Seventh Grade - ELA
1: Semester 1
Unit 1: The Pearl
Lesson 1
Steinbeck
The lesson explicitly names central themes of The Pearl in the introduction (obsession with wealth, racism, oppression) and prompts students to consider how author experiences shape themes through the question "How do some of the themes in his literature reflect his own life experiences?" The Student Activity Page asks students to identify "What are some common themes in Steinbeck's novels?" and to answer questions connecting Steinbeck's life to his themes. The "Ideas to Think About" prompt asks students to consider how experiences shape perspectives, which can support thematic thinking.
Lesson 2
The Scorpion
Students are prompted to consider a thematic question: "How do people's ability to control their environment affect their success/happiness in life?" and to record descriptive language that reveals character and situation. Discussion prompts ask students to explain how social classes are portrayed and whether Kino is rich or poor, and to consider how feeling out of control affects Kino's perspective. Question #4 asks students to describe how Kino's life changes from the beginning to the end of Chapter 1, which has students identify development in the text.
Lesson 3
The Pearl
Students answer discussion questions that ask about Kino's circumstances, the value of his canoe, and how finding the pearl will change his life, which encourages thinking about central ideas such as poverty and change. The 'Ideas to Think About' and 'Questions to Discuss' prompt students to consider how poverty or wealth and life experiences shape a person's character and perspective. Students interpret quoted passages (e.g., minds being 'as unsubstantial as the mirage') which invites inference about thematic meaning.
Lesson 5
Songs
Students are asked reflective questions (Ideas to Think About and Discussion Questions) about how songs, change, poverty/wealth, and experiences affect characters, which prompts consideration of thematic ideas. Students answer comprehension and interpretive questions about Kino becoming "every man's enemy," why people become interested in Kino, and Juana's belief that the pearl is evil, which requires identifying thematic consequences. Activity 3 directs students to keep a "Stylistic Devices" log as they read the remainder of the book and to think about how language choices affect the reader, supporting analysis of how elements develop. The song-writing activity asks students to create lyrics that reflect Kino's culture and the mood of different songs, linking cultural detail and symbolic meaning to larger ideas.
Lesson 6
For Sale
Students are asked to brainstorm on the page "The Pearl," listing at least five ideas for what the pearl symbolizes, which asks them to identify thematic meanings. The wrapping up and discussion prompts ask students to note how Kino and Juana change as a result of the pearl and state that the meaning of the pearl in their lives changes over time. Reading questions include one asking how the pearl has changed Juana differently than Kino, prompting students to connect character change to meaning.
Lesson 7
The Attack
Students complete a "Wants" chart where they identify what each character desires and draw symbols reflecting whether those wants are good or evil, and they answer a culminating question about greed and contentment. Students write and answer four discussion questions, including a "Think and Search" question type that requires synthesizing information across the text (example prompt: How is Kino and Juana's relationship different now than at the beginning?). Parent-plan skills explicitly state that students will "analyze the effects of characterization" and "analyze the connections of relationships between and among characters."
Lesson 8
Escape
Students are asked to answer questions about the final chapter that target theme and symbolism (e.g., QUESTION #1 about whether Kino 'loses his soul' and the 'Questions to Discuss' asking what the pearl symbolizes and what the moral of the parable is). The Wrapping Up paragraph summarizes the central outcomes (Kino loses everything; wealth cannot restore his son) that students can use to identify a central idea. The 'Ideas to Think About' prompts (role of power and wealth; control of environment) invite students to consider broad themes related to society and greed.
Lesson 9
Parables
Students read four parables and are asked to explain the lesson or moral of each story to a parent. Students are prompted to describe the lesson of specific parables (the Good Samaritan, Wo and Jah) and to compare the Parable of the Pearl with Steinbeck's The Pearl, noting differences in meaning. Students practice orally retelling a chosen parable to an audience and then solicit the audience's explanation of the lesson. Students are given guided questions that prompt identification and discussion of the stories' moral or thematic points.
Lesson 10
Writing a Parable
Students are asked to list the different moral lessons taught in The Pearl and decide on one to be the heart of their parable (Activity 1). The Story Map activity requires students to identify Themes in a labeled box and to outline Introduction, Rising Action, Climax, and Falling Action, with explicit instructions to consider how place and time influence the theme and how the plot will support the theme (Activity 3). The Parable Rubric explicitly asks whether the theme (lesson) is clearly portrayed through the story, making students evaluate the clarity of a central lesson in their writing.
