Practice

Virginia

SOL

8   WritingTeacher Guide

For the Teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Virginia English Standards of Learning for Grade 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Scope and Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Answer Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Table ofCONTENTS

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What is Virginia Standards of Learning: Writing, Practice and Mastery?

Virginia Standards of Learning: Writing, Practice and Mastery is a practice program that focuses on the current English standards of learning adopted by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Education. Students develop mastery of these standards through repeated practice with multiple-choice questions specifically correlated to the English Standards of Learning Curriculum Framework adopted by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Education.

The two-level program is designed for students in grades 5 and 8. Each student book has three practice units. Each unit consists of practice with multiple-choice questions about planning, composing, revising, and editing writing. Each unit concludes with an open-ended writing prompt. Students compose an original piece of writing which is then scored using the rubrics approved by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Education. There are 20 multiple-choice questions and 1 writing prompt per practice unit in grade 8, for a total of 60 practice questions and 3 writing prompts.

How does Virginia Standards of Learning: Writing, Practice and Mastery correlate to the curriculum framework adopted by the Virginia Department of Education?

Virginia Standards of Learning: Writing, Practice and Mastery presents multiple-choice questions and writing prompts that specifically relate to the state’s English standards of learning. Each practice unit covers all of the standards. For more detailed information about how the items practiced in the grade 8 student book correlate with Virginia’s English standards of learning, see page 4.

How should I use Virginia Standards of Learning: Writing, Practice and Mastery?

Virginia Standards of Learning: Writing, Practice and Mastery can be used in two ways. You may choose to have students complete one practice unit per week. Done in this way, students complete the multiple-choice questions and the writing prompt that follows over the course of five days. If you choose to work with Virginia Standards of Learning: Writing, Practice and Mastery in this manner, students will complete all three practice units in three weeks.

Alternatively, you may choose to have students complete an entire practice lesson in one day. You should allow approximately two hours to complete each lesson. Provide 5–10 minute breaks at specific intervals during each two-hour session. If you choose to work with Virginia Standards of Learning: Writing, Practice and Mastery in this manner, students will complete all three practice units in three days.

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For the Teacher

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How do I introduce my students to Virginia Standards of Learning: Writing, Practice and Mastery?

Provide students with sharpened pencils and erasers. Have students read all the information on the inside front cover of the student book, or read the information together as a class. Ask students to pay particular attention to the tips for answering the multiple-choice questions. Suggest that they refer to these tips when necessary as they work through the book.

Where do students record their answers?

Students record their answers in one of two ways. Students may record their answers directly in the student book. Students may also use the Answer Form on page 45 of the student book if you want students to have practice answering questions in this test format.

No matter which option you choose, ensure that each student knows how to fill in the answer bubbles. Remind students that if they change an answer, they should fully erase their first answer. Use the completed Answer Form on page 9 to correct answers.

What is the correction procedure for multiple-choice questions?

Once an entire practice unit is completed, correct the answers in class that day or the next. Allow about 30 minutes for correction and discussion.

As you correct answers in class, explain concepts students may not fully understand. Encourage students to discuss the thought process they used to answer the questions. When answers are incorrect, help students understand why their reasoning was faulty. Students sometimes answer incorrectly because of a range of misconceptions about what the question is asking. Discussing why choices are incorrect will help students understand their own thinking process as well as how to apply the correct strategy next time they encounter a similar question on a test.

What is the correction procedure for the writing prompt?

The writing prompt is scored by the teacher using the rubrics approved by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Education. Each student’s response to the writing prompt will receive a score in each of three areas: composing, written expression, and usage and mechanics. Each area is scored separately, using a four-point scale. The approved rubrics as well as scoring guidelines can be found on pages 3–4 and 8–10 of the Virginia SOL Assessment: Grade 8 Writing Test Blueprint at http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Assessment/EnglishBlueprint05/BlueprintsG8writing.pdf.

How should I use the results of Virginia Standards of Learning: Writing, Practice and Mastery?

Virginia Standards of Learning: Writing, Practice and Mastery can be a useful diagnostic tool for identifying standards that need further study and reinforcement. Use the Scope and Sequence charts on pages 6–8 to identify the standard each question has been designed to assess. For students who consistently have difficulty with a particular standard, provide additional practice in that area.

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Virginia Standards of Learning: Writing, Practice and Mastery, Grade 8 is based on the English standards of learning chosen by the Virginia Department of Education to be assessed at this grade level. The chart below correlates the state’s standards with the questions from each of the three practice units. For a more in-depth explanation of each standard, refer to the English Standards of Learning Curriculum Framework.

According to the Virginia Standards of Learning Assessment Blueprint for Grade 8 Writing, not all of the SOL in the reporting categories are assessed in order to keep the test at a reasonable length. However, over the course of the three practice units in this book, the Virginia Standards of Learning: Writing, Practice and Mastery, Grade 8, each SOL is assessed.

Virginia English Standards of Learning for Grade 8

VIRGINIA ENGLISH STANDARDS OF LEARNING: Grade 8Plan, compose, and revise writing in a variety of forms for a variety of purposes.14 standards to be tested, based on the Virginia Standards of Learning Assessment Blueprint for Grade 8, and 16 possible score points for the direct-writing component: Composing and Written Expression.

6.6 The student will write narrative, descriptions, and explanations. Practice One

Practice Two

Practice Three

a. Use a variety of planning strategies to generate and organize ideas. 1 11 1

b. Establish central idea, organization, elaboration, and unity. 2 – –

c. Select vocabulary and information to enhance the central idea, tone, and voice.

4 14 14

d. Expand and embed ideas by using modifiers, standard coordination, and subordination in complete sentences.

13 – 4

e. Revise writing for clarity. 5 – 2

7.8 The student will develop narrative, expository, and persuasive writing.

a. Apply knowledge of prewriting strategies. 12 12 11

b. Elaborate the central idea in an organized manner. – 2 –

c. Choose vocabulary and information that will create voice and tone.

– 4 13

d. Use clauses and phrases to vary sentences. – 5 –

e. Revise writing for clarity and effect. 15 3 15

8.7 The student will write in a variety of forms, including narrative, expository, persuasive, and informational.

a. Use prewriting strategies to generate and organize ideas. 11 1 12

b. Organize details to elaborate the central idea. 14 3

c. Select specific vocabulary and information. – 13 –

d. Revise writing for word choice, sentence variety, and transitions among paragraphs.

3 15 5

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Edit for correct use of language, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.12 standards to be tested, based on the Virginia Standards of Learning Assessment Blueprint for Grade 8, and 8 possible score points for the direct-writing component: Composing and Written Expression.

6.7 The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure.

Practice One

Practice Two

Practice Three

b. Use subject-verb agreement with intervening phrases and clauses.

17 – 17

c. Use pronoun-antecedent agreement to include indefinite pronouns.

18 – 10

d. Maintain consistent tense inflection across paragraphs. 6 – –

e. Choose adverbs to describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. 7 6 7

f. Use correct spelling for frequently used words. 9 8 9

7.9 The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and paragraphing.

c. Choose pronouns to agree with antecedents. 16 18 –

d. Use subject-verb agreement with intervening phrases and clauses.

– 7 18

e. Edit for verb tense consistency. – 9 8

8.8 The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure, and paragraphing.

b. Use and punctuate correctly varied sentence structures to include conjunctions and transition words.

10 10, 20 6, 16

c. Choose the correct case and number for pronouns in prepositional phrases with compound objects.

8 19 –

d. Maintain consistent verb tense across paragraphs. 19 17 19

e. Use comparative and superlative degrees in adverbs and adjectives.

20 16 20

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