Assessment Techniques

English Language Arts: Grade 7

Language Strands: 1.4, 2.4, 3.10, 3.13, 4.20, 4.22, 5.15-5.20, 6.7

Academic Expectations: “Students will learn to seek and use information effectively, creatively, and ethically to construct knowledge.”

Composition

Strands: 19.19-19.23, 20.4, 21.6-21.7, 22.8, 23.6-23.11, 24.4, 25.4

Academic Expectations:

“Students will speak and write effectively.”

Reading/Literature Strands: 8.23-8.28, 9.5, 10.4, 11.4, 12.4, 13.18-13.23, 14.4, 15.5, 15.6, 16.9, 16.10, 17.5, 17.6, 18.4

Academic Expectations: “Students will read actively and critically.”

Media Strands: 26.4, 27.4, 27.5

Academic Expectations: “Students will learn to seek and use information effectively to construct knowledge.”

I. Quizzes/Tests

II. Book reports

III. Projects

IV. Rubrics

V. Comprehension checks

At the conclusion of Grade 7, students will be able to:

Use a dictionary/thesaurus to find information about a given word.

Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words utilizing roots, suffixes, and prefixes.

Properly identify synonyms and antonyms for a given word.

Utilize the rules of standard English spelling to determine the correct spelling of a given word.

Identify simple, complete, and compound subjects and predicates.

Identify special subjects and agreement with compound subjects.

Correctly compose simple and compound sentences.

Use proper end punctuation in declarative, exclamatory, imperative, and interrogative sentences.

Follow the rules of capitalization while writing sentences.

Correctly utilize commas in sentences.

Correctly utilize quotation marks in sentences.

Correctly cite sources.

Identify compound nouns, possessives, plurals, contractions, collective nouns, and appositives.

Identify transitive and intransitive verbs, indirect objects, irregular tenses, perfect tenses, and progressive forms.

Identify antecedents, possessives, and indefinite pronouns.

Correctly identify and use adverbs, intensifiers, and comparative/superlative forms.

Identify pronouns as objects of the preposition, prepositional phrases as adjectives and adverbs, and interjection use.

Follow the steps of the writing process: prewriting, first draft, editing, and final draft.

Utilize graphic organizers as a prewriting strategy.

Compose a friendly letter which follows proper friendly letter format.

Compose a business letter which follows proper business letter format.

Correctly write the following types of paragraphs: narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive.

Compose a five-paragraph essay which utilizes proper structure and organization as well as transition words.

Complete an expository research project with at least two sources correctly cited.

Use knowledge of genre characteristics to analyze a text for mood, tone, author’s purpose, character traits, emotions, theme, and motivation giving supporting evidence from the text.

Recognize organizational structures and use of arguments to debate for and against issues using supporting evidence to persuade.

Compare theme in literature to writer’s purpose in an expository text.

Make connections between a literary work and artifacts or historical sites of the period.

Break down themes from various readings, contrasting theme from topic.

Utilize an understanding of plot and characterization in order to show how character qualities influence plot and conflict resolution.

Distinguish and utilize knowledge of textual, graphic, and organizational structures.

Identify, respond to, and break down poetic elements such as sound, form, figurative language, graphics, imagery, tone, and mood. 

Compare and contrast different types of folklore.

Distinguish and analyze dramatic elements such as setting, plot, and characterization in plays, noting differences between text and film.

Perform a role in a play, showing understanding of elements of drama.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

Vocabulary

Regular spelling and vocabulary tests

Incorporate spelling/vocab words into sentences and paragraphs.

Suggested learning games:

Sparkle

Vocabulary Bingo

Parts of Speech

Regular practice and assessment from textbook. See Appendix A

Suggested learning games:

The Grammar Game: Students complete grammar exercises as teams in rows; rows compete for most correct answers. 

Apples to Apples Junior (Out of the Box Pub.)

Parts of Speech Bingo

Types of Sentences

Students could compose a dialogue which demonstrates all sentence types.

