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ELA 2019 G7:M4:U2:L3

Analyze How Authors Present Evidence Differently in Articles

In this Lesson

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Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • RI.7.1, RI.7.9, SL.7.4

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.7.6, SL.7.3, L.7.5b
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can compare how two authors emphasize different evidence when presenting information on plastic pollution. (RI.7.9)
  • I can present my claims about plastic pollution in a clear way, supported by evidence. (SL.7.4)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 3 (RI.7.1)
  • Work Time A: Compare Evidence note-catcher (RI.7.9)
  • Work Time B: Compare Evidence (RI.7.6, RI.7.9)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner - RI.7.1 (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Discuss to Compare Evidence - RI.7.9 (15 minutes)

B. Answer Questions to Compare Evidence - RI.7.9 (10 minutes)

C. Debate Rebuttal and Summary Practice - SL.7.4 (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Choose Debate Position and Role (5 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Understand Word Relationships: Students complete Homework: Understand Word Relationships: "Five Things You Can Do to End Plastic Pollution" to better understand the meanings of words in the article.

B. Find Solutions: Students do research in their anchor text, Trash Vortex, to find examples of solutions to plastic pollution at the end of the plastic life cycle to complete the third part of Homework: Find Solutions from Lesson 1.

Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

  • RI.7.1 – Opening A: On an entrance ticket, students record their responses from the previous evening’s homework, identifying further evidence and ideas about solutions to plastic pollution to be found at the middle of the plastic life cycle.
  • RI.7.9 – Work Time A: Students work together as a class and in small groups to discuss how the authors of the two articles they have read so far present information about the same topic.
  • RI.7.9 – Work Time B: Students work together as a class and in small groups to answer questions about how the authors of the two articles they have read so far present information about the same topic.
  • SL.7.4 – Work Time C: Students return to their debating groups to offer rebuttals (with additional claims and findings) for why their chosen part of the plastic life cycle is the better place to focus energy for reducing plastic pollution.
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become effective learners by collaborating to engage in a debate with their peers.
  • The Jigsaw and Think-Pair-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.

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • Students who are ready for an additional challenge can research to find more articles on solutions for fighting plastic pollution at the end of the life cycle. They can present this information in a poster, slideshow, or film clip.
  • Allow those students who are showing greater facility with comparing how authors present information to identify what kinds of information not included in the article would help or hurt the author’s position. Students can then research this information and present it to the class if time allows.

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • In previous lessons, students have read and analyzed articles exploring ways of reducing plastic pollution at the beginning and middle of the plastic life cycle. In this lesson, students work together as a class and in small groups to compare the articles in more depth and explore how the authors emphasize evidence and shape their presentations.

Support All Students

  • Note there is a differentiated version of the Compare Evidence note-catcher used in Work Time A in the separate Teacher’s Guide for English Language Learners. ▲
  • Students may need additional time and support in rereading the articles. Encourage them to work in their groups to read aloud and summarize each paragraph. ▲
  • Students may need additional visual support to compare how authors emphasize evidence. If so, provide a Venn diagram with two circles, one for each article, and model writing evidence in each circle. ▲
  • Students may need additional support and practice comparing how authors emphasize different evidence. If so, provide an additional article or use information from Trash Vortex on the beginning or middle of the plastic life cycle. Encourage students to work in pairs or small groups to analyze how the author emphasizes evidence in this new source as compared to the two articles. ▲
  • In Closing and Assessment A, play a film clip, presidential debate clip, or courtroom clip of a powerful debate in a courtroom. Invite students to name the strengths of the clip. ▲

Assessment Guidance

  • Review students’ Compare Evidence handout in order to ensure comprehension about how different authors emphasize different evidence.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students will read and analyze a section of Trash Vortex to learn more about what can be done at the end of the plastic life cycle to reduce plastic pollution.

In Advance

  • Ensure there is a copy of Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 3 at each student's workspace.
  • Designate small groups to compare the articles. 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 teacher modeling and peer support to compare authors' use of evidence in "Five Things You Can Do to End Plastic Pollution" and "Five Weird Materials That Could Replace Plastic."
  • ELLs may find it challenging to participate in the debate. In addition to the suggestions in the lesson, ensure that students are strategically grouped to best support them. This may mean mixed groupings by language or content proficiency. However, ensure that there are students from each level in each group 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. 

