English Grade 7 Honors Course At-A-Glance
Unit 1: Look at Me:
Analyzing Character Actions and Motives (2-3 weeks)
In this unit, students will assume the role of social critic and investigator to analyze and critique literary
representations of individuals and groups confronting the theme of equality and inequality. Critiquing
historical and contemporary situations reflecting social conflict and the struggle for equality, students will
research, write about, and discuss (in seminars, debates, and dramatic performances) fiction and nonfiction literature’s depiction of human beings’ struggle for justice, equality, and the need to overcome
social, economic, and cultural imbalance.
Consistent with Honors design principles and the Virginia SOLs in English, students should have frequent
opportunities to engage in comparative text analysis, especially comparing and contrasting the
presentation of key unit themes in different genres of literature: e.g., narrative v. informational text.
Quarter One
Required Texts:
 The Pearl (John Steinbeck)
 The Lottery (Shirley Jackson)
 To the Women of the Republic (Women’s Loyal National League)
*In addition to core texts, throughout the unit, students should also be reading, discussing and writing
about texts at their instructional or independent reading level.
Writing assignments in this unit should provide regular opportunities for students to use the stages of the
writing process (prewriting, drafting, peer review, revision, editing and proofreading, publishing) to
create paragraph and multi-paragraph compositions. Focus during the two-three week duration of this unit
should be upon student-generated narratives as well as responses to literature. Once again, techniques for
comparison and contrast responses and organizational patterns should be revisited throughout the unit.
Honors Transfer Task Product:
Human beings are motivated by many things, some more admirable than others. As John Steinbeck
suggests in his novella The Pearl, poverty and greed are powerful motivators for many people. Students
will write an essay in which they analyze major patterns of character motivation presented in this classic
text.
Unit 2: Reflecting on Equality and Inequality in Fiction (3-4 weeks)
The unit will begin with a study of one or examples of powerful historical fiction. Students will
investigate how issues of inequity are depicted in texts of specific time periods. The unit will also
introduce students to the concept of irony and its manifests in verbal, dramatic, and situational contexts.
They will examine the similarities and differences in literature presenting historical events factually (e.g.,
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry) v. satirical or ironic literature such as Swift’s famous essay, “A Modest
Proposal.”
The writing focus of Unit 2 will be on writing convincing literary analysis essays. In addition to recurrent
elements of expository text (thesis statement, use of text-based evidence, unity, clarity, coherence,
elaboration and support), students should have weekly opportunities to respond in writing to literature
involving key unit themes, including the struggle for equality in the face of inequity and inequality.
Unit 2 will culminate in students comparing the role of equality in at least two different texts. Students
will then engage in a panel discussion about how authors use the theme of equality and inequality to leave
a controlling impression on the reader.
Required Texts:
 A Modest Proposal (Jonathan Swift)
 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Mildred Taylor)
 Rosa Parks: Angry Not Tired (Peter Dreier)
*In addition to core texts, throughout the unit, students should also be reading, discussing and writing
about texts at their instructional or independent reading level.
Honors Transfer Task Product:
Students will write an analysis of the causes and sources of inequality depicted in the novel Roll of
Thunder, Hear My Cry. They will consider how social, economic, and cultural forces affect Cassie
Logan, the novel’s protagonist. As part of their essay, they will consider the verisimilitude (i.e., the
authenticity and sense of realistic depiction of historical events) of the novel, based upon their analysis
and research into the period depicted.
Unit 3: Researching and Speaking Out About Inequality (4 weeks)
For this research unit, students will assume the role of social critic, investigating and reporting on an
historical era, event, or individual associated with key unit themes involving the struggle for equality in
the face of inequality. The unit will culminate in students’ participation in a symposium entitled The
Universal Search for Equality in the Face of Social, Economic, and Cultural Inequalities and Conflicts.
Quarter Two
Unit 3 will extend students’ exploration of fiction and non-fiction literature focused upon the themes of
social injustice and inequality into such universal areas as the American Dream and its meaning to
immigrant individuals and groups.
Writing assignments in this unit will revisit students’ expanding ability to analyze text and formulate a
controlling thesis statement. In turn, students should extend and refine their ability to support a thesis with
a clearly organized and well-supported set of body paragraphs reinforced through text-based evidence. A
major focus of writing assignments in this unit should be upon investigating a controlling research
question followed by the analysis and interpretation of a range of sources. Students will formulate and
support thesis statements based upon their research.
