7th Grade Program of Study, 2025-26 School Year

7TH GRADE PROGRAM OF STUDY 2025-26 School Year

LANGUAGE ARTS Becoming proficient in their language arts skills, seventh grade Lukers will develop a stronger understanding of grammatical structures and mechanics of the language through frequent opportunities to write and examine writing. They will read a variety of texts, both fiction and non-fiction with an emphasis on understanding a variety of themes and historical contexts, including Civil Rights and the Holocaust. Students will analyze short stories for characterization, point of view, plot, and theme. Seventh graders will have proficiency in identifying parts of speech, types and parts of sentences, and the basics of writing conventions, including proper capitalization and punctuation. Seventh graders will apply research writing skills as they research a notable Memphian, producing a comprehensive, MLA-style research report as their capstone essay.

READING A seventh grade Luker will read (both independently and through listening) a variety of thematic texts, both fictional and non-fictional, building proficiency in both fluency and comprehension and moving toward analysis and critical thinking.

Exit Outcomes Develop an appreciation for themes relevant to a 21st century world and an eye toward critically examining social issues in historical texts Become proficient in using the vocabulary of literary terms, including elements of plot, characterization, and theme in order to further enhance appreciation of literary works Compare and contrast two literary works Determine themes and central ideas of a text Identify sensory details Identify the narrative point of view Identify similes and metaphors Identify hyperbole and personification Identify a variety of literary devices in poetry Experiences that Support Learning Collaborative discussions Small group instruction Independent reading and writing Shared Reading Interactive read aloud Apply reading for meaning skills Project work STAR reading assessment Accelerated Reader (A/R) testing

LANGUAGE ARTS WRITING A seventh grade Luker will write frequently on a variety of topics with an emphasis toward providing evidence from the text in reading responses.

They will undergo the writing process from developing an idea to drafting, revising, and finally publishing written work. They will develop writing beyond the single paragraph, paying attention to the organization of ideas and developing sentence fluency.

Exit Outcomes Produce a wide range of written work, including frequent reading responses, original stories, poems and essays Become proficient at integrating appropriate literary quotes to defend an argument using MLA-style citation format Conduct formal research about a notable Memphian to produce a fiveparagraph, typed report using MLA style format with correct citations, including both direct and indirect quotations from multiple primary sources; the emphasis will be on developing an understanding of the research process and correctly citing sources

Experiences that Support Learning Collaborative discussions Flexible groupings Small group instruction Independent writing Note taking

LANGUAGE ARTS GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY A seventh grade Luker will become proficient in identifying grammar rules beyond parts of speech, including sentence structure (complements, phrases, clauses, sentence types), punctuation, and capitalization in order to follow formal writing conventions in their own writing. Students will use both ending punctuation and capitalization and apply skill in understanding of correct punctuation within the sentence.

Students will also develop strategies to better understand new vocabulary words, both in context and from direct instruction.

Exit Outcomes Develop a complete understanding of the eight parts of speech, including subtleties Identify different types of sentences Identify complements, including direct object, indirect object, predicate nominative, and predicate adjective Identify phrases of all types Differentiate between independent and subordinate clauses Develop an understanding of comma rules Commas in lists Introductory words, phrases, and clauses Interrupters Dates and addresses Use capitalization correctly Use punctuation correctly, both ending and interior Correctly identify all different sentence types Use knowledge of root words and affixes to identify word meanings Acquire an understanding of a wide range of vocabulary through both direct instruction and in-context inference

Experiences that Support Learning Collaborative discussions Flexible groupings Small group instruction Independent writing IXL Interactive vocabulary practice using digital resources

MATH In seventh grade, students begin to think more abstractly, delving into pre-algebra concepts which require them to solve more complex equations and apply these concepts to real world problems. They will solve problems requiring them to apply integer rules, order of operations, operations with fractions, and ratios/proportions. In geometry, they apply complex formulas to begin finding the properties of simple and compound two and three-dimensional shapes.

Exit Outcomes Numbers and Operations In Base Ten Apply and extend previous understandings of operations with fractions to add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers Apply and extend previous understandings of addition and subtraction to add and subtract rational numbers; represent addition and subtraction on a horizontal or vertical number line diagram Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division and of fractions to multiply and divide rational numbers Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving the four operations with rational numbers Experiences that Support Learning IXL Small group instruction Flexible groupings Math talks Collaborative discussions Manipulatives

MATH Exit Outcomes - Operations and Algebraic Thinking Ratios and Proportions Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems Compute unit rates associated with ratios of fractions, including ratios of lengths, areas, and other quantities measured in like or different units Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities Use proportional relationships to solve multi-step ratio and percent problems. Examples: simple interest, tax, markups and markdowns, gratuities and commissions, fees, percent increase and decrease, percent error Expressions and Equations Use properties of operations to generate equivalent expressions Apply properties of operations as strategies to add, subtract, factor, and expand linear expressions with rational coefficients Understand that rewriting an expression in different forms in a contextual problem can provide multiple ways of interpreting the problem and how the quantities in it are related Solve real-life and mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic expressions and equations and inequalities Solve multi-step real-world and mathematical problems posed with positive and negative rational numbers presented in any form (whole numbers, fractions, and decimals) Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the quantities Experiences that Support Learning Differentiated instruction to support concept development Digital resources for review, practice for mastery and introduction to new concepts Small group instruction Flexible groupings Math talks Collaborative discussions Manipulatives

