GREEN DOT ELA 7 COMING OF AGE Course at a Glance
Using academic and domain-specific vocabulary in discussion and written work, students will be able to
Fall Semester
Unit 0- Building a Culture of Reading, Writing, and Discussion (2 weeks)
Execute classroom routines and explain academic and behavioral expectations
Write a short personal narrative using Thinking Maps to plan and outline
Unit 1- Teen Decision Making: SCORPIONS & selected texts (10 weeks; extend into Q2)
Use annotation process (such as CATCH or use of 6 signposts) to show thinking while
reading and identification of significant passages
Identify and analyze elements of the novel, including plot & character development
QUARTER 1-- 10 weeks
Determine central idea and supporting details of non-fiction text
Using writing frame, summarize non-fiction text in a well-organized paragraph
Use the writing process to produce a multi-paragraph explanatory essay utilizing non-
fiction articles, videos, and the novel as evidence.
In discussion, provide evidence from the text to support a claim or response.
Assessments and Writing Tasks
Q1 GDCAP Test
Academic summary paragraphs of non-fiction article; use writing frame (Kinsella rubric)
Literary analysis paragraphs on character, motivation, & how actions affect plot
Process Essay: Guidance counselors report: How do Jamals environment and brain
development influence his decisions and actions? Use evidence from articles on brain
development to explain the characters behavior. (Info. rubric)
Weekly formatives including short summary and response to literature writing and
quizzes (integrating SBAC test stems) on unit reading, vocabulary, and grammar
Unit 2- Celebrities: ERWC Module (4 weeks)
Determine the author's central ideas and point of view
Evaluate credibility of an argument
Independently summarize non-fiction text in a well-organized paragraph
Use writing process to produce a 5+ paragraph argumentative essay utilizing articles
Assessments and Writing Tasks
Academic summary of article on celebrities (Kinsella academic summary rubric)
Timed Write: Are we too obsessed with celebrities? Cite articles. (Argument rubric)
QUARTER 2-- 8 weeks
Process Essay: Email to Tabloid: Do celebrities have a positive or negative influence on
society? (Argument rubric)
Weekly formatives including academic summary paragraphs and quizzes (integrating
SBAC test stems) on unit reading, vocabulary, and grammar
Unit 3- Poetry (2 weeks)
Identify theme and trace the development over the course of the poem
Analyze impact of word choice, tone, figurative lang., & structure on mood & meaning
Assessments and Writing Tasks
Q2 GDCAP Test
Process Essay: Explain how the poet (of selected poem) uses figurative language, word
choice, and structure to convey meaning (Info. rubric)
Weekly formatives including poetry analysis writing and quizzes (integrating SBAC test
stems) on unit reading, vocabulary, and grammar
2016-2017
Spring Semester
Unit 4- Ethics of Modern Science: THE GIVER & selected texts (10-12 weeks)
Identify and analyze elements of the novel including setting, characterization,
and theme
Draw parallels between the choices faced in The Giver and in society today by
examining central ideas related to universal themes of decision making and the
cost of freedom of choice in the novel and informational text.
Compare the film and novel versions of The Giver
QUARTER 3---13 weeks
Examine an author's choice of structure in informational text.
Summarize &draw from non-fiction to support claims in writing and discussion.
Assessments and Writing Tasks
Q3 GDCAP Test
Timed Write: Should Jonas have given a memory to the baby? OR Should Jonas
have stayed in the community, or was he right to leave the community, even
though his life would be harder? (Argument rubric)
Short research presentation on genetic engineering, GMOs, or other issue
alluded to in The Giver (Info. rubric)
Process Essay: Presentation to Congressional Committee: To what extent should
society allow genetic engineering? Provide examples from The Giver and non-
fiction articles. (Argument rubric)
Weekly formatives including short argument and summary writing and quizzes
(integrating SBAC test stems) on unit reading, vocabulary, and grammar
Unit 5- The Individual vs. Society: RED SCARF GIRL & selected texts (8 weeks)
Examine and analyze central ideas and author's intent in literary and
informational text relating to the theme of honor, identity, and conformity.
Evaluate the effect of different media on the same subject
Create a short research report or presentation that integrates research from
credible sources.
