A. Engage the Learner – RI.8.7 (5 minutes)

• Repeated routine: As they arrive, students complete Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 12. For ELLs and students who require additional support, the Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 12 ▲ can be used to help guide students’ thinking with prefilled information. Prompt students to Turn and Talk about their answers to the entrance ticket.

“What is the meaning of the word medium?” (Students should review the definition given, that a medium is a format for communicating or expressing information.)

• With students’ support, record the meaning of the word medium on the academic word wall. Invite students to record the term in their vocabulary logs. Refer to the Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 12 (example for teacher reference).

• Cold-call on students to share out the various mediums they listed on their entrance ticket.

• Prompt students to Turn and Talk about the medium they thought was most effective for conveying information, making sure students give evidence as to why the particular medium they picked is effective.

• Inform students that in the next few lessons, they will examine various mediums and determine the advantages and disadvantages of each.

• 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 

After students complete the entrance ticket, encourage them to share specific examples of the types of media they interact with. As time allows, give students the opportunity to share examples that can be accessed online.

Invite students who need heavier support to use Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 12 ▲. This resource has prefilled information, sentence starters, and selected response options to help guide students’ thinking.

A. Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Mediums - RI.8.7 (10 minutes)

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

"I can identify advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums to present information about industrial organic farming."

• Display page 148 of The Omnivore's Dilemma. Ask students to review the photograph and then Think-Pair-Share with their predetermined partner:

"What are your initial reactions to this photograph? Why?" (Student responses will vary.)

"What does this image show, and what information does this photograph provide?" (The image shows thousands of chickens inside a large building. It is hard to tell if they look peaceful and well cared for or distraught and ready for slaughter, yet it is clear that there are many chickens confined in one space.)

"Are there any advantages of presenting this information in a photograph?" (Responses will vary, but should mention that the photograph of the chickens may elicit an emotional response, which could help viewers connect to what the image is portraying, or to the author's purpose.)

"Are there any disadvantages of presenting this information in a photograph?" (Responses will vary, but may mention that there is no additional information to ground the viewer, which could make it confusing, and that no additional details are provided to help the viewer understand the purpose or content of the image.)

• Explain to students that they will now reread information from The Omnivore's Dilemma that provides information about the same topic as the photograph relates to--industrial organic farming.

• Direct partners to read aloud pages 147-150 together, paying attention to the main message the author is trying to convey.

• As partners finish reading, prompt them to Turn and Talk:

"What is your initial response to what you have just read? Why?" (Student responses will vary.)

"What information did this text give you?" (Responses should include some of the following details: the chickens are from a large industrial organic farm; they don't get to free range; the breed is fast growing, and they get so big they can't walk; when they are processed, they are killed and completely wrapped in ten minutes; 20,000 birds are in one building with minimal room to move, etc.)

"Are there any advantages of presenting this information through a medium of text?" (Responses will vary, but should mention that more details are provided in the text that help the reader understand the reality of the life and processing of the chickens at Petaluma Poultry.)

"Are there any disadvantages of presenting this information through a medium of text?" (Responses will vary, but may suggest that the text may be too challenging for some readers, or not as engaging as a photograph, it may be difficult to visualize what is happening, etc.)

• Display the blank copy of the Analyze Different Mediums anchor chart, and read aloud the various mediums listed in the left-hand column that will be examined in the lesson.

• Direct students to Think-Pair-Share:

"Why might it be helpful to analyze and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each of these mediums?" (Responses will vary, but may mention that certain mediums may present material more clearly than others, depending on the topic.)

• Use a total participation technique to share responses with the group and lift up any answers as applicable. With student support, capture any of the advantages or disadvantages of using photographs and written text discussed on the Analyze Different Mediums anchor chart. For examples, see the Analyze Different Mediums anchor chart (example for teacher reference).

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

B. Purpose and Motive - SL.8.2 (10 minutes)

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

"I can identify possible purposes and motives for presenting information on industrial organic farming and provide an example of each."

• Tell students that in addition to examining the advantages and disadvantages of various mediums, another consideration consumers of information need to think about is an author's purpose and motive in presenting information.

• Ask students to Turn and Talk:

"What is the meaning of the word motive?" (Responses should identify that a motive is a reason for doing something.)

