Grade 7 Unit 1 Life is Not Fair - Help4ELA - Home7.Unit+1...Grade 7 Unit 1 Life is Not Fair Page 4 of 20 Grade 7 Unit 1: Life is Not Fair Part 1 Introduction Learning Targets: Students

Grade 7 Unit 1 Life is Not Fair Page 1 of 20

Grade 7 Unit 1 Life is Not Fair

Common Core/Essential Standards

RL7.1 RL7.2 RL7.3 RL7.4

RL7.5 RL7.6 RI7.1 RI7.2 RI7.3

RI7.4 RI7.5 RI7.6 RI7.8 RI7.9

W7.1 W7.5 W7.6 W7.7 W7.8

W7.9 SL7.1 SL7.3

Overarching Standards

RL7.10 RI7.10 W7.10 W7.4-6 SL7.1a-d SL7.6 L7.4a-d L7.5 L7.6

Learner Objective(s) Language Objective(s)

How do elements of a genre interact to shape character and plot?

How does textual analysis determine meaning (explicitly and implicitly?)

How is theme developed through character, plot, and setting?

How are context clues used to determine meaning?

How does specific word choice impact meaning and tone?

How do authors use allusions? How do effective collaborative discussions empower

readers?

Essential Questions

How do we measure whether life is fair or not?

How much of our fate is determined by luck?

What control do we have over unfair circumstances? How can we make life worthwhile even though it seems unfair?

Evidence of Student Learning/Assessments Students will write literary analyses and reflections with textual evidence relating the unit theme

and guiding questions to the featured text and content. Students will have been exposed to a variety of texts during this unit such as novels, short stories, non-fiction, poetry, drama, and quotations.

Students will engage in small group discussion and/or Paideia/Socratic seminar to apply the unit theme and guiding questions to featured text.

Students will create a product based on text for independent reading.

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FOCUS CCSS Standards in Grade 7 Unit 1: Life is Not Fair

RL7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL7.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL7.3 Analyze how elements of a particular story interact, how setting shapes conflict, characters and plot

RL7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

RL7.5 Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning.

RL7.6 Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.

RI7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RI7.2 Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

RI7.3 Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events).

RI7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

RI7.5 Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas.

RI7.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others.

RI7.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims.

RI7.9 Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts.

W7.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.

W7.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.

W7.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.

W7.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

W7.9

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time,

place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history”).

b. Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. “Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims”).

SL7.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.

SL7.3 Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

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Grade 7 Unit 1: Life is Not Fair

Plan with the end in mind. Consider what students will do to demonstrate their mastery of these standards by the end of the

unit, and make an incremental plan to get them there. Be strategic about instruction and pacing.

Part Suggested Instructional Sequence How does this help prepare students for the culminating task(s)?

1 Introduction and Orientation Orientation to course (teacher/classroom expectations and requirements)

Reading and analyzing poems

Writing a poem using a template

Intro to class Poem form and structure

2

Life is Not Fair: Growing Up Discussion Seminar: Students will appraise and critique statements from "Life is

not fair" citing evidence from supplementary texts

“Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes and Harlem Renaissance

Students will develop structures and procedures for documenting an independent reading program.

analyze a poem, identifying and discussing the use of language to reinforce theme, meaning and the author's purpose

3

The Impulse to Dream Introduction to literary elements via short stories such as “Treasure of Lemon

Brown” and novel excerpts

Introduction to the concept of Article of the Week (AoW) and text annotation

Examining word choice and the impact on meaning and tone in informational text; Identifying themes

Literary elements; analysis of theme, word choice Informational text and annotation

4 The Irony of Life Exploring text grappling, irony, and author’s style by reading “After Twenty

Years” and “Gift of the Magi”; Reading Like a Writer

Novel excerpts to practice Reading Like a Writer

context clues, irony, grappling with text, author’s style, Reading Like a Writer

5 Misunderstanding and Conflict Read “Ribbons” and explore the role of point of view and misunderstandings

“The Third Wish”: Analyze how setting and characters impact theme; discuss symbolism in the story; cite evidence to support inferences; conflict (internal vs. external)

comparing and contrasting characters and point of view, theme, symbolism, inferences, conflict

6

Culminating Tasks Students will create a two stanza poem, with a partner, using their knowledge of

language, form and structure to reinforce theme, meaning and the author's purpose.

Students will compare and contrast their student created poem with the Langston Hughes poem for language, form, and structure.

Culminating Tasks: Students will write literary analyses and reflections with textual evidence relating the unit theme and guiding

questions to the featured text and content. Students will have been exposed to a variety of texts during this unit such as novels, short stories, non-fiction, poetry, drama, and quotations.

Students will engage in small group discussion and/or Paideia/Socratic seminar to apply the unit theme and guiding questions to featured text.

Students will create a product based on text for independent reading.

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Grade 7 Unit 1: Life is Not Fair Part 1 Introduction

Learning Targets: Students will be able to engage in the following using textual evidence:

Analyze how a text's form or structure contributes to its meaning. RL7.5

Understand how sound devices (repetition) contribute to the overall meaning of a text. RL7.4

Engage in collaborative discussions with peers. SL7.1

Unit Theme Be sure to write the unit theme “Life is Not Fair" on the board for easy reference. The activities in this unit will spiral back to this fundamental question. The guiding questions include:

How do we measure whether life is fair or not?

How much of our fate is determined by luck?

What control do we have over unfair circumstances?

How can we make life worthwhile even though it seems unfair? These questions may be written somewhere in the room and students answer them based on the text with textual references, or these questions may be recorded in their Learner Notebook with a page dedicated to each question with space to record examples from the featured text.

First week of school administrative tasks will take precedence today, so traditional warm-up activities may not be used until the teacher has had an opportunity to introduce them to students.

Activities for establishing classroom rules and procedures http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson274.shtml

Reading Attitude Surveys http://www.smallschoolsproject.org/index.asp?siteloc=tool&section=check

Handout: Reading Attitude Survey

Getting to Know You Activity: Read and connect with a poem

“The Sun Goes Down on Summer” by Steve Lawhead Project on your screen (via overhead, using a document camera, LCD projector) a copy of the poem "The Sun

Goes Down on Summer" by Steve Lawhead http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/poetry/summer.html .

