Opportunities Module Grade 7
DRAFT
JULY 2012
The Howard County Public School System
• Ellicott City, Maryland
Renee A. Foose, Ed.D., Superintendent
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Board of Education of Howard County
Sandra H. French
Chairman
Frank J. Aquino, Esq.
Vice Chairman
Ann De Lacy
Brian J. Meshkin
Cynthia L. Vaillancourt
Ellen Flynn Giles
Janet Siddiqui, M.D.
Cole T. Rosenberg
Student Member
Renee A. Foose, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
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Copyright 2012
FOREWORD
The project-based innovation and inquiry modules provide
opportunities for students to apply specific disciplinary literacy skills to
real-life situations. Students explore interest areas that are not
otherwise addressed within the middle school curriculum. The myriad
of offerings are designed to provide opportunities for students to
problem solve, develop research skills, and extend both critical writing
and thinking skills across curricular content. Module choices include
the following areas: literature/humanities, science, social studies, and
technical subjects. Each stand-alone offering is designed to require
students to work both collaboratively and independently.
Renee A. Foose
Superintendent of Schools
Zeleana Morris, Coordinator
Secondary Curricular Language Arts
Linda Wise
Chief Academic Officer
Clarissa B. Evans
Executive Director
School Improvement
and Curricular
Programs
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Acknowledgements
The curriculum for each module was prepared under the direction of Zeleana
Morris, Coordinator of Secondary Language Arts, and Sharon Stein, Instructional
Facilitator for Secondary Reading.
Special appreciation is extended to the following curriculum writers:
Erin Ault, Folly Quarter Middle School
Julie Berla, Wilde Lake Middle School
Jeannette Bonomo, Burleigh Manor Middle School
Tara Brennan, Mount View Middle School
Sherry Capurso, Folly Quarter Middle School
Robert Coffman, Secondary Social Studies Office
Laurie Collins, Family and Consumer Sciences
Kara Cosgrove, Mount View Middle School
Kym Craig, Office of Special Education
Brianna Gibson, Elkridge Landing Middle School
Gayle Glade, Wilde Lake High School
Michelle Howard, Homewood Center
Tanya Johnson, Bonnie Branch Middle School
Stacie Kovens, Ellicott Mills Middle School
Krissie Littman, Educational Technologies
Melissa Mack, Secondary Language Arts Office
Chardonnay Mccord, Mayfield Woods Middle School
Karen McVay, Lime Kiln Middle School
Claire Meitl, Secondary Language Arts Office
Robin Mitchell, Glenwood Middle School
Courtnay Moore, Glenwood Middle School
Margaret Mullen, Patuxent Valley Middle School
Andreia Neto, Folly Quarter Middle School
Nicole Parson, Mount View Middle School
Zenoba Stephens, Dunloggin Middle School
Dulcy Sullivan, Health Education/Safe and Drug Free Schools
Monica Stevens, Oakland Mills Middle School
Dorothy Tingen, Patuxent Valley Middle School
Kirsten Willging, Folly Quarter Middle School
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Grade 7 Opportunities Module Overview
Module: Shared Inquiry: Opportunities
Standards: Module Standards
Reading Information
RI.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.7.2 Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their
development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the
text.
RI.7.3 Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text.
RI.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of
specific word choice on meaning and tone.
RI.7.5 Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the
major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas.
RI.7.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how
the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others.
RI.7.7 Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of
that text, analyzing each medium’s portrayal of the subject.
RI.7.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing
whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to
support the claims.
RI.7.9 Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape
their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or
advancing different interpretations of facts.
Writing
W.7.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas,
concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of
relevant content.
W.7.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and
organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.7.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting or trying a
new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been
addressed.
W.7.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and
link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others,
including linking to citing sources.
W.7.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several
sources, and generating additional related, focused questions for further
research and investigation.
Speaking and Listening
SL.7.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues,
building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.7.2 Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse
media and formats and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under
study.
SL.7.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused,
coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use
appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
SL.7.5 Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to
clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.
SL.7.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating
command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Language
L.7.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or speaking.
L.7.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.7.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening.
L.7.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words
and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a
range of strategies.
Teacher Consideration(s): Teachers may determine the lessons to teach
and/or the order of presentation. The lessons that are outlined serve as teacher
resources. Teachers are encouraged to make instructional decisions when
selecting lessons. The Common Core standards serve as the foundation for the
modules.
Essential Question(s): Questions from the Roundtable teacher guide should be
carefully considered and used as needed. *These questions may be used to
lead discussion, to guide reflection, or as essay questions.
Questions specific to additional readings not already included:
White Umbrella
• What opportunities did the older daughter have and decide against in The
White Umbrella?
• How did her culture affect her decisions?
• Would her younger sister have made the same decisions? Explain.
• Would her mother have been proud of her decisions?
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Harrison Bergeron
• Should society control your thoughts? Explain.
• Should society control your actions? Explain.
• How could a utopian society be beneficial for its citizens?
• Why does Harrison declare himself Emperor and order everyone around,
once he has escaped from jail?
• Why does the author have the Handicapper General defeat Harrison?
• Why does the society of 2081 believe that if people are different, there
cannot be justice and peace?
• What rights do individuals have in a free society? What are the results of
losing that freedom?
Mercedes Kane
• How would you describe Mama?
• Why does Mama bring Mercedes Kane home?
• Why does the author describe the situation with Mercedes as, “weird?”
• How does the adult Mercedes Kane differ from the child that Mama knew?
• How does the Ruthie’s teacher know she received, “help,” on her report?
I Just Kept on Smiling
• Why does the narrator take the exercise books?
• Why does Nicky Carver confess to the narrator’s crime?
• Why is the narrator so “furious” when Nicky Carver makes the false
confession?
The Day of the Butterfly
• Why does Helen insist that Myra accept the butterfly pin?
• Why doesn’t Helen want Myra’s gift?
• Why will Myra become a legend to the girls at school?
• What are the obligations of being a friend?
The White Circle
• Why does Tucker try to kill Anvil?
• Why can’t Anvil accept kindness from Tucker without picking on him?
• Why does Tucker offer Anvil the apples at the end of the story?
• What are the effects of bullying behavior?
Materials: Roundtable kit (Great Books Foundation), access to computers,
copies of additional readings for students, index cards for vocabulary game,
paper, markers or colored pencils
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Leader Guide: Teachers should follow the Roundtable leader guide for all
readings. Additional resources are provided for The White Umbrella. In addition,
there are resources for analyzing text, characterization, and reading for detail.
Procedures: For initial readings and discussion, follow Roundtable guidelines,
using materials provided in the kit.
Summary/Closure: Final closure in this course will be a student-generated
project that is completed and presented at the end of the course. Project choices
are left to the teacher’s discretion, but ideally, artifacts would be collected
throughout the course to help students determine their specific areas of interest.
Pre Assessment: A reading survey (included) would be helpful to establish a
culture of respect for reading.
Formative Assessment: Ongoing, thorough observation and discussion
Summative Assessment: The essays and concluding activities at the end of
each story serve as assessment, as will the final project.
Project Choices:
• Debate – What controls our lives? Choices? Opportunities? Destiny?
• Argument Writing – What controls our lives? Choices? Opportunities?
Destiny?
• Talk Show – Become one character 10 years from now. Create a talk
show/interview in which a character reflects upon choices.
• Blog – Become one character and journal a year (not intended as a 365day response) in his/her life reflecting on choices made.
• Podcast Interview –Create a podcast in which character(s) are interviewed
about the choices they made.
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