Required Texts:
 Rosa Parks: Angry Not Tired (Peter Dreier)
 Article from New York Times- Upfront: “She got game: more girls than ever are playing high
school sports, but getting onto the baseball diamond can still be a challenge.” By Mark
Hyman. 141.13 (April 20, 2009) p.16.
*In addition to core texts, throughout the unit, students should also be reading, discussing and writing
about texts at their instructional or independent reading level.
Honors Transfer Task Product:
A local museum has requested your help in creating an historical exhibit spotlighting the role of
inequality issues different historical time periods. When were opportunities and basic rights “closed’ or
denied to certain people? They need detailed information about inequality issues so that their artists can
begin designing the individual displays. The museum had many volunteers to write research on the U.S.
Civil Rights period, but they need assistance researching issues of inequality in other times and places.
Select a different historical period and research the prevalence of issues of equality, social justice and
human rights. Also, see how the issues are reflected in the literature, art and music of the time. You may
choose to research the practices in one country or of multiple countries, during the historical period you
choose.
Unit 4: Being an Outsider/Individual:
Reflecting on the Theme of Dreams and Dreams Deferred (3 weeks)
Why do human beings dream? What happens to a dream deferred? These provocative questions will guide
students’ investigation of the theme of individual and collective aspirations for a better existence and
world. Major emphasis will be placed upon students’ shared and individual investigation of the
appearance and development of this theme in historical eras and literature. Students will have the
opportunity to discuss and debate the concept of the American Dream—and its reality (or absence) in the
lives of various socio-economic, cultural, and historical groups in various settings and eras. The unit will
culminate in students’ creation of a written product and associated performance in which they express
their personal dreams for the future—and for the world in which they live. Written products will include
expository, persuasive, and creative text (e.g., poetry and dramatic literature). Once again, students should
be writing regularly using the stages of the writing process.
Required Texts:
 A Dream Deferred (Langston Hughes)
 Ring Out, Wild Bells (Alfred, Lord Tennyson)
 My Persuasive Dreams (This I Believe Essay)
 Brown v. The Board of Education
 I Have a Dream (Martin Luther King)
 Students on Strike (John A. Stokes)
*In addition to core texts, throughout the unit, students should also be reading, discussing and writing
about texts at their instructional or independent reading level.
Honors Transfer Task Product:
You are an anchor for Good Morning, Literate America. The show is similar to a morning news show
with the exception that it is targeted to a demographic of well-educated, well-read viewers who especially
appreciate references to famous books, short stories, speeches and poems. Your producer has asked you to
prepare a segment on a political or social event or individual. Your expository segment must reflect an
individual or group of individuals who had/have a dream or goal that has been challenged by social or
political issues. As part of your segment, you’ll need to make comparative references to at least two
different texts we read during this unit.
Unit 5: Discrimination and Social Upheavals from Past to Present (4-5 weeks)
Quarter Three
Students will extend and refine their understanding of the concept of the American Dream by
investigating works of literature (both fiction and non-fiction) that address its underside: i.e.,
discrimination and social upheavals—and why they occur. They will investigate examples of tolerance
and intolerance in both United States civilization and other world cultures.
As evolving social critics, students will debate the origins of intolerance—and its multiple manifestations.
They will also debate whether intolerance and social upheaval are inevitable in human settings—or can be
avoided or ameliorated. This unit also gives students the opportunity to reflect on the issue of personal
responsibility—and their own accountability for addressing discrimination and intolerance in their
community and world. Students will read published texts, as well as student-selected examples of fiction
and non-fiction literature aligned with the themes of discrimination and social upheaval.
Required Texts:
 Amistad: A Long Road to Freedom (Walter Dean Myers)
 Ain’t I a Woman (Sojourner Truth)
 One Friday Morning (Langston Hughes)
 Tolerance (Egal Bohen)
 Informational Articles such as African American’s Changing Role in the Military, Buffalo
Soldiers Ride Again, Injustice on Our Plates: Immigrant Women in the U.S. Food Industry,
Viva La Causa
*In addition to core texts, throughout the unit, students should also be reading, discussing and writing
about texts at their instructional or independent reading level.
Honors Transfer Task Product:
In this unit, we have explored the “underside” of the American Dream. We have read and analyzed works
of fiction and non-fiction that address ways in which discrimination, social conflict, and upheavals affect
both individuals and groups.
For this task, you will be participating in a formal debate centering on the following question: The
American Dream—Wish or Reality? Choose one of the characters or historical figures we have read
about in this unit. Use his or her experiences to present your response of whether the American Dream is
presented as a wish or a reality in literature. As you prepare for your debate, you will need to create a
series of “talking points” (which you will present to your teacher after the debate).
