MATRIX # - Austin ISD

Course: 7 th Grade ELAR Austin ISD Curriculum Road Map 2011 – 2012 

1st Six Weeks-29 Days 

Concept: Weaving a Story 

Enduring Understanding: Writing fiction allows readers to 

explore the human condition, to identify common themes, and 

to shape a person’s ideas, views, and questions about the 

world. 

Concept Pacing: 6 Weeks 

Essential Questions: 

1. How can reading fiction help individuals learn about life and themselves 

2. What are the elements of fiction and how are they used 

3. How does conflict lead to change 

4. How does writing enable a reader to develop the critical thinking skills necessary to 

master literature interpretation 

Unit: Literary Elements 

Unit Pacing: 10 - 15 Days 

Vocabulary: Plot, conflict (internal and external), setting, character, theme, point of view, symbolism, flashback, foreshadowing, exposition, rising action, 

climax, falling action, resolution 

Arc 1: Introducing the Essentials 

(For more detailed information about instruction related to Arc 1, see the 7th grade, 1st 6-weeks Street View) 

Resources: Holt McDougal Textbook Resources: 

The Power of Ideas: What are the Big Questions, Holt McDougal, pgs. 2-3 

Literacy Genre Workshop: Exploring Ideas in Literature, Holt McDougal, pgs.4-10 

Arc Pacing: 3 days 

DIFFERENTIATION Resources for Struggling Learners: 

• Accessible books and periodicals for readers with print disabilities at BOOKSHARE.ORG. 

• Help students achieve by focusing on their strengths, interests, and ways they like to learn and express themselves at RENZULLILEARNING.COM. 

• Free reader, convert text to speech at NaturalReaders.com. 

• Additional Graphic Organizers at EduPlace.com. 

• Graphic Organizers, Story Mapping, Visual Organizers, and Writing Tools 

[“Kidspiration” for elementary and “Inspiration” for secondary – district license provided on every AISD computer] 

• For student interactive tools, as well as additional resources, see ReadWriteThink.org. 

• Printable Resources at Keys to Literacy - http://www.keystoliteracy.com/reading-comprehension/worksheets/worksheets-list.htm 

Established Goals 

TEKS Knowledge & Skill 

Reading/Comprehension Skills. 

Students use a flexible range of 

metacognitive reading skills in both 

assigned and independent reading to 

understand an author's message. 

Students will continue to apply earlier 

standards with greater depth in 

increasingly more complex texts as 

they become self-directed, critical 

readers. 


TEKS Student Expectation 

7.190A establish purposes for reading 

selected texts based upon own or 

other's desired outcome to enhance 

comprehension 

7.190B ask literal, interpretive, 

evaluative, and universal questions of 

text 

Students Will Know… 

Readers make adjustments in their 

reading depending on purpose. 

Readers should ask questions as they 

read, and search for the answers to 

their questions. 

Texts often have facts and details 

spread throughout. 

Students will be able to…. 

Preview text before reading to make 

predictions and to set a purpose for 

reading. 

Gather information as they read and 

use strategies for remembering 

important information and details. 

Ask and take note of questions as they 

read. Search for answers as they read 

through a text. 

Cite evidence to support reasoning. 

© 2010 Austin Independent School District Course 8 th Grade Page 1 of 21 updated 5/4/10



7.190C monitor and adjust 

comprehension (e.g., using 

background knowledge; creating 

sensory images; rereading a portion 

aloud; generating questions). 

There are a variety of strategies 

readers can use to support reading 

comprehension. 

Key Terms: metacognitive, monitor, 

background knowledge, sensory 

images, adjust, details, purpose 

Use sophisticated vocabulary such as: 

facts, details, strategy, evidence. 

Know when meaning is breaking 

down and use strategies to help 

rebuild and clarify meaning. 

ELPS: 2E Listening, 3F Speaking, 

3H Speaking, 4J Reading, K 

Reading 

Reading/Vocabulary Development. 

Students understand new vocabulary 

and use it when reading and writing. 

7.2A determine the meaning of 

grade-level academic English 

words derived from Latin, Greek, or 

other linguistic roots and affixes, 

7.2B use context (within a sentence 

and in larger sections of text) to 

determine or clarify the meaning of 

unfamiliar or ambiguous words 

RC1; 

7.2E use a dictionary, a glossary, 

or a thesaurus (printed or 

electronic) to determine the 

meanings, syllabication, 

pronunciations, alternate word 

choices, and parts of speech of 

words RC1. 

Context (syntax) provides information 

about the meaning of unknown words. 

Words that have similar parts often 

have similar meanings (e.g. popular & 

population) 

Often there are clues about the 

meaning of the word that can be 

found in the surrounding sentences. 

These clues take the form of 

synonyms, antonyms, explanation, 

restatement, examples, & definition. 

(see Powerpoint on Context Clues) 

Most words have multiple meanings 

and have different forms for different 

parts of speech. 

Which reference materials are 

appropriate to address specific needs. 

Examine the parts of unknown words 

to look for clues about the meaning of 

the word. 

Look for clue words in the text 

surrounding an unknown word to 

determine the meaning of an 

unknown word. 

Be able to define what type of clue is 

available (synonyms, antonyms, 

explanation, restatement, examples, 

or definition). 

Use dictionary definitions to 

determine exactly which meaning of a 

word is intended by the author. 

Use resources such as a thesaurus or 

software to understand the nuances 

and connotations of words. 

Key Terms: suffix, prefix, root word, 

base word, reference, dictionary, 

thesaurus, glossary, context, part-ofspeech, 

noun, verb, syntax, grammar, 

surrounding text, clarify, synonyms, 

antonyms, explanation, restatement, 

examples, definition, idioms, 

expressions, adage, figure of speech, 

figurative language, expressions, 

sayings, proverb, motto, 

Look for clue words and semantic 

information in the text surrounding an 

unknown word to determine the 

meaning of an idiom or expression. 

