Language Arts
Unit 2 Overview - Reading
Grade 7
Paramount Unified School District
Educational Services
Reading
Standards
RL/RI.7.1 Cite several pieces of text evidence to
support analysis and inferences.
RL.7.2 Determine a theme or central idea and
analyze its development over the course of the
text; provide an objective summary.
RL.7.3 Analyze how particular elements of a
story or drama interact.
RI.7.3 Analyze the interactions between
individuals, events, and ideas in a text.
RL/RI.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text; analyze
impact on meaning and tone.
RL.7.5 Analyze how a drama or poem’s form or
structure contributes to its meaning.
RL.7.6 Analyze how an author develops and
contrasts the points of view of different
characters.
RI.7.6 Determine an author’s point of view or
purpose and analyze how the author
distinguishes his or her position from others.
RL.7.9 Compare and contrast a fictional
portrayal of a time, place, or character and a
historical account of the same period.
RI.7.9 Analyze how two or more authors writing
about the same topic shape their presentations
of key information.
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Theme: Perceptions
Transfer Goals
1. Read, comprehend, and evaluate a range of increasingly complex texts and media written for various audiences and purposes.
2. Communicate ideas effectively in writing and speaking to suit a particular audience and purpose.
3. Listen actively to engage in a range of conversations and to analyze and synthesize ideas, positions, and accuracy in order to learn, reflect and respond.
4. Generate open-ended questions and conduct research to find answers through critical analysis of text, media, interviews, and/or observations.
Understandings
Essential Questions
Students will understand that…
Students will keep considering…
• Any conclusions you draw or inferences you make must be
supported by evidence from the text.
• The setting, characters, and plot of a story all work
together to develop the theme or central idea.
• Analyzing the development of key individuals, events, and
ideas in a text will help you understand the central idea.
• Authors make deliberate word choices that impact the
meaning and tone of the text.
• By looking at and analyzing the structure of individual
sentences or sections of a text, you can gain a greater
understanding of the text as a whole.
• Authors embed details in the text to develop a point of
view.
• An author’s purpose will impact the content and style of a
text.
• We can deepen our understanding of a theme or topic by
analyzing multiple, related texts.
• What parts of the text lead me to make this conclusion or
inference?
• How do the setting and plot in the story help me understand the
characters and themes?
• How do the individuals, ideas, or events connect to each other
and to the larger central idea of the text?
• Why did the author choose to use this particular word or
phrase? How does it affect the meaning and tone of the text?
• Why did the author structure the text this way?
• How do authors use text features to help develop their ideas?
• How do we come to understand the point of view of the
narrator, speaker, characters, and/or author?
• What is the author’s purpose, and how does it affect the way
they write and the information they include?
• How does reading multiple texts help me understand a theme or
topic?
Knowledge
Skills
Students will need to know…
Students will need to develop skill at…
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Academic vocabulary
Setting
Dramatic irony
Point of view
Stage directions
Theme
Understanding academic vocabulary while reading
Explaining the importance of setting using text evidence
Identifying dramatic irony in a story
Understanding different points of view in a story
Using stage directions to deepen their understanding of a scene
Identifying and explaining the theme of a story
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Language Arts
Unit 2 Overview – Writing, Speaking & Listening, Language
Grade 7
Paramount Unified School District
Educational Services
Writing
Standards
W.7.2 Write informative/explanatory
texts to examine a topic.
W.7.4 Produce clear and coherent
writing.
W.7.5 Develop and strengthen writing
as needed using the writing process.
W.7.6 Use technology to produce and
publish writing.
W.7.7 Conduct short research projects
to answer a question.
W.7.8 Gather relevant information
from multiple print and digital sources.
Speaking and Listening
SL.7.1 Engage in collaborative
discussions.
SL.7.2 Interpret information presented
in diverse media and formats.
SL.7.4 Present claims and findings.
SL.7.5 Include multimedia components
in presentations.
SL.7.6 Adapt speech to a variety of
contexts and demonstrate a command
of formal English.
