1 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
West Ada School District
English Language Arts Curriculum
Grade 7
Literature and Strategies
Writing Composition
2013
Curriculum Revision Committee: Robert Zumbrun, Crossroads Middle School Whitney Lewis, Eagle Middle School Alison Stark, Eagle Middle School Roma Blinn, Galileo K-8 Debbie Dawson, Heritage Middle School Dara Sears, Heritage Middle School Sara Grebe, Lake Hazel Middle School Amy Lee, Lewis and Clark Middle School Christina Bishop, Lowell Scott Middle School
Sheila Saunders, Lowell Scott Middle School Sharon Borton, Meridian Middle School Becci Carmack, Meridan Middle School Susette Freeman, Meridian Middle School Thomas Pirc, Meridian Middle School Janna Davis, Pathways Middle School Misty Callens, Pathway Middle School Heather Tabacco, Sawtooth Middle School Suzanne Mackelprang, Secondary Academic Coach
Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4
River of Change
Struggles and Injustice
Triumph Over Trial Beyond Boundaries
Table of Contents Page Scope and Sequence 2-4 Unit 1 5-13 Unit 2 14-23 Unit 3 24-37 Unit 4 38-46
2 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE
F indicates that the standard is a focus standard and will be explicitly taught during the unit. X indicates that this standard will be met throughout the year, but will not be explicitly taught; rather, teachers will need to ensure that students are meeting these standards as a result of explicit instruction through other standards.
Standard Unit 1/Qtr 1 Unit 2/Qtr 1 Unit 3/Qtr 3 Unit 4/Qtr 4
Reading Literature
1 F
2 F F
3 F F
4 F F
5 F F
6 F F
7 F F
8 n/a n/a n/a n/a
9 F x
10 x x x x
Standard Unit 1/Qtr 1 Unit 2/Qtr 1 Unit 3/Qtr 3 Unit 4/Qtr 4
Reading Informational Text
1 F F
2 F F
3 F F
4 F
5 F
6 F
7 F
8 F
9 F
10 x x x x
3 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Standard Unit 1/Qtr 1 Unit 2/Qtr 1 Unit 3/Qtr 3 Unit 4/Qtr 4
Writing
1 F
1a F
1b F
1c F
1d F
1e F
2 F
2a F F
2b F F
2c F F
2d F F
2e F F
2f F F
3 F F
3a F F
3b F F
3c F F
3d F F
3e F F
4 F F F F
5 F F F F
6 x x x x
7 F F F
8 F F
9 F F
9a F F
9b F F
10 x x x x
4 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Standard Unit 1/Qtr 1 Unit 2/Qtr 2 Unit 3/Qtr 3 Unit 4/Qtr 4
Speaking and Listening
1 F x x x
1a F
1b F
1c F
1d F
2 F
3 F
4 F F
5 x x x
6 x x x x
Standard Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4
Language
1 x x x X
1a F
1b F
1c F
1d N/A N/A N/A N/A
2 x x x X
2a x x x X
2b x x x X
2c N/A N/A N/A N/A
3 x F
3a F
4 x x x x
4a F F F F
4b F F F F
4c F F F F
4d F F F F
5 F F
5a F F
5b F F
5c F F
6 x x x x
5 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Grade Seven Unit1
Quarter 1
River of Change
“We all are who we are – until that moment when we strive for
something greater.”
-Brad Meltzer
OVERVIEW During quarter one, students will explore how change influences self-reflection
and one’s world view. In the process of transitioning from childhood to adulthood,
adolescents develop their personal belief systems, adapt to change, and explore
different perspectives. Exposure to works of literature guides students to self-reflection
and understanding about their personal beliefs. Through reading, analyzing and
evaluating narrative and informational texts and writing informational texts, students will
examine how change causes personal growth.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS Personal values evolve.
Change causes personal growth.
Personal change can affect outlook.
Motivation for change can come from internal and/or external sources.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS How does change cause personal growth?
GUIDING QUESTIONS What is self-discovery?
How do individuals develop a morality code?
What factors motivate change?
How do values change over time?
How does internal conflict lead to personal growth?
STUDENTS WILL KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING TERMS: * indicates concept previously introduced in earlier grades Reading Vocabulary
character*
o review how author’s
develop character
o round/flat
characters
conflict*: o person vs. fate o person vs. nature o person vs. person o person vs. self o person vs. society
point of view*
o first person, third
person limited, third
person omniscient
theme* central Idea*
Language Vocabulary phrase/clause
quotation marks*
Writing Vocabulary organizational
structure*: definition,
classification,
compare/contrast,
cause/effect
audience*
cite* Formally using
direct quotes and
internal citations:
evidence*
o Informally, i.e.,
“According to…”
“Quote” (White, 72).
formal vs. informal
voice/tone*
informational essay*
Speaking/Listening
Vocabulary: collaborative
discussions*
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ELA Curriculum Grade 7
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO DO THE FOLLOWING:
READING: LITERATURE
RL.7.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development
over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL.7.3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how
setting shapes the characters or plot).
RL.7.6 Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different
characters or narrators in a text.
RL.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Reading: Informational Text
RI.7.2 Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development
over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
RI.7.3 Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text
(e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence
ideas or events).
RI.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the
grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at
the high end of the range.
Writing
W.7.2
1.
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas,
concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis
of relevant content.
2. W.7.2.a Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas,
concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification,
comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings),
graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension.
W.7.2.b
3.
Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and examples.
W.7.2.c
4.
Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships
among ideas and concepts.
W.7.2.d
5.
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic.
W.7.2.e Establish and maintain a formal style.
W.7.2.f
6.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
information or explanation presented.
7. W.7.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
8. W.7.5 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.
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ELA Curriculum Grade 7
9. W.7.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and
link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others,
including linking to and citing sources.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
W.7.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several
sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further
research and investigation.
W.7.10 Write routinely over extend time frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single setting or a day or two) for a range
of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration
SL.7.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and
issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.7.1.a Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under
study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the
topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
SL.7.1.b Follow rules for collegial discussions, track progress toward specific goals and
deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
SL.7.1.c Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others’ questions and
comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion
back on topic as needed.
SL.7.1.d Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted,
modify their own views.
SL.7.5 Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify
claims and findings to emphasize salient points.
SL.7.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command
of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Language
L.7.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking.
L.7.1.a Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in
specific sentences.
L.7.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.7.2.a Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating,
enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt).
L.7.2.b Spell correctly.
L.7.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing speaking,
reading, or listening.
L.7.3.a Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing
and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.
L.7.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words
and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a
range of strategies.
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ELA Curriculum Grade 7
L.7.4.a Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s
position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or
phrase.
L.7.4.b Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to
the meaning of a word (e.g., belligerent, bellicose, rebel). Unit focus: Root
words)
L.7.4.c Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries,
glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a
word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.
L.7.4.d Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase
(e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
L.7.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
SUGGESTED WORKS ADOPTED RESOURCES
Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Bronze (2000), Prentice Hall
Reader's Handbook (2002), Great Source
Language Network (2001), McDougal-Littell
Write Source 2000 (1995), Great Source
Write Traits Classroom Kits (2002-04), Great Source
Step Up to Writing Secondary Sets (3rd edition), Sopris West
Spelling and Vocabulary (2006), Houghton Mifflin
ANCHOR TEXTS: Anchor texts are dedicated specifically to this unit. Teachers do not
need to use all of them in this unit. However, these texts should not be used in any other
unit. It is not expected that all texts will be used.
Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings (novel) (Lexile Level 800)
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse(novel) (Lexile Level 830)
My Furthest Back Person(autobiography), PH, p. 38
Seventh Grade (short story), PH, p. 122
SUPPORTING TEXTS: Supporting texts may be used with this unit or with other units per
teacher discretion. It is not expected that every resource listed below will be used, nor is
it a complete list of every text available.
Short Stories
“A Day’s Wait,” PH, p. 72
“Luckiest Time of All,” PH, p. 398
“After Twenty Years,” PH, p. 453
“Rikki-tikki Tavi,” PH, p. 464
“Ribbons,” PH, p. 524
“Treasure of Lemon Brown,” PH, 532
Approved Supplementary Novels
Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1100 Lexile)
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck (690 Lexile)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (950 Lexile)
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ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Letters From Rifka by Karen Hess (660 Lexile)
No Promises In the Wind by Irene Hunt (930 Lexile)
The Red Pony by John Steinbeck (810 Lexile)
See You at Harry’s by Joanna Knowles (600 Lexile)
Shane by Jack Schaefer (870 Lexile)
Poems
“I’m Nobody,” PH, p. 31
“Me,” PH, p. 32
“Oranges,” PH, p. 82
“If,” PH, p. 138
“Aunt Leaf,” PH, p. 790
Nonfiction
from “In Search of Our Mother’s Gardens,” PH, p. 111
“Melting Pot,” PH, p. 128
“Cat on the Go,” PH, p. 382
“No Gumption,” PH, p. 566
“The Chase,” PH, p. 576
“Nolan Ryan,” PH, p. 590
“Winslow Homer,” PH, p. 586
“Barrio Boy,” PH, p. 611
“I am a Native of North America,” PH, p. 615
Songs
“On my Own,” PH, p. 256
Picture Books
Bootsie Barker Bites by Barbara Bottner
DIGITAL CONTENT
Media
Martin Luther King, Jr. “ I have a Dream” (speech)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UV1fs8lAbg&feature=related
Martin Luther King, Jr. “ I Have Been to the Mountaintop” (speech)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oehry1JC9Rk
Music
Aguilera, Christina: “Beautiful”
http://www.lyrics007.com/Christina%20Aguilera%20Lyrics/Beautiful%20Lyrics.html
Perry, Katy: “Firework”
http://www.directlyrics.com/katy-perry-firework-lyrics.html
Poetry
“Tony Steinberg: Brave Seventh Grade Viking Warrior” by Taylor Mali -
http://www.taylormali.com/poems-online/tony-steinberg-brave-seventh-grade-
viking-warrior/ “Like Lilly Like Wilson,” by Taylor Mali: http://www.taylormali.com/poems-
online/like-lilly-like-wilson/
10 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS (Focus standards for this unit are in bold.)
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
1. PERSONAL ESSAY (W.7.2, W.7.5): Write a multi-paragraph essay about self. Students
reflect to answer the following questions to introduce themselves to the teacher and
class: Who am I? What are my hobbies/likes? Use early in unit to gage student
writing level and to walk through the steps of the writing process.