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students are asked to write an objective summary in the Book Cover task and to create a 2-minute Quick Script that summarizes the book, providing direct practice in summarizing. Part D short-answer questions ask students to explain how Kino changes and what the pearl symbolizes, prompting analysis of character and thematic development across the novella. The Think-Tac-Toe activities and the parent/skills list explicitly ask students to describe multiple themes, trace an author's perspective, and relate the poem "Money" to the novel, supporting theme identification and development analysis.
Unit 2: A Girl Named Disaster
Lesson 1
Nhamo
Students are asked to read the first four chapters and serve as a "Cultural Commentator," using a journal to record what they learn about culture and characters across chapters. The lesson explicitly asks students to "provide a brief verbal summary of the chapters he read today," which requires students to summarize text objectively. Discussion questions and 'Ideas to Think About' prompts (e.g., how geography impacts culture; how villagers depend on the natural environment) guide students to interpret recurring cultural elements across chapters.
Lesson 3
A Visit with the Muvuki
Students are asked to assume the role of Discussion Director and write four discussion questions that cover the big ideas found in Chapters 8–10, with explicit directions that at least one question be open-ended and one be an inference question. The lesson's 'Ideas to Think About' prompts (e.g., Western influence, cultural traditions, and how traditional beliefs prevent progress) direct students to consider thematic content. The parent and wrapping-up question sets include discussion prompts about the muvuki's deception and cultural impacts, which encourage students to think about overarching ideas beyond plot details.
Lesson 5
Lake Cabora Bassa
Students are prompted with "Ideas to Think About" questions such as how humans depend on the natural world and how struggle can change a person's outlook, which invite consideration of thematic ideas. Parent-plan discussion questions ask students to explain why Nhamo tells stories, makes songs, and pretends tea parties, prompting interpretation of character motives and underlying meanings. The Travel Tracer activity asks students to explain what role the setting plays in the conflict, which can support thinking about how setting contributes to larger ideas.
Lesson 6
Abandoned Farm
Students are asked to be a "Line Locator" while reading chapters 17–20: they copy key lines or note locations and explain why those passages are important to the story. The lesson includes thematic prompts (e.g., how humans depend on the natural world; how survival changes outlook) and parent discussion questions that ask students to consider how Nhamo's outlook has changed. The Personal Narrative Story Elements page explicitly includes a "Themes" section where students record a central story idea.
Lesson 8
Survival
Students are asked to read Chapters 24–27 and take on the role of a Summarizer, writing a four- or five-sentence summary that focuses on main events. The skills list explicitly directs students to summarize information and include main ideas and most significant details. The lesson includes 'Ideas to Think About' and discussion questions that prompt students to consider thematic issues (for example, how humans depend on the natural world and how survival changes outlook) and what Nhamo's stories teach about her culture.
Lesson 10
A Rude Awakening
Students are asked to reflect on Nhamo's journey and struggle for survival by writing a postcard that explains what she endured, how she survived, and how she changed. The storyboard task requires students to choose six important scenes that reveal action and Nhamo's character development and to ensure scenes reflect culture and geography. The skills list includes developing and organizing an interpretive response to literature, and discussion questions prompt students to explain Nhamo's feelings and what she learned about Zimbabwe.
Lesson 12
A New Beginning
Students are explicitly asked to "write about the theme of the book" (Student Activity Page, Part IV Question 4). Students must characterize Nhamo using text evidence (Part IV Question 2) and explain Nhamo's biggest problem and how it was solved (Part IV Question 3), which requires referencing plot development. The unit test short-answer items (Part I) ask students to recount key events and settings, and the lesson directs students to "think about the story elements of the novel," supporting summary and comprehension work.
Unit 3: The Hobbit
Lesson 1
Bilbo Baggins
Students are asked to read Chapter 1 and write a short sentence describing what happened at Bilbo's home and to complete 'Events of the Journey' pages that record important events and chapter numbers. Parent/teacher prompts ask students to summarize the reason for the mission in their own words and to discuss how Bilbo changes from the beginning to the end of the chapter. The lesson includes reflective prompts—'Ideas to Think About: How do our experiences change and mold us?' and a Life Application asking students to relate a personal challenge—which point toward extracting lessons or themes from the text.
Lesson 2
Trolls
Students are prompted to consider thematic ideas with "Ideas to Think About" (How do our experiences change and mold us?) and to reflect on whether their opinions about Bilbo have changed after reading Chapter 2, which encourages thinking about character change and possible themes. The skills list explicitly names summarizing information, determining importance, and drawing inferences and conclusions, indicating students will practice summary and analytical skills. Parent prompts ask students to chart the journey and describe the first night's camp in a simple sentence and to consider how Tolkien's life influenced his writing, which requires students to synthesize events and authorial influence.
