Objectives:
7th Grade Language Arts Content Map:
I-B1: Express perspectives
I-B2: Interpret and synthesize information read
I-B3: Cite primary and secondary sources, compare, contrast, and
evaluate information
II-B12: Proofread, correct errors
II-C4: Compose writing, using technology, develop sentence
fluency to communicate
A connection with the student’s history will be made through novel reading, compare and contrast paragraphs, essay
writing, and play performance.
Students will make connections with their past and their present, gaining knowledge through different activities.
Lower achieving students will learn how to write a 3 sentence paragraph and higher achieving students will be able to write
a 5 sentence paragraph.
All students will perform in a play.
All students will read the novel, “A Year Down Yonder.”
All students will write compare and contrast paragraphs.
Students will be able to relate concepts developed through the reading of the novel and cross those concepts with other
content areas, including math and history. Students will also be able to use their prior knowledge when completing
activities.
Hook:
A 30 minute video will be played to hook the students’ interests. This video
gives background knowledge for the students, that they will be able to
draw from when developing their timeline which is the introductory project.
Students will naturally develop questions, just through their work on
the various projects. Students will be able to analyze these questions and
develop meaningful answers when reflecting on their own history.
Assessment:
Students will express their individual and group perspectives when writing compare and contrast paragraphs.
Students will prepare a timeline through their research and will be
assessed according to a structured rubric.
Students will cite primary and secondary sources when completing their
timeline.
Students will demonstrate knowledge through quizzes given at the end of a
series of chapters of the book.
Students will be assessed on their paragraphs according to their finished product to be graded by the instructor.
Students will demonstrate understanding and appreciation of all
activities with a concluding assignment in the form of a collage. They
will be assessed on final presentation including aesthetics and oral
presentations.
Methodology:
Students will learn in many different ways. They will learn through direct
instruction (writing paragraphs using “better answers”), students will learn
through experimentation (performance of a play), for many students this
will be a learning experience that they have never encountered before.
Students will learn through cooperative learning in both small and large groups (play preparation and performance, and
centers), and they will also learn
through direct instruction (mini lessons on various activities, group discussions,
compare and contrast paragraph writing, and essay writing). Students will
also learn through self directed activities. Their collage, quizzes, and other
activities will be completed individually.
Assessment will be determined in many ways. The final collage project will be
used as an assessment tool, as stated before, and all projects will be issued a
standard letter grade in accordance with the criteria set forth to be met.
Differentiation:
Students with special needs will be recognized and their tasks will be modified.
Students who need more of a challenge will be able to complete independent activities that challenge them in meaningful
ways. Perhaps they will write an essay or complete a genre study. These tasks will have to be discussed
between the teacher and the student to determined appropriateness of the task.
Students with lower academic expectations will be given more choices within
the realm of the activities. They will be given extra support in that I will be
able to monitor progression when group activities are being completed. Individual activities will be assessed using a simplified
rubric. Students with
special needs will be assigned a peer to help complete activities that are
deemed more difficult.
