Actively participate in discussions about a variety of Grade 7 topics, ideas, and texts in a variety of settings, including partners, small and large groups, and teacher-led groups.

I.A.2

Depth 2

Prepare for discussions in advance, including researching the topic and organizing information for the discussion. Draw on preparations during the discussion to analyze ideas and explore the topic further.

I.A.3

Depth 2

Manage goals and deadlines, and define specific roles appropriate to a discussion; follow rules for productive social engagement among peers.

I.A.4

Depth 2

Ask relevant questions to clarify conversations and ideas and to build upon remarks made by others.

I.A.5

Depth 2

Use details to elaborate and comment on a topic, text, or issue being discussed; add insight to discussions or move discussions forward.

I.A.6

Depth 2

Demonstrate a willingness to change one’s own point of view when presented with new information during a discussion.

I.A.7

Depth 2

Interpret information from an array of media formats, such as visual (paintings, pictures, and animations), quantitative (graphs, charts, and diagrams), videos, and recordings.

I.A.8

Depth 2

Explain how information from media formats reflects, enhances, or is otherwise suitable to the discussion, issue, or topic at hand.

I.A.9

Depth 2

Find and analyze the main ideas and details in information from multimedia formats.

I.A.10

Depth 2

Explain a speaker’s argument, distinguishing the claims, evidence, and reasons speakers give and whether the claims are adequately supported.

I.A.11

Depth 2

Evaluate the overall quality of the reasoning used in an argument and the relevancy of the evidence provided.

I.B.1

Depth 2

Give a presentation about a topic or text, tell a story, or orally relate a personal experience in a logical and organized manner, including relevant descriptions, details, and facts that support main ideas or themes.

I.B.2

Depth 2

Orally present a claim-based argument that is supported by research and demonstrates a focused emphasis on the essential points.

I.B.3

Depth 2

Speak clearly at an understandable volume and pace; maintain eye contact.

I.B.4

Depth 2

Enhance presentations by adding relevant multimedia such as displays, images, videos, graphics, music, and recordings.

I.B.5

Depth 2

Switch between formal and informal English as appropriate to the situation or task; adapt speech to a variety of contexts.

I.B.6

Depth 2

Show proficiency when using formal English, such as standard pronunciation when giving speeches or speaking to large groups and in formal circumstances, such as a job interview.

II.A.1

Depth 2

Independently and proficiently read and comprehend longer works of fiction (stories, plays, and poems) and literary nonfiction written at the high end of grades 6 through 8.

II.A.2

Depth 2

Draw multiple pieces of evidence from texts when explaining them or making inferences.

II.A.3

Depth 2

Quote or cite accurately from texts when explaining them or making inferences.

II.A.4

Depth 2

Identify the central ideas or themes in a text and explain how they develop.

II.A.5

Depth 2

Summarize texts objectively.

II.A.6

Depth 2

Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a literary or nonfiction text, including Tier 2 academic vocabulary and Tier 3 subject-area vocabulary.

II.A.7

Depth 2

Consider the impact of word choices on meaning and tone.

II.A.8

Depth 2

Analyze the structure of a text and how the larger sections relate to the whole.

II.A.9

Depth 2

Analyze how a text’s structure helps build on themes and big ideas.

II.A.10

Depth 2

Compare and contrast a text to several audio, video, or multimedia versions of it, focusing on how the medium affects its impact.

II.A.11

Depth 2

Trace arguments and claims and determine whether the reasoning, evidence, and logic are adequate.

II.A.12

Depth 2

Analyze what different authors emphasize about the same topic/s and how they present information to create emphasis.

II.B.1

Depth 2

Analyze how literary elements in stories and dramas interact (e.g., how setting affects the characters and plot).

II.B.2

Depth 2

Analyze the impact of sound devices, such as alliteration, assonance, repetition, rhyme, and rhythm in poems, stories, and plays in specific stanzas, sections, and scenes.

II.B.3

Depth 2

Analyze figurative language, such as metaphors and similes, to determine meaning.

II.B.4

Depth 2

Determine connotative meanings of words in literary text.

II.B.5

Depth 2

Examine how the structures of plays and poems develop deeper meaning and themes.

II.B.6

Depth 2

Explain how authors develop the points of view of narrators, speakers, and characters.

II.B.7

Depth 2

Examine how authors contrast the points of view of narrators, speakers, and characters.

II.B.8

Depth 2

Compare a written text to an oral, visual, audio, or multimedia version, focusing on the techniques used, such as lighting, sound, camera angles, and use of color.

II.B.9

Depth 2

Examine historical and fictional accounts of the same events, people, places, periods, and ideas to develop a deep understanding of how authors utilize history in their works and shape history by dramatizing it.