Lesson 3
The Elves
Students are asked to make connections between themes, characters, and situations in The Hobbit and their own lives (Parent Plan discussion question and "Ideas to Think About"). A discussion prompt asks students to interpret the narrator's remark about which kinds of events make good tales, which requires inferring meaning from the text. Activity 2 directs students to find and record examples of foreshadowing and flashbacks and to chart events on a Setting Map and Events of the Journey page, which has students track plot developments and textual clues across chapters.
Lesson 4
Gollum
Students are asked to "write a brief description of what happens in this chapter" on the Events of the Journey page, which requires them to summarize chapter events. Students record examples of foreshadowing from Chapter 5 on a chart and draw the path to the other side of the Misty Mountains, linking events to setting. Discussion prompts ask students to explain how the ring gives Gollum power and how Bilbo's and Gollum's lives will change, prompting analysis of character change and consequences related to power.
Lesson 5
Wolves, Goblins, and Eagles
Students are asked to "Write a brief description of what happens in this chapter on the 'Events of the Journey' page," which requires them to summarize chapter events. Students are instructed to "Record any examples you found of foreshadowing," prompting them to identify textual evidence and consider how events point ahead. Discussion prompts and the "Ideas to Think About" question (How do experiences, events, and circumstances change and mold people?) plus questions about Bilbo's changing image and choices ask students to reflect on character change and development.
Lesson 7
Spiders
Students are prompted to consider themes via the 'Ideas to Think About' questions (e.g., "Are there universal themes..." and "How do experiences...change and mold people?"). The 'Questions to Discuss' explicitly asks students to identify and support a theme (that size and strength are not always most valuable) and to cite situations from the book that support it. Students are asked to write a short sentence about the chapter's events on the 'Events of the Journey' page and answer direct comprehension questions about character actions and changes that relate to theme.
Lesson 8
Elvenking
The "Ideas to Think About" section asks students to consider how power and experiences change people and whether there are universal themes in literature, prompting thematic reflection. The Parent Plan asks students to explain how Bilbo has changed from the beginning of the story up to Chapter 9, which asks them to analyze character development over the course of the text to that point. Students are instructed to write one- or two-sentence descriptions of what happened in the chapter and how the dwarves escaped and to record events on a "Setting Map" and "Events of the Journey" chart, which requires summarizing chapter events.
Lesson 9
Men of the Lake
Students are prompted by the 'Ideas to Think About' question to consider how experiences, events, and circumstances change and mold people, which invites thinking about a central idea. Students are asked on the 'Events of the Journey' page to write a short description of the events in Chapters 10 and 11, which requires summarizing those chapters. Students are asked to record examples of flashback or foreshadowing, which asks them to locate and note devices that contribute to the development of ideas over the text.
Lesson 10
The Dragon
Students are asked to analyze greed and power as central themes (Activity 2: Greed) and to link examples from the text such as Gollum, the dwarves, and Smaug to that theme. The skills section explicitly lists identifying and analyzing recurring themes across works, and the Wrapping Up section asks students to reflect on how power and wealth motivate characters and cause consequences. Students are also asked to "briefly summarize these chapters" (Events of the Journey page), which asks for a concise summary of the chapters read.
Lesson 11
Bard
Students are prompted to consider thematic questions in the "Ideas to Think About" section (e.g., how power and greed motivate people, how power or wealth change a person). Students are asked to discuss and answer guided questions about character motives and consequences ("Questions to Discuss" asks about Thorin's greed, whether townspeople deserve treasure, and respect for the Master). The "Wrapping Up" paragraph explicitly connects character actions to theme by noting Bilbo's sympathy, Thorin's greed, and claims to justice and treasure.
Lesson 12
The Arkenstone
Students are prompted to identify and discuss major themes (e.g., power, wealth, greed, change) in the "Ideas to Think About" and "Introducing the Lesson" sections, and to describe Bilbo's and Thorin's changes. The Parent Plan skills explicitly list analyzing the effects of plot, theme, characterization, and identifying recurring themes across works. The Quest Cube activity asks students to identify quest elements from The Hobbit and explain how each element contributes to a central theme and the mood of the story.
Lesson 13
The Battle
Students are prompted to consider thematic questions in the "Ideas to Think About" section (e.g., How can power or wealth change a person? How can power and greed motivate people and lead to disastrous outcomes?), which directs them to think about central ideas. Students are asked to summarize early literary reviews in two or three sentences and to identify literary elements the reviewer alludes to, and a Parent Plan note tells students to recognize that a review "discusses the important themes of the novel." The Wrapping Up paragraph describes Thorin's realization and Bilbo's change, and the "Questions to Discuss" ask students to explain examples of greed and what Bilbo gained, prompting thematic reflection and character-change analysis.
