Ecofriendly Living 10 Days

Ecofriendly Living 10 Days

/ ELA
Lesson Plan
Teacher: 7th Grade English/Language Arts Teacher / Grade: 7th
Lesson Title: Setting, Seedfolks, and Soil
STRANDS
Reading Literature, Writing
LESSON OVERVIEW / Summary of the task, challenge, investigation, career-related scenario, problem, or community link.
For this lesson, 7th grade Language Arts students will conduct an in-class read of the novel Seedfolks by Paul Fleishman. The primary literary focus of novel discussion and analysis will be direct and inferential evidence of setting and the way setting can interact with characters and plot to propel a narrative. During two Watershed Health Project Days, students will collect soil samples from various collection sites on our campus and look for evidence of soil composition. Following the Watershed Health Project, 7th grade language arts students will peruse the text of Seedfolks, Paul Fleishman’s novel about community and gardening, for textual evidence about the gardening site in the novel and analyze textual evidence for factors influencing soil composition in the book’s community garden. Additionally, students will evaluate their evidence of setting time and place for the best pieces of evidence.
For the second part of this lesson, 7th grade Language Arts students will first reflect on last week’s Watershed Health project days and connect the lesson to the implications on setting in the novel Seedfolks. We will then work towards composing a narrative essay in preparation for the TN 8th grade Writing Assessment. We will research companion plantings for the Companion Planting Project Day, connect the ways plants are dependent on one another to the way that the characters in Seedfolks are dependent on one another, and then write a narrative essay in response to a timed writing prompt on companion planting.
MOTIVATOR / Hook for the week unit or supplemental resources used throughout the week. (PBL scenarios, video clips, websites, literature)
Show image of vacant urban lot. (Ideally, show “before” shots of urban lots that were later developed into community gardens or green areas.) Ask students, “What problems might these vacant urban lots cause for the communities where they are located? What potential benefits waiting to be developed might these empty lots hold for their communities?”
DAY /