Students should have a copy of the poem as well to write on.

Students will read the poem silently first.

Explain to students that in order to really understand a poem a reader must read a poem more than once (two or three times is suggested).

Instruct students to read the poem one more time independently, only this time students should highlight/underline at least two verses that resonate with them or something they can relate to personally.

Teacher will read the poem orally to the class, asking student to mark anything that strikes them as they hear it aloud.

Once students have had an opportunity to re-read and highlight at least two verses that they can connect to, students should turn to the person next to them (pairs work best) and share what they've identified as connections.

After all pairs have had an opportunity to share, regroup for whole-class discussion about the poem and its relevance to students today.

Teacher can share his/her favorite lines; ask for volunteers to share favorites (as students are comfortable doing).

Wrap-up discussion reinforcing the sentiments of the poet…that first days are hard, but with "first days" we have the promise of a "fresh opportunity to find myself". Mention this unit's theme "Life is Not Fair." Ask students how this theme relates to the poem or today's discussion. Be sure to get students to identify lines that

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Grade 7 Unit 1: Life is Not Fair Part 1 Introduction capture the theme.

Give students a 3x5 index card or sticky note. Tell students to write down one or two things they would like to do differently this year. This will be their exit ticket.

“Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyon Project on your screen a copy of the "Where I'm From" original poem by George Ella Lyon.

http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html Students should have a copy of the original poem to write on. Close Reading/Annotate the Text Close Read Instructions (Several choices within) Have the students read the poem silently, annotating the text with ? for confusing parts/words and ! for any

ideas that strike them. Ask students to share their ?'s and ask students to help each other answer them. Try to refrain from answering

all questions--instead ask a question to help students discover or share information. Teacher may model how to annotate the text. Remind students to be active readers, circling or underlining any

words or phrases that stick out to them and writing any questions and/or thoughts in the margins. Ask students to note how the poem is structured. What do they notice? Ask students to consider the poem in

relation to the unit's theme. What do they notice? Give students a chance to annotate the poem with these questions in mind.

Once students have had the opportunity to annotate the poem, have them complete a pair-share with a partner on their findings.

Students can listen to George Ella read her poem: http://www.georgeellalyon.com/audio/where.mp3 . Discuss as a whole class: What did you notice about the structure or format of the poem? How did this help you

as a reader to make meaning from the poem? Why did certain words or phrases, or images stick out more than others? (vivid and specific nouns, words, and phrases)

Pass out a Poetry Analysis Chart and model first box or two. Here are some choices: http://lukins.wikispaces.com/file/view/Poetry Analysis Chart.pdf http://podcasts.shelbyed.k12.al.us/kbenefield/files/2011/08/TPFASTT.pdf How To Analyze a Poem

Crafting a poem (using a template, as needed) Project "Where I'm From" completed analysis on screen. Share and debrief as a class. Discuss: what techniques

does the author use to tell us about her life? What do the items/words/names/phrases reveal about her? How does the author's use of repetition shape meaning for the reader?

You may choose to provide a writing template for the students or you may challenge them to craft their own poem. Differentiate with the brainstorming activity and template as necessary. Template Page 1 Page 2

Students should answer the questions individually. Encourage students to think broadly about their lives, families, friends, dreams, etc.

Clarify any questions or confusion students may have over some of the sentence starters (some are a bit more challenging than others). Ask students to share examples.

Students should complete their poems independently (scaffold as necessary for your students).

Editing/Revising "Where I'm From" and Prepare to Publish Ask students to exchange poems to gather feedback. Instruct students to look at content first: does the poem make sense? Did the writer follow the guidelines

correctly? Did the writer use vivid nouns, adjectives, verbs? What suggestions would you give the writer? Students will continue to provide feedback with the brainstorming template (regular or modified) as their guide. After looking at content, have peer editors look at structure. Do the line breaks make sense? Do they add to the

poem's meaning? Are stanzas formed? Do they have a purpose? Does the author use punctuation effectively (you may want to explain that conventions are not always used "correctly" in poetry).

If possible, allow students to talk with each other during this process. If necessary, have partners provide feedback in writing. Once all poems have been reviewed, return poems to writer.

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Grade 7 Unit 1: Life is Not Fair Part 1 Introduction

Prepare Poems for Publishing Students re-write or type poems after revising. You may choose to have students take home poems to decorate

(reflecting content) if you'd like. Teachers may use the "Where I'm From" Rubric or create their own rubric to use with this poem. Using Technology/ Alternative Activities: Technology can be used in a variety of ways with this project. Students can create a Photostory with these

poems or they can make a mini-movie using www.animoto.com, Students can use the words of their poem to create a "Tagxedo." (www.tagxedo.com)

Differentiation and Engagement Anchor Activities are ongoing assignments that students can work on independently throughout a unit.

They provide curriculum-based differentiation based on choice.

Discussion strategies and supports http://www.pps.k12.or.us/departments/curriculum/4873.htm Discussion strategies enhance the development of reading comprehension, higher level thinking, and the writing traits of content generation, logical organization, and voice while providing a motivating and productive academic environment for all students.

Fostering Engaging and Active Discussions in Middle School Classrooms http://literacyuncc.pbworks.com/f/Fostering%20Engaging%20(BT).pdf

Literature Circles http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/pd/instr/strats/literaturecircles/index.html

Discussions in middle school classrooms http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/pd/instr/strats/discussion/index.html

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Grade 7 Unit 1: Part 2: Life is Not Fair: Growing Up

Learning Targets: Students will be able to engage in the following using textual evidence:

Engage effectively and follow rules in collaborative discussions. SL7.1

Determine meanings of words and phrases as they are used in texts; including figurative meanings. RL7.4

Analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds on a specific verse or stanza of a poem. RL7.4

Analyze how a poem's structure contributes to its meaning. RL7.5

How does the author use structure to develop meaning in a poem? RL7.5

How do sound devices contribute to the overall meaning of a poem? RL7.4

Remind students of the theme of unit 1: Life is Not Fair. Explain that you will be reading a variety of texts that connect to this theme in some way. They will use the Learner Notebook to respond to the texts and to cite evidence from the text that connects to the unit's theme.