• With students' support, record the meaning of the word motive on the academic word wall. Invite students to record the term in their vocabulary logs.

• Display the Purpose and Motives anchor chart. Read aloud the motives listed while students follow along.

• Clarify any information as needed, and then ask students to Think-Pair-Share:

"Brainstorm an example of a social motive, and share this with your partner." (Responses will vary, but may include: a social motive is one based on the interests of particular aspects of society, so an example could be a pamphlet distributed that directs community members to free services, like language classes or food pantry assistance offered.)

"Brainstorm an example of a commercial motive, and share this with your partner." (Responses will vary, but may include: a commercial motive is related to convincing someone to purchase something, so an example may be a television advertisement that is focused on someone buying a product.)

"Brainstorm an example of a political motive, and share this with your partner." (Responses will vary, but may include: a political motive is one focused on the interests of a particular political party or group, so an example may be a speech that is focused on supporting a particular candidate's policies.)

"Brainstorm an example of an environmental motive, and share this with a partner." (Responses will vary, but may include: an environmental motive is one focused on benefiting the environment, so an example may be a pamphlet that informs readers of the impact of a particular product [like weed killer] on the environment.)

• With students' support, record the meanings of the terms social, commercial, political, and environmental on the domain-specific word wall. Invite students to record the terms in their vocabulary logs.

• Ask students to think about the list of motives (social, commercial, political) and then think about the purpose of The Omnivore's Dilemma. Explain that motives and purpose are often linked.

• Prompt students to Think-Pair-Share:

"What is one purpose Michael Pollan had in writing this book?" (Responses will vary, but may include that he wanted to inform others about different diets, different ways of raising food, food choices, and the "omnivore's dilemma.")

"What kind of motive(s) do you think Michael Pollan had for writing this book?" (Responses will vary, but may include that he has a social motive as he believes that "beyond" organic food and less factory farming or raising of animals is better for the people and the environment, and society should support increased access to "beyond" organic food and practices.)

• Explain that there was purpose and motive behind the photograph and text students examined in Work Time A. Invite students to discuss with their partner the purpose and motive they inferred about the text and compare it to the purpose and motive of the photograph. Ask students to Think-Pair-Share:

"What was the author's purpose of including the photograph on page 148 of The Omnivore's Dilemma"? (Responses will vary, but may include: to show the reader the reality of conditions at an industrial organic chicken farm.)

"How is that purpose linked to the motive?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Michael Pollan's motive is social because he wants people to have more awareness of where their food comes from and make informed choices based on that knowledge. The photograph demonstrates that although the chickens are raised organically, their living conditions are still cramped, and this could help convince people to buy their poultry from a different source.)

"What was the author's purpose behind writing the text on page 147 of The Omnivore's Dilemma"? (Responses will vary, but may include: the purpose was to inform the reader, in detail, about the practices of industrial organic chicken farming, like those at Petaluma Poultry.)

"How is that purpose linked to the motive?" (By providing readers with details about the living conditions of the poultry they buy, he is hoping people will take this information and use it to inform their purchases in the future.)

• Distribute one sticky note to each student, and invite them to recall other nonfiction books or articles they have read throughout the year (in Module 1 and of their own choice), listing one title along with the purpose and motive on the front of the sticky note. Prompt students to share their sticky notes with their partner.

• Use a total participation technique to call on three students, directing them to share out a book or article they chose and the purpose and motive they inferred. As time permits, invite students to place their sticky notes on the Purpose and Motives anchor chart, capturing and making their thinking visible for future class sessions.

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

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

In Work Time B, to help students better understand the concept of motive, build in time for them to briefly consider motives and purpose within the context of everyday activities before moving on to analyze the motive of texts and media. Invite students to think of an action they have taken recently and discuss the motive behind it with a partner.

In Work Time B, to help students better understand the concept of motive, build in time for them to briefly consider motives and purpose within the context of everyday activities before moving on to analyze the motive of texts and media. Display the following actions, and invite students to discuss the motive behind each one with a partner:

Walking to school instead of taking the bus (possible motives: getting exercise, enjoying the neighborhood, avoiding someone else who takes the bus)

Wearing sunglasses (possible motives: wanting to protect eyes from the sun, wanting to look stylish, wanting to stay unrecognizable)

C. Explore Conflicting Information - RI.8.7, RI.8.9 (15 minutes)

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

"I can analyze two texts that provide conflicting information on industrial organic farming and identify where they disagree on matters of fact or interpretation."

