving” pgs. 137-140
After you read, complete H-map to compare and contrast Thanksgiving traditions

7. Before you read “from Harriet Tubman” by Ann Petry About the Author
A granddaughter of a man who escaped from slavery
Reading & Literary Skills
Compare and contrast characters from different historical eras; make inferences
Literary Focus- Characters in Biography
Biography- the story of someone’s life written by another person
With biographies, we get to acquainted with the characters in the story the same way we get to know people- by observing their actions (what they say and do) and their motivations (the reasons for their actions
We learn about their values, how they interact with others, and compare these characters with the people we know

8. Before you read, cont. Reading Focus- Making Inferences
Inferences- conclusions we come to based on information in the text and what we already know
It is an educated guess
As you read this biography, stop at the open book signs to make inferences

9. Vocabulary Development
Fugitives-people fleeing from danger
Incomprehensible- impossible to understand
Incentive- reason to do something; motivation
Dispel- scatter; drive away
Eloquence- ability to write or speak gracefully or convincingly

10. Vocabulary Development Practice
1. Fugitives
2. Incomprehensible
3. Incentive
4. Dispel
5. Eloquence
A. Motivation
B. Impossible to understand
C. Ability to write or speak gracefully
D. People fleeing from danger
E. Scatter; drive away

11. Reading Assignment Read “ from Harriet Tubman” pgs. 144-152
As you read, complete worksheet
After you read, complete vocabulary development worksheet
After you read, write a biographical sketch
Writing assignment on page 154
Word requirement-
In your own words, no copying and pasting!

12. Before you read
Informational Text- “The Fugitive Slave Acts of and 1850” a link “Harriet Tubman”
Reading Skills- Analyze text structures
Reading Focus- Using Text Structures to Organize Ideas
Kinds of Text Structures
Enumeration or sequence- explaining things first, second, third, and so on
Chronology- describing events in the order in which they happen
Comparison and contrast- showing how one thing is similar to or different from another thing
Cause and effect- showing how one event causes another event and so on

13. Before you read, cont.
Background- The text that follows is a summary of 2 laws that were important in the lives of Harriet Tubman and all blacks in America, slave owners, and citizens of the Northern states

14. Reading Assignment
Read informational text “The Fugitive Slave Acts of and 1850”
As you read, determine what kinds of text structures are used to organize the text
After you read, complete questions 1-5 in the test practice test and 1-5 under the constructed response heading

15. Before you read “Barbara Frietchie” by John Greenleaf Whittier
About the Author
Was born and raised on a farm in Massachusetts; part of a Quaker family; he devoted most of his life to anitslavery
Literary & Reading Skills
Analyze character; compare and contrast characters; paraphrase a poem
Literary Focus- A Character’s Character
How a person reacts to a challenge can be considered a test of character
Character- a person’s essential quality or personality

16. Before you read, cont.
Reading Skills Focus- Paraphrasing: Saying it your way
Paraphrasing- means restating a writer’s text in your own words
A paraphrase differs from a summary because a summary retells only the most important points in a text
Background
This poem is set during the civil war. This poem is based on the events of the Union forces and the 2nd battle of Bull Run

17. Vocabulary Development
Staff- pole
Tread- step
Rent- tore
Stirred- woke up
Host- army

18. Vocabulary Development Practice
What natural disaster might topple a flag’s staff?
What would you do if you heard a heavy tread outside your window at night?
If your shirt had been rent, what would you do?
If you knocked on a friend’s door and no one stirred, what would you do?
What would you do if your neighbor had a host of loud friends who kept you up all night?

19. Reading Assignment Read “Barbara Frietchie” pgs. 163-165
As you read, see what the character Barbara Frietchie reveals about her character when she decides to be different from the crowd
As you read, complete character graph, paraphrase organizer, and worksheet
After you read, complete vocab development worksheet

20. Before you read “Too Soon A Woman” by Dorothy M. Johnson
About the Author
Made the west her home- both physical and literary; known for her sensitive, realistic portrayals of the American West; some of her stories were made into movies
Literary & Reading Skills
Analyze character motivation; summarize a story
Literary Focus-Motivation
Motivation- the reason for the behavior
As you read this story, determine what the motivations were for the characters’ actions

21. Before you read, cont.
Reading Skills Focus- Summarizing: Keep It Simple
Summary- a short restatement of the main events and essential ideas in a work
When you summarize a story, briefly identify the major characters. Then, in your own words, describe the characters’ problems, state the main events, and explain how the problems are finally resolved.

