Analyze Author’s Purpose and Point of View: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA 2019 G7:M4:U1:L9

Analyze Author’s Purpose and Point of View: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2

In this Lesson

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Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • RI.7.2, RI.7.6, SL.7.1

Supporting Standards: These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

  • RI.7.4, L.7.4
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can determine two or more central ideas and analyze their development over the course of Trash Vortex. (RI.7.2)
  • I can determine an author's point of view and purpose in Trash Vortex. (RI.7.6)
  • I can analyze how the author of Trash Vortex distinguishes her position from that of others. (RI.7.6)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 9 (RI.7.6)
  • Work Time B: Author's Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 note-catcher (RI.7.2, RI.7.6)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner - RI.7.6 (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Read and Analyze Central Ideas - RI.7.2 (15 minutes)

B. Analyze Purpose and Point of View - RI.7.6 (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Discuss Big Ideas - SL.7.1 (10 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Analyze Point of View and Purpose: Students answer selected and constructed response questions about central ideas, author's purpose, and point of view to complete Homework: Analyze Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2.

B. Preread Anchor Text: Students preread chapter 3 of Trash Vortex in preparation for studying an excerpt from the chapter in the next lesson. Students use context and if necessary a dictionary to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in chapter 3 of Trash Vortex. Then they record the words and their definitions in the correct section of their vocabulary log.

Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

  • RI.7.6 – Opening A: On an entrance ticket, students share out their responses to the previous evening’s homework, choosing a picture or graphic in the book and explaining how it supports the author’s purpose in the text.
  • RI.7.2 – Work Time A: Students read and analyze an excerpt of chapter 2 of Trash Vortex, focusing on determining the gist and analyzing the development of central ideas.
  • RI.7.6 – Work Time B: Students analyze an excerpt of chapter 2 to determine the author’s point of view and purpose and analyze how she distinguishes her position from that of others.
  • SL.7.1 – Closing and Assessment A: Students engage in a small group collaborative discussion about big ideas raised in Trash Vortex.
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become effective learners by persevering to analyze complex text and collaborating to read and answer questions together as a class and in small groups.
  • The Think-Pair-Share and Think-Group-Share protocols are used in this lesson. Protocols are an important feature of the EL Education curriculum because they are one of the best ways we know to engage students in discussion, inquiry, critical thinking, and sophisticated communication. A protocol consists of agreed-upon, detailed guidelines for reading, recording, discussing, or reporting that ensure equal participation and accountability in learning.
  • In the chapter of Trash Vortex read for this lesson, “Bakeland, Hyatt, Goodyear, Macintosh, and other inventors show initiative and perseverance by working to invent and perfect new materials.”

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • Invite students to create an interactive word wall using the words from the glossary on page 60 of Trash Vortex to support their own and their peers’ domain-specific vocabulary acquisition.
  • Invite students to choose one resource from the additional resources list on page 61 of Trash Vortex and read it to determine the central ideas and the author’s purpose and point of view.
  • Invite students to recreate one of the images or graphics from chapter 2 on chart paper to support their own and their classmates’ comprehension of the central ideas in this chapter.
  • Prompt students to find the counter-argument to claims made in this text. Encourage students to research the other perspective and present findings to the class.

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • In previous lessons, students have begun reading and analyzing Trash Vortex, focusing on the development of central ideas and the author’s purpose in certain questions.

