The targeted learners for this module are seventh-grade reading students. These students are in the general education classroom setting, even if they have individualized reading and writing goals per their IEP or 504.

The curriculum standards come from the English Language Arts Reading: Literature Grade 7 Common Core State Standards and are listed below. This module uses English Language Arts Common Core State Standards as they are accepted in 42 of the 50 states. 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

In addition to the reading standards above, students will also be addressing the following Speaking & Listening Common Core Standards.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1.A Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1.B Follow rules for collegial discussions, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1.C Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1.D Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify their own views.

The intended targets/outcomes of this module for students include:

• Students will read a book that is within their zone of proximal development.
• Students can create a work that encompasses their learning from this module.
• Students can use text evidence to draw inferences.
• Students are able to determine the theme(s) of the book.
• Students can create an objective summary.
• Students can identify difficult words and determine the meaning including their connotation.
• Students can compare and contrast my fiction book to historical events.
• Students will come to discussions prepared.
• Students will follow the norms/rules/expectations my group makes.
• Students will ask questions and respond to their peers’ questions/comments to further discussion.

As previously stated, if this is used in a traditional classroom you will be constricted to your allotted class time. However, if this is used solely online, I would limit each section to between 50-60 minutes. Please consider making modifications and alterations to any part of this unit to best meet the needs of your students. I created this unit with my former students in mind, but yours may have different interests and thoughts! This was created with the understanding that each student would have a device or access to one.

Pedagogical Rationale: Begin with students taking the pre-survey. Post this eight-question long survey to gauge what students already know. Use the information from the survey to help determine what aspects of the reading literature standards need to be addressed.

Begin the module by introducing historical fiction. It is likely that by now in seventh-grade students have either been exposed to it as part of a lesson or have read historical fiction on their own. Nevertheless, since you haven’t had time to read their responses begin with a brief overview.

I like to give students choice. I find that when students have a say in what they’re learning they are more invested, excited, and eager to attend to the learning. Students have many options for World War II historical fiction texts that give them ample opportunity to find a book that meets their interests and ability needs. Asking students to explain why they chose a specific book helps to understand why they chose a book that isn’t in their zone of proximal development, a sweet spot for students where things are not too simple but are attainable with some support/guidance.

Teaching Suggestions: There are many ways to go about creating book clubs. You can have each child reading the book of their choice and meeting and discussing together as a heterogeneous group, or you can have homogenous groupings where students are reading the same book.

Depending on which grouping you choose, you may choose to limit the number of options to guarantee you will be able to put students in groups. Additionally, if you find that your students need a larger number of choices, find another list or you can create your own for students to reference. I’ve also done this where I’ve had students rank a smaller set of options in order of preference or only made certain lists available to certain kids (referencing their Lexile’s). For this module, I’m going to refer to groups with both groupings in mind so that you can use this either way.

You may also want to make sure that the books on your lists are available in your school library, the local public library, or are within your school budget to purchase (hard or digital copies). This module was created under the assumption that students are able to acquire a copy of the book whether that is audio, digital, or hard copy. 

I do not include a word limit for the comments as a personal preference. Rather than a grade on meeting the minimum, I look at whether or not they answered the question completely. For some students, this will take 20 words, and others 100 words.  Additionally, review the comments to check for student understanding and provide feedback.  All of the above applies to the entire module. 

Standards Mapping: The standard below is an end of year goal, but by reading a book within their zone of proximal development students are working towards this.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Supplementary Resources: If this is done in person you could get hard copies of some books to allow students to hold them and sift through them. I send a list to the local library and our school library a few weeks ahead of time and they gather the books for me to use in class.

Pedagogical Rationale: I don’t like assuming what students know and don’t know. They’ve come from different teachers, schools, settings, and while they may have learned about plot previously, having a refresher so that it’s clear and present in their minds will help all students. The objective summary video is short, provides audio as well as a visual for what is needed, and what’s not needed to be an objective summary.

