7th grade Standards

The seventh grade AVID Elective course builds upon the components of the AVID philosophy. Students will refine short- and long-term goals, and as a result, begin to understand the value in taking charge of their actions. Students will start working on intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, as well as formal and informal speech. Students will complete self-evaluations and peer evaluations, related to reading, writing, organization, and speaking. In broadening their writing practice, students will begin considering audience, purpose and form in their writing. Students will take an active role in their learning, understanding the roles of all members in assignments and collaborative lessons. They will expand their knowledge bases of note-taking, in relation to studying and test preparation. Students will be exposed to different field trips, guest speakers and research, to increase their knowledge of college and career options.

Educational Domains

Character Development (7-CD)

A. Self-Awareness

1. Utilize SLANT interactions in all classes

2. Utilize proper interpersonal skills, such as proper introductions and handshakes

3. Complete and analyze self-evaluations about learning styles, emotions and personal behaviors

4. Differentiate between the three basic learning styles (auditory, visual, kinesthetic)

5. Monitor personal decision-making as a representative of AVID

6. Recognize and share personal accomplishments

B. Goals

1. Calculate grade point average and set academic goals for success, being sure to monitor goals at the end of each grading period

2. Review and refine academic six-year plan for secondary education with teachers, parents and guidance counselors, especially during registration for eighth-grade courses

3. Create an action plan to identify goals for attending a college or university

4. Understand the difference between goals and wishes

5. Differentiate between and write long-range, mid-range and short-range goals

6. Monitor guidelines of AVID school contract, in order to fulfill requirements

7. Identify and confront barriers in goal setting and accomplishing goals

C. Community and School Involvement

1. Participate in a variety of school activities/clubs and community service opportunities throughout the year

D. Ownership of Learning

1. Access grades online or from teachers on a regular basis

2. Analyze grade reports to create a study/action plan for continued academic improvement

Communication (7-COMM)

A. Speaking

1. Understand intermediate terminology associated with public speaking

2. Practice varying word choice and tone when speaking

3. Utilize proper adult salutations (Dr., Mrs., Ms., etc.)

4. Develop awareness of nonverbal communication when speaking, including body language and eye contact

5. Understand the difference between a formal and an informal speech

6. Present a personal speech to build confidence in public speaking

7. Draft, edit, revise and present written speeches on various topics

8. Practice speaking skills in front of small groups

B. Listening

1. Create rubrics to evaluate speeches

2. Pose questions to the presenter

3. Understand the difference between hearing and listening, and practice how to be a "critical listener" by taking Cornell notes and reflecting with class

Writing (7-WRI)

A. The Writing Process

1. Use graphic organizers and quick-writes to prepare for writing assignments

2. Analyze prompts, in order to effectively respond to writing assignments

3. Begin considering the audience, purpose and form for writing assignments

4. In collaborative groups, revise drafts or writing to improve and clarify

5. Edit students' essays, especially checking for errors in capitalization and pronoun usage

6. Use common editing marks during the editing process

7. Utilize rubrics to self-evaluate and peer evaluate work

8. Reflect on one's own writing to encourage continual growth

B. Writing Skills

1. Develop a clear thesis for expository writing

2. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view through the development of a strong introduction

3. Apply strategies to build and expand on vocabulary/word choice

4. Apply strategies to develop ideas and use specific details

5. Effectively use pronouns in writing

6. Use proper capitalization in writing

C. Writing Applications

1. Develop and strengthen writing through the creation of an informational essay

2. Develop and strengthen writing through the creation of a memoir essay

3. Use writing activities from content area classes to practice, develop and refine writing skills

D. Writing to Learn

1. Compose well-written summaries using the writer's own words, not copying the original text

2. Differentiate between a summary and a reflection

3. Use a variety of models to complete weekly learning logs that include thoughts, reactions and responses to class content

4. Write self-reflections on presentations, speeches and field trips

Inquiry (7-INQ)

A. Costa's Levels of Thinking

1. Deepen understanding of Costa’s Levels of Thinking and/or Bloom’s Taxonomy by recognizing differences between levels

B. Tutorials

1. Understand and utilize 10 Steps in the Tutorial Process

2. Understand roles of all participants in academic tutorials with peers as group members and college tutors as facilitators, twice per week

3. Complete the Tutorial Request Form (TRF), including heading, source, academic vocabulary, point of confusion and level 2 question(s), prior to class

