What does a student learn in StateLouisiana,GradeGrade 7,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Students find specific lines or passages from a story or article that back up their thinking, both for what the text says outright and for conclusions they had to figure out on their own.

Students identify the main message or lesson a story is built around, then trace how it grows from beginning to end. They also summarize the story in their own words, sticking to what the text actually says.

Students look at how the parts of a story work together: how the time and place shape what characters do, or how a character's choices push the plot in a new direction.

Students figure out what words mean in context, including hidden or emotional meanings, then look at how a poet's repeated sounds shape the feeling of a passage.

Students look at how a story, poem, or play is built and explain how that shape affects what the text means. A mystery told out of order creates suspense in a way a straight timeline wouldn't.

Students figure out how different characters in a story see the same events differently, and how the author uses those gaps in perspective to build tension or meaning.

Students compare a book, play, or poem to its film or audio version, then explain how film-only tools like camera angles, lighting, and sound shape the story in ways the written words alone cannot.

This standard doesn't apply to literature. In English classes, analyzing an author's argument or evidence is reserved for nonfiction texts, not stories, novels, or poems.

Students read a novel and a history book covering the same event or era, then explain what the fiction writer changed or kept. The goal is understanding why an author might bend the facts to tell a better story.

Students read grade-level stories, plays, and poems on their own, tackling harder texts with some support when needed.

Students back up their analysis with multiple quotes or details pulled directly from the text, then use those same details to support conclusions the author implied but never stated outright.

Students find the two main points an informational text is making, then trace how each one builds from start to finish. They also write a short, unbiased summary of the whole piece.

Reading a nonfiction text, students trace how a person, event, or idea shapes what happens next. They explain the back-and-forth: how one thing in the text changes or drives another.

Students figure out what words mean in context, including when a word is used figuratively or has a technical meaning. They also look at how an author's specific word choices shape the feeling and message of a passage.

Students look at how a nonfiction piece is organized and figure out why the author built it that way. They examine how each section connects to the others and moves the main idea forward.

Students figure out where an author stands on a topic and how the author separates their own view from the views they're arguing against or quoting.

Students read a written piece, then watch or listen to a version of it, and compare what changes. They consider how seeing or hearing something delivered can shift its meaning or impact.

Students read an argument and decide whether the reasons actually hold up. They check if the evidence fits the claim and whether there is enough of it to be convincing.

Students read two articles on the same topic and figure out why each author focused on different facts or reached different conclusions. The skill is noticing that a topic can look different depending on who is writing about it.

Students read real-world nonfiction, like essays, memoirs, and news articles, at a level expected for middle school. By the end of seventh grade, they handle that reading independently, with some support when the texts get harder.

Students write a paragraph or essay that takes a clear position and backs it up with reasons and real evidence from sources. The goal is to convince a reader, not just share an opinion.

Students write an argument by stating their position upfront, naming at least one opposing view, and arranging their reasons in an order that makes sense.

Students back up their argument with facts and details from reliable sources, explaining why the evidence actually supports their point. The reasoning matters as much as the proof.

Students use transition words and phrases to connect their argument's main point, supporting reasons, and evidence so the writing flows and the logic is easy to follow.

Writing an argument means choosing words and a tone that fit the audience. Students keep that formal style consistent from the first sentence to the last, the way a letter to a principal reads differently than a text to a friend.

Students write a closing paragraph that wraps up their argument, not just stops it. The ending connects back to the reasons and evidence already given, so the whole piece feels complete.

Students pick a topic, gather useful information, and write an explanation that's clear and well-organized. The goal is to help a reader understand something, not to argue a side.

Students open an informational piece with a clear introduction that tells readers what's coming, then organize the body using comparisons, cause-and-effect, or categories. Headings, charts, or visuals are added wherever they help readers follow along.

Students back up their main idea with facts, real examples, and direct quotes from sources. The goal is to give readers enough detail to actually understand the topic, not just the writer's opinion about it.

Students practice choosing transition words and phrases that connect ideas clearly, so a reader can follow the logic from one sentence or paragraph to the next.

Students choose words that fit the topic exactly, using the specific terms an expert in that field would use. Vague words get swapped for sharper ones that help readers understand the subject clearly.

Students write the way you would for a school report, not a text message. They choose words and sentences that sound serious and steady from the first line to the last.

Students write a closing paragraph that wraps up the main idea without just repeating it word for word. A strong conclusion leaves the reader with a clear sense of what the piece was about and why it matters.

Students write a story, real or made-up, with a clear sequence of events and details that bring the people and moments to life. The structure holds together, and every detail earns its place.

Students open a story by setting the scene and making clear whose eyes we're seeing through. From there, events follow in an order that makes sense.

Students use dialogue, pacing, and description to make a story feel real. A conversation between characters, a slow-down moment, or a vivid detail can turn a flat scene into one a reader actually feels.

Students practice moving a reader smoothly from one moment or place to the next in a story, using words like "meanwhile," "the next morning," or "across town" to signal those shifts.

Students choose specific words and sensory details (what something looks, sounds, or feels like) to make the action in a story feel real to the reader.

