Grade 7: Quarter 4

Unit 8: Reconstruction


By the end of the unit, students will answer the following prose constructed response:

What teacher says: In the last few weeks you have been reading the work of Samuel L. Clemens a.k.a. Mark Twain who is an American author that
wrote in the time of the Reconstruction era. You have read informational text Mark Twain. Part of your work has been with the novel The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Today you will be using that novel and other texts you have read in order to answer the question below.

Prompt:
According to Wikipedia, The cardinal virtues are a set of four virtues recognized in the writings of Classical Antiquity and, along with the
theological virtues, also in Christian tradition. They consist of:
Prudence: also called "wisdom," the ability to judge between actions with regard to appropriate actions at a given time.
Justice: also called "fairness," the perpetual and constant will of rendering to each one his right.[1]
Temperance: also called "restraint," the practice of self-control, abstention, and moderation; tempering the appetition.
Courage: also called "fortitude," forbearance, strength, endurance, and the ability to confront fear, uncertainty, and intimidation.
Is Tom Sawyer a virtuous person? In forming your argument, make sure you cover all four of the cardinal virtues (temperance, fortitude,
prudence, justice). Defend your argument. Be sure to state your opinion, acknowledge counterclaims, and cite evidence from the text.
Dont forget:
Introduce your claim with precise language and establish the significance of the claim.
Develop the counterclaim fairly, and distinguish your claim from the counterclaim.
Anticipate audiences knowledge, concern, and possible biases.
Create cohesion between reasons and evidence and claims and counterclaims.
Maintain a formal style.
Your concluding statement should follow from and support your claim.

Other historical novels that are about the Civil War and Reconstruction era are available at: http://gse.uml.edu/rtt/tah/8/cds/cd2/docs/12.pdf



Week Mentor text Supplemental text/
multimedia
Standards Informal
Assessment
Reading Writing Speaking/Listening Language
1 The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer by Mark Twain
(Lexile 950)

(Chapters 1-10)

Lesson Plans for this
book:
http://www.glencoe.com
/sites/common_assets/la
nguageart/tom_sawyer.p
df

Quote: The very ink
with which history is
written is merely fluid
prejudice.- Mark
Twain

Teacher Resource
to pick primary
documents
before starting
unit:
http://blogs.loc.g
ov/teachers/2013
/11/mark-twains-
huckleberry-finn-
controversy-at-
the-heart-of-a-
classic/
Strategy: Determining
Importance:
Annotating


Standards:
RI.7.1, RI.7.5, RI.7.7,
RI.7.8, RI.7.9
W.7.1, W.7.4,
W.7.5, W.7.6,
W.7.7, W.7.8,
W.7.9
SL.7.1, SL.7.2, SL.7.3,
SL.7.5
L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3,
L.7.4, L.5.6
Chapter 9 marks a turning
point in the novel. Up to
now, Toms adventures
have been play and make-
believe. In the scene at the
graveyard, he and Huck
witness real evil. Tom is
forced to make life and
death decisions. Analyze
this chapter, addressing
such questions as the
following: How does Twain
create the frightening
atmosphere in the
graveyard? To which
senses does he appeal?
How does he use
foreshadowingclues
planted by an author that
point to events to come
to prepare the reader for
the change in mood? End
your analysis by making a
prediction about how you
think the events Tom and
Huck witness will affect
the rest of the novel.
From
http://www.glencoe.com/
sites/common_assets/lang
uageart/tom_sawyer.pdf

2

The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer by Mark Twain
(Lexile 950)

(Chapters 11-20)





Quotes: It is better to
keep your mouth closed
and let people think
you are a fool than to
open it and remove all
doubt. -Mark Twain

Informational article
on Mark Twain by
Thomas V. Quirk:
http://www.history.
com/topics/mark-
twain

Strategy:
Literary Elements:
Irony and satire

Standards:
RI.7.1, RI.7.5, RI.7.7,
RI.7.8, RI.7.9

W.7.1, W.7.4,
W.7.5, W.7.6,
W.7.7, W.7.8,
W.7.9
SL.7.1, SL.7.2, SL.7.3,
SL.7.5
L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3,
L.7.4, L.5.6
Exit slip: Explain
irony and satire
with examples
from the chapters.
3 The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer by Mark Twain
(Lexile 950)

(Chapters 21-29)

Quotes: The lack of
money is the root of all
evil. -Mark Twain
From Andrew
Jackson to the
Gilded Age: Mark
Twains Times by
Craig Hotchiss
http://www.markt
wainhouse.org/ma
n/twains_times.ph
p
Strategy: Compare and
Contrast

Standards:
RI.7.1, RI.7.5, RI.7.7,
RI.7.8, RI.7.9
W.7.1, W.7.4,
W.7.5, W.7.6,
W.7.7, W.7.8,
W.7.9
SL.7.1, SL.7.2, SL.7.3,
SL.7.5
L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3,
L.7.4, L.5.6
Quick write: In
what ways can the
novel be seen as a
study about the
effects money has
on peoples lives?
From
http://www.glencoe.com/
sites/common_assets/lang
uageart/tom_sawyer.pdf
4 The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer by Mark Twain
(Lexile 950)

(Chapters 30-33)

PBS, The Samuel
(Mark Twain)
Clemens Scrap
Book: The Tom
Sawyer Days
http://www.pbs.org
/marktwain/scrapb
ook/01_tom_sawye
r/index.html
Strategy: Compare and
Contrast; Evaluate

Standards:
RI.7.1, RI.7.5, RI.7.7,
RI.7.8, RI.7.9
W.7.1, W.7.4,
W.7.5, W.7.6,
W.7.7, W.7.8,
W.7.9
SL.7.1, SL.7.2, SL.7.3,
SL.7.5
L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3,
L.7.4, L.5.6

5 The New York Times,
January 1877, Unsigned
book review for Tom
Sawyer

Review of opening night
of The Prince and The
Pauper by Elsie Leslie,
New York Times, January
21, 1890
http://www.twainq
uotes.com/1877011
3.html


http://www.twainq
uotes.com/1890012
1.html

Walt Disney video
on The Prince and
the Pauper
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=A
Af2WTJzjF8
Strategy: Compare and
Contrast; Analyze

Standards:
RI.7.1, RI.7.5, RI.7.7,
RI.7.8, RI.7.9
W.7.1, W.7.4,
W.7.5, W.7.6,
W.7.7, W.7.8,
W.7.9
SL.7.1, SL.7.2, SL.7.3,
SL.7.5
L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3,
L.7.4, L.5.6
Prose constructed
response
Quick write
comparing the text
with from the
movie.

*note: Bold standards indicate when new standard is introduced
**Note: standards highlighted are the focus standards for the week