Final Project
Responding to Literature
Students are asked to state "what important timeless lesson was taught in the novel" and to explain "how did the characters change," which prompts identification of central ideas and character development. The prewriting web labels a bubble "An important lesson learned" and the rubric assesses "Comprehension: understanding of complex themes and insights" and "Textual Evidence: Use of direct quotes and reference to the text." The outline requires a brief summary (two sentences) in the introduction and instructs students not to assume the reader has read the book, signaling inclusion of a summary component.
Unit 4: A Single Shard
Lesson 1
Korea
The Getting Started section tells students to pay careful attention to what they learn about Korean culture and to consider how unique relationships among the characters develop as the story progresses. Activity 3 directs students to record information on "Elements of Korean Culture" pages in two columns labeled "Today" and "Centuries Past" and to continue adding to the chart as they read the novel. Wrapping Up repeats that students should continue to add to their elements-of-culture chart as they learn more about 12th-century Korea.
Lesson 2
Tree-Ear
Students are asked to give a brief oral summary highlighting the main events after reading the first two chapters ("ask her to give you a brief oral summary, highlighting the main events"). The lesson prompts thematic thinking with "Ideas to Think About: How do relationships influence individuals?" and discussion questions about Tree-ear's relationships with Crane-man and Min (parent discussion prompts and QUESTION #4). The comprehension questions require students to explain character motivations and honorable/dishonorable behaviors, which supports drawing inferences about underlying ideas in the text.
Lesson 3
Hard Work
Students are directed to underline key information as they read and to write a one-page objective summary that restates main ideas and events in logical sequence without personal interpretation. The lesson gives explicit summary strategies (skim first sentences, restate in own words, avoid too many details) and checklist questions for summaries (Who did what? What events contribute to plot? What events contribute to development of main characters? In what order do events occur?). The lesson also includes 'Ideas to Think About' and parent discussion questions that prompt consideration of how events shape relationships and how jobs reflect cultural values.
Lesson 5
The Royal Emissary
Students are prompted to discuss interpretive questions such as "How does the natural environment help shape a culture?" and to explain what Tree-ear means by "The work of a human, the work of nature; clay from the earth, a branch from the sky," which asks them to consider underlying meaning. The parent-plan discussion questions ask students to describe Tree-ear's observations and the ethical question he faces, encouraging analysis of character actions and ideas. The Reading and Questions section asks students to write fact-based, opinion/judgment, prediction, and personal reaction questions and provide answers, which requires them to extract information and articulate interpretations from chapters 5 and 6.
Lesson 6
Village Life
Students are asked directly to consider the author's message in question 9: "What do you think Linda is trying to teach readers in A Single Shard?," which prompts them to identify a theme or author's message. Students research Linda Sue Park and write a short paragraph about how the author's experiences and relationships influenced her writing, connecting author intent and content. The Wrapping Up prompt asks students to think about how the author's perspective, experiences, and background influence the story, encouraging consideration of central ideas.
Lesson 7
Opportunity
The Parent Plan explicitly lists "Analyze themes and central ideas in literature and other texts" and prompts discussion of the meaning of "opportunity," which directs students to identify a central idea. The Tree-ear mini-book activity has students list specific opportunities Tree-ear receives, record how each benefited him, and provide textual evidence, which has students analyze how the idea of opportunity appears in multiple episodes. Discussion questions (e.g., why Tree-ear is anxious to please Min, and how opportunities were used) require students to connect character actions to the central idea.
Lesson 9
Words of Wisdom
Students read Chapters 9 and 10 and answer questions that require them to explain character motivations and lessons (e.g., why Tree-ear goes on the journey, what Tree-ear learns from the fox). Students interpret Crane-man's sayings by explaining each quote in their own words and choose to illustrate a quote or compose their own proverb, which engages them in identifying the truths and messages expressed by characters. Discussion prompts ask students to consider what makes a family, how relationships affect decisions, and how pride has helped or hurt characters, directing students to think about recurring ideas.
Lesson 10
The Fox
Students read multiple folktales with a fox as the central character (Activity 2) and are asked to "think about the purpose of the story and what it teaches." The Getting Started section frames the fox as an archetypal character across cultures, prompting cross-text consideration. Parent guidance asks the child to explain the purpose of the story and the lesson that can be learned, and the Parent Plan skills list includes identifying and analyzing recurring themes across works.
Lesson 11
Relationships
Students are prompted by the "Ideas to Think About" questions to consider how relationships affect decisions and worldviews, which connects to identifying thematic ideas about relationships. Students complete Relationship Web or Relationship Words activities in which they must write at least two sentences describing Tree-ear's relationships with major characters and support those descriptions with examples from the text (thoughts, words, actions). Discussion prompts (e.g., whether Tree-ear is dishonorable or whether Min is admirable) ask students to justify interpretations with textual evidence.
