7th Grade ELA students have started a new unit focused on the power of words. To begin, students selected a word to help them stay focused and work toward their goals in 2026. From there, students explored how words can inspire, motivate, and create change through poetry by Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, and Maya Angelou. Although each poet comes from a different generation, students discovered shared themes of hope, perseverance, and following one’s dreams.
Students also analyzed Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, examining how powerful language can influence an audience. They identified literary and rhetorical devices such as allusions, repetition, similes, and metaphors, and discussed the deeper meanings behind key lines of the speech.
Next, students were introduced to rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, and logos) and analyzed examples from advertisements, articles, and other persuasive texts to see how authors and creators influence their audiences. They even created their own social media posts about a product using each rhetorical appeal.
Up next, students will practice making strong claims as preparation for our upcoming novel study of Animal Farm by George Orwell.