Group discussion

Debates, cooperative learning activities

Oral presentations

Book reports

PowerPoint presentations

Dialect/Slang/Language style

Students may analyze dialect within a text, such as The Outsiders or Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

SUGGESTED PROJECTS:

Friendly Letters

Letter of Introduction

Open-House invitation to parents

Business Letters

Letter of Complaint

5-Paragraph Essays

School Changes or Dress code

Comparison/Contrast

How-To Essay

(make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, tie your shoes, brush your teeth)

Research-Based Writing

Diseases/Disorders

Careers

Geographical regions-- history, facts, people, and attractions

Holidays

Survey analysis

Interview Report

Parts of Speech-Related

Nouns: “Nasty Nouns:” Brainstorm 40 nouns and use them in a spooky narrative

Verbs: “Pop Goes the Verb—A Day in the Life of a Soda Can”

Adjectives: Restaurant review using descriptive adjectives, survival story (Choose 30 pounds of supplies from a list of items to take with you into the wild; descriptive words are paramount)

Mechanics-Related

Capitalization Handbook:  Students create a scrapbook of rules with visual examples taken from print media

Reading-Related

Book/Movie Reviews

Literary Analysis

MCAS PREP:

Students will evaluate original compositions using the MCAS long composition rubric as a guide.

Teachers will model how to respond to MCAS-style writing prompts.

Teacher choice from selections on Grade 7 list including:

REQUIRED NOVELS:

Fiction (12.4)

The Giver, Lowry

Standards: 4.20-4.22, 8.23- 8.28, 10.4, 11.4, 12.4, 15.5, 15.6  (8.6-- Students could debate the ethical/moral implications of the Utopian society illustrated in the novel.)

Fiction (12.4)

Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry, Taylor

Standards: 4.20-4.22, 6.7, 8.23- 8.28, 9.5, 10.4, 11.4, 12,4, 15.6  (9.5—Students could construct a timeline illustrating key events in the Civil Rights movement as well as events that take place in the novel.)

TEXTBOOK SELECTIONS:

McDougall-Littell Literature

Grade 7- red 1994

Various selections including:

Fiction (12.4)

Elements of Fiction, p. 15-16

Charles (Jackson), p. 7

(Students could role-play Laurie’s visit to a counselor, analyzing why he is acting out in school.)

Seventh Grade (Soto), p. 17

Nonfiction (13.18-13.23)

Elements of Nonfiction, p. 42-43

From Exploring the Titanic (Ballard) p. 93

(Students could create a diagram of the Titanic, labeling important features.)

Poetry (14.3, 14.4)

Elements of Poetry, p. 84

The Charge of the Light Brigade (Tennyson), p. 86

The Highwayman (Noyes), p. 408

(Students could create a portfolio of original as well as previously published poetry.)

Myth, Traditional Narrative, and Classical Literature (16.9, 16.10)

Elements of Folklore, p. 584

Lazy Peter and his Three-Cornered Hat (Alegria), p. 593

The Arrow and the Lamp (Hodges), p. 587

(Students could write an original folktale or myth.)

Dramatic Literature (17.5, 17.6, 18.4)

Elements of Drama, p. 155

The Monsters are Due on Maple Street (Serling), p. 157

(Students could create a movie poster for the play which reflects the theme and mood of the play.)

MCAS PREP:

Open-response questions should be assigned and scored in all genres.

Multiple choice questions should be included on assessments in all genres.

Teachers will model how to respond to MCAS-style questions, including open-response and multiple choice items. 

AUDIOBOOKS:

The Outsiders

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

The Giver

SUGGESTED VIDEOS:

The Outsiders (PG-13)

(Fiction, dialect, conflict)

The Monsters are Due on Maple Street, (The Twilight Zone) (NR)

(Dramatic elements)

Titanic (excerpts, PG-13)

(Accompanies nonfiction selection Exploring  the Titanic)

Titanica (NR)

(Nonfiction)

Clash of the Titans (PG)

(Folklore: Mythology)

The Princess Bride (PG)

(Folklore: Folktales)

Shrek (PG)

(Folklore: Folktales)

School Ties (PG-13)

(Prejudice, conflict)

SUGGESTED PROJECTS:

Scrapbooking (Word/ Publisher)

Travel Brochures (Publisher)

Book reports (PowerPoint)

Nonfiction Biography newspaper (Word/Publisher)