Unit 6: A Closer Look:
Global Injustice (5-6 weeks)
This unit will expand students’ focus of investigation to a more global scale, continuing their analysis and
critique of the competing realities of justice and injustice. They will have the opportunity to engage in
formal literature circles on a selected work of literature known for its depiction of these conflicts and
themes. All of the literary selections in this unit (including informational as well as narrative text) expose
students to a range of global issues—past and present—reflecting the human struggle to persevere in the
face of social, cultural, political, and economic pressures and power struggles.
Students will continue to debate the question of why injustice occurs in the world—and the extent to
which it is context-based or universal. In other words, is it inevitable in social contexts or can we
overcome it as a species? Students will also debate the role of the individual and his or her responsibility
in the face of global injustice. This unit will culminate in students’ generation of research-based
argumentative essays.
Required Texts: (Choice of One):
 John Hersey’s Hiroshima
 Jane Yolen’s The Devil’s Arithmetic
*Students should also be reading, discussing and writing about texts at their reading level.
Quarter Four
Honors Transfer Task Product:
For this task you will be analyzing and evaluating the historical accuracy and verisimilitude (i.e., life-like
qualities) of either Hersey’s Hiroshima or Yolen’s The Devil’s Arithmetic. Select one of the major
characters from the text you wish to discuss. Write a persuasive essay in which you answer the following
essential questions based upon the reactions, motives, and experiences of this character:
1. To what extent is this character a victim of what happens when people view their society and culture
as “the best”—and all others as inferior?
2. What does it mean to persevere? What traits and characteristics allow this character to survive in the
face of enormous obstacles and environmental pressures?
3. Why is this character able to overcome obstacles—while others in the text give up in the face of hard
or challenging circumstances?
4. How does this author use various characterization techniques (e.g., physical appearance, relationships
with others, motivation, dialogue, plot events) to address these questions—and the issues they
present?
Unit 7: Spark a Revolution!
Meeting Challenges Through Text Analysis (5-7 weeks)
In this unit, students will continue to balance their skills as literary critics, analysts, and researchers. The
central reading selection for this unit will be the famous work, Diary of Anne Frank. The book is a
brilliant synthesis of all of the major themes explored during this academic year (including equality,
inequality, and human beings’ capacity for both tolerance and intolerance).
Using their analysis and critique of the novel as a starting point, students will create multiple examples of
essays of literary analysis as well as technical writing. Students will be encouraged to acquire and
analyze editorials, political cartoons, social and political essays, and related technical text reflecting key
unit themes and issues.. They will express their insights about fiction and non-fiction literature through
multiple examples of informational and procedural text.
Students will read published work, as well as teacher- and student-selected examples of informational text
and technical writing
Honors Core Text/s:
 Diary of Anne Frank (Anne Frank)
 Losses( Randall Jarrell)
 World War II (Langston Hughes)
 Moratorium (John Sheehan)
 Let the Dead Bury Their Dead (Thomas Sowell)
 Service Learning Toolkit
*In addition to core texts, throughout the unit, students should also be reading, discussing and writing
about texts at their instructional or independent reading level.
Honors Transfer Task Product:
Students write a formal literary review of The Diary of Anne Frank with analysis of key questions:
 What are the psychological and social challenges Anne Frank confronts in this text?
 In your opinion, how effective is she in responding to these challenges?
 Why has Anne Frank become a symbol for endurance and strength in the face of adversity?
 To what do you attribute the universal appeal of this narrative?
Optional Unit: Much to Do!
Analysis and Reflection on Classical World Literature
As students progress through this academic year, they will build upon their growing skills with literary
analysis. Specifically, this unit will give them multiple opportunities to extend their analysis of previous
themes (e.g., equality, inequality, tolerance, discrimination) by concentrating upon classics of world
literature.
Students will analyze the characters of a Shakespearean play, including the meaning and significance of
their motivation and transformations. They will also explore the universal appeal of this work—including
its depiction of universal longings and aspirations (e.g., the search for love and peace in the midst of
social upheaval and competing group rivalries). Students will publish a class anthology of collected
essays and reviews.
Honors Core Text/s:
 Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare) or
 A Midsummer Night’s Dream (William Shakespeare)
*In addition to core texts, throughout the unit, students should also be reading, discussing and writing
about texts at their instructional or independent reading level.
Summative Performance Based Project:
Students will use their understanding of character development to create an original exemplary fiction
story that could serve as a model story for a writing contest. Students create their realistic fiction story
using one of the main characters in either Romeo and Juliet or A Midsummer Night’s Dream.