VERY IMPORTANT: Tell students (often) that this notebook will be extremely important to use for the unit's Summative Assessment. Students will be citing evidence from their notebooks in these assessments. Those who are more thorough in their note-taking and observations will be more adequately prepared to write a quality response to the assessment prompt.

Paideia Seminar or Circle Discussion on unit theme "Life is Not Fair" Teachers may use either Unit 1 Paideia Seminar OR Circle Discussion for students to respond to the Life is Not Fair

seminar statements. Ask students to respond in their Learner Notebook by choosing one statement made by a classmate that they feel best relates to the unit theme.

Life is Not Fair: Learner Notebook response to a quotation on unit theme Tell students that you will begin an activity that they will participate in throughout the year using quotes that

relate to the different unit themes. Project today's quotation on the screen (choose one from the unit PowerPoint.) Have the students read the quotation silently. Ask for a student volunteer to read the quotation. Talk about how

inflection may affect meaning. Ask for a volunteer to read the quotation with inflection that emphasizes what they feel the author's message is.

Tell students to copy the quote into their Learner Notebook, using quotation marks appropriately, and being sure to write down who said it, because they will need to reference this information later for the summative assessment at the end of the unit.

As this response to a quotation is the first, model an appropriate response (use an alternate quotation if you would like). Then have students write several sentences with their reflections and explanations of how the quotation connects to the theme.

Once students have had the opportunity to reflect and respond to the quote, have them complete a pair-share with a partner to compare thoughts.

Discuss as a whole class: Ask for volunteers to share their thoughts/reflections on the quote and ask specifically for evidence from the quote that connects to the theme.

Reinforce that we will be looking for evidence in the texts we read to tie to our unit themes and recording that evidence in the Learner Notebook.

“Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes Ask students to turn back to the poem "Where I'm From." Ask a student to summarize how the structure and

format of that poem helped shaped its meaning. What are other ways authors shape meaning? (If needed, lead them to thinking about figurative language.)

Ask students if they have heard of Langston Hughes? Do they know any of his poems? Have they heard of the Harlem Renaissance? Ask students to read background information on page 542 in the Prentice Hall text and pick out three details they think are key to know as they prepare to read a Langston Hughes poem.

Have students read the poem independently for general understanding. Ask students to read the poem again with this question in mind: To what is life being compared?

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Grade 7 Unit 1: Part 2: Life is Not Fair: Growing Up Ask students to identify the type of figurative language Hughes uses in the poem (extended metaphor). Have

students outline the parts of the metaphor in writing in their Learner Notebook first. Then discuss. Ask students: What is dialect? Can you provide an example of dialect? Why does Hughes use dialect in the poem?

What does the dialect reveal about the character? What impact does this have on the reader? Have students write a minimum of three ideas about what you've discussed in class today. Also have students

explain how this poem connects to the theme. Remind students to cite evidence to support connections to the theme. Mother to Son Activity.

Use the featured poem as a "mentor text" and have students write their own extended metaphor using the starter. "Life can be like a/an…" (Or with another starter that sets students up for an extended metaphor.)

You may choose to allow students to work in pairs to write these poems. As a companion poem, consider “Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward” by Gwendolyn Brooks.

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/speech-to-the-young-speech-to-the-progress-towar/.

The Importance of Reading/Introduction to Independent Reading Requirements Teachers need to arrange for their classes to visit the Media Center as early into the school year as possible.

Students will be required to have a book to read with them at all times, especially if your warm-up is independent reading time. Once students have had an opportunity to select books, you may begin your independent reading challenge.

Project the Nancie Atwell quotation on the screen. Give students time to read the quotation, to copy it in their Learner Notebook, and to write a few sentences of

response. Discuss the Atwell quotation. Do students agree? Disagree? Why or Why not? Share your thoughts about reading

with your students. Explain that you have high expectations for all of your students this year with a goal of reading widely and deeply

across genres. Project the Independent Reading Statistics slide on your screen (taken from Kelly Gallagher's Readicide). Review the stats with students and ask for their feedback. Are they surprised by those numbers? How do they

measure up? What can they do to improve their own reading ability? Address the CCCS RL 7.10: "By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and

poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range."

Explain "Lexile" scores for books and how that works. (You could show a list of popular titles and their lexile scores or post the scores of the most commonly read books in grades 6 -8 and how they measure up.) As an educator, keep in mind that Lexile represents only one-third of the text complexity composition.

Share with students your plan to address this standard (e.g. 40 book challenge or any other independent reading program that you choose.) The goal for any and all programs is to have students read WIDELY and DEEPLY ACROSS GENRES. No reading ruts!

Help students set up their Reader Response Journals. If using 40-Book Challenge, see the MS ELA wiki for template to record books and genres.

Novel Connection: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton This novel is an ideal fit for "Life is Not Fair" and there are thorough resources provided. Be sure that if you teach this novel, that your instruction and resources are carefully aligned to Common Core Standards; resources designed under other standards will not sufficiently prepare students. Resources:

The Outsiders Paideia PowerPoint Resources to use for teaching novels

Teacher Note: For teachers who want to use the lessons and still have students read the novel, have students read it independently and then set up a wiki site where students could engage in discussions about the book (with direction from the teacher) online. This would allow you to have the whole-novel

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Grade 7 Unit 1: Part 2: Life is Not Fair: Growing Up experience and not have to sacrifice a month or more of classroom instruction time (as can be the case when reading it in class). This would be the best of both worlds.

Teaching Text Structure of Informational Text Readers of all ages must be aware of text structures if they are to be most successful (Meyer, 2003). The structure or organization of the text is the arrangement of ideas and the relationships among the ideas. Readers who are unaware of the text structures are at a disadvantage because they do not approach reading with any type of reading plan. However, readers who are familiar with text structures expect the information to unfold in certain ways. Teachers may find teaching text structure for expository texts an effective technique to improve reading achievement averages. Most expository texts are structured to facilitate the study process for prospective readers. These texts contain structural elements that help guide students through their reading. Authors of expository texts use these structures to arrange and connect ideas. Students who understand the idea of text structure and how to analyze it are likely to learn more than students who lack this understanding. Students' reading comprehension skills improve when they acquire knowledge of texts' structural development and use them properly. Text features can help readers locate and organize information in the text. For example, headings help introduce students to specific bits of information. Structural elements in expository texts vary; therefore, it is important to introduce students to the components of various texts throughout the school year. It is also important to teach and model the use of these components properly at the beginning of the school year. The recognition and use of text organization are essential processes underlying comprehension and retention.

