Seventh Grade - ELA
1: Semester 1
Unit 1: The Pearl
Lesson 1
Steinbeck
Students are given a targeted vocabulary activity with definitions and example sentences for domain-relevant words (covey, incandescence, almsgiver, subjugation, consecrated, clamber, intercession, petulant) and are directed to write their own sentences using each word. Students are instructed to pay attention to each word's part of speech and to use the words correctly in their sentences. Students research John Steinbeck using provided links and answer directed questions about his life and themes, producing written responses about the topic.
Lesson 2
The Scorpion
Students record descriptive phrases from The Pearl and note Steinbeck's strong verbs and vivid adjectives in their journals. Students label noun phrases, verb phrases, nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs using laminated parts-of-speech cards or drawn symbols. Students are asked to give an example of a verb phrase and explain what is and is not included, demonstrating use of domain-specific grammatical vocabulary.
Lesson 3
The Pearl
Students analyze and record Steinbeck's strong verbs and vivid adjectives from Chapter 2 using a Verbs and Adjectives chart. Students practice choosing precise verbs and adjectives through comparison examples (e.g., "The girl ate her lunch." vs. "The girl gobbled down her lunch.") and then use that language in a creative product (a drawing or poem) based on the ocean-floor description. The editing activity also has students correct word choices and forms in sentences.
Lesson 4
Related Research
The Parent Plan skills list explicitly instructs students to "Choose language that is precise, engaging, and well suited to the topic and audience." The lesson asks students to "Review the definitions of the vocabulary words taken from the novel," and to produce a travel brochure or a one-page script and oral presentation about pearl diving, activities that require informational language. Students are also asked to use at least one book as a reference and to organize information for a particular purpose, which supports selecting topic-appropriate words.
Lesson 5
Songs
Students are asked to "Review the vocabulary words for the story," which requires attention to word meaning. Students complete an editing-sentences activity that has them choose correct words and punctuation. The Stylistic Devices Log and the Songs activity require students to select language (similes, metaphors, imagery, alliteration) and compose lines that reflect culture and mood.
Lesson 6
For Sale
Students identify and label grammatical terms such as prepositional phrases and appositive phrases, marking their function (adjective vs. adverb) and practicing correct punctuation in original sentences. Students practice literary vocabulary by listing stylistic devices, brainstorming symbolism for the pearl, and answering comprehension questions in complete sentences that require use of terms like symbol, imagery, and mood. The activities require students to write their own sentences that include appositives and prepositional phrases, demonstrating some use of precise grammatical language in their writing.
Lesson 7
The Attack
Students are directed to "Review your vocabulary words for this unit," which requires them to identify and recall domain-related words. Students correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation in the Editing Sentences activity, practicing precise conventional language. Students add sentences and phrases to a stylistic device log and develop four discussion questions with answers, which require attention to phrasing and clarity when composing questions and responses.
Lesson 8
Escape
The lesson explicitly defines verbal phrases and the three types (gerund, infinitive, participial) and lists skills to identify, use, and understand infinitives and participles. Student activities require underlining and labeling verbal phrases, marking their function (noun/adjective/adverb), and writing original sentences that contain a participial phrase and an infinitive phrase. Students are also asked to answer reading questions in complete sentences and to add examples of stylistic devices from the final chapter to a log.
Lesson 9
Parables
Students are asked to identify and mark appositive, prepositional, and verbal phrases in sentences (Activity 1) and to label how verbal phrases function, demonstrating use of grammatical terminology. The lesson provides a grammar chart that defines phrase types and gives examples, which students can study and copy to reinforce domain-specific vocabulary about parts of speech. Parent prompts ask the child to explain vocabulary words or use each one correctly in a sentence, and students are asked to explain the lesson of each parable orally to a parent or audience.
Lesson 10
Writing a Parable
The rubric explicitly assesses Voice/Word Choice and asks for a variety of stylistic devices (similes, metaphors, figurative language, lively verbs), which requires students to select vivid and precise words. The Parent Plan and Skills list instruct students to "experiment with figurative language and speech patterns" and to use dialogue and naming of specific narrative action, indicating practice with deliberate word choices. The editing and revising activity (proofreading symbols and a Handy Guide to Writing) asks students to refine wording and conventions, supporting attention to precise language.
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students complete a vocabulary exercise (Part A) that requires them to choose words from a vocabulary bank (covey, incandescent, almsgiver, subjugation, consecrated, clamber, intercession, petulant) and place them in context. Students identify grammatical constructions in Part C by labeling underlined phrases as appositive, gerund, infinitive, or participial and naming their functions, using domain-specific grammatical terminology. Students answer short-answer questions (Part D) about how Kino changes and what the pearl symbolizes and create a 2-minute script or a speech task that asks them to summarize or defend/prosecute a character, which asks for explanatory or argumentative language use.
