Corvian

Community

School

Language Arts

7th Grade Language Arts

At Corvian Community School, we will establish an integrated model where social studies and language arts teachers plan cohesive units that integrate the standards. Our classrooms will be highly integrated with book clubs, research papers, word study, various projects, and opportunities to build a community of readers, writers, speakers and listeners. Students will learn, apply, and synthesize the language arts curriculum goals through the study of world cultures, historical events, and the local and global community. We are committed to involvement in the community, establishing global connections, and gaining respect and understanding for diversity within cultures and communities. Through our cohesive approach to learning we will produce well-rounded students who appreciate and recognize historical perspectives and therefore are able to begin establishing their own individual identity. Students will also experience further curricular integration through grade-level global themes. We will adhere closely to the standards set forth at the national and state level.

Theme for the year: Change

Essential Questions:
What is my role and responsibility in this world?
How and why do people come together?
What do I know and understand about other cultures?
What causes change and how can we predict it?
How is change linked to time?
What is progress, and does change always represent progress?

In the Language Arts classroom, students will use multiple genres of reading and writing as they explore how history and literature chronicle change in our world. They will continue to learn how to analyze and write more complex texts using both fiction and nonfiction. They will develop their research skills including: developing inquiry questions, determining quality of sources, annotating texts, and understanding bias. They will acquire and use content area vocabulary as well as expand on knowledge of Greek and Latin roots.

Overlying Questions

How can I define my role and responsibility in this world through reading and writing?
How and why do people come together?
What can I learn and understand about other cultures through the written language?
What causes change, and can we predict it?

Major Focus:
1) Analyze and write complex texts: Students examine and utilize the strategies such as literary elements, text structure and style of authors to influence their own writing of multiple genres.

2) Study of fiction and nonfiction texts: Students compare and contrast the style, audience, and effectiveness of both types of text as compared to purpose, subject and audience.

3) Informational texts as connected to topics in history: bias, text structure, voice

4) Develop research skills: what make a good research topic, students gather resource, take notes and develop a thesis

5) Annotate texts: students understand how to respond to texts to increase comprehension of both fiction and nonfiction

6) Determine quality of text sources: understand bias, primary and secondary sources

7) Acquire content vocabulary in both fiction and nonfiction texts and expand knowledge of Greek and Latin roots: etymology, connotation/ denotation

8) Conventions: using grammar, spelling and capitalization to improve writing