Georgia State Standards for Language Arts: Grade 7

GA.ELA74R. Reading and Literature

ELA7R1. The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of a warranted and responsible explanation of a variety of literary and informational texts.

ELA7R1.1. For literary texts, the student identifies the characteristics of various genres and produces evidence of reading that:

ELA7R1.1.a. Distinguishes between the concepts of theme in a literary work and the author's purpose in an expository text.

ELA7R1.1.b. Interprets a character's traits, emotions, or motivations and gives supporting evidence from a text.

ELA7R1.1.c. Relates a literary work to information about its setting or historical moment.

ELA7R1.1.d. Analyzes recurring and similar themes across a variety of selections, distinguishing theme from topic.

ELA7R1.1.e. Identifies events that advance the plot and determines how each event explains past or present action(s) or foreshadows future action(s).

ELA7R1.1.f. Analyzes characterization (dynamic and static) in prose and plays as delineated through a character's thoughts, words, speech patterns, and actions; the narrator's description; and the thoughts, words, and actions of other characters.

ELA7R1.1.g. Explains and analyzes the effects of sound, form, figurative language, and graphics in order to uncover meaning in literature: i. Sound (e.g., alliteration, onomatopoeia, internal rhyme, rhyme scheme); ii. Figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole); iii. Graphics (e.g., capital letters, line length, word position).

ELA7R1.1.h. Identifies and analyzes how an author's use of words creates tone and mood, giving supporting evidence from text.

ELA7R1.1.i. Identifies and analyzes similarities and differences in traditional literature from different cultures.

ELA7R1.2. For informational texts, the student reads and comprehends in order to develop understanding and expertise and produces evidence of reading that:

ELA7R1.2.a. Analyzes common textual features to obtain information (e.g., paragraphs, topic sentences, concluding sentences, introduction, conclusion, footnotes, index, bibliography).

ELA7R1.2.b. Identifies and uses knowledge of common graphic features to draw conclusions and make judgments (e.g., graphic organizers, diagrams, captions, illustrations).

ELA7R1.2.c. Applies knowledge of common organizational structures and patterns (e.g., logical order, cause and effect relationships, comparison and contrast, transitions).

ELA7R1.2.d. Recognizes and traces the development of the author's argument for and against an issue.

ELA7R1.2.e. Identifies evidence used to support an argument.

ELA7R1.2.f. Understands and explains the use of a simple device by following technical directions.

ELA7R2. The student understands and acquires new vocabulary and uses it correctly in reading and writing. The student

ELA7R2.a. Determines the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues (e.g., contrast, cause and effect, etc.).

ELA7R2.b. Uses knowledge of Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon roots and affixes to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.

ELA7R2.c. Identifies and explains idioms and analogies in prose and poetry.

ELA7R2.d. Determines word meanings through the use of definition, example, restatement, or contrast.

ELA7R3. The student reads aloud, accurately (in the range of 95%), familiar material in a variety of genres, in a way that makes meaning clear to listeners. The student

ELA7R3.a. Uses letter-sound knowledge to decode written English and uses a range of cueing systems (e.g., phonics and context clues) to determine pronunciation and meaning.

ELA7R3.b. Uses self-correction when subsequent reading indicates an earlier miscue (self-monitoring and self-correcting strategies).

ELA7R3.c. Reads with a rhythm, flow, and meter that sounds like everyday speech (prosody).

GA.ELA7RC. Reading Across the Curriculum

ELA7RC1. The student reads a minimum of 25 grade-level appropriate books or book equivalents (approximately 1,000,000 words) per year from a variety of subject disciplines. The student reads both informational and fictional texts in a variety of genres and modes of discourse, including technical texts related to various subject areas.

ELA7RC2. The student participates in discussions related to curricular learning in all subject areas. The student

ELA7RC2.a. Identifies messages and themes from books in all subject areas.

ELA7RC2.b. Responds to a variety of texts in multiple modes of discourse.

ELA7RC2.c. Relates messages and themes from one subject area to those in another area.

ELA7RC2.d. Evaluates the merits of texts in every subject discipline.

ELA7RC2.e. Examines the author's purpose in writing.

ELA7RC2.f. Recognizes and uses the features of disciplinary texts (e.g., charts, graphs, photos, maps, highlighted vocabulary).

ELA7RC3. The student acquires new vocabulary in each content area and uses it correctly. The student

ELA7RC3.a. Demonstrates an understanding of contextual vocabulary in various subjects.

