7th Grade E/LA Pacing Guide
Term 1 – Reading
Benchmark 1 (Pre-Test)
Academic Vocabulary
Unit 1 – Plot, Conflict, and
Setting
Unit 2 – Analyzing Character
and Point of View
Unit 3 – Understanding Theme
Words in Context
Word Origins
Passage-based Timed Writing –
Term 2 – Reading
Academic Vocabulary
Unit 4 – Mood, Tone, and Style
Unit 6 – Myths, Legends, and
Tales
Novel: The Outsiders
Book Report / Book Talks
Words in Context
Word Origins
Passage-based Timed Writing–
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7 READING 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.
7 READING 3 – Analyze how
particular elements of a story
or drama interact.
7 READING 6 – Analyze how
an author develops and
contrasts the points of
different characters or
narrators in a text.
7 WRITING 10 – Write
routinely over short and
extended time frames for a
range of discipline-specific
tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
7 LANGUAGE 4 – Determine
or clarify the meaning of
unknown and multiplemeaning words and phrases.
7 LANGUAGE 6– Acquire and
use accurately grade
appropriate general
academic and domainspecific words and phrases;
gather vocabulary knowledge
when considering a word or
phrase important to
comprehension or
expression.
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7 READING 1 – Cite several
pieces of textual evidence to
support analysis of what the
text says as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
7 READING 4 – Determine
the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a
text, including figurative and
connotative meanings
7 READING 5 – Analyze how
a drama’s or poem’s form or
structure contributes to its
meaning.
7 READING 7 – Compare and
contrast a text to an audio,
video, or multimedia version
of the text, analyzing each
medium’s portrayal of the
subject.
7 READING 10 – By the end
of the year, read and
comprehend literature,
including stories, dramas,
and poems in grade 6-8 text
complexity band proficiently.
7 WRITING 4 – Produce clear
and coherent writing in
which the development,
organization, and style are
appropriate to task,
audience, and purpose.
Term 3 – Reading
Academic Vocabulary
Unit 7 – Biography and
Autobiography
Mini-Research Assignment with
Works Cited
Words in Context
Word Origins
Passage-based Timed Writing–
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7 WRITING 6 – Use
technology, including the
Internet, to produce and
publish writing and link to
and cite sources.
7 WRITING 7 – Conduct
short research projects to
answer a question, drawing
on several sources and
generating additional
questions for further
research.
7th Grade E/LA Pacing Guide
Short Text Literary Suggestions
“Seventh Grade”
By Gary Soto
“A Retrieved Reformation”
By O. Henry
“The Lottery”
By Shirley Jackson
Short Text Literary Suggestions
“Dark They Were, and GoldenEyed”
By Ray Bradbury
“The Sniper”
By Liam O’Flaherty
“Prometheus” by Bernard
Evslin
Short Text Literary Suggestions
“Names / Nombres”
By Julia Alvarez
“It’s Not About the Bike”
By Lance Armstrong
7th Grade E/LA Pacing Guide
Term 1 – English
Academic VocabularyWriting –
Narrative
Descriptive
PTSA Reflections Essay
(optional)
Writing
Informational / Explanatory
Essay
(Process Writing : Directions)
Oral Presentation of
Informational / Explanatory
Essay
Passage-based Timed Writings
Review / Practice Conventions
of Standard English: Spelling ,
Punctuation , and
Capitalization
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7 WRITING 2 – Write
informative / explanatory
texts to examine a topic and
convey ideas, concepts, and
information through the
selection, organization, and
analysis of relevant
information.
7 WRITING 3 – Write
narratives to develop real or
imagined experiences or
events using effective
technique, relevant
descriptive details, and wellstructured event sequences.
7 SPEAKING AND LISTENING
1 – Engage effectively in a
range of collaborative
discussions with diverse
partners on grade 7 topics
and issues.
7 SPEAKING AND LISTENING
4 – Present claims and
findings, emphasizing salient
points in a focused, coherent
manner with pertinent
descriptions and facts.
7 SPEAKING AND LISTENING
5– Include multimedia
components in presentations
to clarify claims and findings.