Final Project
Comparison and Contrast Writing
Students are asked during brainstorming to "consider how the relationships affect Tree-ear's decisions and emotions" and "how the relationships provide him opportunities," which directs students to think about underlying meanings. The essay organizer and conclusion instructions tell students to record what they want the reader to "remember and learn from the essay," prompting students to state a takeaway. The Wrapping Up discussion asks students, "What did you learn from reading A Single Shard? What do you think the author wanted to teach the reader?" which invites consideration of authorial message.
2: Semester 2
Unit 1: Greek Myths
Lesson 1
Ancient Greece
Students read pages 9–15 of D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths (the Greek creation story). Students are asked to "Summarize the Greek creation story in two sentences" (Question #2), which asks them to produce an objective short summary. Students are prompted to consider thematic questions (e.g., "What do the stories of a culture teach us about the beliefs and values of the culture?" and "What consequences can result from the desire for power?") and to recognize themes of power and revenge in the wrap-up discussion.
Lesson 2
The Gods and Goddesses
Students are asked reflective questions such as "How do the stories and beliefs of a society reflect the culture of the society?" and discussion prompts including "Why do you think myths were told in the past?" which direct them to consider the purpose and meaning of the myths. Students answer comprehension questions that identify central explanatory ideas in individual myths (e.g., why winter and spring come, how Greeks explained volcanoes and storms). Students also complete activities (character cards, family tree) that require them to synthesize information about gods and their roles across multiple pages.
Lesson 3
The Stories
Students are prompted to consider what people in the past were trying to convey with myths (Activity 2) and to think about how stories reflected culture and values (Ideas to Think About). The Parent Plan lists skills that ask students to analyze themes across cultures and make inferences about authorial purpose, and Activity 2 asks students to analyze what questions the myths might have been trying to answer. The Go Greek cards and pottery activity require students to identify symbols and story elements connected to each god, supporting thematic inference.
Lesson 4
Minor Gods, Nymphs, Satyrs, and Centaurs
Students read multiple Greek myths and are explicitly prompted to consider how greed and the desire for power lead to devastating consequences and to watch for how good deeds are rewarded and bad deeds punished. Students answer questions that ask them to provide examples of greed causing conflict and to compare flood stories from other cultures, requiring them to identify thematic elements across texts. Students also retell chosen myths by writing short plays, which requires condensing and conveying the story's main ideas.
Lesson 5
Mortal Descendants of Zeus
Students are prompted to look for lessons taught in the story and consider questions such as how desire for power affects decisions (Ideas to Think About). The Wrapping Up section names themes explicitly (inability to change fate; punishment for abusing power) and asks students to identify these recurring themes. The Parent Plan prompts students to verbally summarize the story's main events, and Discussion Questions ask students to explain outcomes that illustrate the theme (e.g., what happens when the king wields power; what happens when the grandfather tries to change the oracle).
Lesson 6
Vainglorious Kings
Students are asked to identify the "Theme/lesson" in the student chart comparing the traditional Daedalus and Icarus myth to a contemporary retelling, which directly asks them to state a theme. Students are prompted in the wrapping-up discussion to explain how the Oedipus story reinforces the theme that people cannot change their fates and to give examples of how zeal for power leads to consequences, requiring them to cite events that support thematic claims. The Parent Plan and activities ask students to interpret the main idea of a myth (for example, when family members interpret a student's wordless book) and to synthesize ideas across texts, which supports theme identification and cross-text thematic analysis.
Lesson 7
The Trojan War
Students are asked to summarize/retell the story using props and to "pick out the most important events" for a retelling that starts on page 180 and ends on page 184. The Skills list explicitly expects students to "deliver oral summaries... that include the main ideas... and the most significant details," to "use own words in oral summaries," and to "write responses to literature and develop interpretations." The Questions to Discuss ask "What lessons can be learned from Helen's story?", prompting students to state a moral or lesson from the text.
Final Project
A New Twist on an Ancient Myth
Students are prompted in Prewriting to "First identify the conventions and theme of the original myth," and the Conventions of a Myth activity includes a specific "Theme or moral lesson" prompt for students to fill in. The unit test and Part V (Famous Myths) require students to write two- to three-sentence synopses of myths, giving practice in summarizing. The rubric asks for a clear beginning, middle, and end with a problem and solution, and parent directions ask students to explain how the main themes of their retelling line up with the original myth.
