7th Grade English/Language Arts
Curriculum Guide
USD 457-Garden City, Kansas
Course Description
Middle level language arts provides an integrated study of: (1) literature, (2) media, (3) reading
process, (4) oral communication, (5) writing process, and (6) language which includes grammar,
usage, mechanics, and spelling as tools of effective communication. Middle level language arts
further develops students’ use of language as a tool for learning and thinking as well as a source of
pleasure.
7th Grade English/Language Arts Scope and Sequence
Intro.
4
Weeks
4
Weeks
Unit #2
Weaving a Story-Plot, Conflict and setting
Personality Tests-Analyzing Character
and Point of View
4
Weeks
Unit #3
Lessons to Learn-Understanding Theme
4
Weeks
Unit #4
Finding a Voice-Mood, Tone and Style
4
Weeks
Unit #1
Introduction-The Power of Ideas
1st semester testing-AIMSweb in September
Unit #5
Picture the Moment-Appreciating Poetry
4
Weeks
Unit #6
Sharing Our Stories-Myths, Legends and Tales
4
Weeks
Unit #7
Writing a Life-Biography and Autobiography
Face the Facts-Information, Argument
and Persuasion
2nd semester testing-AIMSweb in January
and May and State Testing
4
Weeks
4
Weeks
Unit #8
Note: Independent reading, research, informational text and writing are integrated throughout the
year. One class novel may be used each semester.
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Adopted Textbooks and Supplemental Materials
McDougal Littell Literature 7
Write Source 7-Great Source Education Group
Resources from the McDougal Littell Literature Series
Best Practices Toolkit from the McDougal Littell Literature Series
SIMS
Incorporating Technology
Anthology CD
YouTube Videos
Bookemon
Quizlet
Computers/laptops
ClassZone.com
Powerpoint
Edmodo
Movie Maker
Video presentation
Smartboard
Prezi
Schoolology
iMovie
Internet extentions
Differentiated Instruction
Venn Diagram
Story Maps
Journals
Copy of notes
Kagan Strategies
Small group discussions
Sticky notes
Internet extentions
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Jigsaw
Leveled stories
Leveled tests
CORE Standards – 7th Grade English/Language Arts
Core Standard 1: Vocabulary and Concept Development
Identify and use a variety of types of context clues (e.g., restatement, definition) to determine the
meanings of words within particular texts. Use knowledge of Greek, Latin and Anglo-Saxon roots
and word parts to understand subject-area vocabulary.
Core Standard 2: Informational Text: Structure, Comprehension and Analysis
Compare and contrast the purposes and features of different types of informational texts. Identify and
use the most complete, accurate and appropriate sources for particular purposes. Identify, chart and
explain cause/effect connections, including those that are not explicitly stated within the text.
Core Standard 3: Literary Text: comprehension and Analysis
Analyze and describe the connection of setting, narrative voice, language, mood and tone to the plot
and meaning of literary works of different lengths (e.g., short story, essay, novel) within literature.
Compare reviews of literary works, identifying the main points of each.
Core Standard 4: Writing: Informational, Research and Persuasive Texts
Use a variety of strategies to develop topic sentences. Determine the purpose, audience and
organization for the piece of writing. Use reading and note-taking skills to find and summarize
relevant information from sources selected for accuracy, appropriateness and reliability. Write pieces
with a well-defined thesis and a variety of types of supporting evidence leading to logical
conclusions. Revise writing, improving clarity and organization. Edit writing, correctly crediting all
ideas and wording from sources.
Core Standard 5: Writing: Literary Text
Use graphic organizers, a list or notebook of ideas, and various strategies to plan writing. Write
biographical and literary texts that contain conflicts and resolutions, major and minor characters,
meaningful settings, and/or expressive language. Display a command of basic narrative strategies
(e.g., timing, dialogue, detailed description) to advance the plot and develop characters. Review,
revise, and edit writing.
