Grade 7 English

In all middle schools, the English Language Arts Program focuses on four organizing topics as outlined in the Virginia English Standards of Learning: communication and multimodal literacies, reading, writing, and research. Competence in these areas leads to advanced student thinking and success both in and out of school. Curriculum follows a concept-based framework that focuses on enduring understandings and essential questions.

• There is a continued emphasis on reading comprehension by comparing fiction and nonfiction texts. In fiction texts, students will identify elements of a variety of genres while focusing on an author’s style. There is an increased emphasis on nonfiction reading, and students will identify the source, point-of-view, and purpose of texts.
• The student will continue the study of word origins and roots and begin identifying connotations.
• The student will plan, draft, revise, and edit writing in a variety of forms with an emphasis on expository and persuasive writing. Students will write to develop and modify a central idea, tone, and voice to fit the audience and purpose.
• Students will continue to deliver multimodal presentations individually and in collaborative groups. Students will interpret information presented in diverse media formats.
• Students share responsibility for collaborative work, as both a contributor and a facilitator, while working toward consensus.
• The student will apply research techniques to quote, summarize, and paraphrase research findings while properly citing sources. The meaning and consequences of plagiarism will be stressed.