GRADE 7 First Six Weeks (30 days) August 26th-October 4th
Analyzing Literature
Weeks 5 to 6
Literary Elements Across Different Forms
Textbook Resources: Reading
Poetry: Casey at the Bat, Holt McDougal pgs. 134-136
If I Can Stop One Heart from Breaking by, Emily Dickinson (Connect: Poem) Holt McDougal pg. 72
Drama: The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street, Holt McDougal pgs. 140-152
Narrative Nonfiction: Exploring the Titanic Holt McDougal pgs. 104-118
Additional Resources:
Poetry: The Rider, Holt McDougal pg.212
Narrative Nonfiction: Encounter with Martin Luther King Jr., Holt McDougal pgs. 268-272
(Additional resources listed are only recommendations. Teachers may make use of other available resources to support instruction of TEKS).
Textbook Resources: English
Weekly Grammar Focus (2 weeks):
 Nouns (Texas Write Source) pg. 754
 Plurals (Texas Write Source) pg. 666
 Use the Right Word 2 (Texas Write Source) pg. 710
 Use the Right Word 3 (Texas Write Source) pg. 712
Reading and Writing Connection:
1. Read a piece of poetry and ask students to pick a specific line they connect to and write a new poem with that as the seed or respond to the line with thoughts and
reflective connections
2. Pick a character from drama from text or another drama with which students are familiar and have students write a judgment statement about the character
backed with text evidence.
3. Use the example above as a scaffold for creating enriched narrative nonfiction sentences about real events from biographies or personal experiences.
Vocabulary/Word Study
Adapt the Frayer four-quadrand model
for teaching vocabulary according to what
best fits the vocabulary words you’re
studying as a class. The four quadrants
most often include the definition, examples,
non-examples, visuals and a sentence with
the word used in context. An adaptation of
the Frayer model would be to have students
consider the meaning of a word in the four
core content classes. For example, the word
traits or representation might have various
applications in language arts, math, science
and social studies. Consult your colleagues
for input on vocabulary words they’re
studying in class with students.
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INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK
Dialogue
Stage Directions
Poetry Elements
Structure of a Poem
NOTE TAKING
Parts of a Play
The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street
TEKS: 2B
Use context to determine the meaning of
unfamiliar words
Reading
TEKS: 7.3 (Supporting) RC2
Analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about theme
and genre in different cultural, historical, and contemporary
contexts and provide evidence from the text to support their
understanding
7.4 (Supporting) RC2
Draw conclusions about the structure and elements of poetry
and provide evidence from text to support their understanding.
English
Provide students with compelling excerpts from juvenile
narrative poetry books such as Locomotion, or Out of the Dust
to use an exemplar and inspiration for writing a short similar
piece from their own daily life. Alternatively, have students
write down the dialogue engaged in or overheard from home
and create short script which includes narrative comments on
the “characters” actions during the dialogue.
Casey at the Bat (Narrative Poem) by, Lawrence Thayer
Unit 1
TEKS FOCUS
 Narrative Poetry
 Reading Poetry
Lesson Contents
Lesson at a Glance ………………………………………pg. 141
Lesson Plan and Resource Guide…………………….… pg. 142
Additional Selection Questions………………………….pg. 144
Ideas for Extension…………………………………….. pg. 145
Teacher Notes……………………………………………pg. 147
Big Question (CPQ): Do sports FANS care too much?
Literary Analysis: NARRATIVE POETRY……………pg. 149
Reading Strategy: READING POETRY………………..pg. 151
Question Support (Literary Analysis)………....................pg. 153
Reading Fluency…...…………………………………….pg. 154
Answer Key………………………………………….…..pg. 220
ASSESSMENT
Selection Test A ……………………………………..…...pg. 47
Selection Test B/C………………………………….......…pg. 49
Answer Key……………………………………………...pg. 283
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TEKS: 7.5 (Supporting) RC2
Draw conclusions about the elements of drama. Explain a
playwright’s use of dialogue and stage directions.
The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street
by, Laurence Yep
Unit 1
TEKS FOCUS
 Elements of Drama
 Playwright’s use of dialogue and stage directions
Weekly Grammar Focus (2 weeks):
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Pronouns (Texas Write Source) pg. 534
Plurals (Texas Write Source) pg. 666
Use the Right Word 4 (Texas Write Source) pg. 714
Use the Right Word 5 (Texas Write Source) pg. 716
Writing
Create a Narrative Poem: Bio Poem
Poetry: Casey at the Bat, Holt McDougal pgs. 134-136
Reader’s Workshop
Analyzing Poetry (Holt McDougal pg. 554)
Read a “Humorous Poem” (teacher choice/teacher reading
and choral reading)
Connecting Reading and Writing
Organization - (Texas Write Source) pg. 37
Exploring the Titanic Holt McDougal pgs. 104-118
Development of Ideas - (Texas Write Source) pg. 39
Encounter with Martin Luther King Jr., Holt McDougal pgs.
