Grade 8 English Language Arts | FL B.E.S.T. Standard: ELA.8.R.3.3
ELA.8.R.3.3: Compare and contrast the relationship between plot, character, and setting across texts, and how genres shape the interpretation of texts.
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
| Term | Definition | Student-Friendly Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | A category of literature characterized by style, form, and content | The "type" of text - like poetry, drama, novel, short story, etc. |
| Genre Conventions | The typical features, rules, and expectations of a particular genre | What you expect to find in that type of writing (like rhyme in poetry) |
| Adaptation | A work created by transforming another work into a different form | When a book becomes a movie, or a story becomes a play |
| Interpretation | A particular understanding or explanation of meaning | How someone understands what a text means |
| Form | The structure and organization of a literary work | How the writing is arranged and presented on the page |
| Medium | The material or format through which art is communicated | Whether it's told through words, images, performance, etc. |
| Element | Novel | Drama/Play | Poetry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plot | Extended, detailed events | Focused scenes, dialogue-driven | Compressed moments or feelings |
| Character | Inner thoughts, detailed development | Revealed through speech/action | Speaker's voice, emotion |
| Setting | Richly described | Stage directions, visual | Imagery, atmosphere |
| Day | Focus | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genre Characteristics | Review major genres and their conventions. Use Student Concept Worksheet. |
| 2 | Same Story, Different Forms | Compare a story told as prose vs. poetry. Analyze what changes and what's preserved. |
| 3 | Classic to Modern Adaptations | Analyze how modern works adapt classic texts. What's updated? What stays? |
| 4 | Genre's Effect on Interpretation | Explore how genre shapes reader experience. Complete Practice Worksheet. |
| 5 | Assessment | Administer FAST Format Quiz. Review and reteach as needed. |
Take a short passage and have students transform it:
- Convert a narrative paragraph into dialogue (drama)
- Convert prose into a poem
- Convert a poem into prose narrative
Discuss: What was gained? Lost? How did meaning change?
When comparing versions, use this framework:
What's the same? (Theme, core characters, central conflict)
What's different? (Setting, time period, details, perspective)
What's added? (New elements the adaptation includes)
What's removed? (What the original had that's missing)
Why? (Analyze reasons for each change)
Before reading, establish genre expectations:
- "This is a Shakespearean sonnet. What do you expect?"
- "This is a graphic novel adaptation. How might it differ from prose?"
After reading, revisit: "Were expectations met? Subverted? Why?"
Create stations with classic/modern pairs:
- Romeo and Juliet / West Side Story
- Cinderella / modern retellings
- Greek myths / contemporary versions
Students rotate and complete comparison charts at each station.
Correction: Adaptations intentionally change elements to fit new contexts, audiences, or media. Changes aren't "wrong" - they're choices that create new interpretations.
Correction: Genre affects how stories are told, what themes are emphasized, and how readers experience the text. Form and meaning are connected.
Correction: Different versions serve different purposes. A film adaptation isn't trying to be the book - it's creating something new for a visual medium.
Correction: Students should analyze how genre affects character development, thematic emphasis, pacing, and emotional impact - not just story events.
On the FAST assessment, genre comparison questions at Grade 8 typically ask students to:
Key Strategy: Teach students to ask "How does the TYPE of text affect HOW the story is told and WHAT meaning we take from it?"