Support All Students

  • The subject matter in the chapter includes descriptions of plastic pollution and its negative effect on the environment. Monitor students to determine if there are issues surfacing as a result of the content of this work that need to be discussed as a whole group, in smaller groups, or individually. To support students in processing this content, ask: “What habit of character did you use as you read and discussed this excerpt?” Students may need to draw on perseverance, empathy, and compassion as they read and discuss this content, being sensitive to their own and others’ reactions to the information presented.
  • Additionally, in the Closing and Assessment A of this lesson, students are given the opportunity to discuss the issues surrounding plastic pollution. Direct students who need further processing opportunities to make posters or slide presentations to convey their learning. The act of creating will give them time and space to process the information. The posters or presentations can be displayed around the classroom or the school. Suggest that students research the activists and scientists mentioned in Trash Vortex to learn about solutions to the issues being raised and add these solutions to their posters or slides. The class will explore solutions in depth throughout Units 2 and 3. However, some students may need the inspiration and hope in these solutions to process the sometimes overwhelming issues around plastic pollution.
  • Students may need additional support to understand scientific terms or concepts introduced in the text. Make students aware of the glossary of terms at the back of the book to support them in their learning. ▲
  • Encourage students to recall their experience with A Plastic Ocean to help them understand the context for the subjects discussed in the text. If time allows, allow students to rewatch clips from the documentary to help illuminate related concepts. ▲
  • Point out how the pictures in the book can help them understand some of the subjects being discussed. Create reading groups for students to access devices to help explain difficult or unfamiliar concepts in the text. If possible, provide an audio version of the book. ▲
  • Note there is a differentiated version of the Author’s Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 note-catcher used in Work Time B in the separate Teacher’s Guide for English Language Learners. ▲

Assessment Guidance

  • Review students’ Author’s Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 note-catchers to ensure students understand how the author develops central ideas as well as the purpose and point of view of different sections of the text.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students will read and analyze chapter 3 of Trash Vortex, continuing their focus on the central ideas and author’s purpose. In this lesson, students also expand their analysis to begin to consider the author’s point of view.

In Advance

  • Ensure there is a copy of Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 9 at each student's workspace.
  • Preread chapter 2 of Trash Vortex.
  • Designate small groups to read and analyze Trash Vortex. Groups may be homogeneous or formed based on content or reading proficiency.
  • Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout previous modules to create anchor charts to share with families; to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families; and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 7.I.A.1, 7.I.B.5, 7.I.B.6, and 7.I.C.10.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson provides students the opportunity to work in small groups to identify central ideas in the anchor text Trash Vortex. Additionally, students experience modeling and participate in whole-class analysis of Trash Vortex for the author's point of view.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to read the anchor text and identify the central ideas, author's purpose, and author's point of view. In addition to the suggestions below, provide additional wait time for students to read, process the questions, and formulate their responses. Students may also need time to orally process their responses with a partner before sharing out.

Vocabulary

  • benign, distinguish, inert (A)
  • point of view, position (DS)

Key

(A): Academic Vocabulary

(DS): Domain-Specific Vocabulary

Materials from Previous Lessons

Teacher

Student

  • Equity sticks (from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Work Time A)
  • Academic word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time A)
  • Domain-specific word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time B)
  • Text Guide: Trash Vortex (for teacher reference) (from Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 8, Work Time A)
  • Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening B)
  • Gists: Trash Vortex (example for teacher reference) (from Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 8, Work Time A)
  • Author's Purpose anchor chart (one for display; from Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 8, Opening A)
  • Discussion Norms anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 13, Work Time C)
  • Vocabulary log (one per student; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening A)
  • Trash Vortex by Danielle Smith-Llera (text; one per student; from Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 8, Work Time A)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 9 (example for teacher reference)
  • Author's Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 note-catcher (example for teacher reference)
  • Homework: Analyze Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 (example for teacher reference) (see Homework Resources)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 9 (one per student)
  • Synopsis: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 (one per student)
  • Author’s Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 note-catcher (one per student)
  • Author’s Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 note-catcher ▲
  • Homework: Analyze Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 (one per student; see Homework Resources)

Assessment

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

OpeningLevels of Support

A. Engage the Learner - RI.7.6 (5 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: Students respond to questions on Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 9.
  • Once students have completed their entrance tickets, use equity sticks to review their responses.
  • 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.
  • Ask students to Turn and Talk with a partner about what point of view and position mean in an informational text:

"How is point of view in an informational text different from point of view in a fictional text, such as the stories you studied in the previous module or A Long Walk to Water in Module 1? Whose point of view do we analyze in an informational text? How are point of view and position related?" (In a fictional text, we analyze the point of view of the characters or narrator. In informational texts, we analyze the point of view of the authors, determining what they think about a topic. Point of view in an informational text is what an author thinks about a topic. A position is similar to this. It is the larger point of view that someone takes on a topic or argument.)