For instructional resources on teaching text structure, go to http://msela.pbworks.com/w/page/51837371/Close Reading and Annotation.

adapted from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/52251/

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Grade 7 Unit 1 Part 3: Life is Not Fair: The Impulse to Dream

Learning Targets: Students will be able to engage in the following using textual evidence:

Analyze how particular elements of a story interact (e.g. how setting shapes the characters or plot). RL7.3

Determine meanings of words and phrases as they are used in texts. RL7.4

Analyze the impact of specific word choice on meaning and tone. RL7.4

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text. RL7.2

Introduction to Article of the Week (AoW) and text annotation Display the article of the week on your screen or overhead projector. Students should have a hard copy of the article and a pencil and/or highlighter to mark the text.

Tell students that they will be reading articles this year on a variety of topics---some current events, some theme-related, etc.

The purpose of reading these AoW's is to help build background knowledge as well as gain exposure to non-fiction text and text structures, argument, and recognition of author bias and purpose. Practice with AoW's helps to build critical thinking skills. AOW PPT

Talk about the concept of doing a "close read" of a text. This involves reading the text closely and annotating to mark your confusion and/or your questions/comments on what you've read.

Tell students you will be reading the article and doing a "think aloud" as well as annotating the text with your thoughts/comments.

Explain the meaning of "annotation" or marking the text with your thoughts, comments, and questions.

Model reading and annotating the text by either marking the text on a transparency or using crocodoc (or some other text annotation tool). Tell students to write down on their article the things that you are marking on your text to use as an example.

Model doing this for half of the text.

Explain that part of the AoW assignment includes text annotation AND writing a (one-page) reflection on the article (many of Kelly Gallagher's articles have reflection questions at the bottom of the article; you may add/change as needed). NOTE that Kelly Gallagher teaches high school, and many articles may not be appropriate for younger middle schoolers.

Students should practice annotating with the rest of the article.

Talk to the students about annotation choices. Ask for examples and ask students to explain why they marked they things they did. Allow students to add to annotations as you discuss.

Once the annotation is completed, ask students what the word "reflection" means. Have students write the words: reflection, analysis, and evaluation in their Learner Notebook. Brainstorm with the students the characteristics of each type of writing. Help them see commonalities as well as differences. Have students create a graphic organizer in their Learner Notebook that helps them understand what these words mean.

Explain to students that they will write many reflections this year. As a class (or in small groups) have students talk about what types of things they would write about in a reflection of this first AoW. (Allowing students to talk about it first may reduce some writer anxiety and allows for you to set the stage for clear expectation before students have to perform on paper.)

You may decide to have students write this reflection or simply tell them that they will add this set for the next AoW.

NOTE: Kelly Gallagher's procedure for AoW suggests giving out the article on Monday and having it due by Friday of that week. This is recommended but teachers can assign and have due dates that work best for their classes. Students are responsible for turning in the annotated article and the one-page reflection. For ease of providing feedback, consider pulling a small number for detailed feedback each week, rotating through your students so that all receive feedback but you are not overwhelmed. There are other resources for AOW here.

Introduction literary elements and devices

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Grade 7 Unit 1 Part 3: Life is Not Fair: The Impulse to Dream Refrain from defining all the terms for the students. They have heard them before! Have students interact with

the terms so that they have ownership of them.

Ask students to self-assess their knowledge of literary elements. Have them look at the terms on Prentice Hall text pages 172-173 or at another source that lists literary elements. Ask them to write the terms in the Learner Notebook and then provide their own example of each. Tell the students that if they cannot think of an original example to leave enough room to fill one in later. (You may also choose to create Word Wall cards with this activity. Give students index cards and have them create cards with words and pictures, or words with examples, or words with definitions, etc for your classroom Word Wall. You may also want to consider the Looping Literary Terms activity.)

After giving students time to write, allow them to work with a partner to fill in any gaps. If necessary, have the students engage in a textbook scavenger hunt, in which they look for examples of the terms and fill them in in their Learner Notebook.

Review/clarify as necessary.

Then ask students to underline all plot elements: characters, setting, plot, theme, and conflict. Ask them to circle (or highlight) all literary devices: foreshadowing, flashback, irony, dialect. Ask students why authors use these devices in stories.

Introduction to Short Stories: "The Treasure of Lemon Brown" by Walter Dean Myers Tell the students that you are preparing to read a short story titled "The Treasure of Lemon Brown" and that you

are going to share with them several different media to help them understand the time. Display visual literacy artwork by searching the Internet for appropriate pieces of art from this historical era. Ask

students to respond to the visuals in their Learner Notebook. Students should respond to the following prompts: o What do you see in this image? o What is the mood of the picture? o How do the elements of the artwork work to create this mood? o Solicit volunteers to share their responses to the visual prompt. Ask the students if they see any

connection to the theme Life is Not Fair. o After students share, show the "History of the Blues" powerpoint to give some background information

on this type of music and the time period/setting in which it became popular. Ask students to write (a minimum of) three facts in their Learner Notebook that they feel are important to understanding this time period.

o Next, play a short music video clip featuring a Blues artist from Harlem. o Ask students to respond to the following prompt in their Learner Notebook:

What mood does this music create in you? Predict how the music and artwork will play a role in today's story? (Optional: Write a poem about the music and/or the artwork from the slides.) With the CCSS, you want to avoid reading everything to students. However, to start them on this

story, you might want to project the beginning of the story (http://hpms.hpisd.org/Portals/1/Teachers/Mires/2011-2012/2nd Six Weeks/The Treasure of Lemon Brown.pdf) and show them how you would annotate the first several paragraphs. You might want to give the students sticky notes if you are using the text in the book so that they can annotate as they read (and then transfer notes to Learner Notebook). Alternatively, you could teach students how to annotate directly in their Learner Notebook. In your annotation, be sure to model how you notice the description of the weather and conjecture on what the author might have meant by those descriptions.

o Depending on your students' levels, you might want to prep them to look for specific literary devices (flashback, dialogue, dialect). Tell students to make note of any of these devices as they discover them.