ELPS: 4C Reading, 4F Reading, 1B 

Learning, Strategies, 1D Learning 

Strategies, 1H Learning Strategies 




Reading/Comprehension of 

Literary Text/Poetry. Students 

understand, make inferences and 

draw conclusions about the structure 

and elements of poetry and provide 

evidence from text to support their 

understanding. 


Literary Text/Drama. Students 



and elements of drama and provide 




Literary Text/Fiction. Student 



and elements of fiction and provide 




Literary Text/Literary Nonfiction. 

Students understand, make 

inferences and draw conclusions 

about the varied structural patterns 

and features of literary nonfiction and 

respond by providing evidence from 

text to support their understanding. 

Writing/Writing Process. Students 

use elements of the writing process 

(planning, drafting, revising, editing, 

and publishing) to compose text. 

7.4 A analyze the importance of 

graphical elements (e.g., capital 

letters, line length, word position) 

on the meaning of a poem RC2. 

7.5 A explain a playwright's use of 

dialogue and stage directions RC2. 

7.6A explain the influence of the 

setting on plot development RC2; 

7.6B analyze the development of 

the plot through the internal and 

external responses of the 

characters, including their 

motivations and conflicts RC2; 

7.6C analyze different forms of 

point of view, including firstperson, 

third-person omniscient, 

and third-person limited RC2. 

7.7A describe the structural and 

substantive differences between an 

autobiography or a diary and a 

fictional adaptation of it RC1. 

7.14A plan a first draft by selecting a 

genre appropriate for conveying the 

intended meaning to an audience, 

determining appropriate topics through 

a range of strategies (e.g., discussion, 

background reading, personal interests, 

interviews), and developing a thesis or 

controlling idea; 

The structure and text features of 

poems. 

Playwrights use dialogue and stage 

directions to convey meaning in a 

drama. 

Setting is the time and place of the 

action. 

Plot is the series of events in a story. 

Plot usually centers on conflict, a 

struggle between different forces. 

Conflicts fuel the action, moving the 

plot forward. A conflict can be 

external (person vs. person or nature) 

or internal (conflict with self). 

Point of view is the way in which an 

author reveals his or her voice, 

through characters, events, and ideas 

told in a story. 

The difference between an 

autobiography or a diary and the 

fictional stories based on that 

autobiography or diary. 

Writing is a recursive process that 

includes planning or prewriting, 

drafting, revising, editing and 

publishing. 

Writers write best when choosing 

ideas they know and/or care a lot 

about. 

Analyze the ways in which poems are 

put together and use examples from 

the poem to explain their analysis. 

Analyze how the visual elements of a 

poem affect the poem’s meaning. 

ELPS: 4J Reading 4K Reading 

Understand and draw conclusions 

about the ways dramas are put 

together and support analysis with 

examples from the text. 

ELPS 4J Reading 3H Speaking 

Discuss how the place and time in 

which a story is set affect the way the 

story develops. 

Analyze plot development and how a 

character’s motives and conflicts 

(both within and outside of 

themselves) affect the way the story 

develops. 

Analyze the differences between the 

different points of view from which a 

story is told. 

ELPS: 4J Reading, 4K Reading 


about the different ways nonfiction 

texts are put together and support 

analysis with examples from the text. 

ELPS: 4J Reading, 4K Reading 

Create a first draft by determining 

what genre best fits the writing 

situation, using strategies to pick a 

topic for writing, and determining what 

the thesis or main idea will be. 

Organize drafts in different ways and 

develop ideas into well thought out 

pieces of writing. 




14B develop drafts by choosing an 

appropriate organizational strategy 

(e.g., sequence of events, causeeffect, 

compare-contrast) and 

building on ideas to create a 

focused, organized, and coherent 

piece of writing RC1; 

14C revise drafts to ensure precise 

word choice and vivid images; 

consistent point of view; use of 

simple, compound, and complex 

sentences; internal and external 

coherence; and the use of effective 

transitions after rethinking how 

well questions of purpose, 

audience, and genre have been 

addressed RC1/RC2; 

14D edit drafts for grammar, 

mechanics, and spelling RC1/RC3; 

It is helpful to get input and feedback 

from others at any stage of the writing 

process. 

Drafting is turning your ideas into a 

rough draft. 

When writers revise, they review a 

draft and look for ways to improve the 

ideas, style, and structure of the 

writing. 

Studying author's craft in mentor texts 

is a way to support revision. 

Editing is important so that all of the 

ideas and/or information can be 

understood by the reader. 

Revise drafts to improve the wording, 

maintain a consistent point of view, 

use a variety of sentence structures, 

maintain a sense of unity, and include 

effective transitions, after thinking 

through the purpose, audience, and 

genre of writing. 

Edit writing to correct mistakes in 

grammar, mechanics and spelling. 

Use the input from classmates and 

teacher to improve and publish a final 

draft. 

Utilize ideas presented in teacher's 

mini-lessons to revise and edit. 

ELPS: 1A Learning Strategies, 3G 

Speaking, 5B Writing, 5D Writing, 

4F Reading 

Listening and Speaking/Teamwork. 

Students work productively with 

others in teams. Students will 

continue to apply earlier standards 

with greater complexity. 

14E revise final draft in response to 

feedback from peers and teacher and 

publish written work for appropriate 

audiences. 

7.28A participate productively in 

discussions, plan agendas with clear 

goals and deadlines, set time limits 

for speakers, take notes, and vote on 

key issues. 

Working collaboratively with peers is 

a valuable skill that develops reading, 

writing, listening, and speaking skills. 