  • Confirm that point of view and position mean an author's perspective or opinion on a topic. Explain that although this might be most noticeable in argument texts, in which an author has a clear point of view or position about a claim to argue for or against, we also use these terms to talk about the views that authors take when explaining something and choosing which "angle" to look at it from. Tell students that they will have further practice examining point of view in this and future lessons in this unit.
  • As necessary, use the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart to deconstruct the word distinguish (to tell apart by seeing differences). Record distinguish on the academic word wall and point of view and position (author's perspective or opinion on a topic) on the domain-specific word wall with translations in home languages, where appropriate, and invite students to record it in their vocabulary logs.

For Lighter Support

  • To promote independence on the entrance ticket, challenge students to work independently to grapple to answer the questions. Grappling will increase students' confidence and success on independent tasks such as assessments.

For Heavier Support

  • To promote independence on the entrance ticket, challenge students to work independently at first to grapple to answer the questions. Then they can share their responses with a partner to check and expand their work. Grappling first and then working with a partner will increase student engagement, independence, and speaking and listening skills.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. Read and Analyze Central Ideas – RI.7.2 (15 minutes)

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

“I can determine two or more central ideas and analyze their development over the course of Trash Vortex.”

  • Tell students they will now read the second half of chapter 2 of Trash Vortex together as a class. Ask for a volunteer or read aloud pages 22–25 (from “Beginning in the 1950s” to “Now we know better”), using the Text Guide: Trash Vortex (for teacher reference) and the Synopsis: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 to support students’ comprehension as necessary. ▲ Then have students work in pairs to identify the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary and reflect on their reading as they choose, using vocabulary logs and Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart as resources. 
  • After students finish reading and reflecting on the excerpt, ask them to form predetermined small groups. Assign each group one of the following questions. (For large classes, more than one group may have the same question.) Ask groups to discuss their question and be prepared to share their responses with the class. Then conduct a whole-class discussion, inviting group members to share their responses.

“If plastic is so damaging to the environment, why did people start using so much of it?” (People started using plastic because it was convenient and cheap. Plastic could be used to replace other materials and also allowed people to dispose of it after using.) 

“What explanations and details does the author give about how and why people create new materials?” (The author explains that people “have always been searching for the best materials” (22) to make their lives easier and improve things. Inventing or discovering a new material can make life easier and also make a lot of money for the inventor.)

“Why does the author say that people started using plastic?” (People started using it because it “could be molded, drilled, bent . . . to create objects of almost any shape” [20]. It was also fashionable and cheaper than other materials.)

“What habits of character did you see in chapter 2 (either what was reread in class or for homework)? Who demonstrated them? What did they look/sound like?” (Possible response: Bakeland, Hyatt, Goodyear, Macintosh, and other inventors show initiative and perseverance by working to invent and perfect new materials.)

  • Distribute the Author’s Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 note-catcher and the Author’s Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 note-catcher ▲ as necessary. The differentiated note-catcher supports students’ comprehension and writing with sentence starters. ▲ As necessary, review the format of the note-catcher, explaining that it is the same as the one they used in the previous lesson. Invite students to Turn and Talk about the following questions in their groups:

“What is the overall gist of this excerpt?” (Plastic became very popular and people threw a lot of it away; this became a problem.) As necessary, consult Gists: Trash Vortex (example for teacher reference).

