Common Planner
K–12 Standards

English Language Arts: Grade 8

Other Pennsylvania PSSA Assessment Anchors and Eligible Content sets

Literature Text: Key Ideas and Details

  • 1

    Demonstrate understanding of key ideas and details in literature. E08.A-K.1.1 

    1. 1

      Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences, conclusions, and/or generalizations drawn from the text.E08.A-K.1.1.1

    2. 2

      Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.E08.A-K.1.1.2

    3. 3

      Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story, drama, or poem propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.E08.A-K.1.1.3

Literature Text: Craft and Structure

  • 1

    Demonstrate understanding of E08.A-C.2.1.1 Analyze how differences in the points of view of the craft and structure in literature. E08.A-C.2.1 

    1. 1

      Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.E08.A-C.2.1.1

    2. 2

      Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts, and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.E08.A-C.2.1.2

    3. 3

      Determine how the author uses the meaning of words or phrases, including figurative and connotative meanings, in a text; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.E08.A-C.2.1.3

Literature Text: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

  • 1

    Demonstrate understanding of connections within, between, and/or among texts. E08.A-C.3.1 

    1. 1

      Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths and traditional stories, including describing how the material is rendered new.E08.A-C.3.1.1

Literature Text: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

  • 1

     Demonstrate understanding of vocabulary and figurative language in literature. E08.A-V.4.1

    1. 1

      Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.E08.A-V.4.1.1

      1. a

        Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph, a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.E08.A-V.4.1.1.a

      2. b

        Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede).E08.A-V.4.1.1.b

    2. 2

      Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.E08.A-V.4.1.2

      1. a

        Interpret figures of speech (e.g., verbal irony, puns) in context.E08.A-V.4.1.2.a

      2. b

        Use the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words.E08.A-V.4.1.2.b

      3. c

        Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute).E08.A-V.4.1.2.c

Informational Text: Key Ideas and Details

  • 1

    Demonstrate understanding of key ideas and details in informational texts. E08.B-K.1.1

    1. 1

      Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences, conclusions, and/or generalizations drawn from the text.E08.B-K.1.1.1

    2. 2

      Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.E08.B-K.1.1.2

    3. 3

      Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, categories).E08.B-K.1.1.3

Informational Text: Craft and Structure

  • 1

    Demonstrate understanding of craft and structure in informational texts. E08.B-C.2.1 

    1. 1

      Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.E08.B-C.2.1.1

    2. 2

      Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept.E08.B-C.2.1.2

    3. 3

      Determine how the author uses the meaning of words or phrases, including figurative, connotative, or technical meanings, in a text; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.E08.B-C.2.1.3

Informational Text: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

  • 1

    Demonstrate understanding of connections within, between, and/or among informational texts. E08.B-C.3.1 

    1. 1

      Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced.E08.B-C.3.1.1

    2. 2

      Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic, and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.E08.B-C.3.1.2

Informational Text: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

  • 1

    Demonstrate understanding of vocabulary and figurative language in informational texts. E08.B-V.4.1 

    1. 1

      Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.E08.B-V.4.1.1

      1. a

        Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph, a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.E08.B-V.4.1.1.a

      2. b

        Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede).E08.B-V.4.1.1.b

      3. c

        Determine the meaning of technical words and phrases used in a text.E08.B-V.4.1.1.c

    2. 2

      Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.E08.B-V.4.1.2

      1. a

        Interpret figures of speech (e.g., verbal irony, puns) in context.E08.B-V.4.1.2.a

      2. b

        Use the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words.E08.B-V.4.1.2.b

      3. c

        Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute).E08.B-V.4.1.2.c

Conventions of Standard English: Conventions of Standard English

  • 1

    Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage. E08.D.1.1 

    1. 1

      Explain the function of verbals (i.e., gerunds, participles, and infinitives) in general and their function in particular sentences.E08.D.1.1.1

    2. 2

      Form and use verbs in the active and passive voice.E08.D.1.1.2

    3. 3

      Form and use verbs in the indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive mood.E08.D.1.1.3

    4. 4

      Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice and mood.E08.D.1.1.4

    5. 5

      Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.E08.D.1.1.5

    6. 6

      Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person.E08.D.1.1.6

    7. 7

      Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with unclear or ambiguous antecedents).E08.D.1.1.7

    8. 8

      Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.E08.D.1.1.8

    9. 9

      Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-on sentences.E08.D.1.1.9

    10. 10

      Correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two; there, their, they’re).E08.D.1.1.10

    11. 11

      Ensure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.E08.D.1.1.11

  • 2

    Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. E08.D.1.2 

    1. 1

      Use punctuation (i.e., comma, ellipsis, and dash) to indicate a pause or break.E08.D.1.2.1

    2. 2

      Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission.E08.D.1.2.2

    3. 3

      Spell correctly.E08.D.1.2.3

    4. 4

      Use punctuation (i.e., commas, parentheses, and dashes) to set off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements.E08.D.1.2.4

    5. 5

      Use punctuation to separate items in a series.E08.D.1.2.5

Conventions of Standard English: Knowledge of Language

  • 1

    Use knowledge of language and its conventions. E08.D.2.1 

    1. 1

      Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action, expressing uncertainty, or describing a state contrary to fact).E08.D.2.1.1

    2. 2

      Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.E08.D.2.1.2

    3. 3

      Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.E08.D.2.1.3

    4. 4

      Maintain consistency in style and tone.E08.D.2.1.4

    5. 5

      Choose punctuation for effect.E08.D.2.1.5

    6. 6

      Choose words and phrases for effect.E08.D.2.1.6

Text-Dependent Analysis: Evidence-Based Analysis of Text

  • 1

    Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and/or research. E08.E.1.1 

    1. 1

      Introduce text(s) for the intended audience, state an opinion and/or topic, establish a situation, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.E08.E.1.1.1

    2. 2

      Develop the analysis using relevant evidence from text(s) to support claims, opinions, ideas, and inferences and demonstrating an understanding of the text(s).E08.E.1.1.2

    3. 3

      Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.E08.E.1.1.3

    4. 4

      Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic and/or convey the experience and events.E08.E.1.1.4

    5. 5

      Establish and maintain a formal style.E08.E.1.1.5

    6. 6

      Provide a concluding section that follows from and supports the analysis presented.E08.E.1.1.6

Frequently asked questions

What grade levels do these standards cover?
Grade 8
Where can I read the official document?
Pennsylvania Department of Education

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