Pottsgrove School District
Unit Planning Organizer
Subject(s)
ELA
Grade/Course
7
Unit of Study
Learning From the Past ( Non-fiction)
Unit Type(s)
 Topical
Pacing
Weeks: 6
❑ Skills-based
 Thematic
Reading Non-fiction/Point of View, Purpose
Dates:
Current Priority State Standards
Supporting Standards
CC.7.R.I.1 Key Ideas and Details: CITE several pieces of textual evidence to SUPPORT analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CC.7.R.I.2 Key Ideas and Details: 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.
CC.7.R.I.3 Key Ideas and Details: 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.)
CC.7.R.I.4 Craft and Structure: 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.
CC.7.R.I.5 Craft and Structure: 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.
CC.7.R.I.6 Craft and Structure: DETERMINE the author’s point of view or purpose in a text and ANALYZE how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others.
CC.7.R.I.8 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: 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.
CC.7.R.I.9 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: 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.
CC.7.W.4 Production and Distribution of Writing: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CC.7.W.5 Production and Distribution of Writing: 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.
CC.7.W.6 Production and Distribution of Writing: 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.
CC.7.W.8 Research to Build and Present Knowledge: 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.
CC.7.L.1 Conventions of Standard English: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard Engllish grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
CC.7.L2 Conventions of Standard English: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard Engllish capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
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Priority Standard(s)
“Unwrapped” Concepts
“Unwrapped” Skills
(Students need to know)
(Students need to be able to do)
List the identified priority
standards from above.
CC.7.R.I.1
Unwrap the priority standard by listing the concepts and skills.
Evidence
Analysis of what text says explicitly
CITE (several pieces of textual evidence to SUPPORT
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.)
Bloom’s Taxonomy Levels
Identify the appropriate level(s) of
Bloom.
Remembering
Inferences drawn from the text
Analyzing
CC.7. R.I. 2
Central ideas in a text
DETERMINE (two or more central ideas in a text)
Development over the course of the text
ANALYZE (their development over the course of the text)
Remembering
Analyzing
Summary of the text
PROVIDE (an objective summary of the text.)
Analyzing
CC.7.R.I.3
Interactions (between individuals, events, and
ideas in a text)
Analyze (interactions between individuals, events and
ideas in a text)
CC.7.R.I.4
Meaning of words and phrases
DETERMINE (the meaning of words and phrases as they
are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and
technical meanings;)
Analyzing
Impact of word choice
CC.7.R.I.5
CC.7.R.I.6
Structure used to organize text
Author’s point of view or purpose
ANALYZE( the impact of a specific word choice on
meaning and tone.)
Analyzing
ANALYZE (the structure an author uses to organize text,
including how the major sections contribute to the whole
and to the development of the ideas.)
How an author distinguishes position from others
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.)
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Priority Standard(s)
List the identified priority
standards from above.
CC.7.R.I.8
“Unwrapped” Concepts
“Unwrapped” Skills
(Students need to know)
(Students need to be able to do)
Unwrap the priority standard by listing the concepts and skills.
Argument and specific claims
Reasoning is sound
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.)
Bloom’s Taxonomy Levels
Identify the appropriate level(s) of
Bloom.
Evaluating
Evidence is relevant and sufficient
CC.7.R.I.9
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Two or more authors shape presentation of
information
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.)
Analyzing
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Essential Questions
Corresponding Big Ideas
Essential Questions are engaging, open-ended questions that educators use to
spark initial student interest in learning the content of the unit about to commence.
Big ideas are what you want your students to discover on their own as a result of
instruction and learning activities.
Identify the Essential Questions that will be used throughout this unit to focus
your instruction and assessment. For consideration, ask yourself the following
about each essential question:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Is this question written in student friendly language?
Can this question be answered with one of the Big Ideas?
Does the question lead the students to discovery of the Big Ideas?
Does the question go beyond who, what, where, when and ask the
students to explain how and why?
1. What is an inference? How can readers use their inferences to
support their understanding of text?
2. What are central ideas in an informational text? What is an
objective summary of informational text?
3. What is point of view? What is an author’s purpose for writing a
particular text?
4. How does a reader/writer support their analysis, reflection, or
research?
Identify the Big Ideas for each corresponding essential question.
The goal is for students to effectively be able to respond to the teacher’s essential
questions with the big ideas, stated in their own words, by the end of the unit.
1. An inference is a conclusion a reader makes based on textual
evidence and life experience. Readers search for several pieces of
textual evidence to support their understanding of text.
2.Central idea(s) is the main idea of the text. It is important to
present an objective summary of informational text conveying only
factual information not influenced by personal opinions.
3. An author’s point of view or purpose for writing informational
text can influence the reader’s understanding of the text.
4. Readers/writers continually “sift through” the research and
evaluate its appropriateness as support or evidence.
Common Assessments
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Note to Curriculum Designers:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Review grade-or course-specific state standardized assessments for the types of questions directly related to the “unwrapped” Priority Standards' concepts and
skills in focus for this unit of study.
Identify the vocabulary used and frequency of these questions.
Compare/contrast this information with the “unwrapped” concepts and skills listed above to determine how closely the two are aligned.
Create the Post Assessment using the Common Formative Assessment Template (Appendix A).
Create the Pre Assessment. Decide whether the pre-assessment will be aligned (directly matched to post-assessment but with fewer questions) or mirrored
(exact number and type of questions as post-assessment.
Create Informal Progress Monitoring Checks. Create short, ungraded “checks for student understanding” for the educator to administer throughout the unit of
study that are directly aligned to the post-assessment questions (selected-, short-, extended-response, and/or performance-based) and that coincide with
learning progressions—the “building block chunks” of instruction.
Post Assessment: Students will be given a multiple choice test to assess their understanding of Point of view and
purpose. An open-ended response is required to assess informational writing.
Pre Assessment: Students will be given a multiple choice test to assess their understanding of Point of view and
purpose. An open-ended response is required to assess informational writing.
Informal Progress Monitoring Checks: It’s Non-fiction! RAP, Interactive Reader responses, Graphic Organizers
for reading and writing informational piece, reflection in journal/notebook, Think/Pair/Share, cooperative
discussion
s
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Plan for Instruction
Make connections between learning experiences and teaching strategies
Engaging Learning Experiences
(Authentic Performance Tasks)




