Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
7/8th Grade Summer Overview
How do our family connections create conflict?
This 7th/8th grade summer curriculum will reinforce skills that students were exposed to
during the regular school year, by exploring the question How do our family connections
create conflict? Students will study fiction, nonfiction, and poetry in three modules to move
their knowledge from basic understanding to proficient interpretation. Students will produce
three types of writing: a Response to Literature essay, a WriteLike, and a Summary. Students
will also be involved with the Disciplinary Literacy patterned ways of reading and PSSA
stem questions.
Overarching Questions

How do our families’ perspectives differ from our own?

What can we learn about life from the people in our families?

How do the ideas and beliefs of our families shape who we are?
NOTE: It is important to be sensitive to the fact that our students come from many different family
configurations. At the onset of instruction make this explicit to students. Family, for some, may
consist of unrelated caregivers and loved ones.
Unit Texts, Materials and Resources
Core texts:
Holt Elements of Literature (7th Grade)
 “Duffy’s Jacket” pp. 547-555
 “Abuelito Who” p. 623
 “The Place Where Dreams Come
From” pp. 624-625 *optional activity
 “Eeking Out a Life” pp. 53-54
 “What’s Really in a Name?” p. 365
 “Father William” pp. 578-579
Holt Elements of Literature (8th Grade)
 “Legacy II” pp. 682-683
 “Birdfoot’s Grampa” p. 659
 “Raymond’s Run” pp. 547-555
 “Cesar Chavaz: He Made a
Difference” pp. 290-291
Summer 7/8
Supplemental materials (see appendix):
 PSSA-style exam (fiction, nonfiction,
poetry)
 PSSA question stems (for test-taking
strategies)
 Traits of Fiction (handout)
 Traits of Nonfiction (handout)
 Traits of Poetry (handout)
 District rubric (Response to Literature)
 District rubric (Summary)
1
Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
Overview
Unit at a Glance
Module
1
Student Work
(Main Instructional
Activities)
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Quick Write
Think/Pair/Share
Inquiry discussions
StepBack
Author’s chair
Peer conferencing
Student
Products

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
Plotline
$1.00 Summary
Alternate ending*
Readers’/Writers’
notebook
Constructed
response
Response to
Literature
PSSA practice
exam
Pacing
(Instructional Time)
6- 90 minute
lessons
2-3 of the 6 lessons
include a 30 minute
optional activity or
opportunity to
include a session on
Compass Learning.
*optional
2
3
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

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


Summary
WriteLike *
$1.00 summary
PSSA practice
exam
WriteAbout
Constructed
Response
*optional
*optional
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Summer 7/8
Quick Write
Think/Pair/Share
Inquiry discussions
StepBack
Gallery Walk
Debate *
Quick Write
Think/Pair/Share
Inquiry discussions
Poetry scavenger
hunt
StepBack
Author’s chair
Cracking open
Poetry Reading


WriteLike
PSSA practice
exam
Thank-you letter*
Response to
Literature
*optional
6- 90 minute
lessons
2-3 of the 6 lessons
include a 30 minute
optional activity or
opportunity to
include a session on
Compass Learning
6- 90 minute
lessons
2-3 of the 6 lessons
include a 30 minute
optional activity or
opportunity to
include a session on
Compass Learning
2
Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
Overview
PA Academic Standards for Reading, Writing,
Speaking and Listening
1.1.8.E Expand a reading vocabulary by
identifying and correctly using idioms and words
with literal and figurative meanings. Use a
dictionary or related resource.
1.1.8.G Demonstrate, after reading, understanding
and interpretation of both fiction and nonfiction
texts, including public documents.
PSSA Eligible Content Alignment
R8.A.1.1.2 Identify and/or apply a
synonym or antonym of a word used in
text.
R8.A.2.6.1 Identify and/or describe
intended purpose of text.
1.2.8.A Read and understand essential content of
informational texts.
R8.B.1.1.1 Interpret, compare, describe,
analyze, and/or evaluate the
relationships among literary elements
within fiction and literary nonfiction.
1.3.8.B Analyze the use of literary elements by an
author including characterization, setting, plot,
theme, point of view, tone, and style.
R8.B.1.2.1 Interpret, compare, describe,
analyze, and/or evaluate connections
between texts.
1.3.8.C Analyze the effects of various literary
devices.
R8.B.2.1.1 Identify, interpret, describe,
and/or analyze examples of
personification, simile, metaphor,
hyperbole, and imagery in text.
1.4.8.A Write short stories, poems, and plays.
1.5.8.A Write with a sharp, distinct focus.
1.5.8.E Revise writing after rethinking logic of
organization and rechecking central idea, content,
paragraph development, level of detail, style, tone,
and word choice.
Summer 7/8
R8.B.2.1.2 Identify, interpret, describe,
and/or analyze the author’s purpose for
and effectiveness at using figurative
language in text.
3
Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
Overview
Content Expectations (CEs)
Students will know that . . .
1. Writers focus their pieces in the areas of
content, organization, style, and
grammar usage and according to the
audience for the particular piece.
(STANDARDS 1.5.8.B, 1.5.8.C,
1.5.8.D)
2. Interpretations of literature should be
supported with evidence from the text.
(STANDARDS 1.2.8.A, 1.3.8.F)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.A.1.3.2)
3. Authors may create realistic characters
in literature to encourage readers to
reflect on and question their own ideas
and belief systems.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.G, 1.3.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.1.1.1)
4. Authors may use dialogue, figurative
language, and descriptions to bring the
characters of a text to life.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.E, 1.3.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.2.1.2)
5. A narrative contains literary elements
such as: character, plot, and setting and
may reveal clues about the author’s
perspectives.
(STANDARDS 1.3.8.A, 1.3.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.2.2.2)
6. Newspaper articles have unique
structural elements.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.B, 1.2.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.3.3.1)
7. Informational pieces are organized
around a topic and supporting details.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.G, 1.2.8.A,
1.8.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.A.2.4.1,
R7.A.2.5.1)
Summer 7/8
Performance Expectations (PEs)
Students will be able to . . .
1. Write a well-supported, organized
interpretation of literature essay.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.G, 1.3.8.F)
2. Make inferences based on the evidence
in a text.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.B, 1.2.8.A)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.A.1.3.2)
3. Analyze and evaluate characterization
in literature. (STANDARD 1.3.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.1.1.1)
4. Analyze how fictional text encourages
readers to evaluate their own bias and
belief systems.
(Based on STANDARDS 1.2.8.A,
1.3.8.F)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.1.1.1)
5. Students will compare and contrast the
elements of fiction across texts.
(STANDARD 1.3.8.B) (ELIGIBLE
CONTENT R7.B.1.2.1)
6. Analyze a newspaper article for its
organizational structure and
conventions. (STANDARDS 1.2.8.C,
1.4.8.B, 1.5.8.A, 1.5.8.B, 1.5.8.C,
1.5.8.D, 1.5.8.E, 1.5.8.F, 1.5.8.G)
7. Summarize and paraphrase essential
information from nonfiction text.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.G, 1.2.8.A,
1.8.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.A.2.4.1,
R7.A.2.5.1)
8. Support main ideas with relevant
details and evidence. (STANDARDS
1.5.8.B, 1.8.8.C)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.A.2.3.2)
9. Evaluate texts for assigned purposes.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.A, 1.2.8.A,
1.2.8.B)
4
Communications Grades 7/8
8. Critical readers should be aware of bias
in texts.
(STANDARDS 1.2.8.A, 1.2.8.B)
9. Information presented in informational
pieces may be influenced by the bias of
the author and the target audience.
(STANDARD 1.2.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.3.1.1)
10. Poetry relies heavily on the use of
various literary devices, including sound
techniques (rhyme, rhythm, meter,
alliteration) and figurative language
(personification, simile, metaphor,
hyperbole, allusion), to convey emotion.
(STANDARD 1.3.8.C) (ELIGIBLE
CONTENT R8.B.2.1.1, R8.B.2.1.2)
11. Writing an analysis of a poem allows a
reader to more thoroughly understand
the poet’s intent.
(STANDARDS 1.2.8.A, 1.2.8.C)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R8.A.1.5.1)
12. Poetry is recognizable by specific
characteristics. (STANDARD
1.3.8.D)
13. Similar themes and meanings can be
expressed in different texts.
(STANDARD 1.1.8.G)
14. A story told from the first-person point
of view may reflect the narrator’s
perspectives.
(STANDARDS 1.3.8.A, 1.3.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.2.2.2)
Summer 7/8
Unit: Summer
10. Distinguish between cause and effect in
text. (STANDARD 1.2.8.A)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.3.3.1)
11. Recognize and analyze the effect of
various literary devices, including
sound techniques and figurative
language. (STANDARD 1.3.8.C)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R8.B.2.1.1)
12. Interpret the meaning and messages of
various types of poetry.
(STANDARD 1.3.8.A)
13. Recognize and understand the
characteristics of poetry, including
figurative language. (STANDARD
1.3.8.C)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R8.B.2.1.1,
R8.B.2.1.2)
14. Write poetry in a standard form.
(STANDARDS 1.2.8.C, 1.4.8.A)
15. Use vivid adjectives and adverbs to
convey emotion in poetry.
(STANDARDS 1.4.8.A, 1.5.8.F)
16. Use context to establish the definitions
of unknown words. (STANDARDS
1.1.8.C, 1.1.8.E, 1.1.8.F)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R8.A.1.1.1,
R8.A.1.2.2)
17. Analyze an author’s perspective and
use of point of view. (STANDARDS
1.3.8.A, 1.3.8.B, 1.3.8.F)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.2.2.1)
5
Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
Instructional Pathway
Module 1: At a Glance
Pacing: 6 instructional days;
90 minute blocks
Content Expectations (CEs):
Performance Expectations (PEs):
Students will know that . . .
Students will be able to . . .
1. Writers focus their pieces in the areas of
content, organization, style, and grammar
usage and according to the audience for
the particular piece. (STANDARDS
1.5.8.B, 1.5.8.C, 1.5.8.D)
2. Interpretations of literature should be
supported with evidence from the text.
(STANDARDS 1.2.8.A, 1.3.8.F)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.A.1.3.2)
3. Authors may create realistic characters in
literature to encourage readers to
reflect on and question their own ideas
and belief systems. (STANDARDS
1.1.8.G, 1.3.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.1.1.1)
4. Authors may use dialogue, figurative
language, and descriptions to bring the
characters of a text to life.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.E, 1.3.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.2.1.2)
1. Write a well-supported, organized
interpretation of literature essay.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.G, 1.3.8.F)
2. Make inferences based on the evidence
in a text. (STANDARDS 1.1.8.B,
1.2.8.A)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.A.1.3.2)
3. Analyze and evaluate characterization in
literature. (STANDARD 1.3.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.1.1.1)
4. Analyze how fictional text encourages a
reader to evaluate their own belief
systems. (Based on STANDARDS
1.2.8.A, 1.3.8.F)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.1.1.1)
5. Students will compare and contrast the
elements of fiction across texts.
(STANDARD 1.3.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.1.2.1)
5. A narrative contains literary elements
such as: character, plot, and setting and
may reveal clues about the author’s
perspectives. (STANDARDS 1.3.8.A,
1.3.8.B) (ELIGIBLE CONTENT
R7.B.2.2.2)
Summer 7/8
6
Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
Rationale:
In this module, students will be exploring the genre of Fiction. They will do this through the
examination of two examples from the 7th and 8th grade anthologies for literary elements (character,
setting, and plot) and by making and defending text-based inferences. Students will also study the
techniques author’s use to create characters effectively and will apply this knowledge by writing a
Response to Literature where they will further analyze these elements.
Text References, Materials, & Supplies:
Holt, Elements of Literature (7th grade)
 “Duffy’s Jacket” pp. 4-11
Holt, Elements of Literature (8th grade)
 “Raymond’s Run” pp. 547-555
Assessments (formative and/or summative):

