LANGUAGE AND LITERACY
CURRICULUM DOCUMENT FOR 7TH GRADE ELA 2014 - 2015
THE POWER OF LANGUAGE
Unit Title:
Time Frame:
Making Textual Connections
Third Grading Period
Facilitation Questions:
Unit Foci:
Reading:
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In what way can two pieces of texts be similar? How can they
be different?
How do viewing two texts with similar themes further my
comprehension?
How can two genres of writing be connected?
What type of theme can be found in two separate texts?
How can I write to connect to a text I have read?
Read, analyze and compare and contrast texts across multiple genres.
Writing: 6 + 1 Traits focus – all. Compose informational and literary
texts. Compose an analysis of a text using Claim Evidence Commentary.
Curriculum:
Enduring Understandings:
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Authors read with the writer in mind and write with the reader in mind.
Readers analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions within and across texts.
Readers make logical connections across texts.
Reader synthesize ideas across multiple genres.
Readers draw conclusions and summarize, using textual evidence.
Readers problem solve and use different strategies to understand and connect to texts.
Essential Questions:
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What is the connection between reading and writing?
How do authors engage readers so that readers make meaning and connections through language?
How do word choices and tone change the message conveyed?
How does prior understanding of one text lead a reader to draw conclusions about another text?
How do readers use logical connections to derive greater meaning across genres?
Unit Title: Making Textual Connections
Last Revised June 5, 2014
Unit 3
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How do writers select appropriate genres for conveying the intended message to an audience?
How do writers succinctly convey ideas using appropriate organizational strategies?
How do writers ensure consistency of message delivery through revising and editing?
Spiraling TEKS:
 Fig. 19 Reading/Comprehension Skills. Students use a flexible range of metacognitive reading skills in both assigned and independent
reading to understand an author’s message. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater depth in increasingly more
complex texts as they become self-directed, critical readers. The student is expected to:
 Fig. 19 (A) establish purposes for reading selected texts based upon own or others’ desired outcome to enhance comprehension
 Fig. 19 (B) ask literal, interpretive, evaluative, and universal questions of text
 Fig. 19 (C) reflect on understanding to monitor comprehension (e.g., summarizing and synthesizing; making textual, personal, and world
connections; creating sensory images)
 Fig. 19 (D) make complex inferences about text and use textual evidence to support understanding RS, SS
 Fig. 19 (E) summarize, paraphrase, and synthesize texts in ways that maintain meaning and logical order within a text and across texts RS,
SS
 Fig. 19 (F) make connections between and across texts, including other media (e.g., film, play), and provide textual evidence SS
 7.1 (A) adjust fluency when reading aloud grade-level text based on the reading purpose and the nature of the text
 7.2 (A) determine the meaning of grade-level academic English words derived from Latin, Greek, or other linguistic roots and affixes RS
 7.2 (B) use context (within a sentence and in larger sections of text) to determine or clarify the meaning of unfamiliar or ambiguous words
RS
 7.2 (C) complete analogies that describe part to whole or whole to part
 7.2 (D) identify the meaning of foreign words commonly used in written English with emphasis on Latin and Greek words (e.g., habeus
corpus, e pluribus unum, bona fide, nemesis)
 7.2 (E) use a dictionary, a glossary, or a thesaurus (printed or electronic) to determine the meanings, syllabication, pronunciations, alternate
word choices, and parts of speech of words RS
 7.14 (A) plan a first draft by selecting a genre appropriate for conveying the intended meaning to an audience, determining appropriate
topics through a range of strategies (e.g., discussion, background reading, personal interests, interviews), and developing a thesis or
controlling idea
 7.14 (B) develop drafts by choosing an appropriate organizational strategy (e.g., sequence of events, cause-effect, compare-contrast) and
building on ideas to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing RS
 7.14 (C) revise drafts to clarify meaning, enhance style, include simple and compound sentences, and improve transitions by adding,
