Introduce Internet Research: GMOs | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA 2019 G8:M2:U2:L2

Introduce Internet Research: GMOs

In this Lesson

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Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • RI.8.1, W.8.7, W.8.8

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.8.4, RI.8.8, RI.8.10, SL.8.1, L.8.4
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can assess the credibility of digital sources while conducting research. (W.8.7, W.8.8)
  • I can use search terms effectively to gather information from digital sources. (W.8.7, W.8.8)
  • I can conduct research to answer a question about how GMOs influence our access to healthy food. (W.8.7, W.8.8)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2 (W.8.8)
  • Work Time B: Access to Healthy Food Research: GMOs note-catcher (RI.8.1, W.8.7, W.8.8)
  • Closing and Assessment A: Generating additional related focus questions (W.8.7)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner - W.8.8 (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Research Mini Lesson: Search Terms and Credibility of Sources - W.8.8 (15 minutes)

B. Research GMOs and Track Access to Healthy Food - W.8.7 (20 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Partner Share (5 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Independent Research Reading: Students read for at least 20 minutes in their independent research reading text. Then they select a prompt and write a response in their independent reading journal.

Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

  • W.8.8 – Opening A: Students think about potential search terms for The Omnivore’s Dilemma and their experience with search engines.
  • W.8.8 – Work Time A: Students learn to assess the credibility of sources before they conduct their internet research. Students also determine the search terms they will use as they conduct their research of GMOs.
  • RI.8.1 – Work Time B: Students cite evidence from sources in their note-catcher as they track how GMOs increase and decrease our access to healthy food.
  • W.8.7 – Work Time B: Students work in pairs and draw on several sources as they conduct research on GMOs.
  • W.8.8 – Work Time B: Students evaluate sources and gather information to answer the research question.

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • Students who have experience with any of the research steps should be authorized as experts on those steps and allowed to teach or mentor the class or individual students on the steps. Also, these students can be released to work immediately on research rather than attending to the mini lessons on the research steps.
  • To honor diverse cultural practices and to cultivate global awareness of food access and choices, build in time for students to research the prevalence of genetically modified foods worldwide. Invite students to focus on a country of their choice. Be sensitive to different preferences; some students may be enthusiastic about researching GMOs in a country of ancestry, while others will prefer to focus on an unfamiliar location.

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • In the previous lesson, students were introduced to the GMO research project and the research question they will answer. They read a text about GMOs and gathered evidence from the text in their note-catcher to organize their research findings. In this lesson, students work in pairs and use the internet to conduct research on GMOs to answer the research question. They gather evidence from their research findings in their note-catcher.

Support All Students

  • In Work Times A and B, students may need additional support with each of the steps in the research process.
  • Partner students who might benefit from modeling and support with a student who is skilled at researching and note-taking. For students needing extra support with research, identify several sources (websites, articles, videos) at varying levels (e.g., from Newsela or Gale databases) that will answer as many of the research questions as possible, and make this list of sources available to them. Or, make the Researchers Do These Things anchor chart a checklist or roadmap that students can use to guide them in the process. ▲
  • Optionally show a video on the basics of using a search engine (or, if students are ready, a video on using advanced search-engine tools). There are also online videos on evaluating sources, quoting, paraphrasing, citing sources, etc.

Assessment Guidance

  • Circulate to monitor students’ ability to apply the following research skills they developed in this lesson and the previous lesson: quoting and paraphrasing information, citing sources, using search terms, and assessing the credibility and accuracy of sources. Monitor common issues to use to identify research mini lessons in the next lesson.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students will continue to work in pairs, researching how GMOs increase and decrease our access to healthy food.

In Advance

  • Prepare and ensure there is a copy of Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2 at each student's workspace.
  • Prepare examples of credible and noncredible digital sources to display for students in Work Time A.
  • Before modeling the research process for students, test-drive the research process, and find suitable links to use in Work Time B. Practice the process to ensure the links work and the process goes smoothly. Use the suggestions in Work Time B to choose an additional focused research question from the Additional Focus Questions: GMOs anchor chart, and then do the following to prepare:
    1. Use search terms or keywords in a search engine.
    2. Evaluate the sources on the results page.
    3. Choose one credible, accurate source.
    4. Review it to find several pieces of information to answer the model question.
    5. Record the information in quotes or paraphrases.
  • Gather devices on which students can conduct research (computers or tablets). Ensure the devices work, are charged, and can access the internet.
  • Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time A: Prepare a device with a projector to demonstrate the research process.
  • Work Time B: Provide devices with online access for students to begin the research process.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 8.I.B.6 and 8.I.B.8.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson incorporates research mini lessons and other tasks that prepare students to carry out research on food choices. Students learn how to determine the credibility of research sources before conducting further research on GMOs. The lesson builds in a variety of opportunities for students to engage in discussion, furthering the development of oral skills and allowing for helpful exchange and support while building research skills.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to determine the credibility of internet sources based on a number of factors, including cultural differences surrounding the use of sources in academic research, the visual layout of internet sites, and potential misconceptions about the meaning of each individual criterion. Additionally, some internet sources that students encounter may be at a higher Lexile® than usual. Support ELLs by pairing them strategically with proficient partners and building in additional practice with determining the credibility of sources, quoting, and paraphrasing.

