**Lesson Plan: Reading Comprehension (Literature and Non-Fiction)**
**Grade:** 7
**Duration:** 1 hour
**Objective:**
Students will improve their reading comprehension skills by identifying key themes, main ideas, and supporting details in both literature and non-fiction texts.
**Materials:**
- Copies of a short story (literature) suitable for Grade 7 (e.g., "Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto)
- Copies of a non-fiction article related to a current event or topic of interest
- Highlighters
- Notebooks and pens
- Chart paper and markers
- Reading Comprehension Worksheets (one for literature and one for non-fiction)
**Standards:**
- Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts (ELA)
- 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.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.2 Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text.
**Introduction (10 minutes):**
1. Begin with a brief discussion on the importance of reading comprehension skills. Ask students why it's important to understand both fiction and non-fiction texts.
2. Explain today's objective: to practice reading comprehension skills by analyzing a short story and a non-fiction article.
**Activity 1: Literature (20 minutes):**
1. Distribute copies of the short story "Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto.
2. Instruct students to read the story independently.
3. After reading, divide students into small groups and provide each group with chart paper and markers.
4. Ask each group to identify:
- The main theme of the story.
- Three key events that support the theme.
- How the main character changes throughout the story.
5. Have each group present their findings to the class and discuss as a whole. (10 minutes)
6. Distribute the Literature Reading Comprehension Worksheet and ask students to complete it individually. (10 minutes)
**Activity 2: Non-Fiction (20 minutes):**
1. Distribute copies of the selected non-fiction article.
2. Instruct students to read the article independently, encouraging them to highlight the main ideas and key details.
3. Pair students and ask them to share their highlighted points and discuss:
- The main idea of the article.
- Two to three supporting details that reinforce the main idea.
- Any new information they learned from the article.
4. Conduct a class discussion to consolidate their findings.
5. Distribute the Non-Fiction Reading Comprehension Worksheet and ask students to complete it individually.
**Conclusion (10 minutes):**
1. Review key concepts covered during the lesson:
- How to identify themes and main ideas in both literature and non-fiction.
- The importance of supporting details in comprehending texts.
2. Conduct a quick Q&A session to address any lingering questions or points of confusion.
3. Assign homework: Ask students to find a short story and a non-fiction article of their choice and write a brief summary identifying the main themes or ideas and supporting details.
**Assessment:**
- Evaluate the completed reading comprehension worksheets for both literature and non-fiction.
- Observe group and class discussions for understanding.
- Review homework summaries for comprehension and application of skills.
**Extension Activities:**
- Encourage students to create graphic organizers (e.g., Venn diagrams) comparing themes and ideas from different texts.
- Provide opportunities for students to write their short stories or non-fiction articles and share with the class for peer review and discussion.