Discover Our Topic: Epidemics | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA 2019 G7:M2:U1:L1

Discover Our Topic: Epidemics

In this Lesson

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Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • RI.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, RI.7.5, SL.7.1, L.7.4
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can infer the topic of this module from the resources. (RI.7.1)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 1 (RI.7.1)
  • Work Time A: Infer the Topic: I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher (RI.7.1)
  • Closing and Assessment: Exit Ticket (RI.7.1)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

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

2. Work Time

A. Infer the Topic – RI.7.1 (15 minutes)

B. Introduce the Performance Task and Module Guiding Questions – SL.7.1 (10 minutes)

C. Launch the Text: Patient Zero – RI.7.5 (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Check Understanding with an Exit Ticket – RI.7.1 (5 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Read and Reflect: Students complete Homework: Module Guiding Questions anchor chart to read and reflect on the guiding questions for the module and discuss them with their families. They should consider how the guiding questions make them feel. They can sketch or write about their ideas.

B. Preread Anchor Text: Students preread pages 9–14 (up to “The Fear Builds”) and 17 of Patient Zero in preparation for studying an excerpt from the chapter in the next lesson.

Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

  • RI.7.1 – Opening A: Entrance ticket activity for students to infer using evidence from the text 
  • RI.7.1 – Work Time A: Students use evidence from informational texts to infer the topic of the module.
  • SL.7.1 – Work Time B: Students use the Think-Pair-Share protocol to engage in collaborative discussions about the performance task and the guiding questions for the module.
  • RI.7.5 – Work Time C: Students explore the anchor text Patient Zero, noticing and wondering about text and graphic features.
  • RI.7.1 – Closing and Assessment A: Students complete an exit ticket, inferring from the text using evidence.
  • Students are introduced to the module anchor text, Patient Zero, in Work Time C. Be aware that the book’s topics of epidemics and death may be sensitive for students, and that some students may connect with these issues personally and deeply. After exploring the text, provide students with time to reflect. Monitor students and determine if there are issues surfacing that need to be discussed in more detail as a whole group, in smaller groups, or independently. Reflections may be personal, and students are not required to share them. Consider providing background information and discussion on epidemics, death, and disease if necessary.
  • Students focus on working to become ethical people by showing respect and empathy as they share reflections on the text.
  • The Gallery Walk, Infer the Topic, and Think-Pair/Triad-Share protocols are used in this lesson. Protocols are an important feature of our 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. The Classroom Protocols document (see the Tools page) includes instructions on implementing these protocols.
  • At the end of the lesson, distribute the Homework Resources, and review the format of the document and this lesson’s specific assignment with students.

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • Allow students to create their own list of text structures they see in the book. Using sticky notes, have students jot down the text structure alongside the section or paragraph where it appears. Have students grapple with how the author organizes the text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas. Ask students to find commonalities among the different text features. For example, do the red history pages always follow the same text structure? (RI.7.5)
  • Invite students to go on an inferring hunt through the first paragraph of each chapter of the book. Ask students to infer what the chapter will be about using evidence from the text to support their analysis. Have students record their inferences on sticky notes at the start of each chapter. (RI.7.1)

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • If students have worked on EL Education modules in Grades 6–8, this module will build on those foundations.

Support All Students

  • Integrated ELL supports are marked throughout lessons with a ▲. These teaching suggestions support student comprehension without disrupting lesson flow or requiring extensive class time or additional materials. Deeper, high-leverage supports, designed to accelerate ELLs’ language development, can be found in the Levels of Support columns in each lesson.
  • Note that there is a differentiated version of the I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher ▲ used in Work Time A in the supporting materials. Differentiated versions of some materials are available in many lessons as a way to provide additional support to ELLs. 
  • Students may need additional support reading the entrance ticket, text excerpts in the Infer the Topic protocol, Patient Zero, and the exit ticket. Invite students to help each other by reading the excerpts aloud to each other. Alternatively, provide choices around how to read (with a partner, alone, or with technology such as an audiobook). Offer small group instruction on chunking each subsection into paragraphs, and noting the gist of each paragraph on a sticky note. Consider pairing English language learners with a partner who has more advanced or native language proficiency. The partner with greater language proficiency can serve as a model in the pair, initiating discussions and providing implicit sentence frames, for example. ▲
  • The subject matter in this text includes descriptions of death and disease. Continue to monitor students to determine if there are issues surfacing as a result of the content of this chapter that need to be discussed as a whole group, in smaller groups, or individually.

