Language Arts
Grade 7: Writing |
Planning: Term # Tracking: Ach. Level |
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Overall Expectations |
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1.
generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended
purpose and audience; |
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2.
draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary,
and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and
audience; |
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3.
use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge
of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present
their work effectively; |
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4.
reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and
the strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing
process. |
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Specific Expectations
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1.
Developing and Organizing |
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Purpose
and Audience: 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audience for more complex
writing forms (e.g., a rap poem or jingle, to express a personal view to the
class; a report for a community newspaper about a public meeting on an
environmental issue affecting local neighbourhoods; an autobiography for a
youth magazine, web page, blog, or zine) |
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Developing
Ideas: 1.2 generate ideas about more challenging topics and identify those most
appropriate for the purpose |
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Research:
1.3 gather information to support ideas for writing, using a variety of
strategies and a wide range of print and electronic resources (e.g., use a
timeline to organize research tasks; interview people with knowledge of the
topic; identify and use appropriate graphic and multimedia resources; record
sources used and information gathered in a form that makes it easy to
understand and retrieve) |
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Classifying
Ideas: 1.4 sort and classify ideas and information for their writing in a
variety of ways that allow them to manipulate information and see different
combinations and relationships in their data (e.g., by underlining or
highlighting key words or phrases; by using a graphic organizer such as a "Plus/Minus/Interesting"
chart) |
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Organizing
Ideas: 1.5 identify and order main ideas and supporting details and group
them into units that could be used to develop a multi-paragraph piece of
writing, using a variety of strategies (e.g., making jot notes; grouping
according to key words; making charts; drawing webs) and organizational
patterns (e.g., combined/multiple orders such as comparison and cause and
effect) |
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Review:
1.6 determine whether the ideas and information they have gathered are
relevant, appropriate, and sufficiently specific for the purpose, and do more
research if necessary (e.g., check for errors or omissions in information
using a T-chart) |
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2.
Using Knowledge of Form and Style in Writing |
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Form:
2.1 write complex texts of different lengths using a wide range of forms
(e.g., a description of the procedure for growing rice or coffee; an
explanation of multiple ways to solve a mathematical problem or
investigation; an argument stating the opposing points of view on a community
issue, including the response of each side to the points made by the other side,
for a class/school debate, or to report on the debate in a newsletter; a
fictional narrative about a historical event to dramatize material studied; a
mystery story modelled on the structures and conventions of the genre) |
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Voice:
2.2 establish a distinctive voice in their writing appropriate to the subject
and audience (e.g., use language that communicates their "stance" or
point of view on an issue and identify the words and/or phrases that help them
achieve this goal) |
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Word
Choice: 2.3 regularly use vivid and/or figurative language and innovative
expressions in their writing (e.g., a wide variety of adjectives and adverbs;
similes, metaphors, and other rhetorical devices such as exaggeration or
personification). Teacher prompt: "Identify three language choices you
have made and explain the effect they will have on a reader." |
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Sentence
Fluency: 2.4 vary sentence structures to give their writing rhythm and pacing
by using a variety of connecting and/or introductory words and phrases (e.g.,
however, for example, therefore, as a result) to help combine short, simple
sentences into longer, more complex sentences |
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Point
of View: 2.5 identify their point of view and other possible points of view,
evaluate other points of view, and find ways to acknowledge other points of
view, if appropriate. Teacher prompt: "How could you let your audience
know you have thought about other points of view?" |
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Preparing
for Revision: 2.6 identify elements in their writing that need improvement,
selectively using feedback from the teacher and peers, with a focus on voice,
diction, and an effective beginning and ending. Teacher prompts: "Would
your audience understand your feelings about your topic?" "Could
you add one figurative expression or rhetorical device that would strengthen
your work?" "Will your opening sentence engage the interest of your
audience?" |
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Revision:
2.7 make revisions to improve the content, clarity, and interest of their
written work, using a variety of strategies (e.g., use margin notes or sticky
notes while rereading to record ideas for additions or changes; add or
substitute words and phrases, including vocabulary from other subjects; use
rhetorical devices such as understatement to achieve particular effects;
adjust sentence length, type, and complexity to suit the audience and
purpose; use patterns such as repetition of key phrases for emphasis and to
engage the attention of the audience). Teacher prompt: "Would a variety
of sentence types and lengths help to create suspense?" |
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Producing
Drafts: 2.8 produce revised draft pieces of writing to meet identified
criteria based on the expectations (e.g., adequate development of information
and ideas, logical organization, appropriate use of form and style, appropriate
use of conventions) |
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3.