Core Standard 6: English Language Conventions
Write sentences and paragraphs that show clear relationships between main and supporting ideas.
Edit parts of sentences to correct pronoun antecedents, punctuation, and verb tense agreement.
Core Standard 7: Listening and Speaking
Develop persuasive speeches, oral summaries, and research presentations that are organized to
achieve particular purposes, and are supported with relevant details, reasons and examples. Deliver
presentations with effective speaking techniques. Analyze oral and media communications,
evaluating credibility of details and sources.
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Some CCS are so inherent/integral to the course that they naturally
should be addressed in all units throughout the year. These include the
following:
READING CCS

RL.7.2 – Determine central ideas or themes of a text and
analyze their development; summarize the key supporting
details and ideas.
 RL.7.10 – By the end of the year, read and comprehend
literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 68 text complexity band proficienctly, with scaffolding as needed
at the high end of the range.
 RI.7.10 – By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary
nonfiction in the grades 6-8 text complecity band proficiently,
with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
 R – Anchor 11 – Encounter a diverse range of engaging and
culturally sensitive text and media that motivate the desire to be
literate.
 R – Anchor 12 – Read – both independently and collaboratively
– print, non-print, and multimodal works proficiently and
critically to be media literate.
WRITING CCS

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
W.7.4 – Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
W.7.5 – 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, focusing on hwo
well purpose and audience have been addressed.
W.7.10 – Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a
single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific
tasks, purposes and audiences.
W – Anchor 11 – Create – both independently and
collaboratively – technical, non-print, digital, and multimodal
versions of text types and purposes outlined in standards 1,2,
and 3.
W – Anchor 12 – Strengthen writing craft – both independently
and collaboratively – through a recursive writing and revision
process and the use of the common vocabulary of the 6 Trait
model.
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LANGUAGE CCS

L.7.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
 L.7.2 – Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
 L.7.3 – Use knowledge of language and its conventions when
writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
 L.7.4B – Use common, grade appropriate Greek or Latin affixes
and roots as clues to the meaning of the word
 L.7.6 – Acquire and use accurately grade appropriate general
academic and domain specific words and phrases; gather
vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or expression.
SPEAKING AND LISTENING CCCS

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

SL.7.1 – Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts and issues, building on
others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.7.1A Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied
required material; explicitly draw on that preparation by
referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and
reflect on ideas under discussion.
SL.7.1B Follow rules for collegial discussions, track progress
toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles
as needed
SL.7.C Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to
others’ questions and comments with relevant observations and
ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed.
SL.7.D Acknowledge new information expressed by others and,
when warranted, modify their own views.
SL.7.6 – Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks,
demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or
appropriate.
Additionally, the CCS mapped out below are not intended to be used
exclusively in the quarter they are identified in. This is merely a
guideline to ensure each is addressed specifically. Frequently they will
be applicable in additional units/lessons.
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7th GRADE ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS
Introductory Unit-Power of Ideas
Suggested Time Frame: 4 weeks
Textbook References: Selections from McDougal Littell Literature 7
Literature Genres Workshop, Reading Strategies Workshop and Writing Process Workshop (pgs. 219)
Content Outline:
• Classroom Introduction
o Rules
o Expectations
o Overview of the Year
• Textbook Introduction
• Basic Sentence Writing (SIMS)
Core Standards to be Emphasized:
Standards for Literature (RL)
RL.7.1-Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.7.2-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.
RL.7.3-Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact
(e.g., how setting shapes the characters of plot.)
Reading Standards for Informational Text (RI)
RI.7.1-Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.7.5-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.
Writing Standards (W)
none
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Speaking and Listening Standards (SL)
SL.7.1-Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (oneon-one, in groups, and teacher-lead) with diverse partners on grade 7
topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their
own clearly.
Language Standards (L)
L.7.4d-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).
