7th Grade Historical Literacy consists of two 43 minute class periods. Writing is one 43 minute block and reading is another. The teacher has picked themes based on social studies standards, and a read-aloud novel based on social studies serves as the mentor text for writing and reading skills. More social studies content is addressed in reading through teaching nonfiction reading skills and discussion. Standards reflect CCSS ELA, Reading, and Social Studies Standards.

Students must think critically to create comic strips highlighting six important scenes from a book they have read.

As part of their ELA coursework, students are reading an autobiography to study author's craft.  In particular, students are exploring how authors use dialogue, transitional phrases/clauses, and sensory details to tell a personal story. The unit will culminate with students writing their own memoirs. The bulk of the unit takes place in the ELA classroom. In the ESL support block, students will receive support with reading an autobiography of their choice, noting examples of author's craft in the autobiography, and integrating this craft into their own writing.

In this first lesson of the unit, students choose from two memoirs 15 on the Road to Freedom and the Big Lie. Students participate in a F2F mini-lesson in how dialogue can develop characters in an autobiography. Students then transition to technology for a book introduction with historical context and a chapter 1 book preview (guided reading). Students in 15 on the Road to Freedom then continue to receive support via Ed Puzzle for identifying dialogue and documenting in a graphic organizer, while students in The Big Lie meet with the teacher for the support. While students in The Big Lie transition to continue completing the graphic organizer independently, students in the 15 on the Road to Freedom meet with the teacher F2F to discuss their completed graphic organizers. Students then return to their autobiographies (written on google docs and organized in google classroom) to include additional dialogue in their stories and peer-review a partnerÅ› story. Students then participate in a full group F2F wrap up/reflection where they share out examples of dialogue their partner included in their writing as a result of the lesson.

Online Lesson for Books: Historical Context/Chapter 1 Intro/Graphic Organizer Support

15 on the Road to Freedom: Book Introduction, Chapter 1 Preview, and Support with Graphic Organizer Task
The Big Lie: Book Introduction, Chapter 1 Preview (Note that support with graphic organizer is given F2F for this group)

Graphic Organizers

I can identify how authors use dialogue to develop characters
I can identify precise language authors use to introduce dialogue
I can identify how authors use sensory details to develop experiences
I can identify how authors use transitional words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence shifts

Assignment Sheet

ELA Autobiography Assignment Sheet (Created by Julia Koli, Connie Ray, and Elliot Willis-Begley at Scarlett Middle School, Ann Arbor MI)

F2F Mini-Lesson #1

Mini-Lesson on Character Development Through Dialogue

Please email daughertye@aaps.k12.mi.us if you would like me to send you the additional resources I created for the remaining mini-lessons and book chapters!

Before students read The Giver, students will be given the opportunity to create their own Utopian community. First they will learn what Utopia means. Then they will work in groups in a Wiki or through google docs to create their community. They will end the lesson by reading accounts of others who actually tried creating Utopian communities and write a paper on the communities.

Either during or after the reading of Out of the Dust or another book that takes during the Dust Bowl, students will play the PBS Dust Bowl interactive activity. During the activity, students will pretend they are living in the states affected by the Dust Bowl. They will get to choose where they live and make decisions like whether or not to expand their farms or even move to California. After they find the results from their game, they will read other accounts of real people during the Dust Bowl. Then, using the results from the interactive activity, they will create their own Dust Bowl story, writing in first person and using correct historical details.

This blog post outlines a unique approach to narrative writing that can be used with writers of all ages. The author outlines the approach and provides examples from her work with middle school students. The post links to a detailed lesson plan for idea generation, as well as narrative accounts of several other mini-lessons that could be incorporated into the unit, depending on the needs of the students.

As part of the 7th Grade Social Studies curriculum students will incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (S.T.E.A.M) into unit various lessons. This lesson will specifically address the Ancient Egyptian unit in alignment with the class curriculum textbook: Discovering Our Past “A History of the World, Early Ages” McGraw-Hill Networks and various curricular standards. Students interest and excitement towards Egyptian history will be increased by the possibilities and opportunities offered by Minecraft. Students will conducted extended research of the mighty and mysterious pyramids and learn how and why people have built such magnificent structures.

Using the theme of identity, students will work through various activities to learn the characteristics of a Narrative Essay. This particular unit will/should take place prior to writing the Narrative Essay. Many of the lessons address how to identify, create, apply and analyzeheme, dialogue punctuation, figurative language and citing direct and indirect evidence.

Using the topic of Mythology, students will work through various activities to learn the characteristics of a Narrative Essay. This particular unit will/should take place prior to writing the Narrative Essay. Many of the lessons address how to identify, create, apply and analyze point of view, theme, dialogue punctuation, argumenative qualities and citing direct and indirect evidence.

For this lesson, students will review what adjectives are, learn how to identify them in writing, and write with them to describe a picture. They will share their writing with their classmates through a wiki or a forum.