A. Engage the Learner - RI.7.10 (10 minutes)

Invite students to read their Human Timeline card, and inform them that they should be prepared to paraphrase it in front of the group. Ask students to use their dictionaries to look up any unknown words or phrases on their card. Prompt students to stand in line in the order of their timeline year. Encourage students to paraphrase their card loudly and clearly enough so that the entire class can hear. Direct the earliest year to begin, and follow down the line, until all cards and years are read. Using a total response technique such as equity sticks, ask students:

"Which facts surprised you on the timeline?" (Answers will vary.)

"Which facts would you like to share with family or friends?" (Answers will vary.)

"What ideas is this timeline giving you about how to take action with plastic pollution?" (Answers will vary, but may include, I'd like to stop using single-use plastic in my own life.)

• Return students' Module 4 Mid-Unit 1 Assessments with feedback, and allow students time to review feedback and write their name on the board if they require support.

• 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.

A. End of Unit 1 Assessment: Analyze Author’s Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex (45 minutes)

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

“I can write an objective summary analyzing the development of central ideas over the course of Trash Vortex.”

“I can determine an author’s point of view and purpose in Trash Vortex.”

“I can analyze how the author of Trash Vortex distinguishes her position from that of others.”

• Invite students to read pages 50–55 of Trash Vortex. Since this is an assessment, instruct students to read the text silently and independently. If necessary, provide students with the Synopsis: Trash Vortex, Pages 50–55 for support. The synopsis supports students’ comprehension by giving a brief retelling of the central ideas in these pages. ▲

• Once students have finished reading and reflecting on the chapter, ask them to Think-Pair-Share:

“Which habit of character did the experts or the author demonstrate?” (Answers will vary, but may include: Danielle Smith-Llera demonstrates contributing to make the world a better place by informing her readers about solutions to the problem of plastic pollution, such as banning plastic bags and plastic straws and reusing plastic.)

• Distribute End of Unit 1 Assessment: Analyze Author’s Point and Purpose: Trash Vortex. Tell students that for this assessment, they will complete selected and constructed response questions to determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes her position from that of others. Then they will use strategies to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words and phrases as they complete selected response questions. Finally, they will complete a constructed response question to write an objective summary of the excerpt analyzing the development of central ideas over the course of the text.

• Read aloud the directions for each part of the assessment as students follow along. Answer clarifying questions.

• Before students begin the assessment, ask them to Think-Pair-Share:

“What value does the task of a reading assessment have for you beyond this class? Why?” (Responses will vary, but may include: this task has a lot of value for me because I will have to take reading assessments in most of my high school and college classes and in most careers.)

“What will help you succeed on this assessment?” (Responses will vary but may include: using my strategies to answer selected response questions and writing a paragraph with a topic sentence, at least two pieces of evidence, and a concluding statement will help me succeed in this task.)

• Direct students’ attention to the following materials:

  • Academic word wall and domain-specific word wall

  • Text Structure anchor chart

  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart

  • Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart

  • Print or online dictionaries

• Remind students to refer to these materials as they read the assessment text and answer the assessment questions.

• Remind students that because this is an assessment, they should complete it independently in silence. Focus students on the Work to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and review perseverance, taking initiative, and taking responsibility. Remind students that because they will be reading and answering questions independently for the assessment, they will need to practice these habits.

• Invite students to begin the assessment.

• While they are taking the assessment, circulate to monitor and document their test-taking skills.

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

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

Before the end of unit assessment in Work Time A, challenge students to underline key vocabulary in the assessment directions and writing prompt as the class reads them aloud. Also, invite students who need lighter support to restate or clarify information for students who need heavier support. These supports ensure that students understand each task included in the assessment.

In Work Time A, read the directions for the assessment slowly, twice, and also post them. This ensures that ELLs who may not be able to easily follow the language of the directions have multiple opportunities to access them.

Display a "map" of the assessment to reference while explaining directions to the mid-unit assessment. This will reduce ambiguity and give students a clearer picture of what they can expect so that they can better allocate their time and attention. Provide students with colored pencils or highlighters so that they can mark up the "map" as needed. Example:

Part I: 

1. Read the excerpt from Trash Vortex several times to ensure comprehension, highlighting and taking notes as done throughout the unit.