Each class will begin with students in groups sharing their objective summary. This way they get to practice, update their peers on the book, and by sharing they will better remember what they read moving forward.

Teaching Suggestions: I trimmed the video to get to the point, however, if you have students who would benefit from using closed captioning, you can provide this link to the video on YouTube and have them watch until the 1:19 mark.  

You could sit with a book group to help them with the creation of their norms. Some groups will excel at this and others may not be able to articulate what they expect of one another. Encourage them and help them see why it’s important to be on the same page.

If there’s remaining class time for reading, you could read a book out loud to a group of students or offer the suggestion that those reading the same book could read together (with the stipulation that everyone is engaged). 

Standards Mapping: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

Supplementary Resources: Knowing your students, you may want to provide a paper with the aspects of an objective summary for them to have on hand. Below is a worksheet that students can use each time when creating their summaries.

Objective Summary Worksheet (Mocogni, Objective Summary, 2020)

Pedagogical Rationale: As stated in the previous update, each class will begin with students in groups sharing their objective summary. This way they get practice, update their peers on the book, and by sharing they will better remember what they read moving forward.

I provide a visual and oral version to define connotation and denotation as well as a written way to help reach more students. This should be review as connotation is taught beginning in sixth grade, but you never know what students remember or if this was even taught.

Additionally, coming up with an example or two of connotation and practicing denotation in the comments section will hopefully help them see how many words elicit feelings for us. I linked Learner’s Dictionary by Merriam-Webster for students to use when looking at the denotative meaning. This defines words in a way that students can understand, without using other difficult words that they would then need to look up! 

Teaching Suggestions: When this is being done within a classroom setting consider working with a higher needs group, like those with reading goals or reading disabilities, or rotating through groups. This way you can see how discussions are going and how students are doing with creating objective summaries. The idea though is that students are reading books within their zone of proximal development so they may need some assistance but can do some things on their own.

Standards Mapping: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.

Supplementary Resources: Knowing your students, you may want to provide a sheet that defines connotation and denotation for them to have on hand. Below is a worksheet that students can use.

Connotation and Denotation Guide (Mocogni, Connotation and Denotation, 2020)

Pedagogical Rationale: As stated previously, each update begins with students in groups sharing their objective summary on the new reading. This way they get practice, update their peers on the book, and by sharing they will better remember what they read moving forward. 

The infographic is provided to draw students into the update. This should be review as inferring is a skill that is part of fourth-grade reading literature standards. However, it is always helpful to have a refresher as I’ve found that students will often use predictive language ‘will’ and ‘going to’ when writing an inference.

Having students create a few examples of inferences allows them to practice in a safe place. It gives you the opportunity to read through the comments making sure they have text evidence and aren’t creating predictions.

Giving students time to read, sometimes called sustained silent reading, has been debated amongst educators and researchers for quite some time. Some argue that individual reading isn’t as productive, nor does it yield the same skills as reading as a whole group with teacher instruction. One study found that students who have a higher value of silent reading would be more effective during that time contrasting students who hold a lower value for silent reading (Siah & Kwok, 2010). This information combined with knowing how your students value reading could be used to plan on how to complete their required reading and lead to more frequent check-ins with positive behavior rewards.

Teaching Suggestions: Since this is a shorter update you could set up a table somewhere in your room and make that the “help” table to work with students. You can encourage students who you know do better with regular check-ins or are required to have check-ins per their IEP. Students can stop by for a brief period of time or set up shop there. Ideally, I like to meet with every student for a check-in. Even if they don’t want to, hearing what they enjoy about the book, or what they don’t like about it builds rapport.

Standards Mapping: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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.

Supplementary Resources: During whole group instruction, or small group instruction, I’ve used the slides below to practice inferences with groups that needed additional practice before working on their own. It’s here if you want an additional resource.

