7th Grade English/Language Arts Reading Focus: Fiction,
Fourth Six Weeks: Week 1-6 Drama, Poetry
Writer: Jennifer Tippett Writing Focus: Poetry / TEKS:
Unit Focus: (4) Comprehension
of Literary Text/Expository
(A)
Unit Focus: (5) Comprehension of Informational Text/Procedural
(A)
Figure: 19 Reading/
Comprehension
Skills
(A), (B), (C), (D), (E), (F)
(1) Fluency
(A)
(2) Vocabulary
Development
(A), (B), (C), (D), (E)
(8) Comprehension of Literary Text/Sensory Language (A)
(14) Writing Process
(A), (B), (C), (D), (E)
(15) Literary Texts (B) (i, ii, iii)
(17) Expository and Procedural Texts
(C)
(19) Conventions
(A) (v), (B)
(21) Spelling
(A), (B), (C)
(26) Listening
(A), (B)
(28) Teamwork
(A)
Objective:
The learner will:
·  understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of poetry and provide evidence from text to support their understanding
·  understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of drama and provide evidence from text to support their understanding
·  use a flexible range of metacognitive reading skills in both assigned and independent reading to understand an author's message. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater depth in increasingly more complex texts as they become self-directed, critical readers
·  read grade-level text with fluency and comprehension
·  understand new vocabulary and use it when reading and writing
·  understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about how an author's sensory language creates imagery in literary text and provide evidence from text to support their understanding
·  use elements of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) to compose text
·  write expository and procedural or work-related texts to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for specific purposes
·  understand the function of and use the conventions of academic language when speaking and writing. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity
·  spell correctly
·  use comprehension skills to listen attentively to others in formal and informal settings. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity
·  work productively with others in teams. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity
Overview :
Students should continue to read and write daily (read alouds, shared, small group). They should also read a self-selected text for a minimum of 15 minutes daily (independent reading that may occur beyond the classroom).
Many of the skills and objectives have been introduced by this point. They should constantly be reviewed and refined.
The reading focus these six weeks will be primarily drama, poetry and fiction.
One type of writing will be addressed, poetry. Students can write several poems these six weeks.
DOL and the Vocabulary workbook should be used to develop the meaning of grade level words and to develop dictionary, and thesaurus skills. DOL also should cover analogies. (TEKS- 2(A, C, D, E)
Academic vocabulary: encounter, integrity, specific, tradition, vary
Essential Questions:
Enduring Understanding: Good readers set a purpose for reading, monitor and adjust their comprehension while reading.
What is a poem?
Does everyone love being in love?
What is our place in nature?
What is honor?
How do seasons affect you?
When does nonsense make sense?
Can you be alone and not lonely?
What can we learn from our elders?
Do sports fans care too much?
Suggested Lesson Ideas:
Week 1: Reading: 4, 8, RC-7(D), 3, RC-7(A)
Workshop (pages 554-559) - Introduce the structure and form of poetry. Be sure to cover the academic vocabulary, including: poetic devices, rhyme and rhythm, imagery and figurative language. Struggling readers can use a cluster diagram to identify elements used in the sample selection on page 559.
Characterization: “It was a Long Time Before” (page 288) “Abuelito Who” (Page 292) Review characterization. Link that concept to poetry. Model the reading strategy of reading poetry on page 289. Read the selections on pages 290 and 292. Struggling readers may use a “spider map” (page 290) to organize details. Advanced readers can examine the speakers in the selections and consider the importance of the speakers.
Recurring Theme: “Spring Harvest of Snow Peas” and “Eating Alone” (pages 392-395)
Review theme. Discuss how many stories share themes. Model the skill of recurring theme on page 393. Read the selections on page 394-395. Compare theme, and mood used in both poems. Use tiered discussion questions on page 394 to engage all levels of learning. You may want to use the chart on page 396 to compare themes.
Grammar: 14(A), 15B (i, ii, iii), 21
Go over key traits in poetry (page 620). Students can use the idea starters or develop an idea of their own. Use the prewriting/planning page 621 to help students develop ideas. Review the forms of figurative language covered in this unit.
Students should begin to write rough draft of poem.
Week 2: Reading: 4, RC-7(C), 8,RC-7 (D)
Discuss irony using the analysis on page 517. Read “Meet the Author” on page 517. Discuss the role of women during the 1920’s.
Irony: One Perfect Rose and Song for an April Dusk (page 518, 520), read the selections. Discuss rhyme scheme. Have students analyze the tone and how it changes in each poem.
“Who are You Little i” and “maggie and milly and molly and may” (pages 524-525) Introduce style in poetry. (page 522) For struggling readers, identify the topic of each poem before reading. Have advanced readers analyze the symbols that Cummings used in each poem.