Unit 2: Tales from the Middle Ages
Lesson 3
Summer
Students are asked to act as Discussion Director and write four discussion questions that cover the book's big ideas, including at least one question focused on relationships and one on survival. The lesson's "Ideas to Think About" prompts students to consider how relationships shape who we are, which directs student thinking toward thematic ideas. Students are also asked to write a paragraph about what they've read (including a summary or character description), which requires them to produce a concise account of the text.
Lesson 4
Special Delivery
The lesson asks students to consider the prompt "How do people grow and change when challenged to survive?" and to reflect on Alyce gaining confidence after delivering calves, which directs attention to a thematic idea about growth. The Venn diagram activity requires students to compare a turning-point event in their life with Alyce's delivering of the calves, asking them to identify similarities and differences and to name the events. The Line Locator task asks students to find three to five passages that are key to the story and to explain why those passages are important, which encourages locating textual evidence that could support thematic interpretation.
Lesson 5
A Baby
The lesson includes thematic prompts in "Ideas to Think About" (e.g., survival, benefits/downsides of relationships, how relationships change and shape us) that ask students to consider big ideas. The "Questions to Discuss" ask students to explain why Alyce's relationships change and to compare situations across the text (e.g., Alyce and the boy in the cowshed), which asks students to track character/relationship development in Chapters 9–11. The "Wrapping Up" paragraph summarizes Alyce's choice and its effects on relationships, providing an example of an objective summary of events in these chapters.
Lesson 7
An Angel or a Saint
Students are asked to locate and record passages they find "interesting, powerful, funny, puzzling, or important," then read them aloud and discuss, which supports identifying key text elements. Students respond to "Ideas to Think About" prompts (for example, how relationships shape who we are), which invites thinking about possible themes such as relationships. Students analyze the role of domesticated animals by writing three sentences about peasants' relationships with animals or completing the "Livestock and Economics" activity, explaining how animals affected medieval economic life.
Lesson 8
Newborn Hope
Students are prompted to analyze relationships and how they changed over the course of the novel in Activity 2, recording beginning- and end-state details for multiple characters. Students answer discussion questions about how Alyce's life changes over the course of the story and what she learns, which directs them to consider development across the text. The Parent Plan skills explicitly list "Analyze themes and central ideas in literature and other texts in relation to personal issues/experiences," indicating students are expected to engage with theme-related analysis.
Lesson 9
Cast of Characters
Students read multiple character monologues and complete a "Cast of Characters" chart where they summarize each character's monologue in 1–2 sentences, note examples of descriptive language, and describe relationships or encounters with other characters. The lesson text explicitly points out recurring struggles (survival, bullying, poverty, family situations) and asks students to try to find connections between characters across monologues. Several activity pages ask for longer character summaries (5–15 sentences) and for students to compare the characters' struggles to other texts (e.g., Alyce's in The Midwife's Apprentice).
Lesson 11
Village Life
Students are prompted by the "Ideas to Think About" questions to consider how relationships shape identity and why people need relationships. The Wrapping Up section explicitly identifies a central idea—strained relationships between Jews and Christians—and notes contrasts between the lord's daughter and common peasants. Discussion questions ask students to describe differences in perspectives (Isobel vs. Barbary) and to explain what characters like Petronella and Jacob learn about relationships, and a "Cast of Characters" chart directs students to track characters across the assigned pages.
Final Project
Life in the Middle Ages Think-Tac-Toe
Students are asked to write a book review that explicitly requires discussing themes (the "Book" option). A Story Cube template labels one face "theme," prompting students to identify a text's theme alongside plot, setting, and character. The unit test essay prompts ask students to "summarize one of the monologues... and explain the lesson learned" and to provide brief overviews (3–4 sentences) of feudalism or peasant life, requiring concise summaries of content.
Unit 3: The Prince and the Bard
Lesson 1
Introduction to The Little Prince
The unit description explicitly tells students they will "look for messages about love and friendship" and consider techniques characters use to persuade or change one another's opinions. The 'Ideas to Think About' prompt asks, "How do characters persuade or change one another?", directing students to analyze character interactions. Students are assigned to read The Little Prince and complete activities about persuasion techniques, linking character behavior to possible messages in the text.
Lesson 3
The Flower and Other Planets
Students are prompted to think about how the narrator describes differences in how children and adults approach problems and to judge whether the little prince or the narrator has a child's or an adult's perspective. Students answer targeted comprehension questions that analyze character traits and changes across chapters (for example, whether the flower remains afraid after the little prince leaves and whether the King is always obeyed). Students plan and perform a 30-second persuasive message from the flower, which requires reasoning about character motives and what the character values.
