Maryland State Standards for Language Arts: Grade 7

MD.1.0. General Reading Processes: Fluency: Students will read orally with accuracy and expression at a rate that sounds like speech.

1.C.1. Fluency: Read orally at an appropriate rate

1.C.1.a. Read familiar text at a rate that is conversational and consistent

1.C.2. Fluency: Read grade-level text with both high accuracy and appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression

1.C.2.a. Apply knowledge of word structures and patterns to read with automaticity

1.C.2.b.1. Demonstrate appropriate use of phrasing: Attend to sentence patterns and structures that signal meaning in text

1.C.2.b.2. Demonstrate appropriate use of phrasing: Adjust intonation and pitch (rise and fall of spoken voice) appropriately

1.C.2.b.3. Demonstrate appropriate use of phrasing: Use punctuation cues to guide meaning and expression

1.C.2.b.4. Demonstrate appropriate use of phrasing: Use pacing and intonation (emphasis on certain words) to convey meaning and expression

1.C.2.c. Increase sight words read fluently

1.D.1. Vocabulary: Develop and apply vocabulary through exposure to a variety of texts

1.D.1.a. Acquire new vocabulary through listening to, independently reading, and discussing a variety of literary and informational texts

1.D.1.b. Discuss words and word meanings daily as they are encountered in text, instruction, and conversation

1.D.2. Vocabulary: Apply a conceptual understanding of new words

1.D.2.a. Classify and categorize increasingly complex words into sets and groups

1.D.2.b. Explain relationships between and among words

1.D.3. Vocabulary: Understand, acquire, and use new vocabulary

1.D.3.a. Use context to determine the meanings of words

1.D.3.b. Use word structure to determine the meaning of words

1.D.3.c. Use resources to confirm definitions and gather further information about words

1.D.3.d. Use new vocabulary in speaking and writing to gain and extend content knowledge and clarify expression

1.E.1. General Reading Comprehension: Apply comprehension skills through exposure to a variety of texts, including traditional print and electronic texts

1.E.1.a. Listen to critically, read, and discuss texts representing diversity in content, culture, authorship, and perspective, including areas, such as race, gender, disability, religion, and socio-economic background

1.E.1.b. Read a minimum of 25 self-selected and/or assigned books or book equivalents representing various genres

1.E.1.c. Discuss reactions to and ideas/information gained from reading experiences with adults and peers in both formal and informal situations

1.E.2. General Reading Comprehension: Use strategies to prepare for reading (before reading)

1.E.2.a. Select and apply appropriate strategies to prepare for reading the text

1.E.3. General Reading Comprehension: Use strategies to make meaning from text (during reading)

1.E.3.a. Select and apply appropriate strategies to make meaning from text during reading

1.E.4. General Reading Comprehension: Use strategies to demonstrate understanding of the text (after reading)

1.E.4.a. Identify and explain the main idea

1.E.4.b. Identify and explain information directly stated in the text

1.E.4.c. Draw inferences and/or conclusions and make generalizations

1.E.4.d. Confirm, refute, or make predictions and form new ideas

1.E.4.e. Summarize or paraphrase

1.E.4.f. Connect the text to prior knowledge or personal experience

MD.2.0. Comprehension of Informational Text: Students will read, comprehend, interpret, analyze, and evaluate informational text.

2.A.1. Comprehension of Informational Text: Apply comprehension skills by selecting, reading, and interpreting a variety of print and electronic informational texts

2.A.1.a. Read, use, and identify the characteristics of primary and secondary sources of academic information

2.A.1.b. Read, use, and identify the characteristics of workplace and other real-world documents

2.A.1.c. Select and read to gain information from personal interest materials, such as books, magazines, cookbooks, catalogs, web sites, and other online materials

2.A.2. Comprehension of Informational Text: Analyze text features to facilitate understanding of informational texts

2.A.2.a. Analyze print features that contribute to meaning

2.A.2.b. Analyze graphic aids that contribute to meaning

2.A.2.c. Analyze informational aids that contribute to meaning

2.A.2.d. Analyze organizational aids that contribute to meaning

2.A.2.e. Analyze online features that contribute to meaning

2.A.2.f. Analyze the relationship between the text features and the content of the text as a whole

