The Basics:
In math, students develop an understanding of rates and ratios, using tables, graphs and equations to solve real-world problems of proportional relationships. Students also work on solving
multi-step problems involving positive and negative nu🃏mbers. Students delve deeper into geometry and apply the properties of operations to solve problems involving the measurement of multi-dimensional objects.
🔯In English, studen♚ts develop the ability to cite relevant evidence when interpreting or analyzing a text or supporting their points in speaking and writing. They also build academic vocabulary while reading more complex texts, including stories, plays, historical novels, poems, non-fiction books and articles.
Inside The Classroom: English
Mark Anderson, special education teacher, Jonas Bronck Academy, The Bronx
In the 7th grade, stude🔯nts continue to develop their knowledge and academic language through a sus🦹tained engagement with complex literary and informational texts.
Deepening a student’s ability to analyze complex texts is a key facet of 7th grade development. A student 🌠is now expected to be able to trace the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone (such as how Frederick Douglass creat🐽es a tone of despair in “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” by contrasting the “silver trump of freedom” to the “horrible pit” of slavery), explain how the structure of a text contributes to its meaning, or understand contrasts in points of view of different characters in a text.
For example, after reviewing conventional sonnet structures, students mighܫt analyze how Wilfred Owen disrupts traditional poetic forms in “Dulce et Decorum Est” to convey the chaos and horror of warfare.
One of the biggest shifts in the tra🌠nsition from 6th to 7th grade expectations is that students expand the scope of their analysis from particular details or sections of a text to that of the whole, They now can cite several pieces of evidence to support an analysis, trace the development of a central idea or theme throug♏hout a text, and begin to see the relationships between ideas or elements — how setting might relate to plot, or how an individual might influence or be influenced by an event.
After reading,ꦏ performing, and studying Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” for example, students may analyze how Shakespeare uses the plot device of Oberon’s magic formulas to both create and resolve conflicts between multiple plot lines.
In addition, students are expected to begin to assess the reasoning of an argument to determine whether or not it is sound. Similarly, they are expected to be able to acknowledge opposಞing claims to their own contention when writing an argumentative paper. They also begin to more carefully consider the purpose and audience for their writing tasks.
The expectation for a maturing student understanding in 7th grade requires teachers and schools to carefully select challenging literary and informational texts th𝔉at cumulatively build student knowledge and academic language. Teachers need to leverage guided questioning and classroom discussion to further students’ willingness and ability to grapple with challenging concepts and texts.
Questions from 2015 test:
Students read two- to three-pageꦰ articles and🧸 fiction excerpts, then answer multiple-choice, short-answer, and essay questions.
1) “The Great Pumpkin” is about growing prize-winning giant pumpkins. Which evidence from the article suggests that Werner’s hobby is popular?
A: Gi🀅ant pumpkins have tripled in size since the 1980s.
B: Competitions can earn gardeners thღousands of dollars.
C: Experts predict that a one-ton pumpkin ♔will be grown soon.
D: There are mo🥂re than 80 competitions held in a particular area.
2) In an excerpt of “The Mozart Season,” a young violinist plays in a competition. Read these sentences from lines 62 and 63”
I looked down at the scroll of my violin. It’s like a seashell, as if there’s such a story inside that you could never find out all of it.
The simile suggests that Allegra
A: appreciates her violin as full 𒅌oꦿf possibility for the music she creates with it
B: wishes she could unleash the sec🧸rets her violin hide🎉s from her
C: relies 🐻on her v𝕴iolin for inspiration during performances
D: respects her violin’s beauty and craftsmanship
3). In an excerpt of “Kidnapped,” a shipwreck survivor explores a deserted island.
What do lines 22 through 29 reveal about the narrator’s character? Use tw🎶o details from the story to s🌜upport your response.
Answers: 1. D; 2. A; 3. Three points possible.
Inside The Classroom: Math
Jose Grullon, 7th grade teacher, Inwood Academy for Leadership Charter School, Manhattan
We start each lesson with a task that allows students to activate their prior knowledge of previous concepts. All students have their notes and examples that they can look at when w🦩orking on such questions. After this, we highlight the different strategies that students used to get to a solution, and then discuss thꦺe connections between them.
For ex🍬ample, we were recently ♛working on using the distributive property to rewrite algebraic expressions. Some students are able to represent it visually, where others do not need to. But both ways can lead to an accurate answer.
Next, students are given a lesson highlighting the math goal of that day. Using several examples, we question the students until they fully understand the concept. Students have to be able to articulate what the math question is asking them, and they have to organize their work so that they can 🃏explain the solution to the math task.
This proce𝕴ss is very different than the one I learned when I was growing up. Back then, we j𒅌ust had to memorize math facts. In Common Core math, students have to do the majority of the thinking and arrive at an understanding of what is being taught, with support when needed.
Our classes are of mixed abilities, so after the lesson is taught each student receives math practice at an ability level tiered to his or her needs. This allows students to be ready for the materꦜial they have to learn without frustrating them. For example, students who master facts rapidly are usually done first, and students who struggle usually need more time to master the math concepts.
At the end of the lesson, students are given a short assessment that measures their understanding for that day. Using this information, teachers decide what students need to be their point of focus so they can achieve mastery on 🎐those math concepts.
Questions from 2015 test:
1) Altitude above sea level is given in positive values and below sea level is given in negative values. Which situation describes a hiker in Death Valley stopping at an altitude of 0 feet?
A: The hiker starts at –10 fℱeet then increases altitude by ♏10 feet.
B: The hiker starts at –10 feꦐe🐠t then decreases altitude by 10 feet.
C: The hiker starts at 10 feet then increases altitude b🐲y 10 feet.
D: The hiker starts at 0 feet then decreases altitude 𒁏by 10🍸 feet.
2) Which expression represents a factorization of 32m + 56mp?
A: 8(4m + 7mp)
B: 8(4 + 7)mp
C: 8p(4 + 7m)
D: 8m(4 + 7p)
3) A convenience store sells two brands of orange juice. Brand A contains 8 fluid ounces and costs $1.28. Brand B contains 12 fluid ounces and costs $1.68. What is the difference in cost, in dollars, per fluid ounce between the two brands of juice? Show your work.
Answers: 1. A; 2. D; 3. Two points possible.