Assessments and Writing Tasks
QUARTER 48 weeks
Q4 GDCAP Test
Timed Write: Write a friendly letter from Ji Li to a friend warning about the
potential consequences of breaking rules against Four Olds. (Info. rubric)
Short research project: Explain and compare different media products of the
Cultural Revolution and their different messages. (Info. rubric)
Process Essay: How did the society in the Cultural Revolution shape the identity
of youth like Ji-Li? In other words, how were young people expected to act during
the time of the Cultural Revolution in China? Did they act this way? (? Draw
evidence from the novel and historical research (EQ1) (Info. rubric)
Weekly formatives including short research and response to literature writing
and quizzes (integrating SBAC test stems) on unit reading, vocabulary, and
grammar
1
 GREEN DOT ELA 7 COMING OF AGE Course at a Glance
Standards listed below are abbreviated. Please see full standards for details and clarification! BOLD means additional standard introduced in that quarter.
Fall Semester Standards Assessed
Quarter 1- Scorpions / Teen Brain
RL.7.1- Evidence
RL.7.2- Theme
Reading Lit
RL.7.3- Story elements / characterization
RL.7.6- Analyze different characters point RL.7.6
of view
RL.7.9- Compare fictional portrayal of topic
with non-fiction portrayal
RI.7.1- Evidence
RI.7.2- Central idea
Reading Info
RI.7.6- Determine Authors POV
W.7.2- Explanatory writing
W.7.4- Produce coherent writing
Writing
W.7.5- Revision
W.7.8- Use multiple sources in writing
W.7.9- Draw evidence from literary and
informational texts (Scorpions and articles)
W.7.10- Write routinely
SL.7.1- Engage in collaborative discussions
Speaking and
Listening
SL.7.2- Analyze main ideas and details
SL.7.3- Delineate speakers argument
SL.7.4- Present claims
SL.7.6-Academic Language
L.7.1- Conventions- usage- commas,
FANBOYS review of 6th L standards.
Language
L.7.2- Conventions- capitalization and
spelling, punctuation
L.7.4- Meaning of words and phrases (Gr/
Latin roots)
L.7.6- Academic vocabulary in writing
Spring Semester Standards Assessed (Tentative and may be changed)
Quarter 2- ERWC Celebrities & Poetry Quarter 3- Giver / Ethics Quarter 4- Red Scarf Girl / History
RL.7.1-7.2 RL.7.1-3 RL.7.1-4
RL.7.4- Meaning of words and phrases RL.7.4- Meaning of words and RL.7.6-7.7
RL.7.5- Analyze authors choice of form phrases (fig language) RL.7.9- Compare story to non-
RL.7.6 fiction on same subject (Cultural
RL.7.7- Compare poem to audio or multimedia RL.7.7- Compare written form to film Revolution)
version. (Giver movie)
RI.7.1-7.2
RI.7.3- Analyze interactions among ideas in non- RI.7.1-7.6 RI.7.1-7.6
fiction RI.7.8
RI.7.4- Meaning of words and phrases
RI.7.5- Analyze authors structure
RI.7.6- Determine authors point of view
RI.7.8- Analyze authors argument and claims
for validity
RI.7.9-Analyze how writing of two authors
about the same topic differs in presentation
W.7.1- Argument writing W.7.1- Argument writing
W.7.2- Explanatory writing W.7.2-Short research writing W.7.2-Info/Explanatory writing
W.7.4-7.5 W.7.4- 7.5 W.7.4- 7.5
W.7.8-7.9 W.7.7- Conduct short research W.7.7- Conduct short research
projects with focus questions projects with focus questions
W.7.8-7.9 W.7.8-7.9
SL.7.1-7.3 SL.7.1-7.4 SL.7.1-7.4
SL.7.6 7.6 SL.7.6
L.7.1- Conventions- usage- phrases and clauses L.7.1- Conventions- usage- simple, L.7.1-7.2
L.7.2- Conventions- capitalization and spelling, compound, complex sentences L.7.4
punctuation L.7.2- Conventions- capitalization and L.7.6
L.7.4- Meaning of words and phrases (Gr/ Latin spelling, punctuation
roots) L.7.4- Meaning of words and phrases
L.7.5- Understand figurative language L.7.6- Academic vocabulary in writing
L.7.6- Academic vocabulary in writing