Unit Vocabulary:
Genres
Non-fiction/Information text
Types of Media
Strategies for Active Readers
Writing Process
Drama
Poetry
Suggested Activities:
Class discussions
Taking notes
Compare/contrast fiction to non-fiction
Readers Notebooks
Summarize the writing process
Assessment Recommendations:
• Textbook Resource Manager
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Unit #1:Weaving a Story
Suggested Time Frame: 4 Weeks
Textbook References: from McDougal Littell Literature
“Seventh Grade” by Gary Soto
“The Last Dog” by Katherine Paterson
“Thank You, M’am” by Langston Hughes
“Rikki-tikki-tavi” by Rudyard Kipling
“Exploring the Titanic” by Robert Ballard (informational text)
“An American Childhood” by Annie Dillard
“Casey at Bat” by Ernest Lawrence Thayer
The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”(Twilight Zone episode) by Rod Sterling
“Back to the Future”- Media Study
“The Unnatural Course of Time”- Reading for Information/Movie Review
Writing Workshop-Descriptive Essay
Content Outline:
• Preview Unit Goals in Teacher’s Edition of textbook, pages 21A-23
Core Standards to be Emphasized:
Standards for Literature (RL)
RL.7.1-Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.7.3- Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact
(e.g., how setting shapes the characters of plot.)
RL.7.9-Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or
character and a historical account of the same period as a means of
understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history.
Reading Standards for Informational Text (RI)
RI.7.2-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.
RI.7.3-Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas
in text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how
individuals influence ideas or events).
RI.7.4.- 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.
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Writing Standards (W)
W.7.2- Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and
convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection,
organization, and analysis of relevant content.
W.7.2a-Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow;
organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as
definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include
formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and
multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
W.7.2b Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete
details, quotations, or other information and examples.
W.7.2c Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the
relationships among ideas and concepts.
W.7.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform
about or explain the topic.
W.7.2e Establish and maintain a formal style.
W.7.2f Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and
supports the information or explanation presented.
Speaking and Listening Standards (SL)
See above: Standards SL.7.1,6 addressed in each unit throughout the
year
Language Standards (L)
L.7.1B Choose among simple, compound, complex, and compoundcomplex sentences to signal differing relationships among ideas.
L.7.4A 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.7.4D 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).
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Critical Vocabulary:
• Vocabulary given as introduction to each selection
• Plot
• Conflict
• Setting
• Text Structure- Comp./Contrast, Sequence, Cause/Effect
• Inferences
• Writer’s position
Suggested Activities:
• Compare/contrast a story to a movie (Monsters Due on Maple Street or Rikki Tikki Tavi.
• Review all the types of Text structure
• Review Plot line and show different ways to do the plot line
• Use of picture books
Assessment Recommendations:
• Assessment Practice-Reading Comprehension(pgs. 166-171)
• Essay writing
• Unit 1 test
• Individual tests for each story
• Short written response
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Unit #2: Personality Tests
Suggested Time Frame: 4 week
Textbook References: from McDougal Littell Literature
Reader’s Workshop
“Zebra” by Chaim Potok
“The Rider” by Noami Shihab Nye
“The Collected Grief of a Nation” by Judith Weinraub (informational text)
“Mother’s Words” by Eleanor Wimbish (informational text)
“The Scholarship Jacket” by Marta Salinas
“Retrieved Reformation” by O.Henry
“The Three-Century Woman” by Richard Peck
“Charles” by Shirley Jackson
“Encounter with Martin Luther King Jr. by Maya Angelou
“Dirk the Protector” by Gary Paulsen
“It Was a Long Time Before” by Leslie Marmon Silko
“Abuelito Who” by Sandra Cisneros
Writing Workshop Comparison/contrast Essay
Content Outline:
•
Preview Unit Goals in Teacher’s Edition of textbook, pages 173A-175
Standards to be Emphasized:
Standards for Literature (RL)
RL.7.6. Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of
view of different characters or narrators in a text.
