A. Engage the Learner – L.7.6 (5 minutes)

• Repeated routine: Students respond to questions on Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 and Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 ▲ as necessary. The differentiated entrance ticket supports students in writing responses with word banks. ▲

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

Remind students of the podcast they listened to in Unit 1, Lesson 1. If possible and necessary, play a clip of a podcast, so students can more easily infer why people make and listen to podcasts.

• Once students have completed their entrance tickets, use a total participation technique to review their responses.

• Repeated routine: follow the same routine as with the previous lessons to review learning targets and the purpose of the lesson, reminding students of any learning targets that are similar or the same as in previous lessons.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

Invite students to use the Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1  ▲. This resource supports students in writing responses with word banks.

A. Review the Performance Task (5 minutes)

• Display and distribute copies of the Performance Task Directions and review them, asking students to Turn and Talk to summarize the directions and comment about anything that surprises or concerns them. (Ask students with concerns to write their names on the board, so they can get some support.)

• Display the Performance Task anchor chart, and ask students to Think-Pair-Share about additional criteria they must include in their podcast to make it effective and to follow the directions. Record student responses on the chart. Inform students that today they will analyze a model podcast to develop criteria for their own podcast. Later in the lesson, students will work in podcast triads to brainstorm their epidemic topic and research questions for their podcast.

B. Analyze a Model Podcast - SL.7.2 (25 minutes)

• Review the appropriate learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

"I can explore a podcast model and generate ideas for my own podcast."

• Inform students that they will now listen to a model podcast. On your device, play the podcast's introduction. Distribute the Analyze a Model Podcast note-catcher and explain what students will record in each box, modeling doing so for the podcast's introduction. Help students predict or identify the main ideas by asking them to Think-Pair-Share:

"What do you think will be the main topic of this podcast? What makes you think so?" (Responses will vary based on the podcast played.) Note for students that their ideas about main ideas may change as they continue listening.

• Play the podcast's introduction for a second time, and invite students to note additional podcast features that make the introduction strong. Remind students that podcast features are the strategies podcast creators use to engage their listeners.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

During Work Time B, each time the podcast is paused, encourage students to Turn and Talk with a classmate who needs heavier support, reviewing the main ideas, key details, and features. Doing so will ensure students' comprehension and give them oral processing opportunities.

• Use a total participation technique to add or highlight already existing podcast features on the Performance Task anchor chart (multiple voices, sound effects, music, snippets of voices, choral voices).

• Continue listening to the next section of the podcast. Invite students to record podcast features, and to add to or revise the main ideas and supporting details on their note-catcher.

• Guide students through an intentional Dance Card, with the questions:

"What are the podcast features that make this podcast strong? What can you infer about the main ideas and supporting details?" (Answers will vary.)

1. 1. Move students into pairs, and invite them to label themselves A and B.

   2. Pose the question, and give students time to think independently and silently about their answer to the question.

   3. Invite partner A to ask partner B the question.

   4. Give partner B a specified timeframe (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 minute) to share his or her response.

   5. Have partners reverse roles and repeat steps 3-4.

   6. Using a total participation technique (e.g., cold call, equity sticks), invite students to share their responses with the whole group.

   7. Repeat this process with the remaining section of the podcast.

• Listen to the conclusion of the podcast. Invite students to record podcast features, and to finalize the main ideas and supporting details on their note-catcher. Then ask students to respond to the final questions on the note-catcher, reflecting on how this model podcast demonstrates techniques they can use in their own podcasts.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

During Work Time B, each time the podcast is paused, encourage students to Turn and Talk with a classmate who needs lighter support, reviewing the main ideas, key details, and features. Doing so will ensure students' comprehension and give them oral processing opportunities.

• Guide students through another round of Dance Card, with the same questions.

• Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target.

A. Brainstorm Topic and Research Questions – W.7.7 (10 minutes)

• Display and distribute Exit Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 and Exit Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 ▲ as necessary. The differentiated exit ticket supports students in writing research questions with sentence starters. ▲ Invite a volunteer to read the exit ticket aloud. Inform students that they will join with their podcast triads to have a collaborative discussion on epidemics that interest them. (See Teaching Notes for suggestions on forming strategic triads.) Display and review the Discussion Norms anchor chart as necessary. Remind students about the character traits of kindness, compassion, and respect with regard to compromising with groupmates.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

During Closing and Assessment A, students may struggle to generate lists of epidemics. Encourage them to consult the texts they have read throughout the module for ideas. Also, if necessary, brainstorm a list with students for them to choose from. 

• Invite students to join with their podcast triads and follow the instructions on the exit ticket to brainstorm, discuss, and choose a topic for their podcast.

• After 5 minutes, inform students that they must choose a topic at this time. Circulate to assist students in compromising.

• After all groups have chosen a topic, model research questions that will provide sufficient information for the podcast. Discuss the following research questions as possibilities:

“What is the story of the epidemic?”

“What are the key terms and background information of this epidemic?”

“What is the deeper life lesson learned from this epidemic?”

• Tell students that a good research question is one that is:

  • not too narrow nor too broad;

  • specific to this topic;

  • significant—important not only to you, but to others; and

  • answerable using sources (i.e., not philosophical questions).

• Invite students to change, add to, or create their own research questions, using the model research questions as jumping-off points. Ask students to record their research questions on “Part C” of the exit ticket.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

Invite students to use the Exit Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 ▲. This resource supports students in writing research questions with sentence starters.

• Using a total participation response, invite students to share their topics and research questions. For examples, see Exit Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 (example for teacher reference).

• Invite students to reflect on the habits of character focus in this lesson, discussing what went well and what could be improved next time.