Vocabulary

  • counterclaim, rebuttal, refute (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)
  • Practice Debate Planner (for teacher reference) (from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 2, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Domain-specific word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time B)
  • Debate Steps anchor chart (from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Beginning of Debate note-catcher (example for teacher reference) (from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Middle of Debate note-catcher (example for teacher reference) (from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 2, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Homework: Find Solutions (example for teacher reference) (from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Homework B)
  • Texts from Module 4, Units 1 and 2: A Plastic Ocean, Trash Vortex, "Five Weird Materials That Could Replace Plastic," and "Five Things You Can Do to End Plastic Pollution" (one of each per student)
  • Close Read: "Five Weird Materials That Could Replace Plastic" note-catcher (one per student; from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Work Time A)
  • Close Read: "Five Things You Can Do to End Plastic Pollution" note-catcher (one per student; from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 2, Work Time A)
  • Vocabulary log (one per student; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Work Time B)
  • Beginning of Debate note-catcher (one per student; from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Middle of Debate note-catcher (one per student; from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 2, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Homework: Find Solutions (one per student; from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Homework B)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 3 (example for teacher reference)
  • Compare Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference)
  • Compare Evidence (example for teacher reference)
  • Homework: Understand Word Relationships: "Five Things You Can Do to End Plastic Pollution" (answers for teacher reference) (see Homework Resources)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 3 (one per student)
  • Compare Evidence note-catcher (one per student)
  • Compare Evidence note-catcher ▲
  • Compare Evidence (one per student)
  • Debate Directions (one per student and one for display)
  • Sticky notes (one per student)
  • Homework: Understand Word Relationships: “Five Things You Can Do to End Plastic Pollution” (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.7.1 (5 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: Students respond to questions on Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 3.
  • Once students have completed their entrance tickets, use equity sticks to review their responses. Explain to students that today they will be comparing the two articles they have read so far to more closely examine how the authors present information. In the next lesson, they will examine the end of the plastic life cycle in more detail.
  • 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.

For Lighter Support

  • For the entrance ticket in Opening A, encourage students to work independently at first to respond to the question. 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.

For Heavier Support

  • For the entrance ticket in Opening A, encourage students to work in pairs to discuss and respond to the question. Consider pairing students by either content or language proficiency for additional support.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. Discuss to Compare Evidence – RI.7.9 (15 minutes)

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

“I can compare how two authors emphasize different evidence when presenting information on plastic pollution.”

  • Inform students that today they will compare how the two articles they have read in the unit so far present evidence and information about the same topics in Trash Vortex.
  • Ask students to retrieve their copies of “Five Things You Can Do to End Plastic Pollution” and “Five Weird Materials That Could Replace Plastic” as well as their Close Read note-catchers for each article. 
  • Ask students to Think-Pair-Share:

“What is evidence? What is information? How might emphasizing different evidence help shape an author’s point of view or message in an article?” (Evidence and information are both facts or details that an author uses to support their position or point of view. Authors may choose to emphasize one piece of evidence instead of another in order to support one point of view.)

  • Distribute and display the Compare Evidence note-catcher and the Compare Evidence note-catcher ▲ as necessary. Review the note-catcher to ensure students understand that the note-catchers include excerpts from each of the two articles and Trash Vortex so that students can compare how the authors’ presentations of the topics are shaped by the information they provide and the evidence they emphasize. 
  • Invite students to form predetermined small groups. Model reading the excerpt from page 49 of Trash Vortex and the excerpt from the article in The Week (at the top of the note-catcher). Then model answering the first question, using a think-aloud such as:

“First I will consider the evidence in Trash Vortex: Danielle Smith-Llera presents evidence about biodegradable materials that did not live up to their promise. She writes that certain biodegradable materials ‘need certain temperatures and exposure to sunlight’ in order to biodegrade and so took as long as ‘petroleum-based’ plastics.”

  • Demonstrate recording the evidence on the displayed note-catcher. For additional responses, consult the Compare Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference).
  • Then ask students to Turn and Talk to their group to identify the evidence from the article in The Week. (The author of that article talks about a new material made from parts of a mushroom. She claims that this material can “break down in a landfill in about 180 days.”)
  • Record the evidence on the displayed note-catcher. For additional responses, consult the Compare Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference).
  • Then ask students to Think-Group-Share about the next question on the note-catcher:

“How does the information the authors choose to include affect their interpretations of the facts about biodegradable materials?” (The information that the author of Trash Vortex chooses to include leads her to an interpretation that biodegradable materials will not necessarily solve the problem, “[s]o recycling continues.” The author of the article in The Week is more optimistic as she describes how the material is made and includes the claim that it will “break down in a landfill in about 180 days” without challenging the claim.)

  • If necessary, support students by asking additional questions such as:

“Which author thinks biodegradable materials could be a solution for plastic pollution? How does that author support this idea? Which author does not believe biodegradable materials could be a solution for plastic pollution? How does that author support this idea?” 

  • Record the evidence on the displayed note-catcher. For additional responses, consult the Compare Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference).
  • Invite students to work in their groups to read and discuss the second set of excerpts. Then they can answer the questions on the note-catchers. Then discuss their responses as a class. For questions and responses, see the Compare Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference).
  • Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target.