Unit 2: A Girl Named Disaster
Lesson 1
Nhamo
Students are assigned the role of Cultural Commentator and asked to record customs, homes, clothing, beliefs, food, and other cultural elements from the first four chapters, which requires describing cultural features. The Southeastern Africa map activity asks students to locate and label Mozambique, Lake Cabora Bassa, the Zambezi River, the Mozambique Channel, bordering countries, and the Indian Ocean, requiring use of geographic terms. The Mozambique Quilt and Mozambique Trivia options require students to represent and/or write questions and answers about dress, traditions, food, animals, plants, geography, religion, jobs, government, economics, health, and education, prompting use of domain-related vocabulary.
Lesson 2
Sickness
The Skills section explicitly states students will "understand new vocabulary and use it when reading and writing." The Vocabulary Picture Dictionary activity has students place each target word, draw a visual symbol, glue the definition and the sentence from the book, and write their own sentences using the words. The Things to Know and Wrapping Up sections present domain-specific content (e.g., cholera and how it spreads) that students can record when they take on the Investigator role and write background information in a journal.
Lesson 3
A Visit with the Muvuki
The lesson explicitly names and defines domain-specific terms for the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading) and asks students to identify and review these parts. Students are asked to write about writing in a timed freewriting and to reflect on which parts of the writing process they find easy or difficult. The parent/teacher prompts also instruct students to discuss the meaning of an author's quotation about practice and the writing process.
Lesson 6
Abandoned Farm
Students read and review a Personal Narrative Rubric that explicitly asks for "vivid words and phrases, including interesting adjectives and strong verbs" and assesses "Word Choice." Students plan and draft a personal narrative using activities that prompt use of voice, figurative language, and vivid description (5 W's chart, story elements organizer, and journal line-locator tasks). Students are asked to produce well-developed dialogue and descriptions, which requires selecting precise and vivid vocabulary for storytelling.
Lesson 7
Baboons
Students are asked to research baboons and write an 8–10 sentence museum plaque that 'educate[s] museum patrons on how baboons live and interact in the wild,' which requires gathering factual information. Students can also create a guidebook by selecting five animals from a list and writing 1–2 sentences about each, providing opportunities to include specific information about each species. The Student Activity Page includes partial scientific labeling (e.g., 'us Papio'), suggesting inclusion of domain names or taxonomy in their product.
Lesson 8
Survival
The Skills section instructs students to choose language that is precise, engaging, and well suited to the topic and audience. Drafting tips tell students to use sensory details, avoid "boring words," and use a thesaurus to find synonyms for adjectives and verbs. The lesson defines the domain-specific term "calabash" and has students draw, decorate, and discuss calabashes, exposing them to a concrete technical term related to the topic.
Lesson 9
The Leopard
The Skills section instructs students to "revise drafts to ensure precise word choice" and to choose language that is "precise, engaging, and well suited to the topic and audience." The Revision activity explicitly directs students to focus on improving word choice and transitions and offers a checklist that includes "use of figurative language and strong verbs." Students are also assigned to continue drafting a personal narrative and to use a revision checklist (created from the rubric or provided) to improve organization, content, and style, including word choice.
Lesson 10
A Rude Awakening
Students are asked to "review the vocabulary words from the book," and they are prompted to write a 4–6 sentence postcard explaining what Nhamo endured, how she survived, and how she changed. Students must create storyboard sentences that describe actions and "make sure the scenes accurately reflect the culture of Nhamo's village, the geography of the land, and Nhamo's struggle for survival," which requires selecting language about specific topics. The Dialogue Designer and postcard tasks require writing focused, informative text about events from specific chapters.
Lesson 11
Out with the Old
Students read and use an "Editing Symbols and Abbreviations" sheet and are instructed to mark errors on their papers using those symbols (Activity 5 and Activity 6). Students use a spelling checker and are guided to read carefully for correctly spelled but wrong words (Activity 4). Students focus on sentence-level precision by checking for fragments, run-ons, verb problems, and punctuation related to dialogue (Activity 6).
Lesson 12
A New Beginning
The Student Activity Page includes a Word Box with vocabulary words (belligerently, sated, protruding, profound, riveted, precarious, pariah, constrict) and three sentences for students to complete using those words. The plan tells students to "review all the vocabulary words you have learned, making sure you know their definitions and that you can use them effectively in a sentence." Part III of the activity asks students to identify the four parts of the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading) and to describe techniques like freewriting or idea webs, introducing domain-specific terminology related to writing.
Unit 3: The Hobbit
Lesson 1
Bilbo Baggins
The lesson provides a vocabulary list with definitions, parts of speech, synonyms and antonyms for words (flummoxed, audacious, inquisitive, etc.). Students make vocabulary cards and build a "Vocabulary Cube" whose faces include tasks such as "RECITE THE DEFINITION," "NAME THE PART OF SPEECH," "NAME A SYNONYM OR ANTONYM," and "USE CORRECTLY IN A SENTENCE." The skills section explicitly states students will "extend vocabulary knowledge by learning and using new words," and the activities require students to read words aloud, judge correct usage, and use words in sentences during the game.