READING STRATEGY FOCUS
1. CHARACTER ANALYSIS (RL.7.2, RL.7.10): Students will read Red Kayak or other text
chosen for class and examine the theme(s) presented in the novel. How are the
themes developed in the story? Analyze the development over the course of the
text while providing an objective summary of the text. Use written reflection,
graphic organizers, class discussion to extract meaning and interpretation.
2. GUIDED RESEARCH VIA NOTE TAKING ON SETTING, CHARACTERIZATION, AND THEME
(RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.3, RL.7.6, RL.7.10, W.7.7): As students read novels and short
stories from the text, they will take notes about the story setting, characters and
theme in a journal or on a shared spreadsheet/graphic organizer, citing page
numbers with relevant information so students can cite the texts during class
discussion. Scaffold instruction so notes are modeled by the teacher, then
completed as a group, and finally completed independently.
Research Questions:
What is the setting and what specific words does the author use to describe it
Who are the minor characters, and how are they described?
Who are the major characters and how are they described?
What is the problem faced by the character(s)? How do he/she/they resolve
the problem?
What is the primary theme of the text(s) (i.e., good vs. evil)?
3. PROCESS GRID (RL.7.2, RL.7.3, RI.7.2, RI.7.3): Students engage in multiple
readings/rereading of short stories informational essays/articles that center on the
ideas of personal beliefs/perspectives. With guidance from the teacher, student will
create a large table (to be displayed on the wall) with a minimum 3-columns, and 4-
rows table. After reading a selection, they identify at least two themes or central
ideas from the selection. Using the process grid, students determine categories to
help them analyze the development of these ideas and provide an objective
summary (Power of 7 Strategy).
4. GUIDED RESEARCH VIA NOTETAKING ON CENTRAL IDEAS IN NARRATIVE
INFORMATIONAL TEXT (RL.7.2, RL.7.3, RI.7.2, RI.7.3, RI.7.10, W.7.9): Students engage in
multiple readings/rereading of short stories informational essays/articles that center
on the ideas of personal beliefs/perspectives. The first time students read the text,
they focus on developing a basic understanding of the text. During subsequent
rereading, students focus on determining central ideas of the text and citing
evidence to support the central ideas with guidance from the teacher to
determine what focus questions they should try to answer when rereading, such as
11 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
what is the central idea or theme of the text? How do I know?, etc. Students should
be able to summarize each text. Suggested texts: “Seventh Grade” by Gary Soto
(PH, p. 122), “Melting Pot” by Anna Quindlen (PH, p. 128), “I am a Native of North
America” by Chief Dan George (PH, p. 615) and “My Furthest-Back Person” by Alex
Haley (PH. p. 39).
WRITING STRATEGY FOCUS
1. WRITER’S WORKSHOP (W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, L.7.1, L.7.2 ): Using a writer’s workshop
approach to writing/language learning helps create an expectation that good
writers write regularly in varying modes, for different purposes and audiences. It is
highly recommended that teachers use a workshop approach to writing and keep
students portfolios of students writing for future reflection and revision.
2. BRAINSTORM AND ORGANIZE (W.7.4, W.7.5): Using brainstorming techniques
(webbing, listing, Venn diagram, alphabet cue, etc.) and graphic organizers to help
develop and organize ideas, student will identify pertinent information, and begin
the drafting process.
3. WRITING PROCESS (W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, SL.7.1): Students will research the stages of
the writing process, take notes, and create a presentation to present to the class.
Set students in groups, give each group a different stage of the process, have them
generate information and examples for their stage, and create a visual aid for the
presentation.
4. SHORT RESEARCH: INFORMATIONAL ESSAY (W.7.2, W.7.2.a, W.7.2.b, W.7.2.c, W.7.2.d,
W.7.2.e, W.7.2.f, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, W.7.7, W.7.10): Students will read a variety of
informational/nonfiction texts which focus on personal beliefs. Students should be
able to summarize the text and then compare/contrast the purpose of the text and
the main ideas in the text by citing evidence from each text. What do the texts
have in common? How are they different? Students will then write a
compare/contrast essay comparing and contrasting how two of the texts address
the same purpose using evidence from the text. Students then take their essays
and create an informational brochure, infographic (or other informational text) that
presents the information from the essay in a different medium. Suggested works: the
“Melting Pot” by Anna Quindlen (PH, p. 128), “I am a Native of North America” by
Chief Dan George (PH, p. 615) and “My Furthest-Back Person” by Alex Haley (PH. p.
39)
5. ROUTINE WRITING (W.7.10, L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3): Students will write for a set amount of
time to a specific prompt weekly or bi-weekly to help develop writing fluency. Focus
on getting ideas on page and fluency with a focus on word use, punctuation, and
spelling.
6. TWO VOICE POEM (W.7.2, W.7.4, W.7.5, SL.7.6): Students write a two voice poem
comparing and contrasting how two characters/narrators from works read in class
address the enduring understandings of change and personal growth using specific
details (evidence) from the texts as supporting details for the poem’s main idea.
Working in groups, students draft, revise, and edit their poems and then share them
with the class.
12 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
SPEAKING AND LISTENING ACTIVITIES
1. INTRODUCTION TO CLASS DISCUSSION EXPECTATIONS (SL.7.1, SL.7.1.a, SL.7.1.b,
SL.7.1.c, SL.7.1.d): Explicitly outline the speaking/listening expectations for your class.
What does good listening look like? Sound like? What is a collegial discussion?
What are the responsibilities of students when they are engaging in a collegial
discussion? Practice collegial discussions regularly throughout the unit.
2. SOCRATIC DISCUSSION (SL.7.1, SL.7.1.a, SL.7.1.b): Using Socratic dialogue techniques
such as Socratic Seminar, students will work in a group setting to verbally respond to
a variety of questions posed by teacher concerning the setting, character or theme
(or other chosen topics) from Red Kayak or other texts read for class. Students
should use their notes taken from their reading to cite evidence during class
discussion.
3. READING/LISTENING TO GREAT ORATORY (RI.7.6, SL.7.1, SL.7.1.a, SL.7.1.b, SL.7.1.c,
SL.7.1.d): Students will listen to Martin Luther King’s, “I Have a Dream Speech,”
locating specific phrases within the speech where M.L.K. expressed his moral beliefs.
Students will then share their findings with the class in a whole-group discussion,
discussing ways in which their personal beliefs align or diverge from those of M.L.K.
Students can also repeat the process with Taylor Mali poems, identifying where a
character’s personal beliefs changed and how that change influenced Mali as both
the writer and speaker of the poems.
4. PRESENTING A DRAMATIC READING (SL.7.6): Students will practice and then recite
their two voice poems in small groups to the class. The recitation’s tone should be
appropriate to character and themes presented in the poem.
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
1. VOCABULARY FOLDABLE (L.7.4, L.7.4.a, L.7.4.b, L.7.4.c, L.7.4.d, L.7.5, L.7.6): Using a 4-
square paper fold, students will create a 4-sectioned vocabulary graphic organizer.
Students will locate the following information by using a dictionary and/or thesaurus,
and organize their responses on the foldable as follows: (1) top left corner, write
name of vocabulary word at the top in bold, write dictionary definition below word,
and write your own definition of the word below, (2) top right corner, make a list of
synonyms for the word, (3) bottom left corner, make a list of antonyms for the word,
and (4) bottom right corner, draw a picture or symbol that represents the word’s
meaning.
This activity could be done in a small group format, with several
vocabulary words being given to each student.
2. WORDS, WORDS, WORDS (Repeat this activity with each unit)(L.7.4.a, L.7.4.b, L.7.4.c,
L.7.4.d): Throughout the school year, students will collect new words and phrases
either on index cards or in a student created dictionary. For each word or phrase,
students will do the following:
Write their guess about the meaning of the word or phrase.
Write the sentence in which they first encountered the word or phrase, so they
can re-examine the context clues to help determine the meaning of the word or
phrase.
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ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Note the meanings of affixes and roots if applicable.
Consult specialized reference materials and write the meaning of the word or
phrase and the pronunciation guide of necessary.
Additional strategies for teaching vocabulary are available at this website: “On
Target: Strategies to Build Student Vocabularies Grades 4 –12”:
http://www.stclair.k12.il.us/ccore/ELAShifts/documents/Academic%20Vocab/On
%20Target-Strategies%20to%20Build%20Vocabularies.pdf
3. UNDERSTANDING CLAUSES (L.7.1.a): Students will read about clauses in Language
Network, pg. 186-187. As a whole group, they will provide examples of sentences
that contain different clauses, listing examples on the board. Students will underline
independent clauses in one color and dependent clauses in another and make
changes to existing sentences to revise them into sentences containing different
clause types. Students will then explain the function of phrases and clauses in
general and their function in specific sentences.
4. WRITING/REVISION FOCUS: PHRASES AND CLAUSES (L.7.1.a): Students will identify
and differentiate between phrases and clauses, revising writing by adding and
deleting phrases and clauses to determine the overall effect in writing. Students will
explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific
sentences.
SBAC PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT PREP
(RL.7.2, W.7.2, W.7.2.a, W.7.2.b, W.7.2.c, W.7.2.d, W.7.2.e, W.7.2.f, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6,
W.7.8, W.7.7, W.7.9.b, W.7.10, , L.7.1, L.7.2) (Approximate time: 2-3 class periods)
Resources:
“Me” by Walter de la Mare, PH p. 32 (poem),
“Two Kinds” from The Joy Luck Club, PH, p. 15 (novel excerpt)
Use informational writing rubric for scoring
Student Instructions:
You will read closely a short story and a poem. Take notes from each text to help
identify how each selection addresses the theme of perspective about one’s self.
Write an essay explaining how the two selections address the theme of perspective
about one’s self. Use evidence from each text to support your answer. Before you start
writing the essay, be sure to plan your writing using a graphic organizer or outline. Draft
your essay, and complete any final revising and editing prior to turning everything in.
14 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Grade Seven Unit 2
Struggles & Injustice
“Change comes hard in America, but it comes
constantly.” --Anna Quindlen
OVERVIEW The nature of society generates struggles and injustice. Some individuals within society
face strife and injustice. Tolerance and acceptance are essential in overcoming
obstacles. During the second quarter, students will learn about societal struggles and
injustice by interacting with a variety of informational texts and media. These resources
provide a basis for researching and analyzing conflict and overcoming struggles and
injustice. Students will write arguments supported by research. (Note: Teachers may
include a formal academic research project here or in Unit 3)
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS Struggle and injustice are inherent in society.
