Grade 7 Language Arts Short Story Unit

Intro to research based writing / planning the setting

Date: Monday, April 4
Day in Unit: 3
Objective
Through a full-class example, students will create an example of a story based on research.
They will consider the 5 features of short stories and begin to practice relating historical events
to these features. Students will create an example together with the teacher and then apply
these skills to their own writing.
Program of Studies
- 1.2.2: Combine ideas use talk, writing, and representing to examine, clarify, and
assess understanding of ideas, information, and experiences
- 2.2.2: Construct meaning from texts analyze how plot develops; the connection
between plot and the subplot; and the interrelationship of plot, settings, and characters
& identify and explain conflict and discuss how it develops and may be resolved
- 2.3.1: Understand forms and genres identify various forms and genres of oral, print,
and other media texts and describe key characteristics of each
- 2.4.1: Generate ideas choose appropriate strategies for generating ideas and focusing
topics for oral, print, and other media texts
- 3.1.3: plan to gather information plan and organize data collection based on
instructions, explanations and pre-established parameters
- 3.2.1: use a variety of sources obtain information from a variety of sources
- 5.1.1: appreciate diversity discuss how ideas, people, experiences, and cultural
traditions are portrayed in various oral, print, and other media texts

Task
Create list of important features on
the board from student memory
remind them of the flowcabulary
song if necessary
Read the story about Rosa Parks
from Sightlines. Have students take
turns reading aloud. Discuss the
impact that Rosa Parks made on her
community.
Students work in small groups for 5
minutes to brainstorm ideas of how
to write a story about meeting Rosa
Parks that includes historical
information.
Share student ideas with the class to
demonstrate a variety of ways to
approach a history-based story.

Assessment
Student answers will give teacher a general
idea of how well students have remembered
the five features of short stories.
Teacher will assess reading strengths and
areas for growth while listening to students
read.

Teacher will circulate to make sure students

are understanding the task and ask or answer
questions as necessary.

Teacher will ask questions related to student

ideas as well as to develop an understanding
of historical fiction. Teacher will evaluate
student answers for a general understanding
of content.

Re-watch flowcabulary video and

have students listen for important
elements of building a setting. Create
this list on the board.
Students have the rest of class time
to brainstorm ideas for their story
setting.

Teacher will assess class understanding by the

list that they create

Teacher will circulate and assess student

understanding of the topic, as well as provide
questions and ideas to get the students to
think deeper about their task.
Resources

White board and markers

Sightlines textbook for each student
Paper for student brainstorming
Computer with internet access
Flowcabulary video
Student story-planning handout
Differentiation
Struggling students will benefit from the group portion of this lesson as they will be able to get
started with the help of their peers. For the independent writing portion of the lesson, a few
students will be allowed to work together as a group to help each other with their planners.
Teacher will spend extra time with this group to help generate ideas by asking guiding
questions and providing support. Students will also have the option to work on their planners
in the resource room if they choose to do so.