Lesson 4
Earth and Other Planets
Students read Chapters XIII-XX of The Little Prince and answer comprehension questions (e.g., which inhabitant could be his friend and why; what the little prince thinks of the businessman), which requires inferencing about character and meaning. Students consider guiding questions such as how characters persuade or change one another and how perspectives differ by age, prompting thematic thinking. Students create a clay model and use the "Planet Problem" worksheet to identify problems faced by inhabitants and brainstorm solutions, then write persuasive letters from different viewpoints, practicing interpretation and application of character motivations. The Parent Plan lists a skill to "write responses to literature, developing an interpretation exhibiting careful reading, understanding, and insight," supporting analytical reading tasks.
Lesson 5
Making Friends on Earth
Students are prompted to discuss themes when asked questions like "What does it mean to be a friend or to love someone?" and "How do characters persuade or change one another?" Students answer targeted comprehension questions about key ideas in Chapters XXI–XXV (e.g., what it means to be "tamed," why the rose has tamed the prince, and the fox's secret that "anything essential is invisible to the eyes"). The wrapping-up task asks students to explain the fox's idea about friendship preventing monotony and to generate examples, which requires them to articulate a thematic idea in their own words.
Lesson 6
Saying Goodbye
Students are asked to finish The Little Prince and "discuss the book...what she thinks the main messages from the book are," which prompts identification of central ideas. The lesson's listed skill explicitly asks students to "paraphrase the major ideas and supporting evidence," and activities require students to describe the little prince's departure in their own words and list ways the narrator knows the prince made it home. The "Persuading the Fox" activity and accompanying question set ask students to explain emotions, perspectives, and motivations, requiring interpretation of key ideas from the text.
Lesson 8
Beginning A Midsummer Night's Dream
Students read specified scenes (Act 1, Scene 1 to Act 2, Scene 1) and answer comprehension questions that ask them to identify main couples and plot events, supporting concise summarization of events. Students are prompted by the "Ideas to Think About" questions to consider what it means to be a friend or to love someone and how characters persuade or change one another, which encourages thinking about possible themes. Students create character collages or casting descriptions that require them to analyze characters' problems, motivations, and persuasive aims, which connects character actions to larger ideas in the play.
Lesson 9
Puck's Pranks
Students read selected scenes and answer questions about character actions and motivations (e.g., what Oberon does to Titania, what mistake Puck makes, and how Oberon plans to solve it), which engages them in identifying key events and reasons. The Wrapping Up discussion asks students to consider why the fairies' viewpoint on love is different from the humans', prompting analysis of character perspectives. The Parent Plan notes that students will "write responses to literature, developing an interpretation exhibiting careful reading, understanding, and insight," which suggests practice in literary interpretation.
Lesson 10
Dreams
Students are asked in Option 1 to choose a passage that deals with the theme of love or friendship and write a short paragraph about what the passage has to say about that idea. Option 2 requires students to select a passage about persuasion and write a short paragraph that summarizes what happens and how the passage deals with persuasion. Reading questions (e.g., Question #1 and #3) ask students to explain how the love triangle changes and which characters feel differently at the end than at the beginning, prompting consideration of development over the play.
Unit 4: Newton at the Center
Lesson 2
Newton and Math
Students are asked to identify the topic sentence, main idea, and what a graphic shows on page 163 using the 'Graphics and Summaries' questions and then give a 2-minute oral summary that includes the main idea and graph interpretation. Students are directed to summarize procedural steps for drawing an ellipse in written or oral form and to write ordered steps on the activity page. The Parent Plan skills explicitly list that students should 'Summarize and determine the importance of information' and 'Deliver oral summaries... include the main ideas ... and the most significant details.'
Lesson 3
Newton and Light
Students are asked to take notes on information they think may be important and to answer specific comprehension questions in complete sentences, which practices identifying key ideas. The Parent Plan lists the skill "Summarize and determine the importance of information," and parents are instructed to ask the child to explain terms and clarify steps, supporting summary practice. The reading questions require students to state main factual points (e.g., Newton's methods, Kepler's camera obscura, Hooke disagreement, spectroscopy), which prompts concise restatement of text content.
Lesson 4
Newton and Motion
Students are asked to "describe the event as it is described in the book" and to take notes on an event (Student Activity Page), which requires summarizing specific passages. A question asks students to pick which of Newton's accomplishments is most important and explain why, prompting judgment about importance. The Headliners activity has students write headlines and dramatize two opposing perspectives, which requires restating events and capturing central points from different viewpoints. The Parent Plan explicitly lists "Summarize and determine the importance of information."