Groups of individuals can perpetuate and eliminate injustice in society.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Are we doomed to repeat the past?
GUIDING QUESTIONS How does society allow injustices to occur?
How might struggles be both beneficial and detrimental?
How does society strive to overcome struggles and injustice?
How does society change to address intolerances?
How does learning from the past help shape the future?
STUDENTS WILL KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING TERMS: * indicates concept previously introduced in earlier grades Reading Vocabulary
argument*
central Idea*
compare/contrast*
connotative
credible
denotative
evidence* (textual,
relevant, logical)
infer*/inference*
interpret*
sound argument
theme*
Writing Vocabulary
analysis*
cite sources*
claim*
coherent/cohesion
compare/contrast*
concluding
statement/section*
evidence (logical)*
paraphrase*
plagiarism
quote*
summary/summarize
*
works cited*
Language Vocabulary
clause*
complex sentence
compound sentence*
compound-complex
sentences
simple sentence*
modifiers (misplaced
modifiers, dangling
modifiers)
phrase*
quotation marks*
15 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
Reading: Literature
RL.7.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.7.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development
over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL.7.6 Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker
in a text.
RL.7.9 Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character
and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding
how authors or fiction use or alter history.
Reading: Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details
RI.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Craft and Structure
RI.7.5 Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the
major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas.
RI.7.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how
the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RI.7.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing
whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to
support the claims.
RI.7.9 Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their
presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or
advancing different interpretations of facts.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RI.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the
grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at
the high end of the range. (Lexile Range: 955-1155.)
Writing
Text Types and Purposes
W.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
W.7.1.a Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize
the reasons and evidence logically.
W.7.1.b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using
accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic
or text.
W.7.1.c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the
relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence.
W.7.1.d Establish and maintain a formal style.
W.7.1.e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
argument presented.
16 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
W.7.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas,
concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis
of relevant content.
Production and Distribution of Writing
W.7.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific
expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
W.7.5 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.
W.7.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and
link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others,
including linking to and citing sources.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
W.7.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several
sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further
research and investigation.
W.7.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using
search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source;
and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding
plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
W.7.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
W.7.9.a Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Compare and contrast
a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account
of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or
alter history”).
W.7.9.b Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. “Trace and
evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the
reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the
claims”).
Range of Writing
W.7.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range
of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration
SL.7.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and
issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.7.1.a Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under
study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the
topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
SL.7.1.b Follow rules for collegial discussions, track progress toward specific goals and
deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
17 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
SL.7.1.c Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others’ questions and
comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion
back on topic as needed.
SL.7.1.d Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted,
modify their own views.
SL.7.3 Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the
soundness of the reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the
evidence.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
SL.7.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent
manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use
appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
SL.7.5 Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify
claims and findings and emphasize salient points.
SL.7.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command
of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Language
Conventions of Standard English
L.7.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking.
L.7.1.b Choose among simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex
sentences to signal differing relationships among ideas.
L.7.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.7.2.a Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating,
enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt).
L.7.2.b Spell correctly.
Knowledge of Language
L.7.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening.
L.7.3.a Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing
and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.7.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words
and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a
range of strategies.
L.7.4.a Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s
position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or
phrase.
L.7.4.b Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to
the meaning of a word (e.g., belligerent, bellicose, rebel). Unit focus: suffixes.
L.7.4.c Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries,
glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a
word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.
L.7.4.d Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase
(e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
18 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
L.7.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
SUGGESTED WORKS ADOPTED RESOURCES
Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Bronze (2000), Prentice Hall
Reader's Handbook (2002), Great Source
Language Network (2001), McDougal-Littell
Write Source 2000 (1995), Great Source
Write Traits Classroom Kits (2002-04), Great Source
Step Up to Writing Secondary Sets (3rd edition), Sopris West
Spelling and Vocabulary, (2006), Houghton Mifflin
ANCHOR TEXTS: Anchor texts are dedicated specifically to this unit. Teachers do not
need to use all of them in this unit. These texts, however, should not be used in any
other unit. Therefore, students who transfer to other schools within the district will not
read the same anchor texts more than once, giving them a richer literary experience.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (approved supplemental novel, 920 Lexile)
Lonely Particular, PH, p. 234 (poem)
The Enemy, PH, p. 235 (poem)
SUPPORTING TEXTS: Supporting texts can be used with this unit or with other units as
desired.
Short Stories
“After 20 Years,” PH, p. 453
Poems
“Martin Luther King,” PH, p. 770
Approved Supplemental Novels
The Children of Willesden Lane (920 Lexlie, also fits with Unit 3)
City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau (680 Lexile, also fits with Unit 4)
Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig (940 Lexile)
Farewell to Manzanar (non-fiction memoir) (1040 Lexile)
North to Freedom (also titled I am David) (980 Lexile)
Nonfiction
“Melting Pot,” PH, p. 128
“All Together Now,” PH, p. 618
“American Decades” (Accessible via Gale eBooks)
“American Decades” Primary Sources (Accessible via Gale eBooks)
Songs
“Abraham, Martin, and John,” PH, p. 773
19 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Picture Books
Rocks in the Sky by Matthew Brownlow
The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
A Place Where Sunflowers Grow by Amy Lee-Tai
Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki
My First Biography: Harriet Tubman by Marion Dane Bauer
The Bracelet by Yoshiko Uchida
Flowers from Mariko by R. Noguchi & D. Jenks
So Far From the Sea by Eve Bunting
DIGITAL CONTENT
Teacher Resources
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: Discussion Guide:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/roll-thunder-hear-my-cry-
discussion-guide
The Endless Steppe Teacher Guide
http://my.hrw.com/nsmedia/novelwise_hs_te_version/find/bytitlepdf/endlessstep
pe_pdfs/endlesssteppe_teacherintro.pdf
Media
Farewell to Manzanar (film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074518/
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078173/
PBS Video Links with Japanese Internment Camp Poetry
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/july-dec08/lawson_10-03.html
Websites
Roll of Thunder, hear My Cry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roll_of_Thunder,_Hear_My_Cry
Injustice on our Plates: http://www.tolerance.org/activity/injustice-our-plates
Radical Pedagogy:
http://radicalpedagogy.icaap.org/content/issue5_1/11_maina.html
Students Require Explicit Acceptance: http://www.tolerance.org/blog/students-
require-explicit-acceptance
Classroom Activities: http://www.tolerance.org/activities
Teaching Tolerance: Accepting and Embracing Differences:
http://www.911memorial.org/sites/all/files/CC_Tolerance_0.pdf
Information About The Great Depression
http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/depression/depression.htm
Discover Nikkei (Resource about Japanese migrants)
http://www.discovernikkei.org/en/
Japanese American National Museum - Includes Virtual Galleries
http://www.janm.org/
Teaching American History – This website has various tools that will support
historical novels www.eastconn.org/tah/
Manzanar Historical Site (Resource about Manzanar, includes videos)
http://www.nps.gov/manz/index.htm
20 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS (Focus standards for this unit are in bold.)
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
1. LETTERS (RI.7.1, RI.7.3, RI.7.8, W.7.1, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, SL.7.3, SL.7.4, L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3,
L.7.5)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/EDITORIALS: Students will read letters to the editor and
editorials in newspapers/magazines to identify letters that suggest changes.
Students will identify claims presented in the letters, assessing whether the
reasoning is sound and the evidence is sufficient to support the claims.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: In response to reading about a social injustice, students will
write an editorial/letter to the editor addressing a current injustice. The letter
should appeal to making a change in society.
ADDRESS AND CHANGE: Students will look for editorials that address issues that
need to be change, reading and discussing the editorials and the issues in small
groups, and propose possible solutions. Students will then create an oral
presentation/power point to present the problem and solution(s) to the class.
READING ACTIVITIES
1. GUIDED RESEARCH VIA NOTE TAKING ON POINT OF VIEW AND CHARACTER
(RL.7.1, RL.7.6, W.7.7): As students read narrative works selected for class, they will
track different characters to see how an author develops and contrasts the points of
view of different characters (or narrators when appropriate) in a text. Scaffold
instruction so notes are modeled by the teacher, then completed as a group, and
finally completed independently.
Research Questions:
Who are the minor characters, and how are they described by the narrator?
Who are the major characters and how are they described by the narrator?
What do the characters do and say
o About themselves?
o About each other?
6. MAKE A NOTE OF IT (RI.7.8, W.7.8): As students study information from various sources
(books, articles, media), they will use the following suggested questions and ideas to
create note-cards about people who have overcome struggles. These note cards
will be used to help them complete the “Research Project” assignment.
List the biographical information about this person.
What caused this person’s difficulties?
Describe the struggles in detail.
How were these struggles overcome?
What help did this person receive in order to conquer his/her struggles?
If the struggle is still ongoing, how is it being handled?
What was learned from the experience?
How has this person made a difference in society?
21 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
1. COMPARE AND CONTRAST FICTION WITH REALITY (RL.7.9, W.7.9.a): Compare and
contrast a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as
a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history. Write a short
paper that reflects your ideas.
2. TWO AUTHORS: SAME TOPIC (RI.7.6, RI.7.9): After reading two informational texts
from different authors about a similar topic, students determine the author’s point of
view or purpose in each text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her
position. Then analyze how the authors writing about the same topic shape their
presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing
different interpretations of facts. (Suggested works: nonfiction related to Farewell to
Manzanar or historical background articles related to works read for class.) Use the
process grid strategy to help students develop solid comprehension prior to the
analysis.
3. PROCESS GRID (RI.7.2, RI.7.3): With guidance from the teacher, student will create a
large table (to be displayed on the wall) with a minimum 3-columns, and 4-rows
table. After reading a selection, they identify at least two central ideas from the
selection. Using the process grid, students determine categories to help them
analyze the development of these ideas and provide an objective summary (Power
of 7 Strategy).
4. COGNITIVE CONTENT DICTIONARY (L.7.4): Students will create a cognitive content
dictionary of new words they encounter while reading. This is done by making a
large table (poster size to be hung on the wall) containing these five categories:
Word, Predicted Meaning, Meaning, Picture, and Sentence (Power of 7 Strategy).
5. STRUCTURE ANALYSIS (RI.7.5): Reread Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream Speech”
from Unit 1. Why does he structure/organize his speech the way he does? How
would it have been different if it were structured without the historical references?
