• GRADE 7

     

     

    The Penn-Delco School District’s Secondary Language Arts Curriculum is based on the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.
     

    A.   Students in Grade 7 who meet the reading standards are able to:

    • Identify and evaluate appropriate text for a variety of assignments/projects.
    • Use word structure and context clues to determine meaning.
    • Find basic facts and ideas in text through active reading strategies such as recall, rereading, setting a purpose for reading, generating essential questions and clarifying understanding through discussion.
    • Determine the author’s purpose.
    • Expand reading vocabulary through the use of appropriate resources.
    • Demonstrate understanding by citing evidence, comparing and contrasting.
    • Demonstrate fluency and comprehension by reading aloud with accuracy, self-correcting mistakes, using rhythm, flow and pronunciation.
    • Find the main idea in a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts.
    • Identify point of view and bias.
    • Analyze the use of literary elements in fiction, such as characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style.
    • Identify poetic forms (ballad, couplet, and sonnet).
    • Read and analyze drama.

     

    B.   Students in Grade 7 who meet the writing standards are able to:

     

    • Write short stories, poems and plays.
    • Write multi-paragraph informational pieces such as letters, descriptions, reports, instructions, articles and interviews.
    • Write persuasive pieces including a clearly stated position, properly cited evidence and a counter argument.
    • Write with a sharp focus, well developed content, logical organization and smooth transitions.
    • Develop style with attention of sentence length and variety, tone, voice and precise language.
    • Revise writing to improve content, organization and vocabulary.
    • Edit writing using the conventions of language: correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation and sentence structure.

     

    C.   Students in Grade 7 who meet the speaking and listening standards are able to:

    • Listen and ask probing questions.
    • Analyze information to determine relevancy and take notes when needed.
    • Listen to fiction and non-fiction and relate to prior knowledge, make predictions and summarize.
    • Speak using skills appropriate to formal speech situations.
    • Contribute to discussions, respond with relevant information and give reasons for opinions.
    • Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations.

     

    D.   Students in Grade 7 who meet the characteristics and functions of the English language standards are able to:

     

    • Describe the origins and meaning of common foreign words used frequently in the English language.
    • Analyze the role and place of standard American English in speech, writing and literature.
    • Identify new words that have been added to the English language over time.

     

    E.   Students in Grade 7 who meet the research standard are able to:

    • Select and refine a topic for research.
    • Locate information using appropriate sources and strategies.
    • Organize, summarize and present the main findings from the research.