Unit Plan 34 (Grade 7 ELA): Revising & Editing for Clarity
Grade 7 ELA unit: students strengthen grammar, punctuation, and style through revision. They refine phrases and clauses for clarity, fix commas and capitalization, and improve cohesion using precise language and transitions for polished, professional writing.
Focus: Grammar/usage, punctuation/capitalization, style & cohesion
Grade Level: 7
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Language—Conventions & Usage; Writing—Revision)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Clear writing is crafted writing. This week, students use targeted revision and editing moves to improve grammar/usage, punctuation/capitalization, and overall style & cohesion. They’ll diagnose sentence-level issues (phrases/clauses, modifier placement), repair punctuation (especially commas with coordinate adjectives), and tighten flow with precise words and logical links—culminating in a polished revision of a recent paragraph or section.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Demonstrate command of grammar and usage, including the function and placement of phrases and clauses to convey meaning clearly and avoid ambiguity (L.7.1).
- Apply conventions of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, with attention to commas with coordinate adjectives and common error patterns (L.7.2).
- Use a structured revision process to strengthen writing for clarity, style, and cohesion—adding, deleting, reordering, and rewording as needed (W.7.5).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 7
- Language 7.1 (L.7.1): Grammar/usage; explain function of phrases/clauses; place them for clarity.
- Language 7.2 (L.7.2): Capitalization, punctuation (incl. commas with coordinate adjectives), and spelling.
- Writing 7.5 (W.7.5): Develop and strengthen writing by planning, revising, editing, rewriting.
Success Criteria — student language
- I can spot and fix unclear sentences by adjusting phrases/clauses and pronoun references.
- I can use punctuation and capitalization correctly (especially commas with coordinate adjectives).
- I can revise a draft for cohesion (logical order, transitions) and style (precise words, concise sentences).
- I can explain one revision choice and why it improves clarity.