22. Vocabulary Development
Skimpy- less than enough
Grudging- reluctant; unwilling
Gaunt- very thin and bony
Rummaged- searched through the contents of something
Savoring- enjoying with great delight

23. Vocabulary Development Practice
Describe a meal you have eaten that was skimpy.
Describe a situation in which you did a grudging favor for someone.
How would a prisoner look with a gaunt face.
List places where you have rummaged. What did you find?
Describe the experience of savoring a moment.

24. Reading Assignment Read “Too Soon A Woman” pgs. 170-174
As you read, complete story map worksheet
After you read, complete vocabulary development worksheet

25. Before you read
Informational Texts- “Union Pacific Railroad” and Home, Sweet Soddie” a link to “Too Soon a Woman”; Historical documents and article
Literary & Reading Skills
Compare and contrast the way ideas are treated and organized in texts
Reading Focus- Comparing Texts: Treatment and Scope of Ideas
Biased- one-sided treatment of the subject
Objective- balanced treatment; presents all sides
Broad scope- covers many aspects of a topic
Limited scope- doesn’t cover many aspects; covers limited topics

26. Before you read, cont.
As you read the historical document and article- consider what each text says and how it says it
Is there evidence of bias, or is the treatment balanced and objective?
Is the focus on the big picture or a small snapshot?
How are the selections similar in their scope and treatment of ideas?
How are they different?

27. Reading Assignment
Read “Union Pacific Railroad” pg. 179 and “Home, Sweet Soddie” pgs
As you read, complete Compare and Contrasts Texts Chart

28. Before you read “Mrs. Flowers” by Maya Angelo
About the Author- She has been an actor, a teacher, a speaker, a civil rights worker, and above all a writer of poems, plays, songs, screenplays, and newspaper articles
Literary & Reading Skills- compare and contrast characters from different historical era; identify main idea
Literary Focus- A Character’s Influence
People often reveal their character in hard times when they face tough conflicts; the way they live their everyday lives; and how they treat others
In this autobiographical story a woman named Mrs. Flowers has an important influence on a young girl named Marguerite

29. Before you read, cont.
Reading Focus- Determining the Main Idea: What’s It All About
Main idea- is the message, opinion, or insight that is the focus of a piece of nonfiction writing
To find the main idea- look for key statements and details made by the writer
Background
“Mrs. Flowers” is from a volume of Maya Angelo’s autobiography. A year before she met Mrs. Flowers, Marguerite had been violently assaulted by a friend of her mother’s.

30. Vocabulary Development
Taut- tightly stretched
Benign- kindly
Infuse- fill
Intolerant- unwilling to accept something
Illiteracy- inability to read or write

31. Vocabulary Development Practice
Sleep is to exhaustion as education is to ___.
Mild is to gentle as kind is to ___.
Empty is to vacate as fill is to ___.
Loose is to tight as slack is to ___.
Restless is to patient as accepting is to ___.

32. Reading Assignment Read “Mrs. Flowers” pgs. 186-189
As you read, complete Event Worksheet
After you read, complete Character Influence Worksheet and Vocabulary Development Worksheet

33. Before you read
Comparing Literature- “Historical Data About the Battle of Shiloh”, “Drumbeats and Bullets”, “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh”, and “How I Came to Write The Drummer Boy of Shiloh”
You are about to read a number of factual sources about the Battle of Shiloh to compare and contrast
Literary & Reading Skills
Analyze historical fiction; evaluate historical accuracy; and compare and contrast texts
Literary Focus- Historical Fiction
Historical Fiction- combines an imaginative story with facts about the events that happened in the past

34. Before you Read, cont.
Reading Skills Focus- Checking Historical Accuracy
When dealing with historical data, you may need to see how accurate the factual elements are
Elements of Historical Fiction
Set during a real historical era
Contains historically accurate details
Includes fictional characters
Often includes characters based on actual historical figures

35. Reading Assignments
Read Historical Data About the Battle of Shiloh pg. 195
Read “Drumbeats and Bullets” by Jim Murphy pg. 197
As you read, complete outline
Read “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury pg. 203
As you read, complete story map
Read How I Came to Write “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury pg. 209
After you read, complete Comparing Literature Chart