This is a good opportunity to introduce the idea that plot development is about more than the components of a story. A plot is a causal sequence of events and provide the “why” for the things that happen in the story. Plot structure is the way in which the story elements are arranged based on the writer’s deliberate choices. To begin to understand plot development of

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Grade 7 Unit 1 Part 3: Life is Not Fair: The Impulse to Dream the featured story, have students re-create a plot diagram in the Learner Notebook and note the events of the featured story. When students have read the story and completed the plot diagram, introduce them to:

CCSS RL7.3: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (i.e.

how setting shapes the characters or plot.) (Simply completing the plot diagram addresses the same reading Standard for grade 1: RL1.3.) Begin by analyzing how each component of the plot contributes to the story and analyzing why the author chose particular events, settings, conflicts, etc. Conjecture what would happen if the author had made alternative choices.

o Students will finish the story independently. o When students finish reading, have them note what literary devices they found in the story as well as a

few sentences explaining what the author meant and why he used these particular techniques. (Ex. Dialect and hyperbole--"Don't try nothin' ‘cause I got a razor sharp enough to cut a week into nine days!" The author uses dialect when Lemon Brown speaks to make the story sound more real and to contrast Lemon's level of education with Greg's and Greg's fathers. The hyperbole shows some of Lemon's personality…)

Life is Not Fair Quote/Powerpoint/Richard Wright Display Famous Quotes Powerpoint Slide #8 with Richard Wright's quotation.

Give students a hard copy of the excerpt of Richard Wright's "Black Boy" text.

Direct students to respond to the following writing prompt(s) in their Learner Notebook. You may consider assigning certain questions to particular students depending on their readiness levels.

o Notice the author's use of figurative language in the quotation. How does he use the word "hunger" differently in the excerpt than he does in the quotation?

o How do the quotation and the excerpt tie into our unit theme? Cite evidence from the quotation and/or text to support your answer.

o How might the quotation and excerpt from Richard Wright connect to the short story "The Treasure of Lemon Brown?" Give examples.

Perhaps have students prepare to share their responses by using the Numbered Heads Together technique.

Using Novel Excerpts for Short Fiction Access additional short fiction by using excerpts of novels that may be in your school. The unit theme "Life Is Not Fair" and even the sub-categories for each week apply to many novels appropriate for seventh grade, and the following titles

and chapter recommendations are appropriate. Consider using the same instructional strategies to teach the excerpts as you would the featured short stories. Guiding Questions for Book Reflections

Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki. Chapter 2. Japanese family endures the days after Pearl Harbor and are placed in an internment camp.

Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. Chapter 13. Mattie and her family are trying to survive in the woods and she becomes ill.

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. Chapters 3-4. Aleuts and Russians land on the island and battle ensues with the natives.

Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson. Chapter 2. Louise is resentful of her twin, Caroline.

Miracle's Boys by Jacqueline Woodson. Chapter 2. Lafayette thinks about his dad died a hero and the current situation of his family.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. Chapter 6 (pages 117-130). Cassie recounts to an angered Uncle Hammer the Strawberry incident in which she is pushed off the sidewalk. Mama tries to help Cassie understand the situation.

The Other Side of Truth by Beverly Naidoo. Chapter 4. Sade and Femi flee their home in the middle of the night and go to the airport to flee to England.

Return to the unit questions about fairness and allow students to relate what they have read to the guiding questions. For example: What have we learned from the characters of the featured short stories about fairness and coping with unfair circumstances?

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Grade 7 Unit 1 Part 4: The Irony of Life

Learning Targets: Students will be able to engage in the following using textual evidence:

Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text. RL7.6

Determine meanings of words and phrases as they are used in texts. RL7.4

Analyze the impact of specific word choice on meaning and tone. RL7.4

Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL7.1

This week will continue the routine of distributing an Article of the Week task for students to complete by the end of the week. You will want to create a routine for sharing student annotations and reflections on Fridays such as small group sharing focusing on text-based questions from the text.

“After Twenty Years” and “Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry This lesson uses the short stories to explore the unit theme as well as trace patterns in O. Henry’s style of writing. Students will read each short story for comprehension and then analyze them based on author’s choices and style.

Resources: “After Twenty Years” P-H Page 324 “Gift of the Magi” http://www.ibiblio.org/ebooks/Henry/Gift_Magi.pdf

“After Twenty Years” Explain to students that they will be encountering a number of difficult texts this year. Today you will

teach them a strategy called "grappling with the text" that will help them to break down hard to read passages and figure out what they mean.

Explain that "grappling" is sort of like "wrestling." Ask the students: Why might we talk about grappling with text? What does that tell you about the process of deciphering difficult text?

Introduce the story of “After Twenty Years” by O. Henry. This story directly relates to our unit theme of Life is Not Fair, as well as provides a fine example of irony.

Divide the story into two parts, the first part ending with the line, "It's an appointment made twenty years ago." (middle of page 324). Teacher may want to provide a photocopy or project the first four paragraphs of the short story to practice the skill of grappling before continuing with the text.

Teacher will tell students that they will be "grappling with the text" of the first paragraph of the story, as there are a number of difficult words and expressions that may make comprehension difficult for them.

Distribute the "What it Says" vs. "What it Means" handout. Teacher will read the opening paragraph and then ask students to explain what it means. Talk about any

unfamiliar words. Ask for volunteers to help define them and/or ask if students can decipher meanings by using context clues.

Direct students to fill in the "What it Means" side of the chart with what the sentence means in their own words. Example: “The policeman on the beat moved up the avenue impressively. The impressiveness was

habitual and not for show, for spectators were few.” Meaning: The policeman walked up and down the street as he always had, and he may have seemed

impressive in how he walked with authority and familiarity. But, the streets were empty, so no one would have watched him walk up and down the street.