Lesson 2
Trolls
Students are asked to write five interview questions for J.R.R. Tolkien and to explain the reasoning for each question, which requires them to compose informational questions and supporting explanations. Students must write a sentence characterizing Gandalf, with suggested descriptive words provided, prompting word choice. The lesson directs students to "Review your vocabulary words" and includes an editing activity where students correct word choice and spelling in given sentences.
Lesson 3
The Elves
The lesson defines and practices domain-specific vocabulary such as "foreshadowing," "flashback," "independent clause," and the coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS). Students are asked to find and record examples of foreshadowing on a chart, read examples aloud to a parent, and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences. The Student Activity Page requires students to combine independent clauses with commas and coordinating conjunctions and to name the seven coordinating conjunctions.
Lesson 4
Gollum
Students are asked to use a thesaurus to find synonyms and alternate word choices (Skills: "Use a thesaurus to alternate word choices" and Activity 2 directions). Students complete a brief written description of chapter events and create riddles, using synonym charts and guided figurative-language labels (simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification) to choose words. The "Things to Know" and student pages present domain-specific terms such as "runes," "runic alphabets," and vocabulary review prompts that students can reference.
Lesson 6
Skin-Changer
Students are asked to write a descriptive paragraph about a new Middle-earth race explaining human characteristics, animal characteristics, and special abilities, which requires them to choose words to describe features and powers. The lesson tells students to review the vocabulary words for the book and the "Things to Know" section, directing attention to relevant terms from the text. The parent guidance also instructs the checker to ensure the student used figurative language techniques in the description, encouraging attention to specific word choices for effect.
Lesson 7
Spiders
The lesson explicitly defines dependent and independent clauses and lists subordinating conjunctions (Things to Know; Activity 1). The Parent Plan skills state students will identify, use, and understand subordinating conjunctions and correctly use dependent and independent clauses. Students are asked to combine independent clauses into complex sentences and to write a short sentence about the chapter's events and record an example of foreshadowing.
Lesson 8
Elvenking
Students are asked to edit sentences for grammar, spelling, and punctuation (Activity 1), which practices choosing precise word forms and correct usage. The lesson directs students to "review vocabulary words" and to memorize the seven coordinating conjunctions, give examples of subordinating conjunctions, and describe compound and complex sentences, which focuses on domain-specific grammatical terms. In Activity 2 students must write a 2–3 sentence problem statement, brainstorm solutions with pluses and minuses, and explain the chosen solution, requiring them to produce informative explanations.
Lesson 10
The Dragon
Students correct specific word-choice and spelling confusions in the Editing Sentences activity (for example, lightning vs. lightening and heavyweight vs. heavy weight), practicing precise vocabulary selection. The lesson provides a definition for the domain term "consumerism" in the Things to Know section and asks students to review vocabulary words. Students are asked to write summaries, two- to three-sentence descriptions of historical/current examples, and to classify and explain how advertisements prey on greed, which require using vocabulary to inform or explain their analyses.
Lesson 12
The Arkenstone
Students identify and label quest elements using domain-specific terms (e.g., "a precious object," "heroic seeker," "fierce guardians," "supernatural helpers") on the Quest Cube and are asked to explain how each element affects theme and mood. Students correct and edit provided sentences for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and word choice in the Editing Sentences activity. The Parent Plan asks students to describe character change and discuss how power and wealth function in the story, which requires using descriptive language about the topic.
Lesson 13
The Battle
Students summarize early literary reviews in two or three sentences and are asked to identify whether the critic's response is positive or negative and explain major points, which requires them to refer to literary elements. Students are prompted (by parent guidance) to identify literary elements and themes discussed in the reviews. Students complete a focused grammar review (clauses, sentence types, punctuation) that practices clarity and correctness in written expression.
Final Project
Responding to Literature
Students complete a vocabulary exercise (Part III) where they must use the correct unit words in sentences and are instructed to review the vocabulary words for the unit when studying for the test. The plan repeatedly directs students to study and be quizzed on vocabulary and to refer to the rubric and outline when composing their literary response, which supports attention to word choice and writing style. The outline and prewriting web require students to plan ideas and supporting evidence, providing opportunities to select language for clarity.
Unit 4: A Single Shard
Lesson 1
Korea
Students read and practice definitions for ten targeted vocabulary words and insert them into a contextual paragraph (Activity 1). Students are explicitly prompted to review the vocabulary and use each word in a sentence (Things to Review). Students label and color geographic features (Yellow Sea, East China Sea, Korean countries) on a map, requiring use of domain-specific geographic terms.