Language
L.7.1 Grammar and usage
L.7.2 Capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling
L.7.3 Use conventions when writing or
speaking
L.7.4 Word meaning
L.7.5 Figurative language, word
relationships, and nuances
L.7.6 Acquire and use academic
vocabulary
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Theme: Perceptions
Transfer Goals
1. Read, comprehend, and evaluate a range of increasingly complex texts and media written for various audiences and purposes.
2. Communicate ideas effectively in writing and speaking to suit a particular audience and purpose.
3. Listen actively to engage in a range of conversations and to analyze and synthesize ideas, positions, and accuracy in order to learn, reflect and respond.
4. Generate open-ended questions and conduct research to find answers through critical analysis of text, media, interviews, and/or observations.
Understandings
Essential Questions
Students will understand that…
Students will keep considering…
• Effective writers analyze, select, organize, and explain information
effectively.
• The development, organization, and style of writing you choose to
use are dependent on the task, purpose, and audience.
• Quality writing requires effective planning, revising, editing, and
rewriting.
• Technology allows you to produce professional-looking publications
as well as share your ideas easily and efficiently with a wide
audience.
• Effective research projects are guided by a focused question and
demonstrate understanding of the topic.
• Quality expository writing uses paraphrased information from
credible sources that have been properly cited.
• Participating effectively in collaborative discussions will help you gain
a deeper understanding of different points of view on a topic.
• Analyzing information from diverse media can help explain or clarify
information on a topic.
• An effective presenter incorporates a logical sequence, appropriate
eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation to present
claims and findings clearly.
• Multimedia components and visual displays help clarify the
information in a presentation.
• The formality of the English you use depends on the context and task.
• How do I organize my writing so that readers can have a clear
understanding of my topic?
• What is the purpose of my writing and who is my audience? What,
then, is the appropriate way to structure my writing?
• How can I use the writing process to develop my writing?
• How can I make my writing better?
• How can I use technology to collaborate with others as I produce and
publish my writing?
• What is the best way to conduct research?
• How can I tell if a source is credible?
• How do I avoid plagiarism?
• How do I prepare for a class discussion?
• What questions can I ask to find out more about another point of view?
• How can I add my views to the discussion clearly and respectfully?
• How do the ideas in this video/audio/data add to my understanding of
the topic?
• How should I organize my presentation?
• How do I deliver my presentation clearly and keep the audience
engaged?
• How can I use multimedia and visual displays to improve my
presentation?
• How formal should my English be for this task?
Students will need to know…
Students will need to develop skill at…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Knowledge
Academic vocabulary
Adverbs, adverb clauses, adverb phrases
Prepositions and prepositional phrases
Synonyms and antonyms
Roots and affixes
Context clues
Compare/contrast and cause/effect
Works cited
• Basic Structure
Skills
Using academic vocabulary when speaking and writing
Writing with sentence variety using adverb clauses and phrases
Using synonyms and antonyms to more deeply understand a word
Using context clues, roots and affixes to determine word meaning
Using compare/contrast and cause/effect as elaboration strategies
Creating a Works Cited page
Using the Basic structure to organize informational essays
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Language Arts
7 Grade – Unit 2
Paramount Unified School District
Educational Services
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Unit 2 Text Sequence
Theme: Perceptions
October 31 – February 8 (50 days)
LESSON
# OF DAYS
1
7
“Suzy and Leah” (short story)
2
3
“The Safe Haven Story” (informational)
3
10
Informative/Explanatory Writing Lesson
4
10
Unit 2 Investigation: Authors in the Movies
2
On-Demand Writing Assessment: December 15-16
5
8
“The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” Act I (screenplay)
6
8
“The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” Act II (screenplay)
2
SBAC Interim Assessment: February 7-8
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TEXT(S)/ACTIVITY
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LESSON 1: 7 DAYS
October 31 – November 8
RESOURCES:
“Suzy and Leah” pp. 448-456
STANDARDS:
RL.7.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10
SL.7.1, 4
L. 7.1, 4, 4b, 5, 5a, 6
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY:
rickety, p. 448
refugee, p. 448
swarmed, p. 448
porridge, p. 449
asters, p. 454
steel, p. 454
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7 Grade – Unit 2
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INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE
LESSON UNDERSTANDINGS:
 Any conclusions you or inferences you make must be supported by evidence from the text.