Work appropriately with teammates 

toward a common goal. 

Take leadership responsibility for 

some part of the collaborative work, 

and accept direction from peers 

taking leadership responsibility for 

other parts of the collaborative effort. 

ELPS: 1B Learning Strategies, 1G 

Learning Strategies, 2I Listening, 

3E Speaking 

In addition to the TEKS listed in this Arc, every week teachers should also provide rigorous and explicit instruction in the 7th grade Recurring TEKS: 

F19 (A-F) Comprehension Skills, 1(A) Fluency: Read aloud grade-level and instructional text, 2(A-E) Vocabulary, 

13(A-D) Comprehension of Media 

Mandated by Texas Administrative Code (19 TAC §74.4), the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), present standards that outline the instruction 

school districts must provide to ELLs in order for them to have the full opportunity to learn English and to succeed academically. The rule also clarifies that the 

ELPS are to be implemented as an integral part of the instruction in each foundation and enrichment subject of the TEKS. Please review the standards at: 

http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter074/ch074a.html#74.4 




Performance Tasks 

Writing Process workshop (pg. 20-23)- 1 day Which essay is which After 

completing workshop, students are given four student-generated samples 

without scores. Each essay should have earned a different score: 1-4 based 

on the rubric, pg. 22). Students analyze the samples and decide which sample 

is the score point 1, 2, 3, and 4. Explain reasoning. Debate using accountable 

talk if time allows. 

STAAR Formative Writing Sample: (expository) Write a composition 

explaining why it is important to set goals for the future. (Or other teacher 

selected topic to get a baseline on students' writing.) (see Holt, pgs. TX60-61) 

Student Work Products/Assessment Evidence 

Other Evidence (i.e. unit tests, open ended exams, quiz, essay, student 

work samples, observations, etc.) 

Reader Response Notebooks (Teacher introduces and models how to write 

a response after reading aloud a text to students). Then ask students an 

open-ended question about the text and have students respond. 

Note Taking: Literary Genres Workshop (Resource Manager pg. 1-2). Model 

how to annotate using the first part of a text and a document handler. Have 

students practice with you for the middle part of the text and then allow them 

to continue independently on the last section of the text. 

STAAR Formative Writing Sample (personal narrative). Write a 

composition about trying to do something you thought was difficult. 

Select a piece of text for students to read and annotate (after modeling and 

practicing). Circulate the room, providing specific feedback. Afterwards, 

debrief and create a criteria chart with students on effective annotation 

strategies. 

DIFFERENTIATION for Struggling Learners [What/HOW/ASSESS]: After 

developing a topic map, students can use 2-Column notes format to gather 

and organize main ideas and details for their writing. 

http://www.keystoliteracy.com/reading-comprehension/worksheets/notetaking-worksheet.pdf 




Learning Plan 

Lesson/Activity/Module Name Teacher Resource Student Resource Technology (Media, 

website, etc.) 

Day 1 Classroom Routines 

Social Contracts (website). Explains the 

Social Contract for establishing beginning 

of the year expectations. 

For more detailed 

information about 

instruction related to Arc 1, 

see the 7th grade, 1st 6- 

weeks Street View 

Teacher-generated handouts 

Reader/Writer Notebook 

Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM 

Student One Stop DVD-ROM 

www.thinkcentral.com 

Other 

AISD Code of 

Conduct 

Best Practices 

Toolkit 

• In each class period, students and 

teacher together generate list of 

how they want to be treated by 

each other 

• Teacher compiles the list into one 

to post permanently in the 

classroom. 

• Student and teacher also co-create 

a rubric to measure effective 

interaction in the classroom 

Literary Genres Workshop: Exploring 

Ideas in Literature 

Strategies That Work: Literature/Reading 

Strategies Workshop 

Academic Vocabulary: What is Academic 

Vocabulary 

Writing Process Workshop: Expressing 

Ideas in Writing 

Campus Student Rules & 

Expectations, Teacher- 

Established Classroom 

Rules & Expectations 

Holt McDougal TE, pgs. 4- 

10 

Holt McDougal TE, pgs.11- 

15 

Holt McDougal TE, pgs.11- 

15 

Holt McDougal TE, pgs. 

20-23 

Holt McDougal TE, pgs. 4-10 

Holt McDougal TE, pgs.11-15 

Holt McDougal TE, pgs.11-15 

Holt McDougal TE, pgs. 20- 

23 

Audio Anthology CD 

WordSharp 

WriteSmart CD-ROM 

GrammarNotes DVD-ROM 

Use the GT Scope 

and Sequence to 

plan instruction 

Texas Write 

Source textbook 




Arc 2: Plot, Conflict and Setting 


Arc Pacing: 5- 8 days 

Textbook Resources: 

Seventh Grade, by Gary Soto, Holt McDougal pgs. 36-42. 

The Last Dog, by Katherine Patterson, Holt McDougal pgs. 48-61 

Thank You, M'am, by Langston Hughes, Holt McDougal pgs. 68-72 

If I Can Stop One Heart from Breaking, Emily Dickinson, p. 72 

Rikki-tikki-tavi, by Rudyard Kipling, Holt McDougal pgs. 78-92 

Holes, by Louis Sachar, Holt McDougal, pgs. 97-101 

The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street (drama), Holt McDougal, pgs. 140-152 

(And other teacher selected fiction texts appropriate for teaching elements of fiction. ) 

DIFFERENTIATION for Struggling Learners [What/How/ASSESS]: For Students with significant reading difficulties, all the above texts are available on 

bookshare.org. 



Reading/Comprehension Skills. 

Students use a flexible range of 

metacognitive reading skills in both 

assigned and independent reading to 

understand an author's message. 



increasingly more complex texts as they 

become self-directed, critical readers. 