Lesson 5
The Royal Emissary
Students sequence and label the steps of the pottery-making process using a student activity page that lists domain-specific terms such as glaze, kiln, potter's wheel, incise, drain the clay, and mix the clay with ash and water. Students are asked to write directions or an overview of the pottery process (Option 1 or 2), which requires them to describe procedural actions and may involve using those technical terms. A sentence-correcting activity asks students to produce clearer wording, and the "Things to Know" section directs students to use clear, simple language and logical sequencing when describing a step-by-step process.
Lesson 8
Korean Pottery
Students are given a clear definition of the domain-specific term "celadon" ("a pale, jade-green glaze applied to pottery"). Students are directed to visit museum and museum-exhibit web pages to view images and read explanations about ancient Korean pottery, including celadon examples. Students practice matching and producing the celadon color when they experiment with colored pencils or paint to color their kimchi pot design.
Lesson 10
The Fox
The lesson defines and practices relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, that, which) and distinguishes restrictive vs. nonrestrictive clauses, with examples and exercises asking students to identify and punctuate relative clauses. Student tasks include underlining pronouns in a paragraph (Exercise 2) and an option requiring students to write a paragraph that contains at least two personal, two indefinite, and two relative pronouns (Option 2). The Parent Plan skills list explicitly states students will "identify, use, and understand the function of relative pronouns" and "identify all parts of speech," giving grammatical terminology that students are expected to apply.
Lesson 11
Relationships
Students are asked to write complete sentences answering comprehension questions and to write at least two sentences describing Tree-ear's relationships, including one adjective on connecting lines, which prompts attention to word choice. The "Relationship Words" option has students find descriptive words in magazines and paste them between characters, with the requirement that they support chosen words with examples from the text. The lesson also includes a "Things to Review" prompt to review unit vocabulary words and explicit sentence-correcting exercises that require students to choose precise spellings, punctuation, and phrasing.
Final Project
Comparison and Contrast Writing
The Skills section tells students to "Revise writing to improve organization and word choice after checking the logic of the ideas and the precision of the vocabulary," directly referencing vocabulary precision. The end-of-unit test (Part B) requires students to "use each vocabulary word in a sentence related to the novel" (insolence, connoisseur, skepticism), and the materials repeatedly direct students to review vocabulary words. The editing symbols page includes a "Wrong word (ww)" marker and other proofreading prompts that target word choice and correctness.
Unit 5: Independent Study
Lesson 1
Independent Study Introduction
Students are asked to write an argumentative essay and to develop research questions, find sources, and record information, which requires selecting language to explain their topic. The Argumentative Essay Rubric explicitly includes a "Word Choice" category that looks at the use of precise and effective language. The unit also tells students they will "learn different techniques that writers use to communicate their point of view," implying attention to how language is used to inform or persuade.
Lesson 2
Bias and Propaganda
Students read explicit definitions of "bias" and "propaganda" and are directed to resources titled "How to Detect Bias in the News" and "Propaganda Techniques," which teach specific, named techniques (e.g., selection and omission, card-stacking, glittering generalities). Students complete handouts that require them to identify the type of bias or propaganda technique used in sample articles and advertisements and to cite examples from the texts and videos. Activity prompts ask students to name the technique used, identify intended audience, and explain effectiveness, which requires using the domain-specific terms when analyzing media.
Lesson 5
Writing the Essay
Students are instructed to define any terms that relate to their topic as part of the background information in the introduction. Students are prompted to revise for voice and word choice and to insert transitional words and phrases (e.g., however, moreover, therefore) to improve clarity and cohesion. Students are directed to use a dictionary, correct spelling, and check word usage (their/there/they're) when preparing the final copy.
2: Semester 2
Unit 1: Greek Myths
Lesson 1
Ancient Greece
The lesson includes a skills statement that students should use knowledge of Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon roots and affixes to understand content-area vocabulary. Activity 2 (Beyond Roots II) has students play root-matching games and take quizzes to learn and apply root meanings. The reading task asks students to summarize the Greek creation story and the model answer names domain-specific terms (Gaea, Uranus, Titans). The decoding activity engages students with the Greek alphabet and translations (e.g., "Mount Olympus is the home of the Greek gods and goddesses").
Lesson 2
The Gods and Goddesses
Students match vocabulary words (crone, indomitable, draught, cavorted, prattled, oracle, flitting, furrows) with definitions and motions, cut and assemble vocabulary strips, and practice saying and acting out those words (Activity 3). Students write short descriptions on character cards (Option 2) explaining what each god or goddess rules over (e.g., "god of the sea," "goddess of the harvest") and answer reading questions in complete sentences that explain phenomena using myth vocabulary (e.g., Persephone/Demeter, Poseidon/trident). Students also perform sentence-editing where they correct grammar and word choice, which requires selecting more precise language.
Lesson 3
The Stories
Students encounter domain-specific vocabulary on the Go Greek cards and flashcards (e.g., 'trident', 'god of the sea', 'symbols: owl, shield, olive tree', 'cerberus'). Students are asked to review vocabulary from Lesson 2 and to read descriptions aloud during the Go Greek game, supporting recognition and oral use of those terms. Students are directed to 'think about the gods' story and the symbols often associated with the god(s)' when designing a pot, which prompts attention to domain-specific symbols and labels.