268-272
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Dictionary Skills (On-going)
Parts of Speech
Guide Words
Entry Words
Pronunciation
Vocabulary Study……………………………pg. 169
Classifying Words
Vocabulary Practice………………………..pg. 160
Academic Language
Vocabulary Strategy………………………pg. 161
Context Clues
Lesson Contents
Lesson at a Glance ……………………………………..pg. 155
Lesson Plan and Resource Guide………………….… pg. 156
Additional Selection Questions…………………………pg. 158
Ideas for Extension…………………………………….. pg. 159
Teacher Notes……………………………………………pg. 161
Big Question:
Summary…………………………………...................... pg. 163
Literary Analysis: CONFLICT IN DRA,A……………..pg. 165
Reading Strategy: READING A TELEPLAY…………..pg.167
Reading Check….………………………………………..pg. 170
Question Support (Literary Analysis)………....................pg. 171
Reading Fluency…...………………………………….. pg. 172
Answer Key………………………………………….…..pg. 221
ASSESSMENT
Selection Test A ……………………………………..…...pg. 51
Selection Test B/C………………………………….......…pg. 53
Answer Key……………………………………………...pg. 284
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TEKS: 7.7 (Supporting) RC2
Understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the
varied structural patterns and features of literary nonfiction and
provide evidence from text to support understanding.
7.10C (Readiness) RC2
Use different organizational patterns as guides for summarizing
and forming an overview of different kinds of expository text.
Exploring the TITANIC by, Robert D. Ballard
TEKS: 19A (Readiness)
Identify, use, and understand the function
of the following parts of speech in the
context of reading, writing, and speaking.
7.2C
Complete analogies that describe part to
whole.
Vocabulary Study……………………………pg. 115
Context Clues
Vocabulary Practice………………………..pg. 116
Academic Language
Exploring the TITANIC by, Robert D. Ballard
Unit 1
TEKS FOCUS
 Narrative Nonfiction
 Use Chronological Order
Lesson Contents
Lesson at a Glance ………………………………………pg. 101
Lesson Plan and Resource Guide…………………….… pg. 102
Additional Selection Questions………………………….pg. 104
Ideas for Extension…………………………………….. pg. 105
Teacher Notes……………………………………………pg. 107
Big Question (CPQ): What can we learn from DIASTERS?
Summary…………………………………………………pg. 109
Literary Analysis: NARRATIVE POETRY…………….pg. 111
Vocabulary Strategy………………………pg. 117
Analogies
Encounter with Martin Luther King Jr.
by, Maya Angelou
TEKS: 7.2E (Readiness) RC1
Use a dictionary, a glossary, or a thesaurus
(printed or electronic) to determine the
meanings, syllabication, pronunciations,
alternate word choices, and parts of speech
of words.
Vocabulary Study……………………………pg. 131
Context Clues
Vocabulary Practice………………………..pg. 132
Academic Language
Vocabulary Strategy………………………pg. 133
Using Reference Aids
Reading Skill: USE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER…….pg. 113
Reading Check…………………………………………...pg. 118
Question Support (Literary Analysis)………....................pg. 119
Answer Key………………………………………….…..pg. 217
ASSESSMENT
Selection Test A ……………………………………..…...pg. 39
Selection Test B/C………………………………….......…pg. 41
Answer Key……………………………………………...pg. 280
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TEKS: 7.7 (Supporting) RC2
Understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the
varied structural patterns and features of literary nonfiction and
provide evidence from text to support understanding.
Fig.19C
Reflect on understanding to monitor comprehension (making
personal connections).
Fig.19F (Readiness) RC1
Make connections between and across texts, including other
media (e.g., film, play) and provide textual evidence.
Encounter with Martin Luther King Jr. by, Maya Angelou
Unit 2
TEKS FOCUS
 Characterization in Nonfiction
 Connect
Lesson Contents
Lesson at a Glance ………………………………………pg. 117
Additional Selection Questions………………………….pg. 121
Ideas for Extension…………………………………….. pg. 122
Teacher Notes……………………………………………pg. 124
Big Question (CPQ): What if you could meet your HERO?
Summary…………………………………………………pg. 125
Literary Analysis: CHARACTERIZATION IN
NONFICTION…………………………………………...pg. 127
Reading Check…………………………………………...pg. 134
Reading Strategy: CONNECT…………………………..pg. 129
Question Support (Literary Analysis)………....................pg. 135
Reading Fluency…………………………………………pg. 136
Answer Key………………………………………….…..pg. 190
ASSESSMENT
Selection Test A ……………………………………..……pg. 79
Selection Test B/C………………………………….......…pg. 81
Answer Key……………………………………………...pg. 293
Strategies for Student Engagement:
Watch this short BrainPop video about “Types of Writing” and have students identify and discuss how dramas, poems, and narrative nonfiction pieces can serve all purposes
for writing which are mentioned in the video: entertain, inform, share, persuade. Also BrainPop videos on Poetry and Similes and Metaphors can serve as anchors for TurnTalk-Share discussions about these genres and literary elements.
Best Practices (ELPS, GT, RTI Differentiation):
Continue with literature circle discussions.
Fluency:
Students should practice reading fluency with fictions and informational texts. Allow students to record themselves reading on a computer microphone or with a traditional
lo-fi tape recorder. They should read a short passage aloud and record themselves then listen back to their reading. You might have them re-record to show growth and
progress in fluency. If possible, listen to the student recordings to make notes on your reading running records so you can better diagnose the reading needs of your
students. Use any short fiction and nonfiction passages for developing fluency and short comprehension skills based check-ups.
Anchors of Support:
Introduce students to comparisons among texts read during this learning focus.
*Consider adding a column for literary devices found across texts such as; metaphor, simile, alliteration, onomatopoeia, foreshadowing, personification, etc.
Add to this anchor chart as you explore other genres over time.