Unit Plan 36 (Grade 7 ELA): Publishing Celebration & Reflection
Grade 7 ELA unit: students polish writing portfolios, refine language for effect, and deliver formal author talks. They revise diction and sentence rhythm for impact, use technology to publish, and present their growth and craft to an authentic audience.
Focus: Polished portfolios; author talks; language for effect
Grade Level: 7
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Writing—Publishing; Speaking & Listening—Presentation; Language—Style)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Time to publish and celebrate. Students curate a mini-portfolio of their strongest pieces from the year, revise for language effect (diction, sentence variety, rhythm), and prepare a concise author talk that highlights their growth and craft. Using simple tech workflows, they assemble and share their work with an authentic audience.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Use technology tools to produce, assemble, and share a polished writing portfolio, collaborating for feedback and formatting (W.7.6).
- Present an author talk that clearly communicates claims about their growth and craft choices with effective organization, delivery, and responsiveness to audience (SL.7.4–SL.7.6).
- Revise writing and speaking to choose language for effect—attention to diction, sentence patterns, tone, and consistency (L.7.3).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 7
- Writing 7.6 (W.7.6): Use technology to produce and publish writing and collaborate with others.
- Speaking & Listening 7.4–7.6 (SL.7.4–SL.7.6): Present claims and findings with clear organization and delivery; adapt speech to task and audience; demonstrate command of formal English.
- Language 7.3 (L.7.3): Use knowledge of language (style, sentence variety, tone) to achieve specific effects.
Success Criteria — student language
- My portfolio is clean, complete, and formatted for readers (title page, contents, consistent headings).
- My author talk has a clear throughline (claim → evidence from my pieces → insight) and I deliver it in formal, precise language.
- I revised sentences for rhythm and effect (varied lengths, purposeful repetition, precise verbs).
- I can name how specific changes improved clarity, tone, or impact.