Lesson 4
Minor Gods, Nymphs, Satyrs, and Centaurs
Students correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation in Activity 1 (Sentence Editing), practicing precise word choice and sentence-level accuracy. Students play Beyond Roots II games and take the Set 2 quiz (Activity 3), which practices knowledge of word roots and vocabulary; the parent notes instruct review of Set 2 roots and their meanings. Students also review god and goddess character cards and write an explanatory/descriptive paragraph about "Life Without Fire" and a short script, which provide opportunities to apply precise language and topic-specific terms.
Lesson 5
Mortal Descendants of Zeus
Students complete a "Conventions of a Myth: Perseus" activity in which they identify and label elements using terminology such as a hero, gods/goddesses, a monster, a problem, assistance, and a maiden. The answer key explicitly lists domain-specific myth terms (Zeus, Hermes, Athena, Medusa, nymphs, Pegasus) that students are expected to recognize. The unit also tells students they will "write your own myth" for a final project, which implies an opportunity to produce explanatory/informative text about myth elements.
Lesson 6
Vainglorious Kings
Students are asked to "review the vocabulary words" and character cards and to work with Beyond Roots II Set 3 cards, play word/root games, and take Set 3 quizzes, which gives them practice with word meanings and domain-related roots. Students complete a Sentence Editing activity in which they copy and correct sentences, practicing precise grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Students produce explanatory products (a Venn diagram comparing Hercules and a superhero, a 60–90 second trailer script, and a chart comparing two versions of the Icarus story with headings like "Role of invention" and "Method of flight") that require organization and use of content-specific terms.
Lesson 7
The Trojan War
Students will retell the Trojan War using character names and props (e.g., ACHILLES, PARIS, HELEN, ATHENA, APHRODITE, HERA, Trojan Horse), which exposes them to domain-specific vocabulary. The Skills list asks students to apply language conventions and usage during oral presentations and to use their own words in oral summaries, indicating attention to word choice. The curriculum directs students to review vocabulary, god and goddess cards, and the roots and meanings from the Beyond Roots II activities, which provides focused practice with word meanings and roots.
Final Project
A New Twist on an Ancient Myth
Students are asked to "revise drafts to ensure precise word choice and vivid images" and to "select your words carefully" when drafting their myths. The unit requires students to study vocabulary words, gods/goddess cards, and root meanings, and the unit test asks students to use vocabulary words correctly in sentences. The rubric and activities include root-word matching and vocabulary practice that focus attention on word meanings and usage.
Unit 2: Tales from the Middle Ages
Lesson 1
Medieval Times
Students are asked to examine a labeled map and record observations in sections titled Jobs, Clothing, Homes, Inventions & Technological Advancements, Military Defense, and Comparisons, prompting use of topic-specific terms. The lesson text and answer key present domain vocabulary such as manor, peasants, serfs, vassals, knights, lord, plow, mill, castle, and guard tower that students can copy or incorporate into their responses. Students must identify peasants/knights/lords on the map and write 3–4 sentence commentaries from the perspectives of a knight, a lord, and a peasant, which requires explaining ideas about feudal relationships and life in medieval terms.
Lesson 2
Beetle
Students read a targeted list of vocabulary words in context and complete a crossword (Activity 2) to match words like "threshing," "casks," and "teemed" with precise definitions. The Skills section and instructions explicitly direct students to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary using context clues and to review definitions. The Researcher role asks students to gather and read related information about the book's setting, which can expose them to domain-specific terms related to geography, culture, and history.
Lesson 4
Special Delivery
Students are prompted to "spend a few minutes reviewing the vocabulary words for the novel" and to read definitions and provide correct definitions, which explicitly engages them with vocabulary. The Line Locator activity asks students to record passages and "explain why they selected them," requiring students to comment on language choices that make writing effective. The sentence-combining activity has students revise and refine sentences, which practices creating more precise sentence structures.
Lesson 5
A Baby
The lesson defines and teaches grammatical terms such as "active voice," "passive voice," "past participle," and the "by _____" prepositional phrase and gives rules for recognizing passive constructions. Students are asked to locate passive sentences in the novel, explain why the author used passive voice, and rewrite passive sentences in active voice (or vice versa) in journal entries and online exercises. The activities require students to analyze sentence structure and to explain their reasoning about voice use, which engages them with domain-specific grammatical vocabulary.
Lesson 6
The Inn
The lesson explicitly directs students to "Review the vocabulary for the novel," which prompts attention to specific words. Activity 1 (Sentence Combining) has students practice composing compound and complex sentences, which works on sentence-level precision. The Medieval Dishes activity and background text include many domain-specific terms (e.g., peasants, feudal system, imported spices, recipe names) that students encounter and could use when discussing medieval food and society.
