Standard: 8.RL.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
Grade level: Grade 8
Subject: English Language Arts
Domain: Reading: Literature
Teacher Overview
This standard focuses on students’ ability to determine the meanings of words and phrases in context, including figurative and connotative meanings, and to analyze how specific word choices impact meaning and tone. This skill is crucial for deeper comprehension and critical analysis of literature. Students should be familiar with basic figurative language and have skills in identifying main ideas and supporting details.
Students will move on to critically evaluating how an author’s word choices contribute to the development of themes, characters, and settings in more complex texts.
Common Misconception 1
Some students might think that all words in a text are meant to be taken literally. This is incorrect because many texts use figurative language to convey deeper meanings or emotions.
Intervention 1
Provide students with various examples of figurative language in context and exercises that require them to interpret these figures of speech.
Common Misconception 2
Another common misconception is that word choice does not affect the tone or meaning of a text. This is incorrect because authors carefully select words to create specific effects and convey precise meanings.
Intervention 2
Use side-by-side comparisons of texts with different word choices to illustrate how tone and meaning can change.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should have a basic understanding of figurative language, such as metaphors, similes, and personification, as well as the ability to identify the main idea and supporting details in a text.
Subsequent Knowledge
After mastering this standard, students will be able to critically evaluate how an author’s word choices contribute to the development of themes, characters, and settings in more complex texts.
Instructional Activities
- Close reading exercises focusing on word choice and tone
- Group discussions analyzing figurative language in poems
- Writing assignments that require students to use figurative language
- Comparative analysis of texts with different word choices
- Interactive games identifying connotative meanings of words
