Syllabus

Course Description


English 7 is an American literature-based course with readings from a variety of genres exploring ideas of bias, self, and society in American history and present day. Students are introduced to the short story, poetry, and the novel. Course literature includes To Kill a MockingbirdA Break with Charity, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, My Brother Sam is Dead, Blood on the River, Fever 1793, The Outsiders, If the Witness Lied and a collection of short stories including works by Poe, Maupassant, and Vonnegut; students will also engage in a poetry project centered around a poet of interest to them. In addition to literature study, students will develop analytic thinking and writing skills, engage in student-led discussion and deliver individual oral presentations. Students are also expected to read independently in a variety of genres.

Writing projects will range from daily informal reflections to revised essays, poems and multimedia projects. The seventh grade writing curriculum emphasizes writing clear, coherent paragraphs. In conjunction with their own writing, students review the basic parts of speech and parts of sentences and develop a more refined use of punctuation and structure in composition. The students also study Media Literacy. In today’s world, it is essential that students learn to explore, evaluate, and use information from a vast array of sources. The Media Literacy unit gives students the opportunity to learn how to maneuver in the ever expanding world of information. In addition to investigating many web-based tools, students also gain proficiency in the use of iPads and both PC and Mac computers.

Unit Overview

Trimester 1: 

  • Elements of Fiction (Week 1-Week 6)
  • Workshop - Character Sketch (Week 6-Week 7) 
  • Historical Fiction (Week 8-Week 14)
  • Workshop - Narrative Poetry (Week 15-Week 16)
  • Poetry for All! (Week 16-20)
  • Social/Media Literacy (Week 20-Week 27)
  • Workshop - Habits of Mind & Heart Short Fiction (Week 27-Week 28)
  • Race, Power & Place (Week 28-Week 34)
  • Workshop - 'This I Believe' Essay (Week 34-Week 35)


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