Reading Standards for Informational Text (RI)
RI.7.7. Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia
version of the text, analyzing each medium’s portrayal of the subject
(e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words).
RI.7.9. 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.
Writing Standards (W)
See above: Standards W.7.4-5 addressed in each unit throughout the
year
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Speaking and Listening Standards (SL)
See above: Standards SL.7.1,6 addressed in each unit throughout the
year
Language Standards (L)
L.7.5.C Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words
with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., refined, respectful, polite,
diplomatic, condescending).
Unit Vocabulary:
Character traits
Characterization
Point of view
Inferences
Context Clues
Genres
Figurative Language
Suggested Activities:
Conduct an interview
Close Reading
Draw pictures of idioms
Analyze a character
Create a Cause/Effect Chain
Web diagram
YouTube Video of Vietnam War Memorial
Vietnam War Memorial Website
Martin Luther King “I Have a Dream” speech video
Assessment Recommendations:
Assessment Practice (pgs. 294-299)
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Unit #3: Lessons to Learn
Suggested Time Frame: 4 weeks
Textbook References:
From McDougal Littell Literature
Reader’s Workshop: Understanding theme
“Amigo Brothers” by Piari Thomas (short story)
“The War of the Wall” by Toni Cade Bambara (short story)
“What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything” by Avi (short story)
“Homeless” (problem-solution essay)
“A Crush” by Cynthia Rylant (short story)
“Great Reads: from the Giver by Lois Lowry (fantasy novel)
“Spring Harvest of Snow Peas/Eating Alone by Maxine Hong Kingston (poems)
“A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens (drama)
“Media Study: from a Christmas Carol”
“Writing Workshop: Short Story”
Readers Workshop
Content Outline:

Preview Unit Goals in Teacher’s Edition of textbook, pages 301A-303
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Core Standards to be Emphasized:
Standards for Literature (RL)
RL.7.7. Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its
audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of
techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or
camera focus and angles in a film).
Reading Standards for Informational Text (RI)
RI.7.5. 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.
Writing Standards (W)
See above: Standards W.7.4-5 addressed in each unit throughout the
year
Speaking and Listening Standards (SL)
See above: Standards SL.7.1,6 addressed in each unit throughout the
year
Language Standards (L)
L.7.5.B Use the relationship between particular words (e.g.,
synonym/antonym, analogy) to better understand each of the words.
Unit Vocabulary:
Topic
Theme
Symbol
Cause and effect
Sequence
Inference
Compare and contrast
Clauses
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Suggested Activities:
Compare and contrast diagram
Draw a picture of idioms
Identify themes in songs
Analyze a character
Author’s perspective chart
Act out play
Compare and contrast video to story
Assessment Recommendations:
Assessment page 428-433
End of each section test
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Unit #4: Finding a Voice
Suggested Time Frame: 4 weeks
Textbook References:
From McDougal Littell Literature
Reader’s Workshop: Mood, Tone, and Style
“Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed” by Ray Bradbury (science fiction)
“A Day’s Wait” by Ernest Hemingway (short story)
“How Hemingway Wrote” by Bruce Rettman (informative article)
“The People Could Fly” by Virginia Hamilton (folk tale)
Great Reads: from “Out of the Dust” by Karen Hesse (novel)
“The Only Girl in the World for Me” by Bill Cosby (essay)
“Breaking the Ice” by Dave Barry (essay)
“One Perfect Rose” / “Song for an April Dusk” by Dorothy Parker (poems)
“maggie and milly and molly and may” / “who are you, little i” / “old age sticks”
by E. E. Cummings (poems)
Media Study: Style and Mood in Photographs (image collections)
Writing Workshop: Interpretive Essay
Content Outline:
•
Preview Unit Goals in Teacher’s Edition of textbook, pages 435A-437
Core Standards to be Emphasized:
Standards for Literature (RL)
RL.7.7. Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its
audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of
techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or
camera focus and angles in a film).