ELA7RC3.b. Uses content vocabulary in writing and speaking.

ELA7RC3.c. Explores understanding of new words found in subject area texts.

ELA7RC4. The student establishes a context for information acquired by reading across subject areas. The student

ELA7RC4.a. Explores life experiences related to subject area content.

ELA7RC4.b. Discusses in both writing and speaking how certain words and concepts relate to multiple subjects.

ELA7RC4.c. Determines strategies for finding content and contextual meaning for unfamiliar words or concepts.

GA.ELA7W. Writing

ELA7W1. The student produces writing that establishes an appropriate organizational structure, sets a context and engages the reader, maintains a coherent focus throughout, and provides a satisfying closure. The student

ELA7W1.a. Selects a focus, an organizational structure, and a point of view based on purpose, genre expectations, audience, length, and format requirements.

ELA7W1.b. Writes texts of a length appropriate to address the topic or tell the story.

ELA7W1.c. Uses traditional structures for conveying information (e.g., chronological order, cause and effect, similarity and difference, and posing and answering a question).

ELA7W1.d. Uses appropriate structures to ensure coherence (e.g., transition elements).

ELA7W1.e. Supports statements and claims with anecdotes, descriptions, facts and statistics, and specific examples.

ELA7W2. The student demonstrates competence in a variety of genres.

ELA7W2.1. The student produces a narrative (fictional, personal, experiential) that:

ELA7W2.1.a. Engages readers by establishing and developing a plot, setting, and point of view that are appropriate to the story (e.g., varied beginnings, standard plot line, cohesive devices, and a sharpened focus).

ELA7W2.1.b. Creates an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context.

ELA7W2.1.c. Develops characters using standard methods of characterization.

ELA7W2.1.d. Includes sensory details and concrete language to develop plot, setting, and character (e.g., vivid verbs, descriptive adjectives, and varied sentence structures).

ELA7W2.1.e. Excludes extraneous details and inconsistencies.

ELA7W2.1.f. Uses a range of strategies (e.g., suspense, figurative language, dialogue, expanded vocabulary, flashback, movement, gestures, expressions, tone, and mood).

ELA7W2.1.g. Provides a sense of closure to the writing.

ELA7W2.2. The student produces writing (multi-paragraph expository composition such as description, explanation, comparison and contrast, or problem and solution) that:

ELA7W2.2.a. Engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a speaker's voice, and otherwise developing reader interest.

ELA7W2.2.b. Develops a controlling idea that conveys a perspective on the subject.

ELA7W2.2.c. Creates an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context.

ELA7W2.2.d. Develops the topic with supporting details.

ELA7W2.2.e. Excludes extraneous and inappropriate information.

ELA7W2.2.f. Follows an organizational pattern appropriate to the type of composition.

ELA7W2.2.g. Concludes with a detailed summary linked to the purpose of the composition.

ELA7W2.3. The student produces technical writing (business correspondence, memoranda, emails, letters of inquiry, letters of complaint, instructions and procedures, lab reports, slide presentations) that:

ELA7W2.3.a. Creates or follows an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context.

ELA7W2.3.b. Excludes extraneous and inappropriate information.

ELA7W2.3.c. Follows an organizational pattern appropriate to the type of composition.

ELA7W2.3.d. Applies rules of Standard English.

ELA7W2.4. The student produces a response to literature that:

ELA7W2.4.a. Engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a speaker's voice, or otherwise developing reader interest.

ELA7W2.4.b. Demonstrates an understanding of the literary work.

ELA7W2.4.c. Organizes an interpretation around several clear ideas, premises, or images from the original work.

ELA7W2.4.d. Supports a judgment through references to the text and personal knowledge.

ELA7W2.4.e. Justifies interpretations through sustained use of examples and textual evidence from the literary work.

ELA7W2.4.f. Provides a sense of closure to the writing.

ELA7W2.5. The student produces a multi-paragraph persuasive essay that:

ELA7W2.5.a. Engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a speaker's voice, and otherwise developing reader interest.

ELA7W2.5.b. States a clear position or perspective in support of a proposition or proposal.

ELA7W2.5.c. Describes the points in support of the proposition, employing well-articulated, relevant evidence.

ELA7W2.5.d. Excludes information and arguments that are irrelevant.

ELA7W2.5.e. Creates an organizing structure appropriate to a specific purpose, audience, and context.

ELA7W2.5.f. Anticipates and addresses readers' concerns and counter-arguments.

ELA7W2.5.g. Provides a sense of closure to the writing.