4. Presenter explains new understanding of question, and group members ask clarifying questions

5. Develop thought-provoking questions, in order to actively participate in academic tutorials

C. Socratic Seminar and Philosophical Chairs

1. Actively participate in and evaluate the process of Philosophical Chairs and/or Socratic Seminar, selecting topics/articles as appropriate

2. Analyze how two or more authors, writing about the same topic, shape their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts in a Socratic Seminar or Philosophical Chairs discussion

3. Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium's portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words) in a Socratic Seminar or Philosophical Chairs discussion

Collaboration (7-COLL)

1. Foster trust building skills by working with partners to complete a specified task

2. Enhance understanding of collaboration by working in groups during team building and motivational activities or problem solving

3. Participate in group discussions and reflections based on collaborative work (e.g., ThinkPair-Share, Jigsaw, Numbered Heads)

4. Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify views accordingly

5. Engage in dialogue within a large, teacher-supported group discussion, to gain a deeper understanding of the topic discussed and the process used

6. Refine inquiry, listening, and oral communication skills through a variety of activities, including tutorials, presentations, Socratic Seminars, and Philosophical Chairs

Organization (7-ORG)

A. Organization and Time Management

1. Develop and maintain an organized binder, divided by subjects, which includes a supply pouch and other academically useful materials

2. Reorganize the binder at the end of each grading period

3. Utilize an assignment log or calendar, which shows when assignments are due, when assignments are completed and submitted, and the grade each assignment received for each class

4. Evaluate personal time management habits and monitor effectiveness accordingly

5. Continue compiling an academic portfolio demonstrating personal and academic growth

6. Complete reflection/learning log and present on contributions to academic portfolio

7. Publish final versions of writing for the academic portfolio

B. Note-Taking

1. Develop a basic understanding pertaining to the components of the CORNELL WAY focused note-taking process

2. Take notes for each core class on a weekly basis

3. Take seven to 12 pages of quality Cornell notes per week

4. Understand how to utilize Cornell notes as a study tool

5. Have notes available during tutorials to support questioning

6. Understand how to identify important points, use abbreviations, and use shorthand in the right column of Cornell notes

7. Begin writing questions (any level) in the left column that correspond to chunks of information in the notes section

8. Compose an essential question based on the standard or objective covered by the lesson

9. Reflect on all notes taken during a unit of study after the test is returned and consider gaps of study that led to missed questions

C. Research and Technology

1. Use technology in assignments and presentations, particularly in response to guest speaker presentations, field trip experiences, and final drafts of writing assignments

2. Demonstrate command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages

D. Test Preparation/Test-Taking

1. Identify and reflect on particular problems in preparing for, or taking, tests

2. Identify and distinguish strategies to study for different types of exams (such as matching, true-false, multiple-choice, vocabulary and essay tests)

Reading (7-REA)

A. Vocabulary

1. Identify key vocabulary while reading

B. Textual Analysis

1. Read and discuss various examples of text, including, but not limited to, articles from magazines and newspapers

2. Analyze how a drama's or poem's form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning

3. Determine the main idea of grade-appropriate text

4. Use multiple reading strategies, including, but not limited to, Marking the Text, annotating text and numbering paragraphs to better understand text while reading

5. Circle and underline relevant information

6. Summarize informational text

7. Connect visuals (captions, illustrations, etc.) to the surrounding text

College Preparedness (7-CP)

A. Guest Speakers

1. Choose guest speakers who represent careers of interest and prepare questions for the speakers prior to their visit when appropriate

2. Use listening skills during presentations, by guest speakers from the school, community and college, which focus on the value of post-secondary education and choosing a college

3. Draft, peer edit, revise and create a final draft of a thank-you letter to guest speakers

B. Field Trips

1. Participate in field trips, such as college/university visits that are different from the previous year, feeder high school trips for a shadow day to visit an AP®/IB® class, and feeder elementary visits for service learning and/or a trip that focuses on careers

2. Use skills of listening and observing during field trip experiences

C. College and Career Knowledge

1. Use technology to research colleges of interest

2. Begin developing an understanding about the value of a college education

3. Begin a basic understanding of college vocabulary

4. Prepare for and conduct a career interview on a profession of choice

5. Research various careers, comparing salaries and qualifications