Reading Standards for Informational Text (RI)
RI.7.4. 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.
Writing Standards (W)
W.7.3D Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and
sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and
events.
W.7.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
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Speaking and Listening Standards (SL)
See above: Standards SL.7.1,6 addressed in each unit throughout the
year
Language Standards (L)
L.7.1B Choose among simple, compound, complex, and compoundcomplex sentences to signal differing relationships among ideas.
L.7.2A Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a
fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt).
L.7.4D 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).
L.7.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word
relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
Unit Vocabulary:
Mood
Tone
Style
Monitor
Summarize
Subject-verb agreement
Fact
Opinion
Synonyms
Literal and figurative meaning
Suggested Activities:
Analyze style in photographs
Create a visual that represents the idea of a certain mood
Produce and edit a video
Write a set of instructions for a task
Web diagram
Compare and contrast different styles in poetry
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Assessment Recommendations:
Assessment Practice (pgs. 532-537)
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Unit #5: Picture the Moment
Suggested Time Frame: 4 weeks
Textbook References:
From McDougal Littell Literature
Reader’s Workshop: Appreciating Poetry
“A Minor Bird” by Robert Frost
“Under the Back Porch” by Virginia Hamilton
“A word is dead” by Emily Dickinson
“Cynthia in the Snow” by Gwendolyn Brooks
“The Courage That My Mother Had” by Edna St. Vincent Millay
“The Names” by Billy Collins
“Enemies Attack: A Nation Mourns” (Article)
“the earth is a living thing” by Lucille Clifton
“Sleeping in the Forest” by Mary Oliver
“Gold” by Pat Mora
“Scaffolding” by Seamus Heaney
“The World Is Not a Pleasant Place to Be” Nikki Giovanni
“Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe
“The Charge of the Light Brigade” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
“The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes
“Two Haiku” by Matsuo Basho
“Fireflies” by Paul Fleischman
“Fireflies in the Garden” by Robert Frost
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“Stars with Wings” (Science Article)
“Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll
“Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out” by Shel Silverstein
“Two Limericks” by Edward Lear
“The Delight Song of Tsoai-Talee” by N. Scott Momaday
“Four Skinny Trees” by Sandara Cisneros
“Ode to enchanted light” by Pablo Neruda
“Snow in the Suburbs” by Thomas Hardy
Writing Workshop: Personal Response to a Poem
Content Outline:
•
Preview Unit Goals in Teacher’s Edition of textbook, pages 539A-541
Core Standards to be Emphasized:
Standards for Literature (RL)
RL.7.4. 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.
RL.7.5.. Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form or structure (e.g.,
soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning.
Reading Standards for Informational Text (RI)
RI.7.10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary
nonfiction in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Writing Standards (W)
See above: Standards W.7.4-5 addressed in each unit throughout the
year
Speaking and Listening Standards (SL)
See above: Standards SL.7.1,6 addressed in each unit throughout the
year
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Language Standards (L)
See above: Standards L.7.1-3,6 addressed in each unit throughout the
year
Unit Vocabulary:
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
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
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Imagery
Figurative Language
Sound Devices
Form
Personal Response
Connotation
Poetic Genres
Meter
Symbolism
Historical Context
Suggested Activities:
Give an oral interpretation of a poem
Videos/Web Activities on 9/11
Analyze a poem
Go out and write a poem in nature
Write a poem
Song lyric poems
Slam poetry competition
Research the Legendary Light
Coffee house reading
Brigade
Make holiday cards
Investigate non-sense language
Draw the images of the poem
Personal response to a poem
View interpretations of the Jabberwocky poem
Identifying figurative language
Jeopardy review of poetry vocabulary
Diagram the poem
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Assessment Recommendations:
Assessment Practice (pgs. 616-621)
Written analysis of a poem
Write a poem to demonstrate understanding
Vocabulary quiz
Selected text quizzes
End of unit assessment
