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Unit: A Long Walk to Water – Close Reading and Writing to Learn
Quarter: 1 Time Frame: 7 weeks
Essential Question(s): How do individuals survive in challenging environments? How do culture, time and place influence the development of identity? Key Instruction Explore the experiences of people of Southern Sudan during and after the Second Sudanese Civil War. Annotate text to help track important ideas in the article “TimeTrip: Sudan’s Civil War.” Make connections from the text “Sudanese Tribes Confront Modern War” to the novel. Determine the central ideas of the informational texts presented. Understand and be able to apply the idea of juxtaposition to the novel A Long Walk to Water. Use textual evidence to support ideas in writing both short responses and an extended response. Read A Long Walk to Water, analyzing the points of view of the central characters Salva and Nya. Focus on one key theme: how individuals survive in challenging environments. Develop an informative explanatory essay that conveys ideas, concepts and information from the novel A Long Walk to Water following MLA rules and guidelines. Examine various TLQs (Transition, Lead-InQuotes) and be able to punctuate and use quotations and in-text citations effectively. Develop a strong claim/thesis and support it with well-organized details from the novel A Long Walk to Water. Compare the novel to the narrative non-fiction piece “Thirst” by Kristin Lewis.
Pulaski Humanities Department – English 7
Works Studied A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park “Loss of Culturally Vital Cattle Leaves Dinka Tribe Adrift in Refugee Camps” “Sudanese Tribes Confront Modern War” “Time Trip” excerpt from “Life and Death in Darfur: Sudan’s Refugee Crisis Continues” “Thirst” by Kristin Lewis
Outcomes/Skills Aligned with CCSS
Key Assessments
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. [RL 7.1] Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text. [RL 7.6] Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. [W 7.4] Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction. [W 7.9 a,b] 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. [RL 7.2] 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. [W7.8] Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. [L 7.1] Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. [L 7.2] Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. [L 7.6]
Literary Analysis – Writing about the Theme of Survival and scaffolded essay Completing weekly Gathering Evidence worksheets for each chapter. Identifying Perspective and Using Evidence from A Long Walk to Water (Chapter 5) Graphic organizer and selected Response Identifying Perspective and Using Evidence from Information Texts about the Dinka and Nuer Tribes – Selected response and short constructed response
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Unit: Human Rights & Charles Dickens – Close Reading and Writing to Learn
Quarter: 1 & 2
Time Frame: 7 weeks Essential Question(s): What are working conditions, and why do they matter? How do workers, the government, business, and consumers bring about change in working conditions? How did Charles Dickens’ literature impact the social conditions of the Victorian Era? Key Instruction Works Studied Outcomes/Skills Aligned with CCSS Key Assessments Explore the idea of current human rights issues. Determine the meaning of domain specific words and phrases as they pertain to the topic of human rights. Use subheadings, images and captions to make inferences about an article. Analyze how mood, tone and text structure contribute to the meaning of an article. Make inferences using clues from a text to analyze the author’s purpose. Understand and be able to provide examples of philanthropy. Connect background knowledge of the Victorian Era and Charles Dickens’ life to the author’s purpose for the literature written. Bridge all works studied together as philanthropists: Jim Keady, Kalpona, the Newsies, and Charles Dickens were all catalysts for change and influential to progressive reform. Understand and be able to plot events of the play on a story map: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution. Understand how Horovitz uses allusion in the stage directions of his play, and be able to provide examples of the following literary terms in the poem “Lucy Gray”: alliteration, simile, metaphor. Compare the visual interpretation of Disney’s A Christmas Carol to Horovitz’s adaptation.
Pulaski Humanities Department – English 7
Documentary: “Behind the Swoosh” I Almost Died Making Your Clothes by Kristin Lewis The Newsies by Mack Lewis Poverty and Families in the Victorian Era by Barbara Daniels How Charles Dickens Changed the World by Kathy Satterfield Israel Horovitz’s Adaptaton of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol Lucy Gray by Williams Wordsworth Excerpts from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol Disney’s A Christmas Carol – A film by Robert Zemeckis
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases. [L.7.4] Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. [RI 7.1] Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone. [RI 7.4] 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. [RI 7.5] Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium's portrayal of the subject. [RI 7.7] Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. [W 7.4] 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. [W7.8] Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. [W.7.1.b]
Complete final assessment on characters, story elements, author’s purpose, and the use of figurative language in the play A Christmas Carol. Complete questions and a constructed response on the article I Almost Died Making Your Clothes. Complete the Gathering Evidence and Making Inferences handout on The Newsies and the How Charles Dickens Changed the World article. Annotate, answer questions and present information from the Poverty and Families in the Victorian Era article. Create Gist Notes and gather textual evidence to support the dynamic character of Scrooge in all scenes of Act One and Act Two.
