A. Engage the Learner - RI.7.1 (5 minutes)

• Repeated routine: Students respond to questions on Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 3.

• Once students have completed their entrance tickets, use equity sticks to review their responses. Explain to students that today they will be comparing the two articles they have read so far to more closely examine how the authors present information. In the next lesson, they will examine the end of the plastic life cycle in more detail.

• 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 

For the entrance ticket in Opening A, encourage students to work independently at first to respond to the question. Then they can share their responses with a partner to check and expand their work. Grappling first and then working with a partner will increase student engagement, independence, and speaking and listening skills.

For the entrance ticket in Opening A, encourage students to work in pairs to discuss and respond to the question. Consider pairing students by either content or language proficiency for additional support.

A. Discuss to Compare Evidence – RI.7.9 (15 minutes)

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

“I can compare how two authors emphasize different evidence when presenting information on plastic pollution.”

• Inform students that today they will compare how the two articles they have read in the unit so far present evidence and information about the same topics in Trash Vortex.

• Ask students to retrieve their copies of “Five Things You Can Do to End Plastic Pollution” and “Five Weird Materials That Could Replace Plastic” as well as their Close Read note-catchers for each article. 

• Ask students to Think-Pair-Share:

“What is evidence? What is information? How might emphasizing different evidence help shape an author’s point of view or message in an article?” (Evidence and information are both facts or details that an author uses to support their position or point of view. Authors may choose to emphasize one piece of evidence instead of another in order to support one point of view.)

• Distribute and display the Compare Evidence note-catcher and the Compare Evidence note-catcher ▲ as necessary. Review the note-catcher to ensure students understand that the note-catchers include excerpts from each of the two articles and Trash Vortex so that students can compare how the authors’ presentations of the topics are shaped by the information they provide and the evidence they emphasize. 

• Invite students to form predetermined small groups. Model reading the excerpt from page 49 of Trash Vortex and the excerpt from the article in The Week (at the top of the note-catcher). Then model answering the first question, using a think-aloud such as:

“First I will consider the evidence in Trash Vortex: Danielle Smith-Llera presents evidence about biodegradable materials that did not live up to their promise. She writes that certain biodegradable materials ‘need certain temperatures and exposure to sunlight’ in order to biodegrade and so took as long as ‘petroleum-based’ plastics.”

• Demonstrate recording the evidence on the displayed note-catcher. For additional responses, consult the Compare Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference).

• Then ask students to Turn and Talk to their group to identify the evidence from the article in The Week. (The author of that article talks about a new material made from parts of a mushroom. She claims that this material can “break down in a landfill in about 180 days.”)

• Record the evidence on the displayed note-catcher. For additional responses, consult the Compare Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference).

• Then ask students to Think-Group-Share about the next question on the note-catcher:

“How does the information the authors choose to include affect their interpretations of the facts about biodegradable materials?” (The information that the author of Trash Vortex chooses to include leads her to an interpretation that biodegradable materials will not necessarily solve the problem, “[s]o recycling continues.” The author of the article in The Week is more optimistic as she describes how the material is made and includes the claim that it will “break down in a landfill in about 180 days” without challenging the claim.)

• If necessary, support students by asking additional questions such as:

“Which author thinks biodegradable materials could be a solution for plastic pollution? How does that author support this idea? Which author does not believe biodegradable materials could be a solution for plastic pollution? How does that author support this idea?” 

• Record the evidence on the displayed note-catcher. For additional responses, consult the Compare Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference).

• Invite students to work in their groups to read and discuss the second set of excerpts. Then they can answer the questions on the note-catchers. Then discuss their responses as a class. For questions and responses, see the Compare Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference).

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

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

At the beginning of Work Time A, allow several minutes for students to work independently or in pairs to review the articles, their highlights, and the gist statements they wrote in the margins during the previous two lessons.

Also in Work Time A, as you model comparing the evidence from each author, speak slowly and clearly, recording your responses on the board and rephrasing any overly complex responses.

At the beginning of Work Time A, draw students together in a group to help them review the articles, their highlights, and the gist statements they wrote during the previous two lessons. Ensure students understand the main ideas and key evidence in each article.

During Work Time A, invite students to use the Compare Evidence note-catcher ▲. This resource features sentence starters that support students with comprehension and writing.

B. Answer Questions to Compare Evidence - RI.7.9 (10 minutes)

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

"I can compare how two authors emphasize different evidence when presenting information on plastic pollution."

• Distribute copies of the Compare Evidence handout. Explain that these are questions similar to ones they will see on the mid-unit assessment. Model answering the first question for students, and then invite students to work together in their groups to answer the remaining questions.

• Once students complete the questions, use a total participation technique to review student responses.

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

C. Debate Rebuttal and Summary Practice - SL.7.4 (10 minutes)

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

"I can present my claims about plastic pollution in a clear way, supported by evidence."

• Invite students to reform their position groups from the previous lesson, either for the beginning or the middle of the plastic life cycle. As necessary, consult the Practice Debate Planner (for teacher reference) to review groups and roles.

• Tell students that they will now focus on the rebuttal and summary part of the debate and discussion. Display the Debate Steps anchor chart, and review the Rebuttal and Summary step. Then ask students to Turn and Talk to use strategies to define rebuttal (a statement that is intended to disprove another), counterclaim (a claim made in response to or in order to offset another claim), and refute (to demonstrate the falseness or error of; disprove). Record the words on the domain-specific word wall with translations in home languages, where appropriate, and invite students to record term in their vocabulary logs.

• Explain that a rebuttal and summary must take into account all the elements of the debate thus far. It must restate the position, acknowledge and refute the counterargument and anything that came up during the cross-examination, and end with a firm stance.

• Ask students to retrieve their Beginning and Middle of Debate note-catchers to recall what points were made, and the questions and answers given, for each position. Allow several minutes for each position group to discuss the critiques as a group and record notes for a brief rebuttal and summary. Students may draw on the texts from Module 4, Units 1 and 2 for additional evidence as necessary. Explain to students that each student in the group should be prepared to say at least one sentence as part of their rebuttal and summary.

• Once students have determined how they will refute critiques and summarize their position, invite groups to present their rebuttal and summary. For possible responses, consult the Beginning and Middle of Debate note-catchers (examples for teacher reference).

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

A. Choose Debate Position and Role (5 minutes)

• Remind students that for the final debate that they will participate in during Lessons 5-6, they will be required to choose which part of the plastic life cycle they think is most effective to target to reduce plastic pollution.

• Display and distribute the Debate Directions. Review the debate scenario and the prompt:

  • "Which part of the plastic life cycle is the best place to target to reduce plastic pollution?"

• Remind students that they will be able to choose which position they want to present as well as their roles in the debate. Students can choose to be the position presenter, who gives the opening speech; the cross examiner, who asks questions of other groups; the responder, who responds to questions from other groups; or the summarizer, who restates the group's position and addresses the counterclaims and information brought up during cross-examination. To begin preparing for the debate, distribute and then collect sticky notes, and ask students to write their name and which part of the plastic life cycle they want to present on as well as which role they would like to play in the debate.

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

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

To support students in participating in the debate, allow time for students to rehearse their summaries in their groups to ensure they have the confidence to deliver them. 

To support students in the debate, encourage students to record their summaries in complete sentences. If time allows, review students' sentences to ensure they are correct. Then have students rehearse their sentences with each other to ensure they have enough confidence to deliver them.