Ready-to-Use Reading Proficiency Lessons & Activities: 8th Grade Level » (1ST)

Gary Robert Muschla (B.A. and M.A.T., Trenton State College) taught reading and writing for over 20 years at Appleby School in Spotswood, New Jersey. He is the author of several practical resources for teachers, including The Writing Teacher s Book of Lists (1992), and Writing Workshop Survival Kit (1993), English Teacher s Great Books Activities Kit (1994) and Reading Workshop Survival Kit (1997), all published by the Center for Applied Research in Education.

This set of Ready-to-Use Reading Proficiency Lessons & Activities gives classroom teachers and reading specialists a dynamic and progressive way to meet curriculum standards and competencies at the eighth-grade level. Reading Proficiency Lessons & Activities are also available from the publisher at the?Fourth Grade Level and?Tenth Grade Level.

You?ll find the lessons and activities at each level actively help students improve their reading and language skills and facilitate their mastery of other school subjects. They were developed and tested by an experienced teacher who sought to give his students positive learning experiences while at the same time preparing them for district and statewide proficiency exams.

For easy use, the lessons and activities at the?Eighth Grade Level are printed in a big 8-1/4" x 11" spiral-bound format that folds flat for photocopying of study sheets, student activity sheets, and practice tests, and are organized into six sections:

1. ANALOGIES

2. VOCABULARY

3. READING COMPREHENSION

4. SPELLING

5. LANGUAGE MECHANICS & USAGE

6. LANGUAGE EXPRESSION

Each section covers objectives with reproducible activity sheets for teaching basic concepts and skills in one main area of reading/language arts at this level. It includes:

• Teaching Suggestions identifying skills to highlight, noting study sheets that complement the activity sheet, and offering tips on implementation.

• Study Sheets with concise information on specific topics, such as ?How to Solve Analogies,? ?Ways to Build Your Vocabulary,? and ?Breaking Down a Story into Parts.?

• Activity Sheets that are presented sequentially with an emphasis on those skills that appear on standardized tests. For example, Section 3 presents reading skills through selections on realistic fiction, persuasive essays, biographical sketches, poetry, and more.

• Practice Tests concluding each section and based on the activity sheets and skill areas addressed in that section. Tests are set up in a standardized format.

• Answer Sheets accompanying the tests to give students practice in completing the answer sheets for standardized tests.

• Answer Keys for each answer sheet that help you correct tests and explain any questions your students found confusing. Students can also self-correct their own tests with these keys.

What?s more, an Appendix contains useful information for teachers, parents, and students. For example, you?ll find tips on creating a positive test-taking environment, handouts designed to inform parents about standardized tests, and test words students should know.

All three grade level volumes?Fourth Grade, Eighth Grade, and Tenth Grade?give you stimulating and effective ways to help students master basic reading and language content and prepare to demonstrate their knowledge at the particular level.