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Readers’/Writers’ Notebooks (formative)
Summary (formative)
Plot line (formative)
Alternative story ending (formative)
Inquiry Discussion (formative)
Response to Literature (summative)
Multiple choice exam (summative)
Differentiation:
 The use of formative data from the above sources may be used to differentiate and target
individual or group needs or to vary levels of instruction during the many times when
students are completing tasks independently or in small groups.
 While all students have the same learning goal, individual students may require scaffolds
toward that goal using tools such as guided reading questions, graphic organizers, audio
tapes, etc. to scaffold their learning. Detailed lessons include ideas for these scaffolds.
 Differentiation is embedded in the inquiry format of this lesson in that each student is
supported at his/her own level of entry through the Quick Write technique. The pair, trio,
and/or group discussions that follow allow for all students to enter at their own level and to
build upon that through their interaction with peers during inquiry-based discussions and
with the guidance of the teacher’s follow-up questions.
Summer 7/8
7
Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
INSTRUCTIONAL PATHWAY: FICTION
Lesson 1 (90 Minutes):
 Introduce the Unit: Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry
o Arrange students into groups. Have students review the following texts in their
collections (see pages above): “Raymond’s Run,” “Duffy’s Jacket,” “Cesar
Chavez…,” “Eeking out a Life,” “What’s Really in a Name?” “Abuelito Who,”
“Father William,” “Legacy II,” and “Birdfoot’s Grampa.”
*Teacher note: Feel free to use other texts from the anthology besides the ones mentioned
above for this activity. The more examples you have here for students to use, the easier it
will be for them to develop their criteria.
o Put a large piece of chart paper at each group along with a few different color
markers. Have students create 3 columns (see example below).
o Ask students to sort the texts into fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Walk around and
observe the students sorting. Ask the students why the text is in a certain category.
Instruct students to write three criteria for sorting the tex. This should be a list
explaining how the students decided to sort each book.
*Teacher note: You may need to provide students a model for this. See the chart below.
TEXT
“Birdfoot’s Grampa”
GENRE
Poem
CRITERIA FOR DECISION
There are stanzas instead of
paragraphs.
o When all groups are finished, have each group present its ideas to the other students
to prompt discussion of genres.
o After all students have shared, assist them in narrowing down the main criteria.
o Distribute the “Traits of Fiction,” “Traits of Nonfiction,” and “Traits of Poetry”
handouts (appendix). Have students compare the criteria on their group’s chart paper
to the elements on the handout. As a whole group, discuss the differences between
the handout and the chart paper in order to assist students in understanding the
quality of their group’s prior knowledge. Add/modify chart as needed. Tell students
that for the first part of the course we will be reading fiction. Students should keep
the criteria in mind as they read. Keep charts visible.
NOTE: It is very important to be sensitive to the fact that our students come from many
different family configurations. At the onset of instruction make this explicit to students.
Family, for some, may consist of unrelated caregivers and loved ones.

QuickWrite/Accessing Prior Knowledge
o Have students respond to the following question in paragraph form:
How do our families impact our life? Is it positive, negative, or both?
o Have students share their ideas with a partner and then with the whole group.
Summer 7/8
8
Communications Grades 7/8


Unit: Summer
Read to Get the Gist: “Duffy’s Jacket”
o What is happening here?
o Who are the characters? What do we know about them? How do we know?
o Share in pairs/trios.
Discuss the Gist
Independently, have students write a “$1.00 summary” of “Duffy’s Jacket.”
*Teacher note: For the $1.00 summary, students are given a “cent value” for each word in
their summary (e.g. ten cents) and then are asked to construct a summary of the piece without
going over the allotted amount, in this case, $1.00. The total amount can be changed to suit
the needs of your students, as well ($2.00. $3.00, etc.).
o
o
Share summaries orally with a partner. Teacher circulates to identify one or two to
share with whole group.
Share one or two of the summaries with the whole group. Was anything left out?
Lesson 2 (60 Minutes + *Optional Activity/Compass Learning)
 Discuss the Gist (cont.)
o With a partner or in small groups, direct students to create a “plotline” of the events
in the story. Have the students choose 5 to 7 significant moments in the
plot for their plotlines and identify the key elements of the plot as they appear in the
story (conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution). Have each
group share its plotline with the group; create one for the class.
*Teacher note: See model below. A modification for visual learners would be to
have them draw pictures to represent each element of the plot.
EXAMPLE:
CONFLICT
RISING
CLIMAX
FALLING
RESOLUTION
ACTION
ACTION

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

Quick Write
o What does it means to make an inference?
o Chart out responses
Reread for Author’s Craft (inference)
o Ask: What do we know about the narrator (Andrew)? What textual clues does the
author give the reader to help us understand this character?
o Share in pairs/trios
o Chart
WriteAbout to Prepare for Inquiry Discussion
o In your Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook, answer the following question by making an
inference. Support your inferential statement with textual evidence.
How does Andrew feel about his family?
o Pair/Share
Inquiry Discussion
Summer 7/8
9
Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
o Conduct an inquiry discussion based on the questions above.
 StepBack
o Think about the inferential statements your classmates proposed and defended. Did you
hear any statements that were different than your own? Did you hear support for your
inference?
o Why do you think that different inferences - even ones that seem contradictory - can both
be supported by the same text?
*OPTIONAL ACTIVITY:
 Creative Writing: Write your own ending
o Have students revisit the plotline you created as a class. Ask: How do you think the
story would be different if we changed the climax? The resolution?
o Brainstorm some possible “alternative” plotlines; discuss how these alternatives
might affect other parts of the story.
o Have students choose and write their own alternate ending to the story. Direct them
to turn and share with a partner. Circulate as they share.
o Share with Whole Group: “Author’s Chair” (a chair placed in the front of the class)
 Ask one or two students to sit in the “author’s chair” and share their pieces
with the class.
Lesson 3 (90 Minutes)
 Retrospective
o Ask: What can we learn about families, in general, from the family in this story?
You may also include what you learned about your own family from the story.
o Have students respond in their Readers’/Writers’ Notebooks. Have one or two
students at each table share his/her response.
 Read to Get the Gist: “Raymond’s Run”
o Have students read this text in segments. The vocabulary level of this story makes it
an appropriate independent reading choice for students at most ability levels.
o Students read pages 547-549.
*Teacher note: Decide how to segment the text to best suit the needs of your
students.
o Have students answer the following gist questions in their Reader’s/Writer’s
Notebook as they read:
 What’s happening here? How do we know?
 Who are the characters? What do we know about them?
o Whole group discussion; chart responses of the group.
 Mini-lesson (context clues)
o Ask: What is a context clue? How do you use them? Brief share-out.
o Read together with students the section on context clues on p. 264 of the Holt
Elements of Literature (8th grade). Have students revisit the text independently for
words in “Raymond’s Run” that were problematic for them as they read. Create a
four-square box chart (like the one shown on the page in the text) for each of the
words they identify.
o When finished, ask students to share their choices with a partner.
Summer 7/8
10
Communications Grades 7/8

o Whole group share; chart responses.
Reread for Significance (character): Reread pages 547-549 for significance, focusing on
lines that reveal character like the one below. Many students will need this table to be
modeled for them before they can begin.
EXAMPLE:
Significant line with page #
Page 547 - “And as anybody
can tell you, I’m the fastest
thing on two feet”

