Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

• Work Time A: Students complete the End of Unit 2 Assessment, in which they compose the four-paragraph essay they have planned comparing and contrasting the Lotus-Eaters scene from the film version of The Lightning Thief with the same scene in the novel. Two lessons have been allocated for this assessment to ensure sufficient time for students to complete the essay. If these are taught in two separate lessons rather than together as one block, revisit the learning targets and the task at the beginning of the second 45-minute lesson to remind students of the task and purpose. Be sure to collect all written work at the end of each session. (RL.6.1, RL.6.7, W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.6, W.6.9a, W.6.10, L.6.2b, L.6.6)
• W.6.2 - Closing and Assessment A: Students reflect on their learning using the Track Progress: Informative Writing recording form. This exercise is meant to provide them with time to formally keep track of and reflect on their own learning. This self-reflection supports metacognition and pride in work and learning.
• The independent research reading that students complete for homework will help build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to Greek mythology. By participating in this volume of reading over a span of time, students will develop a wide base of knowledge about the world and the words that help describe and make sense of it.

Opportunities to Extend Learning

• Some students may not require the level of scaffolding provided in this unit. Prompt students toward deeper levels of understanding and increased rigor by referencing Levels 3 and 4 of Webb's Depth of Knowledge.
• Guide students in an informal discussion of when the skills of comparing and contrasting or writing informative texts might be important in a "real-world" setting. Prompt students with suggestions, like considering which apartment to rent or when a police officer needs to write an incident report.

How It Builds on Previous Work

• In the second half of this unit, students have been analyzing a model and using their analysis to plan an informative essay. This lesson assesses those skills as students use their plans to compose their essays comparing a scene from the film version of The Lightning Thief to the same scene in the novel.

Support All Students

• If students receive accommodations for assessments, communicate with the cooperating service providers regarding the practices of instruction in use during this study as well as the goals of the assessment.

Assessment Guidance

• End of Unit 2 Assessment: Compare and Contrast Essay (student and teacher version) are included in the Assessment download on this page.
• Save a copy of the scored essays to use as a baseline assessment. These pieces can be used to measure the progress of individual students throughout the year, as well as to identify common instructional needs in a class.
• When assessing and providing feedback to students on this assessment, use the Informative Writing Rubric (see Tools page) and the annotated sample essay to help complete the student Track Progress: Informative Writing. Make notes in the appropriate column for each criterion in a different color from student responses. There is also space provided to respond to student comments.
• Decide in what format students will compose their essays. Provide lined paper or a computer with word-processing software, depending on students' needs and preferences.
• In this assessment, students are tracking progress toward anchor standard CCRA.W.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

Down the Road

• In the next lesson, students will engage in another Language Dive, this time focused on appropriate transitions. They will apply their learning as they revise their essays to make connections between points. Students will also be introduced to the Peer Critique protocol, in which they pair up with another peer to critique transitions, domain-specific vocabulary words, and correct spelling.