Why is the introduction important to the speech? (Can also use this activity with the
narrative structure of Farewell to Manzanar. What effect does the author’s returning
to Manzanar as an adult with her family have upon the story? How would the
memoir be different if the author ended her story when she was still in high school?
WRITING ACTIVITIES
1. WRITER’S WORKSHOP (W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, L.7.1, L.7.2 ): Using a writer’s workshop
approach to writing/language learning helps create an expectation that good
writers write regularly in varying modes, for different purposes and audiences. It is
highly recommended that teachers use a workshop approach to writing and keep
students portfolios of students writing for future reflection and revision.
2. REASEARCHING AND PRESENITNG AN ARGUMENT (RI.7.1, RI.7.3, RI.7.8, W.7.1, W.7.1.a,
W.7.1.b, W.7.1.c, W.7.1.d, W.7.1.e, W.7.2, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, W.7.8, W.7.9, W.7.9.b,
SL.7.2, SL.7.3, SL.7.4, SL.7.5, L.7.3.a): Students will research a question related to civil
injustice (i.e., Have we overcome racism in our country over the last century? Do
teenagers deserve the same rights as adults? ) and write an argumentative research
paper in which they present a claim and support their claim with evidence from
22 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
their research. They will then present their findings via a power point, blog, website,
etc.
3. THE MOST DIFFICULT STRUGGLE (RL.7.2 , RI.7.2, W.7.1, W.7.1.a, W.7.1.b, W.7.1.c,
W.7.1.d, W.7.1.e, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.8, L.7.3.a): Students will collect information about
social conflicts represented in literature read for class from a variety of sources,
including fiction, non-fiction, and media resources and then write an essay or
informational article identifying and analyzing which struggle they deem to be the
most difficult. As part of this process, students will proof the paper of at least one of
their peers and make suggestions for revision. Students rewrite their papers after
receiving feedback from their peers. Information could be collected using a variety
of note taking strategies.
4. BLOG POST (SL.7.1, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, W.7.9): Students will create a blog post about
a current social struggle presenting information learned from the unit and suggest a
possible path towards resolution. Students will then read and respond to the posts of
their classmates.
SPEAKING AND LISTENING
1. SOCRATIC SEMINAR (RI. 7.1, SL.7.1, SL.7.2, SL.7.4): Students will collect notes from
various non-fiction sources read in class. They may use a variety of note taking
strategies. They will then generate a list of discussion questions for use in a Socratic
seminar discussing the various aspects of struggle in society, using the
essential/guiding questions above as “seed” questions, if necessary.
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES 1. WRITING/REVISION FOCUS: PHRASES AND CLAUSES (L.7.1.a): Students will identify
and differentiate between phrases and clauses, revising writing by adding and
deleting phrases and clauses to determine the overall effect in writing. Students will
explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific
sentences. (Review from Unit 1)
2. SENTENCE COMBINING (L.7.1.b): Students will practice combining sentences using
simple, compound, complex and compound complex sentences to signal differing
relationships among ideas. Students need to be able to identify simple, compound,
complex, compound complex sentences.
3. WRITING/REVISION FOCUS (L.7.1.c): Students will read and correct writing for
misplaced and dangling modifiers as well as explain how to identify misused
modifiers and how to correct them.
4. WORDS, WORDS, WORDS (continued from Unit 1)(L.7.4.a, L.7.4.b, L.7.4.c, L.7.4.d):
Throughout the school year, students will collect new words and phrases either on
index cards or in a student created dictionary. For each word or phrase, students
will do the following:
Write their guess about the meaning of the word or phrase.
Write the sentence in which they first encountered the word or phrase, so they
can re-examine the context clues to help determine the meaning of the word or
phrase.
23 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Note the meanings of affixes and roots if applicable.
Consult specialized reference materials and write the meaning of the word or
phrase and the pronunciation guide of necessary.
Additional strategies for teaching vocabulary are available at this website: “On
Target: Strategies to Build Student Vocabularies Grades 4 –12”:
http://www.stclair.k12.il.us/ccore/ELAShifts/documents/Academic%20Vocab/On
%20Target-Strategies%20to%20Build%20Vocabularies.pdf
SBAC PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT PREP (RI.7.7, RI.7.8, W.7.2, W.7.4, W.7.7, W.7.9, SL.7.3)
Resources:
“Segregated prom tradition yields to unity” CNN article/video about segregated
prom in 2013 http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/30/living/wilcox-integrated-prom
“Black and White Proms” People, 5/19/2003, Vol. 59 Issue 19, p107, 2p, 4 Color
Photographs (Access via EBSCO library database)(Lexile 1070)
“Georgia High School Students Return to Segregated Proms” Jet, 5/26/2003, Vol.
103 Issue 22, p18, 3/4p, 1 Color Photograph (Access via EBSCO library database).
(Lexile 1110)
Use argument rubric
Task:
Students watch the video and read each article provided, taking notes on what the
central idea and key details are for each. Students then write an argument essay
explaining how the video and articles support the enduring understandings for the unit:
Struggle and injustice are inherent in society.
Groups of individuals can perpetuate and eliminate injustice in society.
24 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Grade Seven Unit 3
Quarter 3
Triumph Over Trial
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to
continue that counts."
-Winston Churchill
OVERVIEW Everyone faces trials in life. Some trials are emotional; some are physical. During 3rd
quarter, students will examine how individuals triumph over their trials through reading
and writing a variety of narrative text (both fiction and nonfiction). (Note: Teachers
may include a formal academic research project here or in Unit 2)
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS External conflicts help build qualities a character possesses.
External circumstances can create internal changes.
Conflicts influence an individual’s point of view.
Setting plays a role in character development.
Narratives come in many forms.
Narratives can be used to explore the effects of conflict.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Why are our stories important?
GUIDING QUESTIONS How can external circumstances cause internal change?
How does the setting affect the outcome of the situation?
What is the difference between a conflict and a circumstance?
How does external change affect an individual’s outlook both positively and
negatively?
How might imposed choices be handled?
Can all conflicts be resolved? Why/Why not?
How does one develop the skills necessary for survival?
How do individuals demonstrate perseverance?
How does the authors’ use of literary techniques such as diction and imagery,
flashback and point of view enhance the text and engage the reader?
25 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
STUDENTS WILL KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING TERMS: * indicates concept previously introduced in earlier grades Reading Vocabulary:
abridged biography* cause/effect* chronological order*
cite*
claim* compare/contrast* conflict: external
and internal* dialogue*
inference* flashbacks foreshadowing*
mood personification* plot* point of view* setting*
themes*: o person vs. fate o person vs.
nature o person vs.
person o person vs. self o person vs.
society
text evidence* tone* soliloquy sonnet stanza* symbol/Symbolism*
Writing Vocabulary cause/effect* chronological order* narrative* sensory language* works cited*
Language Vocabulary
affixes*
coordinate*
adjectives
connotation* dangling modifiers denotation*
figurative language* imagery*
misplaced modifiers
repetition*
rhyme* sensory language*
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO MASTER THE FOLLOWING: These focus standards must be taught during this unit.
Reading: Literature
Craft and Structure
RL.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of
rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse
or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.
RL.7.5 Analyze how a drama or poem’s form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet)
contributes to its meaning.
RL.7.7 Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed,
staged or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of techniques unique to
each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a
film.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RL.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. (Suggested Lexile
Range: 955-1155)
26 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Reading: Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details
RI.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from a text.
RI.7.3 Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text
(e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence
ideas or events).
RI.7.4 Determine the meanings of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the
impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RI.7.7 Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video or multimedia version of the
text, analyzing each medium’s portrays of the subject (e.g., how the delivery
of a speech affects the impact of the words).
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RI.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the
grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at
the high end of the range. (Suggested Lexile Range: 955-1155 )
Writing
W.7.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event
sequences.
W.7.3.a Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view
and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence
that unfolds naturally and logically.
W.7.3.b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to
develop experiences, events, and/or characters
W.7.3.c Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence
and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.
W.7.3.d Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory
language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
W.7.3.e Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated
experiences or events.
Production and Distribution of Writing
W.7.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific
expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
W.7.5 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.
W.7.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and
link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others,
including linking to and citing sources.
27 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
W.7.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several
sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further
research and investigation.
W.7.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using
search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source;
and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding
plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
W.7.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
W.7.9.a Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Compare and contrast
a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account
of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or
alter history”).
W.7.9.b Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. “Trace and
evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the
reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the
claims”).
Range of Writing
W.7.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range
of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration
SL.7.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and
issues, building on others’ ideas an expressing their own clearly.
SL.7.2 Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media
and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas
clarify a topic, text, or issue under study.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
SL.7.5 Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify
claims and findings and emphasize salient points.
SL.7.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command
of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
28 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
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Language
Conventions of Standard English
L.7.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking.
L.7.1.c Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting
misplaced and dangling modifiers.
L.7.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.7.2.a Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating,
enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt).
L.7.2.b Spell correctly.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.7.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words
and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a
range of strategies.
L.7.4.a Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s
position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of word or
phrase.
L.7.4.b Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to
the meaning of a word (e.g., belligerent, bellicose, rebel). Unit Focus: Suffixes
L.7.4.c Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries,
glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a
word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.
L.7.4.d Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase
(e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
L.7.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and
nuances in word meanings
L.7.5.a Interpret figures of speech (e.g., literary, biblical, and mythological allusions)
in context. (See RI.7.4)
L.7.5.c Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar
denotations (definitions) (e.g., refined, respectful, polite, diplomatic,
condescending). (See RI.7.4)
L.7.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
SUGGESTED WORKS ADOPTED RESOURCES
Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Bronze (2000), Prentice Hall
Reader's Handbook (2002), Great Source
Language Network (2001), McDougal-Littell
Write Source 2000 (1995), Great Source
Write Traits Classroom Kits (2002-04), Great Source
Step Up to Writing Secondary Sets (3rd edition), Sopris West
Spelling and Vocabulary (2006), Houghton Mifflin
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ELA Curriculum Grade 7
ANCHOR TEXTS:
Call of the Wild by Jack London (approved supplementary novel, 1170 Lexile)
(Can be downloaded for free on iTouch and iPads.)
Deathwatch by Robb White (approved supplementary novel, 990 Lexile)
“A Boy and a Man from Banner in the Sky,” (short story) PH, p. 210
“From “Into Thin Air,” (non-fiction excerpt) PH, p. 218
“The Charge of the Light Brigade,” (poem) PH, p. 230
“Diary of Anne Frank,” (drama) in grade 8 Prentice Hall Anthology
“Suzy and Leah,” (historical fiction) PH, p. 512
SUPPORTING TEXTS: Supporting texts can be used with this unit or with other units as
desired.
