Henry County Schools

HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS

Curriculum Map

2008-2009

First Semester

Course: English Language ArtsGrade Level:___7th

STANDARDS/

CONTENT

/ ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS/ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS /

SKILLS

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ASSESSMENTS

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RESOURCES

AUGUST / Unit Focus:
Narratives &
The Writing Process
ELA7C1 (a & c) / Enduring Understanding:
Analyze the skills good readers, writers, speakers, and listeners exhibit.
Compare and contrast narrative texts to other genres.
Expand vocabulary to enhance reading competency.
Conventions Essential Questions
How can a better understanding of the parts of speech improve one’s writing?
Why do I need to consistently write in complete sentences?
How does sentence combining expand the diversity of the sentence types that I use in my writing?
How can I correct sentence fragments and recognize purposeful fragments in my writings?
How can knowing the parts of a sentence help me to be a better writer?
How can varying sentence structure improve the quality of my writing?
How can varying sentence structure improve the quality of my writing?
Why is it important to follow the conventions of language in written and spoken forms? / Conventions
Sentence clause
Sentence types
Sentence purpose
Avoiding fragments and run-ons
Modifier usage
Combining/revising
Subject-verb Agreement
Pronoun-antecedent Agreement
Comparative and superlative forms of adjectives
Capitalization / Coach Book Pretest (Reading and Language Arts)
DGP Quizzes
Teacher Generated Tests
CFA
Writing Samples (utilizing the county writing rubric)
Learning Styles Inventory (TIMI or school based resource) / Elements of Literature (E of L)
Elements of Writing (E of W)
Ideas: 6+1 Writing Traits
(Chapter 2) pp. 33-67
E of L (Handbook of Literary Terms)
pp. 705-718
E of L Collection Two (Who am I?)
pgs 102-189
Focus: Self awareness, nonfiction, subjective/objective writing, description, main ideas, setting, figures of speech, and writing workshop about an autobiographical incident.
E of W Chapters 4-6 (pgs 114-209)
Focus: Writing process, creative writing, description, and narration
Daily Grammar Practice (DGP)
Teacher’s Guide, weeks 1-4

STANDARDS/

CONTENT

/ ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS/ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS /

SKILLS

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ASSESSMENTS

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RESOURCES

ELA7LSV1 (b-e)
ELA7LSV2 (e & f)
ELA7R1 (b, e, f, g, & h)
ELA7R2 (a & d)
ELA7RC1
ELA7RC2 (a, e, & f)
ELA7RC3 (a, b, & c) / Listening/Speaking/Viewing Essential Questions
What does it mean to be an active listener?
What are some techniques that promote active listening?
How do listeners respond appropriately to oral communication?
What are the different techniques and strategies used to communicate effectively?
How will my presentation be assessed?
How can I give my peers feedback to help improve their presentation skills?
Reading Essential Questions
How do literary text elements, such as word choice, tone, etc., contribute to the development of theme within a text?
How do authors convey character motivations?
How do literary characters reflect or resemble people in real life?
How can we improve our vocabulary?
When do we use reading as a part of our everyday life?
Why should we read and connect with literary texts?
What is the big picture in this reading selection?
What is the theme or message in this piece of work?
How do I recognize the author’s purpose in this reading selection?
How do I recognize and use the features of informational texts such as glossary, index, graphs, charts, photos, maps and highlighted vocabulary in my literature book?
How do I show my understanding of language arts vocabulary? /

• Reading
• Paragraphs
• Introduction and conclusion sentences
• Interprets character traits
• Identifies events that advances the plot
• Analyzes characterization
• Explains and analyzes the effects of sound, figurative language, and graphics
• Main Idea
• Theme
• Author’s Purpose
• Graphics in disciplinary texts (charts, graphs, photos, captions, maps, & highlighted vocabulary)
• Acquires new vocabulary

STANDARDS/

CONTENT

/ ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS/ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS /

SKILLS

/

ASSESSMENTS

/

RESOURCES

ELA7W1 (a, b, c, d, & e)
ELA7W2
ELA7W4 (a, b, & d) / How do I use content vocabulary in writing and speaking?
How do I use word recognition strategies to learn new language arts vocabulary?
What are the advantages of writing paragraphs that have topic sentences that clearly establish a controlling idea?
Writing Essential Questions
How can I write an effective narrative essay that reflects a predominantly active voice, figurative language, effective/consistent tone, and varied sentence patterns?
Why do I need to consistently write in complete sentences?
How can I select and utilize an appropriate organizational structure for my writing?
What is a topic sentence?
What are supporting sentences?
What are the elements of the writing process and how can I effectively use them to improve my writing?
How can using the writing process make me a stronger writer?
How can dialogue improve my writing?
How can the incorporation of sensory details enhance the understanding of my writing?
How does having a strong introductory paragraph help me to engage my audience?
How can I sue vivid words and images to make my essay come alive?
How do I effectively establish main idea and supporting details in my writing? /

• Writing
• Organizational patterns
• (chronological, cause & effect, compare and contrast)
• Coherence (transitions)
• Developing plot, theme, setting, point of view
• Character development
• Sensory details
• Develop, revise, and evaluate writing

STANDARDS/

CONTENT

/ ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS/ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS /

SKILLS

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ASSESSMENTS

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RESOURCES

SEPTEMBER / Unit Focus:
Narrative
Expository Texts
Research
ELA7R1 (a, b-f, h, i)
ELA7R2 (a & d)
ELA7R3 (a-c)
ELA7RC1
ELA7RC2 (a-d, f)
ELA7RC3 (a-c)
ELA7RC4 (b & c) / Enduring Understanding:
Demonstrate how effective writers adjust their writing style to suit the purpose.
Compare and Contrast fiction and nonfiction text. (Narrative and expository writing)
Reading Essential Questions
What are some common graphic features of informational texts?
How do these features help in understanding the text?
What are some possible sources of information for research? / Reading
Read, review, and analyze examples of informational magazines.
Evaluate structural elements:
Topic sentences
Concluding sentences
Introduction
Conclusion
Footnotes
Index
Bibliography
Draw conclusions
Organizational structures:
Logical order
Cause and effect relationships
Comparison and contrast
Graphic features
Main Idea
Theme
Author’s Purpose
Questioning
Graphic features:
charts, graphs, photos, captions, maps, & highlighted vocabulary
Acquires new vocabulary / CFA
Teacher Generated Unit Test
DGP Quiz
Mock Writing Test
Writing Samples
Literary test from E of L book that accompany text
MAP (Sep-Oct testing window)
See your school testing coordinator. / E of L Collection one (Out here on My Own), pgs 1-101
Focus: Plot/theme, conflict, rhyme/rhyme scheme, theme, character, and writing a short story.
E of L Teaching Resource A
Verb Tenses, pgs 17-18
S/V Agreement, pgs12-13
Spelling Adverbs, pg 15
Spelling Words w/Adjective & Noun forming suffixes, pg 20
E of W Chapter 7 pgs210-241 & chapter 9 pgs 274-313.
Focus: Introduction to expository writing (writing to inform).
Chapter 26 pgs 706-725, commas and semicolons
E of W Language Skills Practice & Assessment Book
For reinforcement and practice, optional worksheet pgs 227-233.
Media Center/Computer Lab
DGP, weeks 5-8

STANDARDS/

CONTENT

/ ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS/ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS /

SKILLS

/

ASSESSMENTS

/

RESOURCES

ELA7W1 (a, b-d, e)
ELA7W2 (Expository, a-g; Literature, a-c, f; Narrative, a, b, g)
ELA7W3 (a-e)
ELA7W4 (Expository, a-d)
ELA7C1 (a, b, c, d, f, h) / Writing Essential Questions
What are some research techniques (skills) used to find information?
How do writers document information from other writers?
What is the primary purpose of a bibliography?
What features in a magazine make it appealing to readers?
Why is it important to edit and revise?
Conventions Essential Question
What parts of speech can be modifiers?
What questions are asked when trying to identify subjects and/or predicates?
How does a better understanding of the parts of speech improve one’s writing?
What roles do commas and semicolons have in the written language?
How do sentence fragments and run-ons interfere with the reader’s ability to understand a work?
Why is it important for subjects and verbs to agree? / Graphic features
Main Idea
Theme
Author’s Purpose
Questioning
Graphic features:
charts, graphs, photos, captions, maps, & highlighted vocabulary
Acquires new vocabulary
Writing
Brainstorming
Outlining
Note-taking
Paraphrasing
Summarizing
Avoiding Plagiarism
Writing Process
Consider Audience (formal/informal)
Evaluating opinions
Conventions
Punctuation
Adjective and Adverb Clause
Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement
Verb tenses
Fragment
Modifiers
S/V Agreement
Sentence fluency
Transitions /

STANDARDS/

CONTENT

/ ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS/ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS /

SKILLS

/

ASSESSMENTS

/

RESOURCES

ELA7LSV1 (a, b, d, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m)
ELA7LSV2 (2a, 2b, e-g) / Listening/Speaking/Viewing Essential Questions
What are some techniques that promote active listening?
How do listeners respond appropriately to oral communication?
What are appropriate delivery techniques to engage the audience and get the message across? / LSV
Small group discussions
Student-teacher conferences
Presentation of final product

STANDARDS/

CONTENT

/ ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS/ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS /

SKILLS

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ASSESSMENTS

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RESOURCES

OCTOBER / Unit Focus:
Persuasive Texts
Plays
ELA7R1 (Information/persuasive a-f)
ELA7R2 (a, b, d)
ELA7R3 (a-c)
ELA7RC1
ELA7RC2 (b, e)
ELA7RC3 (a)
ELA7RC4 (a-c) / Enduring Understanding:
Analyze and compare and contrast narrative, expository, and persuasive writing.
Explain why persuasion is a powerful and necessary part of everyday life.
Demonstrate and support how research, supporting evidence, and stylistic devises are used to convey an argument.
Reading Essential Questions
How do authors convey character motivations?
How do literary characters reflect or resemble people in real life?
What roles do irony, tone, and mood play in literature?
What role does suspense and foreshadowing play in literature?
What role do context clues play in helping readers to understand vocabulary in literature?
What effect does literary elements play in prose and plays? / Reading
Prose
Plays
Point of view
Characterization
Irony
Tone
Mood
Suspense
Foreshadowing
Use of context clues
Identifies evidence to support arguments
Dialogue
Root words and affixes to understand vocabulary
Connections made between messages and themes from one subject to another. / CFA
Teacher generated unit test
DGP Quiz
Persuasive writing samples
Literary test from E of L book
that accompany text
Debate
Campaigning
Mock Election
Student project related to myths or the pending presidential election (student created)
MAP (Sep-Oct testing window)
See your school testing coordinator. / Media Center/Computer Lab
DGP, weeks 9-12
Writing for Proficiency, A Test Preparation Program (Level C)
pgs 22-25 and Writing for Proficiency, A Test Preparation Program (Level A, less challenging) pgs 22-25.
Copyright 1995 by Globe Fearson Educational Publisher
~How to write a persuasive essay
Periodicals related to the presidential campaign
E of W chapter 8,pgs 242-273
E of W Strategies for Writing
pgs 32-37 Writing to Persuade Worksheets
E of W Language Skills, Practice and Assessment
pgs 94-97 (compound/complex sentences)
pgs 81-87 (clauses)
E of L, Collection Six, pgs 418-493. All Things are Connected, human drama as well as story elements.
Focus: Main Idea, Setting, Poetry References, Origin Myths, Persuasive & Descriptive Writing,

STANDARDS/

CONTENT

/ ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS/ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS /

SKILLS

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ASSESSMENTS

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RESOURCES

(Persuasive, a-g)
ELA7W3 (a-e)
ELA7C1 (b-d, h)
ELA7LSV1
ELA7LSV2 / When is persuasion useful and/or necessary?
What techniques, strategies, or elements make some persuasion more effective than others?
How do different modes of texts display citations and source credits?
What are the pros and cons of an issue?
How does the reader recognize the presentation and development of an argument for or against an issue?
Conventions Essential Questions
What are the appropriate uses of conventions and grammar rules in written format?
What types of clauses make up compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences?
Listening/Speaking/Viewing Essential Questions
Why is it important to actively participate in group discussions?
What are ways we can summarize information we have discussed in our group?
How are opinions shaped by electronic images? / Point of View
Fact and opinion
Reasons/evidence
Main ideas
Supporting Details
Dialogue
Propaganda Techniques
Conventions
Punctuation
Compound/complex sentences
Clauses
Coordination/subordinating conjunctions
LSV
Ask relevant questions
Express opinions in a respectful manner
Demonstrate knowledge of discussion in an appropriate manner
Critically analyze and evaluate messages or images presented by journalism / Evaluative Writing, Sensory Details, Varying Sentence Structure, Irony, Tone, Mood, and Context Clues.
E of L, Teaching Resources B
Avoiding Cliches, pgs 39-40
Graphic Organizers, pgs 38, 42, 7, 50, 55 & 56.
Root words and affixes, pg 41
Spelling Vivid Verbs, pg 46
Organizing Ideas, pgs 48-49
Using a Variety of Sentence Structures, pgs 61-62

STANDARDS/

CONTENT

/ ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS/ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS /

SKILLS

/

ASSESSMENTS

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RESOURCES

NOVEMBER / Unit Focus:
Narrative
Expository
Persuasive Writing
ELA7R1 (Information/persuasive a-f; literary text, a-i)
ELA7R2 (a-e)
ELA7R3 (a-c)
ELA7RC1
ELA7W1
ELA7W2 (Responding to Literature, a-f)
ELA7W3 (b, d)
ELA7W4 (a-d) / Enduring Understanding:
Narrative, expository, and persuasive writing differ.
Effective writers must adjust their writing style to suit the purpose.
Reading Essential Questions
What role do context clues play in helping readers to understand vocabulary in literature?
How do analyzing common textual features enable the reader to obtain information?
How could using graphic organizers, diagrams, captions and illustrations identify and draw conclusion and make judgments?
How do organizational structures and patterns apply knowledge?
Writing Essential Questions
How do I adjust my writing style to suit the purpose of my writing?
What are some ways we can use the different types of writing in our daily lives?
How does the writer develop a plot, setting, and point of view appropriate to the story?
Why is it necessary to have an organized structure appropriate for a clear purpose, audience, and context?
Why should sensory details and concrete language be useful in the development of the plot, setting and characterization? / Reading
Evaluate structural elements:
Topic sentences
Concluding sentences
Introduction
Conclusion
Footnotes, index
Bibliography
Graphic features:
Logical order
Cause and effect relationships
Comparison and contrast
Writing
Varied beginnings
Standard plot line
Cohesive devices
Intended audience
Vivid verbs
Descriptive adjectives
Sentence variation
Characterization / CFA
Mock Writing Test
Teacher Generated Unit Test
DGP Quiz
Writing Samples (one per category if possible, can be used in conjunction with literature book stories)
Literary test from E of L book that accompany stori / Resources
Media Center/Computer Lab
DGP, weeks 13-15




E o L
pgs 672-677
Expository Writing Sample
Pgs 670-671
Speaking to Inform
Pgs 410-415
Narrative “Firsthand” Writing
Writing for Proficiency, A Test Preparation Program (Level C)
pgs 50-57 and Writing for Proficiency, A Test Preparation Program (Level A, less challenging) pgs 50-57.
Copyright 1995 by Globe Fearon Educational Publisher
Unit 2 Improving Your Scores, Chapter 2, Strategies for clear and interesting writing
Focus: How to develop good transitions, How to combine sentences, how to structure a paragraph, and Putting your learning into practice.