Research-based Effective Teaching Strategies
Students will respond in writing to connect to the

Cause-Effect Organizer
text.

Character Map
Students will employ Before, During, and After

Paraphrase or Retelling Chart
reading strategies to connect with the text.

Inference Chart
Students will identify fact and opinion in writing

Timeline
and understand the difference between them.

Summary Notes
Students will recognize an author’s viewpoint in

Elements of Non-fiction RAP
informational writing and understand that it is the

The Writing Process
author’s perspective, or opinion, on an issue or

Viewpoint and Evidence Organizer
topic.

Students will write informational pieces.
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Tier 2
Unit Vocabulary
Tier 3
Literary terms
Non-fiction
Fact/Opinion
Viewpoint
Author’s Purpose
Informational Writing
Reading Non-fiction:

Essay

Biography

Autobiography

Newspaper Article

Magazine Article
Persuasive
Outlining
Reading Critically Strategy
Rereading Strategy
Cause/Effect
Evidence
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Program/Text
Instructional Resources and Materials
Technology
Teacher Created
~The Language of Literature
~Elements of Non-fiction RAP
McDougal Littell
An educational RAP tune by

Venn Diagram
Rhythm, Rhyme, Results

Inference Chart

Character Map

Timeline

Critical Reading Chart

Cause-Effect Organizer

Viewpoint and Evidence Organizer

Eleanor Roosevelt by William Jay Jacobs

Eleanor Roosevelt from The
Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt

From No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns
Goodwin

Rikki-tikki-tavi by Rudyard Kipling

Primal Compassion Life Magazine Article

From Immigrant Kids by Russell

~Google
~Wiki Page
~iMovie
Freedman
~Wordprocessing Microsoft
The Noble Experiment by Jackie
Word
~Graphic Organizers
~Journal Prompts
Robinson
~ Language of Literature Interactive Reader
~Reader’s Handbook
Great Source
~Teaching Grammar and Mechanics
By Mark Pennington
~Sentence Composing Grade 7
Great Source
~Mentor Texts
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