7.190D make complex inferences 

about text and use textual 

evidence to support understanding 

RC 2 


Authors do not explicitly state all 

information in text. They assume that 

the reader will draw conclusions and 

make inferences based on the 

information provided. 

Readers think about the implications of 

the author’s words and work to uncover 

the author’s underlying message. 


Describe information that is not 

explicitly contained in the text. 

Cite evidence in the text for 

inferences. 

Describe the logical deductions made 

that lead to a particular conclusion. 

Readers monitor the plot of the story 

and make predictions about what will 

happen next. 

Draw conclusions about a character’s 

motivations or personality based on 

information provided in the text. 

Readers examine the words and 

actions of characters and draw 

conclusions about their motivations 

and personality. 

Key Terms: Infer / Inference, draw 

conclusions, deductions, evidence, 

facts, connotation, suggestion, 

undertone, hint, rationale, 

ramifications, imply / implication, 

“read-between-the-lines” 

Describe how the author uses words 

to convey a certain connotation or 

evoke a feeling. 

Make predictions about events that 

have not yet transpired in a story, and 

provide a rationale for those 

predictions. 

ELPS: 3H Speaking, 4J Reading, 

4K Reading 




7.190E summarize, paraphrase, 

and synthesize texts in ways that 

maintain meaning and logical 

order within a text and across 

texts RC2 

When summarizing stories, the order 

of key events of the story is 

important, and the summary must 

have a logical flow. 

Sequence of events can be 

represented as a timeline. 

Retell narrative stories highlighting 

key events in sequence. 

Use sophisticated vocabulary such as 

paraphrase, summarize, logical 

order, sequence, key, essential, 

events 

7.190F make connections between 

and across texts, including other 

media (e.g., film, play), and provide 

textual evidence RC1 

Readers always search for the 

“deeper” themes that are contained 

within texts and then connect to 

others with the same themes. 

Key Terms: paraphrase, summarize, 

logical order, sequence, essential, 

events, timeline, graphic organizer, 

strategy, evidence, theme, genre, text, 

connections, draw conclusions, 

deductions, evidence, facts, 

connotation, suggestion, undertone, 

hint, rationale, ramifications, imply / 

implication, “read-between-the-lines” 

Use timelines and graphic organizers 

to represent the relationship of events 

in text. 

Use sophisticated vocabulary such as 

timeline and graphic organizer. 

ELPS: 4G Reading, 1C Learning 

Strategies 

Literary Text/Fiction. Student 






Writing/Literary Texts. Students 

write literary texts to express their 

ideas and feelings about real or 

imagined people, events, and ideas. 

7.6A explain the influence of the 

setting on plot development RC2; 






7.15Ai write imaginative stories that 

sustains reader interest 

15Aii write imaginative stories that 

includes well-paced action and an 

engaging story line 

Setting is the time and place of the 

action. 

Plot is the series of events in a story. 

Plot usually centers on conflict, a 

struggle between different forces. 

Conflicts fuel the action, moving the 

plot forward. A conflict can be 

external (person vs. person or nature) 

or internal (conflict with self). 

Writers communicate clearly to a 

target audience. 

Writers use a variety of strategies to 

develop interesting plots and 

Discuss how the place and time in 

which a story is set affect the way the 

story develops. 





develops. 

ELPS: 4G Reading,1H Learning 

Strategies, 4K Reading 

Write effective stories that are 

interesting to read. 

Develop a clear plot, compelling 

characters, and vivid imagery through 




15Aiii write imaginative stories that 

creates a specific, believable setting 

through the use of sensory details 

15iv write imaginative stories that 

develops interesting characters 

15v write imaginative stories that 

uses a range of literary strategies and 

devices to enhance the style and 

tone 

believable characters. 

Writers understand how to use style 

and tone to communicate ideas to the 

reader. 

writing. 

Write with voice and personality to 

support the tone of the written 

composition. 

ELPS: 5B Writing, 5F Writing, 5G 

Writing 

Oral and Written 

Conventions/Conventions. 

Students understand the function of 

and use the conventions of academic 

language when speaking and writing. 


standards with greater complexity. 

7.19C use a variety of complete 

sentences (e.g., simple, 

compound, complex) that include 

properly placed modifiers, 

correctly identified antecedents, 

parallel structures, and consistent 

tenses RC3. 

Basic structures of academic English 

grammar. 

Correctly use a variety of sentence 

structures, paying attention to the 

placement of modifiers, antecedent 

agreement, parallel structures and 

consistent tenses. 

ELPS: 5E Writing, 5F Writing 


Conventions/Handwriting, 

Capitalization, and Punctuation. 

Students write legibly and use 

appropriate capitalization and 

punctuation conventions in their 

compositions. 


Conventions/Spelling. Students 

spell correctly. 

7.20B recognize and use 

punctuation marks, including RC3, 

commas after introductory words, 

phrases, and clauses RC3; 

semicolons, colons, and hyphens 

RC3. 


grammar. 

Correctly use commas after 

introductory words, phrases and 

clauses and semicolons, colons, and 

hyphens. 

ELPS:5E Writing 

7.21 spell correctly, including 

using various resources to 

determine and check correct 

spellings RC3. 

Basic supports for correct English 

spelling. 

Spell words correctly and use 

different resources to check the 

correct spelling of words. 

ELPS:5C Writing 















Quickwrites: Using Holt selections and unit essential questions. 

Reader Response – student notes or answers to open-ended questions 

provided by the teacher. For example, "What would Victor write in a journal 

about his first day of seventh grade (from the story Seven). 

DIFFERENTIATION for Struggling Learners [What/How/ASSESS]: Students 

can develop questions for the text they read at each level of Bloom’s 

Taxonomy. 

