What does a student learn in StateKansas,GradeGrade 8,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Students find the strongest quotes or details from a story or novel to back up what they think the text means, both what it says directly and what it implies.

Students figure out the central message of a story and trace how it grows through what characters do, where the story takes place, and how the plot unfolds. They also write a plain summary that sticks to the text.

Students look at specific conversations or moments in a story and explain what those moments set in motion. A single line of dialogue or a scene can push the plot forward, show who a character really is, or force someone to make a choice.

Students figure out what words and phrases mean in a story or poem, including what they suggest beyond their dictionary meaning. They also look at how a writer's specific word choices shape the mood and meaning of the text.

Students look at two stories or poems side by side and figure out how each one is built. They explain how those structural choices, like starting in the middle of the action or cycling back to the beginning, shape what the piece means and how it feels to read.

When readers know something a character doesn't, tension or humor builds from that gap. Students analyze how that difference between what a character sees and what the audience knows shapes the feeling of a scene.

Students watch a film or stage version of a story they've read, then explain what the director or actors kept, changed, or cut. The goal is to judge whether those choices made the story stronger or weaker.

This standard doesn't apply to literature. Analyzing arguments and evaluating evidence is a skill reserved for nonfiction reading, so nothing is assessed here for stories, poems, or plays.

A modern novel or story often borrows from older myths, folktales, or religious texts. Students identify what was borrowed and explain how the author changed or updated it to make the story feel new.

Reading closely means paying attention to how an author's word choices, sentence structures, and punctuation shape meaning. Students use what they know about language to figure out tricky passages in stories, poems, and plays.

Students figure out what unfamiliar or tricky words mean while reading, using context clues, word roots, or a dictionary to choose the strategy that fits.

Students use the words and sentences around an unfamiliar word to figure out what it means, without stopping to look it up.

Students use Greek or Latin word parts, like prefixes and roots, to figure out what an unfamiliar word means. For example, knowing that "ced" means "go" helps decode words like "precede" or "recede."

Students look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary or other reference, print or online, to confirm how a word is pronounced, what it means, or how it functions in a sentence.

Students check their first guess about an unfamiliar word by looking at the surrounding sentences or a dictionary, then confirm or revise what they thought it meant.

Students read sentences and explain what figurative language means in context, such as why a writer calls anger "a fire" or what makes two words feel similar but not quite the same.

Students identify figurative language in a text and explain what it means based on the words and situations around it. Think metaphors, irony, and allusions read in context, not just named.

Students study pairs of words that are connected, such as synonyms, antonyms, or words that share a root, to sharpen the meaning of each one. Knowing how two words relate helps students read with more precision.

Words can share a basic meaning but feel completely different. Students learn to notice those emotional shades, like the gap between "slender" and "scrawny," and choose or analyze words based on the feeling they carry.

Students read full plays, stories, and poems at the level expected by the end of eighth grade. The goal is to handle challenging texts independently, not just with classroom support.

Students find the strongest quotes and details from a nonfiction passage to back up what they say about it. That includes both facts the text states outright and conclusions students reason out on their own.

Students find the main point of a nonfiction piece and trace how the author builds on it from start to finish. They also write a short, fair-minded summary that leaves out their own opinion.

Students read a nonfiction passage and explain how the author connects or contrasts the people, ideas, or events in it. That might mean spotting a comparison, an analogy, or a grouping the author uses to build an argument.

Students figure out what words mean in context, including slang, implied meanings, and subject-specific terms. They also examine why an author chose a particular word and what effect that choice has on the mood or message of the passage.

Students pick a single paragraph from a nonfiction piece and explain how each sentence builds or sharpens the main idea. The focus is on what individual sentences actually do, not just what the paragraph says overall.

Students figure out where an author stands on a topic and why the author wrote the piece. Then they look at how the author handles opposing facts or views, whether the author addresses them fairly, dismisses them, or works around them.

Students compare how a topic comes across in a news article versus a video or podcast, then weigh what each format does well and where it falls short.

Students read an argument and decide whether the reasons actually back up the claim and whether the evidence is strong enough to be convincing. They also spot when a writer slips in details that have nothing to do with the point being made.

Students read two sources that contradict each other on the same topic, then pinpoint exactly where they disagree, whether one source states a different fact or simply sees the same fact a different way.

Reading a nonfiction article, students use what they know about grammar, punctuation, and word choice to figure out what the text means. Knowing how language works helps them read more closely and understand more.

