Curriculum

Unit: Reading: A Love Story

Grade 7
English Language Arts
Lesson: Reading Strategy: Talk to Yourself and Make Predictions
Time: 1 Class Period

Utah Core Standards:
-Anchor Standards for Reading:
o Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical
inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to
support conclusions drawn from the text.
o Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts
independently and proficiently.

Objectives:
o Students will be able to apply reading strategies while reading through a text
that require them to check in with their own understanding and make
predictions about what will happen next in the story.

Materials:
o Independent reading book of students choice
o Pen or pencil
o Reading journal (including Reading Stamina Goal Setting Page)
o Reading Strategy: Talk to Yourself and Make Predictions page
o Mentor Text: Short story, Seventh Grade by Gary Soto


Lesson Overview:

The focus of this lesson will be to check in with students during reading
reading strategies that they use to help them make sense of their reading. In this
lesson, students will receive explicit instruction on what it means to talk to yourself
while reading and to make predictions about what will occur next in the story.
Students again will practice these strategies with a mentor text as a whole class, and
then apply these strategies to their personal reading books.

Key Vocabulary:
o Prediction


Activity:

Introduction:
1. English Energizer (opener): To begin class today, students will be given a
second attempt to measure their reading stamina. Students will read from a
book of their choice silently for ten minutes. Students will track the number
of pages they read during this time, and record the page total on their
Reading Stamina Goal Setting page located in their reading journal.



Task:
2. Next, students will revisit the short story, Seventh Grade by Gary Soto that
they began yesterday in class.
3. Students will be given a handout titled, Reading Strategy: Talk to Yourself
and Make Predictions. As a whole class, students will review the directions
of this paper. The instructions ask students to consider what they have read
of this story so far and determine if they understand everything they have
read. If not, then they should go back and review portions of the story that
they didnt understand or dont remember. Students will be called upon to
recall details of the story and summarize what is happening so far.
4. Next, students will be tasked to individually finish reading the remainder of
the story. While reading, they will make two predictions outlined on their
reading strategy paper. Additionally, students will be encouraged to practice
the strategy of talking to themselves while reading.
5. Once students have finished reading, they will share with a table group what
they predicted would happen and if the outcomes in the story matched their
predictions. As a whole class, students will share their ideas about how these
two strategies can help them with their comprehension.





Curriculum Unit: Reading: A Love Story
Grade 7
English Language Arts
Lesson 10: Reading Strategy: Make Connections
Time: 1 Class Period

Utah Core Standards:
-Anchor Standards for Reading:
o Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical
inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to
support conclusions drawn from the text.
o Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts
independently and proficiently.

Objectives:
o Students will be able to make connections between what is occurring in a
story and what has happened in their life to help strengthen their
comprehension of a text.

Materials:
o Independent reading book of students choice
o Pen or pencil
o Reading journal (including Reading Stamina Goal Setting Page)

o Mentor Text: Short story, Seventh Grade by Gary Soto

o Reading Strategy: Make Connections page

Lesson 10 Overview:

In this lesson, students will practice one more during reading strategy that
asks the students to make connections between what is happening in the story and
what has occurred in their life, the world around them, or another story they have
read or viewed. By making connections, students are relating to what is occurring in
the story, which helps students better understand characters motivation and
emotional responses to what is taking place for example. Students will first apply
this strategy to the mentor text, and then make connections to the book of their
choice.

Activity:

Introduction:
6. English Energizer (opener): To begin class today, students will be given a
third attempt to measure their reading stamina. Students will read from a
book of their choice silently for ten minutes. Students will track the number
of pages they read during this time, and record the page total on their
Reading Stamina Goal Setting page located in their reading journal. Once
they have their three reading attempts recorded, students will calculate the
average number of pages they can read in ten minutes. Next, students will
multiply this number by 6 (students will be required to read a minimum of
one hour each week). This will be the weekly page total students will attempt
to accomplish each week of the quarter.
7. Next, to reinforce the reading strategy students learned in the previous
lesson, students will write a journal entry to reflect this strategy. Students
will title the journal entry: Making Predictions. Students will also record the
title of their book and author and the page number they are currently on in
the book. Then, students will write a brief journal entry that includes a
prediction about something they think will happen next in the book based on
what they just read. Students will need to include specific details of what just
occurred in the story to provide evidence for why they are making this
prediction.

Task:
8. Students will then turn their focus back to the mentor text, Seventh Grade
by Gary Soto and also grab a final reading strategy page titled, Seventh
Grade by Gary Soto: Reading Strategy: Connect.
9. As a class, students will review what it means to make connections and why
this strategy is helpful.
10. Working with a partner, students will follow the chart on the handout that
asks students to answer the questions by citing the example from the story
and then recording their personal connection to this event.
11. Students will be called upon to share their responses and discuss how
making connections can help with reading comprehension.