Plot Diagram: Teacher-modeled example of story read as a whole class, and 

student-generated plot diagram used as prewriting for imaginative story or use 

a pre-writing strategy (see Holt Prewriting Strategies suggestions on pg. 23) to 

begin prewriting for an imaginative story. 

Reader Response and Plot Diagram to Seventh Grade, Gary Soto. (If 

students need a modification, teacher can model completing a plot diagram for 

a widely-known story or film, to scaffold for understanding). see Holt, p. 43 

Analyze Settings: Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast which details 

might stay the same and which details might be different if you found a dog 

(versus Brock in The Last Dog). Explain what your diagram suggests about 

the influence of setting on a story's plot. 

Use a 3-column chart with the titles Conflict, Internal, External: Reread a 

story, such as Thank You, M'am and record examples of internal and external 

conflict. 

Prewriting: Reader's Circle: There is an African American proverb that 

says, "It takes a village to raise a child." With your group, discuss how this 

proverb applies to Thank You, M'am. Start by talking about whether the story 

supports or contradicts this statement. 

Reader Response possible writing prompt: Write two or three paragraphs 

comparing how Roger behaves on the street with how he behaves after 

spending some time with Mrs. Jones. Explain why Mrs. Jones's belief in his 

potential helps Roger show his best self. 

Timeline and Reader Response to Rikki Tikki Tavi, Rudyard Kipling. 

Compare Literary Works: Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast Rikki 

Tikki Tavi and The Last Dog. 

Reader Response and Inference T-chart to Thank You, M’am, Langston 

Hughes. 

Diagnostic and Selection Tests pg. 23-36 

Short-cycle assessment (Plot, Conflict and Setting): Tentative date- Sept. 9 

(estimated length of test: 8-10 items) 

Compare Literary works: Thank You, M’am, Langston Hughes and If I can 

stop one heart from breaking, Emily Dickinson. (Which lines in the poem 

remind you of the way Mrs. Jones might think in Thank You, M’am) 




Learning Plan 

Lesson/Activity/Module Name Teacher Resource Student Resource Technology (Media, website, 

etc.) 


information about instruction 

related to Arc 2, see the 7th 

grade, 1st 6-weeks Street 

View 

Plot, Setting, and Character Holt McDougal, pgs. 28-33 Holt McDougal, pgs. 28-33 thinkcentral.com Keyword: 

HML7-47 

Other 

Use the GT Scope and 

Sequence to plan 

instruction 

How Do You Make a Good 

Holt McDougal, pgs. 33-34 Holt McDougal, pgs. 33-34 

Impression (Includes plot, reading 

strategy of connecting) 

Vocabulary in Context Lessons Holt McDougal, pgs. 44, 47, 

63, 67, 77, 139 

Literary Analysis: Setting & Plot Holt McDougal, p. 47 Holt McDougal, p. 47 

Literary Analysis: Plot and Conflict Holt McDougal, p. 67 Holt McDougal, p. 67 

and Reading Skills: Inference 

Literary Analysis: Suspense and Holt McDougal, p. 77 Holt McDougal, p. 77 

Foreshadowing and Reading Skill: 

Predicting 

Conflict in Drama Holt McDougal, p. 139 Holt McDougal, p. 139 




Arc 3: Characters and Point of View 


Texts to select from in Holt McDougal textbook: 

An American Childhood, Holt McDougal, pgs. 124-130 

Casey at the Bat, Holt McDougal, pgs. 134-136 

Zebra, Holt McDougal, pgs.192-211 

The Rider, Holt McDougal, p. 212 

The Scholarship Jacket, Holt McDougal, pgs. 226-231 

A Retrieved Reformation, Holt McDougal, pgs. 236-244 

The Three-Century Woman, Holt McDougal, pgs. 250-256 

Charles, Holt McDougal, pgs. 258-262 

Dirk the Protector, Holt McDougal, pgs. 278-284 

Encounter with Martin Luther King Jr., Holt McDougal, pgs.268-272 (characterization in nonfiction) 

(Differentiation: Texts are available on bookshare.org.) 

Arc Pacing: 5 - 8 days 




Literary Text/Theme and Genre. 

Students analyze, make inferences 

and draw conclusions about theme 

and genre in different cultural, 

historical, and contemporary contexts 

and provide evidence from the text to 

support their understanding. 


Informational Text/Culture and 

History. Students analyze, make 


about the author's purpose in 

cultural, historical, and 

contemporary contexts and 

provide evidence from the text to 



Literary Text/Poetry. Students 



and elements of poetry and provide 





7.3A describe multiple themes in a 

work of fiction RC2 

7. 9A explain the difference 

between the theme of a literary 

work and the author's purpose in 

an expository text RC1 

7.4A analyze the importance of 

graphical elements (e.g., capital 

letters, line length, word position) 

on the meaning of a poem RC2 


A story usually has one main theme, 

but it may also have other themes. 

A theme may be indicated through the 

lessons learned by the characters in a 

particular setting. 

In literary works, the author's goal is 

to convey a theme, or message about 

life, of human nature. 

In an expository text, the author's 

purpose is to express thoughts or 

feelings, inform or explain, persuade, 

or entertain about a particular topic. 

Graphic elements include the position 

and appearance of words, capital 

letters, lines, and stanzas on the 

page. 


Note the setting of a story and how it 

might relate to the plot and 

characters. 

Make inferences about character 

motivations and relationships to 

determine themes. 

Note what conflicts arise and how 

they are resolved. 

Explain the difference (with examples) 

between theme and author's purpose. 

Examine subject and tone, details and 

words to determine author's purpose. 

Examine the structure and forms of 

poems. 





Literary Text/Fiction. Students 











7.6C analyze different forms of 

point of view, including firstperson, 

third-person omniscient, 

and third-person limited RC2. 