Short Stories
“Lather and Nothing Else,” PH, p. 491
“The Third Wish,” PH, p. 199
“The People Could Fly: African American Folk Tale,” PH, p. 822
“The Cremation of Sam McGee,” PH, p. 736
Approved Supplementary Novels
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (1080 Lexile)
Brian’s Winter by Gary Paulsen (1140 Lexile)
The Children of Willesden Lane (920 Lexile)
Down River by Will Hobb (760 Lexile)
My Brother Sam is Dead by James and Chris Collier (770 Lexile)
The River by Gary Paulsen (960 Lexile)
Sounder by William Armstrong (900 Lexile)
Wonder by RJ Palacio (790 Level)
Poems
“The Enemy,” PH, p. 235
“The Courage my Mother Had,” PH, p. 169
“Martin Luther King,” PH, p. 772
“Lonely Particular,” PH, p. 234
From “ Henry V,” PH, p. 232
“The Song of Wandering Aengus,”
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19602
“Oranges,” PH, p. 82
Nonfiction “I am a Native of North America,” PH, p. 615
“Cat on the Go,” PH, p. 382
“Winslow Homer: America’s Greatest Painter,” PH, p. 586
Media
Scholastic Magazines: Scope, Upfront, Jr. Scholastic (Social Studies emphasis),
Action(Reading Intervention), Choices
30 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Peter Svatek, dir., The Call of the Wild: Dog of the Yukon (1997, Rating: PG, 91
min.)
Art/Photos
Théodore Géricault, The Raft of the Medusa (1818-1819)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Raft_of_the_Medusa
Winslow Homer, The Gulf Stream (1899) http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-
of-art/06.1234
Websites
Context Clue Lesson:
(http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson1089/types_
context_clues.pdf)
Welcome to the MY HERO Project: www.myhero.com
Bio.: www.biography.com
The World of Jack London: www.Jacklondons.net
The New York Times: www.nytimes.com
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS (The focus standards for this unit are in bold.) INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
1. PERSEVERANCE (SL.7.1, L.7.4.c): What is meant by the word perseverance? Look
up the word in a dictionary and write your ideas down on a sticky note. Your
teacher will give you the opportunity to "Give one, get one" in order to go
beyond the dictionary definition. Create a class word map of the word
perseverance. As you find examples of perseverance in texts read during the
unit, write them on sticky notes and add them to your chart. While working on
this unit, your teacher may ask you to create an online concept map.
READING STRATEGY FOCUS 1. READING POETRY: FIRST READ (RL.7.2, RL.7.4, SL.7.5): Introductory Activity: Students
will read "The Song of Wandering Aengus” by William Butler Yeats and talk with a
classmate about what they think the poem means, both literally and figuratively.
Students will write their ideas down in their journal or on an online document.
Students will revisit this poem at the end of the unit to see if their thoughts and ideas
have changed.
2. READING POETRY: FINAL READ (RL.7.5, SL.7.6): Students will re-read the first poem
read in this unit, "The Song of Wandering Aengus”. After this unit of study, students
will describe how their understanding of this poem has changed. What new insights
have they gained? Students will add these insights on the shared spreadsheet
created in Activity 1 (in a new column next to your initial thoughts). Memorize
and/or recite the poem aloud while emphasizing different words. Record them
using a video camera in order to see and hear the different phrasing. How does
changing emphasis change the meaning of the sentences? Follow the
performances with a class discussion about how this poem relates to the theme of
this unit (survival in the wild).
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3. SURVIVAL (RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RI.7.1, RI.7.3): As different survival stories (fiction and
nonfiction) are read, students will take notes about how characters (people and
animals) are affected by their environment supporting with text evidence (quotes,
paraphrases and summaries with page numbers). Answer the following questions:
Which character are you studying?
What is a typical day like for this character?
What challenges did this character face?
How did this character overcome these challenges?
If you were to change the setting to something completely different how
would it affect the character? The plot?
4. CALL OF THE WILD: PLOT (RL.7.3): During the Call of the Wild, Buck evolves gradually
from a pampered pet to wild wolf. During the reading of this novel, students will
track evidence of Buck’s transformation citing page numbers of each event. After
the reading is completed the novel, students will decide which 3-5 events caused
the most change in Buck and write an explanation describing what these events
were and how they changed Buck. Make sure to include proper citations
throughout the writing. Does Buck prefer his pampered life in California or the Life in
the Wild Yukon? From Buck’s Point of view, students will answer this question citing
specific text evidence to support their answer.
5. CALL OF THE WILD/DIARY OF ANNE FRANK: THE MOVIE OR THE BOOK? (RL.7.7):
Compare and contrast the novel with the film version of The Call of the Wild or
compare and contrast the printed version of the play The Diary of Anne Frank with a
live version. Cite specific similarities and differences between the versions, and
explain the effect the differences have on the presentation of the story.
6. DRAMATIC FORM AND STRUCTURE (RL.7.5): Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form
or structure (soliloquy, sonnet ) contributes to its meaning. For example, how would
a drama be different without the soliloquy? How would a sonnet be different if it
were written in free verse?
7. PERSONIFICATION (RL.7.3, L.7.5, L.7.5.a): Students will find examples of
personification in the stories they have read, recording them in their journal or on a
class spreadsheet, and discussing how this additional "character” plays a role in the
story.
8. SURVIVAL KIT PROJECT
Option 1: (RL.7.2, RI.7.2, RI.7.1, RI.7.3): Students will analyze the development
of characters and themes in nonfiction/fiction texts about survival: o Find current nonfiction articles on line related to survival skills o Create a “Survival Kit”—a creative container to hold items that
symbolize the survival skills they researched o Write one paragraph for each symbol explaining how it symbolizes
the survival trait.
Option 2: (W.7.3, W.7.3.a, W.7.3.b, W.7.3.c, W.7.3.d, W.7.3.e, L.7.5, L.7.5.a,
L.7.5.b, L.7.5.c): Write a survival-in-the-wild story using figurative language
and exploiting nuances in word meaning for effect.
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ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Option 3: (SL.7.1) Before reading The Diary of Anne Frank, bring in an old
suitcase and have students list what items they would take with them and
explain why it is important to them.
9. SURVIVAL (RL.7.3, SL.7.1): Students will compare and contrast characters from the
various novels read, generalizing about the types of character qualities that enable
a person (or animal) to survive in the wild. After class discussion, students will create
a two- or three-circle Venn diagram or summarize their thoughts in their journal or on
the classroom blog to see how similar and different each student’s thoughts are
from those of their classmates. Students will then find a song that represents survival
and/or perseverance and be able to articulate how it symbolizes those traits.
9. CONTEXTUAL MEANING (RI.7.4, L.7.4.a, L.7.4.c, L.7.4.d): Explicitly explain the different
types of context clues
(http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson1089/types_con
text_clues.pdf) and provide examples of sentences using each kind. Students will
Write sentences for class vocabulary that use the different kinds of context
clues
Use context when reading to define unknown words
Use the dictionary to verify students’ predicted meanings derived from
context clues
10. WHICH MEDIUM IS BETTER? (RI.7.7): Students will create a Venn diagram to
compare and contrast a media version (audio, video, or multimedia) of an
informational text. In groups of three, students will produce a talk show for the class.
One student will be the host, one will be in favor of the media version, and one will
be in favor of the text. The “host” will interview these two authorities. Another
option is to split the class in two and have a debate about which more effective as
a way of presenting information—the printed text or the audio, video or multimedia
portrayal.
11. FACT OR FICTION (RL.7.9, SL.7.1): Students will compare and contrast characters
from the various novels and biographies read answering the following questions:
What similarities exist between fictional characters and real people? Can you
generalize about the types of experiences that build perseverance? What destroys
perseverance? After class discussion, students will create a Venn that outlines the
potentially positive and negative experiences.
12. THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE (RL.7.3): As students read one of the novels or biographies
about people or characters with perseverance, they will take notes in a journal or
on a shared online document about how the individuals are affected by the time
period and environment in which they lived, making sure to note page numbers
with relevant information so they can go back and cite the text during class
discussion. Students should address the following questions:
During what historical time period does the novel/biography take place?
Where did the person or character live, and why?
What was that individual’s historical context?
What role, if any, does the person or character’s family play in his/her outlook
on life?
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ELA Curriculum Grade 7
What obstacle(s) does the individual overcome? How?
13. SURVIVAL QUOTES (RL.7.1, RL.7.3): Students will research quotes that represent
survival and/or perseverance shown by a literary character. Students will need to
articulate the quote to the class and be able to explain how it represents the
characters.
14. A PICTURE’S WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS (SL.7.2): While studying the Diary of Anne
Frank or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, students will find a photograph that
represents the story and be able to explain its significance.
WRITING STRATEGY FOCUS 1. WRITER’S WORKSHOP (W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, L.7.1, L.7.2 ): Using a writer’s workshop
approach to writing/language learning helps create an expectation that good
writers write regularly in varying modes, for different purposes and audiences. It is
highly recommended that teachers use a workshop approach to writing and keep
students portfolios of students writing for future reflection and revision.
2. EXTERNAL CONFLICT (RI.7.1, RI.7.3, W.7.9.a, W.7.9.b, , RL.7.1, RI.7.8, L.7.1, L.7.2.a,
L.7.2.b): Based on the texts read and discussed in class, students will write an
informative/explanatory essay in response to the essential question: How does our
reaction to external conflict affect us? Cite at least three specific details from texts
read. Work the essay through all stages of the writing process. Optional: Students
will upload their essays to the classroom blog and consider posting their thoughts on
a class wiki about survival in the wilderness.
3. BALLAD (W.7.3, W.7.3.a, W.7.3.b, W.7.3.c, W.7.3.d, W.7.3.e): Students will write a
Ballad about 7th grade survival in the style of “The Cremation of Sam McGee”
Students could create a ballad on their own or each student could contribute a
verse to create an epic class ballad.
4. PEOPLE WHO PERSEVERE (RL .7.4, RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.3, W.7.2, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, W.7.7,
W.7.8, W.7.9, W.7.10, SL.7.2, SL.7.6): Students will conduct short research on a person
of interest who demonstrated perseverance and failed before they succeeded,
such as Martin Luther King Jr., Geronimo, or Michael Jordan. Write a description of
this person in 3rd person citing evidence from several sources and editing the work
for grammar and spelling. Next, write a one minute speech or bio-poem in 1st person
covering what the person is known for, how they failed and what they did to
overcome the failure. Students will present their final product in front of the class.