 The setting, characters, and plot of a story all work together to develop the theme or central idea.
 Authors embed details in the text to develop a point of view.
 An author’s purpose will impact the content and style of a text.
 Participating effectively in collaborative discussions will help you gain a deeper understanding of
different points of view on a topic.
 Perceptions are formed based on your life experiences and influence your point of view.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 What parts of the text lead me to make this conclusion or inference?
 How do the setting and plot in the story help me understand the characters and themes?
 How do we come to understand the point of view of the narrator, speaker, characters, and/or
author?
 What is the author’s purpose, and how does it affect the way they write and the information they
include?
 What questions can I ask to find out more about another point of view?
 How are our perceptions formed, and how do they influence our thoughts and actions?
READ THE TEXT:
 Students read the entire selection independently. (RL.7.10)
 Teacher reads the text aloud while students follow along, OR students take turns reading aloud to
each other, OR students listen to the audio version while following along. For a particularly
complex text, the teacher may choose to modify the order of the first two reads.
 Independent/partner/small group activity using a Thinking Map, short quiz, etc. to formatively
assess understanding of all students.
UNDERSTAND THE TEXT:
 As you go through the text with students for the close read, focus on reading and discussing
specific paragraphs or sentences where there are misunderstandings, key academic vocabulary
words, and important points related to the Lesson Understandings and Essential Questions.
 Text-dependent Questions
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7 Grade – Unit 2
Paramount Unified School District
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1. What do we learn about Suzy from her observations of Leah and the other refugee children on
p. 448? What do we learn about Leah from her description of the same events? (RL.7.6)
2. How do Suzy and Leah each describe the setting on p. 448 and why is it essential to the story?
Use details from the story to support your answer. (RL.7.1, RL.7.3)
3. In Leah’s September 5th diary entry to Mutti, she writes “But I say no place is safe for us…there
is barbed wire still between us and the world.” What does she mean by this? (RL.7.4, RL.7.6)
4. Why did the author choose to structure the story in this way? What was her purpose? (RL.7.2,
RL.7.5, RL.7.6)
5. When Suzy reads Leah’s diary, her attitude toward Leah completely changes. How does this
relate to the theme of the story? (RL.7.2, RL.7.6)
Vocabulary Study
 Students should work in depth with the academic vocabulary words using a variety of
methods and activities appropriate to the words chosen. (L.7.4, L.7.5, L.7.6)
 Teach Vocabulary Development Lesson about the Latin suffix -ee, p. 458. (L.7.4b)
Craft and Structure
 Conduct a mini lesson on dramatic irony, where the reader knows things the characters do
not know. There are no resources in the textbook, but for more information about irony,
you can go to http://literarydevices.net/irony/ for a definition of the different types of
irony. You can also try http://www.shmoop.com/literature-glossary/irony.html for an
explanation in student-friendly language. (L.7.5a)
 At the bottom of p. 449, Suzy says in her diary, “I can’t imagine anything worse,” referring
to going to school and not being able to understand English. Now read Leah’s diary entry
on the next page. How do these two entries create dramatic irony?
 Have students find other examples of dramatic irony in the story.
Language Skills
 Teach mini-lesson on adverbs, p. 222. (L.7.1)
 Additional resource: Writing and Grammar Handbook, pp. 236-239
 Have students identify adverbs in “Suzy and Leah” and then practice writing sentences
about the story that use adverbs.
Thinking Map Opportunities
 Use a Bubble Map to describe Leah from Suzy’s point of view before she reads her diary and
another Bubble Map to describe her after she reads it.
