English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide
| Language | Composition | Literature | Media |
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| 1
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| Identify assumptions.
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Create and read an article that is vague and lead the class in developing assumptions. | - Write assumptions made from listening to a vague article;
compare and discuss with peers. - Study three ads, noting the assumptions each ad makes.
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Teacher observation of class process discussing assumptions.
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Analyze an article from a magazine making note of assumptions. | Newspaper articles
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| 2
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| Recognize point of view.
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- Design a bumper sticker expressing a point of view. - Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper. - Write a point of view journal entry. |
Teacher assessment of written samples.
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- Role play situations taking different points of view (i.e.,
dentist and patient). - Participate in formal debate; videotape presentation for discussion of point of view. |
- Language arts text (i.e. Warriner's English Grammar
and Composition) - Collection of short stories - Newspapers
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| 3
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| Prepare and deliver persuasive speech within prescribed
limits.
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- Discuss elements of persuasive rhetoric. - Model a persuasive speech. - Present examples of persuasive speeches given by politicians, civil rights activists, etc. |
- Write a persuasive essay and present to class orally. - Video tape presentations. - Participate in a formal debate.
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- Teacher observation. - Students assess debate process.
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- Develop a new product and, "sell," to the class. - Create a new planet and encourage others to relocate there. - Write a script for a radio speech. - Zounds!, p. 66.
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- Language arts text - Video tapes of speeches made by famous people. (Write Source has text of many famous speeches) - Zounds!
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| 4
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| Relate slang and jargon to formal/informal patterns of
speech.
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- Talk about various dialects in the U.S. - Discuss purposes of slang and when it is appropriate and/or acceptable. |
- Make a collage/mural of commonly used slang/jargon. - Take lyrics from a song and change them into formal poetry or prose. - Read stories and identify jargon/slang/regional dialect.
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Teacher assessment.
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- Create a puppet show exhibiting how dialect/jargon/slang
can enhance communication. - Zounds!, p. 6-7-8.
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- Audio tapes - Books on diversity - Stories such as Tom Sawyer and Across Five Aprils - Zounds!
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| 5
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| Use correctly synonyms, antonyms and homographs.
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- Define and give examples of synonyms, antonyms, homographs. - Examine rhyming dictionary and thesauruses. |
- Create a crossword puzzle using synonyms, antonyms, and
homographs - Draw pictures and make posters representing synonyms, antonyms and homographs.
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- Grade crossword puzzle entries. - Assess appropriateness of illustrations.
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- Create a personal thesaurus. - Make a board game. |
- Language arts text (i.e., Warriner's English Grammar and
Composition ) - Dictionary - Thesaurus
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| 6
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| Use correctly parts of speech and types of sentences. | - Use text books, worksheets and computer programs to define
and give examples of parts of speech and sentence types. - List on board; give examples through teacher/student interaction. |
- Create a board game. - Re-work sentences into various types (i.e. declarative, interrogative). - Create a classroom game Name that Sentence Type - Scrambled sentences.
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Written tests, reports.
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- Create original mad-libs. - Make a mobile illustrating parts of speech.
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- Language arts text (e.g.., Daily Oral Language, gr.
7, Daily Oral Language Plus, gr. 7) - Worksheets - Software (i.e. Josten's)
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| 1
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| Demonstrate ability to take notes on presentations as well as
prepare report (research with oral presentation by student report-writer).
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- Introduce & study examples of techniques such as
webbing, formal outlining and use of Venn diagram. - Formulate open ended questions to provide research on topics of class interest.
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- Practice note taking while listening to an informative
speech. - Take notes during lecture format class. - Research a topic in conjunction with social studies class and prepare written and oral presentation.
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Teacher observation and assessment. | Interview grandparents/ relatives/neighbors regarding a topic of interest, and compile a portfolio. | - Graphic Organizers by Doherty - Computer (Internet and CD's) for research - Reference books
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| 2
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- Discuss and give examples of each type listed. - Have the class study fables and folklore from various countries. - WRSD Literacy Guide, section IX. |
- Make use of various graphic organizers to order thought
when writing a character sketch. - Write a report explaining a science lab-experiment. - Write an original fable or tall tale and illustrate. - Using the newspaper, write a letter inquiring about a job opportunity; write a letter of response after job interview. - Write a persuasive essay on pros /cons of extending school year.
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Use of rubrics scoring to assess written work.
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Narrate the experiences of an immigrant family arriving in
this country.
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- Literature text books (i.e. The Study of Literature
) - Trade books - Graphic Organizers by Doherty - Newspapers - WRSD Literacy Guide
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| 3
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- Discuss need for organization, topic sentence, transitional
words, variations of sentence structure, correct punctuation and parts of speech. - Analyze through sample writings.
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Working in pairs, construct articles for a class newspaper. | - Formal written test (teacher - made or standardized). - Use of rubrics scoring to assess essays.
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- Working in small groups, develop a newspaper or magazine
relating to themes studied in Social Studies class. - Zounds!, pp. 72-73.
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- Language Arts text (i.e. Warriner's English Grammar and
Composition ) - Computer Program - Zounds!
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| 4
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| Edit and revise in terms of focus correction areas concentrating on Grade 7 English language conventions in accordance with rubrics. | Teacher and students examine samples of well constructed, as well as poorly constructed writings. | - Participate in peer editing. - Use a scoring rubric to evaluate own, as well as others' compositions. |
Use of rubrics.
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Review newspaper articles and score using self-devised
rubric.
