7th Grade English Semester 1
In this 15-week class, students will read and discuss "The Giver" and "A Christmas Carol," while covering key elements of literature and vocabulary. Students will also work step-by-step to complete a biographical essay.
Erica Sirratt
Average rating:
4.8
Number of reviews:(268)
What's included
15 live meetings
12 hrs 30 mins in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. There will be required homework each week. There will also be added enrichment assignments that students may complete to deepen their understanding of learned concepts.Grading
Students will receive an itemized grade sheet that contains a breakdown of each assignment. Unless otherwise requested, students will receive this grade at the end of the semester.Class Experience
US Grade 7
In 7th grade, students are still working on things like grammar and punctuation, but also working on bigger things like interpreting literature and completing research-based writing. In this class, we're going to cover grammar and vocabulary concurrent to reading literature and writing. My teaching style is very conversational, but structured. My goal is to make class as interactive as possible but cover the necessary topics. Discussion will be a big part of the class and all students will be encouraged but not required to participate. Two different types of homework will be assigned. The first type of homework is considered enrichment. It won’t be required, but it will help students reinforce concepts taught in class. The second type of homework will be necessary to get the most out of class (and receive a grade). Homework will be clearly labeled as enrichment or required. All assignments will be checked for completion. Writing assignments will receive feedback with 2-3 things the student did well on the essay. Then, I will share 3-4 ways they can revise their essay. Constructive feedback will include specific examples on how to improve their essay. For example, if I mention the thesis statement (topic sentence) could use a little adjustment, I will write possible examples of thesis statements for their essay. Students can submit essays for revision and editing as many times as they'd like. Final grades will be given at the end of the semester. *This class is the first part of a full-year course. The spring semester course will take place on the same day and time as the fall semester for continuity.* Concepts covered in this class: - Parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, interjections, etc...) - Clauses - Eponyms, portmanteau - Context clues - Genres, setting, characters, plot - Short story writing - Developing characters - Showing versus telling - How to write dialogue - Prefixes/suffixes - Narrative essay - How to find sources - Taking notes on sources - Citations - Writing introductions - Revising - Editing Please check the syllabus for an in-depth, weekly breakdown of what we'll be doing in class.
Learning Goals
Understanding literature through text analysisExplore the steps of the writing process
Syllabus
15 Lessons
over 15 WeeksLesson 1:
Grammar review
We will start with an introduction of the format of the class. Then, we'll review the basic parts of speech and grammar rules. Students will explore eponyms, made-up words, re-duplication, portmanteau. Then, we'll practice creating our own words and playing a word game. For homework, students will complete a parts of speech activity (Google Form) 50 mins online live lesson
1 assignment
Lesson 2:
Context Clues
Class will start with a warm-up activity. Students will be introduced to the interactive notebook on Google Docs that will be used for our literature units. We will examine context clues and their importance. Then, complete a word detective activity. For enrichment (bonus work), students will discover the meaning of words based on context clues (Google Form). For homework, students will read chapters 1-9 of "The Giver" by Lois Lowry and complete notebook activities. 50 mins online live lesson
2 assignments
Lesson 3:
Genre
Class will start with a warm-up activity. We will discuss genres and characteristics of each genre. Then, read the non-fiction text, “Would you Marry a Stranger?” We will discuss how this relates to the book. Students will be introduced to the character sketch project. For enrichment, students will complete an activity exploring genres (Google Form). For homework, students will read chapters 10-15 of "The Giver" and complete notebook activities. Also, they will work on the character sketch. 50 mins online live lesson
2 assignments
Lesson 4:
Plot diagram and literary devices
Students will start with a warm-up activity: What genre is The Giver?
We will discuss plot, sequence of events, climax, and rising action, followed by a guided discussion of the reading. We will explore the importance of Imagery, summary, foreshadowing, and theme.
For enrichment, students will complete a plot diagram of a scene (PDF assignment). For homework, students will finish character sketch project and the reading. 50 mins online live lesson
2 assignments
Other Details
Supply List
Students will need copies of "The Giver," by Lois Lowry. If students want a physical copy of the book, they will need to purchase "A Christmas Carol" (the original version) by Charles Dickens.
Language of Instruction
English
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined May, 2020
4.8
268reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree from University of Central Arkansas
I have a bachelor's degree in writing and journalism. I worked as a journalist for over five years and won several awards during my career. A large portion of my college years was spent studying creative and essay writing. I have self-published a few fiction books and I am currently working on another. Before changing my degree to writing, my study focus was on education. This change has given me knowledge of teaching and writing. I have been teaching ELA since 2014, and I have been teaching on Outschool since 2020.Reviews
Live Group Course
$15
weekly or $225 for 15 classes1x per week, 15 weeks
50 min
Completed by 41 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-14
2-10 learners per class
