In seventh grade, students are refining their abilities to analyze fiction and non-fiction texts for content, structure and cultural or historical context. A competent seventh grade reader can interpret literal and figurative word meanings, recognize allusions or references and evaluate quality and authorial intent.
Along with reading, writing is an essential part of language arts learning in the seventh grade. The student should be able to write essays with logical, coherent arguments that advance his opinions or literary analysis. He should understand how to find and include supporting textual evidence, including direct quotes and summaries from reliable sources. By seventh grade, students use technology and word processing programs to write essays, and understand how to revise their writing through peer review.
Major seventh grade mathematics concepts include ratios, introductory algebra and geometry. Students must manipulate fractions and rational numbers to perform basic arithmetic. Seventh graders are introduced to solving algebraic equations and should understand how to translate a word problem into an equivalent expression.
Students in seventh grade perform basic geometrical calculations, including finding the surface area and volume of solids. Pupils must also understand the measurement of angles and their properties. Introductory statistics and probability, including topics such as random sampling, are included in the mathematics curriculum.
New York takes an integrated approach to science standards, connecting content objectives in science with mathematical understanding and literacy. Throughout middle school, students learn the scientific method and work to implement it in their own laboratory experiments. Seventh grade students should be comfortable formulating hypotheses, running controlled experiments with laboratory equipment, recording accurate data and forming conclusions in comprehensive scientific reports. Topics in seventh grade science may include geology, life science, physiology and basic physics.
In the seventh and eighth grades, New York students learn a comprehensive chronology of United States and New York history, beginning with Native American population of the continent and continuing to present day political issues. The coursework is divided into 11 units over two years, each of which emphasizes a particular portion of U.S. history. Besides this historical content, students also learn the basic principles of anthropology and practice writing expository essays on social science subjects.