Lesson 7
An Angel or a Saint
The lesson includes a Sentence Elaboration activity that instructs students to add adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, and descriptive clauses to make sentences more detailed. Students are asked to write three sentences explaining the relationship between peasants and domesticated animals (Option 1) or to draw animals and write how each influenced medieval economics (Option 2). The lesson text itself uses domain-specific terms (manure, plowing, heriot, serf, manor, livestock) and directs students to read monologues that highlight the role of domesticated animals.
Lesson 8
Newborn Hope
Students practice precise word choice in Activity 1 by finding and correcting seven incorrect homophone usages in a paragraph (Part I) and by writing sentences that use homophone groups correctly (Part II). The activity includes explicit tips for proofreading apostrophe use and avoiding contractions, reinforcing careful selection of words and formality in writing. Students also write one to two sentences describing relationships with supporting details on the Relationships page, and the lesson instructs students to "Review ... your vocabulary words."
Lesson 9
Cast of Characters
Students are asked to summarize each character's monologue in 1–2 sentences and to provide one example of effective descriptive language from the book. The cast-of-characters charts list many medieval roles (e.g., falconer's son, miller's son, tanner's apprentice, moneylender), exposing students to domain-specific vocabulary about the historical setting. The Activities section requires practice with sentence-level precision (parallelism, consistent tense and voice), which supports clearer, more precise phrasing.
Lesson 10
Point of View
The lesson explicitly defines domain-specific terms (first-person, third-person, second-person, limited, omniscient, objective/subjective, perspective) in the "Things to Know" and Activity 2 sections. Students are instructed to find books and identify whether they are first- or third-person, decide if third-person narrators are limited or omniscient, and judge where a narrator falls on the objective/subjective spectrum. The Parent Plan prompts require students to describe how they determined narrator type and spectrum placement, and the review tasks ask students to read passages and identify point of view and narrator type.
Lesson 11
Village Life
Students are asked to find and correct errors related to verb tense shifts, non-parallel constructions, passive voice, and homophone errors on the "Spotting Errors" page, which requires them to revise wording for correctness. On the "More Homophones" page, students choose homophone pairs, write dictionary-style definitions, note parts of speech, and compose sentences demonstrating each word's usage. The parent/introducing notes state that students will analyze verb tense, subject/verb agreement, and parallel structures, indicating practice with selecting precise grammatical forms.
Lesson 12
Glassblowers, Tanners, and Snigglers
Students practice choosing stronger words and refining wording through the "Painting Sentences" activity, where they expand a basic sentence by answering How/When/Where and combine those details into a painted predicate. Students circle and 'paint' the subject by choosing descriptors (Which? What kind of? How many? Whose?) and are prompted to "pick a word to paint" to create a more precise or vivid word. The finishing steps explicitly ask students to "work with words or phrases" and "refine wording," which requires attention to word choice.
Final Project
Life in the Middle Ages Think-Tac-Toe
Students complete a vocabulary section on the unit test with Middle Ages words (pockmarked, gluttony, casks, threshing, teeming, etc.) that requires choosing correct domain-specific terms in context. Students build a Story Cube using six Middle Ages–related vocabulary words and use it to generate a creative story, and students create a Castle Blueprint that asks them to label important features and their purposes. Day 3 asks students to practice descriptive writing and to use language that appeals to the senses.
Unit 3: The Prince and the Bard
Lesson 1
Introduction to The Little Prince
The lesson explicitly defines domain-specific terms: the "Things to Know" section explains "prestigious," parentheses, and four persuasive techniques (promises, dares, flattery, glittering generalities). Students are directed to define each persuasion technique, match names to descriptions, collect real ads as examples, and write their own ads in the Persuasion Techniques activity. The parentheses activity asks students to insert parentheses correctly and to write two sentences that include parenthetical information, including one full sentence in parentheses.
Lesson 2
Meeting the Little Prince
The lesson provides explicit vocabulary entries for apparition and edification in the "Things to Know" section and asks parents to review those definitions with students. Students are asked to answer comprehension questions in complete sentences and to write phrases or illustrate ideas on a Friend Venn Diagram, which requires selecting descriptive language. An activity asks students to analyze authors' use of parentheses in specific sentences, engaging students in close attention to language and textual effect.
Lesson 3
The Flower and Other Planets
Students identify and use the term "ellipsis" in the Activities (definitions, examples, and keyboard shortcuts are given). Students cut, omit, and reconstruct passages replacing material with ellipses (Option 1) and are asked to find examples where ellipses are used and explain the effect (Option 2). The Things to Know and parent notes explicitly define "ellipses" and "acclamations," prompting students to analyze and describe their use in text.