5. WILDERNESS SURVIVAL (W.7.3, W.7.3.a, W.7.3.b, W.7.3.c, W.7.3.d, W.7.3.e, W.7.4, W.7.5,
L.7.1, L.7.2.a, L.7.2.b, L.7.3.a): Students will write their own survival-in-the-wilderness
narrative, incorporating words, techniques, and styles from the novels read and
discussed in class, working with peers to strengthen writing in order to publish it on
the class web page. Students will edit their writing for the grammar conventions
studied so far this year before uploading it as a blog, podcast, movie, or other
multimedia format of choice.
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ELA Curriculum Grade 7
6. PROSE AND POETRY (RL.7.5, W.7.1, W.7.9.a, L.7.1.a, L.7.1.b, L.7.2.a, L.7.2.b): Students
will compare the prose and poetry of Gary Soto, addressing the question, “How do
the form, diction, and imagery in 'Oranges' compare to the form, diction, and
imagery in ‘Jesse’?” Students will write their initial ideas in a journal and then share
them with a partner. Students will then revise their writing to include additional ideas
based on their discussion, if desired, and write a well-developed literary analysis
argument, citing at least three specific examples from two different texts read.
Students will edit their writing for sentence variety and spelling. Optional: Upload
student papers to the classroom blog.
7. SURVIVAL AT SEA (RI.7.7, W.7.3, W.7.3.a, W.7.3.b, W.7.3.c, W.7.3.d, W.7.3.e, SL.7.2,
SL.7.4, SL.7.5,): After Reading Winslow Homer: America’s Greatest Painter,” PH, p.
586 students will study the works by Géricault and Homer. These works are
considered to be classic images of man’s survival at sea. Students will study the
works separately, beginning with the Géricault. Note the many ways in which the
artist emphasized the high drama of the situation (e.g., the dramatic surf and sky,
billowing sail, imposing wave). Observe that half of the men are reaching toward a
barely visible ship on the horizon, while the rest slip slowly into the surf. Then turn to
the Homer and identify similarities with the Géricault (e.g., the coming boat). Which
work do you think documents a real event? Listen to the story of the Medusa
shipwreck. After, student will write a short story describing the events that they
imagine either led to or came after the scene in Homer’s work.
8. MY PERSONAL STRUGGLES (W.7.3.a, W.7.3.b, W.7.3.c, W.7.3.d, W.7.3.e, W.7.4, W.7.5):
Students will Identify external factors in their lives that they struggle with daily such as
school rules, bullies, and over commitments and write a narrative of how they or a
fictional character confronts these factors. Within the narrative they are to
incorporate research that supports evidence that this is a problem faced by teens
and solutions that will help students cope with the issue. Examples can be found in
most magazine articles.
LANGUAGE STRATEGY FOCUS 1. WORD WALL (L.7.4): As a class, create a word wall or personal dictionary that
includes key literary terms important to the unit.
2. PERSONAL DICTIONARY (L.7.4, L.7.4.b): Where do words come from? How does
knowing their origin help us not only to spell the words, but also to understand their
meanings? Students will keep a personal dictionary, adding words found, learned,
and used throughout this unit to their personal dictionary, including synonyms for
perseverance (e.g., determination, constancy, relentlessness, obstinacy, tenacity,
steadfastness, stalwartness, drive, willpower, etc.). Concentrate on suffixes, and the
difference between connotation and denotation.
3. DESCRIPTIVE WRITING (L.7.2.a): Students will practice using coordinate adjectives to
for improved writing, and practice proofreading and correcting text that includes
incorrect punctuation of coordinate adjectives and other common mistakes.
35 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
5. SENTENCE COMBINING (L.7.1.b): Students will practice combining sentences using
simple, compound, complex and compound complex sentences to signal differing
relationships among ideas. Students need to be able to identify simple, compound,
complex, compound complex sentences. (Review from Unit 2)
6. WRITING/REVISION FOCUS (L.7.1.c): Students will read and correct writing for
misplaced and dangling modifiers as well as explain how to identify misused
modifiers and how to correct them.
7. ANALOGIES (L.7.5.b): Students will practice solving analogies by understanding the
common types of bridges (word relationship types).
8. WORDS, WORDS, WORDS (continued from Unit 1)(L.7.4.a, L.7.4.b, L.7.4.c, L.7.4.d):
Throughout the school year, students will collect new words and phrases either on
index cards or in a student created dictionary. For each word or phrase, students
will do the following:
Write their guess about the meaning of the word or phrase.
Write the sentence in which they first encountered the word or phrase, so they
can re-examine the context clues to help determine the meaning of the word or
phrase.
Note the meanings of affixes and roots if applicable.
Consult specialized reference materials and write the meaning of the word or
phrase and the pronunciation guide of necessary.
Additional strategies for teaching vocabulary are available at this website: “On
Target: Strategies to Build Student Vocabularies Grades 4 –12”:
http://www.stclair.k12.il.us/ccore/ELAShifts/documents/Academic%20Vocab/On
%20Target-Strategies%20to%20Build%20Vocabularies.pdf
SBAC ASSESSMENT PREPARATION Narrating History: (RI.7.9, W.7.1.a, W.7.1.b, W.7.2.d,
W.7.3.a, W.7.3.b, W.7.3.c, W.7.3.d, W.7.3.e, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.8, W.7.9, L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3,
L.7.6)
Students will:
1. Read and analyze literary text and audiovisual sources about real historical events.
2. Compare and contrast examples of historical fiction about the same historical event.
3. Gather and organize information from sources and integrate the information into
their own narrative writing.
4. Plan, write, and revise a full work of historical fiction narrative demonstrating
a strong, accurate historical point of view, with dialogue and descriptive details
of historical setting, events, facts, and characters
effective organization within and between paragraphs to establish a situation,
introduce the narrator, naturally unfold the sequence of events, and provide
closure
adherence to conventions and rules of grammar, usage, and mechanics
control of language for purpose and audience
36 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Part I (approx. 30 minutes):
Students will read/watch the following, taking notes on important points to write a
constructed response (short answer):
Media:
Read: “What is Historical Fiction?” http://historicalnovelsociety.org/guides/defining-the-
genre/defining-the-genre-what-are-the-rules-for-historical-fiction/
Watch: Deborah Hopkinson interview about writing historical fiction:
http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/hopkinson/
Constructed Response:
Use your remaining time to answer the questions below. Your answers to these questions
will be scored. Also, they will help you think about the sources you’ve read and viewed,
which should help you write your narrative. You may go back and review the articles
and media presented as well as refer to your notes to help you answer the question:
1. What elements of historical fiction are mentioned in both the article, “What is
Historical Fiction?” and the video interview with author Deborah Hopkinson. Use details
from the article and the video to support your answer.
Part 2 (approx. 70 minutes)
You have 70 minutes to plan, draft, and revise your narrative. You may refer to the
sources and the answers you wrote to the questions in part 1, but you cannot change
those answers.
Your Assignment
Write a historical narrative using what you learned from the reading done in this class
and your world civilization class (teacher will need to coordinate with social studies
teacher for specific historical information taught, as well as remind students what
historical texts were read for this class). Your story may take place during the same time
periods or in the same places as the sources, but do not use the same characters,
exact settings, or specific situations from the sources. When writing your story, be sure to
include strong descriptive details, an identifiable historical setting, and believable
characters.
Use the following planning guide to make sure you get started quickly and keep your
story short enough to finish in one hour.
Planning Guide:
I. Setting : The time and place should be real since you are writing historical fiction.
II. Main character: Focus your narrative on one main character since you have just an
hour to complete it. The character can be real or imaginary, but you should include
details that make it seem like the person is really in the time and place you chose for
your setting.
III. Plot:
a. Problem: What is the problem your character will be trying to solve?
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ELA Curriculum Grade 7
b. Events: What is happening as your story begins? How will your story end?
What happens to move your story from the beginning to its ending?
Use narrative rubric to score
38 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Grade Seven Unit 4, Quarter 4
Beyond Boundaries
Life imitates art far more than art imitates life. --Oscar Wilde
OVERVIEW During the fourth quarter, students will draw on the skills practiced during the
school year to engage in a variety of literary explorations through reading and
writing.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS Reading and writing expands imagination and encourages innovation.
Writers create worlds where the unknown can be explored.
Literature is a reflection of the society in which we live.
SUGGESTED ESSENTIAL QUESTION How important are creativity and imagination?
GUIDING QUESTIONS How does literature expand imagination and encourage innovation?
In what ways can writers create worlds where the unknown can be explored?
How does exploration impact society?
In what ways does literature explore the possibilities of imagination and shape
tomorrow’s realities?
In what way is literature (fiction and nonfiction) a reflection of our society?
STUDENTS WILL KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING TERMS: * indicates concept previously introduced in earlier grades Reading Vocabulary:
analysis*
character*
narrator*
plot/plot
elements*
point of view*
rhyme*
setting*
stanza*
structure
verse
theme or central
idea*
Writing Vocabulary:
plan*
edit*
revise*
summary/
summarize*
Language Vocabulary:
alliteration*
analogy
antonym*
connotation *
denotation*
synonym*
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
Reading: Literature
Key Ideas and Details
RL.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
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ELA Curriculum Grade 7
RL.7.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development
over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL.7.3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how
setting shapes the characters or plot).
Craft and Structure
RL.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of
rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse
or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.
RL.7.5 Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet)
contributes to its meaning.
RL.7.6 Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different
characters or narrators in a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RL.7.7 Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed,
staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of techniques unique to
each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a
film).
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RL.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. (Suggested Lexile
Range: 955-1155.)
Writing
Production and Distribution of Writing
W.7.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific
expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
W.7.5 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.
2. W.7.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and
link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others,
including linking to and citing sources.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
W.7.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
W.7.9.a Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Compare and contrast
a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account
of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or
alter history”).
W.7.9.b Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. “Trace and
evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the
reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the
claims”).
40 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Range of Writing W.7.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range
of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening
Language
Conventions of Standard English
L.7.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking.
L.7.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.7.2.b Spell correctly.
Knowledge of Language
L.7.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.7.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and
nuances in word meanings
L.7.5.a Interpret figures of speech (e.g., literary, biblical, and mythological allusions)
in context.
