7th Grade Reading Syllabus

Course Title: Reading Audience: 7th Grade Course Description:

We will be learning the 7th grade Georgia Performance Standards for Reading. This course will be looking at both literary texts (short stories, novels, etc) and informational texts (articles, text books, etc). In the literary texts we will be focusing on character and plot development. In the informational texts, we will be focusing on author's purpose and organizational structures.

Instructor:
Summer Mahan

Course Outline:
1st Unit: Elements of Short Stories (4 weeks) Reading Selection: Various short stories Topics Covered: characterization, conflict, plot, theme, mood and tone, figurative language, vocabulary 2nd Unit: Novel Study/Adventure Novel (4 weeks) Reading Selection: Thunder Cave Topics Covered: characterization, conflict, plot, theme, mood and tone, figurative language, vocabulary, setting, historical moments, foreshadowing, idioms, author's purpose 3rd Unit: Informational Texts (2-4 weeks) Reading Selection: various autobiographies, biographies, essays, text books, and articles Topics Covered: textual features, graphic features, organizational structures, author's argument, evidence to support an argument, technical directions, features of disciplinary texts 4th Unit: Novel Study/Historical Fiction (4-6 weeks) Reading Selection: Fever, 1973, and A Christmas Carol Topics Covered: characterization, conflict, plot, theme, mood and tone, figurative language, vocabulary, setting, historical moments, foreshadowing, idioms, author's purpose 5th Unit: Poetry (2 weeks) Reading Selection: Various poems

Topics Covered: mood and tone, sound, figurative language, graphics, analogies, context clues, reading with rhythm and flow

6th Unit: Drama (2 weeks) Reading Selection: Various screenplays/plays Topics Covered: mood and tone, historical moment, plot, foreshadowing, analogies, reading with rhythm and flow 7th Unit: Traditional Literature (2 weeks) Reading Selection: Various Folktales, legends, fairy tales, and myths Topics Covered: traditional literature from different cultures, historical moment, plot, foreshadowing 8th Unit: Novel Study/Realistic Fiction (4 weeks) Reading Selection: The Outsiders Topics Covered: characterization, conflict, plot, theme, mood and tone, figurative language, vocabulary, setting, historical moments, foreshadowing, idioms, author's purpose 9th Unit: Novel Study/Science Fiction (4 weeks) Reading Selection: The Westing Game Topics Covered: characterization, conflict, plot, theme, mood and tone, figurative language, vocabulary, setting, foreshadowing, idioms, author's purpose You will be expected to read 20 books (4 each quarter) outside of class throughout the year and do one book report each semester (more information to be given later).

Requirements:
Learners are expected to: complete all assignments by the deadline participate in discussions with fellow learners collaborate on all team projects practice skills exercises be self motivated ask for assistance when needed

Grading Scale:
90-100 = A (Excellent) 80-89 = B (Above Average) 70-79 = C (Average) 69 and below = F (Failing)

Academic Integrity:

I have a zero tolerance policy for cheating and plagiarizing. If you are caught cheating or plagiarizing, you will receive a fifty for the first offense and a zero for any offenses after that.