A. Engage the Learner (5 minutes)

• Return students' Module 4 End of 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: Students respond to questions on Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lessons 5-6. Students may choose whether to share their goals for this assessment with a partner or the class.

• 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. Mid-Unit 2 Assessment: Analyze How Authors Present Evidence Differently (40 minutes)

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

"I can analyze how authors treat the same topic differently by looking at how they present evidence and interpret facts."

• Distribute Mid-Unit 2 Assessment: Analyze How Authors Present Evidence Differently and Text: "Boyan Slat: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Kid." Tell students that for this assessment, they will read the article and answer questions about it to analyze how the author presents evidence differently than it was presented in Trash Vortex and "Five Weird Materials That Could Replace Plastic."

• Read the directions for each part of the assessment aloud as students to 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. Possible response: This task has a lot of value for me because I will have to take reading assessments and analyze articles in most of my high school and college classes.) 

"What will help you succeed on this assessment?" (Responses will vary. Possible response: Using my strategies to answer selected-response questions will help me succeed in this task.)

• 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 mid-unit assessment in Work Time A, challenge students to underline key vocabulary in the assessment directions 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 the assessment.

In Work Time A, 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:

1. Read the article several times for comprehension.

2. Read each question and each possible answer.

3. Cross out incorrect answers.

4. Select the best answer to the question. 

5. Repeat steps 3-5 for each question in the assessment.

To help students manage their time during the mid-unit assessment, display on the board or on a poster suggested times at which students move on to the next question. Allocate the most time to reading the article.

B. Track Progress (10 minutes)

• Give students specific, positive feedback on their completion of the Mid-Unit 2 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 students 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 students the sticky notes are for them to find evidence in their assessment work of the following criteria:

  • RI.7.4,L.7.4

  • RI.7.10

• 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?" (Possible responses: 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.)

C. Language Dive: "Boyan Slat: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Kid" - RI.7.6 (10 minutes) 

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

  • "His story reminds us that creative ideas come from people of all ages and that kids really can change the world."

• Use the accompanying materials to facilitate the Language Dive:

  • Language Dive Guide: "Boyan Slat: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Kid" (for teacher reference)

  • Language Dive: "Boyan Slat: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Kid" Sentence Chunk Chart (for teacher reference)

  • Language Dive: "Boyan Slat: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Kid" sentence chunk strips

  • Language Dive: "Boyan Slat: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Kid" note-catcher (example for teacher reference)

  • Language Dive: "Boyan Slat: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Kid" note-catcher

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

During the Language Dive of Work Time C, students analyze a sentence from the article "Boyan Slat: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Kid" to analyze the author's point of view. Invite ELLs to remind their classmates who need heavier support about what point of view is. (an author's opinion or perspective on a topic) Encourage students to give examples. (In Trash Vortex, the author's point of view on plastic is that it is bad for the ocean.) They can share these examples with classmates who need heavier support. Additional practice in identifying, interpreting, and explaining point of view will improve students' language acquisition, speaking, and listening skills.

During the Language Dive of Work Time C, some students may need additional support as they complete the sentence frame in the Practice section (His story reminds us that _____). Ask students to work together to generate a list of what Boyan Slat's story reminds us about (kids can make a difference; people can make a change; people are trying to solve the plastic pollution problem; kids have good ideas about solving plastic pollution; etc.) As necessary, model using a student-generated idea to complete the sentence frame: His story reminds us that kids can make a difference. 

A. Debate Plastic Life Cycle - SL.7.3, SL.7.4 (25 minutes)

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

"I can delineate and evaluate a speaker's claims."

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

• Display and ask students to retrieve their copies of the Debate Directions to review the debate scenario.

• Remind students that they are responsible for convincing an advertising agency to design a commercial about plastic pollution. The advertising agency would like to choose a particular part of the plastic life cycle to focus on. The agency will hear this debate to decide how to proceed with the commercial. Explain that students should present their position based on the prompt they have been examining throughout the unit:

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

• Direct students to retrieve their Prepare for Debate note-catcher or, if this was not completed for homework, their Beginning, Middle, and End of Debate note-catchers. Students can then move to their position groups (beginning, middle, or end). Allow a few minutes for students to share their notes and craft their position statement as a group. If time allows, students can practice their portion of the debate for their group. Remind students to use appropriate eye contact and to speak clearly and with adequate volume. Invite groups to offer stars and steps. Give students a few minutes to revise their notes based on peer feedback.

• Decide on the debate format, either one whole-class debate, a fishbowl, or two smaller group debates. See Teaching Notes for suggestions on each of these options. Discuss the directions and invite notices, wonders, questions, and comments. Ask students to Think-Pair-Share:

"Which norms, character traits, and academic mindsets will be important during the debate?" (Responses will vary but may include: listening respectfully, collaborating with my group, responding respectfully, using a respectful tone of voice, speaking with appropriate volume and eye contact, believing that the debate has value for us.)

• Inform students that as the teacher, you will perform the role of the moderator. Begin the debate with a statement such as the following:

"The debate on which part of the plastic life cycle advertisers should focus on will begin now. I call the beginning position presenter to start the debate."

• Proceed through the steps on the Debate Directions. When the debate draws to a close, consider closing the debate with a statement such as the following:

"The debate on which part of the plastic life cycle advertisers should support has drawn to a close. I want to thank all of you for your insightful comments and respectful demeanor."

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

• 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 

In Closing and Assessment A, ensure that students are strategically grouped to best support them in participating in the debate. This may mean mixed groupings by language or content proficiency. However, ensure that there is no more than one level of difference among the students in a group. Strategic grouping affords students the opportunity of supporting and being challenged by others.

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 different solutions and points of the plastic life cycle? About how authors use evidence differently?

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.

For Heavier Support

See For Lighter Support. Additionally, group students who need heavier support by home language and encouraging them to use their home language in their preparations. 

See For Lighter Support. Use the following questions to prompt students who need heavier support in their reflection: 

What have you learned about plastic pollution? What are the different points in the plastic life cycle? What are some solutions for plastic pollution? What did you learn about how authors use evidence?

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