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Peabody TeachFor teachers and grown-ups

7th grade sub plans: writing

One writing lesson for every period of a 7th grade day, with no prep: a five-minute quick write, then an argument prompt on the board (today's is “Should schools require students to wear uniforms? Write an argument with a clear claim, reasons, evidence and a counterargument.”) with a plan to copy, a claim, two reasons with examples, and what someone who disagrees would say, about 25 minutes of writing, a partner check and an exit ticket at the door. The timetable runs 7 periods of 50 minutes.

Checked October 30, 2026. Made from Peabody Teach's own passages, worksheets and brain break cards.

Make the whole day at 7th grade ▸

The lesson, every period

Writing: an argument

  1. First 5 minutes, the quick write: students write without stopping, in full sentences, on this: “A town wakes up to find that every clock has stopped at 3:17. Write what happens next.”
  2. Next 5 minutes, the prompt: write it on the board and read it aloud, “Should schools require students to wear uniforms? Write an argument with a clear claim, reasons, evidence and a counterargument.” Beside it, draw the plan as boxes: Claim / Reason 1 and an example / Reason 2 and an example / What someone who disagrees would say / Ending.
  3. Partners get two minutes to say their claim and one reason out loud to each other before anyone writes.
  4. Next 25 minutes: students copy the boxes and fill them in (about 5 minutes), then write two paragraphs from the plan. Keep the room quiet; walk it, and point to the plan rather than fixing sentences.
  5. Then the partner check: partners swap papers, underline the claim, and put a check beside each reason that has an example. They write one thing to fix in the margin.
  6. Last 5 minutes, the exit ticket: students copy their best sentence onto a scrap of paper with their name and say in a few words why it works. They hand it to you at the door.
  7. Collect the work for each period in its own pile, with the period written on top.

On the projector: Writing prompts by grade

Subbing 7th grade

Seventh graders know the building's routines and will check whether a new adult does. Calm, specific and the same every period works better than strict or chatty, and most will work alone for a stretch once the task and the time are on the board.

  • Settle seats, phones and “our teacher lets us” in the first two minutes, the same way each period.
  • Put a timer on the projector for the work time, so the end of it isn't a debate.
  • Collect the exit tickets at the door: it ends the period cleanly and shows the teacher who was there.

More plans

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