West Haven Public Schools
Unit Planning Organizer
Subject: English Language Arts____ Grade ___7___
Unit 6- Myths and Legends
Pacing __30__
Essential Question(s):
1. What qualities make a story worthy of passing along from one generation to
another?
2. What cultural values are shown in Greek and Roman mythology?
Big Idea(s): Finding the Evidence
1. Basic story themes have remained the same. People communicate their values, ideas,
fears, and desires.
2. Good stories tell about courage, adventure, justice, love, and humor.
Common Core State Standards (includes West Haven’s “Priority” Common Core
Standards in BOLD and “Supporting” Standards)
RI 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.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 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 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.
RL 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.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.
Grade 7, ELA, Unit 6- Revised June 2014
RL 3: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the
characters or plot).
RL 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.
RL 6: Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters
or narrators in a text.
W.1.d: Establish and maintain a formal style.
W.2.b: Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or
other information and examples.
W.8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms
effectively; asses 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.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”.
SL.4: Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner
with pertinent descriptions, facts, detail, and examples; use appropriate eye contact,
adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
L.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when
writing or speaking.
L.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.4c: 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.4d: 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).
Grade 7, ELA, Unit 6- Revised June 2014
W.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.
SL.5: Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and
findings and emphasize salient points.
L.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation,
and spelling when writing.
L.2.b: Spell correctly.
L.3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or
listening.
“Unwrapped” Concepts and Skills, and Bloom Levels (BL)
Concepts (Need to Know)
R.L.1

R.L.2

R.L.4

R I.1

R.I.3

Skills (Able to Do)
B
L
Cite textual evidence
R.L 1
Analyze the text
Set a purpose
4
Determine a theme
R.L.2
Draw conclusions about multiple themes,
Recurring themes
5
Context clues
R.L.4
Determine the meaning of words in text
To draw inferences
RI.1
Identify opinions
Recognize unsupported inferences
Analyze interactions between
individuals, events, ideas
R.I.3
analyze
Grade 7, ELA, Unit 6- Revised June 2014
2
3
4
RI. 6

Point of view
RI 6
Support point of view with persuasive
arguments
5
RL 10
Identify Cultural values in Legends
Characteristics of myths
3
RL
RI9

Bias
L.4, L.4d
 Greek and Latin roots
L.4, L.4a
Determine meaning of unknown words
Clarify multiple-meaning words
Utilize sources both print/digital
L.3, L.4, L.4a
 Parts of Speech (review)
3
L.4a, L.4c, L.4d
Find a word’s position or function within a
sentence
1
- discover multi-use of a word within a
structured sentence
4
-
-
Select and identify through use of
print/digital sources, parts of speech of
a word:
noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Preposition
Interjection
L.4d, L.4c, W.9
Simplify information from print/digital sources
Grade 7, ELA, Unit 6- Revised June 2014
4
2
1
,
3
4
- Make use of reference materials to use in
Cornell notes
3
-Identify pertinent information and eliminate
extraneous verbiage
3
-paraphrase (interpret)
5
SL.5, L.4c
2
-Demonstrate command of standard English
when speaking
- Consult/choose reference material for
pronunciation of a word
Assessments
Common Formative Pre- Assessment (Followed by Data Team Analysis):
Holt Assessment
“Dipsticks” (Informal Progress Monitoring Checks):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Holt Literature, (S) “Response and Analysis,” 1-6, and “Reading Check”, p. 662
Holt Literature, (S) ”Vocabulary Development-Practice”,” 1-2, p. 663
Holt Literature (S) “Response and Analysis” 1-6 and “Reading Check” p.670
Holt Literature, (S) “Response and Analysis,” 1-7 and “Reading Check” p.680
Holt Literature (S) “Quickwrite-Make the Connection,” p.682
Holt Literature (S) “Response and Analysis,” 1-6 and “Reading Check,” p. 686 (Cause and
Effect Chart)
7. Holt Literature (S) “Response and Analysis,” 1-6 and “Reading Check,” a-e, p. 808
8. Holt Literature (S) “Quickwrite- Make the Connection” p.792
Grade 7, ELA, Unit 6- Revised June 2014
3
9. Holt Literature (S) “Quickwrite- Make the Connection” p. 820 (Hero and Quest)
10. Holt Literature (S) “Response and Analysis,” 1-5 and “Reading Check,” a-I, p.831
11. Holt Assessment (S) “Test Practice,” p. 818 (“He’s No King”)
T= teacher’s manual S= Student’s textbook P= Teacher-created skill packet
Cornell notes
Writing Resource book (Writer’s Craft) exercises pp. 115
(S) Study and Research Skills pp. 335-339
Common Formative Post- Assessment (Followed by Data Team Analysis):
Holt Assessment
Instructional Planning
Suggested Resources/Materials:
Holt: Elements of Literature:
1. pp. 646-649 Skills Focus
2. pp. 654- “The Origin of the Seasons”
3. pp. 664- “Orpheus, The Great Musician”
4. pp. 675- “The Flight of Icarus”
5. pp. 681- “Midas and the Golden Touch”
6. Holt, p.792- “King Arthur The Sword”
Compare/Contrast #7
7. Holt pp.816,818- “He’s no King”
8. New Holt- p.682Young Arthur by R. San Sauci
Compare/ Contrast #6
9. Pp. 821- “Merlin and the Dragons”
10. P.834- Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady
11. New Holt- pp. 690-705 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Grade 7, ELA, Unit 6- Revised June 2014
Writer’s Craft Text (T) Holt Spelling Activities (S) Holt Language Handbook Sheets (L)
(T) Writing Paraphrases and Summaries, pp. 341-343
(L) The Parts of Speech pp.1-13 worksheets 1-10
(S) Latin/Greek roots and word parts pp. 48-49, 60-61, 72-73, 76-77
Vocabulary Workshop, lessons 11 and 12 (pp.41-48)
Suggested Research-based Effective Instructional Strategies:
Vocabulary/Word Wall
Stereotypes
Bias
Myth
Legend
Tone
Moral
Irony
Conflict
Grade 7, ELA, Unit 6- Revised June 2014
Enrichment/Extension
1. p.638 (new Holt)
Advanced Learners
2. Compare/contrast
Young Arthur Retold
by Robert D. San Souci
with King Arthur by
Hudson Talbott.
3. Compare/contrast
Sir Gawain and The
Green Knight p.692
(New Holt) with Sir
Gawain p.834
Interdisciplinary
Connections
1. p. 687 (New Holt)
What was Life Like in
Britain in the Middle
Ages?
2. “Activity Art
Companion” p. 657,
Holt Literature
Root words
Holt Language handbook
Worksheets pp.147-149
Holt Spelling pp.72-77
Use of dictionary and /or
Digital resources to define
and clarify usage
Parts of speech
Cornell notes
Holt Language Handbook
worksheets 1-11 pp.1-13
Main idea
Supporting details
Powerpoint presentation
Difference in use of same
word in content of a
sentences.
Plagiarism
Writer’s Craft Text p. 341-343
Cornell notes rubric
MLA format powerpoint
Writer’s Craft text pp 194-205
Bibliographic Formats (Bailey
Middle School Library Media
Center)
List of Greek/Latin Topics for
research
“He’s No King”, Advanced
Learners, p. 817
Grade 7, ELA, Unit 6- Revised June 2014