2.A.3. Comprehension of Informational Text: Apply knowledge of organizational patterns of informational text to facilitate understanding

2.A.3.a. Analyze the organizational patterns of texts

2.A.3.b. Analyze the contribution of the organizational pattern

2.A.3.c. Use organizational pattern to locate specific information

2.A.4. Comprehension of Informational Text: Analyze important ideas and messages in informational text

2.A.4.a. Identify and explain the author's/text's purpose and intended audience

2.A.4.b. Identify and explain the author's argument, viewpoint, or perspective

2.A.4.c. State and support main ideas and messages

2.A.4.d. Summarize or paraphrase

2.A.4.e. Identify and explain information not related to the main idea

2.A.4.f. Explain relationships between and among ideas

2.A.4.g. Synthesize ideas from text

2.A.4.h. Distinguish between a fact and an opinion

2.A.4.i. Explain how someone might use the text

2.A.4.j. Connect the text to prior knowledge or experience

2.A.5. Comprehension of Informational Text: Analyze purposeful use of language

2.A.5.a. Analyze specific word choice that contributes to the meaning and/or creates style

2.A.5.b. Analyze specific language choices to determine tone

2.A.5.c. Analyze repetition and variation of specific words and phrases that contribute to meaning

2.A.6. Comprehension of Informational Text: Read critically to evaluate informational text

2.A.6.a. Analyze the extent to which the text fulfills the reading purpose

2.A.6.b. Analyze the extent to which the structure and features of the text clarify the purpose and the information

2.A.6.c. Analyze the text and its information for reliability

2.A.6.d. Analyze the author's argument or position for clarity and/or bias

2.A.6.e. Analyze additional information that would clarify or strengthen the author's argument or viewpoint

2.A.6.f. Analyze language and other techniques intended to persuade the reader

MD.3.0. Comprehension of Literary Text: Students will read, comprehend, interpret, analyze, and evaluate literary texts.

3.A.1. Comprehension of Literary Text: Apply comprehension skills by reading and analyzing a variety of self-selected and assigned literary texts

3.A.1.a. Listen to critically, read, and discuss a variety of literary texts representing diverse cultures, perspectives, ethnicities, and time periods

3.A.1.b. Listen to critically, read, and discuss a variety of literary forms and genres

3.A.2. Comprehension of Literary Text: Analyze text features to facilitate understanding of literary texts

3.A.2.a. Analyze text features that contribute to meaning

3.A.3. Comprehension of Literary Text: Analyze elements of narrative texts to facilitate understanding and interpretation

3.A.3.a. Distinguish among types of narrative texts

3.A.3.b. Analyze the conflict and the events of the plot

3.A.3.c. Analyze details that provide information about the setting, the mood created by the setting, and ways in which the setting affects characters

3.A.3.d. Analyze characterization

3.A.3.e. Analyze relationships between and among characters, settings and events

3.A.3.f. Analyze the actions of characters that serve to advance the plot

3.A.3.g. Analyze conflicts that motivate characters and those that advance the plot

3.A.3.h. Analyze the author's approach to issues of time in a narrative

3.A.3.i. Analyze the point of view

3.A.3.j. Analyze the interactions among narrative elements and their contribution to meaning

3.A.4. Comprehension of Literary Text: Analyze elements of poetry to facilitate understanding and interpretation

3.A.4.a. Use structural features to distinguish among types of poetry

3.A.4.b. Analyze language and structural features to determine meaning

3.A.4.c. Analyze sound elements of poetry that contribute to meaning

3.A.4.d. Analyze other poetic elements, such as setting, mood, tone, etc. that contribute to meaning

3.A.5. Comprehension of Literary Text: Analyze elements of drama to facilitate understanding and interpretation

3.A.5.a. Use structural features to distinguish among types of plays

3.A.5.b. Analyze the action of individual scenes and acts and its relationship to the plot

3.A.5.c. Analyze how stage directions affect dialogue, characters, and plot

3.A.6. Comprehension of Literary Text: Analyze important ideas and messages in literary texts

