# 8th Grade Language Arts Lesson Plan: Reading Comprehension (Literature and Informational Texts)
## Lesson Title:
Improving Reading Comprehension through Literature and Informational Texts
## Grade Level:
8th Grade
## Subject:
Language Arts
## Duration:
90 minutes
## Objectives:
1. Students will distinguish between literature (fiction) and informational (non-fiction) texts.
2. Students will analyze and summarize key ideas and details from both literature and informational texts.
3. Students will employ various reading comprehension strategies to enhance understanding of texts.
4. Students will compare and contrast themes, structures, and features of literature and informational texts.
## Common Core State Standards:
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.2: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
## Materials:
- Copies of a short story (e.g., "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson)
- Copies of an informational article (e.g., "The Power of Rituals" from a scientific journal)
- Highlighters, pens, and sticky notes
- Graphic organizers (Venn diagram, summarization chart, etc.)
- Whiteboard and markers
- Projector for displaying text excerpts
## Lesson Plan:
### Introduction (10 minutes):
1. **Bell Ringer Activity**: Write the definitions of "literature" and "informational text" on the board. Ask students to provide examples of each from their previous readings.
2. **Discussion**: Briefly discuss the differences between literature and informational texts focusing on purpose, audience, and structure.
### Direct Instruction (20 minutes):
1. **Explaining Key Concepts**:
- Define key concepts such as theme, central idea, summarization, and reading comprehension strategies (e.g., annotating, questioning, predicting, and connecting).
- Use the projector to display a short excerpt from "The Lottery" and highlight how to identify themes and character development.
- Repeat the process with the informational article "The Power of Rituals," focusing on identifying central ideas and supporting details.
### Guided Practice (20 minutes):
1. **Group Reading Activity**:
- Divide students into small groups and assign each group a paragraph from the short story and a section of the article.
- Each group will read their assigned text, discuss the key ideas and details, and summarize their section.
- Provide graphic organizers (summarization charts or Venn diagrams) to help students organize their thoughts.
### Independent Practice (20 minutes):
1. **Close Reading**:
- Students independently read a new excerpt from both the short story and the article.
- They use highlighters and sticky notes to annotate key points, unfamiliar vocabulary, and questions they have.
- They will then summarize the main ideas of each excerpt in their notebooks.
### Comparison and Analysis (15 minutes):
1. **Venn Diagram Activity**:
- On the whiteboard, create a large Venn diagram. Have students participate in a class discussion to compare and contrast the themes, structures, and features of the literature and informational text.
- Students will fill in the diagram with their observations.
### Conclusion (5 minutes):
1. **Exit Ticket**:
- Ask students to write a brief response to the following prompt: "What strategies did you find most helpful in understanding the texts today, and why?"
2. **Homework Assignment**:
- Assign students to read a chapter from a novel they are currently reading and a news article. They will write a one-paragraph summary for each and identify one theme or central idea.
### Assessment:
1. **Formative**:
- Monitor group discussions and independent reading to assess understanding and engagement.
- Collect and review graphic organizers and notebook summaries.
2. **Summative**:
- Evaluate exit tickets and homework assignments for comprehension and summarization skills.
By the end of the lesson, students should demonstrate improved skills in identifying and analyzing themes and central ideas in both literature and informational texts, as well as effectively employing reading comprehension strategies.