Curriculum Unit: Reading: A Love Story

Grade 7
English Language Arts
Lesson 11: Reading Strategy: Context Clues
Time: 1-2 Class Periods

Utah Core Standards:
o RL.7.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a
text, including figurative and connotative meanings.
o RI.7.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a
text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the
impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
-Anchor Standards for Reading:
o Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical
inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to
support conclusions drawn from the text.
o Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts
independently and proficiently.


Objectives:
o Students will be able to identify various methods of using context clues to
help determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
o Students will analyze the meaning of unfamiliar words in a novel of their
choice by applying one of the context clue methods discussed in a blog post.

Materials:
o Independent reading book of students choice
o Pen or pencil
o Reading journal
o Word Detectives context clue handout from Flocabulary.com
o White erase boards
o White erase markers
o Glue sticks
o Context Clues Example Sentences page (to be projected for the class)
o Book Blog Rubric

Lesson 11 Overview:

The purpose of this lesson is for students to examine several methods for
determining types of context clues and practice using these various methods when
they come across words that are unfamiliar to them while reading. Students will
apply these types of clues while reading from their own independent book. Then to
reflect on their method of determining unfamiliar words, students will post a blog
entry on an unfamiliar word of their choice to help develop and extend the
vocabulary of their classmates.

Activity:

Introduction:
1. English Energizer (opener): To begin class, students will each receive a half
sheet of paper reprinted from Flocabulary.com titled Word Detectives. On
this half sheet of paper, there are different types of context clues including:
synonym, antonym, explanation, and example. After reviewing the
information, students will glue this half sheet of paper into their reading
journal.
2. Next, students will each grab a white board and a white erase marker to
practice using these context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar
words. I will project a sentence using my document camera that will contain
an unfamiliar vocabulary sentence to students. Students will then have to
write on their white boards what they think the word means and what type
of context clue was used in the sentence. Students can get a point for a
correct definition and a point for identifying the correct type of context clue
used. Each sentence will be worth two points.

Task:
3. After reviewing types of context clues, students will then read their own
personal reading books and keep a list of any unfamiliar words they come
across in their reading journal. In addition to recording the words, the
students will also mark down the page number the word is on in the book.
Students will read for approximately 15 minutes.
4. When reading time is over, students will select one word that they want to
create a blog post for and post on their classroom blog page on
kidblog.org/home/.
5. For the blog post, students will write the title of their book, the author of the
book, the unfamiliar word, what type of context clue was used, what they
think the word means, an example of the word used in a sentence, and why
this word stood out to the student. Students may also find an image of the
word to aid in student understanding and meaning.
6. Once students have posted their original blog entry, they may comment on at
least two other students word choices.





Curriculum Unit: Reading: A Love Story
Grade 7
English Language Arts
Lesson 12: Culminating Book ProjectCreating a book advertisement
Time: 2-3 Class Periods


Utah Core Standards:
o RL.7.10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

o RI.7.10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in
the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed
at the high end of the range.
o SL.7.4: Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused,
coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples;
use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
o SL.7.5: Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations
to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.

Objectives:
Students will demonstrate their comprehension and opinion of a book of their
choice by creating an advertisement that entices other students to want to read this
book as an independent reading choice.


Materials:
o Independent reading book of students choice
o Pen or pencil
o Laptop
o Reading journal
o Poster supplies including: poster paper, construction paper, markers, colored
pencils, glue, scissors (optional materials)
o Book Advertisement directions page
o Book Advertisement Rubric
o Audience Feedback Page

Lesson 12 Overview:

*Note: this lesson will be conducted AFTER students finish reading a book of their
choice.


In this lesson, students will reflect on the books they have read over the
quarter and select one that they would like to create an advertisement for to entice
other students to read. Students will determine how they want to advertise their
book. Choices include making a poster, a collage, or even a digital book trailer.
Students will present their book advertisements in small group presentations.

Activity:

Introduction:
1. English Energizer (opener): Students will review directions on the
culminating project for their quarterly independent reading assignment. The
directions will explain to the students that they will be creating an
advertisement to get other students excited to read their book.

Task:

2. Once students review directions, they will collect the materials they need to
create the advertisement of their choice. This may be a poster, a collage, a
digital book trailer, or some other form of advertisement of the students
choice.
3. Students will then work to complete their commercial and review the rubric
for the project to make sure they are meeting all components. Students will
begin by outlining their ideas to brainstorm what they want to communicate
in their advertisement.
4. When students have completed their advertisements, they will then present
their projects in a small group setting. Audience members in the group will
record their feedback and thoughts about each students project and whether
or not this would be a book they would want to read.

Closing:
5. Finally, the class will share out as a whole group which projects caught their
eye, and which books they were successfully enticed to read.
6. Students will turn in their projects for grading, and students who completed
digital projects will share their work via email.