1. Perseverance Unit
ELA Grade 7

2. What is PERSEVERANCE?

3. Enduring Understandings
Perseverance in the face of adversity builds character.
An individual’s attitude and response to conflict and change impact his or her ability to prevail.
Realistic fiction allows the reader to make personal connections to universal themes.
Accomplished readers comprehend texts by reading fluently, strategically, and critically.
Speakers and writers control or personalize messages through word choice, voice, and style.

4. Enduring Understandings
Strategic writers spend time ensuring grammar and punctuation is accurate to foster clarity.
Effective strategic readers question the text, consider various perspectives, and determine how writer's perspective and language influence the reader.
Accomplished researchers employ strategies to assist with research.

5. Essential Questions for this Unit
How do individuals, real and fictional, use words and actions to demonstrate perseverance?
In the face of adversity, what causes some to prevail and some to fail?
Why is it important to persevere through difficult and sometimes insurmountable odds?
How does reading about the struggles and triumphs of others impact us?

6. Student Objectives for this Unit
Determine traits that individuals who persevere possess.
Analyze internal and/or external conflicts that motivate characters to grow.
Analyze the author’s purposeful use of language (e.g., figurative, connotative, and technical terms).
Examine and apply elements of argument writing.
Locate, evaluate, and use information from various sources to support a claim.
Document sources using MLA format.
Prepare effective oral and/or visual presentations that reflect the needs of the audience.
Reflect on his/her growth as a writer through Writing Portfolio activities.
Demonstrate understanding and mastery of 7th grade grammar objectives from first and second trimester.

7. John Orozco
In July 2012, John Orozco competed in the 2012 London Summer Olympics for the United States. He placed fifth and eighth in team and individual competition. In 2015, he qualified for the Rio Olympics.
In the following videos, you will see many obstacles that John faced in his quest to be a world recognized gymnast.
Using the chart on your paper, record both the obstacles Orozco faced as well as how he overcame them.

8. John Orozco
UPDATES:
“Orozco got less than three weeks to enjoy the victory before heartbreak hit him again. Another knee injury: a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee after dismounting from the horizontal bar at a training camp with the rest of the Olympic team. This was the same injury that he suffered in October 2012. 
Danell Leyva, who was originally named as an alternate to the Rio Olympic team, replace[d] him.”
He is currently undergoing physical therapy and is hoping to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. 
Sources:

9. Unit Intro: Perseverance
Name: ____________________________
Teacher: ___________________________
Class: __________________ Period: ____
Date: _____________________________
Perseverance:
________________________________________________________
Obstacles/Challenges John Orozco Faced
How John Orozco Overcame Them
John Orozco:
Olympic Gymnast

10. Essential Question
What is it about John Orozco that allows him to prevail in the face of adversity? Use evidence from the videos to support your response.
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