Unit: Summer
What we learn about the
character
This tells me she is selfconfident and maybe a little
conceited.
Author’s technique
Main character describes
herself using figurative
language (fastest thing on
two feet - hyperbole).
Chart/Gallery Walk
o Have students chart the responses from their own tables and display on the wall.
Invite students to walk around and view each other’s charts. Encourage them to
discuss what the lines reveal about the characters and why the author would have
chosen to describe the character that way.
Lesson 4 (60 Minutes + *Optional Activity/Compass Learning)
 WriteAbout: Prepare for Inquiry Discussion
o Ask: Are the judgments Squeaky makes about people fair? Why or why not?
o Be sure to remind them to use text examples and support in their responses.
o Have students respond in their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks and then share with
their tables.
 Inquiry Discussion (Review or create protocols for accountability to class, text and rigor.)
o Conduct an inquiry discussion around the above question. Have students defend
their answers with evidence from the text.
o Chart responses students share during discussion.
 Stepback: Reflect on Learning
o How has our discussion added to or enhanced your understanding of the story?
Have students revise their written responses based upon the discussion.
 Write a Constructed Response (PSSA practice)
o Have students turn their WriteAbouts into a PSSA-style open-ended response (see
pp. PA25-PA26 of the 7th/8th grade Holt Elements of Literature text).
*Teacher note: If students struggle with this task, you may need to create this piece
together, or begin it as a class and then have them finish independently. This will
provide a scaffold for later on when they will have to write a Response to Literature
on their own.
*OPTIONAL ACTIVITY:
 Reread for Author’s Craft (voice)
o Ask: How do authors bring their characters to life?
o Discuss with students and chart their responses.
Summer 7/8
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
o Read the handout “Narrative Voice” (see appendix) with students and tell them that
narrative voice is one way in which authors build character.
o In their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks, have students create a two-column chart.
Direct them to reread/scan both “Duffy’s Jacket” and “Raymond’s Run” looking for
examples of narrative voice in both texts. On the left, write the example of narrative
voice and on the right, draw a picture or write the image that example creates in the
readers’ head (see the example below).
EXAMPLE:
Example of narrative voice
Image created for the reader
“If my cousin Duffy had the brains of a
The image I get from this line is this
turnip it never would have happened…Me, I arrogant-looking, sarcastic kid standing
think turnips are brighter.” p. 5
with his arms folded across his chest as he
talks.
*Teacher note: Students can draw a
picture instead of/in conjunction with their
explanations.
o Have the students create these independently or with a small group. Then, have each
group share-out at least one of its choices.
o Extended Activity: Have students underline or highlight the specific words that the
author used that created the unique voice of the character (“brains of a turnip”
colloquialism; “Me, I” informal speech.)
Lesson 5 (90 Minutes)
 Introduce Summative Assessment (Response to Literature – Interpretive)
o Write the following question on the board:
How are the relationships between Andrew and his family and Squeaky and her
family similar and dissimilar? Use evidence from the text to support your
answer.
o Using a T-chart or a Venn diagram, together with students, brainstorm how these two
families compare and contrast with each other.
 Constructing a Thesis Statement
o Model for students how to take one of the ideas you brainstormed together as a class
and turn it into a thesis statement (see example below).
o Have students work to create their own thesis statements. Walk around to provide
feedback as the students work.
Summer 7/8
12
Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
EXAMPLE:
Andrew’s family
Andrew does not seem to
enjoy spending time with
Duffy and the rest of his
family.


Squeaky’s family
Squeaky likes being around
her family, even Raymond
who she is responsible for.
Possible thesis statement
While alike in some ways, the two
narrators in the stories, “Duffy’s
Jacket,” and “Raymond’s Run” have
very unique and different
relationships with the various
members of their families.
Planning/Oral Rehearsal
o Direct students to create an outline of their paper.
*Teacher note: Feel free to show students models of graphic organizers that they
can use for this task. See the appendix for the Write Tools multi-paragraph
organizer.
o Once students have completed their plan, have them do an “oral rehearsal” of their
paper with a partner or partners. Ask students to provide feedback to each other
based on the following:
 Does the paper address the prompt completely?
 Is there evidence to support the author’s argument?
 Are all the elements of a multi-paragraph essay present (thesis, body,
conclusion)?
o Circulate while students share and provide feedback based on the outlines you see.
Rough Draft
o Have students begin writing the first draft of their papers. Pass out the district rubric
(see appendix) for an Interpretive Response to Literature and review it with students.
Set up a sign-up sheet for student-teacher conferences in order to provide
individualized feedback as students work on their writing independently.
*Teacher note: Another option here may be to set up two groups, one to work
independently and one to work with you. The latter may need some additional
scaffolding in order to complete the assignment.
o Collect student papers to provide some constructive feedback based on the rubric.
Lesson 6 (60 Minutes +Optional Activity/Compass Learning)
 Editing/Revisions
o Pass back the “corrected” papers to students and review the feedback using the
district rubric.
*Teacher note: It might be a good idea to provide some models of proficient work
here for students to see. Use one or two of the pieces the students write, if you can,
that have strong examples of the elements mentioned in the rubric.
o Have students make the necessary revisions to their papers based upon your
feedback. Collect when finished to assess.
 PSSA Practice Exam
o Distribute the multiple choice exam for Module 1 (see appendix). Review the test
questions and test-taking strategies for multiple choice exams with the students.
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Unit: Summer
*OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
 Sharing/Peer Feedback
o Have students share their completed pieces with a partner/in a trio. Provide each
group with a copy of the rubric and direct the partners to provide feedback to the
authors based upon the criteria contained within.
o At each table/group, ask one person to stand and share what he/she enjoyed about the
piece(s) he/she read.
 StepBack: Reflect on Writing
o Have students respond in their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks to the following
question(s):
 What do you feel you did well in this paper?
 What do you feel you need to do a little better?
o Ask a few students to share their responses.
o Collect students’ work to assess.
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
Instructional Pathway
Module 2: At a Glance
Pacing: 6 instructional days;
90 minute blocks
Content Expectations (CEs):
Performance Expectations (PEs):
6. Newspaper articles have unique structural
elements.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.B, 1.2.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.3.3.1)
7. Informational pieces are organized
around a topic and supporting details.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.G, 1.2.8.A,
1.8.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.A.2.4.1,
R7.A.2.5.1)
8. Critical readers should be aware of bias in
texts. (STANDARDS 1.2.8.A, 1.2.8.B)
9. Information presented in informational
pieces may be influenced by the bias of
the author and the target audience.
(STANDARD 1.2.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.3.1.1)
6. Analyze a newspaper article for its
organizational structure and conventions.
(STANDARDS 1.2.8.C, 1.4.8.B,
1.5.8.A, 1.5.8.B, 1.5.8.C, 1.5.8.D,
1.5.8.E, 1.5.8.F, 1.5.8.G)
7. Summarize and paraphrase essential
information from nonfiction text.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.G, 1.2.8.A,
1.8.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.A.2.4.1,
R7.A.2.5.1)
8. Support main ideas with relevant details
and evidence.
(STANDARDS 1.5.8.B, 1.8.8.C)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.A.2.3.2)
9. Evaluate texts for assigned purposes.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.A, 1.2.8.A,
1.2.8.B)
10. Distinguish between cause and effect in
text. (STANDARD 1.2.8.A)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.3.3.1)
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
Rationale:
In this module, students will be exploring the Nonfiction genre. They will focus on informational
and persuasive texts from the 7th and 8th grade anthologies and will discuss how the author’s
purpose impacts the structure and content of these pieces. Students will also distinguish between
fact and opinion and identify bias as they appear in nonfiction texts. Students will demonstrate their
understanding of this genre by composing a summary of their own which follows the structure and
conventions for informational writing.
Text References, Materials, & Supplies:
Holt Elements of Literature (7th Grade)
 “What’s Really in a Name?” pp. 365-366
 “Eeking Out a Life” pp. 53-54
Holt Elements of Literature (8th Grade)
 “Cesar Chavez: He Made a Difference” pp. 290-291
Assessments (formative and/or summative):










Readers’/Writers’ notebooks (formative)
Summary (formative/summative)
Inquiry discussions (formative)
Multiple choice exam (formative/summative)
Constructed Response (formative)
WriteLike (formative)
Storyboard (formative)
Gallery Walk (formative)
Class Debate (formative)
Response to Literature (formative)
Differentiation:
 The use of formative data from the above sources may be used to differentiate and target
individual or group needs or to vary levels of instruction during the many times when
students are completing tasks independently or in small groups.
 While all students have the same learning goal, individual students may require scaffolds
toward that goal using tools such as guided reading questions, graphic organizers, audio
tapes, etc. to scaffold their learning. Detailed lessons include ideas for these scaffolds.
 Differentiation is imbedded in the inquiry format of this lesson in that each student is
supported at his/her own level of entry through the Quick Write technique. The pair, trio,
and/or group discussions that follow allow for all students to enter at their own level and to
build upon that through their interaction with peers during inquiry- based discussions and
with the guidance of the teacher’s follow-up questions.
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
INSTRUCTIONAL PATHWAY: NONFICTION
Lesson 7 (90 minutes)
 Accessing Prior Knowledge
o Refer back to the “Traits of Nonfiction” chart you made in Lesson 1. Review with
students what they already know about this genre. Remind them that in this module
they will be examining informational, or nonfiction, texts.
o QuickWrite - Have students respond to following question in their
Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks:
What roles do pets play in families?
o Pair/trio share
o Discuss briefly with the whole group.
 Read to Get the Gist: “Eeking Out a Life”
o Have students read the newspaper article on pp. 53-54 and answer the following
questions:
What is this article about?
What are the key points it makes?
 Discuss the Gist
o Whole group discussion; chart responses
 Reread for Significance (fact/opinion)
o QuickWrite: What would you expect to find more of in a newspaper article, facts
or opinions? Why? Discuss with students the purpose of a newspaper article and
which of the two one would expect to see more in a newspaper article. Have
students make a prediction and record it on the board or on chart paper.
o In pairs or trios, have students return to the text and find lines that are either
examples of a “fact” or examples of an “opinion.” Have them record their responses
on a two-column chart. On the left, the line, and on the right, an explanation of
whether it is a fact/opinion and an explanation of why they classified the line the
way they did.
o Have each small pair/trio share its findings with the class; chart the choices of the
class and look for consistencies across the group.
 Discuss the Significance
o Ask: Did we guess correctly? What do these results tell us about the purpose of the
text?
o Brief whole group discussion
 StepBack: Reflect on Learning
o In their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks, have students answer the following question:
How is this text the same/different from other informational texts you know?
What was learned or confirmed from reading this piece?
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
Lesson 8 (60 minutes + *Optional Activity/ Compass Learning
 Reread Differently (text structure)
o Read through p.52 “Understanding Text Structures: A Newspaper Article” together
with the students. Discuss the inverted triangle structure of a newspaper article.
o On chart paper or in their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks, have students create an
inverted triangle. Then, ask them to revisit the article and “fill-in” the triangle with
the appropriate pieces from the text. Additionally, have them identify as many of
the elements of a newspaper article listed on the right hand side of p. 52 (Headline,
Subheading, Byline, etc.) as they can in “Eeking out a Life.”
*Teacher note: You may need to begin this activity with the students and then have them
complete it on their own.