STANDARDS/

CONTENT

/ ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS/ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS /

SKILLS

/

ASSESSMENTS

/

RESOURCES

ELA7C1 (a-d, f, h)
ELA7LSV1 (a-m)
ELA7LSV2 (a-g) / Conventions Essential Question
What are the appropriate uses of conventions and grammar rules in written format?
What questions are asked when trying to identify subjects and/or predicates?
How do sentence fragments and run-ons interfere with the reader’s ability to understand a work?
What types of clauses make up compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences?
Why is it important to edit and revise?
Why is it necessary for the final draft/presentation to demonstrate accurate spelling, punctuation, and capitalization?
Listening/Speaking/Viewing Essential Questions
What does it mean to be an active listener?
What are some techniques that promote active listening?
How do listeners respond appropriately to oral communication?
What are the different techniques and strategies used to communicate effectively?
How will my presentation be assessed?
How can I give my peers feedback to help improve their presentation skills?
Why is it important to actively participate in group discussions?
What are ways we can summarize information we have discussed in our group?
How are opinions shaped by electronic images? / Conventions
Avoiding fragments and run-ons
Modifier usage
Combining/revising
Subject-verb Agreement
Pronoun-antecedent Agreement
Comparatives and superlatives Capitalization
Punctuation
Adjective and Adverb Clause
Verb tenses
Sentence fluency
Compound/complex sentences
Clauses
Coordination/subordinating conjunctions
LSV
Small group discussions
Student-teacher conferences
Presentation of final product
Ask relevant questions
Express opinions in a respectful manner
Demonstrate knowledge of discussion in an appropriate manner
Critically analyze and evaluate messages or images presented by journalism / E o W, Word Choice and Sentence Style
Focus: Writing Effective Sentences, chapter 11, pgs 1-13 (select your area of need)
E o W, The Writing Process
Focus: Main Idea, sentence variety, unity & coherence, transitions, order and comparing and contrasting.
Chapter 2, Learning about paragraphs, pgs 21-32.

STANDARDS/

CONTENT

/ ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS/ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS /

SKILLS

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ASSESSMENTS

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RESOURCES

DECEMBER / Unit Focus:
Technical Writing/Novel Study
ELA7R1 (Informational; c & f; Literary text c & f)
ELA7RC3 (c)
ELA7W1 (e)
ELA7W2 (a, b, d)
ELA7W4 (b, c) / Enduring Understandings:
How is technical writing used on a daily basis?
What format does business letters follow?
How are tone and words choice important in communication?
How can large audiences be reached by web page information?
Reading Essential Questions
What common structures and purposes do all forms of communication share?
What makes technical directions easy to follow and understand?
Writing Essential Questions
What are the most common forms of business writing?
Why tone and word choice are important is business correspondence?
Why is it important to distinguish between an expository and a persuasive essay? / Reading
Author’s Purpose
Parts of a Book (Glossary, Index, Footnotes, Table of Contents)
Logical Order
Compare and contrast
Analyze and interpret traits
Evaluate structural elements
Writing
Types of business letters
Business letters structures
Writing process
Resume writing
Completing job applications
Determining the difference between editing, revisions, and proofread / CFA (can be combined with semester exam)
Semester Exam
Any individual teacher project to accompany novel study
Student produced business letter/resume/any form of technical writing / Novels: The Outsiders
The Giver, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Cheaper by the Dozen, or Where the Red Fern Grows. Select one novel. See your department chair or Media Specialist for resources and accompanying teacher materials.
E o W, Academic and Workplace Skills
Chapter 35, pgs 61-70
Focus: Technical Writing (Letters)
Study Guides
Movie that accompanies your selected novel
Media Center/Computer Lab
DGP, weeks 16-18



Netterkker
Department of Education website.

Writing prompts and tools

STANDARDS/