Continue to read the first few lines and do a "think aloud" to model your thinking process and how you make meaning with this text.

Students will practice "grappling" with the rest of the text that is listed on the page, using context clues, partners, or other designated resources (allow them to use computers, dictionaries, etc) to help them out. (Using multiple resources may allow you a teachable moment where you can expose the benefits of using context clues rather than always relying on an outside source.)

Have students write down what they think the text means in the box provided on the handout.

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Guiding Questions for Reading Like a

Writer Literary Text

1. What happens in the story? Give a SHORT summary of the plot (the gist of the happenings).

2. Is the story told in chronological order, or are there flashbacks or flashforwards? On rereading, what foreshadowing (hints of what is to come) do you detect?

3. What conflicts does the work include?

4. How does the writer reveal character--for instance, by explicit comment or by letting us see the character in action? With which character(s) do you sympathize? Are the characters plausible? What motivates them? What do minor characters contribute to the work?

5. Who tells the story? Is the narrator a character, or does the narrator stand entirely outside the characters' world?

6. What is the setting, the time and place of the action? What does the setting contribute to the work?

7. Do certain characters or settings seem to you to stand for something in addition to themselves?

8. What is the theme--that is, what does the work add up to? Does the theme reinforce values that you hold, or does it challenge them?

9. Is the title appropriate? Did the meaning change for you after you read the work?

Grade 7 Unit 1 Part 4: The Irony of Life Students will complete the chart up until the shaded row, which indicates where the reading of the text

has been divided. After students have had a chance to complete the beginning of the activity, solicit volunteers to share

their responses with the whole class. Discuss the process and get feedback from students on their use of this strategy (Did it help? What worked? What didn't work? Why?)

Explain that O. Henry was known for his surprise endings and use of (situational) irony, meaning the actual result of a sequence of events may be different from what is the normal and expected result.

Before resuming the reading of the story, ask the students to answer the following in their Learner Notebook: How does the author develop the setting so far? What are the characters' feelings in this section? How do you know? What do you think will happen next? Will the friend show up? If so, how will the encounter be?

Students will read the remainder of the story. Note the guidance of identifying and teaching irony in the margins of pages 326-327.

They will gather in groups to debrief the story through the “What it Says” activity.

Group Reflection/Discussion Questions to aid with comprehension:

Do you agree with Jimmy's actions? Why or why not?

How do you imagine Jimmy twenty years ago?

How do you imagine Bob twenty years ago?

How do you think Jimmy felt when he saw Bob?

Are Jimmy's actions justified?

If you were in Jimmy's shoes, what would have been the best thing to do from the following points of view?

Your career as a policeman

Your friendship with Bob

Your own conscience

The Law

How do you think Jimmy felt when he wrote the letter?

What do you think Bob's reaction was when he read the letter?

Had you been Bob how would you have reacted to the letter?

Analysis: To teach students the process of analysis, guide

them through the protocol of Reading Like a Reader and Reading Like a Writer. Students have already engaged in “reading like a reader” in that they used strategies to understand WHAT the author was saying. Now, they will “read like a writer” and engage in analysis in order to understand HOW the author said it. This process will be repeated with O. Henry’s other featured short story in order to trace patterns in his style. You do not need to use all the questions for reading like a writer for this selection, but choose the same questions you will use for “Gift of the Magi.”

“Gift of the Magi” Students will continue to engage in "grappling with the text"

that will help them to break down hard to read passages and figure out what they mean.

Be sure students have a copy of “Gift of the Magi.” You may choose to preteach some of the vocabulary from

Grade 7 Unit 1 Life is Not Fair Page 15 of 20

Vocabulary Agile Assertion Cascade Chronicle Coveted Inconsequential Instigate Predominating Prudence Vestibule

Grade 7 Unit 1 Part 4: The Irony of Life the short story.

Distribute the "What it Says" vs. "What it Means" handout for “Gift of the Magi.” Teacher will read the opening paragraph and then ask students to explain what it

means. Talk about any unfamiliar words. Ask for volunteers to help define them and/or ask if students can decipher meanings by using context clues.

Direct students to fill in the "What it Means" side of the chart with what the sentence means in their own words. Example: Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the

vegetable man and the butcher until one’s cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied.

Meaning: Della had to bargain with the grocer and others in order to save a few pennies at time. The sentence means that Della was embarrassed (cheeks burning) by the unspoken (silent) suggestion (imputation) of stinginess (parsimony).

Continue to read the first few lines and do a "think aloud" to model your thinking process and how you make meaning with this text.

Students will practice "grappling" with the rest of the text that is listed on the page, using context clues, partners, or other designated resources (allow them to use computers, dictionaries, etc) to help them out. (Using multiple resources may allow you a teachable moment where you can expose the benefits of using context clues rather than always relying on an outside source.)

Have students write down what they think the text means in the box provided on the handout. Students will complete the chart up until the shaded row, which indicates where the reading of the text

has been divided. After students have had a chance to complete the beginning of the activity, solicit volunteers to share

their responses with the whole class. Discuss the process and get feedback from students on their use of this strategy (Did it help? What worked? What didn't work? Why?)

Explain that O. Henry was known for his surprise endings and use of (situational) irony, meaning the actual result of a sequence of events may be different from what is the normal and expected result.

Before resuming the reading of the story, ask the students to answer the following in their Learner Notebook: How does the author develop the setting so far? What are the characters' feelings in this section? How do you know? What do you think will happen next?

Students will read the remainder of the story. They will gather in groups to debrief the story through the “What it Says” activity. Group Reflection/Discussion Questions to aid with comprehension:

1. Even though the Youngs don’t have a lot of money, describe their relationship. Use text to support yourself. 2. What are the two possessions in which Jim and Della “took a mighty pride”? 3. How much does Della get for her hair and what does she buy Jim? 4. Make a prediction about Jim’s response to seeing Della’s hair cut? Why do you think he responds like he does? 5. Explain the irony of the story. What happens unexpectedly? 6. Do you believe Della and Jim are wise of foolish? Explain how both points-of-view might be argued. 7. If Della and Jim “are the magi”, what really important gift do they give each other? What theme can you

identify and prove exists in this short story?