Assessment Guidance

  • Monitor students’ Infer the Topic: I Notice/I Wonder note-catchers to ensure they are on the right track for inferring what the module is about at the end of the Infer the Topic protocol.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students will spend some time discussing their reflections on the module guiding questions and analyze how the author structures the text to tell her story.

In Advance

  • Ensure there is a copy of Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 1 at each student's workspace.
  • Prepare
    • Infer the Topic resources (see supporting materials), and post them around the room. 
    • Performance Task anchor chart (see Materials list; see the Module Overview page for the Performance Task download)
    • Module Guiding Questions anchor chart 
  • Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Opening A: Complete the modeling for the Infer the Topic: I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher with the class in an online word-processing document such as http://eled.org/0158.
  • Work Time A: Students complete their Infer the Topic: I Notice/I Wonder note-catchers in an online word-processing document such as http://eled.org/0158.
  • Work Time A: Students complete their note-catchers in a word-processing document using speech-to-text facilities activated on devices or using an app or software such as http://eled.org/0103.

Supporting English Language Learners

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

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson provides students with the opportunity to work with others to generate useful background knowledge about epidemics, which they may not have in English and will need to use throughout the module.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to fill out the note-catcher independently if they do not know the English words for the ideas and concepts they have inferred. Therefore, allowing them to fill out the note-catcher in their native language or with a partner may be helpful. Also, the module topic and anchor text require some background knowledge about epidemics, scientific/medical ideas, and cultural history around sanitation and lifestyle. The anchor text gives a lot of this background information, but all students, and especially ELLs, may need key information highlighted. Create an epidemic chart with rows for who, what, where, when, why, and how. Then spend some time at the beginning or end of class filling in details for each epidemic. This chart will also support students in their understanding of how the individuals, events, and ideas interact in the second half of the unit.

Vocabulary

  • character, infer, mindset (A)
  • cracking, epidemic, epidemiologist (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 1, Work Time A)
  • Domain-specific word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time B)
  • Equity sticks (from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening B)
  • Vocabulary log (one per student; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening A)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 1 (answers for teacher reference)
  • Infer the Topic resources 
  • Performance Task anchor chart (example for teacher reference; see Performance Task download on module landing page)
  • Module Guiding Questions anchor chart 
  • Classroom Protocols document from Tools page (for teacher reference; see Teaching Notes)
  • Exit Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 1 (answers for teacher reference)
  • Homework Resources (for Families) (See full module or unit download for all homework materials.)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 1 (one per student)
  • Online or paper translation dictionary (optional; for ELLs in home language)
  • Infer the Topic: I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher (one per student)
  • Infer the Topic: I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher ▲
  • Directions for Infer the Topic (one per student and one for display)
  • Patient Zero by Marilee Peters (text; one per student)
  • Whiteboard and dry-erase marker (one per student)
  • Sticky notes (3 per student)
  • Exit Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 1 (one per student)
  • Homework Resources (for families) (one for display and one per student; see unit download)
  • Homework: Module Guiding Questions anchor chart (one per student; see unit download) (See full module or unit download for all homework materials.)

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.

Download this Performance Task

Opening

OpeningLevels of Support

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

  • Repeated routine: students respond to questions on Entrance Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 1.
  • Repeated routine: follow the same routine as with the previous lessons to review the learning target and the purpose of the lesson, reminding students that they have seen this learning target in the previous module.
  • Use a total participation technique to have students share their inferences from the entrance ticket. Then ask them to record the words infer and cracking in their vocabulary logs.

For Lighter Support

  • If it is feasible, host individual reading check-ins with ELLs before they begin the Module 2 anchor text. During these meetings, work with students to identify their reading strengths, as well as pinpoint areas of possible growth. Help students develop action plans for working toward their goals. Plan to meet with students again at the beginning of the next module to track their progress and adjust goals as needed. This process supports a growth mindset for developing readers and facilitates opportunities for students to take charge of their own learning.

