CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.2c

ELA8th GradeConventions of Standard English

The Standard

Spell correctly.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students apply spelling patterns and word parts when writing unfamiliar words. They proofread carefully and use dictionaries or digital tools to check uncertain spellings.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students spell familiar and grade level words accurately in finished writing. They notice doubtful spellings, check them with a reliable tool, and make corrections before submitting work.
Common Misconceptions: Students may rely on sound alone, especially with unstressed vowels, silent letters, and doubled consonants. They may trust spellcheck without checking whether the suggested word fits the sentence.
How to Assess It: Give students five sentences containing misspellings such as separate, beginning, definitely, and privilege. Ask them to correct each word and verify two corrections with a dictionary.

Lesson moves

Give pairs word cards to sort by roots, prefixes, suffixes, silent letters, and doubled consonants, then discuss patterns they notice.
Ask students to write about which spelling errors they make most often and name one checking method they will use.
Run a team proofreading relay with short paragraphs containing misspellings, awarding points for accurate corrections and dictionary verification.
Have students proofread a mock email to a principal, correcting misspellings that could make the message unclear or unprofessional.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.2c, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

Learning progression

Mastery here sets students up for these next.

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