7th Grade Curriculum Map

Mrs. MacFarland

Unit and Area of Interaction / Essential Questions / Content and TEKS / Assessments / Resources
Identity Unit (August- September)
Area of Interaction:
Health and Social Education
Students will explore the concept of identity as it relates to values and beliefs. Students will also examine how the environment and people influence one’s identity. / What does it mean to have an identity? How do conflicts help us develop as human beings? What are our beliefs and values? / Students will explore the concept of identity synthesizing various sources to develop their own ideas and beliefs about their own identity. Students will analyze diction, detail, and imagery. Students will use textual detail for support and develop a thesis statement.
TEKS
Fluency and comprehension
Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Theme and Genre
Writing/Writing Process
Oral and Written Conventions/Conventions
Reading/Vocabulary Development / TEST GRADES: Students will write a paper called This I Believe on a specific belief statement that is important to them as well as will write a literary analysis essay on theme. Students will also create their own crest with a personal credo on it as part of this identity unit. Students will write a literary analysis essay for a test grade.
QUIZ GRADES: Students will do a vocabulary assessment, dialectical journal, and Socratic seminar questions and discussion.
DAILY GRADES: Students will engage in weekly warm ups focusing on language skills as well as will do on-going daily activities and vocabulary practice. / Literature of Thought’s Who Am I? Multi-genre collection of short stories, poetry, articles, etc.
On-going Vocabulary Program on Latin Roots
Classical Roots Book A
Environment Unit (October)
Area of Interaction:
Environment
Students will also examine how the environment and people influence one’s identity. / How does our background and culture shape who we become? / Students will analyze on characterization, plot structures, theme, and setting. Students will make inferences about text and how it relates to the concept of identity.
TEKS
Fluency and comprehension
Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Theme and Genre
Writing/Writing Process
Oral and Written Conventions/Conventions
Reading/Vocabulary Development
Writing/Literary Texts. / DAILY GRADES: Students will engage in weekly warm ups focusing on language skills as well as will do on-going daily activities.
QUIZ GRADES: Students will have a reading quiz, will reflect on the literature through journals, and engage in Socratic seminars.
TEST GRADES: Students will write a personal narrative about a life experience that has contributed to their identity. Students will take vocabulary tests over classical roots. / Oddballs by William Sleator
Literary Circles November/December
(Historical/
Multi-cultural)
Area of Interaction: Environment
Students will explore the historical and cultural setting of a novel. / How do historical events shape our life? How does our own culture contribute to our understanding of the world? / Students will analyze theme, characterization, conflict, vocabulary, and plot structure. Students will examine the cultural and historical setting of their novel as well as examine theme, characterization, and work on summarizing skills. They will make inferences and draw conclusions about the characters and conflicts in the novel and will delve into inquiry through Socratic seminars.Students will compare and contrast their culture to the one represented in the book.
TEKS
Fluency and comprehension
Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Theme and Genre
Writing/Writing Process
Oral and Written Conventions/Conventions
Reading/Vocabulary Development
Listening and Speaking/Teamwork
Listening and Speaking/Speaking
Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Culture and History / DAILY GRADES: Students will engage in weekly warm ups focusing on language skills as well as will do on-going daily activities.
QUIZ GRADES: Students will do Socratic seminar questions, vocabulary logs, and role sheets for their literary circle book.
TEST GRADES: Students will write an essay over the book for their semester exam over the growth of their characters and how historical context played an influence in their lives. / Literary Circles
Groups of 3 to 4 students will select a book
Behind Enemy Lines by Bill Doyle
Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers
Friedrich by Hans Peter Richter
Clay Marble by Minfong Ho
Children of the River by Linda Crew
Shabanu by Suzanne Staples
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
When My Name was Keokoby Park
Fifth of March: A Story of Boston Massacre by Ann Rinaldi
The Rifle by Gary Paulsen
Adapted version of All Quiet on the Western Front
Drama
Areas of Interaction:
Health and Social Education. Students will explore the social issue of poverty and the importance of our responsibility to help others. Students will also gain an appreciation for a different holiday other than their own. / How does poverty impact our lives? How is sympathy important in our lives and welfare of others? How does ignorance and greed impair our judgment about the welfare of others? / Students will analyze dialogue and the development of characters through dialogue as well as analyze plot structure of the play. Students will research a holiday around the world and share it with the class in a presentation.
