7th Grade

ELA
Month

Content/Skills

Text

Assessment

Septemb
er

Review of literary elements and how they

interact

The miraculous Journey of Edward

Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

Letter to Author

Septemb
er
October

NA Literature - how do stories convey

cultural values
Socratic seminar convened to examine the
question should NA cultural symbols and
identify be used to promote sports teams
(engaging in collaborative discussions to
examine multiple perspectives)
Native American Museum field work

Collective of Native American short

stories
NA poetry
NA speeches, treaties, articles
(nonfiction)

Argumentative Essay (claim/

counterclaim)

October

Novembe
r

Atmosphere, tone, setting, unreliable

narrator
fascination of the Abomination
Why do readers enjoy horror?

Short stories by Edgar Allan Poe

and JB Stamper
Poetry by Edgar Allan Poe

Novembe
r
January

Expedition
Identity - coming of age

My brother sam is Dead by

Christopher and James Lincoln
Collier
and primary source documents
from MA historical Society, CT
historical society, Prisoners Martyrs
Monument, Military reports of
Battle of Lex. and Concord,
Speeches by Captain John Parker,
etc.
Primary Source accounts of Boston
Tea Party, journal entries of Col.
Parsons, General Putnam, letters

Employ 18th c. spy techniques studied in

the text
Tribunal to re-examine care in the novel
(seek exoneration for defendant)

Eulogy to memorialize
character

exchanged between Benedict

Arnold and John Andre, George
Washingtons endorsement of
Benedict Arnold (Library of
Congress, etc)
Spy Letters - U. of Michigan
Clements Library
Historical and Current accounts of
defendants later exonerated
February

Poetry - How can poetry be used to protest

against injustice?
Emphasis upon diction and imagery,
allusion to historical context
Case study: Examining African-American
Poetry from 19th c. to the present
Poetry scholar groups:
Phillis Wheatley
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Robert Hayden
Nikki Giovanni
Gwendolyn Brooks
Lucille Clifton
Maya Angelou
Langston Hughes

Collection of poetry representing

different styles, forms, and time
periods

MarchApril

WRAD (world Read Aloud Day - 1st

thursday in March)
How does literature and real life intersect?
Study of Staten Island in the 1960s opportunity for case study with social
studies
Concepts: Conscience, Responsibility,

The Pigman by Paul Zindel

Personal Narrative examing how one object can

acquire tremendous
sentimental value with
connection to Mr. Pignatis
pig

Current Connection with Bullying

May
June

Dystopian novels and why we read them

How is popular culture portrayed and what
aspects of it is Suzanne Collins criticizing?
(style over substance: an analysis and
socratic exchange)
Case Study: Link between ancient
Greek/ancient Roman combative games
and the Novel
Opportunity to connect to SS when
studying Civil War

The Hunger Games by Suzanne

Collins

Science
Month

Content

Skill

September

Scientific Method
Layers and composition of Earth
Rock cycle/classification

Textual and observational evidence

Interpretation of charts/diagrams

October

Changing Identify of Energy

Fossils/Minerals
Erosion/Weathering

Textual Evidence
visual ID

Nov/Dec.

Plate tectonics
Continental Drift

Writing an argument
Textual and visual evidence
Using Models

Jan.

Physical Changes and Matter

Lab skills
Observation

February

Chemistry
Chemical Changes

Distinguish between chemical and physical change

Interpret tables/diagrams

Periodic table
Atoms/Molecule/mixtures
Elements - Element Superheros
Solubility

Follow scientific procedure

March/April

Homeostasis
Interdependence of systems
Diabetes case study?
Systems of Human Body
Digestion Pathway - POV of food

Cite textual evidence

Follow scientific methods
Graphical representation of data
Organize data in tables/charts

May

Homeostasis in other animals

Compare to Humans -- web diagram

Organizing information in charts/diagrams

Lab skills
Collecting data

June

Homeostasis in plants/one-celled organisms

Organizing information in charts/diagrams

Lab skills
Collecting data

Social Studies
Month

Content

Skill

September

Native Americans and exploration

Citing Evidence and vocab

Determining word meaning in the text

October

Colonization

Informative Writing

November/
December

American Identity
Cause of the Revolution

Socratic Seminar
Multiple perspectives
Fact/Opinion
Authors perspective
Argumentative writing

January

Identity of Soldier

Authors POV
Fact/opinion

February/
March

Structure of Government
Constitution
Federalists v. Anti-Federalists
How Constitution was tested/tried

Central/main idea/summary
Inference
Informative and Argumentative writing

April/May

Nationalism
Industrialization
Westward Expansion Case Study

Socratic Seminar
Cause and Effect sequence
Informative writing

June

Slavery
Sectionalism
Civil War

Math
Month

Content/Skill

September

Skills (Fractions/Decimals
Begin Signed #s (adding +/-)

October

Signed #s - subtract, multiply/divide

Checkbook performance task
Order of operations
Start complex raios

November

Complex unit rate

Constant of proportionality
(verbal, equation, graph, tables)
Translating verbal situations

December

Better Buy - Charts - Prop v. non-prop. (exemplar task)

Ratio/Proportion performance task
Represent proportional situation in multiple forms (graph, table, equation, verbal)

January

Map scale, create amusement park using map scale

Percent formulas
% increase/decreases

% error
simple interest
% of a number
% proportion
February

Markups, markdowns - with algebra

Doubles
i.e. a variable X decreased by 5% is .95x
Midterm
Percents unit text - review of unit

March

Algebra pre-test
Solve 1 step equations
Solve 2 step equations
Graph inequalities
Distribute and solve
Combine and solve
Simplify algebraic expressions (subtracting from, adding, factor, with fractions)
Circumference to area (circles)
Translate verbal to equations/inequalities
Pre-test probability
Tree diagrams, sample space, theoretical (counting principle)
Independent -- and/or
Dependent (with and without replacement

April

Predicting outcomes using probability

Mean/Median/Mode/Range
Sampling
Properties of #s
Review for State Test (review packets)

May

Angle Relationships: Complementary, Supplementary

Vertical <s, Reflex <s
8th grade topics - Transversal, protractors