o Discuss students’ findings with the class.
Mini-lesson (affixes)
o Have students turn to p.163 in the Holt Elements of Literature textbook (7th grade).
Read through the section at the top of page, “Recognizing roots and affixes.”
o Together with students, revisit the article, “Eeking out a Life” and search for words
with affixes. Chart results and come up with a class list. Discuss the meaning of the
prefix, suffix, and root word and how the root word changes with the addition of an
affix.
*Teacher note: If you feel it would be helpful, create a chart to help students sort the info
they collect (see example below).
EXAMPLE:
Prefix - meaning


Root word - meaning
Suffix - meaning
New word - meaning
PSSA Test Practice
o Have students turn to p. 55 of their textbook. Direct them to complete items 1-6 on
their own. When finished, go over the questions and answers together with the
students. Review multiple choice test-taking strategies with them during the
discussion using the PSSA question stems (see appendix).
Constructed Response
o Have students respond in paragraph form to the following question independently in
their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks:
 What is the purpose of this newspaper article? How does the author reveal
his purpose?
o Conduct a whole group discussion around the above questions. Use the PSSA
constructed response rubric (Holt Elements of Literature, pp. PA25-PA26) to
provide direction and feedback.
Summer 7/8
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
* OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
 WriteLike: Newspaper article
o Using the structure on p. 52 as a guide, have students practice writing their own
newspaper articles about a family pet. Brainstorm some possible story topics with
students such as: adopting a pet, a pet runs away, a pet gets injured, a pet hurts or
bites a person, etc.
*Teacher note: Tell students that this does not have to be a true event. If they have one
to write about, that is great; however, the purpose of this activity is to practice writing in
this genre, not to struggle with the content. During the brainstorm, talk about what types of
articles appear in actual newspapers about pets. Additionally, if you have access to papers
the students can read, bring them in to provide another model for this type of writing.
o Model for students how to write a “lead.” Choose one of the topics you
brainstormed as a class, and create a lead for an article based on that topic. Have
students begin there, before constructing the rest of their pieces.
o When finished, have students share their pieces with a partner or a small group.
Lesson 9 ( 90 minutes)
 Accessing Prior Knowledge
o QuickWrite: Have students respond to the following question in their
Readers’s/Writer’s Notebooks:
How are we affected when bad things happen to our families?
o Have students share their responses with their tables/partners.
o Share-out as a group.
 Read to Get the Gist: “Cesar Chavez: He Made a Difference”
o Direct students to turn to pp. 290-291 in their anthologies. Read this piece together
with students and as you read, stop periodically and ask:
What are the key events in this piece? How do you know?
* Teacher note: Have students defend their choices for “key events.” If the students
struggle separating the essential/non-essential information, have them turn to p. 462 and
reference the section, “Identifying the Main Idea.”


o Chart the key events you come up with as a class.
Discuss the Gist
o When finished reading the piece, ask: What is the main idea of this piece? Have
students write a BRIEF statement in their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks and then
discuss as a class.
o Write a $1.00 summary together with the students based on the responses you
receive.
Reread for Significance (essential/non-essential information)
o Have students create a two-column chart (similar to what they did in Lesson 7). On
the left, have students write “essential to the main idea” and on the right, “not
essential to the main idea” (see model below).
o Ask students to reread pp. 290-291 and “collect” details from the piece; then have
them sort the details they collect as being essential or non-essential to the main
idea. After each detail they write, have them justify why they classified their
Summer 7/8
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
choices the way they did.
*Teacher note: Refer students again to p. 462 of their books to help them with
their classifications.
EXAMPLE:
Essential to the main idea
“The lawyer took the forty acres and sold
it back to the man who had cheated
Chavaz’s father in the first place.”
Not essential to the main idea
“…Chavaz was only able to go to school
when the harvests were in…”
This is not essential because it isn’t about
This is essential because it becomes
how Chavaz helped people or how he
Chavaz’s motivation for his later actions.
“made a difference.” It is interesting, but
not essential.
o Circulate as students work to monitor, assess, and provide feedback.
Lesson 10 (60 minutes + *Optional Activity/Compass Learning)
 Discuss the Significance/Silent Gallery Walk
o Have students hang their charts on the wall. In small groups, have them
SILENTLY walk around the room and read the details their classmates chose.
Direct them to make checkmarks next to the selections they agree with and deltas
next to the ones they don’t.
 StepBack: Reflect on Learning
o Ask: What ideas were learned or confirmed from our Gallery Walk? How did this
activity help you to understand main idea and supporting details better?
 Reread for Author’s Craft (text structure)
o QuickWrite: Have students respond to the following question in their
Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks:
What are some different ways that authors structure texts?
*Teacher note: Depending on the background knowledge of your students, one
way to modify the task may be to give students some of the ways texts are
structured (e.g. chronologically, compare/contrast, cause and effect, etc.) and then
have students write about examples they know of each.
o Direct students to the anthology, p. 156, “Understanding Text Structures.”
Compare the ideas you came up with as a class, with those presented in the text. In
their notebooks, have students make a list of “clue words” associated with each
type of text structure (e.g. enumeration = one, two, three; chronological = first,
second; compare/contrast = like, similar, dissimilar, etc.).
o Reread “Cesar Chavaz…” and have the students identify the structure of this text.
Then, have them make a list of the words/phrases that supported their decision.
o Share-out; chart responses.
o Turn to p. 289 and read about Cause and Effect as a text structure. Ask: How
many cause/effect events can you find in this piece? Using the chart on p. 292,
have students in small groups or with a partner find as many cause/effect scenarios
from the text as possible.
o Share chart class findings with whole group.
Summer 7/8
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
*OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
 Storyboard (cause/effect)
o Ask: What is a storyboard? Why do people use them? Chart the responses
students give. Tell them that a storyboard is used by producers and directors when
they are mapping out a movie
*Teacher note: To access their prior knowledge, you might even reference that many
“special edition” DVDs today include the storyboards of certain movie scenes for the
buyer; you could ask if anyone in the class has seen these before. Storyboards lay out a
pictorial version of the plot and share it with the actors in order to provide them direction
with their scenes.
o
o
Tell students to pretend that a “movie version” of this story is being made. Ask:
What would a storyboard of this piece look like? What key events would you have
the actors focus on? Using the ideas mapped on the chart from the previous
activity, brainstorm some possible ideas for the storyboards.
On chart paper, direct students in small groups to create their own storyboards of
the Cesar Chavez piece. Tell them to focus on at least five key events from the
story and the effects those events had on Chavez’s life (see model below).
*Teacher note: Remind them that the events they choose to represent should
appear in chronological order.
EXAMPLE:
Key event
In 1962, he organized the
National Farm Workers’
Association.
(Have students draw a picture
here.)
Effect of event
Five year strike ensued.
(Have students draw a picture
here.)
o Have each group share its storyboard with the class.
Lesson 11 (90 minutes)
 Accessing Prior Knowledge
o QuickWrite: What do our names have to do with how we see ourselves? Have
students respond in their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks and then share their
responses with a partner.
o Whole group share-out; chart responses.
 Read to Get the Gist: “What’s Really in a Name?”
o Independently or with a partner, have students read pp. 365-366 of the textbook.
While reading, have students answer the following questions:
What is this article about?
What key points does it make?
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer

Discuss the Gist
o Have each pair share their findings with the group. Chart their responses.
o As a class, read p. 364, “Analyzing an Author’s Perspective.” With the students,
complete the chart on the right side of the page. Compare the information used to
complete the chart with what key points the students identified.
 Introduce Summative Assessment (Summary)
o Inform students that they will now be writing a summary of ONE of the three
informational pieces they have read in this module.
o Distribute the Summary Organizer to students (see appendix) and explain that they
will use this to plan out their final piece.
*Teacher note: You may need to model for the students how to use the organizer before
having them work on their own. Maybe, if your students need the scaffolding, work with
them jointly on the “Name It, Verb It, Big Picture” topic sentence and one main idea, then
have them complete the rest independently. Another option might be to separate students
into three different groups and assign each one an article to summarize. They can work
together on creating the summaries and you can differentiate the activity by assigning the
least difficult text (“Eeking Out a Life”) to the most struggling students, and so on.
o

Distribute the district rubric on summary writing (see appendix) to the students and
explain the criteria to them as they begin to write.
o After students finish, choose a few students to share their pieces – or if they are in
groups, ask a group to present—and then have the large group provide feedback
based on the rubric.
Retrospective
o On an exit ticket, have students respond to the following questions:
 How are these nonfiction texts similar/dissimilar to each other? To others
you’ve read?
 What strategies helped you understand informational texts better?
Lesson 12 (60 minutes + *Optional Activity/Compass Learning)
 Reread for Author’s Craft (author’s perspective/bias)
o Have students revisit the “…Names” article to find lines which reveal the author’s
perspective/bias on changing names.
o Have students share the lines they’ve chosen with a partner and then with the whole
group.
 WriteAbout: Prepare for inquiry-based discussion
o Have students respond to the following question in their Reader’s/Writer’s
Notebooks:
Is the author’s bias towards changing names justified? Support your
argument with evidence from the text.
 Class Debate
o Using the notes the students collected from their small group discussions, have
them engage in a debate with each other around the answer to the above question.
*Teacher note: If the class is one-sided in its choices, you can feel free to play
“devil’s advocate” and the students can debate with you on the issue.
Summer 7/8
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer

PSSA Practice Exam (see appendix)
o Review the questions with students before they begin and remind them of testtaking strategies.
o After they complete their tests, go over the answers and discuss which items were
the most problematic for them.
*OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
 Response to Literature
o Ask students to respond to the WriteAbout question in essay form. Reference the
district rubric for a Response to Literature used in Lesson 5 in your explanation of
the task. Circulate as students work to assess and provide feedback.
Summer 7/8
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
Instructional Pathway
Module 3: At a Glance
Pacing: 6 instructional days;
90 minute blocks
Content Expectations (CEs):
Performance Expectations (PEs):
10. Poetry relies heavily on the use of
various literary devices, including sound
techniques (rhyme, rhythm, meter,
alliteration) and figurative language
(personification, simile, metaphor,
hyperbole, allusion), to convey emotion.
(STANDARD 1.3.8.C)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R8.B.2.1.1,
R8.B.2.1.2)
11. Recognize and analyze the effect of
various literary devices, including sound
techniques and figurative language.
(STANDARD 1.3.8.C)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R8.B.2.1.1)
11. Writing an analysis of a poem allows a
reader to more thoroughly understand the
poet’s intent.
(STANDARDS 1.2.8.A, 1.2.8.C)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R8.A.1.5.1)
13. Recognize and understand the
characteristics of poetry, including
figurative language.
(STANDARD 1.3.8.C)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R8.B.2.1.1,
R8.B.2.1.2)
12. Poetry is recognizable by specific
characteristics.
(STANDARD 1.3.8.D)
14. Write poetry in a standard form.
(STANDARDS 1.2.8.C, 1.4.8.A)
13. Similar themes and meanings can be
expressed in different texts.
(STANDARD 1.1.8.G)
15. Use vivid adjectives and adverbs to
convey emotion in poetry.
(STANDARDS 1.4.8.A, 1.5.8.F)
14. A story told from the first-person point
of view may reflect the narrator’s
perspective.
(STANDARDS 1.3.8.A, 1.3.8.B)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.2.2.2)
16. Use context to establish the definitions
of unknown words.
(STANDARDS 1.1.8.C, 1.1.8.E,
1.1.8.F)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R8.A.1.1.1,
R8.A.1.2.2)
12. Interpret the meaning and messages of
various types of poetry.
(STANDARD 1.3.8.A)
17. Analyze an author’s perspective and use
of point of view.
(STANDARDS 1.3.8.A, 1.3.8.B, 1.3.8.F)
(ELIGIBLE CONTENT R7.B.2.2.1)
Summer 7/8
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
Rationale:
In this module students will explore what can be learned from the genre of Poetry. Students will
discuss and examine the authors’ purposes, techniques, and themes used when writing poems.
Students will demonstrate their understanding of authorial craft through a WriteLike where they will
be asked to utilize figurative language, punctuation, and word choice to create their own poetic
writing.
Text References, Materials, & Supplies:
Holt Elements of Literature (7th Grade)

“Abuelito Who” p. 623
 “The Place Where Dreams Come From” pp. 624-625 *optional activity
 “Father William” pp. 578-579 *optional activity
Holt Elements of Literature (8th Grade)
 “Legacy ll” p. 682-683
 “Birdfoot’s Grampa” p. 659
Assessments (formative and/or summative):








Readers’/Writers’ Notebooks (formative)
Inquiry discussions (formative)
Multiple choice exam (formative/summative)
WriteLike (/formative/summative)
Response to Literature (formative/summative)
Thank-you letter (formative)
Rubric for an Effective Poem (summative)
Class Poetry Reading (summative)
Differentiation:
 The use of formative data from the above sources may be used to differentiate and target
individual or group needs or to vary levels of instruction during the many times when
students are completing tasks independently or in small groups.
 While all students have the same learning goal, individual students may require scaffolds
toward that goal using tools such as guided reading questions, graphic organizers, audio
tapes, etc. to scaffold their learning. Detailed lessons include ideas for these scaffolds.
 Differentiation is embedded in the inquiry format of this lesson in that each student is
supported at his/her own level of entry through the QuickWrite technique. The pair, trio,
and/or group discussions that follow allow for all students to enter at their own level and to
build upon that through their interaction with peers during inquiry-based discussions and
with the guidance of the teacher’s follow-up questions.
Summer 7/8
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
INSTRUCTIONAL PATHWAY: POETRY
Lesson 13 (90 minutes)

Accessing Prior Knowledge
o Quick Write: Do our feelings about family remain the same over time? Why or
why not? Have students respond to the questions above in their Reader’s/Writer’s
Notebooks.
o Partner/whole group share
o Refer to the “Traits of Poetry” chart from Lesson 1. Tell students that in this
module they will be studying poetry.
o Read pp. 546 – 547; 576 – 577 together; compare the criteria in the book to the
one created by the class.
 Poetry Scavenger Hunt
o Ask students to skim the three poems they will be reading in this module
(“Abuelito Who,” “Birdfoot’s Grampa,” and “Legacy II”) and search for the traits
of poetry they see evident in these pieces.
o Discuss with the whole group.
 Read to Get the Gist: “Abuelito Who”
o Read the poem on p. 623 aloud with the students. Then, have them read the poem
again silently. As they read, instruct them to answer the following questions in
their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks:
 What is this poem about? How do you know?
 What information does it reveal?
o Have students turn and share their responses with a partner.
o Whole group discussion
 Reread for Significance
o In pairs or trios, have students reread the piece for lines of significance. Instead
of a two column chart however, have students create a four-square chart to record
their findings as follows:
 In the first box, they should write the significant line;
 in the second box, their explanation of the significance;
 in the third box, the image the line creates for the reader;
 and in the fourth box, any word(s) or phrases that immediately come to
mind in association with the line (see the example below).
*Teacher note: Before asking students to do this on their own, you may need to
model the process for them with your own “significant moment.” Try to choose a
line the students are not likely to choose themselves, however.
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Communications Grades 7/8
EXAMPLE:
Line
Unit: Summer
Image
“Who throws coins like rain”


Explanation
Word Connections
I think this line is significant because to me it
speaks to the character of Cisneros’s
grandfather; he is obviously generous with his
money.
“wishing well”
“piggy banks”
Discuss the Significance
o Have each pair/trio present its four-square chart to the class. Collate and chart
the groups’ responses as they share. In the end, discuss the similarities and
differences in the lines and images they’ve collected.
StepBack: Reflect on Learning
o Ask students to respond to the following question in their Reader’s/Writer’s
Notebooks:
How did our work today enhance or confirm what you
already knew about poetry?
o Have one or two students volunteer their answers.
Lesson 14 (60 minutes + *Optional Activity/Compass Learning)
 WriteAbout: Prepare for Inquiry-based Discussion
o Ask: Which of Cisneros’s images in the poem is the most powerful? Use
evidence from the poem to support your interpretation. Direct students to write
an individual response to this question in their Readers’/Writers’ notebooks.
 Inquiry Discussion – Last Word
o Put students into small groups of 4 or 5.
o Using their responses to the above questions as a guide, tell students to conduct
a “last word” discussion.
*Teacher note: Tell students to take turns sharing the image from the poem that they
found the most powerful. The person who starts the discussion, shares his/her image
and then, each person in the group responds to what the first speaker says. Once
everyone else has responded, the first speaker gets the “last word” about why he/she
chose that image. The process is repeated until each person in the group gets a chance
to share his/her image with the group.
o Debrief the discussion; have each group give a brief summary of the discussion
they conducted with their peers.
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Unit: Summer

Response to Literature
o Have students complete the task, “Cisneros’s Message” on p. 626. Direct
students to record their responses in the form of a QuickWrite.
o Students could share their responses with the group.
o Ask students to complete the assignment on p. 627, “Writing about a Writer’s
Message.” Students can follow the directions in the text to complete the task.
Remind students of the rubric they’ve used previously in Modules 1 and 2 and
discuss with them the criteria for a proficient response.
*OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
 Read to Get the Gist: “The Place Where Dreams Come From”
o Read together with students the essay by Cisneros on pp. 624-625, stopping
periodically to ask:
 What is the main idea of this paragraph (s)?
 What are the key facts/details which support the main idea?
 Discuss the Significance/Whole Group Discussion
o Ask: How do our interpretations compare to Cisneros’s intended meaning?
Discuss the similarities and differences.
o Have students complete the “Thinking Critically” questions on p. 626; when
finished, ask them to share with a partner/trio and then go over their answers
together as a group.
Lesson 15 (90 minutes)
 Read to Get the Gist: “Birdfoot’s Grampa”
o Read aloud, or have a student read aloud, the poem on p. 659. Then, have the
students read it to themselves and answer the following questions:
 What is going on in this poem? How do you know?
 Where does this poem take place? How do you know?
o Have the students discuss with a partner what they’ve written; share-out and
chart responses.
 Reread for Significance (text connections)
o Instruct students to create a two-column chart and revisit both “Abuelito Who”
and “Birdfoot’s Grampa.” On their charts, ask them to record lines that convey
similar messages/themes across the texts to the reader (see the example below).
Allow students to complete this task in their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks
independently and then be prepared to discuss with the group.
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EXAMPLE:
“Abuelito Who”
“Who talks to me inside my
head”
Unit: Summer
“Birdfoot’s Grampa”
“He just smiled and said, ‘They
have places to go too.’ ”
These two lines convey similar
messages/themes because both
are talking about words that
have been stated that will have
a lasting effect on the mind of
the author.


o Discuss the choices the students made as a class and then make a class collection
of significant lines on chart paper.
WriteLike (point of view)
o Ask students: From which point of view is this story told? How do you know?
Chart student responses.
o How would this poem be different if it were told from the first person point of
view of the Grampa? How would his perspective be different? As a class,
brainstorm some things the Grampa might say if he were telling the story and
record their responses on chart paper.
o Have students construct their own poem in first person point of view, but this
time as if Grampa were telling the story. Circulate as the students write to
provide assistance and feedback.
Share-out/Author’s chair
o While circulating, ask one student to sit in the “author’s chair” and read his/her
piece for the class. When finished, as for any other student volunteers.
Lesson 16 (60 minutes + *Optional Activity/Compass Learning)
 Read to Get the Gist: “Legacy ll”
o Read aloud the poem on pp. 682-683 to students and ask the following
questions:
 What is this poem about? How do you know?
 What is the setting of this poem? How do you know?
o Have students respond and record the responses on chart paper.
 Reread for Significance (figurative language)
o Quick Write: What do you know about figurative language? Have students
respond in their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks.
o Whole group share-out; chart responses.
o Have students in pairs and trios search the three poems that they have read so far
in the module for examples of figurative language. Have students state the
example, identify the type of figurative language, and state the meaning of each
example (see model below)
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Communications Grades 7/8
EXAMPLE:
Example
Used to laugh like the letter
“k.” (simile – “Abuelito
Who”)
Unit: Summer
Meaning
His laughter is rough and
throaty.
o Have each small group share with the whole group the examples they found.
PSSA Practice Exam
o Pass out the tests and review the questions with the students (see appendix).
Discuss test-taking strategies with them before they begin.
o When finished, review the answers with students and talk about the items that
most of the students missed; be sure to talk about why they may have missed the
questions that they did.
*OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
Reminder: It is important to be sensitive to the fact that our students come from many
different family configurations. At the onset of instruction make this explicit to students.
Family, for some, may consist of unrelated caregivers and loved ones.