II.C.1

Depth 2

Effectively summarize all types of informational texts.

II.C.2

Depth 2

Understand and explain the relationships and interactions between two or more individuals, events, or ideas in a text and how they influence each other.

II.C.3

Depth 2

Identify the structure of a text and how it helps develop big ideas.

II.C.4

Depth 2

Identify an author’s point of view and purpose in a text.

II.C.5

Depth 2

Explain how an author distinguishes their own point of view from that of others in a text.

II.C.6

Depth 2

Analyze a medium’s impact on words by comparing and contrasting an informational text (e.g., a speech) to audio, visual, or multimedia portrayals of the same text (e.g., how the delivery of an address brings the words to life/adds emphasis).

II.C.7

Depth 2

Explain how an author supports arguments in a text by giving reasons (opinions) and evidence, such as facts, examples, and expert opinions from reliable sources.

II.C.8

Depth 2

Distinguish between claims that are supported and those that are not.

II.C.9

Depth 2

Examine the overall soundness of the reasoning in an argument and the quality of the evidence supporting it.

II.C.10

Depth 2

Compare and contrast different authors’ approaches to the same subject matter, such as

III.A.1

Depth 2

Write routinely, clearly, and coherently, completing both short-term and long-term assignments focused on a range of different tasks, purposes, and audiences.

III.A.2

Depth 2

Strengthen existing writing skills (sentences, paragraphs, transitions, introductions, and conclusions) by applying them to longer and genre-specific writing assignments.

III.A.3

Depth 2

Use the steps of the writing process to develop and strengthen writing: plan, draft, share, evaluate, revise, edit, and publish.

III.A.4

Depth 2

Use conventional language standards when editing.

III.A.5

Depth 2

Maintain a consistent style and tone appropriate to the genre of writing and audience.

III.A.6

Depth 2

Use keyboards, tablets, the Internet, and other technologies to produce and publish writing and collaborate and communicate with others.

III.A.7

Depth 2

Use the Internet to research and cite sources.

III.B.1

Depth 2

Analyze literature in writing: compare and contrast real events, people, places, ideas, and periods from history with historical fiction and plays.

III.B.2

Depth 2

Discuss and analyze, in writing, how authors utilize history in their works and shape history by dramatizing it.

III.B.3

Depth 2

Use literary elements as evidence for analyzing literature to strengthen reflection and analysis skills.

III.B.4

Depth 2

Analyze informational texts in writing:

III.B.5

Depth 2

Use details and facts as evidence for analyzing informational texts to strengthen research and analysis skills.

III.C.1

Depth 2

Conduct short research projects focused on answering a specific research question.

III.C.2

Depth 2

Gather relevant information from several different print and digital sources and use it to support research.

III.C.3

Depth 2

Adjust the research question as appropriate throughout the information-gathering process.

III.C.4

Depth 2

Use the information-gathering process to pose related questions and explore additional topics requiring further research.

III.C.5

Depth 2

Determine the credibility of information gathered from print and digital sources.

III.C.6

Depth 2

Accurately quote or paraphrase from sources without plagiarizing.

III.C.7

Depth 2

Practice honing keywords and key phrases to produce more effective online searches.

III.C.8

Depth 2

Cite sources and provide a basic bibliography.

III.D.1

Depth 2

Produce narrative pieces that reflect real-life or imagined experiences.

III.D.2

Depth 2

Introduce a narrator, a situation, and characters, and develop them through dialogue, pacing, and exposition, including actions, thoughts, feelings, and reactions to events in the plot.

III.D.3

Depth 2

Organize a well-structured logical or natural sequence of plot events following from the situation, using time-order and transitional words, phrases, and clauses to indicate and manage the event order.

III.D.4

Depth 2

Incorporate shifts in time and multiple settings.

III.D.5

Depth 2

Include concrete and sensory details to make writing vivid and precise; convey a sense of experiences and/or the sensations that accompany experiences.

III.D.6

Depth 2

Provide a sense of closure that follows logically or artfully from the situation, character responses, and sequence of events.

III.E.1

Depth 2

Write reports and other types of informational texts that clearly focus ideas and information.

III.E.2

Depth 2

Introduce a topic with information organized in related sections or paragraphs and developed with facts, definitions, quotations, examples, and details.

III.E.3

Depth 2

Organize ideas, concepts, and information using text structures such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect.

III.E.4

Depth 2

Group related information logically and incorporate formatting features, such as headings, graphics, charts, and other multimedia.

III.E.5

Depth 2

Include visual elements such as photos, drawings, or diagrams to help explain or present ideas or information when appropriate.

III.E.6

Depth 2

Use transitions to connect ideas and concepts from distinct categories and to clarify relationships; use transitions to create an overall sense of cohesion.