deleting, combining, and rearranging sentences or larger units of text after rethinking how well questions of purpose, audience, and genre
have been addressed RS
 7.14 (D) credit drafts for grammar, mechanics, and spelling RS
 7.14 (E) revise final draft in response to feedback from peers and teacher and publish written work for appropriate audiences
Unit Title: Making Textual Connections
Last Revised June 5, 2014
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 7.17 (C) write responses to literary or expository texts that demonstrate the writing skills for multi-paragraph essays and provide sustained
evidence from the text using quotations when appropriate
 7.19 (A) identify, use and understand the function of the parts of speech in the context of reading, writing, and speaking RS, SS
 (i) verbs (perfect and progressive tenses) and participles
 (ii) appositive phrases
 (iii) adverbial and adjectival phrases and clauses
 (iv) conjunctive adverbs (e.g., consequently, furthermore, indeed)
 (v) prepositions and prepositional phrases and their influence on subject-verb agreement
 (vi) relative pronouns (e.g., whose, that, which)
 (vii) subordinating conjunctions (e.g., because, since)
 (viii) transitions for sentence to sentence or paragraph to paragraph coherence
 7.19 (B) differentiate between the active and passive voice and know how to use them both SS
 7.19 (C) use complete simple and compound sentences with correct subject-verb agreement RS
 7.21 (A) spell correctly, including using various resources to determine and check correct spellings RS
The student will know and be able to:
 Fig. 19 (D), (E), (F) (see Spiraling)
 7.4 understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of poetry and provide evidence from text to
support their understanding
 7.5 Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of drama and provide evidence from
text to support their understanding
 7.6 (A) explain the influence of setting on plot development SS
 7.6 (B) analyze the development of the plot through the internal and external responses of the characters, including their motivations and
conflicts RS
 7.9 (A) explain the difference between the theme of a literary work and the author’s purpose in an expository text SS
 7.10 (A) evaluate a summary of the original text for accuracy of the main ideas, supporting details, and overall meaning RS
 7.10 (C) use different organizational patterns as guides for summarizing and forming an overview of different kinds of expository text RS
 7.10 (D) synthesize and make logical connections between ideas within a text and across two or three texts representing similar or different
genres, and support those findings with textual evidence RS
 7.16 (A) write a personal narrative that has a clearly defined focus and communicates the importance of or reasons for actions and/or
consequences
 7.17 (A) write a multi-paragraph essay to convey information about a topic that:
 (i) presents effective introductions and concluding paragraphs
 (ii) contains a clearly stated purpose or controlling idea;
 (iii) is logically organized with appropriate facts and details and includes no extraneous information or inconsistencies
Unit Title: Making Textual Connections
Last Revised June 5, 2014
Unit 3
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 (iv) accurately synthesizes from several sources
 (v) uses a variety of sentence structures, rhetorical devices, and transitions to link paragraphs
 7.17 (C) write responses to literary or expository texts that demonstrate the writing skills for multi-paragraph essays and provide sustained
evidence from the text using quotations when appropriate
 7.19 (A) identify, use and understand the function of the following parts of speech in the context of reading, writing, and speaking: RS, SS
 (ii) appositive phrases
 (vi) relative pronouns (e.g., whose, that, which)
 7.20 (A) use conventions of capitalization
Student Understanding (student friendly TEKS):
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Fig.19 (D) I will infer using textual evidence.
Fig. 19 (E) I will summarize and put text into my own words in ways that keep the same order so that the meaning is not changed.
Fig. 19 (F) I will make connections to other texts while I am reading. I will say to myself This reminds me of…
7.4 I will support my conclusions with proof from the poem.
7.5 I will make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of a drama and provide evidence from that to support
their understanding.
7.6 (A) I will describe how the time and place of a story affect the progress of the plot.
7.6 (B) I will analyze the actions and thoughts of the characters to figure out how their motivations and conflicts move the plot.