When students hit an unfamiliar word in a nonfiction article or textbook, they figure out what it means using context clues, word roots, or a dictionary. This standard also covers words that mean different things in different subjects.

Students figure out what an unfamiliar word or phrase means by reading the sentences around it. No dictionary needed: the paragraph itself usually holds enough clues.

Students use familiar Greek and Latin word parts, like prefixes and roots, to figure out what an unfamiliar word means. Knowing that "ced" means "go" helps decode words like "precede" or "recede" without a dictionary.

Students look up unfamiliar words in dictionaries and reference books, both print and online, to check pronunciation, pin down exact meaning, or figure out how the word functions in a sentence.

Students look up an unfamiliar word they guessed at while reading, then confirm or correct their guess using a dictionary or other reliable source.

Students notice when a word carries more weight than its dictionary meaning, such as when an author calls a politician a "shark." They use those word choices as clues to figure out the author's tone and point of view.

Students spot figures of speech in nonfiction reading and explain what the author actually means. A phrase like "the economy is a sinking ship" gets read as a comparison, not a literal fact.

Students study pairs of words that relate to each other, like *cause* and *effect* or *contrast* and *comparison*, to sharpen what each word means. Understanding how words connect helps students read harder nonfiction more precisely.

Words can share a basic meaning but carry very different feelings. Students learn to spot the difference between words like "cheap" and "thrifty" so they can see how a writer's word choice shapes a reader's reaction.

Students read full-length nonfiction texts at an eighth-grade level, including articles, essays, and historical documents complex enough to require close attention and rereading.

Students write a paragraph or essay that takes a clear position and backs it up with facts and details from sources. The argument explains why the evidence supports the claim, not just what the evidence says.

Students open an argument by stating their position clearly, then address what someone who disagrees might say before laying out their reasons in a logical order.

Students back up their argument with real evidence from trustworthy sources, explaining why each piece of evidence supports their point. The reasoning has to hold up, not just sound convincing.

Students connect their argument's moving parts with linking words and phrases that show how a claim, a counterargument, and the evidence all relate. The goal is a reader who never has to guess why one idea follows another.

Writing in a formal style means choosing words and sentences that fit a school essay, not a text message. Students avoid slang, stay consistent in tone, and keep the focus on the argument.

Students write a closing paragraph that wraps up their argument without introducing new ideas. The ending should feel like a natural finish to the case they built, not a sudden stop.

Students write an explanatory piece on a real topic, picking the most useful facts and details, organizing them clearly, and explaining what those details actually mean. The goal is a reader who finishes knowing something they didn't before.

The opening of an informational piece sets up the whole paper. Students write a clear introduction, group related ideas under headings, and add charts or visuals where they help a reader follow along.

Students pick specific facts, quotes, and details that actually support their topic, not just any information that seems related. The goal is quality over quantity: every detail should earn its place in the writing.

Students learn to connect paragraphs and ideas with transition words and phrases so the writing flows and readers can follow the logic from one point to the next.

Explanatory writing works best when the words are exact. Students choose specific terms that fit the subject, swapping vague words like "thing" or "stuff" for the clearest word available.

Writing uses formal language throughout: no slang, no casual phrasing, and a consistent tone from the first sentence to the last.

Students write a closing sentence or paragraph that wraps up their explanation without just repeating the introduction. The ending grows out of what the piece actually said.

Students write a story, real or made-up, with a clear sequence of events and specific details that make scenes and characters feel real.

Students open a narrative by setting the scene and introducing who's telling the story. The events that follow unfold in an order that makes sense.

Students add dialogue, description, and well-timed pacing to make a story's events and characters feel real. The goal is a narrative that moves at the right speed and stays with the reader.

Students choose transition words and phrases to show when time jumps, settings shift, or one event connects to the next. A phrase like "years earlier" or "as a result" tells readers how the pieces of a story fit together.

Narrative writing asks for more than "he ran fast." Students choose words that put the reader inside the moment, using specific details and sensory language to make actions and events feel real on the page.

The final paragraph wraps up the story by looking back on what happened. Students show how the events mattered, not just that they ended.

Writing fits the assignment. Students match how they organize and phrase their writing to what the task asks for, who will read it, and why it was assigned.

Students revise and edit their own writing based on feedback from a teacher or classmate, asking whether the piece actually says what they meant and speaks to the right reader.