III.E.7

Depth 2

Establish and maintain a formal style.

III.E.8

Depth 2

Use Tier 2 and/or Tier 3 domain-specific vocabulary to explain or elaborate topics.

III.E.9

Depth 2

Write a conclusion that wraps up ideas in the text.

III.F.1

Depth 2

Write persuasive essays with well-defined theses and arguments that use clear reasons, examples, and relevant evidence to support claims.

III.F.2

Depth 2

Follow through with an organizational structure that supports the purpose of the text, grouping ideas, reasons, and evidence in a logical way.

III.F.3

Depth 2

Distinguish evidence from opinion.

III.F.4

Depth 2

Demonstrate a clear understanding of the topic and argument.

III.F.5

Depth 2

Use linking words, phrases, and clauses to connect opinions with reasons and evidence and create an overall sense of cohesion.

III.F.6

Depth 2

Demonstrate the use of logical reasoning to support claims throughout the essay.

III.F.7

Depth 2

Establish and maintain a formal style and reasonable tone.

III.F.8

Depth 2

Anticipate and answer counterarguments.

III.F.9

Depth 2

Identify and use accurate, credible sources.

III.F.10

Depth 2

Write a conclusion that effectively and logically wraps up the argument.

IV.A.1

Depth 2

Use knowledge of language conventions when reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

IV.A.2

Depth 2

Rework sentences by shortening and combining them to

IV.B.1

Depth 2

Apply known spelling strategies when writing.

IV.B.2

Depth 2

Apply known morphology skills (roots, prefixes, suffixes, and spelling changes) to correctly spell words.

IV.B.3

Depth 2

Continue work with spelling, with special attention to commonly misspelled words.

IV.C.1

Depth 2

Understand the basic rules of English grammar and conventions when writing or speaking.

IV.C.2

Depth 2

Know types of phrases and clauses and

IV.C.3

Depth 2

Identify sentence types:

IV.C.4

Depth 2

Effectively use a variety of different sentence types to communicate relationships between ideas.

IV.C.5

Depth 2

Know how to use different types of clauses effectively within a sentence.

IV.C.6

Depth 2

Identify and correct dangling/misplaced modifiers.

IV.D.1

Depth 2

Understand the basic rules of capitalization and punctuation when writing or speaking.

IV.D.2

Depth 2

Correctly use commas when using coordinate adjectives (e.g., The dry, stale bread was difficult to chew but not The crumbling cellar door from the original house had to be replaced).

IV.E.1

Depth 2

Apply a variety of strategies, such as the following, to figure out the meaning of Grade 7 words and phrases:

IV.E.2

Depth 2

Use the overall meaning of a sentence as a clue to the meaning of words within a sentence.

IV.E.3

Depth 2

Figure out the meaning of words based on the word’s position and function within a sentence, such as part of speech, subject, predicate, object, etc.

IV.E.4

Depth 2

Use a dictionary, thesaurus, or glossary—print or digital—to answer questions about the meanings and usage of unfamiliar words.

IV.E.5

Depth 2

Know how to use a dictionary—print or digital—to pronounce words correctly and determine a word’s part of speech.

IV.E.6

Depth 2

Use a dictionary to find the precise meaning of words and phrases.

IV.E.7

Depth 2

Infer the meaning of words by using context, and then confirm the meaning in a dictionary.

IV.E.8

Depth 2

Make accurate interpretations of similes and metaphors and other types of figurative language, such as personification, based on context.

IV.E.9

Depth 2

Interpret figures of speech based on context, especially literary, mythological, and biblical allusions.

IV.E.10

Depth 2

Discern nuances in word meanings.

IV.E.11

Depth 2

Recognize and use word relationships (synonym/antonym, analogies) to better understand words.

IV.E.12

Depth 2

Distinguish connotations, or shades of meaning, among words with similar denotations (e.g., picky, fickle, discerning, sophisticated, fastidious, persnickety).

IV.E.13

Depth 2

Acquire grade-level Tier 2 general academic and Tier 3 domain-specific words and phrases and use them with accuracy.