“What are the central ideas in this excerpt?” (Two central ideas are that plastic quickly became very popular, and people became used to throwing plastic away, which became a problem.) If students have trouble identifying the central ideas, ask: “What big ideas does the author want us to know about the history of plastic?” ▲

“What are some of the ways the author develops the central ideas in this excerpt?” (The author explains how plastics became popular by quoting another author and providing details of how plastic became so useful. The author includes a picture from a Life magazine article and uses quotes to explain how people got used to throwing away plastic.) If students have trouble identifying the details, ask: “What important details, facts, or examples does the author use to tell us about the history of plastics and show us the problem with throwing it away?” ▲

  • Invite students to note these central ideas and how they are developed in the appropriate boxes of their note-catchers. Remind students to include quotes and other evidence in their descriptions of how the central ideas are developed. For more examples, see the Author’s Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 note-catcher (example for teacher reference).

For Lighter Support

  • To promote independence in Work Time A if students are ready for a challenge, encourage them to read the excerpt and complete the top of the note-catcher independently. Then they can share their responses with their group before sharing with the class.
  • For Work Time A and B, ensure that students are strategically grouped to best support them. This may mean mixed groupings by language or content proficiency. However, since groups include about four students, ensure there are two students from each level and 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.

For Heavier Support

  • During Work Time A and B, invite students to use the Author’s Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 note-catcher ▲. This resource features sentence starters that support students with comprehension and writing.
  • As in the lighter support, for Work Time A and B, ensure that students are strategically grouped to best support them. In addition to the lighter supports, group students who need heavier support by home language.

B. Analyze Purpose and Point of View - RI.7.6 (15 minutes) 

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

"I can determine an author's point of view and purpose in Trash Vortex."

"I can analyze how the author of Trash Vortex distinguishes her position from that of others."

  • Inform students that they will now focus on a specific part of the excerpt to talk about the author's point of view. Ask students to recall their work in the previous lesson and the opening of this lesson discussing the author's purpose, point of view, and position in an informational text. Remind students that in informational texts, we analyze the point of view of the authors to determine what they think about a topic. Remind students that even when authors are explaining or informing, they can demonstrate a point of view through the words they use to convey their attitude toward a topic.
  • Direct students to look at the whole excerpt of pages 22-25 Trash Vortex to identify the author's purpose. Focus students' attention on the Author's Purpose anchor chart, and review the general purposes as necessary. Invite students to form groups to go back through the excerpt to identify the author's overall purpose in it. Remind students to refer to the anchor chart and look for specific details about the topic. For example, avoid general statements such as the author's purpose is "to inform"; instead, use specific language, such as "to inform about how plastic is used." Remind students that texts can also have multiple purposes.
  • Invite students to Think-Group-Share about the purpose of this excerpt. (To inform the reader about how and why plastic use first became a problem.)
  • Inform students that they will now focus on the author's purpose and points of view for specific parts of the excerpt. Direct students' attention to the paragraph on page 22 beginning "Plentiful and affordable plastics helped shape a new lifestyle." Reread this paragraph aloud. Ask students to Think-Group-Share:

"What is the purpose of this paragraph in the text overall?" (To explain why plastic became so popular.)

"What is the author's purpose in describing the impact of plastics on people's lives? What key words or sentences help show how most people felt about plastic when it first came widely into use?" (The author's purpose is to explain why plastic so quickly became popular and describe the perspective of most people about using plastic in the 1950s and 1960s. She says that plastics "helped shape a new lifestyle," Sentences like "they helped people . . . get more for their money" show that plastic was viewed very positively when it first came into use.)

  • Direct students' attention to the paragraph on page 24 beginning "The federal Clean Water Act . . ." and ending on page 25, at the end of the chapter. Reread this paragraph aloud. Ask students to Think-Group-Share:

"What does Charles Moore's statement on page 25 reveal about his point of view of plastic? How does the author's point of view relate to Moore's point of view? What is her likely purpose for including his point of view at the end of the excerpt?" (Charles Moore's statement shows that he thinks we were wrong that plastic was benign or harmless. The author's point of view is the same as Charles Moore's. Her purpose in including his point of view at the end of the excerpt is to develop her own point of view about the harm that plastic can cause.)

