Suggests ways of designing poetry writing assignments so that students are motivated to practice a particular writing skill. (RL)

This handbook, intended for English language arts teachers, principals, curriculum and testing specialists, superintendents, and all educators interested in preparing students for the grade 8 California Assessment Program (CAP) writing assessment, provides the practitioner with information about the content of the test, the rationale underlying…

A cultural awareness technique developed for eighth-grade French students involves having students put together title or section pages in their notebooks on specified topics such as French products, geography, and common symbolism. The pages are later used for class discussion and further study. (MSE)

Describes an eighth grade reading program that includes a requirement to read a diary. A questionnaire to determine students' favorite diaries and feelings about the genre is described, activities for students to try after reading a diary are suggested, and an annotated bibliography with 10 fiction and 10 nonfiction books is included. (LRW)

For several years, one educator has taught Charles Dickens's "Great Expectations" to eighth and ninth graders. She recently discovered a woman writer of the 18th century whose novel could be taught using the same format used to teach Dickens's novel. Fanny Burney's "Evelina" is an exceptional book, effective not only for teaching the epistolary…

Activities and background information on Greek and Roman mythology are presented. The unit is designed for eighth graders, but many of the activities can be modified for other grade levels. The unit includes: (1) a content outline; (2) a list of instructional materials including suggested textbooks, teacher-prepared materials, and resource…

One of 13 instructional models developed for use in Detroit's public schools, this course outline describes ten library sessions for teaching seventh and eighth grade students dictionary skills. It is noted that the complete library reference skills program was designed to improve student performance in the Ninth-Grade Objective-Referenced Testing…

Contends that historical fiction can generate lively discussions among students about relevant social science concepts and contemporary social problems. Discusses why literature is a preferable alternative to many history and social studies textbooks. Presents a literature-based unit for eighth-grade U.S. history. (CFR)

This study sought to identify effective methods that select, junior high school, social studies teachers found useful in promoting the reading and studying of printed materials. In the course of the research, 78 teachers identified specific procedures they had used to increase seventh, eighth, and ninth grade students' effectiveness in studying…

An experiment sought to determine the effectiveness of a program for improving achievement among black seventh and eighth grade social studies students. The aim was to develop a media center service program that would support school district efforts to provide educational and support services for the black male. An audiovisual tutoring program…