Scope and sequence · English
Grade 8 Composition & Creative Writing: Comparison, Characterization and Description
The sixth year of classical writing: weigh two lives side by side as Plutarch did, give words to a person at a turning point, paint a scene in prose like Homer’s shield, write a short story with a twist, try blank verse and the ode, learn to research and cite honestly, reflect on true events in the manner of Lamb and Addison, and finish the progymnasmata ready for the Rhetoric years.
School Launch is a free helpful tool, not an accredited school or curriculum provider. It does not issue credits, transcripts, diplomas or grades of record. Parents and schools are responsible for meeting their own state or local requirements. More
What to cover
32 of 35 lessons are MUST COVER. They are tested on the unit tests and exams, or are skills the SAT/ACT relies on. OPTIONAL lessons are enrichment. Do them if time allows. The course is complete when the MUST COVER lessons are done.
Unit 1: Comparison (Syncrisis)
- MUST COVER 1.1 Comparing Two Lives: Plutarch's Parallel Lives ★ · SAT/ACT
- MUST COVER 1.2 Comparing Equals, Lesser and Greater · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.3 Washington and Cincinnatus · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.4 The Comparison Essay · SAT/ACT
Unit 2: Characterization (Ethopoeia)
- MUST COVER 2.1 Words for a Person at a Moment: Noah as the Rain Began ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.2 Past, Present, Future: The Three Times of a Speech · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.3 Speech of a Historical Figure · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.4 Monologue Writing · unit test
Unit 3: Description (Ecphrasis)
- MUST COVER 3.1 Homer’s Shield of Achilles ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.2 Describing a Place, a Battle, a Season · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.3 Describing a Painting: The Ghent Altarpiece ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.4 The Description Essay · SAT/ACT
Unit 4: ✎ Story: The Short Story
- MUST COVER 4.1 O. Henry’s Twist: “The Gift of the Magi” ✎ ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.2 Chesterton’s Father Brown: The Fair-Play Mystery ✎ · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.3 Structure and Revision ✎ · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.4 A Complete Short Story ✎ ★ 🏆 · unit test
Unit 5: ✎ Poetry: Blank Verse and the Ode
- MUST COVER 5.1 Blank Verse: The Opening of Paradise Lost ✎ ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.2 Keats, “To Autumn” ✎ · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.3 Wordsworth’s Odes: Duty and Delight ✎ · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.4 An Ode to Something Good ✎ · unit test
Unit 6: Research Basics
- MUST COVER 6.1 Primary and Secondary Sources ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.2 Note Cards and Citations (MLA) · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.3 Avoiding Plagiarism: Honest Borrowing · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.4 National History Day Junior Paper 🏆 · unit test
Unit 7: ✎ Personal Narrative: The Reflective Essay
- MUST COVER 7.1 Lamb and Addison: The Familiar Essay ✎ ★ · SAT/ACT
- MUST COVER 7.2 From Event to Meaning: Franklin’s Whistle ✎ · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.3 Voice: Mr. Spectator Tells His Own History ✎ · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.4 The Reflective Essay ✎ · SAT/ACT
Unit 8: Review and Promotion to Rhetoric
- MUST COVER 8.1 One Ladder, Fourteen Rungs: The Progymnasmata Reviewed · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.2 A Piece Delivered: Memory and Delivery · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.3 Revision: Franklin’s Method on Your Own Work · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.4 The Fourteen-Exercise Portfolio and Oral Exam ★ · unit test
Unit 9: Bonus: Contest Lab OPTIONAL unit
- OPTIONAL 9.1 National History Day Junior Paper: Innovation in History 🏆
- OPTIONAL 9.2 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: Choosing and Shaping Your Entry 🏆
- OPTIONAL 9.3 Polish and Send 🏆
36-week pacing calendar
This is a 18-week course. Pair it with another course in the same subject, or spread it over the year at a lighter pace.
| Week | Plan | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | Lesson 1.1 Comparing Two Lives: Plutarch's Parallel Lives ★ Lesson 1.2 Comparing Equals, Lesser and Greater | ||
| Wk 2 | Lesson 1.3 Washington and Cincinnatus Lesson 1.4 The Comparison Essay | ||
| Wk 3 | Lesson 2.1 Words for a Person at a Moment: Noah as the Rain Began ★ Lesson 2.2 Past, Present, Future: The Three Times of a Speech | ||
| Wk 4 | Lesson 2.3 Speech of a Historical Figure Lesson 2.4 Monologue Writing | ||
| Wk 5 | Lesson 3.1 Homer’s Shield of Achilles ★ Lesson 3.2 Describing a Place, a Battle, a Season | ||
| Wk 6 | Lesson 3.3 Describing a Painting: The Ghent Altarpiece ★ Lesson 3.4 The Description Essay | ||
| Wk 7 | Lesson 4.1 O. Henry’s Twist: “The Gift of the Magi” ✎ ★ Lesson 4.2 Chesterton’s Father Brown: The Fair-Play Mystery ✎ | ||
| Wk 8 | Lesson 4.3 Structure and Revision ✎ Lesson 4.4 A Complete Short Story ✎ ★ 🏆 | ||
| Wk 9 | Lesson 5.1 Blank Verse: The Opening of Paradise Lost ✎ ★ Lesson 5.2 Keats, “To Autumn” ✎ | ||
| Wk 10 | Lesson 5.3 Wordsworth’s Odes: Duty and Delight ✎ Lesson 5.4 An Ode to Something Good ✎ | ||
| Wk 11 | Lesson 6.1 Primary and Secondary Sources ★ Lesson 6.2 Note Cards and Citations (MLA) | ||
| Wk 12 | Lesson 6.3 Avoiding Plagiarism: Honest Borrowing Lesson 6.4 National History Day Junior Paper 🏆 | ||
| Wk 13 | Lesson 7.1 Lamb and Addison: The Familiar Essay ✎ ★ Lesson 7.2 From Event to Meaning: Franklin’s Whistle ✎ | ||
| Wk 14 | Lesson 7.3 Voice: Mr. Spectator Tells His Own History ✎ Lesson 7.4 The Reflective Essay ✎ | ||
| Wk 15 | Lesson 8.1 One Ladder, Fourteen Rungs: The Progymnasmata Reviewed Lesson 8.2 A Piece Delivered: Memory and Delivery | ||
| Wk 16 | Lesson 8.3 Revision: Franklin’s Method on Your Own Work Lesson 8.4 The Fourteen-Exercise Portfolio and Oral Exam ★ | ||
| Wk 17 | Lesson 9.1 National History Day Junior Paper: Innovation in History 🏆 Lesson 9.2 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: Choosing and Shaping Your Entry 🏆 | ||
| Wk 18 | Lesson 9.3 Polish and Send 🏆 | ||
| Wk 19 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 20 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 21 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 22 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 23 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 24 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 25 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 26 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 27 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 28 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 29 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 30 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 31 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 32 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 33 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 34 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 35 | Open week: second course, project or review | ||
| Wk 36 | Open week: second course, project or review |
Grading: Writing projects 50%, Writing notebook 10%, Unit reviews 15%, Unit portfolio pieces, oral work and the oral exam 25%. Scale: A 90–100, B 80–89, C 70–79. Below 70: revise with help and resubmit.