CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.5

ELA8th GradeProduction and Distribution of Writing

The Standard

With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Writing Standards

What This Standard Means

Students need to treat writing as a process, not a one-shot draft. They should plan before writing, use feedback, revise for purpose and audience, edit for grammar and clarity, and know when a piece needs a new structure or angle.

Mastery looks like a student explaining what they changed and why. Strong writers make choices that fit the task, audience, and purpose. Students often get stuck by only fixing spelling, ignoring feedback, or adding random details instead of improving the message.

Ways to Teach It

Have students use three colored pens to mark one draft for audience, purpose, and sentence-level edits before revising it.
Ask students to write a revision note explaining two changes they made and how each change helps the reader.
Collect an exit ticket with one original sentence, one revised sentence, and the reason for the change.
Show a school announcement draft and have students revise it for eighth graders, parents, or incoming sixth graders.