3.A.6.a. Analyze main ideas and universal themes

3.A.6.b. Analyze similar themes across multiple texts

3.A.6.c. Summarize or paraphrase

3.A.6.d. Reflect on and explain personal connections to the text

3.A.6.e. Explain the implications of the text for the reader and/or society

3.A.7. Comprehension of Literary Text: Analyze the author's purposeful use of language

3.A.7.a. Analyze how specific language choices contribute to meaning and create style

3.A.7.b. Analyze language choices that create tone

3.A.7.c. Analyze figurative language that contributes to meaning and/or creates style

3.A.7.d. Analyze imagery that contributes to meaning and/or creates style

3.A.7.e. Analyze elements of style and their contribution to meaning

3.A.8. Comprehension of Literary Text: Read critically to evaluate literary texts

3.A.8.a. Analyze the plausibility of the plot and the credibility of the characters

3.A.8.b. Analyze the extent to which the text contains ambiguities, subtleties, or contradictions

3.A.8.c. Analyze the relationship between a literary text and its historical and/or social context

3.A.8.d. Analyze the relationship between the structure and the purpose of the text

MD.4.0. Writing: Students will compose in a variety of modes by developing content, employing specific forms, and selecting language appropriate for a particular audience and purpose.

4.A.1. Writing: Compose texts using the prewriting and drafting strategies of effective writers and speakers

4.A.1.a.1. Use a variety of self-selected prewriting strategies to generate, select, narrow, and develop ideas: Evaluate topics for personal relevance, scope, and feasibility

4.A.1.a.2. Use a variety of self-selected prewriting strategies to generate, select, narrow, and develop ideas: Begin a coherent plan for developing ideas

4.A.1.a.3. Use a variety of self-selected prewriting strategies to generate, select, narrow, and develop ideas: Explore and evaluate relevant sources of information

4.A.1.b.1. Select, organize, and develop ideas appropriate to topic, audience, and purpose: Organize information logically

4.A.1.b.2. Select, organize, and develop ideas appropriate to topic, audience, and purpose: Use techniques, such as graphic organizers and signal words to complete and clarify organizational structures

4.A.1.b.3. Select, organize, and develop ideas appropriate to topic, audience, and purpose: Verify the effectiveness of paragraph development by modifying topic, support and concluding sentences as necessary

4.A.2. Writing: Compose oral, written, and visual presentations that express personal ideas, inform, and persuade

4.A.2.a. Compose to express personal ideas by experimenting with a variety of forms and techniques suited to topic, audience, and purpose in order to develop a personal style and a clear, intentional, and consistent voice and tone

4.A.2.b. Describe in prose and/or poetic forms to clarify, extend, or elaborate on ideas by using evocative language and appropriate organizational structure to create a dominant impression

4.A.2.c. Compose to inform using relevant support and a variety of appropriate organizational structures and signal words within and between paragraphs

4.A.2.d.1. Compose to persuade by supporting, modifying, or disagreeing with a position, using effective rhetorical strategies: Write an assertion and use evidence that appeals to audience emotion, reasoning, or trust

4.A.2.d.2. Compose to persuade by supporting, modifying, or disagreeing with a position, using effective rhetorical strategies: Organize ideas to construct a logical progression

4.A.2.d.3. Compose to persuade by supporting, modifying, or disagreeing with a position, using effective rhetorical strategies: Use connotation, repetition, parallelism, and figurative language to control audience emotion and reaction

4.A.2.d.4. Compose to persuade by supporting, modifying, or disagreeing with a position, using effective rhetorical strategies: Use diction and syntax that is sincere, honest, and trustworthy

4.A.2.d.5. Compose to persuade by supporting, modifying, or disagreeing with a position, using effective rhetorical strategies: Use authoritative citations when effective and document appropriately

4.A.2.e. Use writing-to-learn strategies, such as reflective and metacognitive writing, to set goals, make discoveries, and make connections among learned ideas

4.A.2.f. Manage time and process when writing for a given purpose

4.A.3. Writing: Compose texts using the revising and editing strategies of effective writers and speakers

4.A.3.a.1. Revise texts for clarity, completeness, and effectiveness: Vary sentence types and lengths to clarify and extend meaning and to develop style