Lesson 5
Making Friends on Earth
Students are taught and asked to practice terminology and conventions related to italics and underlining (Things to Know; Activities on italics). The Student Activity Page has Part II prompting students to reflect on why text under pictures is italicized and Part III asking students to write two sentences using italics for emphasis. The Skills and Parent Plan sections explicitly list using italics/underlining and review the definition of 'monotonous,' showing domain-specific vocabulary is presented and practiced in formatting contexts.
Lesson 6
Saying Goodbye
The lesson explicitly defines the literary term foreshadowing in the "Things to Know" section and asks students to review what foreshadowing means. Students are asked to answer comprehension questions in complete sentences and to paraphrase major ideas per the Skills section. Students must produce a written product (a poem or artist's description) explaining the little prince's departure and respond to prompts such as "What else could the narrator say to persuade the fox?", which invites use of precise explanatory and persuasive language.
Lesson 7
Introduction to Shakespeare
Students practice defining unfamiliar or archaic words by inserting bracketed clarifications in excerpts from A Midsummer Night's Dream and are instructed to look up unknown words in a dictionary. Students are asked to restate confusing Shakespearean lines in modern English and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences. The lesson also has students research the notation "[sic]" and discusses language features (verse, inverted sentences, metaphors, allusions, archaic words) that make Shakespeare's language unfamiliar.
Lesson 10
Dreams
Students are asked to write a short paragraph summarizing a chosen scene and explaining what it says about love, friendship, or persuasion (Options 1 and 2). The activities require attention to and use of terms such as stage directions, modern translation, original text, and various punctuation marks (commas, colons, semicolons, dashes) when reading aloud. A parent note encourages students to look up words they don't understand or aren't sure how to pronounce, which exposes students to domain-specific words from the play.
Lesson 11
Watching the Play
The "Things to Know" section defines key terms (tragedies, comedies, moral flaw, happy ending), giving students domain-specific vocabulary to use. Questions ask students to classify the play as a comedy or tragedy and to answer in complete sentences, prompting use of those terms. Discussion prompts (about key scenes and whether the animated tale tells Shakespeare's story well) require students to explain and justify their judgments, which can involve domain-specific language.
Lesson 12
Tragic Love
Students are given a list of vocabulary words (e.g., pestilence, presage, ephemeral) and definitions in the "Things to Know" and vocabulary sections. Activity 2 asks students to create a persuasive message using 2–3 of the vocabulary words and the Parent Plan reiterates that students will create a persuasive message using unit vocabulary. The wrapping-up task asks students to explain which vocabulary words they chose and why, prompting reflection on word choice.
Final Project
Love Letters
The unit includes a dedicated vocabulary task (Part B) that asks students to use the words presage, acclamation, and ephemeral in sentences tied to The Little Prince, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet. The student planning pages (Play Cupid, Strongest of All) prompt students to record "important quotes" and "evidence" and the outlining page directs students to choose a thesis and supporting reasons and to use quotations and examples as evidence. The rubric and writing directions require clear ideas, organization, and correct mechanics, which support attention to word choice and accuracy.
Unit 4: Newton at the Center
Lesson 1
Features of Non-Fiction
Students are instructed to highlight the names of non-fiction features (like table of contents, index, headings, graphics, captions, sidebars, bold words) and then fill in definitions for each feature. The activity requires students to write their own definitions on the Student Activity Page and to complete the activity page with specified definitions in the Parent Plan. Students answer comprehension questions in complete sentences that use domain-related terms (e.g., "natural philosopher," "scientific method"). These tasks have students identify and label domain-specific vocabulary related to nonfiction text features.
Lesson 2
Newton and Math
The lesson asks students to note unfamiliar words and definitions (Things to Know lists terms such as eccentric, annus mirabilis, feign) and to record page numbers for words they find important. Activity 4 asks students to summarize a page about calculus, identify what the graphic shows (a sprinter's changing speed), and notes the integral "skinny rectangle" technique, which uses domain-specific math concepts. Several activities require students to identify italicized words, headings, and chart labels and then produce oral or written summaries that convey main ideas and details.
Lesson 3
Newton and Light
Students are instructed to read pages 164-171 and to take notes on important information and unfamiliar words, which directs them to notice domain-specific vocabulary. The Things to Know section explicitly defines the term "corpuscles," and Question #4 asks students to explain how spectroscopy uses light to determine elements, prompting use of scientific terms like "spectrum" and "spectroscopy." Activity instructions tell students to "make sure your steps are clear and your terminology accurate" when preparing their presentation, encouraging attention to precise terminology (in this case for sentence-diagramming).
Lesson 4
Newton and Motion
The lesson lists and defines domain-specific terms (inertia, force, Newton's three laws) in the "Things to Know" section and instructs students to "review the definitions of force, inertia". Students are asked to take notes on "unfamiliar words" as they read and to answer content questions in complete sentences, which encourages attention to vocabulary. The "Extra! Extra! Write All About It!" activity requires students to describe events from the book and write headlines or topic sentences from two perspectives, creating opportunities to use subject-specific terms when explaining events.
