Review state standards and select a standard or set of standards on which to focus. While you may want to focus your lesson on one standard alone, in many cases, particularly in reading and writing, you can include more than one standard. For example, you could touch upon a standard that calls for students to write works of fiction, one that addresses similes and metaphors and one that deals with writing dialogue by guiding students through the writing of stories with figurative language and dialogue.
Choose a text around which to base the lesson. Decide between using your literature book as the base text or instead having your activity spin off of a book you are reading as a class. If you are reading "The Giver" by Lois Lowry, for example, you could have your 8th graders complete a writing assignment from the point of view of one of the main characters.
Compose objectives. Write objectives in a "students will be able to," format, stating what you hope students are capable of doing at lesson's end. Your lesson will likely have two to three main objectives. Write these objectives on the top of the lesson plan.
Incorporate elements of reading and writing. Whenever possible, mix reading and writing. Teach the two in tandem to show students how much the two skills overlap.
List the steps you will follow when presenting your lesson. Number these steps for your ease, starting from lesson's beginning and moving through it in chronological order. This numbered list will serve as a road map for your lesson.
State how you will asses students at lesson's end. Every lesson should end with an assessment, even if it is not a formal one. This assessment can be as simple as observing your 8th graders while they read orally or as complex as having them complete a project. After your numbered list of steps, write how you will assess your students.