7th Grade Historical Literacy Units

7th Grade Historical Literacy Units

Writing (43 minute class-periods, 5 days per week)

Unit Topic & TimeMini-Lessons/ Teaching PointsMentor Texts/ ResourcesDiscussion Topics & TasksAssessments/ RubricsStandards
Personal NarrativePlot (rising action, climax, falling action, resolution)
Conflict
Hooks, clinchers
Writing Process
Memory map
Zooming into small moment “seed story”
Vivid words
Developing characters
Dialogue
Transitions
Inner thinkingSensory details
POV (1st person)Figurative language
Peer edits/feedback
Grammar/ punctuation (what do they need? I.e. commas, verb tense, paragraphs
Vocab
Comes from mini-lesson content (plot, conflict, etc.)
The Outsiders
Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons
Student-selected text
Topics:  Discussions based on mini-lessons, share own writing
Tasks:  Small group, partner, whole group
Summative: Personal Narrative: Choice topic (important moment in life)PN RubricFormative:Fragment & Run-On Sentence KahootExit slipsEntrance slipsIndividual and small group conferringPlot PlanningW.7.3, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, W.7.10SL.7.1-6L.7.1-6L.7.1C, L.7.3A
Narrative- Historical FictionPlot (rising action, climax, falling action, resolution)
Chronology
Research- reliable sources, note taking, important vs. interesting
Bibliography
Reliable source sin text citations
Fiction Writing
Transition words/phrases
Conflict
Identifying what is necessary to their story
Vocab: Comes from mini-lesson content
The Outsiders
Refugee
Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons
Student-selected text
Topics:  Discussions based on mini-lessons, share own writing
Tasks:  Small group, partner, whole group
Summative: Historical Fiction: Choose a time period when someone challenged a social orderHF Rubric Formative:Story Element KahootExit slipsEntrance slipsIndividual and small group conferringResearch OrganizerPlot PlanningW.7.3, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, W.7.7, W.7.8, W.7.9, W.7.10SL.7.1-6L.7.1-6
Expository- InformativeNon-Fiction
Research
Reliable sources
5 paragraph essay
Introduction
Thesis statement
Hook
Transition words
Topic words
Closing sentences
Paragraph structure
Quoting in text
Word Choice
Formal tone
Important Vs InterestingBibliography
Vocab: Comes from mini-lesson content
Promises to Keep
Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons
Student-selected text
Topics:  Discussions based on mini-lessons, share own writing
Tasks:  Small group, partner, whole group
Summative: Expository: Event/person (5 paragraph essay)Ex. RubricFormative:Exit slipsEntrance slipsIndividual and small group conferringGraphic Organizer 1Graphic Organizer 2RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.3, RI.7.4, RI.7.7W.7.2, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, W.7.7, W.7.8, W.7.9, W.7.10SL.7.1-6L.7.1-6
Expository- Argumentative5 paragraph essay
Introduction
Thesis statement
Hook
Transition words
Topic words
Closing sentences
Paragraph structure
Quoting in text
Counter argument
Picking most compelling evidence
Rebuttals
Real life examples/evidence
Vocab: Comes from mini-lesson content
It’s Our World, Too
Current Events
Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons
Student-selected text
Topics: Teacher-chosen debate topics, discussions based on mini-lessons, share own writing.
Tasks:  Small group, partner, whole group
Summative: Argumentative (5 paragraph essay): Choice topicArg. RubricFormative:Exit slipsEntrance slipsIndividual and small group conferringRAFT WritingArgumentative Graphic OrganizerW.7.1, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, W.7.7, W.7.8, W.7.9, W.7.10SL.7.1-6L.7.1-6
PoetryFigurative language:
metaphor
simile
hyperbole
idiom
onomatopoeia
alliteration  personification
Structure
Tone
Vivid words
Acrostic
Concrete
Couplet Haiku
Tanka
Cinquain
Free-Verse
Vocab: Comes from mini-lesson content
Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessonsFlipbook with figurative language definitions & examplesStudent-selected textTopics Teacher-chosen debate topics, discussions based on mini-lessons, share own writing.
Tasks:  Small group, partner, whole group, gallery walks
Summative: Final Free-Verse Poem: PresentationFinal Poem RubricFormative:Figurative Language KahootExit slipsEntrance slipsIndividual and small group conferringRL 7.1, RL 7.2, RL 7.3, RL 7.4, W 7.4, W 7.5, W 7.6, SL 7.5, L 7.4, L 7.5


Reading & Social Studies (43 minute class periods, 5 days per week)

