Timeline
Literary
Elements
Writing and
Grammar Skills
Holt Elements of Literature
Suggestions
Skills Focus
Literary and Grammar
Selections or Novel
September into
October
Forms of Prose
Nonfiction
RL.7.1-7.10
RI.7.1-7.10
W.7.1-7.10
L.7.1-7.6
Essential Question:
What do readers do
when they do not
understand
everything in a text?
November
Plot & Setting
RL.7.1-7.10
RI.7.1-7.10
W.7.1-7.10
L.7.1-7.6
Essential Question:
How does
understanding text’s
structure help me
better understand its
meaning?
Persuasive Essay
Empress Theodora Pg 96
1st MP Quarterly (Last week of The History of Chocolate (Old Book)
October)
Evaluating Arguments:
Grammar – Mini-lesson based
Virtual Sticks & Stones pg 447
on student need & Study
Debate on Bullying pg 452
Island Writing Skills
Letters to the Editor pg 456
Elizabeth I Pg 508
Long Walk to Freedom pg 524
Tribute to the Dog pg 554
Hungry Here? pg 869
Elements of Language Ch25 Pg 686
Elements of Literature Writing
Workshop: Persuasive Essay Pg 318
Writing with Spice by Mike Devano
Main & Supporting Ideas
Outlining & Organizing Information
Facts & Opinions
Subjective vs. Objective Writing
Biography/Autobiography/Essay/Newspaper
Author’s purpose
Editorial
Stereotypes & Bias
Anecdote
Evidence
Statistics
Expert Opinions
Rhetorical Question *
Transitions *
Simile *
Metaphor *
Idioms*
Choose from:
The Unforgettable Journey: pg.30
Rikki-tikki tavi: pg. 140
Three Skeleton Keys: pg. 160
Seventh Grade: pg. 259
Antaeus: pg. 372
Plot Chart & Plot Elements
Summarizing
Conflict
Setting
Predictions
Inferences
Any Novel Set
Responsive Writing (OEQ)
Grammar – Mini-lesson based
on student need & Study
Island Writing Skills
Any novel
Elements of Literature Writing
Workshop: Response to Lit. Pg 558
December into
January
Character, Theme &
Point of View
February
RL.7.1-7.10
RI.7.1-7.10
W.7.1-7.10
L.7.1-7.6
Essential Question:
Why do readers need
to pay attention to a
writer’s choice of
words?
Poetry
RL.7.1-7.10
RI.7.1-7.10
W.7.1-7.10
L.7.1-7.6
Essential Question:
How do readers
construct meaning
from text?
March
Mythology
Drama
RL.7.1-7.10
RI.7.1-7.10
W.7.1-7.10
L.7.1-7.6
Essential Question:
How does a listener
understand a
message?
Grammar – Mini-lesson based
on student need & Study
Island Writing Skills
Explanatory Quote
Responsive Writing (OEQ)
Practice ASK – (Week of PT
Conferences)
Choose from:
The Dive: pg. 179
That October: pg. 271
The War of the Wall: pg. 282
Three Skeleton Key: pg. 160
A Christmas Carol: pg. 858
After Twenty Years Pg. 388
A Retrieved Reformation (Old Book)
1st Person, Third-Person Limited, ThirdPerson Omniscient
Compare & Contrast Point & View and Texts
Characterization & Character Traits
Foreshadowing/Surprise Endings/Suspense
Making Connections
Motivation
Dialogue
Theme & Topic
The Comprehensive Expository Writing
Explanatory
Situation/Narrative/Descriptive
Responsive Writing (OEQ)
Grammar – Mini-lesson based
on student need & Study
Island Writing Skills
Any novel
Choose from:
Time to Talk (Old Book)
Casey at the Bat (Old Book)
Jabberwocky (Old Book)
The Pasture: pg. 698
The Highwayman: pg. 671
Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout: pg. 687
Winter Moon: pg. 665
Names of Horses: pg. 701
Any additional poems of your choice.