For Heavier Support

  • If it is feasible, host individual reading check-ins with ELLs before they begin the Module 2 anchor text. Before these meetings, create a list of clear and specific statements that students can use to help them pinpoint their strengths and areas of growth. Students can use a 1-5 scale to express the extent to which they believe the statements apply to them. These statements might include:
    • I can read quickly in English and still understand what I read.
    • I enjoy reading in English.
    • I enjoy reading in other languages.
    • I understand most of the words I read in class.
    • I know how to determine the meanings of words I don't know.
    • I feel comfortable using a dictionary.
    • I can usually determine the central idea of what I read.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. Infer the Topic – RI.7.1 (15 minutes)

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

“I can infer the topic of this module from the resources.”

  • Focus students on the Infer the Topic resources posted around the room.
  • Distribute the Infer the Topic: I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher and the Infer the Topic: I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher ▲ as necessary. The differentiated note-catcher supports students’ inferences and note-taking with images and sentence starters. ▲ Focus students on the question at the top, and read it aloud:

“What do you think you will be learning about in this module?”

  • Tell students that the purpose of the note-catcher is to take notes to help them remember their thinking. It isn't something they will hand in for assessment, so they can record in pictures or words. They do not need to write in full sentences.
  • Be transparent about why students are noticing and wondering (because it is a helpful way to understand and explore a new topic or text).
  • Remind students that they used the Infer the Topic protocol in Module 1, and review as necessary using the Directions for Infer the Topic. (Refer to the Classroom Protocols document—see the Tools page for the full version of the protocol.)
  • Guide students through the protocol. Allow them to choose what resources to observe, so those who may not be able to read independently have the option to view an image. Mixed-proficiency pairs can choose the resources they want to observe and begin by discussing what the text means. Encourage students to agree or disagree with one another about what the text means using sentence frames. Examples: “I agree because _____.” “I disagree because _____.”
  • Refocus whole group. Think-Triad-Share:

“Now that you have looked at some resources, what do you think this module might be about?” (Responses will vary, but may include: diseases, epidemics, COVID-19, ideas that spread, fads.)

“Can you say more about that? I’ll give you some time to think and write or sketch.” (Responses will vary.)

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

For Lighter Support

  • Before releasing students to infer the topic in Work Time A, do a think-aloud in which you infer a few—but not all—aspects of the topic from the cover picture to model the inferring activity for students and get them started. Modeling supports ELLs by giving them a preview of the kind of language they will need to use to complete the activity independently or with a partner.
  • In Work Times A and C, students will use the language chunk “I wonder . . .” To deepen students’ understanding of language structures, explain that this chunk begins a statement that is really asking a question. Give a few examples of “I wonder” statements and invite volunteers to do so as well, recording the statements on the board (e.g., “I wonder what this is a picture of. I wonder who this person is. I wonder where they are.”). Note how a question word often follows the “I wonder . . .” chunk but then a noun or pronoun follows the question word, then a verb. Leave the example statements on the board for students to consult as they make their own “I wonder” statements throughout the work time.

For Heavier Support

  • During Work Time A, invite students to use the Infer the Topic: I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher ▲. This resource features more specific questions and sentence starters which hone students’ attention and reduce cognitive overload.
  • In Work Time A, pair newcomers with other students who speak their native language, and allow them to infer the topic in their native language. This practice supports ELLs by giving an opportunity to express ideas more fluently, quickly, and deeply than they may be able to in English, and also affirms the class’s respect for their native language. By encouraging pairs working in their native language to report out in English, you also help to foster bilingualism.

B. Introduce the Performance Task and Module Guiding Questions – SL.7.1 (10 minutes) 

  • Direct students' attention to the Performance Task anchor chart (example for teacher reference), and read the task aloud.
  • As students may be overwhelmed by the Performance Task anchor chart, assure them that they will continue to explore the meaning of the chart in subsequent lessons and units.
  • Turn and Talk:

“What do you notice?” (We will create a podcast about epidemics. We will work in groups. We will choose a topic related to epidemics.)