• Explain that sometimes different mediums present conflicting information. Today students will review content about industrial organic food from The Omnivore's Dilemma, by looking at two different mediums that provide conflicting information on the same topic.

• Display the photograph from page 147 of The Omnivore's Dilemma. Think aloud to students to describe the photograph. (The photograph shows a chicken for sale in its packaging. The label displays a red barn, fields, a farmhouse, and a picturesque farm scene.)

• Explain to students that during the search for another credible image that displays similar information, other images of organic chicken packaging such as the online example were found. Project this image or a similar image, and allow students time to view it. Tell students that images like these suggest that chickens raised on these farms spend their lives happily roaming in fields and accessing the barn as needed.

• Then, read aloud from the bottom of page 147 of The Omnivore's Dilemma starting with "Petaluma [Poultry] turns out to be more animal factory than farm" and stopping at "And then all of them are slaughtered two weeks later."

• Continue thinking aloud, informing students that this text gives details about a chicken's life (such as how they do not really get to range freely on Petaluma Poultry Farm), which were not clear from the information in the photograph.

• Give students time to reflect on these questions:

"In what ways is this information conflicting?" (It's conflicting because the packing leads the consumer to believe the chicken they are buying has free range of fields, and the reality presented in the text is that the chickens are not given access to roam as presented in the photograph.)

"What might this have to do with different purposes and motives?" (Petaluma Poultry wants to convince the consumer to buy its chickens, and one way it does this is by creating an image of happy, peaceful farm life so buyers will feel good about purchasing chicken from Petaluma. In contrast, Michael Pollan wants consumers to be informed of the reality chickens experience on farms like Petaluma Poultry, and therefore the details written in his text conflict with the peaceful image presented by Petaluma Poultry.)

• Tell students that in the next lessons, they will continue to look at information through the lens of the various advantages and disadvantages of mediums. They will also examine conflicting information and interpretations in texts and analyze how that might relate to purpose and motivation on the part of the author.

• Display and distribute the Analyze Different Mediums: Industrial Organic Farming. Explain that these questions relate to industrial organic lettuce farming. Read the directions aloud as students follow along. Answer any questions students have about the directions or the task.

• Prompt students to work with their predetermined partner as they answer all of the selected response questions together, referring to the Strategies to Answer Selected Response anchor chart as needed. As students work, circulate and support pairs as needed. Refer to Analyze Different Mediums: Industrial Organic Farming (answers for teacher reference) as needed.

• As students finish their Analyze Different Mediums: Industrial Organic Farming handouts, begin to review the answers using Analyze Different Mediums: Industrial Organic Farming (answers for teacher reference) as a guide and adding any additional advantages or disadvantages to the Analyze Different Mediums anchor chart as applicable.

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

A. Review Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Mediums - RI.8.7 (5 minutes)

• Direct students to participate in the following mingle-share activity to briefly review their understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of particular mediums.

1. 1. Invite students to stand up by their desk.

   2. Direct students to mingle around the room until they hear a designated sound. (Share the sound with students ahead of time.)

   3. When the sound is heard, students should find a partner and stand face to face, respecting each other's space.

   4. Ask students to share what they think the advantages and disadvantages of information being presented in photographs may be.

   5. Give students 30 seconds to share before prompting them to mingle once more until they hear the designated sound.

   6. When the sound is heard, students should find another partner and stand face to face, respecting each other's space.

   7. Ask students to share what they think the advantages and disadvantages of information being presented in print may be.

   8. Repeat this process one more time, asking students about the advantages and disadvantages of information being presented in the video.

• Gather students together, and reorient them to the Analyze Different Mediums anchor chart. Ask students to Think-Pair-Share:

"What were some of the advantages and disadvantages of text (print or digital) you discussed with a partner in the mingle-share activity?" (Responses will vary, but may include: print is easily accessible and easy to share; it allows readers to use active strategies to determine importance; yet the length and detail level could be challenging.)

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