Students use computers and online tools to write, publish, and share their work. They also use those same tools to exchange ideas and give feedback with classmates.

Students pick a question, find answers across several sources, and use what they discover to ask sharper follow-up questions. Short research projects like this build the habit of digging deeper, not just finding one answer and stopping.

Students find and evaluate sources on a topic, then weave in quotes or paraphrased ideas with proper citations. The focus is on choosing sources that are credible and accurate, not just whatever shows up first in a search.

Students pull quotes and details from books or articles to back up their own ideas in writing. The evidence has to connect clearly to the point they're making.

Students apply standard grammar rules in their writing: choosing the right verb tense, forming sentences correctly, and using words the way edited English expects. The goal is writing that a reader can follow without stopping to untangle the sentence.

Students learn when to write "the dog bit the boy" versus "the boy was bitten," and how to phrase ideas that are uncertain or hypothetical, like "if she were here." Each choice shapes how a sentence reads and who or what gets the emphasis.

Verbals are verb forms used as other parts of speech. Students identify gerunds, participles, and infinitives in sentences and explain what job each one is doing, such as acting as a noun, describing a noun, or expanding an idea.

Students practice flipping sentences between active voice (the dog bit the boy) and passive voice (the boy was bitten by the dog). They learn when each choice makes writing clearer or more effective.

Students practice shifting between the everyday statement ("She writes"), a command ("Write this down"), a question ("Does she write?"), and the trickier forms used for wishes or conditions ("If she were to write..."). The goal is choosing the right verb form for what a sentence needs to do.

Students learn to spot and fix sentences where the verb voice or mood changes awkwardly mid-sentence, like shifting from "I wrote the letter" to "the letter was sent" without a clear reason.

Students write with correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. This standard covers the mechanical rules that keep writing readable: capital letters in the right places, commas and periods where they belong, and words spelled correctly.

Students practice using a comma, ellipsis, or dash to show where a sentence pauses or breaks off. These small marks change how a sentence feels when read aloud.

An ellipsis is three dots (...) used to show that part of a quoted passage has been left out. Students learn to trim a long quote without changing the original meaning.

Students spell words correctly in their writing, including tricky words that look similar or follow irregular patterns.

Students write regularly, both in quick single-sitting tasks and longer projects that involve research and revision. The goal is to practice writing across subjects, for different reasons and different readers.

Students hold focused conversations with classmates and teachers about books, articles, and real issues. They listen closely enough to build on what others say, then add their own ideas clearly.

Students read or research the material before a group discussion, then point to specific evidence from that reading when the conversation starts. Preparation is the starting point, not optional.

Students run a group discussion with clear structure: they set a goal, track whether the group is on track to meet it, and sort out who is responsible for what.

During class discussions, students ask questions that link what different classmates have said, then back up their own responses with real evidence or observations.

During a class discussion, students listen to what others say and update or defend their own position when the new information is worth responding to.

Students watch, read, or listen to a source and ask why it was made. They decide whether the goal was to sell something, shift an opinion, or share facts.

Students listen to a speech or talk, then pick apart the argument: does the reasoning hold up, does the evidence actually support the point, and does anything sneak in that has nothing to do with the topic.

Students practice delivering a spoken argument out loud, choosing the strongest evidence and reasoning to back their point. They also work on looking at their audience, speaking loudly enough to be heard, and pronouncing words clearly.

Students add charts, images, video, or audio to a presentation to back up their main points and make the content easier to follow.

Students practice switching between casual and formal speech depending on the situation. A class discussion calls for different language than a presentation or a job interview.

Students speak in complete, grammatically correct sentences during class discussions and presentations. This means using proper verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure when talking through ideas out loud.

Students practice choosing between active and passive voice, and using conditional or subjunctive phrasing, to make spoken and written sentences hit harder or land more precisely.

Students practice writing sentences in both active voice (the dog bit the boy) and passive voice (the boy was bitten by the dog), then choose the right form depending on who or what the sentence should focus on.

Students practice writing and speaking sentences in different moods: stating facts, giving commands, asking questions, and expressing wishes or possibilities. This covers the full range of verb forms English uses to show purpose and intention.

Students learn to spot and fix moments when a sentence switches voice or mood mid-thought, such as shifting from active to passive or from a statement to a command without reason.

Students learn new academic and subject-specific words and use them correctly in speech and writing. When an unfamiliar word matters for understanding or discussion, students look it up and put it to work.