Term 2 – English
Academic Vocabulary
Writing –
Argumentative /Opinion Piece
MLK Essay Contest
(optional)
Mini-Research Assignment
with in-text citations
Passage-based Timed Writings
Review / Practice Conventions
of Standard English
Prepositions
Pronouns / Nouns
Verbs
Spelling
Punctuation
Capitalization
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7 WRITING 1 – Write
arguments to support claims
with clear reasons and
relevant evidence.
7 LANGUAGE 2 –
Demonstrate command of
the conventions of standard
English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
7 LANGUAGE 3 – Use
knowledge of language and
its conventions when writing,
speaking, reading, or
listening.
Term 3 – English
Academic Vocabulary
Writing –
Mini-Research Assignment
focusing on Paraphrasing
and Direct Quotes
Recitations: Quote
Passage-based Timed Writings
Review/Practice Conventions of
Standard English: Dialogue,
Phrases and Verbals
(infinitives, participles, and
gerunds), Spelling, Punctuation,
and Capitalization
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7 WRITING 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.
7 SPEAKING AND
LISTENING6 – Adapt speech
to a variety of contexts and
tasks, demonstrating
command of formal English
when indicated or
appropriate.
7th Grade E/LA Pacing Guide
Term 4 – Reading
Benchmark 2
Academic Vocabulary
Unit 5: Poetry
Unit 8: Information, Argument,
and Persuasion
Words in Context
Word Origins
Passage-based Timed Writing
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7 READING 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.
7 READING 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.
7 SPEAKING AND LISTENING
3 – Delineate a speaker’s
argument and specific claims,
evaluating the soundness of
the reasoning and the
relevance and sufficiency of
evidence.
7 LANGUAGE 5 –
Demonstrate understanding
of figurative language, word
relationships, and nuances in
word meanings.
Short Text Literary Suggestions
“The Arrow and the Song”
Henry W. Longfellow
“When the Frost is on the
Punkin”
James Whitcomb Riley
“The First Snowfall”
Term 5 – Reading
Benchmark 3
Academic Vocabulary
Unit 8: Information, Argument,
and Persuasion
Unit 9: Research Novel:
Teacher’s Choice
CRT Prep
Words in Context
Passage-based Timed Writing
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7 WRITING 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.
Short Text Literary Suggestions
“What Do You Know About
Sharks?” Sharon Guynup
“Great White Sharks”
Peter Benchley
“Why Work Out?”Erica Cheng
“The Promise”
Term 6 – Reading
CRT Test
Academic Vocabulary
Mini-Research Assignment
with Works Cited
Literary Works
Forward PASS
Words in Context
Word Origins
Passage-based Timed Writing
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7 SPEAKING AND
LISTENING2 – 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.
Online Nonfiction Resources
literacyshed.com
newsela.com
teentribune.com
nytimes.com
7th Grade E/LA Pacing Guide
James Russell Lowell
Term 4 – English
Academic Vocabulary
Writing –
Argumentative / Opinion
Piece
Mini-Research Assignment with
Focus on primary and
secondary sources, in-text
citations, paraphrasing, and
direct quotes
Passage-based Timed Writing
Review / Practice Conventions
of Standard English
Active / Passive Voice
Capitalization
Indicative, Imperative,
Interrogative, Conditional,
and Subjunctive Mood,
Spelling, Punctuation
Jane Goodall
Term 5 – Language Arts
Academic Vocabulary
Writing –
Informational Research Paper
(Library time reserved for
7th grade research)
Writing –
Analytical Essay
(Analysis of Informational
Text)
Recitation: Teacher’s choice
Passage-based Timed Writings
Review/ Practice Conventions of
Standard English: Active /
Passive Voice, Capitalization,
Spelling, Punctuation
Term 6 – Language Arts
Academic Vocabulary
Writing –
Argumentative / Opinion
Piece
Mini-Research Assignment
focusing on primary and
secondary sources, in-text
citations, paraphrasing, and
direct quotes
Passage-based Timed Writings
Review / Practice Conventions
of Standard English: Verb:
Voice and Mood, Capitalization,
Spelling, Punctuation
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7 WRITING 9 – Draw
evidence from literary or
informational texts to
support analysis, reflection,
and research.
7 LANGUAGE 1 –
Demonstrate command of
the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage
when writing or speaking.