English Language Arts — Grade 7

Bio Poem Introductions

Bio-Poems can be used at the beginning of school as an opening activity for the first week of school. They can also be used anytime throughout the year when introductions are necessary (e.g. change of semester class, new students, etc.). In this lesson students will use the writing process as well as computer word processing skills. This activity ensures success and builds self-esteem.

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

By Linda Taylor.

Expressive Papier-Mâché Masks

Students will be creating an original papier-mâché mask that expresses an emotion. In doing this, they will be expanding upon their knowledge of representing the human face while further developing technical skills in papier-mâché sculpture and acrylic painting.

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

By Kerri Fuller.

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.

Interdisciplinary Integrated Unit on DNA/Genetics Part B: Math

This lesson is part of an interdisciplinary integrated unit on DNA and genetics. The idea is for students to complete a week's worth of activities in science, math, and language arts. This lesson is Part B: Math. Students will complete a math survey interviewing people on whether they believe humans should or should not be cloned. They will take the data they gather and create computer generated spreadsheets, charts/graphs. Using the charts/graphs, students will answer mathematical percent and ratio questions and write a final journal entry on the information they collected and discovered.

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

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

Issues, we've all got them: Language arts/visual arts integration

Students will learn how to deal positively with social issues important in their lives through personal investigation of social issues addressed in literature and art.

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 English Language Arts, Visual Arts Education, and English Language Development)

By Runell Carpenter.

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.

Rhythm, Patterns, Color, and Texture in Art and Poetry

In this lesson, students will discover the meaning of "rhythm," "patterns," "color," and "texture" through the performance and modeled analysis of a class "symphony." Students will also evaluate the impact of each element on the whole work and note personal reactions and connections to this art form. Students will then work in small groups to apply the same elements and personal evaluation and connections to a historical work of visual art. At the end of the lesson, students will reflect on ways these two experiences are similar.

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 English Language Arts and Visual Arts Education)

By Carol Horne.

Seven directions: Making connections between literature and American Indian history

This middle school lesson uses picture books to integrate American Indian culture and belief systems with language and visual arts.

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

By Edie McDowell.

Teaching Point of View

Students will learn point of view by comparing and contrasting the views of slaves and a doctor in The People Could Fly retold by Virginia Hamilton and The Passing Cloud -- The Southern Negro by David Morrill.

I strongly suggest the teacher previews The Passing Cloud -- The Southern Negro by David Morrill. The entire text is not needed in order for students to form an opinion or to learn point of view. Some students and parents may find the language offensive. I found the text interesting because it allows students to actually read the historical views of some people who lived in the area during the 1800's and early 1900's.

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 English Language Arts)

By Angela Strother.

We Read Every Day!

Students will, through observation outside of the classroom, gather and bring to class five items that exhibit different sources of information comprised of more complex vocabulary.

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

By Janet Burnham.

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

Audience, purpose, and language use in electronic messages

Investigates formal and informal language through an examination of language used in electronic messages and how it affects other writing. (Learn more)

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

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Book report alternative: Comic strips and cartoon squares

This lesson incorporates student handouts and a comic creator interactive to encourage student creativity and expression. (Learn more)

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

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Book report alternative: Summary, symbol, and analysis in bookmarks

Students practice summarizing, recognizing symbols, and writing reviews—all while writing for an authentic audience. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Book reviews, annotation, and web technology

Students will write a group book review, write short research papers as annotations for their reviews, and post the review to the web, demonstrating the synchronicity of hypertext. (Learn more)

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

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Children of war

Explores the realities and effects of war on children by examining diaries, journals, and letters written by children during times of war. (Learn more)

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

Provider: The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

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

Choosing, chatting, and collecting: Vocabulary self-collection strategy

Students are introduced to the vocabulary self-collection strategy, using an online Shakespeare text as an example. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Creative communication frames: Discovering similarities between writing and art

Students will build a comparative frame to explore the creative processes of writing and art as communication. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 English Language Arts and Visual Arts Education)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Critical literacy: Point of view

Students learn to look at texts from different viewpoints. (Learn more)

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

Provider: IRA/NCTE