Eighth-Grade
English Language Arts

Once you submit a request or sign up for an existing class, our team will reach out to you with final details. Classes are live on Zoom and use Google Classroom for communication and assignments.

No problem! You can still enroll. Each class reviews prior concepts and includes a lesson independent of the prior one. Feel free to join any session that works for your schedule.

No! No prior knowledge or experience is needed. Our teachers meet your child where they are and work from there!

A paper and pencil is all they need. The teacher will post a message in the classroom if they need anything else.

We keep our group sizes small so that each child gets the attention they need to succeed. You can expect a maximum of 6 students.

At this time, we cannot guarantee that a recording will be available.

Yes! In addition to being credentialed and experienced, every teacher is background checked every year.

Yes! This course is everything your child will need.

Unit 1: Finding Your Voice – Stories That Matter

📚 Explore identity, perspective, and personal expression

✍️ Skills: Narrative writing, characterization, theme, author's purpose

Weeks 1–4

• Read engaging short stories focused on identity and personal growth

• Analyze character motivations and conflicts

• Learn narrative writing techniques

• Draft and revise a personal narrative essay

• Build strong paragraph and sentence structure foundations

Unit 2: Understanding Human Experiences – The Diary of Anne Frank

📖 Explore history through one of the world's most influential memoirs

🧠 Skills: Literary analysis, theme, symbolism, textual evidence

Weeks 5–8

• Read and discuss selections from The Diary of Anne Frank

• Examine resilience, prejudice, courage, and human rights

• Analyze themes and character development

• Practice citing evidence from text

• Write a literary response essay

Unit 3: Short Stories & Literary Analysis

🔍 Discover how authors create meaning through literary elements

📚 Skills: Plot, conflict, irony, symbolism, literary analysis

Weeks 9–12

• Study classic and modern short stories

• Identify literary devices and author techniques

• Compare themes across multiple texts

• Learn literary essay structure

• Draft and revise a formal literary analysis essay

Unit 4: Research & Informational Writing

🌎 Investigate real-world topics through nonfiction reading

📝 Skills: Research, source evaluation, paraphrasing, citing evidence

Weeks 13–16

• Read informational and argumentative articles

• Learn how to identify credible sources

• Take notes and organize research

• Practice paraphrasing and summarizing

• Write a multi-paragraph informational research paper

Unit 5: Argument & Persuasion – Making Your Case

🗣 Learn to support opinions with evidence and reasoning

⚖️ Skills: Claims, evidence, counterclaims, persuasive writing

Weeks 17–20

• Analyze persuasive articles and speeches

• Identify strong and weak arguments

• Learn persuasive writing techniques

• Develop claims supported by evidence

• Draft and publish an argumentative essay

Unit 6: Media Literacy – Messages All Around Us

🎵 Examine how media shapes opinions and culture

📱 Skills: Media analysis, author's purpose, bias, critical thinking

Weeks 21–24

• Analyze song lyrics, advertisements, videos, and media messages

• Explore media literacy concepts

• Compare multiple perspectives

• Examine how language influences audiences

• Write analytical responses to media texts

Unit 7: Literature & Modern Culture

🎶 Explore storytelling through music, poetry, and contemporary texts

📖 Skills: Theme, figurative language, symbolism, interpretation

Weeks 25–28

• Analyze works from artists such as Billy Joel and Fall Out Boy

• Compare literary themes across different formats

• Study figurative language and symbolism

• Practice textual analysis

• Complete a cross-text comparison essay

Unit 8: Advanced Writing Workshop

✍️ Refine writing through revision and publication

📝 Skills: Editing, revision, organization, voice

Weeks 29–32

• Strengthen grammar and sentence variety

• Revise previous essays using teacher feedback

• Practice advanced editing techniques

• Develop stronger introductions and conclusions

• Create polished final drafts

Unit 9: Portfolio & Showcase

🌟 Celebrate growth as readers, writers, and critical thinkers

📚 Skills: Reflection, presentation, self-assessment

Weeks 33–36

• Compile a writing portfolio

• Reflect on progress throughout the year

• Revise and publish a favorite piece

• Share learning through presentations and discussion

• Complete final literary and writing reflections

📝 Learning Outcomes

Students will leave this course able to:

• Analyze literature using evidence and critical thinking

• Write narrative, informational, argumentative, and literary essays

• Conduct research and evaluate sources

• Recognize bias, perspective, and author's purpose

• Interpret literature, media, and historical texts

• Communicate ideas clearly through writing and discussion

• Build a portfolio of polished writing samples that demonstrates growth throughout the year