"Eighth grade is the year your writers will tackle writing for social activism and writing to illuminate complexity. In their first unit of study, Investigative Journalism, students learn to use sharp observations of life to write news and investigative articles about meaningful topics, crafting vivid narratives and elaborating multiple perspectives. They'll write to shine a light on issues in their community and to actively stir their readers to take action. Then in Unit 2, The Literary Essay: Analyzing Craft and Theme, students return to literary essays, writing arguments and counterarguments about themes in texts, supporting their positions with details of plot, character, and author's craft. Eighth graders conclude with Unit 3, Position Papers: Research and Argument. In this unit students learn to compose principled arguments by drawing on evidence, contextualizing their positions, and addressing multiple perspectives"--Provided by publisher