Applying Knowledge of Language Conventions and Presenting Written Work
Effectively |
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Spelling
Familiar Words: 3.1 spell familiar words correctly (e.g., words from their
oral vocabulary, anchor charts, and shared-, guided-, and independent-
reading texts; words used regularly in instruction across the curriculum) |
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Spelling
Unfamiliar Words: 3.2 spell unfamiliar words using a variety of strategies
that involve understanding sound-symbol relationships, word structures, word
meanings, and generalizations about spelling (e.g., write words syllable by
syllable; sort words by visual patterns; highlight tricky letters or groups
of letters; cluster root words and related forms: beauty, beautiful,
beautician; apply knowledge of vowel and consonant patterns and rules for
forming possessives, contractions, and plurals) |
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Vocabulary:
3.3 confirm spellings and word meanings or word choice using a variety of
resources appropriate for the purpose (e.g., locate syllables, stress
patterns, inflected forms, multiple meanings, and information about word
origins in online and print dictionaries, including thematic dictionaries
such as a medical dictionary, bilingual dictionary, or dictionary of idioms;
use a thesaurus to explore alternative word choices) |
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Punctuation:
3.4 use punctuation appropriately to communicate their intended meaning in
more complex writing forms, including forms specific to different subject
areas, with a focus on the use of: periods after initials, in abbreviations,
and in decimal numbers; parentheses; punctuation to indicate intonation,
pauses, or gestures |
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Grammar:
3.5 use parts of speech correctly to communicate their meaning clearly, with
a focus on the use of: relative pronouns (e.g., who, whose, which, that);
prepositions, including prepositional phrases; adjectives; conjunctions;
adverbs; present, past, and future verb tenses; present and past participles
(e.g., I am reading, I have read) |
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Proofreading:
3.6 proofread and correct their writing using guidelines developed with peers
and the teacher (e.g., an editing checklist specific to the writing task) |
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Publishing:
3.7 use a wide range of appropriate elements of effective presentation in the
finished product, including print, script, different fonts, graphics, and
layout (e.g., use legible printing and cursive writing; supply a time-line;
supply captions and text boxes to accompany the photographs in a photo essay;
use a bulleted or point-form layout in a summary of key points for a debate) |
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Producing
Finished Works: 3.8 produce pieces of published work to meet identified
criteria based on the expectations (e.g., adequacy of information and ideas,
logic and effectiveness of organization, effective use of form and stylistic
elements, appropriate use of conventions, effective presentation) |
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4.
Reflecting on Writing Skills and Strategies |
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Metacognition:
4.1 identify a variety of strategies they used before, during, and after
writing, explain which ones were most helpful, and suggest future steps they
can take to improve as writers (e.g., use a three-column reflection journal
to monitor the writing process: What I did/What I learned/How I can use it). Teacher
prompt: "Explain how you used your writer's notebook to help you
identify your strengths as a writer and your next steps for writing." |
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Interconnected
Skills: 4.2 describe how their skills in listening, speaking, reading,
viewing, and representing help in their development as writers. Teacher
prompt: "In what way have your experiences with reading, viewing, and
listening to texts changed the way you think about the audience for your
writing?" |
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Portfolio:
4.3 select pieces of writing that they think reflect their growth and
competence as writers and explain the reasons for their choices |
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Expectations: Copyright The Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2006. Format: Copyright B.Phillips, 1998.