L.7.5.b Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., synonym/antonym,
analogy) to better understand each of the words.
L.7.5.c Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar
denotations (definitions) (e.g., refined, respectful, polite, diplomatic,
condescending).
L.7.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
SUGGESTED WORKS ADOPTED RESOURCES
Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Bronze (2000), Prentice Hall
Reader's Handbook (2002), Great Source
Language Network (2001), McDougal-Littell
Write Source 2000 (1995), Great Source
Write Traits Classroom Kits (2002-04), Great Source
Step Up to Writing Secondary Sets (3rd edition), Sopris West
Spelling and Vocabulary(2006), Houghton Mifflin
41 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
ANCHOR TEXTS: Anchor texts are dedicated specifically to this unit. Teachers do not
need to use all of them in this unit. These texts, however, should not be used in any
other unit. Therefore, students who transfer to other schools within the district will not
read the same anchor texts more than once, giving them a richer literary experience.
“The Monsters are Due on Maple Street,” (drama) PH, p. 696
“All Summer in a Day,” (short story) PH, p. 288
“Zoo,” (short story) PH, p. 418
“Justin Lebo,” (non-fiction) PH, p. 346
“The Far Side,” (cartoon) PH, p. 710
“The Power of Magical Thinking” by Shirley Wang (Wall Street Journal Article)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703344704574610002061841322.ht
ml
SUPPORTING TEXTS: Supporting texts can be used with this unit or with other units as
desired.
Approved Supplementary Novels
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (1080 Lexile, also listed in Unit 3)
City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau (680 Lexile, also listed in Unit 2)
Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli (590 Lexile)
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (790 Lexile)
Short Stories
“The Third Level” PH p. 50
“Rip Van Winkle,” PH p. 144
“Lather and Nothing Else,” PH, p. 491
“The Third Wish,” PH, p. 199
Historical Fiction
“from The Midwife’s Apprentice,” PH, p. 181
Poems
“Father William,” PH, p. 400
“Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out,” PH, p. 405
“The Hippopotamus,” PH, p. 420
“The Caterpillar,” PH, p. 421
“The Blind Men and the Elephant,” PH, p. 422
“The Cremation of Same McGee,” PH, p. 736 (also see other multimedia
versions)
“Feelings About Words,” PH, p. 776
“Onomatopoeia,” PH, p. 783
“Aunt Leaf,” PH, p. 791
“Fog,” PH p. 792
“Life,” PH p. 793
“Loo-Wit,” PH, p. 794
“Abraham, Martin, and John,” PH, p. 773
“The Charge of the Light Brigade,” PH, p. 230
42 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Nonfiction
“No Gumption,” PH, p. 566 (autobiography)
“Rattlesnake Hunt,” PH, p. 607
“Was Tarzan a Three-Bandage Man?” PH, p. 88
“From Golden Girls: The 1998 U.S. Women’s Hockey Team,” PH, p. 178
“The Night the Bed Fell,” PH, p. 279
“Tenochtitlan,” PH, p. 623
DIGITAL CONTENT
Media
“The Charge of the Light Brigade”
o view pure: ttp://viewpure.com/OzpW3u8XR6s
and from The Blind Side: http://viewpure.com/kaKzps4O1aU)
“Jabberwocky” (Teacher Tube:
http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=197287&title=Jabberwocky_r
eading and Alice in Wonderland/Johnny Depp:
http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=197284&title=Jabberwocky_J
ohnny_Depp)
Fables
Aesop’s Fables: http://aesopfables.com/
Poetry
“Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night,” by Dylan Thomas:
http://www.bigeye.com/donotgo.htm
“Sonnet 130: by William Shakespeare:
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/130.html
“Totally Like Whatever, You Know?” by Taylor Mali (Written and Video):
http://entersection.com/posts/717-taylor-mali-on-totally-like-whatever-you-know
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS (The focus standards for this unit are in bold.)
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
1. STORY MAP (RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.6, RL.7.10): As students read the a short story or other
text from this unit, they will create a story map about the story’s genre, setting, and
characters, being sure to note page numbers with relevant information or mark the
text with sticky notes so they can cite the text during class discussion. Prior to class
discussion, teachers may give students the opportunity to share your notes with a
partner. (This activity can be repeated using a novel.) Questions to answer include
the following:
What is the setting?
Who are the major characters?
Who are the minor characters?
Describe the differing points of view (perspectives of each of the characters. What are the problems faced by the characters? How are the problems
resolved? What is the central idea or theme of the story (i.e., good vs. evil)?
43 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
READING STRATEGY FOCUS
1. CREATIVE LEARNING THROUGH FABLES (RL.7.2): After reading The Boy in the
Striped Pajamas, students read selected Aesop’s Fables. How are the works
similar? How are they different? Discuss why fables are useful in helping people
learn lessons. Are fables still an effective medium for teaching people?
2. VOCABULARY DICTIONARY (RL.7.4, L.7.4): Prior to reading and during reading,
students determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes
and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of
a poem or section of a story or drama. They notate these meaning in a learning
journal or vocabulary dictionary they can refer to throughout the unit.
3. SCHOOL ISSUES (RL.7.2): Before reading “Justin Lebo,” arrange students in groups
of three or four. Students will then brainstorm specific problems in the school or
community that young people might be able to solve, such as not enough
money in the school budget to buy new band uniforms or trash or graffiti
cluttering the school grounds. Next, students will select three ideas and write one
idea on a slip of paper. Each group will randomly draw a problem from the pile
and will discuss and list creative actions that could be taken to solve the
problem found on their paper. Groups will share their problem and solution list for
the class.
4. DOODLE IMAGES (RL.7.2, RL.7.3): Students will doodle images while reading a
story that reflects the elements of the short story. They will then work in a small
group to construct a graphic of their story. They will present the graphic to the
class being able to explain why they chose the graphic images. See “Doodle
Splash: Using Graphics to Discuss Literature “at www.ReadWriteThink.org for the
complete lesson plan on this activity.
5. TECHNIQUES: DO THEY ENHANCE OR DETRACT? (RL.7.5, RL.7.7): Students will
read one or more poetry selections and listen to/view how the
audio/video/multimedia version. Students will then compare and contrast the
versions by analyzing the techniques used (lighting, sound, color, or effects).
Suggested Works: “The Charge of the Light Brigade”, “Abraham, Martin, and
John”, “Jabberwocky”
6. MONSTERS, MONSTERS, MONSTERS (RL.7.7): After reading “The Monsters Are Due
on Maple Street” (PH 695), students will view the Twilight Zone version from You
Tube. There are two different versions, the original Twilight Zone series and one
from 2002-2003. Have students watch both versions and compare and contrast
them to the written version citing specific examples on a Venn diagram.
7. PICTURE THIS (RL.7.2): Before, during and after reading “All Summer in a Day”
students will refer to the picture on p. 292 of PH. Students will answer the
questions:
How does the painting reflect the mood and actions of the children playing
in the sunlight? How so? Cite specific evidence to support your answer.
Based on the story, what title would you choose for this painting? Why?
44 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
8. DETERMINE MEANING AND ANALYSIS (RL.7.4, RL.7.5, L.7.5, L.7.5.a, L.7.5.c): Students
will read a poem and deconstruct it using an analysis worksheet/guide,
extracting meaning from the various stanza building up to the poem as a whole.
Students will explore the following:
What elements are being utilized (rhyme, alliteration, repetition, assonance,
etc.) and how are they contributing to the meaning of the work?
How might certain figures of speech be interpreted?
Distinguish between the connotation and denotation of individual words and
explain how this contributes to the meaning of the work.
How does this form enhance the poem and lend to meaning? Suggested
works: “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas
(Villanelle), “Sonnet 130” by William Shakespeare (Sonnet), “Totally Like
Whatever, You Know?” by Taylor Mali (Free Verse), “Fog” by Carl Sandburg
(Free Verse)
Writing Strategy Focus
1. WRITER’S WORKSHOP (W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, L.7.1, L.7.2): Using a writer’s workshop
approach to writing/language learning helps create an expectation that good
writers write regularly in varying modes, for different purposes and audiences. It is
highly recommended that teachers use a workshop approach to writing and keep
students portfolios of students writing for future reflection and revision.
2. WRITING PORTFOLIO (W.7.4, W.7.5): Students review and organize their writing
portfolio adding additional pieces as assigned. Students complete a personal
reflection on the writing portfolio addressing these questions: How does your
portfolio you’re your growth as a writer? What is your most well-written piece of
writing and why? What was the most challenging piece to write and why? What in
your writing still needs work? Why? What are your future goals as a writer?
Suggested requirements for the writing portfolio include a sonnet, free verse poem,
image poem, descriptive vignette, short story, editorial, letter to editor (or someone
else), informational essay, newspaper article, personal narrative, book/movie review
and personal reflection.
3. TWO VOICE POEM (W.7.2, W.7.4, W.7.5, SL.7.6): Students write a two-voice about the
events in the novel showing Bruno’s and Shmuel’s point of view regarding the events
in the novel (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas) or showing Leo and Stargirl’s or Stargirl
and Susan’s point of view.
4. ODE (W.7.2, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, SL.7.4): Students write an ode or other kind of poem
(such as a sonnet or haiku) celebrating that person or thing i.e., Ode to the Lunch
Lady, Ode to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Ode to My Vice Principal, etc.). Students
share their odes by posting/sharing them around the building or in other public
spaces/media, such as the student announcements. After publishing their poem,
students write a reflection on how it feels to make their imagination public.
45 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
5. FOUND POETRY (W.7.4, and W.7.2 or W.7.3 depending on end result): Students write
a found poem using words from texts read in class.
6. STORIES WORTH RETELLING (W.7.3.a, W.7.3.b, W.7.3.c, W.7.3.d, W.7.3.e, W.7.4, W.7.5,
W.7.6, L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3.): After reading “The Night the Bed Fell,” students will
brainstorm ideas for stories shared around the dinner table or at gatherings. Students
will write these stories in a narrative format. Students will then share their stories in
small groups. Each group will select one representative story to share with a larger
audience. Students may share their narratives verbally, or they may create a visual
composition for later presentation (for example, a filmed dramatic reenactment).
7. SETTING THE MOOD THROUGH A VIGNETTE (W.7.3.d): Given a picture, students write
a vignette (descriptive episode or account) using words and phrases that
accurately represents the mood of the picture.
