Delineate and Evaluate an Argument: Industrial Farming

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Lesson Synopsis

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner - L.8.4c (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Read The Omnivore's Dilemma, Section 3, and Track Gist and Key Details (15 minutes)

B. Delineate an Argument - RI.8.8 (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Thumb-O-Meter and Pair Share - RI.8.8 (5 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Delineate Arguments: Students answer selected response questions to complete Homework: Delineate Arguments: The Omnivore's Dilemma, Section 3.

Daily Learning Targets

Lesson Prep

Lesson Plan

Opening

A. Engage the Learner - L.8.4c (5 minutes)

"What is the meaning of the word delineate?" (Students should identify that delineate means to describe something in detail and with precision.)

"What is the meaning of the word argument?" (Students should identify that argument means an assertion or opinion and its supporting points, evidence, and reasoning.)

Work Time

A. Read The Omnivore's Dilemma, Section 3, and Track Gist and Key Details (15 minutes)

"What is the gist of section 3?" (Cattle have evolved to eat grass, yet on feedlots cows eat corn. Cows get sick from corn they eat; they require antibiotics. Raising cattle in feedlots impacts health and environment.)

"What were some of your reactions to things the author talked about in section 3?" (Responses will vary, but may include: disgust or surprise that cattle are fed corn because it fattens them rapidly, or that feedlots are considered beef factories, or how cows can get multiple sicknesses from eating corn and other feedlot ingredients.)

"What are you interested to learn more about now?" (Responses will vary, but may include: feedlots and their practices.)

"What questions did this section bring up for you?" (Responses will vary, but may mention questions about why cattle are still fed corn if they get sick.)

B. Delineate an Argument - RI.8.8 (20 minutes)

"I can delineate the argument in a section of The Omnivore's Dilemma."

"I can evaluate an argument, assessing whether Michael Pollan's reasoning is sound and the evidence presented on the topic of industrial farming is relevant and sufficient."

"What does the title 'Delineate an Argument' mean to you? What will you be doing on this graphic organizer?" (Responses will vary, but students should review their entrance ticket as needed, and determine that delineating an argument means they will be figuring out the author's specific argument and using details to describe it.)

"Why is it important to delineate the arguments in this module's texts?" (Responses will vary, but could suggest that because the author of our anchor text, Michael Pollan, includes his own claims about the information he is writing about, it will be important to understand them and compare them to arguments in alternate texts, or information from our background knowledge on the topic.)

"When might you need to look closely at arguments, and delineate them, in your own lives, and why?" (Responses will vary, but students should relate this to real life with examples such as: we need to look closely at the campaign materials peers present when they are running for student government to understand whether we agree with them before voting.)

"What is Michael Pollan's point of view in section 3 of The Omnivore's Dilemma?" (Responses will vary but may identify that Michael Pollan believes industrial farming comes at a high cost to animals, health, and the environment, and he believes there is a better way to raise beef.)

"In the previous lesson, we analyzed the author's point of view on topics throughout The Omnivore's Dilemma. We determined the author's attitude toward food choices, corporations, and other key concepts. Additionally, we looked at conflicting viewpoints--how the author responded to certain viewpoints and popular opinions different from his own. Now we will dig deeper into the author's point of view by analyzing how his point of view is related to the main claim when he makes an argument in the text."

"How does understanding Michael Pollan's point of view help you understand, or identify, his claim?" (Responses will vary but should identify that knowing his point of view helps a reader anticipate the claims he will make in his writing, and it can help a reader infer the claims from the information in the text.)

"What does the word relevant mean? What is relevant evidence?" (Relevant means something that is connected or applicable. Relevant evidence is connected to the claim and helps illuminate the point being made to the reader.)

"Why is this evidence relevant to supporting point 1?" (Discussions will vary, but should point out that the evidence directly relates to cows getting sick from their corn-based diet. The evidence is related, makes sense, and it helps the reader understand the point being made.)

"Imagine that it is snowing and -20 degrees, and your friend wants to go outside and play basketball in a T-shirt. Why won't a T-shirt be sufficient to stay warm in the weather?" (Responses should mention that the clothing won't prepare the friend for the elements and won't be enough to keep the friend warm.)

"Now, think of the sufficiency of evidence. Is the evidence in this section of The Omnivore's Dilemma presented 'sufficient'? Why or why not?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Yes, the evidence is sufficient because it presents enough information that helps the reader understand practices at feedlots. It makes readers consider the negative aspects of industrial farming practices, and it helps them understand that the claim that there are better ways to raise beef than in an industrial setting makes sense.)

"What is addressed in this response?" (It discusses the soundness of reasoning from this section of text.)

"Why is it important for a writer to include reasoning? What might happen if there were no reasoning included in sections of The Omnivore's Dilemma?" (Responses will vary, but may include that readers could be confused by evidence and not have a full understanding of the claim he was trying to support. It could lead to a confusing or incomplete argument.)

"What is meant by 'sound reasoning'?" (Responses will vary, but students should understand that sound reasoning is reasoning that is clear, makes sense, describes the evidence, and helps the reader connect the evidence back to the claim.)

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

In Work Time B, to reinforce work during the Language Dive in Lesson 2, invite students to gather examples of infinitives from the text excerpts and the video. Students can work together to determine the function of each one and discuss their findings in small groups.

Invite students who need heavier support to use Delineate an Argument: The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Section 3 graphic organizer ▲. This resource has prefilled information, sentence starters, and selected response options to help guide students’ thinking.

During Work Time B, to help students further understand the meaning of sufficient, provide additional scenarios for students to analyze:

Imagine you want to make an omelette for breakfast, but you only have one egg. Is one egg sufficient for making an omelette? What would be sufficient?

Imagine you want to stream a movie on your tablet, but you only have 10MB of data left. Is this amount of data sufficient for watching a two-hour movie? What would be sufficient?

Imagine you have to write a five-paragraph essay. The essay is due in 5 minutes, and you only have one paragraph written. Is 5 minutes sufficient for you to write the remaining four paragraphs? What would be sufficient?

Closing

A. Thumb-O-Meter and Pair Share - RI.8.8 (5 minutes)

"I can delineate the argument in a section of The Omnivore's Dilemma."

"I can evaluate an argument, assessing whether Michael Pollan's reasoning is sound and the evidence presented on the topic of industrial farming is relevant and sufficient."