Seventh grade texts span multiple genres, including the novel, the short story,
the essay, and poetry. Analytical skills include: expressing the author's purpose,
identifying how events advance the plot and contribute to a theme, determining
how events link to the past or foreshadow the future, determining methods of
characterization, and distinguishing between contrasting points of view. Vocabulary
studies are guided by the literature, as well as through weekly lessons on
Latin and Greek prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Instruction on a range of five-paragraph
essay formats develops students' command of analytical writing. Students are
taught to use a variety of sentence structures while retaining clarity of expression.
Essential literary terms enable students to dissect the reading, make conclusions,
and gather evidence to support their ideas. Creative writing assignments require
students to experiment with voice, tone, dialogue, symbol and theme. Grammar
is instructed with the systematic Winston Grammar program and also when specific
issues arise in students' writing. Seventh graders are instructed in techniques
of oration, including formal presentations, discussion, and debate.
Goals and Objectives
READING: By the end of seventh grade, students are expected to…
Use context clues and their knowledge of word origins to determine
the meaning of specialized vocabulary and grade-level appropriate words
Read and understand grade-level appropriate material
Describe and connect the essential ideas, arguments, and perspectives of the
text by using their knowledge of text structure, organization, and purpose
Read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature
that reflect and enhance their study of history
Read independently at least 1000 pages per term
WRITING: By the end of seventh grade, students are expected to…
Write clear, coherent, and focused essays
Use writing to exhibit awareness of audience and purpose E
Write essays that contain formal introductions, supporting evidence, and conclusions
Progress through the stages of the writing process as needed
Write narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive texts
Use writing to demonstrate a command of standard American English and the research,
organizational, and drafting strategies outlined below
WRITTEN LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS: By the end of seventh grade, students are expected
to…
Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions
appropriate to seventh grade as set forth in The Golden Guide
LISTENING AND SPEAKING: By the end of seventh grade, students are expected
to…
Deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey ideas clearly
and relate to the background and interests of the audience
Use speaking to demonstrate a command of standard American English and the
and delivery strategies outlined below
Annual Seventh Grade Language Arts Projects
Summer reading project
Comic strip folktale
Roman expository essay
Shabanu compare and contrast in class essay
Two creative projects for independent reading
Short story—moral based
Memorization performance--Sir Gawain
Narrative essay on morality
In-class persuasive essay
Othello perspective writing
Othello creative performance—monologues or transformation
of themes into modern setting
Historical fiction short story
Satire and parody performance
Resources
Novels (some or all of the following are selected) Tristan's Choice, Diane Gonzales Othello: A Novel, Julius Lester The Second Mrs. Giaconda, E.L. Konigsburg. Before We Were Free, Julia Alvarez
Short Fiction/Myths/Folktales
selected from Prentice Hall Literature (Bronze Level)
Articles / Essays
"I am a native of North America," Chief Dan George
Poetry
"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," anonymous
Ann Bradstreet poems
Christina Rossetti poems
Dramatic literature
"Variations on the Death of Trostsky," Ives
"You Can't Take it With You," Hart and Kaufman
"The Star-Spangled Girl," Neil Simon