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- Language arts text - Newspaper articles - Samples from papers scored using a rubric - Write Source
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| 1
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| Demonstrate an understanding of personification. | - Define and explain use of personification. - Through use of poems, point out examples of personification. - Discuss how use of personification enhances a selection. |
- Create a drawing to illustrate personification . - Find personification within poetry (i.e., The Fog ). - Create a poem using personification. - Bring an inanimate object to life in an original short story.
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Teacher assessment and/or peer evaluation.
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Compare two poems by different authors noting how each poet
uses personification.
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Collection of short stories and poems (i.e. Anthology of
Children's Literature ).
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| 2
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| Describe and correlate action/sequence/causation.
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- Use short stories to exemplify action/sequence/causation. - WRSD Literacy Guide, XV A-2. |
- Write/produce a skit or play. - Using scrambled comics, place in correct sequence.
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Teacher's observation.
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Create a scrambled comics lesson for a classmate or younger sibling. | - Collection of short stories. - Newspaper comics - WRSD Literacy Guide
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| 3
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| Identify the characteristics of nonfiction, fiction, drama,
and poetry.
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- List the characteristics; display with definitions on room
posters. - WRSD Literacy Guide, XV A-3. |
- Select a scene from a play, lines of poetry or excerpts
from a work of fiction and analyze the characters.
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Student presents logical arguments to back up character
analyzation.
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Develop an extra scene for a play or continue a fiction story. | - Literature text (i.e., The Study of Literature ) - WRSD Literacy Guide
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| 4
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| Compare/contrast themes, settings, characters from literature. | - Using a Venn diagram illustrate comparing/contrasting of
character, conflict, settings. - WRSD Literacy Guide, XV A-19. |
- Participate in a discussion group comparing and contrasting - Write a paper - Use Venn diagram as an organizer to compare and contrast - With a partner, compare/contrast settings, conflicts, characters from short stories.
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Assess Venn diagram for accuracy and detail.
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Choose two poems; analyze the differences and similarities in
use of imagery, structure and tone.
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- Literature text - WRSD Literacy Guide
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| 5
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| Make an analogy.
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Develop list of original analogies.
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Observation of use and recognition of analogies in
literature.
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- Write a lyric poem using analogies - Read selections from literature (i.e., Animal Farm) and point out analogies.
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Literature selections (i.e., Animal Farm, Gulliver's
Travels )
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| 6
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| Make a hypothesis based on reading. | Define hypothesis. Connect to use in science experiments. | Divide class into 2 groups; form a hypothesis, hold a mock
trial with one side defending hypothesis and the other side trying to disprove the
hypothesis.
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- Video tape mock trial and discuss logic of each side's
arguments.
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- Camcorder and VCR - The Write Track
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| 7
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| Use knowledge of Greek and Latin roots as well as context
clues to understand specialized vocabulary.
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Introduce Latin and Greek roots from which English words are
formed (i.e. prefix and base word). Lists can be found in The Write Track, p. 222.
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Compile list of words - science materials, mythology, and other specialized readings. | Written test to assess knowledge of root meanings.
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Re-read a myth and search for words derived from Greek and Latin words. (e.g., Pandora's Box, Narcissus, Echo ). | - Dictionary - Bible - Wordly Wise - Mythology readings - The Write Track
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| 8
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| Demonstrate an understanding of alliteration and idiomatic
speech.
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Define terms and give examples using newspaper, poetry and ads. | - Search newspaper headlines (with special attention given to
front page and sports section) for examples of alliteration and idiomatic speech - Make a list of idiomatic expressions used within student's generation.
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- Written test on recognition of idiomatic expressions and their meanings. | Pretend you are a newspaper reporter and write an article
using idiomatic expressions and alliteration within article and title.
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- Newspapers - Magazines - TV ads
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| 9
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| Give examples of sound devices in poetry (alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhyme scheme). | - Define terms and give examples. - Provide students with various poems containing these sound devices. - WRSD Literacy Guide, IX-29 & 30.
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In pair, students will read poems looking for examples of
sound devices. Discuss effectiveness of these sound devices.
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Peer evaluation.
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Students develop original poems using sound devices and
record in order to hear the effectiveness of sound devices.
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- Tape recorder - Collection of poetry - WRSD Literacy Guide
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| 1
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| Recognize research sources that may be too broad or too narrow. | Introduce Internet search engines; explore ways of wording
key phrases/word to narrow topic search.
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Choose topic of interest and search Internet for information
Write a research paper using Internet information and reference material.
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Assess final product with teacher-generated rubric. | Set up an Internet scavenger hunt.
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- Computer connected to the Internet - Reference sources from library (i.e., encyclopedias, magazines, newspapers, books).
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| 2
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| Analyze and describe the effect of text and image on audience's emotions/attitudes. | Read novel with class (e.g., Sounder, Call of the Wild) and
discuss emotions and attitudes. Show movie of the novel.
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In small groups discuss how visual presentation impacted
audience's emotions and attitudes.
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Written assignment comparing / contrasting novel to the video
presentation.
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Write an original story and present to class using audio and visual effects. | - Novel (i.e., Sounder, Call of the Wild ) - Audio-visual equipment
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| 3
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| Identify and explain the effective use of music.
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Play music with no lyrics in a relaxed atmosphere. Discuss impact of this music on students' feelings/emotions. | With various types of music being played (i.e., classical,
rock, country, etc.), students will compose original lyrics or story to fit mood
presented.
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Evaluation of presentation. | Using computer program such as Power Point or Hyper
Studio , show the effect of images, music and sound effects in creating a production.
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- Software such as Power Point or Hyper Studio - CD's - Musical tapes
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