Elements of Literature Writing Workshop:
Fictional Narrative Pg 224-235
Workshop: Descriptive Writing Pg740749
Responsive Writing (OEQ)
Choose from:
3rd MP Quarterly – Last Week Orpheus the Great Musician: pg. 913
of March
The Flight of Icarus: pg. 923
Grammar – Mini-lesson based The 12 Tasks of Heracles: pg. 933
on student need & Study
Master Frog: pg. 941
Island Writing Skills
The Crane Wife: pg. 955
Echo & Narcissus pg.434
The Monsters are Due on Maple Street
Pg. 832
A Christmas Carol pg. 772 (Drama)
Figurative Language
Hyperbole
Personification
Simile
Metaphor
Idioms
Sound Devices
Onomatopoeia
Rhyme
Alliteration
Mood
Tone
Cause & Effect Chain & Sequencing
Chronological Order
Irony
Theme
Morals
Generalizations
Plot Complications
Author’s Purpose
April
Writing & Skill Review NJ-ASK
Literary Analysis
RL.7.1-7.10
Responsive Writing (OEQ)
RI.7.1-7.10
Grammar – Mini-lesson based
W.7.1-7.10
on student need & Study
L.7.1-7.6
Island Writing Skills
Essential Question:
How do writers
develop a well written
product?
Suggested Sources:
ALL SKILLS
Element of Language Ch25 Pg 686
Elements of Literature Writing Workshop:
Fictional Narrative Pg 224-235
Workshop: Descriptive Writing Pg740749
Workshop: Persuasive Essay Pg 318
Workshop: Response to Lit. Pg 558
Writing with Spice by Mike Devano
The Comprehensive Expository Writing
May into June
Reading for Life
Listening, Speaking &
Viewing
SL .7.1-7.6
L.7.1-7.6
W.7.1-7.10
Throughout the
Year
Essential Question:
How do readers
construct meaning
from text?
SL .7.1-7.6
L.7.1-7.6
W.7.1-7.10
RI.7.1-7.10
Essential Questions:
Why do we need a
standard form of
communication in
today’s society?
Literary Analysis
Responsive Writing (OEQ)
4th MP Quarterly – Last Week
of May
Grammar – Mini-lesson based
on student need & Study
Island Writing Skills
Suggested Sources:
Public Documents pg 591-597
Workplace Documents Pg 598-603
Consumer Documents Pg 604-611
Technical Directions pg 612-617
Analyzing Public, Workplace, Technical &
Consumer Documents
Skimming & Scanning
Graphics
Compare & Contrast Story (Written to
Written/ Written to Viewed)
Public Speaking (One-on-One/In-groups)
Vocabulary/Dictionary Skills
Activating Prior Knowledge
Setting Purpose for Reading
Novel Sets
Editing Skills
Constructing Meaning
Visual and Verbal Messages
Living with Media
Suggested Sources:
Journals
Caught-Ya Vocabulary and Editing Skills
Wordly Wise
Grammar Skills:
Sentence Structure
Subject-Verb Agreement
Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
Modifiers
8 Parts of Speech
Types of Sentences
Affixes
Objects and Complements
Clauses and Phrases
Capitalization and Punctuation
Compare & Contrast Story (Written to
Elements of Language: Public Speaking
Ch. 24 pgs. 677-679
Elements of Literature: Public Speaking
Pg: 328-329
Elements of Language: Explaining a
Process pg 534-565
Elements of Literature: Active Listening
Pg 884-885
All Stories, plays, periodicals,
advertisements, literature and
performance videos
Novels and Literature Suggested by the State
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1869)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (1876)
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1915)
The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper (1973)
Dragonwings by Laurence Yep (1975)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor (1976)
“Letter on Thomas Jefferson” by John Adams (1776)
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass (1845)
“Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat: Address to Parliament on May 13th,1940” by Winston Churchill (1940)
Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry (1955)
Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck (1962)
Written/ Written to Viewed)
Public Speaking (One-on-One/In-groups)