“What do you wonder?” (Responses will vary, but may include: How do you create sound effects and use technology to sound edit? May we choose our own groups? Do we need to include a narrative, or is another kind of writing okay?)

“Now that you have analyzed the performance task, has your inference of what this module might be about changed? How?” (Responses will vary.)

  • Clarify anything pertinent to this specific performance task. Consider listening to a model performance task from a former student or an exemplar podcast. Ask students to make connections between the model or the exemplar and the performance task.
  • Direct students’ attention to the Module Guiding Questions anchor chart, and read the questions aloud. Turn and Talk:

“Why do we have guiding questions for each module?” (Responses will vary, but may include: to help focus our learning, to help us think about the performance task.)

  • Underline the domain-specific word epidemic. Invite students to work in their triads to determine the meaning of the word, and use a total participation technique to select a student to share with the whole group.

“What does this mean? What strategy can you use to find out?” (an outbreak of disease that spreads rapidly to many people)

  • Repeat with the academic words character (strong moral qualities such as perseverance, respect, and collaboration) and mindset (the established set of attitudes held by someone, defined by Camille Farrington as, “I can succeed at this. With effort my ability will grow. I belong in this community. This work has value for me.”).
  • Add the new words to the academic word wall and domain-specific word wall, including translations in home languages. Tell students that these are the questions that will guide their thinking and learning throughout the module. Turn and Talk:

“What do you notice?” (Responses will vary, but may include: People respond differently to epidemics. Mindset, character, tools, and methods play a role in solving epidemic crises.)

“What do you wonder?” (Responses will vary, but may include: What are the different mindsets that people might have?)

“Now that you have analyzed the guiding questions and performance task, has your inference of what this module might be about changed?” (Responses will vary.)

Conversation Cue: “How is what _____ said the same as/different from what _____ said? I’ll give you time to think and write.” (Responses will vary.)

  • Clarify that this module will be about medical and social epidemics, how people respond in crises, and what we should do when epidemics strike.
  • Turn and Talk:

“What does this topic mean to you at this point? Why might it be meaningful to study this topic?” (Responses will vary, but may include: People get sick, and this can be scary. Sometimes many people get sick at once, and this is called an epidemic. Sometimes in crises, people panic, and this can create more problems. It’s important to know what to do when things go wrong, so that you can stay calm and solve the problem. At our age, people follow what their friends do, so it’s important to know the influence of others when it comes to social epidemics.)

“From what you know so far, what are you looking forward to about this topic?” (Responses will vary, but may include: I’m interested in learning more about how the COVID-19 pandemic spread.)

  • Acknowledge that some students may already know something about this topic. Explain that for homework, they will reflect on the guiding questions and how they feel about them based on their own experiences, and that this will be discussed more at the beginning of the next lesson.
  • Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target.
  • N/A

C. Launch the Text: Patient Zero – RI.7.5 (10 minutes)

  • Distribute the text Patient Zero by Marilee Peters.
  • Tell students they will now spend 2 minutes looking through the book with their partner and discussing what they notice and wonder about Patient Zero. Partner B will share a notice or a wonder first, and then partner A, and then partner B again, and so on.
  • Provide boards and dry-erase markers or sticky notes as an option for students to record (in drawing or writing) their ideas. This helps scaffold active listening for key details.
  • Use equity sticks to select students to share out what they notice and wonder about the book. As students share out, draw an I Notice/I Wonder chart on the board and record student responses, which may include: ▲
    • I notice that each chapter is about a different epidemic.
    • I wonder if the text structure is the same throughout, or if it changes depending on the text feature?
    • I wonder if this book is all about epidemics in history, or if it talks about epidemics today?
    • I wonder how many epidemics are discussed?
  • Ensure students notice the various text features in Patient Zero (table of contents, pictures, glossary, sources, index, about the author). Point out the text features, and tell students that they will grapple with the organization of the text in the next lesson.
  • Having spent some time looking through the book, invite students to spend 3 minutes reflecting silently. Reflection can include thinking or writing/drawing on paper. Students must be silent when they do this, though. Ask the following question to guide reflection:

“What does what you read or saw in the book make you think about? Why?”