ELA7W3. The student uses research and technology to support writing. The student

ELA7W3.a. Identifies topics, asks and evaluates questions, and develops ideas leading to inquiry, investigation, and research.

ELA7W3.b. Gives credit for both quoted and paraphrased information in a bibliography by using a consistent and sanctioned format and methodology for citations.

ELA7W3.c. Includes researched information in different types of products (e.g., compositions, multimedia presentations, graphic organizers, projects, etc.).

ELA7W3.d. Documents sources.

ELA7W3.e. Uses electronic media to locate relevant information.

ELA7W4. The student consistently uses the writing process to develop, revise, and evaluate writing. The student

ELA7W4.a. Plans and drafts independently and resourcefully.

ELA7W4.b. Uses strategies of note taking, outlining, and summarizing to impose structure on composition drafts.

ELA7W4.c. Revises manuscripts to improve the organization and consistency of ideas within and between paragraphs.

ELA7W4.d. Edits writing to improve word choice after checking the precision of the vocabulary.

GA.ELA7C. Conventions

ELA7C1. The student demonstrates understanding and control of the rules of the English language, realizing that usage involves the appropriate application of conventions and grammar in both written and spoken formats. The student

ELA7C1.a. Identifies and writes simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences correctly, punctuating properly, avoiding fragments and run-ons, adding or deleting modifiers, combining or revising sentences.

ELA7C1.b. Identifies and writes correctly punctuated adjective and adverb clauses.

ELA7C1.c. Uses standard subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.

ELA7C1.d. Identifies and uses verb tenses consistently (simple and perfect).

ELA7C1.e. Demonstrates correct usage of comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs.

ELA7C1.f. Demonstrates appropriate comma and semicolon usage (compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences, and split dialogue).

ELA7C1.g. Distinguishes differences in meaning and spelling of commonly confused homonyms.

ELA7C1.h. Produces final drafts/presentations that demonstrate accurate spelling and the correct use of punctuation and capitalization.

GA.ELA7LSV. Listening, Speaking, and Viewing

ELA7LSV1. The student participates in student-to-teacher, student-to-student, and group verbal interactions. The student

ELA7LSV1.a. Initiates new topics in addition to responding to adult-initiated topics.

ELA7LSV1.b. Asks relevant questions.

ELA7LSV1.c. Responds to questions with appropriate information.

ELA7LSV1.d. Confirms understanding by paraphrasing the adult's directions or suggestions.

ELA7LSV1.e. Displays appropriate turn-taking behaviors.

ELA7LSV1.f. Actively solicits another person's comments or opinions.

ELA7LSV1.g. Offers own opinion forcefully without domineering.

ELA7LSV1.h. Responds appropriately to comments and questions.

ELA7LSV1.i. Volunteers contributions and responds when directly solicited by teacher or discussion leader.

ELA7LSV1.j. Gives reasons in support of opinions expressed.

ELA7LSV1.k. Clarifies, illustrates, or expands on a response when asked to do so.

ELA7LSV1.l. Employs a group decision-making technique such as brainstorming or a problem- solving sequence (e.g., recognizes problem, defines problem, identifies possible solutions, selects optimal solution, implements solution, evaluates solution).

ELA7LSV1.m. Develops an outline that highlights the important issues discussed.

ELA7LSV2. The student listens to and views various forms of text and media in order to gather and share information, persuade others, and express and understand ideas. The student will select and critically analyze messages using rubrics as assessment tools.

ELA7LSV2.1. When responding to visual and oral texts and media (e.g., television, radio, film productions, and electronic media), the student:

ELA7LSV2.1.a. Analyzes the effect on the viewer of image, text, and sound in electronic journalism.

ELA7LSV2.1.b. Identifies the techniques used to achieve the effects studied in each instance.

ELA7LSV2.2. When delivering and responding to presentations, the student:

ELA7LSV2.2.a. Gives oral presentations or dramatic interpretations for various purposes.

ELA7LSV2.2.b. Organizes information to achieve particular purposes and to appeal to the background and interests of the audience.

ELA7LSV2.2.c. Shows appropriate changes in delivery (e.g., gestures, vocabulary, pace, visuals).

ELA7LSV2.2.d. Uses language for dramatic effect.

ELA7LSV2.2.e. Uses rubrics as assessment tools.

ELA7LSV2.2.f. Responds to oral communications with questions, challenges, or affirmations.

ELA7LSV2.2.g. Uses multimedia in presentations.