English/Language Arts Department
Grade 7
7th Grade Curriculum
The Language Arts curriculum is organized into units of study (please see four unit descriptions below). Woven throughout these units are areas of direct instruction that include opportunities for students to strategically apply their reading and writing strategies, to respond to text both orally and in writing, and to study and apply grammar conventions.
The ultimate goal is to prepare our students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century. The structure and delivery model of our grade 7 Language Arts program is in alignment with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as both guide our students to apply their reading, writing, speaking, listening and language skills for authentic purposes.
Within our flexible structure:
reading and writing are valued as complex and highly social activities
time is provided for students to read and write
the close study of genre enables students to become more skillful readers and writers
independent reading helps students discover their interests and appreciate reading for pleasure
students are provided with opportunities to communicate clearly and listen respectfully to the ideas of others
technology is authentically used as a means to enhance student learning
Unit 1: Fictional Narrative—A Study of Short Story
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that…
Readers can connect and oftentimes empathize with characters’ experiences despite vast differences in circumstance.
Through the study of short stories, readers can learn lessons about life.
Narrative point-of-view can influence a reader’s understanding
Reading and writing are a shared experience.
To be a good writer, one must also be a good reader.
Essential Questions:
Students will keep considering…
What universal ideas and/or messages can be learned through the study of a story?
When reading, how does one’s own life experiences shape or influence his or her perspective?
How does the point-of-view of the narrator shape or influence a reader’s experience with the text?
What is gained from making reading and writing a collaborative experience?
How does reading inform our writing?
Unit 2: Realistic Fiction—Literary Analysis & Discussion
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that…
To be effective, a claim must be paired with relevant evidence and thoughtful explanation.
We must be open to alternative perspectives to broaden our understanding.
Listening to understand is oftentimes more important than listening to respond.
There is value in both explicit and implicit information.
Essential Questions
Students will keep considering...
How does sharing perspectives help shape our understanding?
How does one effectively prove a point?
What stereotypes exist in different environments in society, and what inspires a person to see beyond these stereotypes?
How does examining what is stated versus what is implied deepen one’s understanding of plot, setting, and character development?
Unit 3: Science Fiction—Argument Writing & Speaking
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that…
Science fiction causes readers to scrutinize the negative and positive possibilities of change.
The examination of science fiction causes readers to question society’s values and the ethics of technology.
Decisions and progress in the present impact both the present and the future.
Essential Questions
Students will keep considering...
Does technology hinder or help the progression of society?
How does the examination of characters’ actions influence our thinking about our own society’s values?
What compels a person to challenge the norm?
How does the pursuit and/or acquisition of knowledge influence conflict?
How does one successfully convince others to consider his/her point of view?
How does a story’s genre influence a reader’s understanding of human behavior?
Unit 4: Traditional Literature & Historical Fiction—Performance & Expository Writing
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that…
Individuals are shaped by their environment and their own and learned experiences.
By examining historical and/or traditional literature, readers can make connections which help inform our choices and/or actions.
The way information is presented is just as important as what is presented.
Authors use a variety of techniques to develop a strong piece of writing..
Essential Questions
Students will keep considering...
How does the past inform the present?
How do the time, place and atmosphere influence or impact real or fictional people or events?
How does the perspective presented in a text influence/affect the reader’s feelings toward a historical event or person?
How can the medium used to portray a subject influence the message or overall understanding of the audience?
What qualities of a piece of writing cause it to stand the test of time?
Reading
The Reading Curriculum is unit-based and organized according to genre. Units include: fictional narrative, realistic fiction, science fiction, traditional and historical literature. Thus, students explore the text structures imbedded within the various genres as they discover universal themes such as courage, confrontation and compassion through deep study. By examining works of literature and nonfiction, students are able to move beyond the “who, what, when, where, and why” of text to uncover the theme, message, and author’s stance.
Writing
Writing instruction places an emphasis on assisting students to write narratives, explanatory text and arguments. Students are also provided with opportunities to develop their abilities to plan, revise, edit, and publish other types of text. The importance of the reading-writing connection is stressed as students are required to draw upon their knowledge of text structures and author’s craft as they write to inform, explain and share their opinions. Students are also required to use text evidence as they write in response to print and digital media.
Speaking and Listening
Students are guided to develop a range of broadly useful oral communication and interpersonal skills. As members of the classroom community, students are provided with opportunities to work together, to express and listen carefully to the ideas of others, to integrate information from oral, visual, quantitative, and media sources, to evaluate what they hear, to use media and visual displays strategically to help achieve communicative purposes, and to adapt speech to context and task.
Language
The expectation is that students will understand and apply the essential “rules” of standard written and spoken English as a matter of craft and informed choice.