Analysis: To support students through the process of analysis, guide them through the protocol of

Reading Like a Reader and Reading Like a Writer. Students have already engaged in “reading like a reader” in that they used strategies to understand WHAT the author was saying. Now, they will “read like a writer” and engage in analysis in order to understand HOW the author said it. Use this process with O. Henry’s other featured short story in order to trace patterns in his style. You do not need to use all the questions for reading like a writer for this selection, but choose the same questions you used with the previous experience.

Discussion on Irony Ask students to explain irony and include an example. Ask students if they think O. Henry short stories are

Grade 7 Unit 1 Life is Not Fair Page 16 of 20

Grade 7 Unit 1 Part 4: The Irony of Life good examples of irony? Why or why not?

How does the author use this literary device to support the theme? What are the themes of the stories? How does this connect to our unit theme? Have the students make notes

in their LN.

Literary Comparisons Display the famous quotation by Helen Keller. Ask students what they know about Helen Keller. If necessary,

remind students that she was deaf and blind and yet went on to be quite successful in life. Direct students to copy the quotation into their LN. Show students the movieclip of Helen and Annie Sullivan from when she "knows" how to connect language

with the things in her world/surroundings. Direct students to compare and contrast Helen Keller and the main characters in the featured O. Henry stories

in their LN. How did their attitudes and views on life impact the outcome of their lives? Cite examples from the text, quotations, or video to support your answers.

Return to the unit questions about fairness and allow students to relate what they have read to the guiding questions. For example: What have we learned from the characters of the featured short stories about fairness and coping with unfair circumstances?

Grade 7 Unit 1 Life is Not Fair Page 17 of 20

Grade 7 Unit 1 Part 5: Misunderstanding and Conflict Learning Targets: Students will be able to engage in the following using textual evidence:

Analyze how particular elements of a story interact (e.g. how setting and character support the theme). RL7.3

Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text. RL7.6

Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL and RI7.1

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text. RL7.2

This week will continue the routine of distributing an Article of the Week task for students to complete by the end of the week. You will want to create a routine for sharing student annotations and reflections on Fridays such as small group sharing focusing on text-based questions from the text.

"Ribbons" by Lawrence Yep Comparing and Contrasting POV of characters

Ask students if they have ever heard of the author Laurence Yep. Perhaps share some titles of his books: Dragonwings, Dragons of Silk, Child of the Owl, The Tiger's Apprentice. Direct students to turn to page 306 in the textbook and have them read about both Laurence Yep and the background information.

Ask students to discuss cultural differences and the background information for the story. Read the following statement and ask students if they agree or disagree (You may create an Anticipation

Guide or have students copy the ideas into their LN.). "People cannot hurt each other if they try to be kind." "The smaller the differences between people, the greater the chances for misunderstanding." "Everyone has something valuable to teach."

Allow students to share their responses with a partner. Tell students that the class is still thinking about the unit theme Life is Not Fair but also want to read this

selection with an emphasis on how setting and character help develop the theme. Depending on the needs of your students, you may model reading the first page (as you did with previous

texts) or you may have different groups reading in different settings: independently, partner readings, reading with you.

Ask students to take notes in their LN on how characters affect theme and how setting affects theme. Allow them to organize their notes as best suits them (although you may want to offer suggestions depending on your students).

Compare & Contrast POV of characters & Symbolism Remind students that in this story you are looking at characters and point of view and how the main

characters (Stacy and Grandmother) compare and contrast. After finishing the story, teacher will introduce the concept of "symbolism." Ask students if they can define the word "symbol" and then ask for examples (e.g. a heart symbolizes love,

shamrock symbolizes good luck, etc.). Ask students to name an object in this story that could serve as a symbol to represent the theme in the

story. Ask students, "What do the "ribbons" represent to the main characters? Ask students to compare and contrast Stacy & Grandmother. They may use a Venn Diagram or simply list

the similarities and differences between the characters. Remind students that along with the symbolism in the story, the literary elements work together to

support the overall theme. Specifically, direct students to write in their Learner Notebook what they think the overall theme of

"Ribbons" is and how the literary elements of setting and character work together to support it (they may use the Literary Analysis chart on page 318 in the textbook to illustrate their ideas.)

Point out to students the concept of cultural differences and how they often impact relationships (as they did in this story).

Students will respond to the prompts in their WLN. Remind students to cite evidence from the text to support their answers.

Grade 7 Unit 1 Life is Not Fair Page 18 of 20

Grade 7 Unit 1 Part 5: Misunderstanding and Conflict Once they have had a chance to complete their written responses, ask for volunteers to share their

answers and discuss the symbolism and theme questions as a whole class activity. Enrichment: See visual literacy links on Chinese foot binding and other pictures.

"The Third Wish" by Joan Aiken Prentice Hall textbook pages 274 – 279

Optional Paideia Seminar Activity: See page for "The Third Wish" preparation statements and Power point with seminar questions. This should be completed before reading the story.

Tell students that this story comes from the genre of traditional literature and the characters in the story get to deal with their unhappiness by being granted three wishes.

Ask if anyone can define traditional literature. What type of stories make up this genre? (Fairy tales, folk tales, origin tales, myths, legends, etc.). (If you are doing the 40-Book Challenge, remind students that this is one of their genres.) Tell students that traditional literature is sometimes called the "oral tradition" as they are stories passed down orally from generation to generation.

Tell students that almost every culture in the world has a traditional fairy tale or folk tale about a character who is granted three wishes, uses two unwisely, and then needs the third wish to undo one or both of the first two.

This is another good opportunity to review the idea that plot development is about more than the components of a story. A plot is a causal sequence of events and provide the “why” for the things that happen in the story. Plot structure is the way in which the story elements are arranged based on the writer’s deliberate choices. To begin to understand plot development of the featured story, have students re-create a plot diagram in the Learner Notebook and note the events of the featured story. When students have read the story and completed the plot diagram, introduce them to:

CCSS RL6.3: Analyze how elements of a particular story interact, how setting shapes

conflict, characters and plot (Simply completing the plot diagram addresses the same reading Standard for grade 1: RL1.3.) Begin by analyzing how each component of the plot contributes to the story and analyzing why the author chose particular events, settings, conflicts, etc. Conjecture what would happen if the author had made alternative choices.

