Course Content Overview

Units of Study

Units of Study in Grade 7

• INTRODUCTION TO NEW YEAR: (early Sept)

• Study Strategies, Summer Reading projects

• NARRATIVE UNIT (Sept-Nov)

• Read and analyze short stories and “choice” novels

• Short weekly writing assignments that focus on literary elements modeled in the readings (conflict, characterization, point of view, building tension…)

• LITERARY ANALYSIS/DRAMA (Dec-Jan)

• Read and see performance of A Christmas Carol

• Write analysis essays, develop and perform scenes, Socratic Seminars

• ARGUMENT (Feb-March)

• Choose topics, evaluate sources, write argument essays

• Analyze argument writing (speeches, editorials, marketing) and strategies for writing compelling arguments.

• Author Study-Edgar Allan Poe (April)

• Read “The Black Cat”, “Annabel Lee”, biographical info on Poe to show connections between a writer's personal experience and a writer's voice and choice of material.

• Analyze mood and tone, author style

• Poetry/novel unit (May-June)

• Read Out of the Dust, analyze poetic forms

• Independent Literary Circle Analysis, Socratic Seminars

• Write and publish poems!