Internal conflict is a struggle within a 

character's mind. This kind of conflict 

happens when a character must deal 

with opposing thoughts or feelings. 

External conflict is a struggle between 

a character and an outside force. 

This might be another character, a 

group of characters, or nature. 

A writer's choice of narrator is 

referred to as point of view. Point of 

view is the way in which an author 

reveals his or her voice, through 

characters, events, and ideas told in a 

story. 





develops. 

ELPS:1H Learning Strategies, 4K 

Reading 

Identify and provide text evidence to 

explain first and third person point of 

view (limited and omniscient). 

Analyze the differences between the 

different points of view from which a 

story is told. 


Literary Text/Literary Nonfiction. 

Students understand, make 


about the varied structural patterns 

and features of literary nonfiction and 

respond by providing evidence from 

text to support their understanding. 

Reading/Media Literacy. Student 

use comprehension skills to analyze 

how words, images, graphics, and 

sounds work together in various 

forms to impact meaning. Students 

will continue to apply earlier 


increasingly more complex texts. 

7.7 A describe the structural and 

substantive differences between an 

autobiography or a diary and a 

fictional adaptation of it RC1. 

7.13A interpret both explicit and 

implicit messages in various forms 

of media RC2/RC3; interpret how 

visual and sound techniques (e.g., 

special effects, camera angles, 

lighting, music) influence the 

message; evaluate various ways 

media influences and informs 

audiences RC2/RC3; assess the 

correct level of formality and tone 

for successful participation in 

various digital media. 

The difference between an 




Media messages are stated directly 

and indirectly. 


about the different ways nonfiction 

texts are put together and support 

your analysis with examples from the 

text. 

Explain the difference between an 




ELPS: 1A Learning Strategies, 4J 

Reading, 4K Reading 

Understand media messages that are 

stated directly or indirectly. 

Learn how visual and sound 

techniques are used to convey 

information in media. 

Analyze the ways media is used to 

inform and persuade audiences. 

Determine whether digital media has 

the appropriate level of formality and 

tone for its audience. 

ELPS: 2F Listening, 4I Reading, 4K 

Reading 




Writing/Expository and Procedural 

Texts. Students write expository and 

procedural or work-related texts to 

communicate ideas and information 

to specific audiences for specific 

purposes. 

7.17A write a multi-paragraph essay 

to convey information about a topic 

that RC1 

17Ai presents effective introductions 

and concluding paragraphsRC2; 

17Aii presents effective 

introductions and concluding 

paragraphsRC2; 

17Aiii is logically organized with 

appropriate facts and details and 

includes no extraneous information 

or inconsistencies RC2; 

17Aiv accurately synthesizes ideas 

from several sources RC2; 

17Av uses a variety of sentence 

structures, rhetorical devices, and 

transitions to link paragraphs RC2 

Essay writing includes choosing an 

issue, thinking about audience and 

purpose, stating your position, and 

providing adequate reasons and 

evidence. 

Explore real-life issues and take a 

clear position with reasons and 

evidence. 

ELPS:5B Writing, 5F Writing, 5G 

Writing 






7.19A identify, use, and understand 

the function of the following parts of 

speech in the context of reading, 

writing, and speaking RC3: Ai verbs 

(perfect and progressive tenses) and 

participles RC3; Aii appositive 

phrases RC3; Aiii adverbial and 

adjectival phrases and clauses RC3; 

Ai vconjunctive adverbs (e.g., 

consequently, furthermore, indeed) 

RC3; Av prepositions and 

prepositional phrases and their 

influence on subject-verb agreement 

RC3; Avi relative pronouns (e.g., 

whose, that, which) RC3; Avii 

subordinating conjunctions (e.g., 

because, since) RC3; Aviii 

transitions for sentence to sentence 

or paragraph to paragraph 

coherence RC3; 


grammar. 

Use and understand the different 

parts of speech including verbs and 

participles, appositive phrases, 

adverbial and adjectival phrases and 

clauses, conjunctive adverbs, 

prepositions and prepositional 

phrases, relative pronouns, 

subordinating conjunctions and 

transitional words. 

Use correct subject-verb agreement 

including prepositional phrases. 







sentences (e.g., simple, compound, 

complex) that include properly 

placed modifiers, correctly identified 

antecedents, parallel structures, and 

consistent tenses RC3. 

ELPS: 5E Writing, 5F Writing 












Reader Response and Character Map to Zebra, by Chaim Potok (If students 

need a modification, teacher can model completing a character map for a 

widely-known character to scaffold for understanding). See Holt p. 213. 




Reader Response questions in margins of textbook (to be answered orally 

and/or in writing). Take notes identifying author's point of view and include 

text evidence to support your ideas. 

Venn Diagram to compare/contrast Zebra and The Rider. Students should 

write a conclusion under the graphic organizer using the sentence stem: 

Zebra and The Rider are similar in that they both_____, however, Zebra 

________ while The Rider _________. 

Contrast Points of View: A Retrieved Reformation is told from the 3rd-person 

omniscient point of view. Rewrite lines 247-256 by revealing only what Ben 

Price sees, thinks, and feels. Discuss: How does using 3rd-person limited 

point of view affect the story 

Use a chart like the one on page 263 and 257 to compare two characters in a 

short story. (conflicts, motivations, responses) 

DIFFERENTIATION for Struggling Learners [What/HOW/Assess]: (jigsaw 

method) Students form “expert” groups for each character. One member from 

each group meets with other character experts to compare/contrast 

characters. 

If time allows, consider showing portions of the film Hoodwinked, which 

illustrates point of view. Have students complete a T-chart tracking each 

character’s POV. Also discuss how POV shapes the organization of the story. 