7.9 (A) I will describe the difference between the theme in a story and the purpose of an expository text. SS
7.10 (A) I will evaluate the summary of an informational text to see if the main idea and important details are included.
7.10 (C) I will use the different organizational patters in expository texts as a guide for summarizing.
7.10 (D) I will read expository text and (1) synthesize ideas within the text, (2) make logical connections between it and other texts, and (3)
provide textual evidence to support my thinking. RS
7.16 (A) I will write a personal story that has a clear focus and includes thoughts about the decisions, actions, and/or consequences.
7.17 (A) I will write a multi-paragraph essay to convey information about a topic.
 (i) I will write a multi-paragraph essay to express information about a specific topic and use introductions and conclusions.
 (ii) I will write a multi-paragraph essay to express information about a specific topic that contains a clearly stated purpose or
controlling idea.
 (iii) I will write a multi-paragraph essay to express information about a specific topic that is logically organized with appropriate
facts and details and includes no extraneous information or inconsistencies.
 (iv) I will write a multi-paragraph essay considering information from several sources.
 (v) I will write a multi-paragraph that uses a variety of sentence structures and appropriate transitioning.
7.17 (C) I will write responses to texts and incorporate relevant quotations used appropriately.
7.19 (A) I will identify, use and understand the function of the following parts of speech in the context of reading, writing, and speaking.
 (ii) I will use appositive phrases appropriately.
Unit Title: Making Textual Connections
Last Revised June 5, 2014
Unit 3
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 (vi) I will use relative pronouns (e.g., whose, that, which) appropriately.
 7.20 (A) I will capitalize words that need to be capitalized.
Targeted College Readiness Standards: Click here to access CCRS document in full.
Targeted ELPs: Click here to access ELPS TEA web document in full.
Language of Instruction:
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Academic Vocabulary: (for mastery by end of year):
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Types of textual connections
o Theme and/or Topic
o Author’s Purpose
 Word choice
 Text features
 Point of view
o Plot Development – conflicts & character motivation
o Text Structure
o Tone and Mood
figurative language
o personification
o idiom
o hyperbole
o simile (review)
o metaphor (review)
o connotation
o denotation
revise
edit
poetic form
line length
enjambment
tone
theme
characterization
Six + 1 Traits
o ideas
Unit Title: Making Textual Connections
Last Revised June 5, 2014
Unit 3
Review all terms
Page 5 of 9
o
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organization
voice
word choice
sentence fluency
conventions
presentation
Instruction:
These materials and instructional experiences offer workable components which necessitate the addition of
other choices to construct a sequence of learning experiences in which reading and writing blend.
Reading Skill Focus:
Written Composition and Grammar:
Reading:
Composition/Essay:
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Types of textual connections
o Theme and/or Topic
o Author’s Purpose
 Word choice
 Text features
 Point of view
o Plot Development – conflicts & character motivation
o Text Structure
o Tone and Mood
analyze the importance of graphical elements in poetry
o capital letters
o line length
o word position
analyze the figurative meaning of phrases (e.g.
imagery/sensory language, metaphor, simile, alliteration, etc.)
and how that meaning suggests mood
make connections between and across texts from the same
and different genres
dictionary skills
thesaurus skills
word study (e.g. root words, prefixes, suffixes, etc.)
Unit Title: Making Textual Connections
Last Revised June 5, 2014
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Unit 3
Instructional focus
o compare and contrast written ideas
o transitions
o introduction and conclusion
o fiction and nonfiction elements
o communicate clearly the lesson learned (extension*)
o clearly stated controlling idea
o logical organization
o Cornell Notes
http://www.google.com/search?q=cornell+notes&sourcei
d=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=
 Questions - create meaningful questions
 Note-taking – plagiarism vs. paraphrasing
 Summary – synthesizing and thinking
Composition focus
o writing process
o personal narrative with extension*
 Suggested personal narrative prompt:
“Sometimes it’s hard to make a decision
because there are so many choices. Write a
personal narrative about a time when you
had to make a decision. Be sure to write in
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detail about the choice you made and
describe what happened as a result of your
decision.”
o expository essay
 Suggested expository essay prompt:
READ the following quotation. A famous
businessman once said, “Players win games;
teams win championships.”
