Grade 07 ELA - Standard: CC.1.5.7.A

Continuum of Activities

The list below represents a continuum of activities: resources categorized by Standard/Eligible Content that teachers may use to move students toward proficiency. Using LEA curriculum and available materials and resources, teachers can customize the activity statements/questions for classroom use.

This continuum of activities offers:

Instructional activities designed to be integrated into planned lessons
Questions/activities that grow in complexity
Opportunities for differentiation for each student’s level of performance

Grade Levels

7th Grade

Course, Subject

English Language Arts

Related Academic Standards / Eligible Content

CC.1.5.7.A CC.1.5.7.A

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, on grade-level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Activities

What is your opinion of a topic, text, or issue?
Why might your opinion of a topic, text, or issue be different from others in the room?

After a particular period of reading, student should create a memory box in which they write down everything they can remember from the reading. Then, they should compare their list with one peer and “take” one of their ideas to compare understanding.

Play a debate game in class using questions related to a topic, text, or issue. Pose a statement and ask students to move to corners of the room demonstrating their belief on the topic, text, or issue. Designate one corner, “agree”; another corner, “strongly agree”; another corner, “disagree”; and a final corner, “strongly disagree”. Student can position themselves in the appropriate corner or in any variation of agreement/disagreement or neutrality.

Answer Key/Rubric

Student will state their opinion of a topic, text, or issue either out loud or in a short written response that they can share with the class. This answer will vary depending on student and task.
Student will acknowledge that others may have a different opinion based on background, experience, or beliefs. A discussion should be explored in which students are made aware that there are no “right” answers and that everyone is entitled to their opinions. As classroom culture develops, this will become easier but a mutually respectful environment should be fostered from the very beginning of class.
Student will write down a few points they remember from a text or topic in a box on a piece of paper. Student will then find one peer to share this with and each student will “take” one memory from each other. This can be extended to more than one peer. In the discussion, students should be expected to follow collegial discussions and to listen to each other attentively.
Student will carefully consider the statement related to a text, topic, or issue and then position themselves physically in the appropriate spot in the room. Then, students can share their beliefs while the rest of the class listens attentively and respectfully. All students who wish to share can do so but none should be forced to speak up in the debate. Although they may not be speaking up, they are engaged in an internal dialogue and are listening attentively to alternative viewpoints. Questions can vary depending on text, topic, or issue. Rules of collegial discussion should be reviewed prior to playing the game and should students get off track, they should be redirected appropriately.