Letter Writing
o Ask: What are some things you have learned from your family? Have students
respond to the question above in their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks in the form
of a QuickWrite.
o Share-out and chart the answers the students generate.
o Tell students that they will now be writing a thank-you letter to a family member
for something that he/she has taught them. Encourage them to use one of the
ideas you brainstormed together.
o Model for students the structure of a letter before they begin writing.
*Teacher note: For an additional model of letter writing structure, turn to p. 815
of the Holt Elements of Literature text (8th grade).
o Have students turn and talk to a partner to share their thank-you letters.
Lesson 17 (90 minutes)
 Accessing Prior Knowledge
o Quick Write: What do we learn about people from their language? Have
students respond in their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks.
o Whole group share-out; chart responses.
 Response to Literature
o Read through the task: “Writing about a Writer’s Language” on p. 627 of the
7th grade Elements of Literature. Instead of Cisneros’s poems however, tell
the students they will be examining the language of “Abuelito Who,”
“Birdfoot’s Grampa,” and “Legacy II.” Read tasks one and two and model for
students how they would set up their paper if they were to choose either
prompt.
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Communications Grades 7/8

Unit: Summer
*Teacher note: If you think your students need additional support with
organizing their papers, have them reference pp. 630-635 of the Elements of
Literature text (7th grade).
o Students should work independently on completing this assignment using the
district rubric (see appendix) and the anthology as a guide.
o Have some student volunteers share their final products (if time permits).
Editing/Revisions: “Cracking Open” (synonyms)
o Pass back the writing pieces that students have completed throughout the unit:
Module 1 – Module 3. Tell them that they will be editing and revising small
sections of their pieces with a specific focus. This type of revision is called
“cracking open.”
o Ask: What do you know about synonyms and antonyms? Chart the class
responses. Then, refer students to p. 541 of the Elements of Literature 7th
grade textbook. Read through the section “vocabulary development” and
discuss the meaning of a synonym and antonym. Using the following words
from the texts in Modules 1-3, together with students, generate synonyms and
antonyms for each: prickle, prodigy, legacy, vermin, toil, and scrawny.
o Using the model in the textbook as an example, have students create a word
map for EACH of the pieces they are “cracking open.” Tell students to revisit
their work and identify 3-5 words in each that would sound better with a
synonym. Have them map out those words and replace them with one of the
synonyms they find.
*Teacher note: Provide students with about three pieces each to work with here; it
is not necessary to have them revise every piece they’ve written, but to have them
thoroughly examine a few of their pieces and make them stronger.
o Have students share their revisions with a partner/trio.
Lesson 18 (60 minutes + *Optional Activity/Compass Learning)
 Retrospective
o Revisit with students the “Traits of Poetry” handout that students discussed at the
beginning of the module. Check off/list the ones that you have covered so far in
the unit.
 Introduce Summative Assessment (WriteLike)
o Ask: What do you think a rubric for an effective poem would look like? Using
the “Traits of Poetry” handout and the information gathered from this module,
work with students to develop a “Rubric for an effective poem.”
*Teacher note: Keep in mind, you may not have to complete and entire rubric with the
students; the real goal is to allow them to see the criteria for a proficient/advanced piece
so that they know what the expectations for the final product are. Work on the proficient
category first, and then just discuss from there what you might expect to see in an
advanced and basic paper, and so on. Additionally, you may need to set up the
“skeleton” of the rubric for students and provide them with the verbiage to get them
started (see example below).
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EXAMPLE:
Advanced
Multiple use of
figurative language

Proficient
Use of figurative
language
Unit: Summer
Basic
Attempts to use
figurative language
Below Basic
No figurative
language present
WriteLike (poetry)
o Instruct students that they will now be writing their own original poem using the
rubric they created together with you as a guide. Read with students, assignment
#3 from p. 627 of the Holt Elements of Literature 7th grade text to help them
brainstorm some possible topic choices for their poem.
o Have them begin to construct their pieces; circulate as they work to provide
feedback and assess.
*Teacher note: If students struggle with completing this task independently, you can
have them work with a partner or in small groups to write this poem. If so, provide them
with chart paper or a transparency to record their final product.