“The Earth is a Living Thing” (page 566) “Sleeping in the Forest,” “Gold” (page 570 and 571) Have students journal on the big question, “What is our place in nature?” Introduce the poetic form: lyric poetry. Review figurative language, especially personification, similes, and metaphors. You may want students to review making inferences. After reading the three selections, students can identify a common theme and compare and contrast the tone and mood of the poems.
“My Mother Enters the Work Force” and “Washington Monument by Night” (page 874-878) Continue to cover figurative language. Introduce the skill of paraphrasing. For struggling readers review onomatopoeia. Have advance readers compare and contrast the mother from the first poem and the man in the second poem.
Grammar: 14(B), 15B (i, ii, iii), 21
Students should complete their rough draft. Have students read over the stages of drafting a poem. (page 623) Discuss the use of repetition in poetry. Introduce parallelism.
Week 3: Reading: 3, 4,
Plot: Casey at the Bat (page 132) - Introduce the narrative poem. Explain that like fiction a poem can have a plot. Have students identify the parts of a story in the poem. For struggling readers you may draw as you read the first 20 lines of the poem to set the scene. Discuss the idiom of Casey’s “curled lip.”
Continue reading narrative poems with “Charge of the Light Brigade” and “The Highway Man” (pages 582-593). Have students analyze rhythm and meter of the two poems. Have advanced readers find references to color in the poems and make a chart that explain the significance of the colors.
Grammar: 14(C), 15B (i, ii, iii), 19A(v) , 21
Students should begin the revising process. Use the chart on page 624 to explain the revising process in poetry. You may wish to use peer review to help with revision. You can also have students
Prepositional phrases: Language Arts (pages 57-67) This unit focuses on prepositional phrases. Have the students work through the “Identifying prepositional phrases” section pages 57 -60.
Week 4: Reading 3, 4, RC-7(B), 9, 10, 10D
“Two Haiku” and “Fireflies “ (pages 594-599) and “Stars with Wing” (page 600, 603)
Introduce the form of Haiku. Model the skills symbol and theme. Discuss sensory input and how it can help with interpretation. Read the selections. Struggling readers can use a cluster diagram (page 596) to explore the symbolism in the haiku poems. Have advanced readers explore the metaphor in the Fireflies poem. Have them create their own metaphors. “Fireflies in the Garden” is written for two voices. You may wish to pair students to read the selection before discussion begins. If time allows, you may want the students to read “Stars with Wings.”
Grammar: 14(C), 15B (i, ii, iii), 19A(v) , 21
Continue with revising student poems. Use a rubric to illustrate expectations to students.
Continue the Phrases section in Language Arts. Have students complete pages 62-66.
Week 5: Reading: 4, RC-7 (C)
Discuss the poetic form of humorous poetry and limerick. Model the use of sound devices and hyperbole. Teach students to monitor by setting up a chart with examples of sound devices used in the selections.
“Jabberwocky” (pages 604-611) As students read this poem, take time to discuss the definitions of nonsense words used. Stress the importance of using context clues. Advanced students can choose a nonsense word used by Carroll that they believe should be in a dictionary.
Sarah Sylvia Cynthia Stout (Page 608) Use the tiered discussion prompts to help students identify the humorous elements of the poem. Have struggling readers make a connection to the reading by identifying chores around their homes and the possible results of the chores going undone.
“Two Limericks” (page 610) – Have students re-read the limericks and identify the rhyme and rhythm of the poems. A cluster diagram may be used.
Grammar: 14(D), 15B (i, ii, iii), 21
Students will edit poems. Go over the use of semicolons and dashes. (page 627) Students may print out poems and make and illustration to be shared in the classroom or in a display in the hallway.
Week 6: Reading: 8, RC-7(A),
“The Delight Song of Tsoai-Talee” and “Four Skinny Trees” (pages 612-619)- Review metaphor and personification. Set a purpose for reading- compare the mood of the two poems. Students can complete a journal entry in which they describe their reactions to poetry.
Review for and administer Six weeks exam
Poetry Festival: students will memorize and recite poetry. A rubric will be used for scoring.
Grammar: 14(E), 15B (i, ii, iii), 21
Students will complete final draft of poems.
Students will share original poems with the class. Make sure to go over expectations for being a good audience.
Suggested Assessment:
§  Analyze students’ comments during class discussions for relevant information.
§  Read student responses to text to check for comprehension.
§  Workbooks
§  Journals
§  Essays
§  Daily Language Review
§  Vocabulary workbook
Resources:
Holt McDougal Textbook:
McGraw Hill: Language Arts
Ancillary Material: Vocabulary Practice workbook, Language Handbook
Teacher created material
Technology: GrammarNotes DVD, WriteSmart DVD, Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM, Accelerated Reader
Graphic organizers
Writing With Power- workbook