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Unit #6: Sharing Our Stories
Suggested Time Frame: 4 weeks
Textbook References:
From McDougal Littell Literature
“Echo” by Alice Low (Myth)
“Prometheus” by Bernard Evslin (Myth)
“Orpheus and Eurydice” by Olivia Coolidge (Myth)
“Song of Orpheus” by William Shakespeare (Poem)
“Icarus and Daedalus” by Josephine Preston Peabody (Myth)
“Phaethon, Son of Apollo” by Olivia Coolidge (Myth)
“Young Arthur” by Robert D. San Souci (Legend)
“Who was King Arthur” (Magazine Article)
“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” Michael Morpurgo (Legend)
“Crispin: The Cross of Lead” by Avi (Historical Fiction)
“Serf on the Sun” (Book Review)
“Medieval Adventures” (Book Review)
“Brer Possum’s Dilemma” by Jackie Torrence (Folk Tale)
“Waters of Gold” by Laurence Yep (Folk Tale)
“Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind” by Mary Pope Osborne (Tall Tale)
“Two Ways to Count to Ten” by Frances Carpenter (Fable)
“The Race Between Toad and Donkey” by Roger D. Abrahams (Fable)
Writing Workshop: Cause and Effect Essay
Speaking and Listening: Formal Presentation
“The King Who Wished for Gold” by Anne Rockwell (Myth)
“The Three Wishes” by Richardo E. Alegria (Folk Tale)
Content Outline:
Preview Unit Goals in Teacher’s Edition of textbook, pages 623A-625
Core Standards to be Emphasized:
Standards for Literature (RL)
RI.7.9. 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.
Reading Standards for Informational Text (RI)
See above: Standard RI.7.10 addressed in each unit throughout the year
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Writing Standards (W)
W.7.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or
events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and wellstructured event sequences.
W.7.3A Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and
point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an
event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.
W.7.3B Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and
description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
W.7.3C Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to
convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to
another.
W.7.3E Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences
or events.
Speaking and Listening Standards (SL)
SL.7.5. Include multimedia components and visual displays in
presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient
points.
Language Standards (L)
L.7.1A Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and
their function in specific sentences.
L.7.1C Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing
and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.
L.7.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiplemeaning words and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content,
choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
L.7.4C 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.7.5A Interpret figures of speech (e.g., literary, biblical, and
mythological allusions) in context
Unit Vocabulary:
Myth
Universal Theme
LegendCompound Sentences
Folk Tale
Complex Sentences
Tall Tale
Homograph
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Suggested Activities:
Mythology Research/PowerPoint/Prezi
Write your own (myth, legend, tall tale)
Readers’ Theater
Skit
Comic strip
Character on trial
Assessment Recommendations:
Unit 6 Test
Narrative Writing
Formal Presentation
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Unit #7: Writing a Life
Suggested Time Frame: 4 weeks
Textbook References:
From McDougal Littell Literature
“Eleanor Roosevelt” by William Jay Jacobs (Informational Text)
“A First Lady Speaks Out” letter (Information Text)
“The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt” by Eleonor Roosevelt (Informational Text)
“Names/Nombres” by Julia Alvarez
“from It’s Not About the Bike” by Lance Armstrong(Informational Text)
“from 23 Days in July” by John Wilcockson(Informational Text)
“The Noble Experiment” by Alfred Duckett(Informational Text)
“Jackie Robinson Makes Headlines” (Informational Text)
“Robinson Steals Home in Fifth” by Roscoe McGowen (Informational Text)
Media Study-Jackie Robinson
“Lucy Stone: Champion of Women’s Rights” by Claire Boiko
“My Mother Enters the Work Force” by Rita Dove
“Washington Monument by Night” by Carl Sandburg
Writing Workshop
Content Outline:
•
Preview Unit Goals in Teacher’s Edition of textbook, pages 751A-753
Core Standards to be Emphasized:
Standards for Literature (RL)
See above: Standards RL.7.1,10 addressed in each unit
Reading Standards for Informational Text (RI)
RI.7.1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.7.3. 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.7.6. 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.
