Grade 7 Curriculum

READING/LANGUAGE ARTS: GRADE 7

The strands of instruction for the 7 th grade Reading program at Windham Middle School are intertwined with the State of New Hampshire’s interactive skills and processes outlined in the educational standards of Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Viewing. The main texts used are McDougal Littell’s Language of Literature 2002 and Language Network In addition, the John Collins’ Writing Program is used along with the Rebecca Sitton’s Spelling Sourcebook Series.

The seventh grade English LA. curriculum enables students to:

Promote Initial Understanding of Literary Texts:
Story Design and Structure
Five methods of character development
Exposure to and Exploration of various genre

Analyze and Interpret Literary Text :
Direct Application of Learned Reading strategies
Literary devices
Citing and interpreting evidence
Paraphrasing/Summarizing
Point of View

Understand and Analyze Informational Text:
Text Features
Patterns of organization

Develop Word Identification Skills and Strategies:
Word structure/ Word analysis

Expand Breadth of Vocabulary:
Contextual clues
Synonyms/ Choice selections/ Shades of meaning
 
Expand Knowledge and Demonstrate Command of Language Structure
Grammar
Spelling
Writing

MATH:GRADE 7

Broad goals for grade 7 in the Windham public schools include developing an appropriate math vocabulary, problem solving employing different strategies, using variables accurately and comfortably, thinking about math concepts and discovering the relationships among different sets of numbers.

The grade seventh grade curriculum enables students to:

Problem Solving and Reasoning:

   . Create and solve real life problems efficiently

   . Solve multi-step problems using multiple strategies

   . Use ratio and proportion for problem solving

Communication and Connections:

   . Explain or justify a solution using appropriate math vocabulary

   . Use Rational Numbers as decimals and percents

   .Compute with Integers and understand their use in other curriculums

Numbers and Number Theory:

   . Evaluate multi-step algebraic expressions

   . Solve one step equations

   . Find subsets of Rational and Whole Numbers and how they relate

   . Compute multi-step problems with Integers

Geometry and Measurement:

   . Identify geometric forms and shapes and their properties

   . Calculate Perimeter and Area for Triangles and Quadrilaterals

Data Analysis:

   . Calculate measures of central tendency

   . Create data with given measures of central tendency

   . Prepare and interpret visual presentation of data

Patterns and Functions:

   . Become comfortable in the use and representation of variables

   . To begin to make the transition from concrete numbers to abstract math

PRE-ALGEBRA: GRADE 7

Broad goals for Pre-Algebra in grade 7 in the Windham public schools include developing an appropriate math vocabulary, using variables for problem solving, solving and graphing multi-step equations and inequalities, and understanding the relationships among different sets of numbers.

The Pre-Algebra curriculum enables students to:

Problem Solving and Reasoning:

   . Create and solve real life problems efficiently, using variables

   . Use ratios and proportions for problem solving

Communication and Connections:

   . Explain and justify a solution using appropriate math vocabulary

   . Use Rational Numbers in varied forms

Numbers and Number Theory:

   . Evaluate multi-step algebraic expressions using signed Rational Numbers

   . Solve and graph multi-step equations and inequalities

   . Identify and apply properties of Real Numbers

   . Develop subsets of Rational and Whole Numbers and the relationships among them

Geometry and Measurement:

   . Identify and draw geometric shapes and figures and identify common properties

   . Calculate Perimeter and Area with both numbers and variables

   . Identify and measure angles formed by perpendicular or parallel lines

Data Analysis:

   . Calculate measures of central tendency

   . Create data with given measures of central tendency

Patterns and Functions:

   . Solve and graph linear equations and inequalities

   . Write and evaluate an algebraic expression for a given situation

SOCIAL STUDIES: GRADE 7

Broad goals for Social Studies education in Windham address acquiring the knowledge, concepts, skills, and processes of civics and government, economics, geography, and history.

The Grade 7 Social Studies curriculum enables students to:

Civics and Government
 
Understand the purpose of government and how governments are established and organized through the study of past European and Middle Eastern civilizations.
Understand the specific needs for governmental change, which resulted in the American Revolution and subsequent revolutions in Europe.

 
Economics

Understand how economic systems formed and changed in past civilizations based on the availability of resources, level of technology attained, wants and needs, and transportations systems.
Understand the patterns and results of trade among civilizations in the past, which led to economic interdependence among cultures.