Creative Writing: Imaginative Story 

Diagnostic and Selection Tests pg. 23-36 

In four or five paragraphs, compare and contrast two characters from two 

short stories read (such as Great-Grandma from The Three Century Woman 

and Laurie from Charles. Identify the characters' similarities and differences, 

citing details from the two stories to support your ideas. Then state whether 

you think the characters are more alike than they are different. 

Creative Writing Write Source (imaginative story). Consider assigning students 

to retell a traditional story from an alternative character’s point of view. (See: 

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, by A. Wolf, as told to Jon Scieszka 

http://www.shol.com/agita/wolfside.htm) 




Learning Plan 

Lesson/Activity/Module Name Teacher Resource Student Resource Technology (Media, website, 

etc.) 



instruction related to Arc 3, 

see the 7th grade, 1st 6- 

Reader Response and Cause/Effect 

Diagram to Dirk the Protector 

Reader’s Workshop: Character and 

Point of View 

Literary Analysis: First Person Point 

of View 

weeks Street View 

Holt McDougal TE 

Holt McDougal 

Interactive Reader 

Reader/Writer Notebook 

Holt McDougal, pgs. 184- Holt McDougal, pgs. 184-189 

189 

Holt McDougal, p. 225 Holt McDougal, p. 225 

Vocabulary Lessons Holt McDougal, pgs. 123, 

225, 233, 235, 246 

Literary Analysis: Third Person Point Holt McDougal, p. 235 Holt McDougal, p. 235 

of View 

Literary Analysis: Character 

Holt McDougal, p. 249 Holt McDougal, p. 249 

Motivation 

Writing for Assessment: Essay Holt McDougal, p. 265 

Student One Stop DVD-ROM 

PowerNotes DVD-ROM 

GrammarNotes DVD-ROM 


Write Source Student Writing 

Samples 

Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM 

WordSharp vocabulary tutorials 

Other 

Use the GT Scope 

and Sequence to 

plan instruction 

Audio Anthology 

CD 

Adapted 

Interactive Reader: 

Audio Tutor CD 

Hoodwinked video 




Unit: Exploring Expository Texts for Information 

Unit Pacing: 11 days 

Vocabulary: research, thesis, stance, reference, primary source, secondary source, works cited/bibliography, periodical, audience, plagiarism 

Arc 1: Research 


Resources: Holt McDougal 

What Do You Know About Sharks, Holt McDougal, pgs. 908-914 

Great White Sharks, Holt McDougal, pgs. 921-925 

Exploring the Titanic, Holt McDougal, pgs.104-118 

Who Was King Arthur Holt McDougal, p.689 

(And other teacher-selected informational articles appropriate for 7th grade students.) 

Arc Pacing: 5-7 days 




Informational Text/Expository Text. 

Students analyze, make inferences 

and draw conclusions about expository 

text and provide evidence from text to 





communicate ideas and information to 

specific audiences for specific 

purposes. 



7.10A evaluate a summary of the 

original text for accuracy of the main 

ideas, supporting details, and overall 

meaning RC3; 

7.10B distinguish factual claims 

from commonplace assertions and 

opinions RC3 

7.10C use different organizational 

patterns as guides for summarizing 

and forming an overview of different 

kinds of expository text RC3 

7.17A write a multi-paragraph essay 

to convey information about a topic 

that RC1 

17Ai presents effective introductions 

and concluding paragraphs RC2; 

17Aii contains a clearly stated 

purpose or controlling idea RC2; 

17Aiiiis logically organized with 


includes no extraneous information 

or inconsistencies RC2; 17iv 

accurately synthesizes ideas from 

several sources RC2; 

17v uses a variety of sentence 

structures, rhetorical devices, and 


A summary is a brief retelling in your 

own words that explains the overall 

meaning or the writer's message. 

An opinion is a statement of belief or 

feeling. A fact is a statement that can 

be proved. 

Organizational patterns refer to the way 

ideas and information are arranged and 

organized. 





evidence. 


Break down the main idea and 

supporting details in each part of text 

(and jot down). 

Write a topic sentence that includes the 

most important information to explain 

the author's message. 

Identify and use organizational patterns 

such as cause-effect, chronological, 

compare/ contrast, problem/solution to 

help summarize informational texts. 

ELPS:4G Reading, 4I Reading, 4K 

Reading 

Write essays that have powerful 

introductions and conclusions, clearly 

express the main idea or purpose, are 

well organized and include only 

relevant information, incorporate ideas 

from multiple sources and use various 

types of sentences, rhetorical 

techniques, and paragraph transitions. 


Writing, 




Research/Research Plan. Students 

ask open-ended research questions 

and develop a plan for answering 

them. 

transitions to link paragraphs RC2 

7.22 A brainstorm, consult with 

others, decide upon a topic, and 

formulate a major research question 

to address the major research topic; 

A functioning group has several 

members with various roles. 

Work with others to brainstorm, pick a 

topic, and decide on the main 

research question for an important 

research project. 

Research/Gathering Sources. 

Students determine, locate, and 

explore the full range of relevant 

sources addressing a research 

question and systematically 

record the information they 

gather. 

Research/Synthesizing 

Information. Students clarify 

research questions and evaluate and 

synthesize collected information. 

7.22B apply steps for obtaining and 

evaluating information from a wide 

variety of sources and create a 

written plan after preliminary research 

in reference works and additional text 

searches. 

7.23 A-D follow the research plan to 

gather information from a range of 

relevant print and electronic sources 

using advanced search strategies; 

categorize information thematically in 

order to see the larger constructs 

inherent in the information; record 

bibliographic information (e.g., 

author, title, page number) for all 

notes and sources according to a 

standard format; differentiate 

between paraphrasing and plagiarism 

and identify the importance of citing 

valid and reliable sources. 

