Seventh Grade Language Arts

 

Instructor: Beth Helfrich

 

Curriculum Map, Class Page

 

In Language Arts, students are asked to consider what it might be like to see the world through another’s eyes. We begin by examining our own misconceptions about Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Students are then asked to investigate the complexities of these areas through stories, non-fiction, music, and poetry. We also examine how different cultures record and share stories. Finally, we begin to understand the universal need for voice by looking at different groups who have been silenced, either by political, cultural, or economic oppression. The 7th grade writing curriculum focuses on non-fiction writing, with emphasis on research skills and appropriate, neutral voice. The capstone of this curriculum is the historical argument essay.

 

Guiding questions:

• What is universal about human nature?
• How do different cultures communicate their stories?
• What does it mean to have a voice?

• What are the critical elements of non-fiction?

 

Writer’s Focus:

• Students work towards developing a strong, neutral voice in non-fiction writing.  Students begin to incorporate external research and direct quotation into both literary responses and research papers.  Skills:  Researching on notecards, developing detailed outlines, and using internal citation, footnoting, and annotated bibliography.

 

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