English Language Arts

Choose among simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences to signal differing relationships among ideas.

Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Spell correctly.

Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy

Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Use the relationship between particular words (e.g. synonym/antonym, analogy) to better understand each of the words.

Acquire and use accurately grade‐appropriate general academic and domain‐specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

Determine the author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others.

Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims.

Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).

Analyze how a drama or poem's form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning.

Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a film).

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one‐on‐one, in groups, and teacher‐led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Follow rules for collegial discussions, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.

Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify their own views.

Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims,. evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.

Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented.

Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.

Establish and maintain a formal style.

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well‐structured event sequences.

Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.

Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history").