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

• Repeated routine: As students arrive, invite them to complete Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1.

• Prompt students to Turn and Talk about their answers to the entrance ticket. Cold-call on students to share out.

• Focus students on the word connotation (an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning). Invite students to use a dictionary to define the word.

• Explain to students that words often have similar literal meanings, but their connotations are sometimes different. As needed, remind students that literal meaning is the basic or straightforward meaning of a word. We also can call the literal meaning a word's denotation. A word's connotation is the emotional or secondary meaning it has. For example, the words interested and nosy both can be used to describe someone who is seeking information, but one of them, nosy, has a negative, or critical connotation; interested, on the other hand, has a more neutral or even positive connotation.

• Prompt students to add the words connotation (an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning) and denotation (the literal or basic meaning of a word) and their definitions to their vocabulary logs. With students' support, record the meanings to the academic word wall. Write synonyms or sketch a visual above the words to scaffold students' understanding. Add any relevant notes to the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart on the academic word wall.

• Turn and Talk:

"What other words can you think of that have similar meanings (denotations) but different connotations?" (Responses will vary. Provide examples like the following: mother/mommy, old/vintage, confident/arrogant, inexpensive/cheap.)

• Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as 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 previous lessons.

A. Read The Omnivore's Dilemma, Section 8, and Analyze Word Connotations - L.8.5c (15 minutes)

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

"I can recognize the differences among connotations of words with similar meanings in The Omnivore's Dilemma."

• Remind students that throughout the module so far, they have been reading about topics that influence access to healthy food. Tell students that in the first two lessons of this unit, they are going to continue to read The Omnivore's Dilemma to learn more about how food is produced while also examining language. Explain to students that this information will be useful to them later in the unit when they will write about healthy and sustainable food choices. Tell students they will now consider the connotations of words within The Omnivore's Dilemma.

• Repeated routine: Follow the same process as with previous lessons for students to read section 8 of The Omnivore's Dilemma, using the Text Guide: The Omnivore's Dilemma (for teacher reference). Instruct students to read the section independently, and support struggling students as needed. As time permits, have students identify the meanings of unfamiliar vocabulary, reflect on their reading as they choose, and record the gist using the following resources as appropriate: sticky notes and vocabulary logs.

• Instruct students to turn to page 41, and invite a volunteer to read aloud the following, at the bottom of the page:

"And so the government helped launch the chemical fertilizer industry. (It also helped start the pesticide industry, since insect killers are based on poison gases developed for the war.)"

• Focus students' attention on the words launch and start. Explain that these words have similar denotative meanings because they are both verbs that mean to begin, but their connotations are quite different.

Think-Pair-Share:

"What does the word launch make you think of?" (Responses will vary. Encourage and acknowledge all replies, and help students to understand that launch means to set something in motion.)

"What do you think of when you hear the word start?" (Responses will vary, but may include synonyms like begin, create, and introduce.)

"How is the connotation of launch different from the connotation of start?" (Launch connotes strong action, motion, and forward momentum, while start connotes a simple, straightforward beginning.)

"What other synonyms for launch and start can you think of that have similar denotative meanings but different connotations?" (Responses will vary. If necessary, provide examples like begin, get going, introduce, create, embark.)

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

B. Language Dive: The Omnivore's Dilemma, Page 40 - L.8.5b (10 minutes)

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

"I can use context and the relationships among words to better understand the meanings of words and phrases in The Omnivore's Dilemma."

• Tell students they will now participate in a Language Dive to explore how context and the relationships among words can be used to better understand the meaning of a sentence in The Omnivore's Dilemma.

• Reread aloud page 40 of The Omnivore's Dilemma.

• Focus students' attention on the sentence:

  • "Agribusinesses also need cheap corn from which they make processed food and hundreds of other products."

• Use the Language Dive Guide: The Omnivore's Dilemma, Page 40 (for teacher reference) to guide students through a Language Dive conversation about the sentence. Distribute and display the Language Dive: The Omnivore's Dilemma, Page 40 note-catcher, and the Language Dive: The Omnivore's Dilemma, Page 40 sentence chunk strips. Refer to the Language Dive: The Omnivore's Dilemma, Page 40 note-catcher (example for teacher reference).

• With students' support, record the meaning of the word agribusiness (a business in the agricultural industry) on the domain-specific word wall, with translations in students' home languages. Write synonyms or sketch a visual above the term to scaffold students' understanding. Invite students to record this word in their vocabulary logs.

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

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

In Work Time B, for additional practice with relative clauses after the Language Dive, invite students to write a summary of the text excerpt that includes at least two sentences with relative clauses. Students can share these examples in small groups or with the whole class.

In Work Time B, for additional practice with relative clauses after the Language Dive, invite students to find examples in the text. Display a list of relative pronouns (who, which, that, where, when) to help guide the process. Students can share examples in small groups or with the whole class.

C. Analyze Language: The Omnivore's Dilemma, Section 8 - L.8.5b (10 minutes)

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

"I can use context and the relationships among words to better understand the meanings of words and phrases in The Omnivore's Dilemma."

"I can recognize the differences among connotations of words with similar meanings in The Omnivore's Dilemma."

• Tell students that, as they have just seen, the words authors choose are very intentional. Explain that they will now use what they know about working with words to better understand the text.

• Group students strategically into pairs.

• Display and distribute the Analyze Language: The Omnivore's Dilemma, Section 8 handout. Read each of the questions aloud as students read along silently, and explain that students will work together to answer the questions about language in the text excerpt. Answer any clarifying questions.

• Display the affix list, and instruct students to retrieve their copies. Focus students' attention on the prefix eco-. Read aloud the meaning and examples. Instruct students to refer to this section of the affix list to answer question 4.

• Instruct students to answer the selected response questions in pairs.

• Circulate as students work to ensure they are on track, and answer any clarifying questions. Identify any common misconceptions about connotations and denotations to address in future lessons. As needed, refer to Analyze Language: The Omnivore's Dilemma, Section 8 (answers for teacher reference).

A. Pair-Share - L.8.5b (5 minutes)

• Refocus students' attention on the Analyze Language: The Omnivore's Dilemma, Section 8 handout.

• Invite volunteers to share their responses to each question. As students respond, use Conversation Cues to prompt them to provide appropriate reasoning and evidence:

"Why do you think that?"

"What, in the (sentence/text), makes you think so?"

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

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