Canada · Ontario Curriculum Expectations
Grade 7 Language Arts
This course focuses on developing critical literacy skills through the exploration of diverse perspectives in literature and media. Students refine their ability to analyze complex texts, craft persuasive arguments, and communicate with clarity and purpose.

01The Power of Narrative: Storytelling and Identity
Students examine how authors use character development and plot structure to explore themes of personal identity and heritage.
Students will analyze how authors introduce characters, setting, and initial conflicts to build suspense in a narrative.
Analyzing how internal struggles drive a character's growth and influence the resolution of a story.
Exploring how the cultural background of a narrative shapes its universal messages and themes.
Students will compare how different narrative perspectives (first, third limited, third omniscient) impact reader understanding and empathy.
Students will identify and interpret the use of similes, metaphors, personification, and hyperbole to enhance meaning and imagery.
Students will learn techniques for writing realistic and purposeful dialogue that reveals character and advances the plot.
Students will practice using vivid sensory language to create immersive settings and character descriptions.
Students will analyze how the climax resolves the main conflict and how falling action leads to the story's resolution.
Students will examine how narratives conclude, tying up loose ends and revealing the final outcome for characters.
Applying narrative techniques to craft original stories that feature realistic dialogue and vivid descriptions.
Students will engage in peer review and self-editing to refine their narrative writing for clarity, coherence, and impact.
Students will read and analyze a classic or contemporary short story, focusing on how all narrative elements work together.

02Informing the Public: Analyzing Non-Fiction
An investigation into the structures and strategies used in informational texts to convey facts and explain complex ideas.
Identifying how authors use cause and effect, comparison, and chronological order to organize information.
Students will practice identifying the central idea of an informational text and distinguishing it from supporting evidence.
Developing the skills to distinguish between objective facts, subjective opinions, and biased reporting.
Students will analyze how an author's purpose (to inform, persuade, entertain) and point of view shape the content and presentation of information.
Students will identify claims, reasons, and evidence in argumentative texts and evaluate their logical soundness.
Students will learn to write compelling introductions and clear thesis statements for expository essays.
Students will practice developing well-supported body paragraphs using evidence from multiple sources.
Students will focus on using effective transitions between ideas and writing strong concluding paragraphs.
Students will learn to accurately summarize and paraphrase informational texts while avoiding plagiarism.
Students will distinguish between primary and secondary sources and understand their respective uses and limitations in research.
Students will identify various forms of bias (selection, omission, placement) in news articles, documentaries, and other informational media.
Students will explore how headings, subheadings, captions, graphs, and other visual elements aid comprehension in non-fiction.

03The Art of Persuasion: Rhetoric and Media
Students analyze how language and visual elements are used to influence opinions in advertisements, speeches, and editorials.
Understanding the three pillars of persuasion and how they are applied in historical and modern speeches.
Students will identify and critique common persuasive techniques (e.g., bandwagon, testimonial, glittering generalities) used in advertisements.
Analyzing how images, colors, and layouts are used in digital and print media to convey persuasive messages.
Students will interpret the symbolism, satire, and persuasive intent in political cartoons and editorial articles.
Students will learn to develop a clear claim, gather relevant evidence, and structure a logical argument for a persuasive essay.
Practicing the delivery of persuasive arguments through formal debates and oral presentations.
Students will develop skills in constructing and presenting logical arguments, anticipating counterarguments, and engaging in respectful discourse.
Students will analyze famous speeches to identify the use of rhetorical appeals, parallelism, repetition, and other persuasive techniques.
Students will learn to recognize and analyze various propaganda techniques used in media to manipulate public opinion.
Students will apply persuasive writing techniques to craft a letter to an editor or an editorial on a local or school issue.
Students will examine how social media platforms and digital content creators use persuasive strategies to engage and influence audiences.
Students will identify and analyze common logical fallacies (e.g., ad hominem, straw man, false dilemma) in arguments.

04Poetic Justice: Verse and Voice
Deepening the understanding of figurative language and poetic devices to express complex emotions and social critiques.
Analyzing how poets use figurative language to represent abstract ideas through concrete objects.
Exploring how meter, rhyme, alliteration, and onomatopoeia contribute to the tone and meaning of a poem.
Examining how poets use their craft to address social issues and advocate for change.
Students will identify and analyze different poetic forms (e.g., free verse, sonnet, haiku) and how their structure contributes to meaning.
Students will differentiate between the poet and the speaker, and analyze how word choice and imagery establish the poem's tone.
Students will experiment with various poetic devices and forms to write their own original poems expressing personal experiences or observations.
Students will explore poems that tell a story, focusing on how poetic elements contribute to plot, character, and theme.
Students will practice reading poetry aloud, focusing on how vocal delivery and interpretation enhance meaning for an audience.
Students will analyze how different poets explore similar themes (e.g., nature, love, loss) using varied styles and techniques.
Students will analyze song lyrics as a form of poetry, identifying figurative language, rhythm, and theme.
Investigating how authors create believable settings that serve as allegories for real world events.
Identifying common character archetypes and plot patterns in speculative fiction across different cultures.

05Distant Worlds: Science Fiction and Fantasy
Students explore how speculative fiction genres use imaginary worlds to comment on contemporary human issues and ethics.
Students will analyze how dystopian literature uses exaggerated societal flaws to critique real-world issues.
Students will explore common tropes in fantasy literature (e.g., magic systems, mythical creatures, quests) and how authors innovate on them.
Students will examine how science fiction authors incorporate or extrapolate scientific concepts, distinguishing between plausible and fantastical elements.
Students will analyze how protagonists in science fiction and fantasy navigate extraordinary circumstances and often represent humanity's struggles.
Moving from broad topics to narrow, researchable questions that drive an inquiry process.
Students will learn strategies for using keywords, Boolean operators, and advanced search techniques to find relevant information.
Learning to combine information from diverse media formats to create a cohesive understanding of a topic.
Students will learn proper citation methods (e.g., MLA basics) and the importance of giving credit to original sources.
Students will develop effective strategies for organizing research notes and creating outlines to structure their final product.
Students will apply their research and organizational skills to draft a comprehensive research report.