THINK carefully about the following
statement. Sometimes you can accomplish
good things by yourself but better things
with other people.
WRITE an essay explaining whether it is
better to work by yourself or with a group.
Cornell Notes
http://www.google.com/search?q=cornell+notes&sourceid=i
e7&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=
o Questions - create meaningful questions
o Note-taking – name source (title and author);
plagiarism vs. paraphrasing
o Summary – synthesizing and thinking
o Claim-Evidence-Commentary (C-E-C)
 Three ingredients are necessary in a short answer
paragraph - the claim, the evidence, & the
commentary. This method provides a structure to
answer questions or write an essay and provide
textual evidence to support your thoughts.
 Claim – states your position on the
issue and must have a singular or
overarching claim that dictates your
position/argument.
 Evidence – material from the text
which supports the claim. Without
any evidence, the claim is just an
assertion.
 Commentary – explains why and how
your evidence supports your claim; it
states the relationship between your
claim and evidence.
o C-E-C – Suggested Prompt: Using evidence from the
Unit Title: Making Textual Connections
Last Revised June 5, 2014
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text, explain ___. Be sure to answer in the form of a
claim-evidence-commentary paragraph and edit for
grammar, mechanics, and spelling.
Grammar and Conventions:
 Review grammar and conventions
Core Text Experiences – Teachers choose a representative selection of multiple genres to help students compare and contrast theme, author’s
purpose, word choice, text features, point of view, plot development, conflicts & character motivation, text structure, tone and mood. Texts need
to reflect the Enduring Understandings of how making textual connections builds meaning and develops thinking skills.
Suggested texts (excerpts or full text):
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Reflective Essay & Short Story – “Barrio Boy” & “A Day’s Wait”, pgs. 80-90
Reflective Essay – “I am a Native of North America,” pp. 444-448
Humorous Essay & Short Story – “The Night the Bed Fell” & “Stolen Day,” pgs. 162-174
Short story—Jane Yolen—“Suzy and Leah,” pp. 115-124
Short stories—Richard Peck—“The Three-Century Woman,” pp.9-18 and “The Fall of Hindenburg,” p. 19 Prentice Hall Language and
Literacy
Novel/Play adaptation – Laurence Yep- Dragonwings, pp. 727-729, Prentice Hall Language and Literacy
Humorous essay—James Thurber—“The Night the Bed Fell,” pp. 162-167, Prentice Hall Language and Literacy
Autobiography & Fictional Adaptation – Eat Dirt & Playing Time, pgs. 470-473
Poetry—various authors— pgs. 588, 606, 608
Government Publication & Flyer – Walking for Exercise and Pleasure & Bike: Texas Safe Routes to School, pgs. 365-368
Myth & Blog – “The Voyage” from The Odyssey & To the Top of Everest, pgs. 968-980
Resources:
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Prentice Hall Language and Literacy unit resources for instruction and assessment ideas
Prentice Hall Writing Coach unit resources
Technology: As teachers use this document, we will add here their Career Connections/Real Life Application: As teachers use this
ideas about ways to use technology in this unit.
document, we will add here their ideas about ways to make career and
real life applications in this unit.
Research Based Instructional Strategies: As teachers use this
Exemplar Lessons: As teachers use this document, we will add
document, we will add representative research-based instructional
exemplar lessons here.
Unit Title: Making Textual Connections
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strategies here.
Assessment:
Modify or supplement the suggested assessments below to complement unit activities and ensure varied
assessments throughout the year.
Student self-assessment & reflection:
Acceptable evidence or artifacts:
Personal Narrative
Expository Project
Comparison of two texts
Unit Title: Making Textual Connections
Last Revised June 5, 2014
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