 
Geography

Understand the historic relationships between people and their environments; i.e. how physical geographic features of an area (such as landforms, natural resources, climate, soils, vegetation, wildlife, etc.) have always affected human geographic features (such as economic activities, forms of shelter, modes of transportation and communication, population density, etc.).

 
History

Understand the chronology and significant developments of European and Middle Eastern history from ancient times through the 18 th century, with particular emphasis on how these ideas, institutions, and cultural legacies have directly influenced American thought, culture, and politics.
Develop an ability to analyze and interpret historical data to gain a more balanced understanding and appreciation of history and its uses in contemporary situations.

LIFE SCIENCE: GRADE 7

Broad goals for seventh grade science in Windham Middle School address acquiring the knowledge, concepts, skills, and processes of life science.

Cells: Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of cell structure and function.

   * Identify, label, and define the parts of a cell.

   * See differences between plant and animal cells.

   * Use microscopes and prepare slides to view cells and one celled organisms.

   * Observe microorganisms and illustrate what they see using a microscope.

   * Construct plant and animal slides.

Human Body: Students will have a better understanding of how their body functions through the study of various systems, and how they work together.

   * Identify the four basic types of tissue.

   * Describe the features and functions of the skeletal, muscular, digestive, circulatory, and respiratory systems.

   * Describe human reproduction and development.

   * Compare infectious diseases and chronic disorders.

   * Explain the effects of the use of various drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

   * Have hands-on experiences with computers by integrating technology into the science curriculum.

Viruses and Bacteria: Students will be able to understand how viruses and bacteria impact their lives.

   * Give reasons why viruses are considered to be nonliving.

   * Describe the basic structure of viruses and explain how viruses multiply.

   * Describe ways in which bacterial cells are different from all other organisms’ cells.

   * List positive roles that bacteria play in people s lives.

   * Understand how infectious diseases are spread from person to person.

   * Explain some ways in which infectious diseases can be treated or prevented.

   * Utilize computers and technology to research infectious diseases and create a brochure.

   * Have hands-on experiences growing and observing bacteria on Petri dishes.

WORLD LANGUAGES FRENCH/SPANISH: GRADE 7

Classes meet daily as a regular academic class. Students must select one language at this time. Students who did not select a language in Grade 6 may begin their language program in Grade 7. (Please note: Because the 7 th and 8 th grade program together form the equivalent of a traditional high school French I or Spanish I course, students will not be able to begin a world language in Gr. 8.)

Broad goals for World Languages: Students will learn to speak, read, write, and understand vocabulary involving the topics listed below, as well as basic grammar usage and formations. Students will also deepen their cultural awareness of the countries in which their world language is spoken.
Vocabulary
Review/expansion/mastery of previously learned vocabulary
Food and beverages
Places in the community
Sports
Classroom supplies
School subjects
Rooms in a house
Things in a bedroom
Grammar
Verbs – present tense – regular and irregular verb forms
Verbs – future (forms of “go” and infinitive)
Interrogative forms
Subject pronouns
Adjectives
Prepositions
Adverbs
Culture
Geography
Holidays
Traditions
General way of life in countries that use the World Language

ILS- INTERGRATED LEARNING SKILLS: GRADE 7

Technology – each student is assigned a user name and password. Students are able to access any of the PC’s in the classrooms, library, and computer lab.

Broad goals for ILS: Students will learn a variety of computer skills and integrate them into the 7 th grade curriculum to create computer projects. All projects are completed in class and no homework is given

Microsoft Word – Typing skills & letter writing

Microsoft Excel - Spreadsheets

Microsoft Access - Database

Microsoft Publisher – Brochures, Newsletters, Business cards, Catalogs, Letterheads, Advertisements

Hyper Studio – Animation projects

Power Point Presentations

Internet Activities- researching using search engines, web quests
WebPages – using FrontPage & Publisher

Digital Photography techniques

Requirements
All projects are done in class.
No Homework.
If a student cannot finish the project by the due date they must work on the project during study or make arrangements to stay after school.
Students use a project grade sheet to check their work before signing off on an assignment that is to be graded.
Project grade sheets will be kept in a folder and folders will be sent home periodically for parents to sign.
Not all projects will be printed and sent home.