Teacher Name: Mr. Westfall and Mrs. Antonyzyn
Grade Level: 7th
Subject: Language Arts
Unit Name: Quarter 3 Reading And Writing
Unit Description: Students will be reading, annotating, analyzing, and responding to the novel Killing Mr. Griffin,
by Lois Duncan. They will also be continuing word studies where they learn the meaning and uses of word stems.
They will be writing, editing and publishing an argumentative essay, a literary analysis in response to their novel, as
well as continuing to refine their paragraph writing skills.
Length: 10 Weeks
Materials: Holt McDougal Literature, Word Within the Word, mrwestfallsclassroom.weebly.com, Killing Mr.
Griffin, by Lois Duncan
STAGE 1
Established
Goals
DESIRED RESULTS
Goals Based on Common Core Standards:
Reading Complex Texts
RL/RI 7.10
Argumentative Writing
W 7.1, 7.4-7.10
Writing About Texts
W 7.1-2, 4-6, 9-10
Enduring
Understandings
Essential
Questions
Students will understand that…




Reading expands understanding of the world, its people and oneself.
Readers use strategies to construct meaning.
Readers develop a deeper understanding through reflection of text.
People communicate through word
On-going Essential Questions
 Why do people read?
 What do people read?
 What are the benefits of reading?
 How does reading affect your life?
 What connections do readers make?
 How might being able to recognize literary features help in appreciating literature?
Killing Mr. Griffin Essential Questions:
 Why do we succumb to peer pressure?
 How do effective authors establish the mood early in a novel?
 What elements help to effectively build suspense in a mystery novel?
 “Would a different POV or narrator dramatically change this novel? Why?
 What clues relating to the ending did the author give the reader during the story?
 What purpose / effect do foreshadowing, flashback, and suspense have?
 How does the author create suspense for the reader?
1
Students will
know…








The difference between argument and persuasion
Claims, evidence, and counterclaims
The theme or central idea of a text
Topic, central idea, supporting details
Literal and inferential meaning
Summarizing
Drawing conclusions from textual and/or visual evidence
Making connections across a variety of text (short, extended, online, etc.)Applying the
qualities of informative/explanatory writing
 Elements of identity include language, clothing,, environment, values, etc.
 Identity is shaped by internal and external components.
 Details in a text work together to convey an overall meaning.
 Purpose and function of informative/explanatory texts.
 Figurative language
Academic Vocabulary:























Students will be
able to…
Analogies
Context Clues
Restatement
Definition
Denotation
Connotation
Comparison/contrast
General
Sentence
Paragraph
Idioms
Metaphor
Simile
Antagonist
Autobiography
Historical Fiction
Nonfiction
External conflict
Fable
Falling action
Fantasy
Fiction
Folktale
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Objective point of view
Omniscient point of view
Plot
Plot line
Point of view
Prose
Protagonist
Realistic fiction
Recurring themes
Resolution
Rising action
Science fiction
Setting
Students will be able to…









Determine the topic, central idea, and supporting details of a nonfiction text
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support their analysis of a text
Read and respond to shorter informational texts on the same topic
Determine a theme or central idea of a text fictional text
Determine the meaning of words or phrases as they are used in a text, both figuratively
and connotatively
Determine the denotation and connotation of words
Analyze how a novels form and structure contribute to its meaning, specifically the
fictional genre of mystery and several non-fiction text structures
Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different
characters in a text
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence
2


STAGE 2
Performance
Tasks
Other Evidence
Produce clear and coherent writing
Use technology, including the internet, to produce, edit, revise and publish writing
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
Writing Workshop: Argumentative
 Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays to gain adequate mastery of a
range of skills and applications.
 Organization and cohesion
 Evidence (with a focus on arguments based on the ideas and facts gathered through the
reading of short and extended texts)
 Support all statements and claims with anecdotes, descriptions, facts and statistics, and
specific examples.
 Edit and revise writing to improve organization and word choice after checking the
logic of the ideas and the precision of the vocabulary
 Evaluated by rubric
Literary Analysis:
 Identify three literary elements in Killing Mr. Griffin that create suspense and analyze
Lois Duncan’s development of those literary elements
 Cite textual evidence as part of an analysis of these elements
 Evaluated by rubric
 Daily and weekly on-going checks for understanding: Board work, quizzes, tests,
discussions, paragraph writing, annotations, conferencing and small group work
 Self-Assessment: Students will regularly be asked to self-assess to improve the
learning process. This may be in the form of a checklist, conferencing and journal or
reflection writing.
Reading Grade Breakdown:
35% Class Participation (ex. warm-ups, board work, annotations, DEAR time, participation in
class discussions, small group work)
55% Assessments (ex. tests, quizzes, novel-based projects, class presentations)
10% Homework (ex., nightly assignments, long term assignment check-ins, News ELA articles,
reading log)
Writing Grade Breakdown:
35% Class Participation (ex. warm-ups, peer editing, board work, 1st and 2nd drafts of essay
assignments, Word within the word quizzes)
55% Assessments (ex. tests, class discussions, essay assessments-final draft, class
presentations)
10% Homework (ex., word within the word assignments, editing essay assignments, nightly
writing assignments)
STAGE 3
Learning
Activities
HOME CONNECTION






Regularly check parent portal
Make sure your child is reading daily (recorded on reading log)
Discuss what your child is reading with him/her
Take your child on trips such as museums
Provide your child access to non-fiction materials such as newspapers, and
magazines
Have your child watch documentaries
3


Bring your child to the local library to check out books
Enforce time-management skills by reviewing long term and short term
projects and goal setting
4