Unit 3 Small Group Texts
Unit Home | Writing Task | Anchor Texts | Small Group Texts | Independent Texts
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Words Do Not Pay
⬅ Click for online resources. 📄 (link to PDF version)
Hook and inspire your students with these ideas. Build your own Playlist of media, short texts, novel connections and extension activities to enrich your teaching. Please be sure to preview all materials before sharing them with your students.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
Concept Vocabulary
misrepresentations
misunderstandings
Skill Vocabulary
repetition
appeals to reason
appeals to emotion
appeals to authority
word choice
tone
denotations
connotations
parallelism
Analyze Craft & Structure
Analyze Craft & Structure
Focus: Persuasive Techniques and Word Choice
Standard(s)
7-8.R.5 Cite textual evidence that supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
7-8.R.8 Determine the meaning of words and phrases, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings. Analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning, tone, and mood, including words with multiple meanings within a text.
🔍 7-8.RI.11 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
Support/Resources
Word Study
Word Study
Word Study Focus: Old English Prefix: mis-
Standard(s)
7-8.R.9 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
Support/Resources
Author's Style
Author's Style
Focus: Rhetorical Devices - Parallelism
Standard(s)
7-8.R.8 Determine the meaning of words and phrases, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings. Analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning, tone, and mood, including words with multiple meanings within a text.
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⏳ Research
⏳ Research
💡 Teacher Tip: If your students need more research practice, consider condensing this so that they do not have to create a formal report.
Focus: Historical or Biographical Report
Standard(s)
7-8.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content, and provide a conclusion that supports the information or explanation presented.
🔍 7-8.W.4 Conduct short research projects to craft an argument, answer a question, or provide an analysis.
a. Gather, assess, and use information from credible sources on the topic.
Support/Resources
from Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
Concept Vocabulary
urgently
nervously
confidently
cautiously
Skill Vocabulary
description
sensory details
point of view
mood
Analyze Craft & Structure
Analyze Craft & Structure
Focus: Descriptive Writing
Standard(s)
7-8.R.8 Determine the meaning of words and phrases, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings. Analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning, tone, and mood, including words with multiple meanings within a text.
7-8.R.10 Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, and how it contributes to the text meaning.
🔍 7-8.RI.11 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints..
Support/Resources
Word Study
Word Study
Focus: Old English Suffix: -ly
Standard(s)
7-8.R.9 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
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Conventions
Conventions
⏳Writing to Sources
⏳Writing to Sources
Focus: Fictional Retelling
Standard(s)
7-8.W.3 Write narrative texts to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-structured event sequences, descriptive details, and provide a logical resolution.
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Supplementary Text
The Moth Presents: Aleeza Kazmi
The Moth Presents: Aleeza Kazmi
Vocabulary
performance
personal account
volume and pacing
Activities
Media Vocabulary
Speaking and Listening: Group Discussion
Standard(s)
7-8.SL.1 Participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations on topics, texts, and issues.
a. Respond thoughtfully in democratic discussions that involve decision-making and role-taking and determine if additional information or research is required to deepen the discussion.
b. Participate in conversations by asking and responding to questions and provide the opportunity to consider a range of perspectives.
Collaborative Performance Task: Argument
Collaborative Performance Task: Argument
💡 Teacher Tip: This is a great discussion question, but for pacing considerations, perhaps a presentation is not necessary. Instead, you could arrange an informal discussion/debate or Socratic Seminar.
Focus: Oral Presentation
Prompt: The selections in this section present people who took a stand, often against hopeless odds. Each one demonstrates courage and determination. Their efforts, however, are not always successful. They raise questions about ideas of winning and losing when one acts on principle. Work with your group to prepare and deliver an oral presentation in response to this question:
When you take a stand, how much does winning matter?
Academic Vocabulary
retort
candid
rectify
speculate
verify
💡 It is essential to have students use these words throughout the unit, particularly in their performance tasks/assessments.
Standard(s)
🔍 7-8.W.1 Write arguments to support claims with logical reasoning, relevant evidence from accurate and credible sources, and provide a conclusion that follows from and supports the argument presented.
a. Introduce claims, distinguish the claims from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
b. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claims, counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
c. Use appropriate conventions and style for the audience, purpose, and task.
7-8.SL.3 Use appropriate language, grammar, organization, development, and delivery styles appropriate to purpose and audience for formal or informal contexts.
a. Convey a clear perspective by presenting and citing information, findings, and supporting evidence so that listeners can follow the line of reasoning.
Support/Resources
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