“What are the subsections and text features? How can you tell that they are not a part of the text? How does each text feature fit with the part before or the part after?”

  • After 3 minutes, refocus whole group.
  • Tell students that reflections can be very personal based on an individual’s background and previous experiences.

“Knowing that reflections can be very personal, how do you think we should behave when people share their reflections?” (Responses will vary, but may include: listening without interrupting, not disagreeing with how someone feels as that is personal to them, showing respect and empathy—thinking about how they feel and treating them with care.)

  • Focus students on the Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart. Explain that, as it says at the top of the chart, ethical people are people who treat others well and stand up for what is right. Review the respect and empathy rows, asking students to Turn and Talk to share examples of respect and empathy from their own lives or a text they have read.
  • Guide students through an intentional Think-Pair-Share about their reflections on the text, ensuring that partner A and partner B both have think time, both get to say the question aloud to the other, and both have an allocated time to respond and then to discuss to build deeper understanding. 
  • Tell students they will now have the opportunity to share their reflections, if they would like to, with the whole group. Remind students to respond with respect and empathy as necessary.

For Lighter Support

  • In Work Times A and C, students will use the language chunk "I wonder . . ." To deepen students' understanding of language structures, explain that this chunk begins a statement that is really asking a question. Give a few examples of "I wonder" statements and invite volunteers to do so as well, recording the statements on the board (e.g., "I wonder what this is a picture of. I wonder who this person is. I wonder where they are."). Note how a question word often follows the "I wonder . . ." chunk but then a noun or pronoun follows the question word, then a verb. Leave the example statements on the board for students to consult as they make their own "I wonder" statements throughout the work time.

For Heavier Support

  • N/A

Closing & Assessments

Closing

A. Check Understanding with an Exit Ticket - RI.7.1 (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the questions on the Exit Ticket: Unit 1, Lesson 1. Reread aloud pages 1 and 2 for students. Students most likely read this during the Gallery Walk. Invite them to work with partners to answer the selected response question on the exit ticket. Invite students to add the domain-specific word epidemiologist to their vocabulary logs, and add the word to the domain-specific word wall.
  • Invite students to reflect on the habits of character focus, discussing what went well and what could be improved next time.
  • Distribute the Homework Resources, and review the format of the document and this lesson's specific assignment with students. (See full module or unit download for all homework materials.)

Homework

HomeworkLevels of Support

A. Read and Reflect 

  • Students complete Homework: Module Guiding Questions anchor chart to read and reflect on the guiding questions for the module and discuss them with their families. They should consider how the guiding questions make them feel. They can sketch or write about their ideas.

B. Preread Anchor Text 

  • Students preread pages 9–14 (up to “The Fear Builds”) and page 17 of Patient Zero in preparation for studying an excerpt from the chapter in the next lesson.

For Lighter Support

  • This is the first lesson in Module 2 that asks students to preread an excerpt from the anchor text as homework before reading the pages together in class. Develop a list of prereading strategies that students can use when prereading on their own. These may include:
    • Use an English dictionary to clarify the meanings of unfamiliar words.
    • Ask and answer simple questions about the chapter using who, what, where, when, why, or how questions.
    • Create a “mind-map” to connect important people, events, or ideas to one another.
  • Provide students with the Synopsis: Patient Zero, Pages 9–14 and 17, and ask them to highlight the key individuals, events, and ideas in the text once they have completed their prereading. Then they can 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.

For Heavier Support

  • This is the first lesson in Module 2 that asks students to preread chapters from the anchor text as homework before reading the chapters together in class. Develop a list of prereading strategies that students can use when prereading on their own. These may include:
    • Use a translation dictionary to verify the meanings of unfamiliar words.
    • Skim and scan for the names of key characters, places, or events.
    • Isolate and read the first sentences of each paragraph in the chapter, noting important plot details.
  • Provide students with the Synopsis: Patient Zero, Pages 9–14 and 17, with key individuals, events, and ideas highlighted. Encourage students to read the synopsis before they complete their prereading. Then they can 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.

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