A. Engage the Learner – (5 minutes)

• Repeated routine: As students arrive, invite them to complete Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 6. This entrance ticket prompts students to review their feedback from Module 2 End of Unit 1 Assessment.

• Invite students to spend a few minutes reading the feedback and then filling out the reflection questions on the entrance ticket. If they require support to understand the feedback, encourage them to write their names on the board for a one-on-one review. Remind students that everyone is working toward individual goals and that learning is about continued growth and development. ▲

A. Mid-Unit 2 Assessment: Research Climate Change and Food Shortages (30 minutes)

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

"I can conduct research to answer a new question about food choices and sustainability."

• Distribute and display Mid-Unit 2 Assessment: Research Climate Change and Food Shortages.

• Tell students that for this assessment, they will use the research skills they practiced in class during the previous lessons.

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

• Direct students' attention to the following anchor charts:

  • Researchers Do These Things anchor chart

  • Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart

• Remind students to refer to these anchor charts 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 what perseverance looks and sounds like. Remind students that because they will be reading and answering questions independently for the assessment, they may need to practice perseverance.

• Invite students to begin the assessment.

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

• Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target, using a checking for understanding technique--for example, showing thumbs-up or traffic light signal cards. Scan student responses, and make a note of students who might need support. Check in with them moving forward.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

Before the assessment of Work Time A, underline key vocabulary in the assessment directions and prompt, and read aloud together as a class to ensure that students understand each task included in the assessment. Invite students who need lighter support to restate or clarify information for students who need heavier support. Review key terms (source, search engine, credible) aloud, and provide a glossary of terms that students can refer back to as needed to help them stay grounded while answering the questions on the assessment.

• Display a "map" of the assessment to reference while explaining the 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 attentional resources. Provide students with colored pencils or highlighters so that they can mark up the "map" as needed. Example:

  • Read the research question. Then answer the questions.

  • Part A: Identify search terms you can use to research the topic.

  • Part B: Determine questions that can help you answer the research question.

  • Part C: Find two internet sources that can be used to research this topic.

  • Part D: Use the two internet sources and the article provided on the assessment to fill in the note-catcher.

A. Track Progress - W.8.7 (10 minutes)

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

"I can conduct research to answer a new question about food choices and sustainability."

• Give students specific, positive feedback on their completion of the Mid-Unit 2 Assessment.

• Distribute Track Progress folders, Track Progress: Research, and sticky notes.

• Guide students through completing the recording form.

• 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 

As with assessments in earlier units, if students seem unsure of how to respond to the open-ended questions, provide examples of statements that answer the questions about previous improvements and goals for future improvement that are directly connected to the criteria within the Track Progress: Research handout, to help students create clear self-reflection and concrete, attainable personal targets (e.g., "I have improved at quoting information and ideas from research without plagiarizing."; "In the future, I will work on citing sources using a standard format.")

Provide students with a sheet of paper on which they can use a selected color, number, or symbol to self-assess against each learning target in private. This provides useful data for future instruction and helps students monitor their own learning. If time allows, pair students with trusted, supportive peers to share how they have self-assessed.