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3 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage. [L 7.1] Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. [L 7.1] Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text. [RI.7.3] Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks. [SL.7.6] Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study. [SL.7.2]
Pulaski Humanities Department – English 7
updated 2017
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Unit: Water Research – Research, Decision Making, and Forming Positions
Quarter: 2 & 3
Time Frame: 8 weeks Essential Question(s): How can we balance the needs of people and the environment? How does human activity influence the availability of our water resources? How should humans manage water resources in a way that is sustainable? Key Instruction Works Studied Outcomes/Skills Aligned with CCSS Key Assessments Explore the idea of living in a consumer society, understand the excessive waste produced today compared to years past and analyze how it is affecting the environment. Use subheadings, captions, and text structure to make inferences and to determine the meaning of figurative and technical language about the article “Water is Life.” Articulate how a text and a video clarify thinking on the issues of water sustainability and water management. Analyze the interaction between people and water in The Big Thirst. Evaluate an argument’s use of evidence and reasoning in “Beyond Thirst: The Global Water Crisis.” Evaluate an argument and identify a main claim on page 9 of The Big Thirst. Evaluate the argument in “The Future of Water” and in pages 12-15 of The Big Thirst, with a focus on sound, relevant and sufficient evidence. Analyze main ideas and supporting details in video clips featuring the Las Vegas water crisis, articulating how a text and a video clarify thinking on the issues of water sustainability and water management. Identify a central claim in pages 20, 21 and 24 of The Big Thirst. Evaluate Al Gore’s use of evidence and reasoning in “Ships in the Desert,” analyzing main ideas and supporting details in the article, while understanding how he uses analogies to describe environmental problems. Pulaski Humanities Department – English 7
“Story of Stuff” Documentary “Water is Life” by Barbara Kingsolver “Why Care About Water” YouTube Video by Charles Fishman “The Water Crisis isn’t Global. It’s Local” YouTube Video Clip by Charles Fishman The Big Thirst by Charles Fishman “Beyond Thirst: The Global Water Crisis” by Kathiann M. Kowalski “The Future of Water” YouTube Video Clip “When will Las Vegas Run out of Water?” Documentary “Ships in the Desert” by Al Gore “Watermark” Documentary
Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study. [SL.7.2] Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. [L 7.1] Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases. [L.7.4] Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text. [RI.7.3] Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. [RI 7.1] 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. [RI 7.4] 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. [RI 7.5] 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. [W7.8] Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible
Mid-Unit Assessment using the “The Water Crisis isn’t Global. It’s Local” Research Paper Quiz Research Paper Optional Text-dependent questions for “Water is Life” Graphic organizer for all YouTube videos – locating the central claim and supporting with evidence Text-dependent questions for pages 1-5 of The Big Thirst Note-Catcher for “Beyond Thirst: The Global Water Crisis” Note-Catcher and comprehension questions for “The Future of Water” and pages 12-15 of The Big Thirst Note-Catcher for “When will Las Vegas Run out of Water?” Text-dependent questions for pages 20, 21 and 24 of The Big Thirst Activity/Comprehension Worksheet on “Ships in a Desert”
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5 Develop a central claim that answers the research paper question. Locate articles relevant to the research topic and evaluate the reasoning and evidence present for soundness, relevance, and sufficiency. Analyze main ideas and supporting details in articles pertaining to the global water crisis. Paraphrase information from a text or provide quotations of important information with documentation of correct publishing information. Develop body paragraphs using researched facts/statistics. Develop a TLQ (Transition/Lead-in/Quote) for each RDF (Reason/Detail/Fact). Develop a concluding paragraph that restates the central claim and sums up the main points of research. Format a work cited page with correct publishing information for each source. Develop in-text citations (or parenthetical references) after each RDF using information provided from the work cited page.