4.A.3.a.2. Revise texts for clarity, completeness, and effectiveness: Clarify meaning through the placement of antecedents, modifiers, connectors, and transitional devices

4.A.3.a.3. Revise texts for clarity, completeness, and effectiveness: Eliminate redundant and irrelevant words and ideas

4.A.3.a.4. Revise texts for clarity, completeness, and effectiveness: Clarify the relationships among ideas through coordination and subordination that are purposeful, logical, succinct, and balanced

4.A.3.a.5. Revise texts for clarity, completeness, and effectiveness: Clarify meaning and purpose by using active voice and consistent person, number, tense, and mood

4.A.3.b. Use suitable traditional and electronic resources to refine presentations and edit texts for effective and appropriate use of language and conventions, such as capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and pronunciation (Dictionary; Style book; Peer edit; Thesaurus; Grammar checker; Self edit; Language handbook; Spell checker)

4.A.3.c. Prepare the final product for presentation to an audience

4.A.4. Writing: Identify how language choices in writing and speaking affect thoughts and feelings

4.A.4.a. Use precise word choice, formal to informal, based on audience, situation, or purpose

4.A.4.b. Make effective decisions regarding word choice according to connotative and denotative meanings

4.A.4.c. Consider how readers or listeners might respond differently to the same words

4.A.5. Writing: Assess the effectiveness of choice of details, organizational pattern, word choice, syntax, use of figurative language, and rhetorical devices in the student's own composing

4.A.5.a.1. Assess the effectiveness of diction that reveals his or her purpose: Language appropriate for a particular audience

4.A.5.a.2. Assess the effectiveness of diction that reveals his or her purpose: Language suitable for a given purpose

4.A.5.a.3. Assess the effectiveness of diction that reveals his or her purpose: Words/phrases/sentences that extend meaning in a given context

4.A.5.b. Explain how the specific language and expression used by the writer or speaker affects reader/listener response

4.A.5.c. Evaluate the use of transitions in a text

4.A.6. Writing: Evaluate textual changes in a work and explain how these changes alter tone, clarify meaning, address a particular audience, or fulfill a purpose

4.A.6.a. Alter the tone of one's own writing by revising its diction for a specific purpose and/or audience

4.A.6.b. Justify revisions in syntax and diction from a previous draft of his or her same text by explaining how the change affects meaning

4.A.7. Writing: Locate, retrieve, and use information from various sources to accomplish a purpose

4.A.7.a. Identify, evaluate, and use sources of information on a self-selected and/or given topic

4.A.7.b. Use various information retrieval sources (traditional and/or electronic) to obtain information on a self-selected and/or given topic

4.A.7.c.1. Use appropriate note taking procedures, organizational strategies, and proper documentation of sources of information: Appropriate strategies for taking notes

4.A.7.c.2. Use appropriate note taking procedures, organizational strategies, and proper documentation of sources of information: Appropriate strategies for organizing source information or notes

4.A.7.c.3. Use appropriate note taking procedures, organizational strategies, and proper documentation of sources of information: Information to include or exclude when using a note taking method

4.A.7.c.4. Use appropriate note taking procedures, organizational strategies, and proper documentation of sources of information: Advantages, disadvantages, or limitations of a given strategy or procedure for recording or organizing information

4.A.7.c.5. Use appropriate note taking procedures, organizational strategies, and proper documentation of sources of information: Advantages, disadvantages, or limitations of sources of information, such as bias, accuracy, availability, variety, currency

4.A.7.c.6. Use appropriate note taking procedures, organizational strategies, and proper documentation of sources of information: Use a recognized format for documentation, such as MLA

4.A.7.d. Synthesize information from two or more sources to fulfill a self-selected or given purpose

4.A.7.e. Use a recognized format to credit sources when paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting to avoid plagiarism

MD.5.0. Controlling Language: Students will control language by applying the conventions of Standard English in speaking and writing.