  • Invite students to add these notes to their note-catchers.
  • Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.

For Lighter Support

  • For Work Time A and B, ensure that students are strategically grouped to best support them. This may mean mixed groupings by language or content proficiency. However, since groups include about four students, ensure there are two students from each level and 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.

For Heavier Support

  • During Work Time A and B, invite students to use the Author’s Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2 note-catcher ▲. This resource features sentence starters that support students with comprehension and writing.
  • As in the lighter support, for Work Time A and B, ensure that students are strategically grouped to best support them. In addition to the lighter supports, group students who need heavier support by home language.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingLevels of Support

A. Discuss Big Ideas – SL.7.1 (10 minutes)

  • Invite students to remain in their small groups. Post the following questions for students to discuss, using evidence from their note-catchers and from chapter 2 of Trash Vortex to support their responses. Ask groups to designate a note-taker to record student responses and a speaker to share their responses with the class. Remind students to show respect, empathy, and compassion as they follow the classroom rules for collegial discussion. They will also take initiative as they participate in a discussion. Refer to the Discussion Norms anchor chart as necessary to review discussion norms and guidelines.
  • If silent discussion is preferable, direct students to record their responses to the questions on a piece of paper and pass that paper to another student in the group, adding ideas each time the paper is passed. Use the questions below for further silent discussion. ▲

“What were the attitudes people had about plastic when it was first introduced? How have these changed?” (People found plastic to be “sleek” and “fashionable.” They also treated it as something to be thrown away after using once. This changed after people realized that discarded plastic can exist for a long time. Now, people are more aware about recycling and reusing plastic.)

  • After students have discussed these questions in their groups, ask for the designated speakers to share out their responses.
  • Before leaving class, ensure students have their copies of Trash Vortex to complete their homework.
  • Invite students to reflect on the habits of character focus in this lesson, discussing what went well and what could be improved next time.

For Lighter Support

  • In Closing and Assessment A, allow students to respond to the discussion prompts in the modality that best suits them. They may want to record their responses in writing or practice their oral responses with a partner before sharing them out. Allowing students to respond in multiple ways increases their confidence and success in analyzing complex issues around plastic pollution.

For Heavier Support

  • In Closing and Assessment A, allow students to respond to the discussion prompts in the modality that best suits them. They may want to record their responses in writing or practice their oral responses with a partner before sharing them out. They may want to share their responses in their home language. Allowing students to respond in multiple ways increases their confidence and success in analyzing complex issues around plastic pollution.

Homework

HomeworkLevels of Support

A. Analyze Point of View and Purpose

  • Students answer selected and constructed response questions about the central ideas, the author's purpose, and point of view to complete Homework: Analyze Point of View and Purpose: Trash Vortex, Chapter 2.

B. Preread Anchor Text

  • Students preread chapter 3 of Trash Vortex in preparation for studying an excerpt from the chapter in the next lesson. Students use context and, if necessary, a dictionary to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in chapter 3 of Trash Vortex. Then they record the words and their definitions in the correct section of their vocabulary log.

For Lighter Support

  • Provide students with the Synopsis: Trash Vortex, Chapter 3, and ask them to highlight the key individuals and ideas in the text once they have completed their prereading. Then they can take notes and make sketches in the margins of the synopsis to convey the gist of each section. Doing so after reading will confirm their comprehension of the complex text.
  • Also, challenge students to continue their work from the Language Dive in Lesson 7 by writing their homework constructed response with at least three different types of sentences.

For Heavier Support

  • Provide students with the Synopsis: Trash Vortex, Chapter 3, with key individuals and ideas highlighted. Encourage students to read the synopsis before they complete their prereading. Then they can take notes and make sketches in the margins of the synopsis to convey the gist of each section. Doing so before reading will increase their comprehension of the complex text.
  • Also, challenge students to continue their work from the Language Dive in Lesson 7 by writing their homework constructed response with at least two different types of sentences.

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