8. AGAINST THE TIDE (W.7.2, W.7.2.a, W.7.2.b, W.7.2.c, W.7.2.d, W.7.2.e, W.7.2.f, W.7.9,
L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3): After reading “All Summer in a Day,” students will read non-fiction
articles about bullying (draw from resources above, if needed). Students will create
a graphic organizer listing characteristics of bullying and corresponding events from
the story. Students will then write a brief essay focusing on how the story portrays
bullying among school children. Evidence must be presented to support their claims.
Essays should be revised for clarity and proofread by peers.
9. THE FRIENDLY LETTER (W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3): One’s guilt can be from
one’s actions, or one’s failure to act. After reading “All Summer in a Day,” students
will write a friendly letter (or email) to Margot (or a person they know has been
bullied) explaining what they would do differently to help the person in the future,
how their actions could impact the recipient, and offer suggestions on how to
better handle the situation.
10. EDITORIAL (W.7.1, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6): Students write an editorial addressing the
question to what extent is imagination/creativity important in today’s society OR to
what extent should we value creativity in our schools?
11. COPY CHANGE (W.7.4, W.7.5): Students complete a copy change of a selected
work or section of the work to practice developing writing style.
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
1. ANALOGIES (L.7.5.b): Students will practice solving analogies by understanding
the common types of bridges (word relationship types).
46 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
2. REVISION STYLE (L.7.1.a, L.7.1.b, L.7.1.c, W.7.5): Students choose specific sections
of writing to revise focusing on using a variety of sentence experimenting with
the placement of specific clauses and phrases. How does the meaning of a
sentence change when it starts with a clause or phrase, when the clause or
phrase is embedded in the middle of a sentence, or when the clause or phrase
comes at the end of a sentence?
3. WORDS, WORDS, WORDS (continued from Unit 1)(L.7.4.a, L.7.4.b, L.7.4.c, L.7.4.d):
Throughout the school year, students will collect new words and phrases either
on index cards or in a student created dictionary. For each word or phrase,
students will do the following:
Write their guess about the meaning of the word or phrase.
Write the sentence in which they first encountered the word or phrase, so they
can re-examine the context clues to help determine the meaning of the word or
phrase.
Note the meanings of affixes and roots if applicable.
Consult specialized reference materials and write the meaning of the word or
phrase and the pronunciation guide of necessary.
Additional strategies for teaching vocabulary are available at this website: “On
Target: Strategies to Build Student Vocabularies Grades 4 –12”:
http://www.stclair.k12.il.us/ccore/ELAShifts/documents/Academic%20Vocab/On
%20Target-Strategies%20to%20Build%20Vocabularies.pdf
47 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS GRADE 7
Click on the links to return to the Sample Activities and Assessments for that unit.
I—Introductory Activity, RL—Reading Literature, RI—Reading Informational, W—Writing,
SL—Speaking and Listening, L—Language, SBAC—SBAC Assessment Prep.
Unit 1: 1-I, 1-RL, 1-RI, 1-W, 1-SL, 1-L, 1-SBAC Unit 2: 2-I, 2-RL, 2-RI, 2-W, 2-SL, 2-L, 2-SBAC
Unit 3: 3-I, 3-RL, 3-RI, 3-W, 3-L, 3-SBAC Unit 4: 4-I, 4-RL, 4-RI, 4-W, 4-L
Reading: Literature
Key Ideas and Details
RL.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.7.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development
over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL.7.3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how
setting shapes the characters or plot).
Craft and Structure
RL.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of
rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse
or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.
RL.7.5 Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet)
contributes to its meaning.
RL.7.6 Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different
characters or narrators in a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RL.7.7 Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed,
staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of techniques unique to
each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a
film).
RL.7.8 (Not applicable to literature)
RL.7.9 Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character
and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding
how authors of fiction use or alter history.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
1. RL.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. (Lexile 970-1120)
Reading: Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details
RI.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.7.2 Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development
over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
48 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Click on the links to return to the Sample Activities and Assessments for that unit.
I—Introductory Activity, RL—Reading Literature, RI—Reading Informational, W—Writing,
SL—Speaking and Listening, L—Language, SBAC—SBAC Assessment Prep.
Unit 1: 1-I, 1-RL, 1-RI, 1-W, 1-SL, 1-L, 1-SBAC Unit 2: 2-I, 2-RL, 2-RI, 2-W, 2-SL, 2-L, 2-SBAC
Unit 3: 3-I, 3-RL, 3-RI, 3-W, 3-L, 3-SBAC Unit 4: 4-I, 4-RL, 4-RI, 4-W, 4-L
RI.7.3 Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text
(e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence
ideas or events).
Craft and Structure
RI.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the
impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
RI.7.5 Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the
major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas.
RI.7.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how
the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RI.7.7 Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the
text, analyzing each medium’s portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the
delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words).
RI.7.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing
whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to
support the claims.
RI.7.9 Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their
presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or
advancing different interpretations of facts.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RI.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the
grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at
the high end of the range. (Lexile 970-1120)
Writing
Text Types and Purposes
W.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
W.7.1.a Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize
the reasons and evidence logically.
W.7.1.b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using
accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic
or text.
W.7.1.c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the
relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence.
W.7.1.d Establish and maintain a formal style.
W.7.1.e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
argument presented.
49 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Click on the links to return to the Sample Activities and Assessments for that unit.
I—Introductory Activity, RL—Reading Literature, RI—Reading Informational, W—Writing,
SL—Speaking and Listening, L—Language, SBAC—SBAC Assessment Prep.
Unit 1: 1-I, 1-RL, 1-RI, 1-W, 1-SL, 1-L, 1-SBAC Unit 2: 2-I, 2-RL, 2-RI, 2-W, 2-SL, 2-L, 2-SBAC
Unit 3: 3-I, 3-RL, 3-RI, 3-W, 3-L, 3-SBAC Unit 4: 4-I, 4-RL, 4-RI, 4-W, 4-L
W.7.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas,
concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis
of relevant content.
W.7.2.a
Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas,
concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification,
comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings),
graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension.
W.7.2.b
Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and examples.
W.7.2.c Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships
among ideas and concepts.
W.7.2.d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic.
W.7.2.e Establish and maintain a formal style.
W.7.2.f Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
information or explanation presented.
W.7.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event
sequences.
W.7.3.a Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view
and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence
that unfolds naturally and logically.
W.7.3.b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to
develop experiences, events, and/or characters
W.7.3.c Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence
and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.
W.7.3.d Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory
language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
W.7.3.e Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated
experiences or events.
Production and Distribution of Writing
W.7.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific
expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
W.7.5 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.
50 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Click on the links to return to the Sample Activities and Assessments for that unit.
I—Introductory Activity, RL—Reading Literature, RI—Reading Informational, W—Writing,
SL—Speaking and Listening, L—Language, SBAC—SBAC Assessment Prep.
Unit 1: 1-I, 1-RL, 1-RI, 1-W, 1-SL, 1-L, 1-SBAC Unit 2: 2-I, 2-RL, 2-RI, 2-W, 2-SL, 2-L, 2-SBAC
Unit 3: 3-I, 3-RL, 3-RI, 3-W, 3-L, 3-SBAC Unit 4: 4-I, 4-RL, 4-RI, 4-W, 4-L
W.7.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and
link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others,
including linking to and citing sources.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
W.7.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several
sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further
research and investigation.
W.7.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using
search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source;
and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding
plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
W.7.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
W.7.9.a Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Compare and contrast
a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account
of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or
alter history”).
W.7.9.b Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. “Trace and
evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the
reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the
claims”).
Range of Writing W.7.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range
of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration
SL.7.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and
issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.7.1.a Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under
study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the
topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
SL.7.1.b Follow rules for collegial discussions, track progress toward specific goals and
deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
SL.7.1.c Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others’ questions and
comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion
back on topic as needed.
51 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Click on the links to return to the Sample Activities and Assessments for that unit.
I—Introductory Activity, RL—Reading Literature, RI—Reading Informational, W—Writing,
SL—Speaking and Listening, L—Language, SBAC—SBAC Assessment Prep.
Unit 1: 1-I, 1-RL, 1-RI, 1-W, 1-SL, 1-L, 1-SBAC Unit 2: 2-I, 2-RL, 2-RI, 2-W, 2-SL, 2-L, 2-SBAC
Unit 3: 3-I, 3-RL, 3-RI, 3-W, 3-L, 3-SBAC Unit 4: 4-I, 4-RL, 4-RI, 4-W, 4-L
SL.7.1.d Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted,
modify their own views.
SL.7.2. Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media
and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas
clarify a topic, text, or issue under study.
SL.7.3 Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the
soundness of the reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the
evidence.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
SL.7.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent
manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use
appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
SL.7.5 Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify
claims and findings and emphasize salient points.
SL.7.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command
of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Language
Conventions of Standard English
L.7.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking.
L.7.1.a Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in
specific sentences.
L.7.1.b Choose among simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex
sentences to signal differing relationships among ideas.
L.7.1.c Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting
misplaced and dangling modifiers.*
L.7.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.7.2.a Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating,
enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt).
L.7.2.b Spell correctly.
Knowledge of Language
L.7.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening.
L.7.3.a Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing
and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.*
52 ©West Ada School District, updated Sept. 2015
ELA Curriculum Grade 7
Click on the links to return to the Sample Activities and Assessments for that unit.
I—Introductory Activity, RL—Reading Literature, RI—Reading Informational, W—Writing,
SL—Speaking and Listening, L—Language, SBAC—SBAC Assessment Prep.
Unit 1: 1-I, 1-RL, 1-RI, 1-W, 1-SL, 1-L, 1-SBAC Unit 2: 2-I, 2-RL, 2-RI, 2-W, 2-SL, 2-L, 2-SBAC
Unit 3: 3-I, 3-RL, 3-RI, 3-W, 3-L, 3-SBAC Unit 4: 4-I, 4-RL, 4-RI, 4-W, 4-L
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.7.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words
and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a
range of strategies.
L.7.4.a Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s
position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or
phrase.
L.7.4.b Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to
the meaning of a word (e.g., belligerent, bellicose, rebel).
L.7.4.c Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries,
glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a
word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.
L.7.4.d Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase
(e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
L.7.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and
nuances in word meanings
L.7.5.a Interpret figures of speech (e.g., literary, biblical, and mythological allusions)
in context.
L.7.5.b Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., synonym/antonym,
analogy) to better understand each of the words.
L.7.5.c Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar
denotations (definitions) (e.g., refined, respectful, polite, diplomatic,
condescending).
L.7.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.