MATH Exit Outcomes - Measurement and Data Use random sampling to draw inferences about a population Draw informal comparative inferences about two populations Investigate chance processes and develop, use, and evaluate probability models Summarize and describe numerical data sets Experiences that Support Learning Differentiated instruction to support concept development Digital resources for review, practice for mastery and introduction to new concepts Small group instruction Flexible groupings Math talks Collaborative discussions Manipulatives

Exit Outcomes - Geometry Draw, construct, and describe geometrical figures and describe the relationships between them Solve problems involving scale drawings of geometric figures, including computing actual lengths and areas from a scale drawing and reproducing a scale drawing at a different scale Draw geometric shapes with given conditions. Focus on constructing triangles from three measures of angles or sides, noticing when the conditions determine a unique triangle, more than one triangle, or no triangle Solve real-life and mathematical problems involving angle measure, area, surface area, and volume Know the formulas for the area and circumference of a circle and use them to solve problems; give an informal derivation of the relationship between the circumference and area of a circle Know and use facts about supplementary, complementary, vertical, and adjacent angles in a multi-step problem to write and solve simple equations for an unknown angle in a figure Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, volume, and surface area of twoand three-dimensional objects composed of triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, cubes, and right prisms Experiences that Support Learning Differentiated instruction to support concept development Digital resources for review, practice for mastery and introduction to new concepts Small group instruction Flexible groupings Math talks Collaborative discussions Manipulatives

SCIENCE Exit Outcomes Focus on life science and learn about the levels of organization in living things, with a focus on the human body Develop microscope skills Discover the 6 required characteristics of all living things Learn to classify living organisms based on characteristics such as cell type, eating habits, and cell arrangement Explore differences between vertebrate and invertebrate animals Compare and contrast bacteria and viruses Explore 4 components of human blood and learn about blood typing Explore human circulatory system and understand the flow of blood through pulmonary and systemic circuits Explore human respiratory system and how breathing controls oxygen and carbon dioxide in and out of cells Identify the importance of cellular respiration in the human body in making usable energy, ATP Explore the human digestive system and the macromolecules that are digested to provide energy Experiences that Support Learning Dissect and learn about structures/functions, body systems, and life cycles of the earthworm, leopard frog, squid, and fetal pig Make calamari as a follow up to the squid dissection Swab locations around school to determine areas with most bacterial growth Compare and contrast plant and animal cells by using the microscope to observe personal skin cell and onion skin cells Grow bacteria, prepare stained microscope slide, view and identify type based on shape/arrangement Use microscopes to view the many microscopic organisms that live in pond water Build a model of human blood Determine personal blood types Construct model of circulatory system and label all parts including the heart Research human blood diseases and create a slide presentation Dissect a cow heart to explore similarities with the human heart Build a model of the respiratory system Make bread and rootbeer to explore the process of fermentation Perform digestion labs that explore how macromolecules are digested in the human body

SPANISH The seventh grade Spanish course continues the fifth and sixth grade curricula. Students will delve more profoundly into the target language and culture. Important basic concepts, vocabulary, and cultural aspects of the language will be covered and practiced using various methods, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This year will be a skills course, requiring much practice and study outside of class and the equivalent of the first semester of Spanish 1 in high school. Students will take the Level 01 National Spanish Exam in March.

Exit Outcomes Learn vocabulary related to classroom commands, greetings, salutations, introductions, numbers, days of the week, months Learn/practice present tense conjugation of regular -ar verbs as well as -ser, estar, and gustar State time in Spanish using 0-30 Identify various classes with days of week to read schedules Use verb gustar to create conversational sentences Learn to form questions with interrogatives Create sentences with conjugated form of estar along with prepositions of place Solve math problems with numbers 31 and higher Apply various grammar rules to a wide variety of reading and writing activities Practice regular -er and -ir verb conjugations Learn stem-change conjugations in present tense Recognize “tener expressions” Speak about hobbies and events in future tense Culture focus: Learn about the significance of the Day of the Dead holiday, Spanish-speaking countries of South America and their capitals, explore Spain and compare holiday celebrations to US, Learn about major cities and important facts of Ecuador Experiences that Support Learning Create Day of the Dead altars View Spanish movies and fotonovelas and respond to prompts in Spanish webquests Group and partner projets Play review games such as Kahoot, Conjuguemos, and Quizlet

LATIN The seventh grade Latin course introduces students to the Latin language through vocabulary, grammar, and reading lessons, and Roman culture as it existed in first century Pompeii.