7.24A narrow or broaden the major 

research question, if necessary, 

based on further research and 

investigation; 

7.24B utilize elements that 

demonstrate the reliability and validity 

of the sources used (e.g., publication 

date, coverage, language, point of 

view) and explain why one source is 

more useful than another. 

There is a difference between 

paraphrasing and plagiarism, and it is 

important to use correctly cited and 

reliable sources. 

It is important to think about what you 

want to learn from your research 

question. 

Gather information by looking at a 

variety of sources and create a plan 

for additional research. 

ELPS: 1E Learning Strategies, 3F 

Speaking, 3G Speaking 

Follow research plan to gather 

information from print and electronic 

sources using advanced searches. 

Organize information based on 

related ideas to see the big picture in 

the research. Identify and record 

bibliographic information about 

research sources in a standard 

format. 

ELPS:3FSpeaking, 2E Listening, 

4G Reading 

Adjust major research question 

based on findings throughout 

research process. 

Evaluate sources to determine which 

are the most reliable, valid, and 

useful and be prepared to defend 

evaluations. 

ELPS:4F Reading, 4K Reading 












Note: Students will read a variety of expository texts to study author's craft for 

writing a very short research paper and to find a topic or person that is of 

interest. 

Planning/Prewriting – Choose a topic, narrow focus, think about audience 

and purpose, formulate a research question, develop a research plan. 

(Consider allowing alternative formats, such as feature article for a newspaper 

or newsletter, oral report, power presentation, wiki, and/or documentary, 

along with the traditional essay for class.) 

Researching – Locate sources, evaluate each source, make a source list, 

take notes, record information accurately, avoid plagiarism, write thesis, 

create an outline 

Drafting – Introduction, body, conclusion, works cited list 

Revising and Editing Consult revising checklist questions on p. 1038 

DIFFERENTIATION for Struggling Learners [What/HOW/Assess]: Provide 

structure for a long-term writing project with a Planning Guide. Include due 

dates for each step. Students can also use Inspiration to create the Topic 

Organizer for their paper, and use the 2-Column note taking format to gather 

and organize main ideas and details for their papers. 




Students share research in oral presentations in class. 

Lesson/Activity/Module 

Name 

Reader's Workshop: 

Reading For 

Information 

Elements of 

Nonfiction: Text 

Features/Evidence in 

Informational Text 

Writing Workshop: 

Research Paper 

Learning Plan 

Teacher Resource Student Resource Technology (Media, website, etc.) Other 



instruction related to 

Arc 1, see the 7th 

grade, 1st 6-weeks 

Street View 

Holt McDougal, 

pgs.902-905 

Holt McDougal, p. 907, 

p. 919 

Holt McDougal, pg. 

1028-1043 

Holt McDougal, pgs.902-905 

Holt McDougal, p. 907, p. 919 

Holt McDougal, pg. 1028-1043 


Write Source Student Writing Samples 



instruction 




Arc 2: Expository Writing 


Resources: http://www.thewritesource.com/books/textbooks/write_source_7/, thinkcentral.com, 

The Great PawPawStudent Model Essay 

Friendship Student Essay 

Cheating in America Student Essay 

Arc Pacing: 3 - 4 Days 






communicate ideas and information 

to specific audiences for specific 

purposes. 



7.17A write a multi-paragraph 

essay to convey information about 

a topic that RC1 

17Ai presents effective 

introductions and concluding 

paragraphsRC2; 

17Aii contains a clearly stated 

purpose or controlling idea RC2; 

17Aiiiis logically organized with 


includes no extraneous 

information or inconsistencies 

RC2; 

7.17C write responses to literary or 

expository texts that demonstrate the 

writing skills for multi-paragraph 

essays and provide sustained 

evidence from the text using 

quotations when appropriate; 






evidence. 


Write essays that have powerful 

introductions and conclusions, clearly 

express the main idea or purpose, 

are well organized and include only 

relevant information, incorporate 

ideas from multiple sources, and use 

various types of sentences, rhetorical 

techniques and paragraph transitions. 


Writing 

Write multi-paragraph responses to 

literary and expository writing that 

include evidence and quotations from 

the text to support your ideas. 

ELPS:5B Writing,5G Writing 







sentences (e.g., simple, 

compound, complex) that include 

properly placed modifiers, 

correctly identified antecedents, 

parallel structures, and consistent 

tenses RC3. 


grammar. 






ELPS:5E Writing, 5F Writing 












Cornell Notes: Students analyze expository essays. (Student models can be 

found at http://www.thewritesource.com/books/textbooks/write_source_7/) 

Students write an expository essay. Teacher may structure expository writing 

to match the student examples read, or follow one of the expository Writing 

Workshops in Holt McDougal. Please see Comparison-Contrast Essay pp. 

294- 302 or the topic of their research. 

“How-To” Explanation pp. 756-764. See student models in Technology 

section below. 

DIFFERENTIATION for Struggling Learners [What/HOW/Assess]: For each 

step of the writing process, allow students to meet with peers for peer review 

and collaboration. 




Short-cycle assessment (Analyze Characters and POV) tentative date: Sept. 

30 (estimated length of test: 8-10 items) 

Lesson/Activity/Module 

Name 

Students read model 

essays and analyze using 

Cornell Notes: 

Learning Plan 

Teacher Resource Student Resource Technology (Media, website, etc.) Other 



instruction related to Arc 

2, see the 7th grade, 

1st 6-weeks Street 

View 

Texas Write Source 

textbook 

Holt McDougal 

Holt McDougal 

Write Source Student Writing Samples and other 

Resources for Writing 

The Great PawPawStudent Model Essay 

Friendship Student Essay 

Cheating in America Student Essay 

http://www.writeguy.net/for-teachers 



instruction

MATRIX # - Austin ISD

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