For Lighter Support

  • At the beginning of Work Time A, allow several minutes for students to work independently or in pairs to review the articles, their highlights, and the gist statements they wrote in the margins during the previous two lessons.
  • Also in Work Time A, as you model comparing the evidence from each author, speak slowly and clearly, recording your responses on the board and rephrasing any overly complex responses.

For Heavier Support

  • At the beginning of Work Time A, draw students together in a group to help them review the articles, their highlights, and the gist statements they wrote during the previous two lessons. Ensure students understand the main ideas and key evidence in each article.
  • During Work Time A, invite students to use the Compare Evidence note-catcher ▲. This resource features sentence starters that support students with comprehension and writing.

B. Answer Questions to Compare Evidence - RI.7.9 (10 minutes)

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

"I can compare how two authors emphasize different evidence when presenting information on plastic pollution."

  • Distribute copies of the Compare Evidence handout. Explain that these are questions similar to ones they will see on the mid-unit assessment. Model answering the first question for students, and then invite students to work together in their groups to answer the remaining questions.
  • Once students complete the questions, use a total participation technique to review student responses.
  • Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target.
  • N/A

C. Debate Rebuttal and Summary Practice - SL.7.4 (10 minutes)

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

"I can present my claims about plastic pollution in a clear way, supported by evidence."

  • Invite students to reform their position groups from the previous lesson, either for the beginning or the middle of the plastic life cycle. As necessary, consult the Practice Debate Planner (for teacher reference) to review groups and roles.
  • Tell students that they will now focus on the rebuttal and summary part of the debate and discussion. Display the Debate Steps anchor chart, and review the Rebuttal and Summary step. Then ask students to Turn and Talk to use strategies to define rebuttal (a statement that is intended to disprove another), counterclaim (a claim made in response to or in order to offset another claim), and refute (to demonstrate the falseness or error of; disprove). Record the words on the domain-specific word wall with translations in home languages, where appropriate, and invite students to record term in their vocabulary logs.
  • Explain that a rebuttal and summary must take into account all the elements of the debate thus far. It must restate the position, acknowledge and refute the counterargument and anything that came up during the cross-examination, and end with a firm stance.
  • Ask students to retrieve their Beginning and Middle of Debate note-catchers to recall what points were made, and the questions and answers given, for each position. Allow several minutes for each position group to discuss the critiques as a group and record notes for a brief rebuttal and summary. Students may draw on the texts from Module 4, Units 1 and 2 for additional evidence as necessary. Explain to students that each student in the group should be prepared to say at least one sentence as part of their rebuttal and summary.
  • Once students have determined how they will refute critiques and summarize their position, invite groups to present their rebuttal and summary. For possible responses, consult the Beginning and Middle of Debate note-catchers (examples for teacher reference).
  • Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target.
  • N/A

Closing & Assessments

ClosingLevels of Support

A. Choose Debate Position and Role (5 minutes)

  • Remind students that for the final debate that they will participate in during Lessons 5-6, they will be required to choose which part of the plastic life cycle they think is most effective to target to reduce plastic pollution.
  • Display and distribute the Debate Directions. Review the debate scenario and the prompt:
    • "Which part of the plastic life cycle is the best place to target to reduce plastic pollution?"
  • Remind students that they will be able to choose which position they want to present as well as their roles in the debate. Students can choose to be the position presenter, who gives the opening speech; the cross examiner, who asks questions of other groups; the responder, who responds to questions from other groups; or the summarizer, who restates the group's position and addresses the counterclaims and information brought up during cross-examination. To begin preparing for the debate, distribute and then collect sticky notes, and ask students to write their name and which part of the plastic life cycle they want to present on as well as which role they would like to play in the debate.
  • 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

  • To support students in participating in the debate, allow time for students to rehearse their summaries in their groups to ensure they have the confidence to deliver them. 

For Heavier Support

  • To support students in the debate, encourage students to record their summaries in complete sentences. If time allows, review students' sentences to ensure they are correct. Then have students rehearse their sentences with each other to ensure they have enough confidence to deliver them. 

Homework

HomeworkLevels of Support

A. Understand Word Relationships

  • Students complete Homework: Understand Word Relationships: "Five Things You Can Do to End Plastic Pollution" to better understand the meanings of words in the article.

B. Find Solutions

  • Students do research in their anchor text, Trash Vortex, to find examples of solutions to plastic pollution at the end of the plastic life cycle to complete the third part of Homework: Find Solutions from Lesson 1.

For Lighter Support

  • Before students leave class, ask them to read the homework assignments and discuss them with a partner. Allow time for students to work with a partner to answer the first item together to make sure they can complete the homework independently.

For Heavier Support

  • Before students leave class, review the homework assignments and ensure that students understand how to use the relationships between words to understand them better. Work together with students to complete the first item, then challenge them to complete the second item with a partner to make sure they can complete the homework independently.

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