Reading Closely: Learning about Habits of Character
Lessons
1 Close Read: “The ‘Lost Girls’ of Sudan"
2 Analyze Main Ideas in a Video
4 Research
5-6 Mid-Unit 2 Assessment: Research to Answer a Question
7 Write a Compare & Contrast Essay: Analyze a Model
8 Compare an Informational Text to A Long Walk to Water
9 Write a Compare & Contrast Essay: Plan an Introduction
10 Write a Compare & Contrast Essay: Plan Proof Paragraphs 1 and 2
11 Write a Compare & Contrast Essay: Plan Conclusion
12-13 End of Unit 2 Assessment: Compare & Contrast A Long Walk to Water and “The ‘Lost Girls’ of Sudan”
14 Peer Critique: Compare & Contrast A Long Walk to Water and “The ‘Lost Girls’ of Sudan”
Designated ELD Lessons for G7M1 Unit 2
These are DRAFT materials developed by OUSD teachers for OUSD teachers, not yet a complete core ELD program.
Consider beginning the school year with the Secondary Designated -ELD Unit Zero, an optional three-week unit that provides an introduction to Designated ELD.
Grade 7 Module 1 Designated ELD Scope and Sequence may be viewed here for context and big picture.
Please note that some of the lessons below may be in draft form.
Please consider filling out the Designated ELD for EL Ed Lesson Feedback Form to help us improve the Designated ELD lessons, units and modules.
G7-M1-U2-L1 - Pictorial Revisit
G7-M1-U2-L5 Whole Text Language Dive
Unit Description
Students begin the unit researching to answer the questions generated while reading A Long Walk to Water during Unit 1, including questions about Lost Girls. While researching, students determine two or more central ideas in informational texts and provide objective summaries of them. Students also watch clips of the documentary God Grew Tired of Us, about the Lost Boys of Sudan, analyzing the main ideas and supporting details and explaining how the ideas clarify what they have been researching. In the second half of the unit, students use the Painted Essay® structure to write an informative essay comparing and contrasting how the novel and an informational text deal with the subject matter of the Lost Children of Sudan.
For homework, students continue to read chapters of A Long Walk to Water in preparation for reading and discussing them in class. When they are not reading the anchor text, they should continue their independent research reading for at least 20 minutes and respond to a prompt. Additionally, students should continue independent research reading over the weekends.
Preparation and Materials
Prepare the following anchor charts for this unit:
Researchers Do These Things anchor chart
Choosing and Using Credible Internet Sources anchor chart
Criteria of an Effective Informative Essay anchor chart
Peer Critique anchor chart
Ensure that families are aware of the sensitive content of A Long Walk to Water, and prepare students who may be affected by this content in advance.
The following material is introduced in this unit and referenced throughout both the module and the school year:
Informative Writing checklist
Habits of Character/Social-Emotional Learning Focus
Central to the EL Education curriculum is a focus on "habits of character" and social-emotional learning. In this unit, students continue to work to become effective learners, developing mindsets and skills for success in college, career, and life (e.g., initiative, responsibility, perseverance, and collaboration). Students also continue to work to become ethical people, treating others well and standing up for what is right (e.g., empathy, integrity, respect, and compassion).
In this unit, as students read A Long Walk to Water, they witness evidence of respect, empathy, collaboration, perseverance, and taking responsibility habits of character and discuss what these look and sound like in the text. Also, students focus on the habits of character of respect, empathy, and compassion as they respond to one another's ideas and skills in written work and in discussions. Students focus on integrity and perseverance as they work independently on assessments. Then as they track progress on their assessments, they take responsibility for their own learning.
Texts
God Grew Tired of Us (DVD)
by Christopher Quinn (director)
one per classroom
A Long Walk to Water
by Linda Sue Park
one per student