Prior to reading the story, tell students that you will be looking at the literary element of conflict in this story. Conflict = the struggle between opposing forces. Explain the difference between internal conflict and

external conflict. Internal conflict = conflict within the character (person vs. self) External conflict = conflict between the character and something outside of himself (these are some

examples) Person vs. Person

Person vs. Nature

Person vs. Society

Person vs. Universe (Fate)

Ask students to pay attention to the conflicts in the story and to jot those down in their Learner Notebook as they notice them. A strategy to help students analyze conflict is Someone Wanted But So.

Students will read the story independently and jot down any conflicts they notice as they are reading. Remind students to cite evidence directly from the text to support their answers. Ask students to try and find a connection between the theme in "The Third Wish" and the unit theme (LINF). Cite

evidence to support your answers. For example, ask students to describe Leita. Ask if they think she is happy as a woman? If they say no, ask

them to cite evidence from the text that leads them to that conclusion. Possible answer: I can tell that Leita is sad because on pg. 277 Mr. Peters finds her down by the water and

she is crying and she tell him that "she can't bear being separated from her sister (the swan)." Direct students to find examples of conflicts and cite evidence to support their answers.

Return to the unit questions about fairness and allow students to relate what they have read to the guiding questions. For example: What have we learned from the characters of the featured short stories about fairness and coping with unfair circumstances?

Grade 7 Unit 1 Life is Not Fair Page 19 of 20

Grade 7 Unit 1 Part 6: Culminating Tasks Learning Targets: Students will be able to engage in the following using textual evidence:

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. W7.1

Analyze how a poem's form or structure contributes to its meaning. RL7.5

Accurately use grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases. L7.6

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text. R7.1

This week will continue the routine of distributing an Article of the Week task for students to complete by the end of the week. You will want to create a routine for sharing student annotations and reflections on Fridays such as small group sharing focusing on text-based questions from the text.

"Dreams" by Langston Hughes; poetry structure and format activity ***Each student group will receive one copy of the word tiles already cut (teacher will need to create approximately 10 sets total for a class) It is important for teachers to keep the groups of tiles separate so that each group will have the same number of words.

Divide students into small groups (either 2 - 4 students per group) Students will need a working space (either 4 desks put together or the floor) in order to arrange the tiles

for this activity. Ask students to identify some main ways that poetry is different from prose. Help them think about form

and structure. Ask students how form and structure help create meaning. Tell students that they will be receiving tiles containing words to an actual poem. (Do not disclose the

name of the poem to students.) Give each group of students one set of the cardstock tiles. Instruct groups to put word tiles together to create a poem with two stanzas. Students should strive for a

structure that will build meaning and make sense. After creating the poem, have students copy their final poem onto one sheet of paper. Each group will read aloud the poem that they built during the activity. After each group has shared their poem, teacher will display the original Langston Hughes poem

"Dreams." Debrief the activity and guide students to see how their poem's structure compared to Langston Hughes'

poem's structure. Did any of the students' work convey the same meaning as the original poem? Did the structure of the students' poem match any of the original? Why did the students make the structural choices they did? Why did Hughes make the structural choices he did? Direct students to copy their poem as well as Langston Hughes' original poem in their LN.

Rainer Maria Wilke Quotation Analysis and "Haitian Poet's Amid the Rubble" Display the Rilke quote on the overhead. Direct students to write down the quote (and the author) in their LN as well as what they think the quote

means in their own words. Ask for volunteers to read their interpretation of the quote and its meaning. Tell students that they will watch a short video to compare to the quote. Show the Haitian Poet's video (approx. 8 minutes long). Direct students to reflect on how Rilke's quote relates to the Haitian Poet's video as well as the unit theme

of LINF. Write their response in their LN. Once students have had the opportunity to reflect and respond to the quote, have them complete a pair-

share with a partner to compare thoughts. Ask for volunteers to share their thoughts/reflections on the quote and ask specifically for evidence from

the quote and/or the video that connects to the theme.

Grade 7 Unit 1 Life is Not Fair Page 20 of 20

Grade 7 Unit 1 Part 6: Culminating Tasks

Culminating Writing Task for "Life is Not Fair" Unit* *Several periods are allotted for students to work on this summative assessment in class.

Tell students that today you will be reviewing the Writing Task for the end of Unit 1: Life is Not Fair. Display the assignment on the screen and read through the directions with students. Read through the rubric and be sure that students are aware of the requirements. Students will work on this in class over the next three days. Explain to students that they will be using their LN notes and evidence from any outside reading

(independent novels, AoW's, poems, etc.) to cite as examples to support their ideas. Students should begin to plan their ideas for the assessment. Students should read over their LN and select the texts that they believe best illustrate the LINF theme

and guiding questions. (Refer to the questions they had discussed previously in the Paideia Seminar in the first week of the unit.)

Exit Card: Give students an index card and have them write down any questions they have regarding the summative writing assessment. Collect the exit cards as students exit the classroom. (Teacher can address student questions and concerns the next class period.)

Visual Interpretation of the Unit Theme In addition to the Summative Writing Assessment, students can create a visual interpretation of the unit theme LINF in way that best reflects their understanding of the theme. Choose a photograph to illustrate the theme. Write an original poem or refer to a quote (from the unit)

and explain how the two relate. (see Resource page for pic lit website). Choose a song that reflects the theme. Explain the connections. Create a Photostory and set it to music. Choose photos and music that reflect the theme. Narrate the

photostory. Choose a photograph/picture to illustrate one of the LINF quotes. Explain how the photo reflects the mood/tone of the theme of the quote.

Films or film clips other than those from the school library media center must have prior approval from the principal or designee before broadcast for student viewing. Use the Film Request for Prior Approval form.

WCPSS believes that students should read from a variety of texts and encourages strong instructional decisions at the school level. Texts other than those from the district reading lists must have prior approval from the principal or designee before assigning. WCPSS defines assigned reading as any text used by the student or by the teacher in a whole class, a group within the class, a literature circle, and/or an assigned summer reading experience. Use the Text Request for Prior Approval form.