 Use a Double Bubble Map to compare and contrast Suzy and Leah.
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Language Arts
7 Grade – Unit 2
Paramount Unified School District
Educational Services
th
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In a Flow Map, write the events “Suzy doesn’t care for Leah,” “Suzy reads Leah’s diary,” and
“Suzy cares about Leah” in boxes in this order. Then have students find evidence from the
story to support the first and last statements and list them underneath their respective
boxes. In the frame, have students identify the importance of this information.
Use a partial Multi-Flow Map to identify the effects of the war on Leah.
Use a partial Multi-Flow Map to illustrate the effects of Suzy reading Leah’s diary.
EXPRESS UNDERSTANDING:
 Class Discussion: With a partner/small group, discuss this question: “What are the dangers of
judging people before understanding their point of view?” Record your thoughts on a Tree Map
and provide evidence from the story underneath each thought to support your ideas. Have a class
discussion where the groups share their ideas and evidence. (RL.7.1, RL.7.2, SL.7.1, SL.7.4)
LESSON 2: 3 DAYS
November 9-14
RESOURCES:
“The Safe Haven Story” (District
website)
STANDARDS:
RL.7.1, 9
RI.7.1, 3, 6, 10
SL.7.1
L.7.1a, 4, 5, 5b, 6
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY:
haven, p. 1
symbolic, p. 1
gesture, p. 1
deceived, p. 2
urgency, p. 2
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LESSON UNDERSTANDINGS:
 Any conclusions you draw or inferences you make must be supported by evidence from the text.
 Analyzing the development of key individual, events, and ideas, in a text will help you understand
the central idea.
 Authors embed details in the text to develop a point of view.
 We can deepen our understanding of a theme or topic by analyzing multiple, related texts.
 Perceptions are formed based on your life experiences and influence your point of view.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 What parts of the text lead me to make this conclusion or inference?
 How do the individuals, ideas, or events connect to each other and to the larger central idea of the
text?
 How do we come to understand the point of view of the narrator, speaker, characters, and/or
author?
 How does reading multiple text help me understand a theme or topic?
 How are our perceptions formed, and how do they influence our thoughts and actions?
READ THE TEXT:
 Students read the entire selection independently. (RI.7.10)
 Teacher reads the text aloud while students follow along, OR students take turns reading aloud to
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Language Arts
7 Grade – Unit 2
th
each other, OR students listen to the audio version while following along. For a particularly
complex text, the teacher may choose to modify the order of the first two reads.
 Independent/partner/small group activity using a Thinking Map, short quiz, etc. to formatively
assess understanding of all students.
UNDERSTAND THE TEXT:
 As you go through the text with students for the close read, focus on reading and discussing
specific paragraphs or sentences where there are misunderstandings, key academic vocabulary
words, and important points related to the Lesson Understandings and Essential Questions.
 Text-dependent Questions
1. How were the refugees chosen to be brought to America? What were the factors that
determined priority for selection to come to the United States? (RI.7.3)
2. Were the refugees promised American citizenship? What evidence supports this conclusion?
(RI.7.1)
3. Reread the quote by Walter Greenberg in the first paragraph of p. 2. What inferences can you
make about the refugees’ feelings about the camp from this quote? (RI.7.3, RI.7.6)
4. What amenities did the refugees enjoy at the camp? How did these amenities affect their
mindset? (RI.7.3)
5. How does this article deepen your understanding of the story, “Suzy and Leah”? (RL.7.9)
6. How is the focus of this article different from the focus of the short story? (RL.7.9)
 Vocabulary Study
 Students should work in depth with the academic vocabulary words using a variety of
methods and activities appropriate to the words chosen. (L.7.4, L.7.5, L.7.6)
 Review the terms synonym and antonym. Discuss possible synonyms and antonyms for the
academic vocabulary words and how knowing these word relationships can deepen
students’ understanding of a word. (L.7.5b)
 Language Skills
 Teach mini-lesson on adverb clauses, p. 458. (L.7.1a)
 Additional resource: Writing and Grammar Handbook, pp. 313-314
 Have students identify adverb clauses in “The Safe Haven Story” and then practice writing
sentences about the article that use adverb clauses.