Inference Slides (Mocogni, Inferences, 2017)

Pedagogical Rationale: Theme is part of grade four common core reading literature standards, so it should be review for students. What is new this year, building on previous years' curriculum, is the idea of plot developing over the course of the story. This update attempts to provide a review of theme and introduce the idea of looking at plot over the entirety of the story. While students may not have finished their World War II novels at this point, they should be close to completing the work and be able to identify theme(s) present in the text. 

Teaching Suggestions: I have found that students struggle with theme. It’s something they know, but when you try to define and teach it, it becomes a bit convoluted. Take a look at the supplementary resources below for more suggestions on how this update could look.

Standards Mapping: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

Supplementary Resources: During whole group instruction, or small group instruction, I’ve used the slides below for additional practice on theme before having kids work on their own. It’s here if you want an additional resource.

Theme Slides (Mocogni, Theme, 2017)

Furthermore, knowing your students and looking at their survey responses you can determine if this update is adequate enough or not. If not, consider using short videos, like Pixar shorts, or The Present to help get theme across.

Pedagogical Rationale: Common core standards have students beginning to learn to compare and contrast in kindergarten. What is specific to seventh grade is that it asks students to look at a fictional portrayal of time to the historical record of that time. Timing this unit alongside or staggering it just after social studies teaches World War II works perfectly to meet this standard.

Graphic organizers have, in my experience, greatly benefited all students. According to researchers Tracey Hall and Nicole Strangman, successful learning outcomes were found for students ranging from elementary to university level both with and without disabilities (Hall & Strangman, 2008). Sometimes, students have had graphic organizer use written into their IEPs or 504 plans, but the use has been helpful for all students as indicated in the research above. Using a graphic organizer is a way for students to sort out their thoughts on papers. 

Teaching Suggestions: If you can’t time this to work with social studies consider doing a few lessons (the number is up to you) with nonfiction texts and/or videos to remind students about what was going on during World War II. See the supplementary resources listed below for some suggestions.

I’ve written about the use of graphic organizers in several of my previous learning modules stating, “For some students, this may seem like a “waste of time”, because they already “know everything they’re going to write”, however in my experience graphic organizers are extremely beneficial to keep information sorted . . . and provide a resource to refer back to.”

Additionally, it may be beneficial to have printed copies of the Venn Diagram or a three t-chart available for students who prefer to handwrite rather than use their device.

Standards Mapping: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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.

Supplementary Resources: Some nonfiction resources to use as if you can’t time this alongside social studies teachings of World War II.

• I Never Saw Another Butterfly by Hana Volavková
• Irena Sendler- Righteous Among the Nations  and Britannica
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum 
• Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center 
• The Path to Nazi Genocide Video 
• Junior Scholastic Article on Anne Frank

Pedagogical Rationale: Students have been working through this module for a while now. They’ve been getting formative assessments and feedback from you on the different reading literature elements. Now it’s time for them to show what they can do on their own. They can look back at their work and use that to help guide them or even use some of what they wrote before in their completed project, but this way you get to see what they can do on their own. 

Teaching Suggestions: You know your students best, so if you think they need more structure then you can provide graphic organizers for them to use when creating this project. Because I’m giving so much choice, creating a graphic organizer for each medium would be too time-consuming. You could also encourage students to create their own graphic organizers to help them become self-sufficient and take ownership of their learning.

I created this rubric for the first time for this module as I have never done this project at the end of book clubs. When students do go on to the peer review and self-review, encourage students to be honest in their feedback, but most importantly kind and constructive. Everyone is learning and growing!  The rubric doesn't include a peer review or self-review because the intention is that these would be used within a learning management system like Scholar.  

The module does not have instructions on how to do the peer review.  I wanted this update to be just about the project and to think about the peer review afterward.  If you plan to do the peer review consider whether you want it to be anonymous or not.  I would also suggest walking students through how to provide constructive feedback.    

If you have the time, consider creating a roughly put together version of the project for students to see. Showing students mentor texts, examples of excellent writing within the genre students are about to attempt themselves, is one of the best ways to improve students’ writing (Graham & Perin, 2007).

Standards Mapping: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.