Gold Student Edition

Blueprint for Reading

Background Bytes provides useful and interesting information that may be drawn from biographical information, history, science, geography, or other appropriate disciplines. The student is grounded in the substance of the piece they are about to study.

Into the Selection helps students think about the thematic focus of the piece. What drives the action and the characters? What compels the author to write? What is the author trying to tell us? Into the Selection helps the students distinguish between topic and theme. Students may also be asked to think about, predict, look for, make notes, or find the answer to a question, as they read the selection.

Focus considers the specific literary component that is defined for the student. How has the author used the literary component? How does the literary component influence subject, theme, style, and genre? In Focus, the students see how writing comes to be!

Original artwork and illustrations are a unique Mosdos Press feature. Innovative graphics, design, color, and layout make Mosdos Press books appealing to students and teachers. Our artists and graphic designers work hand in hand with curriculum writers and editors to produce work that is beautiful, intriguing, and in keeping with our values.

Word Banks define new vocabulary words at the bottom of each page, as they appear in the selection, with a consistent pronunciation guide. In addition to these Word Banks, eighth grade students are given the opportunity to explore the etymology of words in the master Word Bank on the Blueprint for Reading page.

Footnotes are found throughout the textbook so that the reader’s comprehension will not be held back by unfamiliar words or references. These words and terms are not vocabulary words. They are specific to the selection and are often historical, technical, or scientific.

Studying the Selection is a comprehensive examination of the selection based on the educational objectives of remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

Every selection is followed by questions and exercises that challenge students to think, reread, write, and rewrite. First Impressions is the basis for classroom discussion. With the exception of Quick Review, all of the exercises call for more than a recollection of facts. Specifically, the In-Depth Thinking and Drawing Conclusions questions require that students think about the theme. This prepares them for the exercises in Focusing. These exercises involve writing short narratives related to the theme and demonstrating an understanding of the genre or the literary component taught with the selection.

Creating and Writing expands on this knowledge and encourages the student writer to explore theme and literary elements creatively.