Students write a closing paragraph that circles back to what happened in the story and says something meaningful about it. The ending feels earned, not tacked on.

Students write pieces where the structure and word choice fit the job. A story sounds like a story; an argument sounds like an argument; a school report reads differently than a note to a friend.

Students revise their writing based on feedback from classmates and teachers, asking whether the piece says what they meant to say and actually reaches the reader it was meant for.

Students use word processors, websites, or other digital tools to write, publish, and share their work. That includes adding links to sources and collaborating with classmates online.

Students pick a question, find answers across several sources, and use what they learn to ask sharper follow-up questions. It is short-form research practice, not a full report.

Students find information from books and websites, check whether each source can be trusted, and then quote or restate what they found in their own words with a citation so readers know where it came from.

Students find quotes and details from books or articles that actually back up their point, then use that evidence to support an argument or explanation in their writing.

Students read a novel and a historical source about the same event or era, then write about how the fiction matches or departs from what actually happened.

Students read nonfiction like a detective: they follow the author's argument, check whether the reasoning holds up, and decide if the evidence actually supports what the author claims. Then they use that analysis in their own writing.

Students write regularly, for both quick tasks and longer projects that take days or weeks. The goal is to build the habit of writing across subjects, purposes, and audiences.

Students hold conversations about what they've read or studied, whether with a partner, a small group, or the whole class. They listen well enough to build on what someone else said, then add their own thinking clearly.

Students read or research the topic before a class discussion, then use specific details from that material to ask sharper questions and push the conversation further.

Students run a group discussion by setting clear goals, keeping track of what the group has accomplished, and deciding who handles which parts of the work.

Students ask follow-up questions that push classmates to say more, and they pull wandering conversations back on track with responses that connect to the main topic.

Students watch, read, or listen to sources like charts, videos, or speeches, then explain how each one sheds light on the same topic. The goal is connecting what different formats say to build a clearer picture of the subject.

Students listen to a speaker's argument and decide whether the reasoning holds up and whether the evidence actually supports the point being made.

Students practice delivering a short speech or presentation to the class, making their main point clear and backing it up with facts and details. Good posture, steady eye contact, and a voice the back row can hear are all part of the grade.

Students add images, charts, or short video clips to a presentation to make key points clearer and easier to follow. The visuals support what they are saying, not just decorate the slides.

Students practice switching between casual and formal speech depending on who they're talking to and why. A class presentation sounds different from a hallway conversation, and this standard is about knowing the difference.

Students apply grammar rules correctly when they write and speak. This covers how sentences are built, how words change form, and how to choose the right word for what they mean.

Students learn what a phrase or clause does inside a sentence, like carrying the action, adding detail, or completing a thought, and explain why moving or removing it changes the meaning.

Students practice matching sentence structure to meaning: a simple sentence for a single idea, a compound or complex sentence to show how two ideas connect or depend on each other.

Students learn to put describing phrases in the right spot so they clearly attach to the word they're meant to describe. A dangling or misplaced phrase can accidentally make a sentence say something unintended or absurd.

Students practice the basic rules of written English: which words get capital letters, where commas and periods go, and how words are spelled correctly. These habits make writing clear enough for any reader to follow.

Students practice placing a comma between two adjectives that separately describe the same noun. A quick test: if "and" fits naturally between the adjectives, a comma belongs there too.

Students spell words correctly in their writing, including tricky words that look similar or follow unusual patterns. This standard is about accuracy across all written work, not just spelling tests.

Students choose words and sentences that fit the situation, adjusting how they write or speak depending on whether the audience is a teacher, a friend, or a public reader.

Students learn to say exactly what they mean without extra words. They cut phrases that repeat the same idea twice or drag a sentence out longer than it needs to be.

When students hit an unfamiliar word, they figure out what it means using context clues, word roots, or a dictionary. They pick whichever strategy fits the moment.

Students use the words and sentences around an unfamiliar word to figure out what it means, rather than stopping to look it up.

Students use familiar word parts, like Greek or Latin roots and prefixes, to figure out what an unfamiliar word means. Knowing that "belli" means war, for example, helps students decode words like "belligerent" or "rebel" without a dictionary.

Students look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary or thesaurus, print or digital, to confirm spelling, pronunciation, exact meaning, or how the word functions in a sentence.

Students look up an unfamiliar word in a dictionary or test their guess by re-reading the sentence around it to confirm they got the meaning right.

Students learn to recognize when language means something beyond its literal words, like a metaphor or an idiom. They also study how words relate to each other and how slight differences in meaning change what a sentence actually says.

Students read a sentence or passage and figure out what a figure of speech means based on the surrounding words. That includes recognizing when a phrase borrows from a story, myth, or the Bible to make a point.

Students use word pairs to sharpen their understanding of both words. Knowing that "generous" is the opposite of "stingy," for example, helps students pin down what each word actually means.

Words can share a basic meaning but carry very different feelings. Students learn to tell the difference between words like "confident" and "arrogant" so they can choose the right word for the right moment.

Students build a working vocabulary for seventh grade by learning the precise words that show up in textbooks, discussions, and writing assignments. When an unfamiliar word matters for understanding or explaining something, students figure out what it means and start using it correctly.