Conduct a Class Poetry Reading
o Tell students that they will be presenting their poems and listening to the poetry
of their classmates. Tell students to turn to pp. 1057 – 1059 in the Holt Elements
of Literature 7th grade text. Read through the criteria listed for “Giving and
Listening to a Poetry Reading.”
o Have the students read their poetry to the class and give each other feedback.
*OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
 Read to Get the Gist: “Father William”
o Reread pp. 576 – 577, “The Sounds of Poetry.” Discuss the characteristics of
rhyming poems.
o Read “Father William” on pp. 579-580 aloud as a class. After reading, ask
students to respond to the following question in their Reader’s/Writer’s
Notebooks:
 What is happening in this poem? How do you know?
 Who are the characters? How do you know?
o Share-out; chart.
 Reread for Significance (exaggeration/humor)
o Have students make a three-column chart on a piece of paper. Have them set it
up as follows:
Significant line
Explanation: Why is this
Picture/Image created
(humor/exaggeration)
funny/exaggeration
“You turned a back
No one this old would really
Big heavy-set old man
somersault in at the door…” do a back somersault as
flipping upside-down
described in the poem.
through a door which he can
barely fit through.
*Students should draw a
picture here.
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
Unit: Summer
o Ask students to do this task on their own for their favorite line of
humor/exaggeration.
o Whole group share-out.
Stepback: Reflect on Learning
o Ask: What about poetry has been confirmed/learned from our work in this unit?
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Unit: Summer
Appendix
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Unit: Summer
Name ______________________________
Date ______________________________
PSSA Practice Exam #1
Fiction Module
Directions: Read each question. Choose the best answer based on evidence from
the stories, “Duffy’s Jacket” and “Raymond’s Run.”
1. The setting for “Duffy’s Jacket” can BEST be described as _____________
A. a house in the woods.
C . school.
B. the car.
D. a bedroom.
2. Which word below is a synonym for the word “prickle” as it is used on p. 8 of
the story, “Duffy’s Jacket?”
“My stomach rolled over and the skin on the back of my neck started to prickle.”
A. point
B. tingle
C. groom
D. swell
3. Given the Sentinel’s actions, the reader can infer that ______________
A. it was trying to scare the children.
B. it wanted to eat the children.
C. it really liked Duffy’s jacket.
D. it was annoyed that Duffy left his jacket in the woods.
4. Which line from the piece BEST reveals one theme of “Duffy’s Jacket?”
A. “I was convinced that someone had been following us.”
B. After all, when you leave stuff lying around, you never can be sure
who might bring it back.”
C. “Inside – well, who knew what might happen if they found us inside.”
D. “It ain’t gonna make Duffy normal.”
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
5. The speaker in “Duffy’s Jacket” can best be described as ____________
A. sarcastic
B. silly
C. intelligent
D. unhappy
6. The climax in the passage is revealed when ____________
A. “I was convinced someone had been following us while we were in the
woods.”
B. “I never saw so many spider-webs in my life.”
C. “ I caught a glimpse of something heading toward the barn and swallowed
nervously.”
D. “I could see Duffy’s jacket dangling from its fingertips. And then it spoke.”
7. On p. 549 of “Raymond’s Run,” what conclusion can the reader draw about
Raymond’s life from the following line?
“…cause if he hangs back someone’s liable to walk up to him and get
smart, or take his allowance from him, or ask him where he got that
great big pumpkin head.”
A.
B.
C.
D.
Raymond
Raymond
Raymond
Raymond
is not very smart.
is teased a lot by the other children.
is a bully.
doesn’t like to walk by himself.
8. What literary device did the author use on p. 549 of “Raymond’s Run” in
following passage?
“A regular prodigy. I could just kill people like that.”
A.
B.
C.
D.
hyperbole
personification
simile
imagery
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
9. The main conflict in this passage is revealed when ____________
A. “Now some people like to act like things come easy to them, won’t let
on that they practice.”
B. “I don’t even bother to turn my head to watch cause Raphael Perez
always wins.”
C. “I can always retire and begin a whole new career as a coach with
Raymond as my Champion.”
D. “Gretchen…has put out the tale that she is going to win the firstplace medal this year.”
10. The narrators in both of these passages are similar because ____________
A. they both run fast.
B. they both dislike their families.
C. they are both responsible for the care of a family member.
D. they both like to fight.
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Unit: Summer
Name ______________________________
Date ______________________________
PSSA Practice Exam #2
Nonfiction Module
Directions: Read each question. Choose the best answer based on evidence from
the stories, “Cesar Chavez…” and “What’s Really in a Name.”
1. From this passage, the reader can conclude Cesar Chavez gave the name forty
acres to the site of the United Farm Workers’ field office at Delano
because____________
A. he wanted to be funny.
B. it was symbolic of the forty acres his father tried to buy.
C. it totaled forty acres of land.
D. he wanted to make the growers angry.
2. The author’s purpose in writing “What’s Really in a Name?” is to ___________
A. entertain.
B. persuade
C. compare
D. describe
3. Which of the following is the best summary statement of the “Cesar Chavez”
passage?
A. Cesar Chavez organized the migrant farmworkers’ union and helped to
fight for their rights to fair wages and better working conditions.
B. One of the people who decided to help others was Cesar Chavez.
C. Cesar Chavez swore he would never forget the injustice done to his father.
D. By practicing nonviolence himself, Chavez inspired others to struggle for
justice through nonviolence.
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
4. Which of the following lines from “Cesar Chavez” best supports the overall
text structure of cause and effect?
A. “The field office is called Forty Acres.”
B. “After all, the growers were using scare tactics and violence against
them.”
C. “Since the whole family had to work to make enough money, Chavez
had to quit school after eighth grade.”
D. “Chavez hoped to change this, a task many regarded as hopeless.”
5. Which of the following statements from “…Name” is an example of bias?
A. “Sometimes writers give themselves pen names because their
publishers ask them to.”
B. “People have all sorts of reasons for using pseudonyms.”
C. “To me Patsy would always be Patsy.”
D. “…by adopting a new name, Patsy was trying to get rid of her past.”
6. The author of “What’s Really in a Name?” writes this essay from the 1st person
point of view in order to____________
A. express an opinion.
B. describe her life.
C. explain pseudonyms and how they work.
D. compare and contrast the decisions of several celebrities.
7. In the “…Name” passage, the author is stating an opinion when ____________
A. she says, “Patsy moved to New York and then to Los Angeles.”
B. she says, “a pseudonym is more appealing and memorable.”
C. she says, “the name O.Henry came from his cat.”
D. she says, a pseudonym is a made-up name.”
8. The story, “Cesar Chavez: He Made a Difference” is told from the _______
point of view.
A. 1st person
B. 2nd person
C. narrator’s
D. 3rd person
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
9. All of the following details support the main idea of the “…Name” passage
except ____________
A. “As an ex-convict he might have had a hard time getting his books
published.”
B. ‘If you know from whence you came, there are no limitations to where
you can go.’
C. “Patsy seemed like a movie star before she really became one.”
D. “…by adopting a new name, Patsy was trying to get rid of her past.”
10. Considering the meaning of the suffix “able,” what does the word “memorable”
mean as used in “What’s Really in a Name?”
A. not remembering
B. like a memory
C. remembering again
D. worth remembering
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
Name ______________________________
Date ______________________________
PSSA Practice Exam #3
Poetry Module
Directions: Read each question. Choose the best answer based on evidence from
the poems, “Abuelito Who,” “Birdfoot’s Grampa,” and “Legacy II.”
1. What is the theme, or message, of the poem, “Legacy II?”
A. People should respect their elders.
B. Money isn’t as important as family.
C. Silence is golden.
D. Values and wisdom are passed from generation to generation.
2. In “Birdfoot’s Grampa,” what does the poet mean by the metaphor “full of wet
brown life” in stanza 15?
A. The living toads are wet from the rain.
B. The old man’s hands are wet from the rain.
C. The grass growing from out of the ground.
D. The car glistening in the rain.
3. All of the following lines from “Legacy II” are in the 1st person point of view
except ____________
A. “When he talked, talked about simple things”
B. “taught me their names”
C. “trying to find my way back”
D. “I am nothing but a poor fool”
4. In “Abuelito Who,” Cisneros uses the line “…a doorknob tied to a sour stick” to
convey the image of ____________
A. an open door
B. a cranky grandfather with a cane
C. a tree
D. her grandfather, tired and weak
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Unit: Summer
5. Which of the words below is an antonym for the word “herding” as it is used in
the poem “Legacy II?”
“…sometimes about herding sheep as a child”
A.
B.
C.
D.
collecting
killing
stopping
feeding
6. The setting for the poem, “Birdfoot’s Grampa” affects the plot because______
A. the car chases the toads out onto the road and the old man rushes
out to rescue them.
B. the rain makes everyone wet.
C. the road is dark and the narrator can’t see well.
D. the street is hot and the toads hop to get to water.
7. Based on the following lines from the poem, “Abuelito Who,” what can the
reader infer about the grandfather?
“…is tired shut the door, doesn’t live here anymore, is hiding underneath the bed.”
A.
B.
C.
D.
He
He
He
He
doesn’t want to live alone.
wants to play “Hide and Seek.”
didn’t get enough sleep.
is sick and his personality is changing.
8. The two grandfathers in “Birdfoot’s Grampa” and “Legacy II” are similar
because ____________
A. they both like the rain.
B. they both appreciate nature.
C. they both didn’t go to school.
D. they both can drive a car.
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Unit: Summer
9. What literary device does the poet use in the following lines of “Birdfoot’s
Grampa?”
“…by our lights and leaping, live drops of rain”
A.
B.
C.
D.
alliteration
onomatopoeia
hyperbole
simile
10. What is the main idea of the poem, “Abuelito Who?”
A. The poet thinks it is fun to play with her grandfather in his room.
B. The poet’s grandfather, who she loves dearly, is getting sick and
dying.
C. The poet likes to get money from her grandfather.
D. The grandfather taught Cisneros both Spanish and English.
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Unit: Summer
Traits of Fiction
Summer 7/8
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
Traits of Poetry
Six Traits of Poetry Writing:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The
The
The
The
The
The
Idea – the heart of your poem, point of your message
Organization – the internal structure
Voice – evidence of the writer behind the message
Word Choice – the vocabulary or terminology used
Fluency – the rhythm and flow - how it plays to the ear
Form – the mechanical structure and correctness there of
Introduction
Poetry, unlike other literary forms, focuses most sharply on language itself. The music of words,
how they sound, how their sounds flow and mix and form musical patterns are vital to poetry.
Poets must use all the physical attributes of words: their sound, size, shape, and rhythms.
Imagery
If the music of poetry is its life-blood, images give poetry its soul. Although you can write a
successive poem without imagery, the best poems come alive with simile, metaphor, symbolism,
and use of personification. Be alert to images in poems you read, and try to include some
original imagery in your own poems.
Rhythm
Rhythm can be defined as the flow of stressed and unstressed syllables to create oral patterns.
To achieve rhythm, English poets have traditionally counted three things:
1. the number of syllables in a line
2. the number of stressed or accented syllables
3. the number of individual units of both stressed and unstressed syllables.
Rhyme
According to Webster’s Dictionary, rhyme is “a regular recurrence of corresponding sounds”
which occurs usually at the end of a line. There are three main types of end-rhymes:
1. True rhyme (also called masculine) occurs exactly on one stressed syllable.
EX. car, far
2. Feminine rhyme uses words of more than one syllable and occurs when the accented syllable
rhymes.
EX. buckle, knuckle
3. Off-rhyme or Slant Rhyme occurs when words sound very similar but do not correspond in
sound exactly
EX. down, noon
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Unit: Summer
Traits of Nonfiction
Name-_____________________
Type or Form
Traits
Autobiography
or
Biography
 Written about a person’s life or
one main event in a person’s life
 Has a plot
 Can be read in one sitting or have
many chapters
 Can be read in one sitting or have
many chapters
 Topics organized alphabetically
 Entries are short
 Used for research
 Can be based on research or
personal experience
 Can be read in one sitting
 Written in paragraph form,
usually five or more
 Focuses on one topic or main idea
 Has a plot
 Recorded word for word
 Can be read in one sitting
 May be written in bullet format
or like a drama
 Short
 Can be read in one sitting
 Focuses on one topic or main idea
 Information organized by topic
 Used for reference
 Organized chronologically (by
time) or by topic
Encyclopedia
Essay
Feature Story
Interview
Newspaper Articles
Textbook
Summer 7/8
Date-_______
Author’s
Purpose
To Inform
To Inform
To Inform
To Persuade
To Entertain
To
To
To
To
Inform
Entertain
Inform
Entertain
To Inform
To Persuade
To Inform
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Communications Grades 7/8
Unit: Summer
Narrative Voice
By Carol Kluz
What is narrative voice?
Narrative voice is another name for the persona telling the story.
Someone needs to let the reader know that John tripped over his cat as
he darted out the door, that the dark clouds were roiling like eddies in
the sky, that Sarah’s heart pounded in her chest when her handsome
neighbor smiled at her, or that the policeman drew his gun.
It isn’t so much what is said…as how. This sets the tone. The two spoken
words, ‘Come here,’ could depict completely different meanings
depending on who speaks them and how. A stern father commanding his
miscreant son to step forward has a completely different tone than a
young man asking his sweetheart to ‘Come here,’ so he can show her an
engagement ring and ask her to marry him. This tone can be set through
a character’s dialogue, vocabulary choice, and/or sentence structure.
Point of View goes hand-in-glove with narrative voice. If you’ve listened
to different people recite the Pledge of Allegiance, you’ll hear the same
words, but each speaker has a unique style and tempo. As a writer,
you’re trying to achieve your own unique style with what and how you
write. You’re looking for your own unique narrative voice for your story,
but first you must choose which character will narrate your story.
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Unit: Summer
Name-______________________________
Date-__________
Step #1- Topic Sentence
Name It
(Title and Author)
Verb It
(No being verbs)
Picture It
(Main Idea)
Step #2- “Jot Dots” Jot down important ideas from the text.
Main Detail 1