TEKS
Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Drama
Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Theme and Genre
Writing/Writing Process
Oral and Written Conventions/Conventions
Reading/Vocabulary Development
Listening and Speaking/Teamwork / DAILY GRADES: Students will engage in weekly warm ups focusing on language skills as well as will do on-going daily activities.
QUIZ GRADES: Students will have a quiz over plot structure, characterization, and conflicts.
TEST GRADES: Students will research a holiday other than their own culture for an essay and presentation. / Christmas Carol
By Israel Horovitz
Adapted Dickens’ book AChristmas Carol
Changing Environments
January
Areas of Interaction: Environment
Students will explore how environment can impact a character’ in positive and negative ways. / How does the environment impact people’s lives? / "The classic tale of the dog named Buck who is abducted from his comfortable home to a life of hard labor in the frozen land of the Yukon." (from google.com book summaries)
TEKS
Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Culture and History
Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Persuasive Text
Reading/Media Literacy / TEST GRADES: Students will write a literary analysis essay over the novel The Call of the Wild as well as will take a multiple choice test over the novel.
QUIZ GRADES: Students will take notes, write an outline, and do a Works Cited page. Students will write questions for a Socraticseminar and do reflective responses.
DAILY GRADES: Students will engage in weekly warm ups focusing on language skills as well as will do on-going daily activities. / Call of the Wild by Jack London
Expository vs. Persuasive Writing
February
Area of Interaction
Community
Students explore problems for national and global issues. / What role do we have in society? What are social issues that impact society? / Students will explore various world problems and will develop an expository essay on their subject. Students will work on organizing ideas, making clear assertions supported by evidence and commentary. They will cite information properly using a Works Cited page.
TEKS
Research/Organizing and Presenting Ideas.
Research/Synthesizing Information.
Research/Gathering Sources
Research/Research Plan / DAILY GRADES: Students will engage in weekly warm ups focusing on language skills as well as will do on-going daily activities.
QUIZ GRADES: Students will take notes, prepare an outline a Works Cited page.
TEST GRADE: Students will write a problem solution essay. Students will also present on their topic to the class for a test grade. / Library books and databases and the internet
Independent Reading
The Art of Shakespeare’s Comedy Unit (March/April)
Area of Interaction: Human Ingenuity
Students will explore the human ingenuity of Shakespeare’s language. / How is Shakespeare’s work relevant in today’s world? How is literature like life? / Students will examine passages in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for imagery and detail and main ideas. Students will explore the characterization of people in the story and the development of themes. Students will engage in creative writing based on several themes from the play.
TEKS
Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Drama
Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Theme and Genre
Writing/Writing Process
Oral and Written Conventions/Conventions
Reading/Vocabulary Development
Listening and Speaking/Teamwork / DAILY GRADES: Students will engage in weekly warm ups focusing on language skills as well as will do on-going daily activities.
QUIZ GRADES: Students will keep a reader response journal and will write two creative writing pieces over theme.
TEST GRADES: Students will take a multiple choice test over the play. / A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare
Independent Reading
Short Stories
MAY / What makes a suspenseful story? How do we develop a plot with our characters, conflicts and setting? / Students will write an original short story on a genre of their choice. Students will analyze plot structure, characterization, and theme.
TEKS
Fluency and comprehension
Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Theme and Genre
Writing/Writing Process
Oral and Written Conventions/Conventions
Reading/Vocabulary Development
Writing/Literary Texts. / TEST GRADES: Students will take a test over the short stories read in class.
DAILY GRADES: Students will engage in weekly warm ups focusing on language skills as well as will do on-going daily activities. / “Tell Tale Heart” by Poe
“Sound of Thunder” by Ray Bradbury
“The Necklace”
“The Gift of the Magi”