Instructional Unit Planning: 7th Grade Module 1

Unit A Long Walk to Water by Linda

Subject/Course: English Language Arts
Title: Sue Park

Stage 1: Desired Results

Standards/Goals:
In this module, students will explore the essential question How do individuals persevere in the
face of adversity? through reading and analysis of the novel A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue
Park. Students will analyze how Park unfolds events from the lives of two characters. Nya and
Salve, and explain the connections that are drawn between those characters lives. Students will
also consider the central themes of the text and how those ideas are developed over the course of
the work.

Supporting/Repeating Standards:
Reading - Literature
RL.7.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
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.
RL.7.3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes
the characters or plot).
RL.7.5 Analyze how a dramas or poems form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet)
contributes to its meaning.
RL.7.6 Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different
characters or narrators in a text.
RL.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas,
and poems, in the grades 68 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at
the high end of the range.

Reading - Informational
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.
RI.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice
on meaning and tone.
RI.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 68
text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

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.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
W.7.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
W.7.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style
are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.7.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen
writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing
on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.
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.7.10 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.7.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others
ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Language
L.7.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.7.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases
based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
L.7.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in
word meanings.
L.7.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific
words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or expression.
Understandings: Essential Questions:
Students will understand that
How do individuals persevere in the face of
Individuals are able to overcome and adversity?
endure despite challenges

Students will demonstrate their

understanding of the text and their
mastery of narrative writing standards by
crafting an essay
Students will know
Vocabulary
o Academic Terminology such as
analyze, annotate, predict, and
paraphrase
Students will be able to
Students will engage in close analytic reading
that encourages them to carefully consider the
text itself, including individual words and
sentences, in order to understand central ideas
 o Literary Terminology such as
authors purpose, connotation,
juxtaposition, and thesis/ controlling
idea
o Content Terminology such as
famine, genocide, refugee and
desegregate
Culture (specifically life in Sudan)
and details.
Students will also engage in analytic writing that
places a premium on using evidence and
crafting works that display logical integration
and coherence.
Other practices embedded in this module
include annotation of text, rich and rigorous
conversation around text, application of
vocabulary and grammar, prewriting, and writing
from sources.

An important part of my class vision is that students will be able to read and think critically. This
requires students to go beyond what is written in the text and apply it to a more universal idea. This
unit aligns with the class goal because the essential question mandates that students use what they
have learned from the novel and other supplemental text and use it to successfully fulfill the end of
the module task.

Stage 2b: Summative Assessment for this Unit

Formative Writing Task 1 (Day 1):

In the article, For the Worlds Poor, Drinking Water Can Kill by Addie Moorfoot, explain how an
individual persevere in the face of conflict adversity. Use evidence from the article to support your
response.

Formative Writing Task 2 (Day 5):

After reading The Geography of Sudan: Two Perspectives, explain what adversity is taking place
in Darfur, and if this adversity was overcome in the article.

Formative Writing Task 3 (Day 9)

After reading Life and Death in Darfur: Sudans Refugee Crisis Continues, compare and contrast
the historical account of the conflict in Darfur to the fictional account in Chapters 1-5 of A Long Walk
to Water. Use evidence from both texts to explain your answer.

Final Writing Task 4 (Day 14)

Write a short narrative piece from the perspective of Nya or Salva in which you use figurative
language to describe a time when you had to accomplish a very important task.

Final Writing Task 5 (Day 20)

What adversity allows Salva to establish himself as a leader amongst his peers? Is this a positive
or negative experience in Salvas life? Use evidence from the text to explain your answer.

Final LDC Writing Task (Days 27-36)

How do individuals persevere in the face of adversity? After reading A Long Walk to Water by Linda
Sue Park and other texts, write an essay in which you explain how Nya and Salva persevere in the
face of adversity. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or
other information and examples from the texts.

Objective Overview
Day 1: Students will unpack the essential question How do individuals persevere in the face of
adversity? through engaging in discussions about how individuals persevere in the face of
adversity.
Day 2: Students will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the module by unpacking the end of
module task, and analyzing key module terms.
Day 3: Students will be able to understand the demands of the writing task by completing a task
and poetry analysis.
Day 4: Students will be able to determine the central idea of The Geography of Sudan: Two
Perspectives by completing a close reading with text dependent questions.
Day 5: Students will explain how conflict affects an individual by completing formative writing task 1
Day 6: Students will analyze A Long Walk to Water and determine how the structure contributes to
the novel.
Day 7: Students will evaluate how particular elements of a story interact by analyzing how conflicts
within a society affect a character.
Day 8: Students will be able to analyze how authors use fiction to alter history by comparing and
contrasting a fictional portrayal with a historical account.
Day 9: Students will be able to analyze how authors use fiction to alter history by comparing and
contrasting a fictional portrayal with a historical account.
Day 10: Students will be able to make inferences by analyzing the authors use of specific words
and phrases.
Day 11: Students will be able to analyze how an author develops and contrasts points of view in a
literary text by engaging in discussions with diverse partners and citing textual evidence to support
the discussion.
Day 12: Students will be able to determine the cultural perspective of events throughout the text by
using evidence to support their ideas.
Day 13: Students will be able to make connections between supplemental texts and A Long Walk
to Water.
Day 14: Students will be able to compose narrative responses to a question posed about A Long
Walk to Water
Day 15: Students will consider how natural resources access to and lack of - create or contribute
to adversity for Nya and Salva.
Day 16: Students will consider the concept of scarcity by analyzing how it impacts Nya and Salva.
Day 17: Students will use a discussion to help them make meaning of how Salva responds to
conflict and tragedy in his life.
Day 18: Students will consider positive examples of how to overcome tragedy and adversity as
demonstrated by Salvas actions in this chapter.

Day 19: Students will consider how adversity varies in impact depending on whether or not the
situation is a singular experience or ongoing by analyzing examples of how various conflicts impact
Nya and Salva.
Day 20: Students will be able to compose a short informational piece in response to a selection
from A Long Walk to Water.
Day 21-22: Students will be able to compare and contrast a fictional and historical account by
examining the development of particular elements in a story and informational text.
Day 23-24: Students will analyze the role that education both formal and practical play for Salva
and Nya.
Day 25: Students will reflect on the dual plot and how it helped them develop a deeper
understanding of the text as readers.
Day 26: Students will be able to consider major themes that can be found in the text as well as
connect these themes to the modules essential question by engaging in a class wide discussion
activity.
Day 27: Students will be able to convey ideas and concepts clearly using relevant information and
quotes by reviewing paraphrasing, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation within a model essay.
Day 28: Students will be able to analyze the development of a central idea and relate it to the task
by identifying and citing several pieces of text-based evidence.
Day 29: Students will be able to convey ideas and concepts clearly using relevant information and
quotes by reviewing paraphrasing, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation within a model essay.
Day 30: Students will be able to convey ideas and concepts clearly using relevant information and
quotes by reviewing paraphrasing, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation within a model essay.
Day 31: 1) Students will begin to analyze the question How do individuals persevere in the face of
adversity through making a working thesis for their LDC task. 2) Students will learn how to grab the
readers attention through writing essay hooks.
Day 32: Students will begin to plan their essays by completing the body paragraphs and conclusion
of their essay organizers.
Day 33: Students will start a first draft of their essays through writing a 5-paragraph essay using the
Planning Your Essay graphic organizer.
Day 34: Students will start a first draft of their essays through writing a 5-paragraph essay using the
Planning Your Essay graphic organizer.
Day 35: Students will edit their final drafts for clarity through completing a self-editing checklist.
Day 36: Students will finish the final revision of their essays through completing a self-editing and
peer-editing checklist.