Research GMOs | EL Education Curriculum

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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.8.10, SL.8.1

Daily Learning Targets

  • 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 3 (W.8.8)
  • Work Time B: Access to Healthy Food Research: GMOs note-catcher (RI.8.1, W.8.7, W.8.8)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner - W.8.8 (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Mini Lesson: Continue Research - W.8.8 (10 minutes)

B. Research GMOs - W.8.8 (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.8.7 – Opening A: Students assess the credibility of a text on the entrance ticket.
  • W.8.7 – Work Time A: Students learn steps in the research process based on the common issues identified in the previous lesson.
  • W.8.8 – Work Time B: Students work in pairs to evaluate sources and gather information to answer the related questions in their note-catchers. Students continue to track how GMOs increase and decrease our access to healthy food.
  • 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.

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.
  • Depending on student needs, research experts may review the research mini lessons with small groups while a larger group is supported in Work Time A.
  • During Work Time A, modify the research mini lessons so that practice tasks can be accomplished in small groups without heavy supervision. Group students according to their needs, and, if time allows, have students come together as a whole class to share what they learned during their work with a mini lesson topic.

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • In Lessons 1 and 2, students learned or reviewed the steps for researching to answer a question and began researching briefly. As they were researching, common issues were identified to inform the choice of research mini lessons in this lesson. Students also continue to track how GMOs increase and decrease our access to healthy food.

Support All Students

  • In Work Times A and B, students may need additional support with each of the steps of the research process.
  • 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. ▲
  • Continue to monitor students to determine if there are issues surfacing as a result of the content of this lesson that need to be discussed as a whole group, in smaller groups, or individually.

Assessment Guidance

  • Circulate to monitor students’ ability to apply the research skills they developed in previous lessons. Monitor common issues to use to identify research mini lessons in the next lesson.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students will explore various case studies to determine which topic they would like to research independently.

In Advance

  • Prepare and ensure there is a copy of Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 3 at each student's workspace.
  • Based on the common errors identified in the previous lesson, identify mini lessons to facilitate during Work Time A. This may be whole group or a small group, depending on the need.
  • 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, 8.I.B.8, 8.II.5, and 8.II.B.6.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson incorporates repeated routines; opportunities for discussion with peers; and supported, scaffolded work with research tasks. Research mini lessons customized to the needs of students provide an opportunity to pinpoint the specific needs of ELLs and build this into the lesson accordingly in Work Time A. Research practice with a familiar topic and thoughtful, targeted discussion questions are built into both whole-class and small-group discussion to help ELLs understand the research process before they carry out independent research in upcoming lessons.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to articulate new research questions as they continue to explore the topic. Encourage both whole-class and small-group sharing to help students identify relevant and well-stated focus questions and credible internet sources with the help of peers. Encourage students to discuss their ideas and findings in home-language groups, as needed, to enable ELLs to process content and concepts without linguistic interference.

Vocabulary

  • N/A

Materials from Previous Lessons

Teacher

Student

  • Researchers Do These Things anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 7, Work Time A)
  • Research Mini Lessons (for teacher reference) (from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 1, 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)
  • Researcher's Toolbox (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Work Time A)
  • Access to Healthy Food Research: GMOs note-catcher (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Work Time A)
  • 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 3 (answers for teacher reference)
  • Device with projector (see Technology and Multimedia)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 3 (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

OpeningLevels of Support

A. Engage the Learner - W.8.8 (10 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.

For Lighter Support

  • N/A

For Heavier Support

  • After students complete the entrance ticket, build in time for students to discuss the credibility of the text. Model and display Conversation Cues with useful responses that students can use to help guide the discussion:
    • "Can you say more about that?" ("Sure. I think that _____.")
    • "Can you give an example?" ("OK. One example is _____.")

Work Time

Work Time

A. Mini Lesson: Continue Research - W.8.7 (10 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."

  • Remind students of the Researchers Do These Things anchor chart, and read through the steps listed.
  • Inform students that based on their research in the previous lesson, research mini lessons have been selected to address their specific research needs to help them be more effective researchers. Use Research Mini Lessons (for teacher reference), from a previous lesson, based on students' needs.
  • Release those students who are proficient in the research process to begin researching independently.

B. Research GMOs – W.8.8 (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.”

  • Invite students to return to the pairs they worked in for the previous lesson. Inform students that they will continue their research to answer the central research question:
    • “How do GMOs influence our access to healthy food?”
  • Display the Additional Focus Questions: GMOs anchor chart.
  • Ask:

“After conducting research with your partner, what other additional related focus questions can you generate to further your research? (Responses will vary, but may include: What might happen with GMOs in the future? Why don’t we have more information about GMOs?)

  • 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.
  • Invite students to retrieve the following materials from Lesson 2: Researcher’s Toolbox and Access to Healthy Food Research: GMOs note-catcher. Before they start researching again, ask them to review their note-catcher to see which questions they have answered and which generated questions from this lesson they would like to research. Also, ask students to consider whether they need to refine any of their questions, find a new source, or finish reading and taking notes on a source from the previous lesson.
  • Allow students a few minutes to review their notes, and then have them Turn and Talk to share their plan for researching. Use a Thumb-O-Meter to assess who needs help researching.
  • Distribute devices for students to conduct their research.
  • 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. Depending on needs, pair students or draw them into a small group to assist them, using the suggestions in Research Mini Lessons (for teacher reference). If many students need support, group them by steps in the research process (e.g., groups of students working together to cite sources, take notes, and find and evaluate new sources). ▲ Identify common issues to inform the research mini lessons students might need in the independent research lessons.
  • Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the learning target.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingLevels of Support

A. Partner Share (5 minutes)

  • Refocus the whole class.
  • Refer to 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.
  • Direct students' attention to the Additional Focus Questions: GMOs anchor chart.
  • Ask:

"What relevant data can you quote or paraphrase that you found to answer the questions we generated as a class?" (Responses will vary, but may include: 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 the prevalence of a cancer called non-Hodgkins lymphoma.)

  • 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 (for teacher reference) for expected answers to the most relevant related questions about the topic in the early stages of research.
  • Explain that in the next lesson, students will independently explore several other case studies of our access to healthy food.

For Lighter Support

  • During Closing and Assessment A, use the discussion of relevant data as an opportunity for further practice with paraphrasing, quoting, and summarizing. Invite a student to share a piece of evidence he/she found, and then have students work in small groups to provide a quote, paraphrase, and short summary of this evidence. As a class, compare each group's work, and identify steps and stars. This will help ELLs continue to build understanding of the differences between these three skills as well as enable them to gain further practice in carrying each one out and receive feedback on their work with each concept.

For Heavier Support

  • During Closing and Assessment A, use the discussion of relevant data as an opportunity to build students' understanding of the differences between paraphrasing and summarizing. To support ELLs in building these skills, use the following process:
    • Engage students in a short discussion of the differences between their paraphrases and summaries.
    • Invite students to find a short (one-paragraph) excerpt from an online resource about GMOs written in their home language.
    • Ask students to orally paraphrase the information (i.e., provide the same information without synthesis).
    • Invite students to orally summarize the information in one sentence (i.e., capture the main idea).
    • Invite students to write a paraphrase of the short excerpt in their home language.
    • Invite students to write a one-sentence summary of the excerpt in their home language.
    • Invite students to repeat the steps above in English.
  • This sequence can help students to engage more deeply with the skills of paraphrasing and summarizing by minimizing linguistic interference. Furthermore, allowing students to process orally before capturing their thinking in writing will help them to work through the content and concepts they are working with before navigating the additional linguistic demands of producing written language.

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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