ELA 2019 G7:M1:U2

Write to Inform: The Lost Children of South Sudan

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Students begin the unit researching to answer the questions generated while reading A Long Walk to Water during Unit 1, including questions about Lost Girls. While researching, students determine two or more central ideas in informational texts and provide objective summaries of them. Students also watch clips of the documentary God Grew Tired of Us, about the Lost Boys of Sudan, analyzing the main ideas and supporting details and explaining how the ideas clarify what they have been researching. In the second half of the unit, students use the Painted Essay® structure to write an informative essay comparing and contrasting how the novel and an informational text deal with the subject matter of the Lost Children of Sudan.

For homework, students continue to read chapters of A Long Walk to Water in preparation for reading and discussing them in class. When they are not reading the anchor text, they should continue their independent research reading for at least 20 minutes and respond to a prompt. Additionally, students should continue independent research reading over the weekends.

Please note: For the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum, there are Teaching Notes for each unit that contain helpful information for supporting English language learners. These overview notes complement the more specific English language learner supports and differentiated materials within each lesson. You will find the Teaching Notes in the Unit download below.

CCS Standards

Reading—Literature

RL.7.1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.7.9: Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history.

Reading—Informational Text

RI.7.1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.7.2: Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

Writing

W.7.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
W.7.2a: Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
W.7.2b: Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
W.7.2c: Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
W.7.2.d: Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
W.7.2.e: Establish and maintain a formal style
W.7.2f: Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.
W.7.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
W.7.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.
W.7.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.
W.7.8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
W.7.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
W.7.9a: Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history").
W.7.9b: Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. "Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims").
W.7.10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Speaking and Listening

SL.7.2: Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study.

The Four Ts

Topic: Discovering the Lost Children of Sudan: Write to Inform: The Lost Children of Sudan
Task:

Complete selected response questions related to the main ideas and supporting details in a video clip (Mid-Unit Assessment Part I).
Research online to answer a question about A Long Walk to Water (Mid-Unit Assessment Part II).
Write an essay to compare and contrast the novel A Long Walk to Water and the informational article "The 'Lost Girls' of Sudan" to analyze how the author of the novel uses or alters history (end of unit assessment).

Targets: RL.7.1, RL.7.9, RI.7.1, RI.7.2, W.7.2, W.7.4, W.7.6, W.7.7, W.7.8, W.7.9, W.7.10, SL.7.2
Texts: A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park, God Grew Tired of Us (DVD), "The 'Lost Girls' of Sudan," "The Need"

Assessment

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Download this Unit's Assessments

Habits of Character/Social-Emotional Learning Focus

Central to the EL Education curriculum is a focus on "habits of character" and social-emotional learning. In this unit, students continue to work to become effective learners, developing mindsets and skills for success in college, career, and life (e.g., initiative, responsibility, perseverance, and collaboration). Students also continue to work to become ethical people, treating others well and standing up for what is right (e.g., empathy, integrity, respect, and compassion).

In this unit, as students read A Long Walk to Water, they witness evidence of respect, empathy, collaboration, perseverance, and taking responsibility habits of character and discuss what these look and sound like in the text. Also, students focus on the habits of character of respect, empathy, and compassion as they respond to one another's ideas and skills in written work and in discussions. Students focus on integrity and perseverance as they work independently on assessments. Then as they track progress on their assessments, they take responsibility for their own learning.

Unit-at-a-Glance

Each unit is made up of a sequence of between 10-18 lessons. The Unit-at-a-Glance charts, available on the grade-level landing pages, break down each unit's lessons, showing CCS standards, agenda breakdown, daily learning targets, and ongoing assessments. The charts also indicate which lessons include mid- and end of unit assessments and the performance task.

View the unit-at-a-glance chart

Texts and Resources to Buy

Texts and resources that need to be procured. Please download the Required Trade Books and Resources Procurement List for procurement guidance.

Text or Resource	Quantity	ISBNs
God Grew Tired of Us (DVD) by Christopher Quinn (director)	One per classroom	ISBN: 0043396198999
A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park	One per student	ISBN: 9780547577319

Preparation and Materials

Prepare the following anchor charts for this unit:

Researchers Do These Things anchor chart
Choosing and Using Credible Internet Sources anchor chart
Criteria of an Effective Informative Essay anchor chart
Peer Critique anchor chart

Ensure that families are aware of the sensitive content of A Long Walk to Water, and prepare students who may be affected by this content in advance.

The following material is introduced in this unit and referenced throughout both the module and the school year:

Informative Writing checklist

CCS Standards

Reading—Literature

Reading—Informational Text

Writing

Speaking and Listening

The Four Ts

Assessment

Habits of Character/Social-Emotional Learning Focus

Unit-at-a-Glance

Texts and Resources to Buy

Preparation and Materials

Lessons

ELA 2019 G7:M1:U2:L1

ELA 2019 G7:M1:U2:L2

ELA 2019 G7:M1:U2:L3

ELA 2019 G7:M1:U2:L4

ELA 2019 G7:M1:U2:L5

ELA 2019 G7:M1:U2:L7

ELA 2019 G7:M1:U2:L8

ELA 2019 G7:M1:U2:L9

ELA 2019 G7:M1:U2:L10

ELA 2019 G7:M1:U2:L11

ELA 2019 G7:M1:U2:L12

ELA 2019 G7:M1:U2:L14

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