 Thinking Map Opportunities
 Use a Double Bubble Map to compare and contrast the details and focus of the article and
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Language Arts
7 Grade – Unit 2
Paramount Unified School District
Educational Services
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the story, “Suzy and Leah.”
Use a Flow Map to sequence the events that led to the refugees becoming residents of the
United States.
Use a Circle Map to define life in the refugee camp in Oswego.
Use a Double Bubble to compare and contrast the U.S. refugee camp with the Nazi
concentration camps.
EXPRESS UNDERSTANDING:
 Tree Map: The article mentions the conflicting feelings that refugees had about being in the U.S.
camp in Oswego. With a partner/small group, discuss the following question: How does the author
of “Suzy and Leah” reflect those same feelings in her character, Leah? Then create a Tree Map with
evidence about conflicting feelings from the article in one column and evidence about Leah’s
conflicting feelings in another column. (RL.7.1, RI.7.1, RL.7.9, SL.7.1)
LESSON 3: 10 DAYS
November 15 – December 5
RESOURCE(S):
Informational articles on Jane
Yolen (District website)
Write from the Beginning… and
Beyond: Expository/Informative,
pp. 400-415
Write from the Beginning… and
Beyond: Setting the Stage
Writing Workshop, pp. 586-590
Writing and Grammar Handbook,
pp. 149-157
STANDARDS:
W.7.2a-f, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10
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WRITING TASK: Your school technology club would like to add profiles of famous authors to the Language
Arts section of the school website. This section will focus on the authors that students encounter in their
reading during the school year. The technology club has asked you to help them with a profile on Jane
Yolen, author of “Suzy and Leah.”
Using more than one source, develop a thesis/controlling idea about Jane Yolen. Once you have a
thesis/controlling idea, select the most relevant information from more than one source to support your
thesis/controlling idea. Then, write a multi-paragraph informational essay explaining your
thesis/controlling idea. Clearly organize the essay and elaborate on your ideas. Develop your ideas clearly
and use your own words, except when quoting directly from the sources. Be sure to reference your
source’s title when quoting or paraphrasing details and include a Works Cited page at the end to cite your
sources. Organize your essay using headings and include relevant images to enhance the information you
provide. (W.7.2, W.7.4, W.7.10, L.7.1b)
**Note to Teachers: Several articles about Jane Yolen have been provided for you on the district website.
The source, or a link to the source, is provided at the end of each article for students to complete their
Works Cited page. You may select from these articles, find articles on your own, or have students do their
own research. Students should have at least 2 sources for their essay.
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L.7.1, 1b, 2, 6
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY:
elaboration
headings
works cited
Language Arts
7 Grade – Unit 2
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WRITING FOCUS:
 Introduce a topic or thesis statement that previews what’s to come
 Organize by compare & contrast or cause & effect
 Write a conclusion that follows from and supports the information presented
 Use a formal style
 WFBB Expository Strategy #8: Use of Compare/Contrast and Cause/Effect as Elaboration Strategies
LESSON UNDERSTANDINGS:
 Effective writers analyze, select, organize, and explain information effectively.
 The development, organization, and style of writing you choose to use are dependent on the task,
purpose, and audience.
 Quality writing requires planning, revising, editing, and rewriting.
 Technology allows you to produce professional-looking publications as well as share your ideas
easily and efficiently with a wide audience.
 Quality expository writing uses paraphrased information from credible sources that have been
properly cited.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 How do I organize my writing so that readers can have a clear understanding of my topic?
 What is the purpose of my writing and who is my audience? What, then, is the appropriate way to
structure my writing?
 How can I use the writing process to develop my writing?
 How can I make my writing better?
 Why should I use technology to collaborate with others as I produce and publish my writing?
 How do I avoid plagiarism?