Vocabulary

  • bias, credibility (A)
  • search terms (DS)

Key

(A): Academic Vocabulary

(DS): Domain-Specific Vocabulary

Materials from Previous Lessons

Teacher

Student

  • Academic word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening A)
  • Domain-specific word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening A)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 4, Opening B)
  • Access to Healthy Food Research: GMOs note-catcher (example for teacher reference) (from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Work Time A)
  • "To GMO or NOT to GMO?" (one for display; from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Work Time B)
  • Research Mini Lessons (for teacher reference) (from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Work Time A)
  • Researchers Do These Things anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 7, Work Time A)
  • Additional Focus Questions: GMOs anchor chart (example for teacher reference) (from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Additional Focus Questions: GMOs anchor chart (one for display; from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Vocabulary logs (one per student; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening A)
  • Access to Healthy Food Research: GMOs note-catcher (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Work Time A)
  • Researcher's Toolbox (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Work Time A)
  • "To GMO or NOT to GMO?" (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Work Time B)
  • Independent reading journals (one per student; begun in Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 6, Work Time B)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2 (answers for teacher reference)
  • Device with projector (see Technology and Multimedia)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2 (one per student)
  • Devices for internet research (one per student; see Technology and Multimedia)

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

Opening

A. Engage the Learner - W.8.8 (5 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: As students arrive, invite them to complete Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2.
  • 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.
  • With students' support, record the meaning of credibility (being believable), which comes up in the first learning target, to the academic word wall, and the meaning of search terms (a word or combination of words entered into a search engine in order to specify a particular thing to be searched for on the World Wide Web) to the domain-specific word wall, with translations in students' home languages. Write synonyms or sketch a visual above the words to scaffold students' understanding.
  • Invite students to record the words in their vocabulary logs. Prompt students to use the words in new sentences by either writing these sentences down or thinking of these sentences silently, then sharing with a partner. Add any relevant notes to the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. Research Mini Lesson: Search Terms and Credibility of Sources - W.8.8 (15 minutes)

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

"I can assess the credibility of digital sources while conducting research."

"I can use search terms effectively to gather information from digital sources."

  • Remind students that in this lesson, they will answer the central research question:
    • "How do GMOs influence our access to healthy food?"
  • Display the Researcher's Toolbox handout, and instruct students to retrieve their copies.
  • Focus students on "Choose and Use Credible Internet Sources."
  • Use the mini lesson from "Determine the Credibility of Sources" in the Research Mini Lessons (for teacher reference) to guide students through choosing credible sources.
  • Explain to students that the internet is wide open, and anyone can publish anything on the World Wide Web. As a result, we cannot assume that every online source is credible. Tell students that as they conduct research, they will determine the credibility of each source and they will use the criteria in their toolbox as a guide. Remind students that credibility means being believable.
  • Ask volunteers to read each bullet aloud.
  • With students' support, record the meaning of bias (the support or opposition of a particular person or thing in an unfair way, because of personal feelings) on the academic word wall, with the translation in students' home languages. Write synonyms or sketch a visual above the word to scaffold students' understanding.
  • Invite students to record the word in their vocabulary logs. Prompt students to use the word in a new sentence by either writing it down or thinking of this sentence silently, then sharing with a partner. Add any relevant notes to the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart.
  • Display "To GMO or NOT to GMO?" from the previous lesson, and ask students to retrieve their copies. Tell students that they will use this text to practice determining the credibility of a source.
  • Organize students into triads.
  • Instruct students to use the criteria for credibility to determine the credibility of this text.
  • Think-Triad-Share:

"Is this source credible? Why or why not?" (Responses will vary, but may include: publisher is a children's magazine, published in 2014 so not too out of date, presents both sides, one of the authors published ninety children's books.)

  • Display the Access to Healthy Food Research: GMOs note-catcher, and instruct students to retrieve their copies. Explain to students that since they have determined that the source is credible, they can add to their notes by explaining why the source is credible. Tell students that as they work with other sources, they will need to determine the credibility of each source before using it and will record notes about it in their note-catcher.
  • Model how to record the credibility of a source in the appropriate column for "To GMO or NOT to GMO?" as students share their responses. Instruct students to follow along by recording the explanation of credibility in their note-catcher. If students need additional support or practice, display several different sources, some that are credible and others that are not. Ask students to identify if the source is credible. If the source is credible, ask students to explain why it is a credible source.
  • Group students strategically into pairs, and explain that each pair will work together to conduct internet research in this lesson and the next.
  • Distribute devices for students to conduct internet research. Instruct students to find a search engine (such as Google).
  • Model brainstorming and use search terms or keywords to find sources to answer the research question (e.g., "GMOs," "genetically modified foods," "genetic engineering"). If students have a lot of experience with online research, teach them advanced search tricks, or have a knowledgeable student do so. If students are new to using a search engine for research, teach them the basics of brainstorming and refining search terms or keywords.
  • Instruct students to type one of the search terms or keywords into the search bar. Scan the results to see if any look like they will help answer the research question and if they come from credible sources. If not, model how to use more specific search terms or keywords, or use more advanced search tools. If necessary, provide a list of keywords students can use to answer their research questions.
  • Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the learning targets.