2. Read each question and each possible answer.

3. Cross out incorrect answers.

4. Select the best answer to the question. 

5. Repeat steps 2-4 for each question in Part I.

Part II:

6. Write a paragraph with

a. a topic sentence that states the central ideas,

b. sentences that give supporting details, and

c. a concluding sentence that connects the central ideas to the supporting details.

To help students manage their time during the end of unit assessment, display on the board or on a poster suggested times at which students move onto the next question. Allocate the most time to Part II item 5, the constructed response.

B. Language Dive: Trash Vortex, Page 52 - RI.7.6 (10 minutes)

• Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as with the previous lessons to facilitate a Language Dive with the following sentence from the text:

  • "But what if cleaning up the ocean does not require a war on plastic but rather a war on litter?"

• Use the accompanying materials to facilitate the Language Dive:

  • Language Dive Guide: Trash Vortex, Page 52 (for teacher reference)

  • Language Dive: Trash Vortex, Page 52 Sentence Chunk Chart (for teacher reference)

  • Language Dive: Trash Vortex, Page 52 note-catcher

  • Language Dive: Trash Vortex, Page 52 sentence chunk strips

  • Language Dive: Trash Vortex, Page 52 note-catcher (example for teacher reference)

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

During the Language Dive of Work Time B, students analyze a sentence from Trash Vortex to analyze how the author distinguishes her point of view from others as well as her use of figurative language. Invite ELLs to remind their classmates who need heavier support about what figurative language is. (Language that has a meaning besides its literal or dictionary meaning.) Encourage students to identify other examples of figurative language in the anchor text. They can share these examples with classmates who need heavier support. Additional practice in identifying, interpreting, and explaining figurative language will improve students' language acquisition, speaking, and listening skills.

During the Language Dive of Work Time B, some students may need additional support as they complete the sentence frame in the Practice section "What if _____ does not require _____?"). Ask students to work together to generate a list of noun phrases with habits of character (taking initiative, persevering, collaborating with others, etc.) As necessary, model using a student-generated idea to complete the sentence frame: "What if taking initiative does not require spending extra time on something?"

A. Track Progress (10 minutes)

• Give students specific, positive feedback on their completion of the End of Unit 1 Assessment.

• Distribute the Track Progress folders; Track Progress: Read, Understand, and Explain New Text; and several blank sticky notes for each student.

• Focus students on the Work to Become Effective Learners anchor chart. Remind them that they will take responsibility for their own learning as they track their progress.

• Distribute sticky notes so students can mark up their work with evidence. Tell them the sticky notes are for them to find evidence in their assessment work of the following criteria:

  • RI.7.1

  • RI.7.10

  • L.7.4

• Guide students through completing the recording form.

• Incorporate reflection on and awareness of the following academic mindsets: "I can succeed at this" and "My ability and competence grow with my effort."

• Ask students to Think-Pair-Share: 

"What helped you to be successful at that task? How much effort did you put in on this task? How did your effort affect your learning?" (Responses will vary, but may include: I was successful at that task because I focused and worked hard. I also understood what I was doing and what was being asked of me, which helped me succeed as well.)

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS  

At the end of the lesson, encourage students to take a few moments to reflect on their learning. Use the following questions to prompt reflection: 

What have you learned about plastic pollution? about the author's purpose? About the author's point of view?

What new vocabulary or language structures did you learn in this unit? 

Encourage students to share the most important or exciting thing they learned in this unit. Reflecting on learning allows students to more firmly grasp abstract concepts and gives them confidence and ownership over their own learning. 

As in the lighter support, at the end of the lesson, encourage students to take a few moments to reflect on their learning. Use the following questions to prompt students who need heavier support with their reflection: 

What have you learned about plastic pollution? What are some of the author's purposes? What is the author's point of view?

What new vocabulary or language structures did you learn in this unit? 

Encourage students to share the most important or exciting thing they learned in this unit. Reflecting on learning allows students to more firmly grasp abstract concepts and gives them confidence and ownership over their own learning. 

B. Share Independent Research Reading - RI.7.10 (15 minutes)

• Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as with the previous lessons to guide students to share their independent research reading, reminding them that the purpose of research reading is to build their content knowledge, domain-specific vocabulary, and achievement on reading complex texts.

• Refer to the Independent Reading Sample Plans (see the Tools page) to guide students through a research reading share, or use another routine.

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