WRITE FROM THE BEGINNING AND BEYOND – REQUIRED LESSON: This lesson may be taught during
Prewriting, Drafting, or Revising. Teachers should also select or create additional mini lessons based on the
needs of their students.
 Teach Strategy #8 – Use of Compare/Contrast and Cause/Effect as Elaboration Strategies, Write
from the Beginning: Expository, pp. 252-253. (W.7.2a-b)
2016-17
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Paramount Unified School District
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Language Arts
7 Grade – Unit 2
th
PREWRITING:
 Students should read all of the articles about Jane Yolen.
 Students should use a Tree Map to take notes and categorize the information about Jane Yolen
under different headings. (W.7.2a-b, W.7.5)
 Students should use the Basic Structure to organize the paragraphs of their essay. Teachers should
guide students using Focused Modeled Writing (i.e., I do, you do) and Oral Rehearsal. (W.7.2a-c, e,
W.7.5)
DRAFTING:
 If appropriate/possible, have students draft their essays at the computer. (W.7.6)
 Students should color code their paragraphs to match their Basic Structure. (W.7.2a-b, W.7.5)
 Students should enhance their formatting with headings. (W.7.2a)
 Students should create a Works Cited page following a standard format for citation. (W.7.8)
REVISING:
 Focus on using appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion. (W.7.2c)
 Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary. (W.7.2d, L.7.6)
 Establish and maintain a formal style. (W.7.2e)
 Revise to combine sentences for a variety of compound and complex sentences, especially using
adverb clauses. (L.7.1b)
 Have students get a peer to revise their essay. (W.7.5)
 SBAC provides the following questions on the test to help students revise. Consider having students
use them for their own self-revision as a practice for what they should do on the actual
Performance Task.
Your informational essay will be scored using the following:
1. Organization/purpose: How well did you state your thesis/controlling idea and maintain
your thesis/controlling idea with a logical progression of ideas from beginning to end? How
well did you narrow your thesis/controlling idea so you can develop and elaborate the
conclusion? How well did you consistently use a variety of transitions? How effective were
your introduction and your conclusion?
2. Evidence/elaboration: How well did you integrate relevant and specific information from
the sources? How well did you elaborate on your ideas? How well did you clearly state ideas
using precise language that is appropriate for your audience and purpose?
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7 Grade – Unit 2
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3. Conventions: How well did you follow the rules of grammar usage, punctuation,
capitalization, and spelling?
EDITING:
 Edit for correct use of formatting to enhance the information (headings, bold, font size). (W.7.2a)
 Edit for correct use of conventions (grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization). (L.7.1, 2)
FINAL DRAFT:
 Students will type their final drafts. (W.7.6)
LESSON 4: 10 DAYS
December 6 – January 11
Unit 2 Investigation: Authors in the Movies
SEE UNIT 2 INVESTIGATION GUIDE*
STANDARDS:
RI.7.1, 9
W.7.2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9b
SL.7.1, 2, 4, 5, 6
L.7.1, 2, 3, 6
*Document available on District website
ASSESSMENT: 2 DAYS
December 15-16
ON-DEMAND WRITING ASSESSMENT
LESSON 5: 8 DAYS
January 12-25
LESSON UNDERSTANDINGS:
 Any conclusions you draw or inferences you make must be supported with evidence from the text.
 The setting, characters, and plot of a story all work together to develop the theme or central idea.
 Analyzing the development of key individuals, events, and ideas in a text will help you understand
the central idea.
 By looking at and analyzing the structure of individual sentences or sections of a text, you can gain
a greater understanding of the text as a whole.
 Authors embed details in the text to develop a point of view.
 Participating effectively in collaborative discussions will help you gain a deeper understanding of
different points of view on a topic.
 Perceptions are formed based on your life experiences and influence your point of view.
