Grade: 7Unit: 1, Week2 Title: Characters with Character Dates of Instruction: ______

Grade: 7Unit: 1, Week2 Title: Characters with CharacterDates of Instruction: ______

Essential Question / Objectives / Target Skills
Characterization – determine character voice/point of view and how this affects the theme
Response Writing-demonstrate understanding of text through writing
Grammar – understand function of phrases and clauses
Writing Process – develop and strengthen writing by planning, revising, editing, and rewriting
Suggested Materials

At Seneca Castle (William Canfield)
George Washington Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War (Thomas B. Allen)
Just Jane (William Lavender)
The Hollow Tree (Janet Lunn)
The secret of Sarah Revere (Ann Rinaldi)
An Enemy Among Them (Deborah H. Deford)
The Journal of William Thomas Emerson, A Revolutionary War Patriot (Barry Denenberg)

/ Resources
Click on
Type any of following lesson options in the search box for additional story element or vocabulary lesson ideas:

Exploring Setting: Constructing Character, Point of View, Atmosphere, and Theme
Internalization of Vocabulary Through the Use of a Word Map

Click for information on teaching phrases and clauses
/ Unit Standards / Recurring Standards
RL.7.9 / RL.7.4
RI.7.1 / RL.7.10
W.7.3 / RL.7.11
SL.7.1 / RI.7.4
L.7.4 / RI.7.6
RI.7.7
RI.7.10
W.7.4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10
SL.7.6
L.7.2
Possible Activities

Students continue to read historical fiction on the American Revolution along with identifying characterization techniques of authors and how these affect themes.
While reading a selection such as At Seneca Castle, or The Hollow Tree, think about how a character gets the courage to complete a dangerous mission, and answer the following question in their journals: “Are characters born brave, or is courage developed by facing fears?” Next, have student compose a well developed paper that includes an engaging opening statement, at least three clear reasons for their answer, and relevant evidence cited from the text. Edit for phrases and clauses.
Learn and appropriately use new vocabulary words in conversation and writing. Discuss word origins and define relationships between them. Add new words and their origins to the word wall.
Teach a mini-lesson on the function of phrases and clauses. Create and update a grammar wall with this information.
Add to the personal dictionary of terms learned and used throughout this unit. This dictionary should also be used throughout the entire school year to explore the meanings of words and their origins, especially Greek and Latin roots.

/ Evidence of Learning

Student answers questions, makes comparisons, and interprets information demonstrating forethought and understanding.
Student submits a paper that is well organized, contains cited evidence, and is edited for clarity of thought, grammar, punctuation,and correct spelling.
Student continues to update journal with information about discussions and literature.
Student uses new vocabulary appropriately in writing and discussion and recognizes relationships between words.
Student identifiesphrases and clauses in their reading and writing.