5.A.1. Grammar: Recognize elements of grammar in personal and academic reading

5.A.2. Grammar: Apply knowledge of grammar concepts and skills to control oral and written language

5.A.2.a. Consider the meaning, position, form, and function of words when identifying and using grammatical concepts, such as verbal and verbal phrases (gerunds, participles, and infinitives), reflexive and intensive pronouns, progressive forms of verbs, and active and passive voice

5.A.2.b. Combine and expand sentences by incorporating subjects, predicates, and modifiers and by logically coordinating, subordinating, and sequencing ideas

5.A.2.c. Differentiate grammatically complete sentences from non-sentences, including comma splices

5.A.2.d. Compose simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences using independent, dependent, restrictive, and nonrestrictive clauses; transitions; conjunctions; and appropriate punctuation to connect ideas

5.B.1. Usage: Recognize examples of conventional usage in personal and academic reading

5.B.2. Usage: Comprehend and apply standard English usage in oral and written language

5.B.2.a. Apply appropriate subject/verb agreement, such as agreement involving words of amount, time, and money

5.B.2.b. Apply consistent and appropriate use of the person, number, and case of pronouns; pronoun/antecedent agreement; special pronoun problems, such as who -whom, and incomplete constructions; active and passive voice; and verbal and verbal phrases

5.B.2.c. Recognize and correct common usage errors, such as misplaced and dangling modifiers; incorrect use of verbs, double negatives; and commonly confused words, such as accept - except

5.B.2.d. Use available resources to correct or confirm editorial choices

5.B.2.e. Explain editorial choices

5.C.1. Mechanics: Explain and justify the purpose of mechanics to make and clarify meaning in academic and personal reading and writing

5.C.2. Mechanics: Apply standard English punctuation and capitalization in written language

5.C.2.a. Use commas and semicolons correctly, such as in a compound sentence joined by a conjunctive adverb

5.C.2.b. Use an apostrophe to designate possession with indefinite pronouns and adjectives

5.C.2.c. Use the mechanics of writing correctly

5.C.2.d. Use a colon to introduce a list

5.C.3. Mechanics: Explain editorial choices involving mechanics

5.D.1. Spelling: Recognize conventional spelling in and through personal and academic reading

5.D.2. Spelling: Apply conventional spelling in written language

5.D.2.a. Use conventional spelling in personal writing

5.D.2.b. Develop self-monitoring strategies for frequently misspelled words

5.D.2.c. Use suitable traditional and electronic resources as a spelling aid

5.D.3. Spelling: Maintain a personal list of words to use in editing original writing

5.E.1. Handwriting: Produce writing that is legible to the audience

5.E.1.a. Write fluidly and legibly in both manuscript and cursive

5.E.1.b. Use word processing technology when appropriate

MD.6.0. Listening: Students will demonstrate effective listening to learn, process, and analyze information.

6.A.1. Listening: Apply and demonstrate listening skills appropriately in a variety of settings and for a variety of purposes

6.A.1.a. Use criteria to evaluate oral presentations, such as purpose, delivery techniques, content, visual aids, body language and facial expressions

6.A.1.b. Gather information from listening to a speaker

6.A.1.c. Use memory techniques for various listening tasks

6.A.2. Listening: Apply comprehension and literary analysis strategies and skills for a variety of listening purposes and settings

6.A.2.a. Ask relevant questions concerning the speaker's content, delivery, and purpose

6.A.2.b. Determine a speaker's purpose and viewpoint

6.A.2.c. Interpret the speech or performance or presentation

6.A.2.d. Make inferences or draw conclusions based on the presentation

6.A.2.e. Provide constructive feedback to speakers concerning the coherence and logic of a speech's content and delivery as well as its overall impact upon the listeners

MD.7.0. Speaking: Student will communicate effectively in a variety of situations with different audiences, purposes, and formats.

7.A.1. Speaking: Demonstrate appropriate organizational strategies and delivery techniques to plan for a variety of oral presentation purposes

7.A.1.a. Select the purpose and format for an oral presentation

7.A.1.b. Evaluate the needs and perspectives of the audience

7.A.1.c. Anticipate and effectively answer listener concerns and counter arguments through the inclusion and arrangement of details, reasons, examples, and other elements

7.A.1.d. Use a variety of organization structures, such as narrative, cause and effect, chronological order, description, main idea and detail, problem/solution, question/answer, comparison and contrast, and contrast that are appropriate to the purpose and topic