Lesson 6
Math and Science Take Flight
Students are given a clear definition of Bernoulli's principle in the "Things to Know" section and prompted to review that definition. Students are directed to read the NASA "What Is Aerodynamics?" page and re-read a textbook section about lift, exposing them to domain-specific vocabulary (lift, drag, Bernoulli's principle). The Student Activity Page asks students to define "What is lift?", list materials and procedures, and write conclusions, and the Wrap Up asks students to summarize how an airplane wing works, requiring use of domain-specific terms in an explanatory summary.
Lesson 7
Using Newton's Work
Students are asked to use Simple Machines Vocabulary cards and discussion questions (Activity 2) to test their understanding and to identify which simple machines are involved in household devices, which requires use of domain-specific terms. The "Things to Know" section lists precise scientific vocabulary and definitions (temperature, thermal energy, E=mv², atoms, conservation laws, element), and students answer reading questions that require recalling and using those terms. Students must give an oral summary and write a 1-2 paragraph sidebar with a caption about an artist, tasks that ask them to explain topics and could incorporate domain-specific vocabulary.
Final Project
Lobby for Newton
Students are asked to use unit vocabulary in their writing (Activity 4: "Try to use at least two of the vocabulary words from this book") and the unit test (Activity 6, Part B) requires students to choose three vocabulary words and use them in a sentence about Newton. The rubric and outlining activities require students to identify 2-3 relevant areas of Newton's work and explain their relation to current industries, which encourages incorporation of topic-related terms when explaining connections.
Unit 5: British Poetry
Lesson 1
Rhythm and Meter
Students are given a unit vocabulary list (munificence, mete, azure, turbid, cloying, façade, armistice, juxtapose) and directed to mark syllables for those words using Merriam-Webster pronunciation. In the "Syllables to Stanzas" option, students are asked to choose two or three vocabulary words and write a line about each, then mark syllables in two of the lines. The materials also ask students to identify meter by marking stressed and unstressed syllables in poem lines and to review definitions of modernism, meter, and iambic pentameter.
Lesson 2
Voice and Rhyme
Students are presented with domain-specific terms and definitions (e.g., sonnets have fourteen lines, iambic pentameter, rhyme scheme abbaabbacdcdcd, muse) and are given a vocabulary note (munificence = generosity). Students are asked to develop a personal style that "may include rhyming or not rhyming, unusual vocabulary words," and to read their poem aloud and "explain how you chose the topic... and how your poem reflects your time period." The capitalization activity requires students to identify and write abbreviations and capitalization in titles (e.g., Ph.D., St., D.D.S.), which practices correct, conventional vocabulary forms.
Lesson 3
Graphic Elements
The lesson presents and reviews domain-specific terms: the "Things to Know" list defines "mete," "azure," and notes characteristics of "blank verse," and the "Things to Review" asks students to review these definitions. Activity 2 has students read a nonfiction biography of Prince Albert and write a prose statement that expresses the same idea as a poetic line on the "Prince Albert Remembered" page, which requires choosing language to convey an idea in prose. Student activity pages prompt students to record lines and write prose expressions, providing opportunities to select vocabulary when describing events or emotions.
Lesson 4
Figurative Language
Students are given explicit definitions for domain-specific terms (turbid, cloying, metaphor, simile, idiom, personification, onomatopoeia, connotation) in the "Things to Know" section. Students categorize their photographs on the "Walk Like a Poet" page by labeling each image with Metaphor/Simile, Personification, and Other figurative language, requiring them to apply the vocabulary. Students are asked to write a poem using personification and metaphor or simile and to consider connotation as they choose words for their poem.
Lesson 5
Allusions
Students are given explicit definitions of domain-specific terms (facade, armistice, allusion) in the "Things to Know" section and are asked to review these definitions at the end of the lesson. Students answer reading questions in complete sentences about Yeats, Sitwell, and Owen that require identifying allusions and specific images (e.g., Apocalypse, sphinx). The contemporary-events activity pages ask students to record the article's topic, location, and three interesting facts, prompting use of specific factual language.
Lesson 7
Themes
Students are presented with explicit definitions of domain-specific terms (juxtapose, villanelle, elegy) and are asked to answer reading questions in complete sentences about poetic form and themes. Students must memorize and recite a poem and "explain why you chose the poem," which requires them to use language to inform or clarify their choice.
Final Project
Autobiography of a Poet
Students are required in Part B of the unit test to write 3–4 lines of poetry using at least three provided vocabulary words (munificence, mete, azure, turbid, cloying, façade, armistice, juxtapose). Students are asked to write a two-paragraph analysis of one of their own poems, with the second paragraph explicitly focused on structure and techniques (e.g., blank verse, repetition) and with directions to refer to the book's analyses that model technical language. The timeline and rubric pages prompt students to identify poetic genres and techniques for specific poets, which asks students to match poets with domain‑specific labels (sonnet, blank verse, free verse, meter, imagery).