Exit Outcomes Recall Roman contributions to modern life Recognize noun declensions 1-3 Recognize and translate present, imperfect, and perfect tenses Understand basic Latin sentence structure using subject, verb, direct object, indirect object, and prepositional phrase Infer definitions of English derivatives based on knowledge of Latin vocabulary Discuss aspects of Roman life in the 1st century AD (specifically the city of Pompeii) Recognize and understand the use and translation of Latin cases (Nominative, Dative, and Accusative) Recognize the translation of all degrees of Latin adjectives (regular only) Recall basic Roman mythology Experiences that Support Learning Differentiated instruction to support concept development Digital resources for review, practice for mastery and introduction to new concepts Flexible groupings Collaborative discussions Consistent practice in both new and learned concepts to reinforce a cumulative understanding of the language Projects relating to cultural topics Celebratory Latin feasts

HISTORY Students will gain a working knowledge of our place in both time and space by exploring United States history from antiquity to the outbreak of Civil War with an eye toward how key historical events laid the foundation for America's future and with a emphasis on geography and how it has shaped America's rise as the world's preeminent world power.

Exit Outcomes Gain competence in functional geography Draw conclusions based on key facets of natural geography in America's development Discover the key factors that made the American Revolution such an unlikely success Explore the development and enduring legacies of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights Deduce the philosophies that guided our early presidents and the emergence of political parties Understand cause and effect with regard to the sectional development of our nation led to the Civil War Discover the arc of history that defines the progress of democracy Develop research, peer review and writing skills Refine public speaking skills Reinforce study, note-taking and organizational skills Lay the foundation for 8th grade U.S. History, Civil War to present day Experiences that Support Learning Create and utilize maps scaled from neighborhood to continental Hypothesize locations of cities based on access to water for drinking, irrigation and transportation Analysis of primary documents, including Common Sense and the Declaration of Independence Simulations of courtrooms using real federal cases with students serving as both judges and advocates Compare and contrast Hamilton's vision for America versus Jefferson's/Madison's Debate various issues of the day while reflecting upon the widely varying experiences of Americans Predicting future political agency based on the patterns from our past Completion of a cross-curricular research paper Presentations throughout the year Assessments based directly on study guides, assignments and notes Three comprehensive exams

ART The guiding principles of the middle school visual art curriculum are the four C’s of 21st Century Learning: Creativity, Collaboration, Communication and Critical Thinking.

Students develop these skills through artmaking, visual problem solving, discussion, and analysis of important artworks. Their artwork is hung for display at the end of each marking period with an opening reception for family and friends.

Seventh grade artists discover alternative uses for markers, explore various printmaking processes, and respond to important artworks with their own creations.

Experiences that Support Learning Meditative Neurographic drawing, painted with markers Styrofoam marker printing Theme-based relief printmaking Analysis of Surrealist strategies with accompanying found-image collage

PERFORMING ARTS Exit Outcomes Learn about the ins and outs of the advertising world by creating an ad campaign for a fictitious product Research and determine target audience Design and create magazine, Instagram, and TV ads based on target audience Research and develop an ad placement campaign based on target audience Present to “corporate executives” to present and pitch ad campaign Experiences that Support Learning Develop public speaking and presentation skills through presentation of ad campaign to “corporate executives” Develop interpersonal and teamwork skills through small group work

WORLD RELIGIONS Our students will discover the basic tenets of the world's major religions, with an emphasis on both the commonalities our many faiths share as well as the extraordinary variety of customs and observances that delineate the lives of practitioners of each religion.

Exit Outcomes Gain a functional knowledge of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, including major religious figures, texts, holidays, holy sites and dietary customs Compare and contrast belief systems with emphasis on commonality Examine how ancient values, customs and language interact with the modern world Explore the qualities of major religions that have made each enduring Reinforce geographic skills Refine public speaking skills Experiences that Support Learning Guest presentations by representatives of various religions Extensive use of film illustrating the lives of modern practitioners of each religion Graphic organizers Creation and utilization of maps Student presentations

PE The focus of the Middle School Physical Education Program is to foster an interest in and enjoyment of physical activity while promoting positive group interaction, good sportsmanship, and fitness. These concepts are developed through a wide variety of activities with a progression of instruction based on age and skill complexity. The Middle School Physical Education Program incorporates skills and strategies for team and individual participation. The students are introduced to lifetime sports and fitness with skills being taught and developed through participation, practice, and game and fitness scenarios.

Seventh grade students continue to build fitness with a progression from grade to grade in the complexity of aerobic and anaerobic exercises. At this level skills and game rules are emphasized for participation in team and individual sports.

SPECIAL 7TH GRADE EXPERIENCES AND PERFORMANCES First time to take trimester exams Co-curricular research paper for English and history classes Math is ability tracked Acolyting and reading in chapel Spring Trip to Chicago Design and create 8th grade banner for next year CIT for Summerfest Can earn spot in Honor Society Participate in Sports Banquet Attend middle school dances