IV.E.14

Depth 2

Use knowledge of Greek and Latin roots and affixes to figure out the meaning of a new word, such as

V.A.1

Depth 2

“Annabel Lee” (Edgar Allan Poe)

V.A.2

Depth 2

“Because I could not stop for Death” (Emily Dickinson)

V.A.3

Depth 2

“The Charge of the Light Brigade” (Alfred Lord Tennyson)

V.A.4

Depth 2

“The Chimney Sweeper” (both versions from The Songs of Innocence and The Songs of Experience; William Blake)

V.A.5

Depth 2

“The Cremation of Sam McGee” (Robert Service)

V.A.6

Depth 2

“Dulce et Decorum Est” (Wilfred Owen)

V.A.7

Depth 2

“Fire and Ice,” “Nothing Gold Can Stay” (Robert Frost)

V.A.8

Depth 2

“Macavity: The Mystery Cat” (T.S. Eliot)

V.A.9

Depth 2

“My Heart Soars” (Chief Dan George)

V.A.10

Depth 2

“This Is Just to Say,” “The Red Wheelbarrow” (William Carlos Williams)

V.A.11

Depth 2

“Turtle Came to See Me” (Marguerita Engle)

V.A.12

Depth 2

“Xiuhtezcatl Martinex” (George Ella Lyon)

V.B.1

Depth 2

Review: meter, iamb, rhyme scheme, free verse, couplet, onomatopoeia, alliteration

V.B.2

Depth 2

Stanzas and refrains

V.B.3

Depth 2

Forms

V.B.4

Depth 2

Types of rhyme: end, internal, slant, eye

VI.A.1

Depth 2

“Affrilachian Tales: Folktales from the African-American Appalachian Tradition” (retold by Lyn Ford)

VI.A.2

Depth 2

“The Gift of the Magi” (O. Henry)

VI.A.3

Depth 2

The Genius of the Harlem Renaissance, Volume 1 (includes poems, essays, drama, etc., as well.)

VI.A.4

Depth 2

“The Necklace” (Guy de Maupassant)

VI.A.5

Depth 2

“The Tell-Tale Heart”; “The Purloined Letter” (Edgar Allan Poe)

VI.B.1

Depth 2

Hello Universe (Erin Entrada Kelly)

VI.B.2

Depth 2

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Robert Louis Stevenson)

VI.B.3

Depth 2

The Time Machine (H.G. Wells)

VI.B.4

Depth 2

Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of WWII (Joseph Bruhac)

VI.C.1

Depth 2

Review aspects of plot and setting

VI.C.2

Depth 2

Theme

VI.C.3

Depth 2

Point of view in narration

VI.C.4

Depth 2

Conflict: external and internal

VI.C.5

Depth 2

Suspense and climax

VI.D.1

Depth 2

“Shooting an Elephant” (George Orwell)

VI.D.2

Depth 2

“Declaration of War on Japan” (Franklin D. Roosevelt)

VI.D.3

Depth 2

“Blood Sweat and Tears” (Winston Churchill)

VI.D.4

Depth 2

“Every Man a King” (Huey Long)

VI.D.5

Depth 2

“European Unity” (George C. Marshall)

VI.D.6

Depth 2

“The Four Freedoms” (Franklin D. Roosevelt)

VI.D.7

Depth 2

“The Fourteen Points” (Woodrow Wilson)

VI.E.1

Depth 2

Anne Frank’s Tales from the Secret

VI.E.2

Depth 2

Annex Benjamin Franklin (from “The Autobiography”)

VI.E.3

Depth 2

Helen Keller (from “The Story of My Life”)

VI.F.1

Depth 2

The Tempest (William Shakespeare)

VI.F.2

Depth 2

Elements of drama

VI.G.1

Depth 2

Irony: verbal, situational, dramatic

VI.G.2

Depth 2

Flashbacks and foreshadowing

VI.G.3

Depth 2

Hyperbole; oxymoron; parody

VII.1

Depth 2

ad hoc - concerned with a particular purpose; improvised [literally, “to the thing”]

VII.2

Depth 2

bona fides - good faith; sincere, involving no deceit or fraud

VII.3

Depth 2

carpe diem - seize the day, enjoy the present

VII.4

Depth 2

caveat emptor - let the buyer beware, buy at your own risk

VII.5

Depth 2

de facto - in reality, actually existing

VII.6

Depth 2

in extremis - in extreme circumstances, especially at the point of death

VII.7

Depth 2

in medias res - in the midst of things

VII.8

Depth 2

in toto - altogether, entirely

VII.9

Depth 2

modus operandi - a method of procedure

VII.10

Depth 2

modus vivendi - a way of living, getting along

VII.11

Depth 2

persona non grata - an unacceptable or unwelcome person

VII.12

Depth 2

prima facie - at first view, apparently; self-evident

VII.13

Depth 2

pro bono publico - for the public good

VII.14

Depth 2

pro forma - for the sake of form, carried out as a matter of formality

VII.15

Depth 2

quid pro quo - something given or received in exchange for something else requiescat in pace, R I P - may he or she rest in peace [seen on tombstones] sic transit gloria mundi - thus passes away the glory of the world

VII.16

Depth 2

sine qua non - something absolutely indispensable [literally, “without which not”]

VII.17

Depth 2

sub rosa - secretly

II.C.10.1

Depth 3

their different interpretations

II.C.10.2

Depth 3

the different techniques they use to create emphasis