RESOURCE(S):
“The Monsters Are Due on Maple
Street,” Act I, pp. 666-675
STANDARDS:
RL.7.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10
SL.7.1
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L.7.1a, 4, 4b, 5, 6
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY:
transfixed, p. 668
flustered, p. 669
assent, p. 670
persistently, p. 671
optimism, p. 671
instill, p.671
defiant, p. 672
antagonism, p. 672
metamorphosis, p. 673
Language Arts
7 Grade – Unit 2
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ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 What parts of the text lead me to make this conclusion or inference?
 How do the setting and plot in the story help me understand the characters and themes?
 How do the individuals, ideas, or events connect to each other and to the larger central idea of the
text?
 Why did the author structure the text this way?
 How do we come to understand the point of view of the narrator, speaker, characters, and/or
author?
 How do I prepare for a class discussion?
 How can I add my views to the discussion clearly and respectfully?
 How are our perceptions formed, and how do they influence our thoughts and actions?
READ THE TEXT:
 Students read the entire selection independently. (RL.7.10)
 Teacher reads the text aloud while students follow along, OR students take turns reading aloud to
each other, OR students listen to the audio version while following along. For a particularly
complex text, the teacher may choose to modify the order of the first two reads.
 Independent/partner/small group activity using a Thinking Map, short quiz, etc. to formatively
assess understanding of all students.
UNDERSTAND THE TEXT:
 As you go through the text with students for the close read, focus on reading and discussing
specific paragraphs or sentences where there are misunderstandings, key academic vocabulary
words, and important points related to the Lesson Understandings and Essential Questions.
 Text-dependent Questions
1. Looking at the opening descriptions of Maple Street on pp. 667-668, what does the author
want the reader to understand about the setting and the characters? Cite evidence to support
your answer. (RL.7.1, RL.7.3)
2. How does the author use camera shots to emphasize key points about the setting and the
characters on the first three pages? (RL.7.5)
3. What role does the narrator’s voice play at the beginning of Act I? (RL.7.5)
4. What do Steve’s words and the stage directions on pg. 669 reveal about him or his intentions?
What is the crowd’s perception of him? (RL.7.6)
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5. What role does Tommy play in the progression of the story? How might things have turned out
differently if he hadn’t been there? (RL.7.3, RL.7.6)
6. How have the characters shifted from a crowd to a mob? What words on pages 671-675
illustrate this transformation? How is this mob mentality significant? (RL.7.3, RL.7.4)
7. On page 675, Les Goodman reacts to the crowd. What does he say, and what does this reveal
about the theme? (RL.7.2, RL.7.4, RL.7.6)
 Vocabulary Study
 Students should work in depth with the academic vocabulary words using a variety of
methods and activities appropriate to the words chosen. (L.7.4, L.7.5, L.7.6)
 Discuss the affixes and roots of the vocabulary words to determine or clarify their precise
meanings and parts of speech. (L.7.4b)
 Language Skills
 Teach mini-lesson on prepositions and prepositional phrases, pp. 260 and 272. (L.7.1a)
 Additional resource: Writing and Grammar Handbook, p. 298
 Have students identify prepositional phrases in “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”
and then practice writing sentences about the story that use prepositional phrases.
 Thinking Map Opportunities
 Use a Flow Map to sequence the events in Act 1.
 Use a Multi-Flow Map to show the causes and effects of the events or behaviors of the
characters.
 Use a Bubble Map to describe the main characters (Charlie, Les Goodman, Tommy, Steve).
EXPRESS UNDERSTANDING:
 Class Debate: In preparation for the discussion, students should complete an exercise using
Thinking Maps to analyze who/what caused the crowd on Maple Street to transform into a mob.
Students must come to the discussion prepared to defend their choices using evidence from the
text. (RL.7.1, RL.7.3, SL.7.1)
LESSON 6: 8 DAYS
January 26 – February 6
RESOURCE(S):
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LESSON UNDERSTANDINGS:
 Any conclusions you draw or inferences you make must be supported by evidence from the text.
 The setting, characters, and plot of a story all work together to develop the theme or central idea.
 Authors make deliberate word choices that impact the meaning and tone of the text.