Pulaski Humanities Department – English 7
sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. [W.7.1.b] Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. [W 7.4] Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. [W.7.2.c] Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium's portrayal of the subject. [RI 7.7] Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. [L 7.1] 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. [W.7.5]
Introductory Paragraph/Central Claim Graphic Organizer Web Research Sheets with Publishing Information Body Paragraphs Graphic Organizers (Countries/Solutions) Concluding Paragraph Graphic Organizer Research Paper Checklist
updated 2017
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Unit: Short Stories – Literary and Informational Texts; Understanding Perspective
Quarter: 3 & 4
Time Frame: 11 weeks Essential Question(s): How can reading and writing experiences help us to “journey” around the world? How can reading and writing help me understand others’ thoughts and beliefs? Help me clarify my own thoughts and beliefs? How do authors effectively use literary elements to create and develop meaningful short story text? Key Instruction Works Studied Outcomes/Skills Aligned with CCSS Key Assessments Become familiar with the following literary elements: protagonist, antagonist, conflict, setting, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, foreshadowing, flashback, irony, mood, tone, point of view. Cite several pieces of textual evidence from each short story read. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in each story. Analyze the impact of figurative language (e.g., alliteration, assonance, metaphor, simile, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, imagery, personification) on a specific verse or stanza from the narrative poetry read. 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 through the analysis of fiction, nonfiction, informational texts and narrative poetry. Ships in the Desert & I am a Native of North America Define analogy and evaluate examples Analyze text structure: Problem/Solution Compare the perspectives that Al Gore and Chief Dan George hold regarding the environment A Secret for Two Examine foreshadowing and making inferences A Retrieved Reformation Draw connections to author’s biography and parallels/influences on his writing Pulaski Humanities Department – English 7
Fiction Short Stories A Retrieved Reformation by O.Henry A Secret for Two by Quentin Reynolds The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling Science Fiction Short Story Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (abridged version) Non-Fiction Short Stories Green Mamba by Roald Dahl Informational Texts Ships in the Desert An Essay by Al Gore I am a Native of North America Personal Essay by Chief Dan George Narrative Poetry Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe Optional Video: Disney’s “Rikki-TikkiTavi” Breakout EDU Box: The TellTale Heart “O.Henry’s Talent Found in Prison.” The New York Times. “Your Amazing Brain” National Geographic for Kids
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. [L 7.1] Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases. [L.7.4] Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. [RL. 7.1] 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. [RL. 7.2] Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact. [RL. 7.3] Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text. [RL. 7.6] 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. [RL. 7.9] Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text. [RI.7.3] 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. [RI. 7.9] Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
Short Story Unit Test with Literary Essay Thematic Analysis “Flowers for Algernon” Unit Test Optional Comparing perspectives worksheet for “Ships in the Desert” and “I am a Native of North America” “A Secret for Two” Text Hunt and Vocabulary worksheet Discussion questions for the New York Times article “O.Henry’s Talent Found in Prison” Text-based questions for “A Retrieved Reformation” Text-based questions for “The Tell-Tale Heart” “The Raven” Gist Note Graphic Organizer Discussion Questions for “Annabel Lee” Text-based questions for “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” “The Green Mamba” inside/outside activity discussion questions “Your Amazing Brain” article and comprehension questions updated 2017
7 Examine the use of irony and connect irony to surprise endings Discuss allusion. The Tell-Tale Heart Examine Gothic literature Focus on plot and how Poe builds suspense Discuss Point of View (reliable vs. unreliable narrators) Annabel Lee & The Raven Focus on plot elements within narrative poetry Examine theme – love that transcends death Rikki-Tikki-Tavi & Green Mamba Examine personification and imagery Compare literary selections of different genres Compare the visual interpretation of Disney’s “Rikki Tikki Tavi” to Rudyard Kipling’s story. Flowers for Algernon Focus on text structure and point of view to help make predictions Analyze proper punctuation, grammar and conventions of the English language.
Pulaski Humanities Department – English 7
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. [RI 7.1] 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. [RI 7.4] 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. [RI 7.5] Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. [W 7.4] Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. [W.7.2.c] Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium's portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words). [RI 7.7] Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. [L 7.1]
Discussion Questions for “Flowers for Algernon”
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