For Lighter Support

To build on the work during the Mini Language Dive in Lesson 1, invite students to find examples of infinitives and gerunds and passive voice in the "To GMO or NOT to GMO?" article. Students can discuss the function of each verbal and the particular effects achieved by using passive voice. To extend this work further, students can experiment with changing sentences written in passive voice to active voice, and vice versa, and discuss the differences in meaning created by each.

For Heavier Support

  •  In Work Time A, discuss and practice the concepts outlined on the Researcher's Toolbox. In advance, select two or three internet sources to use for practice with each category on this handout:
    • Quote Accurately: Work as a whole class or have students work in pairs or small groups to practice quoting from credible sources.
    • Cite Sources: Work as a whole class or have students work in pairs or small groups to practice paraphrasing from credible sources.
    • Choose and Use Credible Internet Sources: Display the two or three internet sources for the class, and discuss whether they are credible based on the criteria provided. Be sure to include at least one noncredible source to help students see what kinds of sources are not acceptable for academic research.

B. Research GMOs and Track Access to Healthy Food - W.8.7 (20 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 question about how GMOs influence our access to healthy food."

  • Display the Researchers Do These Things anchor chart. Read through the steps listed. Remind students to use these steps that they followed in Module 1 when they conducted research on Latino folklore.
  • Display the Additional Focus Questions: GMOs anchor chart, and remind students that they collected additional related focused questions about the topic in the previous lesson. Have students read aloud these questions chorally to review.
  • Turn and Talk:

"Which question will you focus on in your research?" (Answers will vary.)

  • Consider assigning each pair of students a different question from the anchor chart so students will offer different responses during the partner share in the closing.
  • Instruct students to begin.
  • Remind students to gather their evidence, sources, and research findings in their Access to Healthy Food Research: GMOs note-catcher as they track how GMOs influence our access to healthy food.
  • Circulate and support students as they conduct their research. Ensure that students are using the research skills on search terms and assessing the credibility of sources from the mini lesson in Work Time A, as well as the skills of quoting and paraphrasing evidence and citing sources from the previous lesson. Identify common issues to inform the research mini lessons students might need in the next lesson.
  • Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the learning target.

For Lighter Support

  • To build on the work during the Mini Language Dive in Lesson 1, invite students to find examples of infinitives and gerunds and passive voice in the "To GMO or NOT to GMO?" article. Students can discuss the function of each verbal and the particular effects achieved by using passive voice. To extend this work further, students can experiment with changing sentences written in passive voice to active voice, and vice versa, and discuss the differences in meaning created by each.

For Heavier Support

  • N/A

Closing & Assessments

Closing

A. Partner Share - SL.8.1 (5 minutes)

  • Refocus the whole class.
  • Display the Access to Healthy Food Research: GMOs note-catcher.
  • Instruct pairs to review their note-catcher and their research findings on how GMOs increase and decrease our access to healthy food. Ask pairs to share their research findings with the class.
  • As students share, capture their responses on the Access to Healthy Food Research: GMOs note-catcher. Refer to the Access to Healthy Food Research: GMOs note-catcher (for teacher reference) for potential answers.
  • Display the Additional Focus Questions: GMOs anchor chart.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"After conducting research with your partner what information did you find to answer your focused questions?" (Answers will vary, but may include: GMO corn possibly increases the amount of corn available, GMO canola oil has fewer trans fats than regular canola oil, New genes in some corn make it harder for harmful insects to survive, The New York Times reported in 2018 about a GMO called EnlistDuo, It is supposed to make crop plants more resistant to weed killing chemicals, however, it has been found to increase a cancer called non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Studies show that herbicide use [weed killers] has increased by 21% with GMO crops, The corn-based diet of cows makes them ill.)

  • As students share, capture their responses on the Additional Focus Questions: GMOs anchor chart. Although students are engaged in independent research and the content might vary based on sources, refer to the Additional Focus Questions: GMOs anchor chart (example for teacher reference) for expected answers to the most relevant related questions about the topic in the early stages of research.
  • As time allows, ask:

"What are some of the credible sources you cited in your research? How do you know they're credible sources?" (Responses will vary.)

Homework

Homework

A. Independent Research Reading

  • Students read for at least 20 minutes in their independent research reading text. Then they select a prompt and write a response in their independent reading journal.

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