 Authors embed details in the text to develop a point of view.
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“The Monsters Are Due on Maple
Street,” Act II, pp. 676-684
STANDARDS:
RL.7.1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10
W.7.2, 4, 10
SL.7.1
L.7.1a, 4, 4a, 5, 6
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY:
timorously, p. 676
defiantly, p. 677
scapegoat, p. 678
apprehensive, p. 679
converging, p. 681
morass, p. 683
explicit, p. 683
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 Perceptions are formed based on your life experiences and influence your point of view.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 What parts of the text lead me to make this conclusion or inference?
 How do the setting and plot in the story help me understand the characters and themes?
 Why did the author choose to use this particular word or phrase? How does it affect the meaning
and tone of the text?
 How do we come to understand the point of view of the narrator, speaker, characters, and/or
author?
 How are our perceptions formed, and how do they influence our thoughts and actions?
READ THE TEXT:
 Students read the entire selection independently. (RL.7.10)
 Teacher reads the text aloud while students follow along, OR students take turns reading aloud to
each other, OR students listen to the audio version while following along. For a particularly
complex text, the teacher may choose to modify the order of the first two reads.
 Independent/partner/small group activity using a Thinking Map, short quiz, etc. to formatively
assess understanding of all students.
UNDERSTAND THE TEXT:
 As you go through the text with students for the close read, focus on reading and discussing
specific paragraphs or sentences where there are misunderstandings, key academic vocabulary
words, and important points related to the Lesson Understandings and Essential Questions.
 Text-dependent Questions
1. Reread the first two pages of Act II. Of Charlie, Steve, and Don, which man is the most fearful?
Which man is the most level-headed? Cite text evidence to support your answer. (RL.7.1,
RL.7.6)
2. On p. 679, Charlie believes that Pete Van Horn is a monster and shoots him. How does this
detail relate to the central idea of the play? (RL.7.2)
3. In the story, first one person is accused and then another and another. What do you think Rod
Sterling is saying about how people react when they are afraid? Cite evidence to support your
answer. (RL.7.3)
4. What are the weapons of humanity on p. 684? How can each destroy? Use specific evidence
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from the text to support how each of these weapons caused destruction in this story. (RL.7.1)
5. Why does the author title the story “The Monsters are Due on Maple Street”? Who are the
“monsters” and what is the significance of the word “due”? (The word “due” emphasizes the
author’s idea that, unless checked by careful thought and reason, the fear of the unknown will
inevitably lead to the destruction of civilized behavior.) (RL.7.2, RL.7.4)
 Vocabulary Study
 Students should work in depth with the academic vocabulary words using a variety of
methods and activities appropriate to the words chosen. (L.7.4, L.7.5, L.7.6)
 Conduct a mini-lesson on Context Clues, p. 63. (L.7.4a)
 Have students practice using context clues to determine the meanings of academic
vocabulary words.
 Language Skills
 Teach mini-lesson on adverb phrases, Writing and Grammar Handbook, pp. 300-301.
(L.7.1a)
 Have students identify adverb phrases in “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” and then
practice writing sentences about the story that use adverb phrases.
 Thinking Map Opportunities
 Use a Bridge Map using the relating factor “accuses.”
 Use a Multi-Flow Map to show the causes and effects of fear contributing to the events on
Maple Street.
EXPRESS UNDERSTANDING:
 Writing Task: With a partner/small group, think about the story “Suzy and Leah” and the play “The
Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.” Using any notes or Thinking Maps you have created in this
unit, come up with a sentence that states one overall lesson we learn from these two stories about
the unit theme “Perceptions”. Individually, write a short essay that explains this lesson. Use
evidence and examples from both stories to support your ideas. (RL.7.1, RL.7.2, SL.7.1, W.7.2,
W.7.4, W.7.10)
ASSESSMENT: 2 DAYS
February 7-8
2016-17
SBAC INTERIM ASSESSMENT: READING LITERARY TEXT
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