English Language Arts — Grade 7

Descriptive Writing Using Landscape Scenes

This lesson focuses on the descriptive writing process through the use of landscape scenes, the Paragraph Writing Strategy from the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning, and the 4MAT Instructional Model.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–7 English Language Arts)

By Rosemary Reichstetter.

Diseases of Africa

Students will demonstrate an ability to research diseases in Africa and the causes, symptoms, treatment, and long-range solutions involving infrastructure development. They will compare and contrast countries and diseases. Working in groups, students will do research and prepare a multimedia presentation on the disease.

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 English Language Arts, Social Studies, Computer Technology Skills, English Language Development, and Science)

By Teachers Connect.

Feel In The Blanks

The following lesson is designed to function as a review of beginning, middle, and end and an introduction to individualized imagination, creativity, and perspective as it relates to the development of dialogue (i.e. improvisation).

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

By Lei Knight.

Grandparent Interview

Students will interview a grandparent and write a news article based upon their interview. They will also do research on historical events to develop questions to be asked during the interview.

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 English Language Arts and Computer Technology Skills)

By Teachers Connect.

Interdisciplinary Integrated Unit on DNA/Genetics Part C: Language Arts

This lesson is part of an interdisciplinary integrated unit on DNA and genetics. The idea is that students will complete a week's worth of activities in science, math, and language arts related to this topic. This lesson is Part C: Language Arts. Students will apply information retrieval skills as they investigate controversial issues on human genetic cloning. Students then will develop a point-of-view essay stating their personal opinion on whether human cloning should or should not be allowed.

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 Information Skills, English Language Arts, and Computer Technology Skills)

By Jane Lentz, Jimmy White, Marlene Smith, and Tori Goldrick.

Interior design: Designing my dream room

Students will study interior design as a profession. They will integrate their study with math, writing, vocational education, and computer skills by designing their own dream bedroom.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts, Visual Arts Education, Computer Technology Skills, and Mathematics)

By Paula Hightower.

Picturing Vietnam

This lesson plan is intended to introduce students to Vietnam’s geography, climate, culture, history, natural history, arts, economics, and government. Students will view a collection of documentary photographs and use these for making logical observations, drawing conclusions, and as a basis for creative writing.

Format: (grade 7 Social Studies, English Language Arts, and Information Skills)

By Edie McDowell.

Lesson plans on the web

Alphabiography project: Totally you

In this lesson, students write alphabiographies recording an event, person, object, or feeling associated with each letter of the alphabet after reading Totally Joe by James Howe. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–7 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Ancient Egypt: Stories and myths

In this Xpeditions lesson, students examine stories and myths about ancient Egypt through time. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 and 7 Social Studies and English Language Arts)

Provider: National Geographic

Character clash: A mini-lesson on paragraphing and dialogue

Helps students differentiate dialogue from narrative in their stories. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Choose your own adventure: A Hypertext writing experience

In this lesson that focuses on reading and writing, students discuss various stories and plan their own adventure story. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts and Computer Technology Skills)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Culture shock

This Xpeditions lesson asks students to think about how cultural customs differ throughout the world. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–7 Social Studies and English Language Arts)

Provider: National Geographic

Entering history: Nikki Giovanni and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Students read Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech in conjunction with Nikki Giovanni’s poem “The Funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr.” in order to better understand the speech and the impact it had on observers like Giovanni during the Civil Rights movement and Americans today. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Exploring author's voice using Jane Addams Award-winning books

This lesson uses Jane Addams Award-winning books to explore author's voice and style. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Imagine that! Playing with genre through newspapers and short stories

Introduce students to one form of expository writing: news briefs and articles. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Introducing each other: Interviews, memoirs, photos, and internet research

Students interview a partner and write an article, write a personal memoir, take partner photographs, and use the Internet to find pictures and information illustrating their partner's interests. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–7 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

The Ocean and Weather: El Niño and La Niña

In this lesson, from Xpeditions, students explore the weather phenomena El Niño and La Niña . (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–7 Science and English Language Arts)

Provider: National Geographic

Persuading an audience: Writing effective letters to the editor

Students write a persuasive letter to the editor of a newspaper, focusing on a current local or national issue. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 7–8 and 10 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

A picture's worth a thousand words: From image to detailed narrative

Students will view a picture that tells a story and then brainstorm words and ideas about the image. They will then write a story that gives the background of the image or extends details on what has happened. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 Information Skills and English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

River sources and stories

In this lesson, from Xpeditions, students learn about the differences in precipitation levels and elevation in the regions of the Nile and its source rivers (the White Nile and the Blue Nile). (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 Social Studies and English Language Arts)

Provider: National Geographic