Grade 08 ELA - EC: E08.D.1.1.1
Grade 08 ELA - EC: E08.D.1.1.1
Continuum of Activities
The list below represents a continuum of activities: resources categorized by Standard/Eligible Content that teachers may use to move students toward proficiency. Using LEA curriculum and available materials and resources, teachers can customize the activity statements/questions for classroom use.
This continuum of activities offers:
- Instructional activities designed to be integrated into planned lessons
- Questions/activities that grow in complexity
- Opportunities for differentiation for each student’s level of performance
Grade Levels
8th Grade
Course, Subject
English Language Arts
Related Academic Standards / Eligible Content
Activities
- State the general function of verbals in a sentence.
- List examples of verbals
- Identify examples of verbals in particular sentences.
- Compare the meaning of similar sentences that use verbals differently.
- Construct original sentences that use verbals.
- Explain the function of verbals in general and their function in particular sentences.
Answer Key/Rubric
- Student states the general function of verbals in a sentence. Verbals are words that are formed using verbs that function as other parts of speech in a sentence. Gerunds, participles, and infinitives are three types of verbals. Gerunds end in “–ing” and function as nouns. Participles are a form of a verb that function as adjectives in a sentence. Infinitives are form by adding “to” to the present tense of a verb. Infinitives can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs in a sentence. Verbals allow for the clear expression of ideas.
- Student lists examples of verbals.
- Gerunds: running, swimming, writing, painting
- Present Participles: frowning, shining, the falling snow,
- Past Participles: surprised, the devoured pie
- Infinitives: to go, to stay, to travel
- Student identifies examples of verbals in particular sentences. The student correctly identifies examples of gerunds, participles and infinitives in the sentences of various texts.
- Student compares the meaning of similar sentences with and without verbals. For example, the sentence, “I went to the store to buy milk,” correctly uses the infinitive verbal “to buy.” Without the verbal the sentence, “I went to the store,” does not clearly state the reason for going to the store. Two sentences without verbals, “I went to the store. I bought milk,” is identified by the student as not clearly expressing the same meaning as the single sentence with the infinitive verbal “to buy.”
- Student constructs original sentences that use verbals. Examples may be similar to the following sentences:
- Gerunds: Reading is my favorite activity before going to bed. (gerund: reading)
- Present Participles: The force of the blowing wind caused the tree to fall down. (present participle: blowing)
- Past Participles: The shocked look on my face was proof I did not know about the surprise party. (past participle: shocked)
- Infinitives: I want to work in the sports industry. (infinitives: to work)
- Student explains the function of verbals in general and their function in particular sentences. The student supports the explanation with clear and direct references to different types of verbals correctly used in various sentences. The explanation displays evidence of an understanding of the verbal’s function to clearly and precisely express an idea.
