Grade 7 English Language Curriculum Summary (U.S.)

Focus on evidence-based reading, argument evaluation, and text structure analysis.

Objectives:

• Determine two or more central ideas and analyze their development

• Distinguish between facts, reasoned judgments, and unsupported claims

• Analyze the structure of paragraphs and arguments (problem-solution, compare-contrast)

• Trace and evaluate an author’s claim and supporting evidence

• Compare multiple authors’ presentations of the same topic

Common Topics:

• Human rights and social justice

• Scientific discoveries and innovation

• Environmental issues

• Historical analysis and current events

Example Texts:

• Excerpts from I Am Malala (Young Readers Edition)

• Articles from Smithsonian TweenTribune or Newsela

• Biographies (e.g., Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai)

• U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights (abridged versions)

Students are expected to write clear, coherent, and evidence-supported essays, narratives, and reports.

Types of Writing:

1. Argumentative Writing

   • Introduce a claim, support it with relevant evidence and reasoning, and acknowledge counterclaims

   • Use formal style and objective tone

   • Example: “Should students be allowed to use phones in school?”

2. Informative/Explanatory Writing

   • Convey complex ideas through logical organization and clear analysis

   • Use domain-specific vocabulary and source integration

   • Example: “The Effects of Social Media on Teen Brains”

3. Narrative Writing

   • Create engaging stories with well-developed characters, dialogue, pacing, and structure

   • Include reflection or a theme

   • Example: “The Day Everything Changed”

Writing Process:

• Emphasis on planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing

• Peer review, self-assessment, and conferences with the teacher

Research Skills:

• Conduct short research projects using multiple credible sources

• Quote and paraphrase accurately

• Introduce basic MLA formatting

Students develop public speaking, collaborative discussion, and critical listening skills.

Objectives:

• Participate in collaborative discussions, citing textual evidence and responding respectfully

• Interpret information from diverse media formats

• Present claims and findings in an organized and coherent manner

• Evaluate the reasoning and evidence in a speaker’s argument

• Use appropriate pacing, tone, and visual aids in presentations

Common Activities:

• Socratic Seminars

• Debates and argument panels

• Book talks or oral reports

• Multimedia presentations with Google Slides or Canva

Students build on prior grammar knowledge and develop a stronger command of academic language.

Grammar and Usage:

• Proper use of phrases and clauses

• Misplaced and dangling modifiers

• Active vs. passive voice

• Use of commas, semicolons, colons for clarity

• Pronoun-antecedent agreement

Vocabulary Development:

• Use of context clues, Greek and Latin roots (e.g., spect, dict, bene)

• Understanding nuance and connotation

• Using dictionaries and thesauruses effectively

• Figurative language, idioms, analogies

• Domain-specific vocabulary for argument, analysis, and explanation