Lesson 6
Math and Science Take Flight
Students are assigned to read Chapter 21 and to highlight or take notes on information they think is important or unfamiliar, which supports identifying main ideas. The parent-plan skills list includes "Monitor comprehension" and "Deliver an oral summary with inferences and conclusions," and the Wrapping Up directs students to "summarize for your parent how an airplane wing works." The Discussion Questions ask students to explain whether people thought science was a closed field and whether Bernoulli believed that, which prompts consideration of the author's points about science.
Lesson 7
Using Newton's Work
Students are asked to summarize what they have learned about an artist orally (Activity 5) and to write a 1–2 paragraph sidebar about that artist (Activity 6), which requires selecting and organizing important information. The Parent Plan lists "Summarize and determine the importance of information" as a listed skill, and the K-W-L activity asks students to record "What I've Learned," reinforcing summarization and identifying key points. Several reading tasks require answering comprehension questions in complete sentences, which practices extracting main facts and important details from a text.
Final Project
Lobby for Newton
Students are asked in Activity 1 to review their highlights and notes and "summarize the key points" of each chapter and compare those summaries to the "Things to Know" and "Readings and Questions" sections to confirm main ideas. The Outlining Newton activity directs students to write a thesis statement, identify three supporting areas (one per body paragraph), and list 2–3 supporting details for each area. Activity 4 and Activity 7 require students to turn that outline into a multi-paragraph essay and to revise/edit a final copy, practicing organization and concise presentation of central ideas.
Unit 5: British Poetry
Lesson 2
Voice and Rhyme
Students are prompted to think about themes in older poetry (Ideas to Think About) and to identify themes in specific poems via parent discussion questions asking "What themes in Sonnet 43 and 'Home-Thoughts, from Abroad' are familiar to you?" Students also choose a theme for their own poems in Activity 1 and write a poem about something they love, practicing selection and expression of a central theme.
Lesson 3
Graphic Elements
Students read Chapter 3 about Alfred, Lord Tennyson and answer comprehension questions about characters and events, which shows engagement with the text. In Activity 2, students choose a favorite poetic line and pair it with a prose statement that expresses the same idea, comparing how the same event or emotion is treated in poetry and prose. The Parent Plan discussion prompt asks students to identify the main topic of the poems in the chapter (memories of those who have died), which directs students to recognize a central idea.
Lesson 4
Figurative Language
Students read chapters on Matthew Arnold and Christina Rossetti and answer directed questions such as identifying the natural phenomenon Arnold uses to represent passage of time and listing similes from "Dover Beach," which requires identifying thematic imagery. The parent/teacher prompts ask students to discuss key natural themes in Arnold's poetry (shorelines, oceans, islands, and water) and to compare how Arnold's and Rossetti's poems are similar and different, prompting thematic comparison. The "Ideas to Think About" section asks students to consider what themes in older poetry resonate with modern audiences, encouraging thematic reflection.
Lesson 5
Allusions
Students read chapters on Yeats, Sitwell, and Owen and answer guided questions in complete sentences (for example, students explain that Owen's poems are negative about war and show the horrors of soldiers' lives). Students analyze poetic devices and meanings (for example, they explain that the repeated line "Still falls the rain" is meant to evoke a never-ending storm and bombing). Discussion prompts ask students to compare what poetry communicates about war and to consider how each poet's circumstances affected their perceptions, encouraging inference about authors' messages. The Parent Plan also states students will "understand, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of poetry and provide evidence from text to support understanding."
Lesson 6
Tone
Students read Chapter 9 about Stevie Smith and answer guided questions about the poem's background and form (e.g., why the poet was called Stevie; what inspired "Not Waving But Drowning"). Students are prompted to compare Smith's poem to Browning's "My Last Duchess" (noting differences in speakers, rhyme, and meter) and to discuss how Smith's tone differs from her themes (noting that tone is light while messages are serious). Students are also asked to consider how the original article about the event differs from Smith's poem, which invites consideration of poetic emphasis versus factual reporting.
Lesson 7
Themes
Students are asked to "consider the topic of a poem or collection of poems or the theme of the piece" and to choose and memorize a poem, prompting reflection on theme. Students answer guided questions that identify a poem's message (e.g., responding that "The Unknown Citizen" is about government/corporations/media) and identify common themes in poets (parent discussion prompts ask students to state themes in Auden and Thomas). Students analyze development within a poem when they answer how the speaker changes between the opening and closing lines of "Fern Hill."
Final Project
Autobiography of a Poet
Students are asked to reread all their poems and "give [the collection] a title based on the themes you have found for your poems," explicitly identifying themes across their work (Activity 2). Students must write a two-paragraph analysis of one of their own poems: the first paragraph addresses images and events (main topic) and the second addresses structure and techniques, with a rubric requiring a 2-paragraph analysis and expression of purpose/inspiration (Activity 6 and rubric).