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Writing Standards (W)
W.7.6. 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.
W.7.7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing
on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions
for further research and investigation.
Speaking and Listening Standards (SL)
See above: Standards SL.7.1,6 addressed in each unit throughout the
year
Language Standards (L)
See above: Standards L.7.1-3,6 addressed in each unit throughout the
year
Unit Vocabulary:
Biography
Autobiography
Personal Essay
Summarize
Make Inferences
Point of view
Historical Drama
Primary Source
Personal Narrative
Chronological Order
Draw Conclusions
Suggested Activities:
Write a personal narrative
Punctuate titles with italics and quotation marks
Present a Personal Narrative
Analyze a documentary
Plan and conduct an interview
Story summary
Compare/contrast famous characters
Assessment Recommendations:
Personal Essay
Formal Presentation
Assessment Practice-Reading Comprehension (pgs. 858-863)
Unit 7 test
Resource Manager for the unit
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Unit #8: Face the Facts and class novel
Suggested Time Frame: 4 weeks
Textbook References from: McDougal Littell Literature
“What Do You Know About Sharks?” by Sharon Guynup (Magazine Article)
“Great White Sharks” by Peter Benchley (Magazine Article)
“Little Black Smoke: The Black Death’s Journey” by Diana Childress (Magazine Article)
“The World Turned Upside Down: How the Death Affected Europe” by Mary Morton Cowan
(Magazine Article)
“News Reports” (Media Study)
“Why Work Out?” by Erica Cheng (Magazine Article)
“The Promise” by Jane Goodall (Essay)
“Pro Athletes’ Salaries Aren’t Overly Exorbitant” by Mark Singletary (Editorial)
“Do Professional Athletes Get Paid Too Much?” by Justin Hjelm (Editorial)
“Why We Shouldn’t Go to Mars” by Gregg Easterbrook (Magazine Article)
“Remarks at the Dedication of the Aerospace Medical Health Center” by John F. Kennedy (Speech)
“Persuasive Techniques in Commercials (Media Study – TV Commericals)
Writing Workshop – Persuasive Essay
Content Outline: (Teacher’s Edition)
Preview T15, Pages 864A & 865B, 867
Core Standards to be Emphasized:
Standards for Literature (RL)
RL.7.1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
Reading Standards for Informational Text (RI)
RI.7.1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
RI.7.2. 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.
RI.7.7. Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing
each medium’s portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the
words).
RI.7.8. 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.7.9. 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.
RI.7.10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6–8 text
complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
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Writing Standards (W)
W.7.1. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
W.7.1.a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and
evidence logically.
W.7.1.b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible
sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
W.7.1.c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among
claim(s), reasons, and evidence.
W.7.1.E Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from
the argument presented.
W.7.8. 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 the data and
conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a
standard format for citation.
Speaking and Listening Standards (SL)
SL.7.2. 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.
SL.7.3. Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the
reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
SL.7.4. Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with
pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume,
and clear pronunciation.
Language Standards (L)
L.7.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when
writing or speaking
L.7.1.a. Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific
sentences.
L.7.1.c. Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and
dangling modifiers.
L.7.4.c. 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.
Unit 8 Vocabulary:
 Vocabulary given as introduction to each selection
 Fact
 Opinion
 Text features
 Argument
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



Persuasive techniques
Reasoning
Context clues
Idioms
Assessment Recommendations:
 Assessment Practice – Reading Comprehension pg. 956-961 (end of selections; item analysis
pg 957)
 Essay Writing - rubrics
 Unit 8 test
 Conferencing
 Critical Thinking Class Checklist (levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy)
 Performance Assessment
 Graphic Organizer
 Self-Assessment / Peer Assessment - Checklists
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