Example/Elaboration of Detail

Main Detail 2

Example/Elaboration of Detail

Main Detail 3

Example/Elaboration of Detail

Main Detail 4

Example/Elaboration of Detail

Summer 7/8
48
Summary Rubric
Communications Grades 7/8
Style
Organization
Content
Focus
4 (Advanced)
Unit: Summer
3 (Proficient)
2 (Basic)
1 (Below Basic)
__ Topic statement is clearly communicated, names
the source of information, and thoroughly
communicates the main idea and purpose of the
original text.
__Topic statement names the source of
information, and identifies the main idea of
the original text.
__Topic statement is attempted but source of
information and/or main idea may not be clear.
__ Well-chosen key points and essential supporting
details give the reader a thorough understanding of
the original text.
__Key points and supporting details give the
reader an adequate understanding of the
original text.
__ Some key points and supporting details are
missing or may need development; giving the
reader only partial understanding of the
original text.
__Significantly shorter than the original text and
thoroughly communicates main ideas of original; no
outside information/ideas.
__Shorter than original text and adequately
covers of the main ideas of original; no
information/ideas from outside the original
text.
__May include too much or too little
information to clearly communicate the main
ideas of the text in a concise manner or may
contain information not in the original text.
__Information provided is extremely limited
and/or does not reflect the original text.
__Content is accurate and skillfully paraphrased
(rather than directly copied); reveals deep
understanding of original text.
__ Content is accurate and paraphrased (rather
than directly copied); reveals adequate
understanding of original text.
__Minimal paraphrasing, text often directly
lifted from the original. May contain some
inaccuracies, indicating limited understanding
of original text.
__Majority is copied from the original text or
includes extensive inaccuracies.
__Evidence of deliberate selection of key points and
essential (clarifying) supporting details from the
original text; non-essential details are excluded.
__Contains key points with appropriate
supporting details from original text; most
non-essential details are excluded.
__Some key information is missing and/or may
include irrelevant (non-essential) information.
___Much of the key information is missing
and/or contains an excessive amount of
irrelevant (non-essential) information.
__Topic statement and key points are presented in a
logical order; supporting details follow the
appropriate key points.
__Topic statement, key points, and supporting
details are presented in a logical order.
__Topic sentence, key points, and supporting
details are not consistently presented in a
logical order.
__Topic sentence, key points, and supporting
details, if present, are not presented in a
logical order.
__Direct and subtle transitions are used within and
between paragraph(s) to logically and effectively
move the piece.
__Appropriate transitions move the piece.
__Some transitions, but not enough or were
used inappropriately. (May be list-like)
__Lacks appropriate or logical transitions.
__Sophisticated, engaging and precise word choice
__Appropriate word choice for task and
audience
__Overly simplistic word choice
__Inappropriate or unnecessarily repeated
words and phrases
__Smooth, varied and flowing sentences are used to
give the piece a polished feel.
__Sufficient variety in sentence structure and
in the way sentences begin
__Mostly simple sentences or sentences that
begin the same way
__Many fragments and/or run-on sentences;
several short, choppy sentences
Summer 7/8
__Topic sentence is missing.
__ Key points and supporting details are
missing or do not represent that of the
original text giving the reader an inaccurate
understanding of the text.
49
Score
Summary Rubric
Conventions
4 (Advanced)
Communications Grades 7/8
3 (Proficient)
Unit: Summer
2 (Basic)
1 (Below Basic)
__Very few errors, if any, in grammar, usage,
spelling, capitalization and other punctuation; does
not interfere with reading
__Some errors in grammar, usage, spelling,
capitalization and other punctuation; does not
interfere with reading
__Many errors in grammar, usage, spelling,
capitalization, and punctuation; sometimes
interferes with reading
__Filled with errors in grammar, usage,
spelling, capitalization, and punctuation;
extremely difficult to read
__Strong control of sentence formation; no
interruption in flow
__Sufficient control of sentence formation;
few, if any, fragments and run-ons
__Limited and/or inconsistent control of
sentence formation; fragments and run-ons
often interfere with flow.
__Lacks control of sentence formation; many
fragments and run-ons repeatedly interfere
with flow.
__Precise format is used for assigned task.
__Appropriate format is used for assigned
task.
__Format is partially followed for assigned
task.
__Format is inappropriate for assigned task.
Total Score
Prompt / Writing Task
____Focus
____Content Development
____Organization
____Style
____Conventions
Below Basic
5
6
7
Basic
8
9
10
11
Proficient
12
13
14
15
16
Advanced
17
18
19
20
______TOTAL
Glows:
Grows:
____________________________________________
_______________________________________________
____________________________________________
_______________________________________________
____________________________________________
_______________________________________________
____________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Student
Name:
______________________________________________
Teacher
Name: _____________________
____________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Grade:
_________ Class / Content: _________________________ Date:____
_________________ English Teacher: _____
________________
Summer 7/8
50
Score
Focus
Response to Literature Rubric (Interpretive)
C
o
n
t
e
n
t
4 (Advanced)
3 (Proficient)
2 (Basic)
___Topic sentence/thesis statement draws the reader to
the interpretation, uses key words from the assignment,
and addresses task and audience deliberately and
specifically.
___Topic sentence/thesis statement is clearly
stated or easily identified, uses key words from the
assignment, and addresses task and audience
appropriately.
___Topic sentence is attempted but not clearly
stated or easily identified; little recognition of
task and audience.
___Topic sentence is missing;
recognition of task and audience is not
evident.
___Response supports the topic/thesis consistently
throughout.
___Response adequately supports the topic/thesis.
Any wandering from the topic/thesis does not
interfere with reading.
___ Response is not consistent or drifts off
topic at times.
___Response has no apparent focus
and/or contains repeated shifts in topic.
___Conclusion draws the reader back to the
topic/thesis.
___Conclusion attempted; does not draw
reader back to the topic/thesis.
___No conclusion
___Conclusion draws the reader back to the topic/ thesis
in a unique and/or interesting way.
___
Conn
ectio
ns to
the
text
are
thou
ghtprov
okin
g and
relev
ant,
linki
ng
text
to
self,
other
text(s
),
and/o
r the
worl
d.
___C
learl
y
expla
ins
the
litera
l and
deep
er
mean
1 (Below Basic)
Score
Response to Literature Rubric (Interpretive)
ing
of
text(s
)
___I
n
depth
exam
ples,
expla
natio
ns
and/o
r
evide
nce
provi
de
quali
ty
supp
ort
and
elabo
ratio
n of
the
write
r’s
topic
/thesi
s
(cite
d
when
appr
opria
te).
___A
ll
text
base
d
exam
ples
are
accur
ate
Response to Literature Rubric (Interpretive)
and
revea
la
thoro
ugh
unde
rstan
ding.
___
___
___C
onne
ction
s to
the
text
are
relev
ant,
linki
ng
text
to
self,
other
text(s
),
and/o
r the
worl
d.
___
May
retell
or
parap
hrase
some
parts
of
text(s
Response to Literature Rubric (Interpretive)
) for
purp
oses
of
illust
ratin
g
centr
al
ideas
___Q
uanti
ty
and
depth
of
exam
ples,
expla
natio
ns,
and/o
r
evide
nce
provi
de
adeq
uate
supp
ort or
elabo
ratio
n of
the
write
r’s
topic
/thesi
s
(cite
d
when
appr
opria
te).
___A
ll
text
Response to Literature Rubric (Interpretive)
base
d
exam
ples
are
accur
ate
and
revea
l an
adeq
uate
unde
rstan
ding.
___
___C
onne
ction
___ s to
the
text
are
attem
pted;
may
be
irrele
vant.
___R
etells
parts
of
text(s
), but
often
miss
es
the
centr
al
idea.
___E
xamp
les,
expla
Response to Literature Rubric (Interpretive)
natio
ns,
and
evide
nce
mini
mall
y
supp
ort
the
write
r’s
topic
/thesi
s;
furth
er
devel
opme
nt
need
ed.
___
Text
base
d
exam
ples
are
mini
mall
y
accur
ate
and
revea
la
basic
unde
rstan
ding.
___
Response to Literature Rubric (Interpretive)
___No connections to the text were made.
___May list bits of isolated information and/or make
vague or unsupported claims.
___Examples, explanation, and/or evidence are sparse
and provide very little support for the writer’s
topic/thesis.
___ Text based examples, if present, are inaccurate and
reveal very little understanding.
Organization
___
___
___
___Planner/graphic organizer is well detailed.
___Appropriate planner/graphic organizer
___Planner/graphic organizer is incomplete.
___No planner/graphic organizer
___Paper has a clear introduction, body, and conclusion
which are deliberately and effectively organized into
paragraphs. (When appropriate for assigned task)
___Paper has a clear introduction, body, and
conclusion which is organized into paragraphs.
(When appropriate for assigned task)
___Introduction, body, and conclusion are
attempted, but not clearly defined.
___Introduction, body, and conclusion
are not evident.
___Ideas/key points are not consistently
presented in a logical order.
___Ideas/key points, if present, are not
presented in a logical order.
___Some transitions, but may be overly
simplistic or minimal for the task and
audience.
___Lacks appropriate or logical
transitions
___Ideas/key points are presented in a logical and
highly effective order.
___Direct and subtle transitions are used within and
between paragraphs to logically and effectively move
the piece.
4 (Advanced)
Style
___Ideas/key points are presented in a logical
order.
___Appropriate transitions move the piece
3 (Proficient)
2 (Basic)
1 (Below Basic)
___Sophisticated, engaging, and precise word choice
___Appropriate word choice for task and audience
___Simplistic word choice
___Inappropriate or unnecessarily
repeated words and phrases
___Formal and informal language is used effectively
(conversational, technical, etc.).
___Formal and informal language is consistent
and appropriate for task and audience.
___ Formal and informal language is
inconsistent and/or inappropriate for task and
audience.
___Several inappropriate shifts between
formal and informal language and/or the
use of slang makes paper difficult to
read.
___Many fragments and/or run-on
sentences; several short, choppy
sentences
___Smooth, varied, and flowing sentences give the
piece a polished feel.
___Sufficient variety in sentence structure and in
the way sentences begin
___Mostly simple sentences or sentences that
begin the same way
Score
Conventions
Response to Literature Rubric (Interpretive)
___Very few errors, if any, in grammar, usage, spelling,
capitalization and other punctuation; does not interfere
with reading
___Some errors in grammar, usage, spelling,
capitalization and other punctuation; does not
interfere with reading
___Many errors in grammar, usage, spelling,
capitalization, and punctuation; sometimes
interferes with reading
___ Filled with errors in grammar, usage,
spelling, capitalization, and punctuation;
extremely difficult to read
___Strong control of sentence formation; no
interruption in flow
___ Sufficient control of sentence formation; few,
if any, fragments and run-ons
___ Limited and/or inconsistent control of
sentence formation; fragments and run-ons
often interfere with flow.
___ Lacks control of sentence formation;
many fragments and run-ons repeatedly
interfere with flow.
___Precise format is used for assigned task (letters,
paragraphs, headings, etc.).
___Appropriate format is used for assigned task.
___Format is partially followed for assigned
task.
___Format is inappropriate for assigned
task.
Total Score
Prompt / Writing Task
____Focus
____Content Development
____Organization
____Style
____Conventions
Below Basic
5
6
7
Basic
8
9
10
11
Proficient
12
13
14
15
16
Advanced
17
18
19
20
______TOTAL
Glows: _________________________________________
Grows: _________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Student Name: ______________________________________________ Teacher Name: ______________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Grade: _________ Class / Content: _________________________ Date: _________________ English Teacher: __________________________