Unit Topic & TimeMini-Lessons/ Teaching PointsMentor Texts/ ResourcesDiscussion Topics & TasksAssessments/ RubricsStandards
Child Labor Movement Week 1: What is child labor?
Week 2: Keating-Owen Child Labor Act
Week 3: The other perspective of child labor?
Week 4: Today’s labor laws
Vocab:Child labor
Salary
Wages
Mill Girls
Foreman
Poverty
Unemployed
Servitude
Relocation
Industry
Working Conditions
Mini-Lessons:Annotating text
Context clues
Main idea & supporting details
Important vs. interesting
Textual evidence
Author’s purpose
Structure’s purpose
The Outsiders
Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons
Newsela.com
History.com
https://www.archives.gov/education/research/primary-sources 
Student-selected text
Topics:  What does it mean to be “invisible”? Who has the power?  What does power have to do with fairness and injustice?Summative:
 Game-board projectGame-board project rubric
Formative:
Exit slips
Entrance slips
Individual and small group conferring
Inq1BH1, BH3Geog2, Geog4Hist3
The Great DepressionWeek 1: What was it?  What started it?
Week 2:  Who was affected?
Week 3:  Hoovervilles
Week 4: The New Deal
Week 5: How have things changed?  What is still in effect?Vocab:
Black Tuesday
Consumers
Relief
Hoovervilles
New Deal
FDR
Social Security Act
Herbert Hoover
Public Works
Mini-Lessons:
Annotating text
Context clues
Main idea & supporting details
Important vs. interesting
Textual evidence
Author’s purpose
Structure’s purpose
The Outsiders
Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons
Newsela.com
History.com
https://www.archives.gov/education/research/primary-sources
Student-selected text
What are the benefits and consequences of questioning/ challenging social order?Tasks: Small group, partner, whole group, intertextuality, KWL chartsSummative
Inquiry Based project (incorporate technology)
-show understanding of the Great Depression
GD Project Rubric
Formative
-Exit slips
-Entrance slips
-Individual and small group conferring
RL.7.7, RL.7.9Inq1, Inq2, Inq3BH1, BH2, BH3, BH4Econ1, Econ3, Econ4Geog1, Geog2, Geog3, Geog4, Geog5Hist1, Hist2, Hist3, Hist4
Civil Rights Movement Week 1: What happened?
Week 2: Who was involved?
Week 3: Jim Crow laws & segregation
Week 4: Civil Rights Act of 1964
Week 5: Other meanings of civil rights
Week 6: Prejudice
Week 7: Montgomery March
Vocab:Segregation
Prejudice
Separate but Equal
Brown vs. Board of Education
Peaceful Protest
Civil Rights Act of 1964
14th Amendment
Mini-Lessons:
Annotating text
Context clues
Main idea & supporting details
Important vs. interesting
Textual evidence
Author’s purpose
Structure’s purpose
Promises to Keep
Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons 
“I Have a Dream” speech by MLK
Newsela.com
History.com
https://www.archives.gov/education/research/primary-sources 
Student-selected text
Topics: How are prejudice and bias created?  How do we overcome them?  What are the consequences of prejudice?Tasks: Small group, partner, whole group, intertextuality, KWL chartsSummative
Inquiry Based project (incorporate technology)
- Choose an influential person
- ex. create documentary video
CRM Project Rubric
Formative:
Civil Rights Movement Kahoot
Exit slips
Entrance slips
Individual and small group conferring
RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.3, RI.7.4, RI.7.7Inq1, Inq2, Inq3, Inq4BH1, BH2, BH3, BH4Econ1, Econ3, Econ4Geog1, Geog2, Geog3, Geog4, Geog5Hist1, Hist2, Hist3, Hist4
Current EventsWeek 1: Political CE
Week 2: Political CE
Week 3: Issues CE
Week 4: Issues CE
Week 5: Opinion CE
Week 6: Opinion CE
Vocab:
Media
Editor
Column
Press
Journalist
Source
Debate
Mini-Lessons:
Annotating text
Context clues
Main idea & supporting details
Important vs. interesting
Textual evidence
Author’s purpose
Structure’s purpose
It’s Our World Too
Current Events
Anchor charts created with teacher’s examples about the mini-lessons
Newsela.com
Timeforkids.com
CNN.com
Student-selected text
Topics: When should an individual take a stand against what he/she believes to be an injustice? Tasks: Small group, partner, whole group, debates, KWL chartsSummative
NewscastCurrent Events Newspaper
Formative:
Exit slips
Entrance slips
Individual and small group conferring
RL.7.10RI.7.5, RI.7.6, RI.7.8, RI.7.9, RI.7.10Inq1, Inq2, Inq3, Inq4, Inq5BH1, BH3, BH4Econ1, Econ2, Econ3, Econ4Geog1, Geog2, Geog3, Geog4, Geog5Hist1, Hist2, Hist3, Hist4


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