Objectives

(I can….) /

Materials & Resources

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Instructional Procedures

/ Differentiated
Instruction /

Assessment

1 / I CAN make inferences about a character based on textual evidence. / One copy of SeedFolks for each student in class
Post-it notes to mark each student’s chapter
Character Analysis Chart, Appendix A
Photo of Vacant Lot, Appendix B / Essential Questions:
·  What can I learn about a character based on what the author says?
·  What the characters say about themselves, and what the characters say about each other? / Remediation
Because each student is reading a different chapter in the novel, the teacher can assign chapters based on students’ reading levels and personal interests.
Enrichment
Because each student is reading a different chapter in the novel, the teacher can assign chapters based on students’ reading levels and personal interests. / Formative Assessment
Wrap-Up discussion of the characters
Procedures:
1. Set: Have students independently write a definition for the word "community" on a piece of paper. Take up this paper until the students finish reading the book. Preview the cover. In most printed editions, the cover is organized with pictures of the characters in a square format that is similar to the opening of "The Brady Bunch," a family sitcom that aired in the 1970s. Lead a think aloud about similarities and differences between the characters. Count the number of females and the number of males. What nationalities do the characters represent? How old do the characters seem?
2. Model: Read Chapter 1: “Kim” together as a class. Complete Row 1 of Character Observation Chart as a class.
3. Independent Reading: Group Read by individual Chapters:
A. Mark each book with a Post-It note to indicate the chapter the student will be reading.
B. SeedFolks has 13 chapters, so most classes will have more than enough students to each have a different chapter and some chapters repeated.
C. As students read, they will complete the Character Analysis Chart for their assigned chapter.
4. Wrap-Up: Allow for discussion time for students to share about each character.
2 / I CAN make inferences about a character based on textual evidence. / One copy of SeedFolks for each student in class
Post-it notes to mark each student’s chapter
Character Analysis Chart, Appendix A / Essential Questions:
·  What can I learn about a character based on what the author says?
·  What the characters say about themselves, and what the characters say about each other? / Remediation
Because each student is reading a different chapter in the novel, the teacher can assign chapters based on students’ reading levels and personal interests.
Enrichment
Because each student is reading a different chapter in the novel, the teacher can assign chapters based on students’ reading levels and personal interests. / Formative Assessment
Wrap-Up discussion of the characters
3 / I CAN make inferences about a character based on textual evidence. / One copy of SeedFolks for each student in class
Post-it notes to mark each student’s chapter
Character Analysis Chart, Appendix A / Essential Questions:
·  What can I learn about a character based on what the author says?
·  What the characters say about themselves, and what the characters say about each other? / Remediation
Because each student is reading a different chapter in the novel, the teacher can assign chapters based on students’ reading levels and personal interests.
Enrichment
Because each student is reading a different chapter in the novel, the teacher can assign chapters based on students’ reading levels and personal interests. / Formative Assessment
Wrap-Up discussion of the characters
Procedures:
1. Model: Read Chapter 1: “Kim” together as a class. Complete Row 1 of Character Observation Chart as a class.
2. Independent Reading: Group Read by individual Chapters:
A. Mark each book with a Post-It note to indicate the chapter the student will be reading.
B. SeedFolks has 13 chapters, so most classes will have more than enough students to each have a different chapter and some chapters repeated.
C. As students read, they will complete the Character Analysis Chart for their assigned chapter.
3. Wrap-Up: Allow for discussion time for students to share about each character.
4 / I CAN analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot). / Teach Engineering’s Soil Core Lesson Plan
Two soil sampling tubes, such as this example from the Gempler’s Outdoor Work Supplies
IA Soil Core Sampling Station Data Sheet, Appendix A
Rulers
Gloves / Two-Day PROJECT DAY: Watershed Health- Refer to Unit Plan / Differentiation for Readiness:
See “Activity Extensions” and “Activity Scaling” from Teach Engineering’s Soil Core Lesson Plan / Assessment
See “Pre-Activity Assessment, Activity Embedded Assessment, and Post-Activity Assessment” from Teach Engineering’s Soil Core Lesson Plan
5 / I CAN cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
I CAN cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. / Rubric (in lesson plan) / Two-Day PROJECT DAY: Watershed Health- Refer to Unit plan / Differentiation for Student Choice:
In small groups of two to three, students will choose a chapter to study further for setting analysis. / Summative
Project graded on rubric in unit plan
6 / I CAN cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
I CAN cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. / Seedfolks Setting Direct Indirect Evidence Log, Appendix A / Essential Question:
·  How do you make inferences using direct evidence?
·  How do you make inferences using indirect evidence? / Remediation
Students will work in heterogeneous teams.
Enrichment
Students may predict the outcomes of soil they did not test. / Formative Assessment
Direct and Indirect Evidence Log
1. Warm-Up: Review the soil logs created during the project days and the image of vacant urban lots resources from previous classes. Ask students, “Based on your soil collection activity yesterday and your observations of the conditions in these photographs, what do you predict the soil composition to be in these vacant urban lots? How conducive do you predict the soil might be to growing a successful vegetable garden?”
2. Connect Your Learning: Explain to the students that just as during yesterday’s project day, we made determinations about soil quality based on our observed soil samples, today we are going to make determinations about the soil quality in the Seedfolks community garden lot based on evidence from the text. We will then discuss how our inferences about the soil in the book (setting) interact with the characters and help to advance the plot.
3. Key Terms:
A. What the text says explicitly- an author’s exact words, leaving no room for doubt or misunderstanding
B. Inferences drawn from the text- conclusions or opinions that the reader forms after having read the text
4. Re-reading of the Text (Whole Group): The class will re-read aloud Seedfolks Chapter 1: “Kim”, this time looking for direct and indirect evidence about the book’s setting and the quality of the soil in the community garden. The teacher will guide the class in completing Seedfolks Setting Direct Indirect Evidence Log for the chapter “Kim”.
5. Re-reading of the Text (Small Group): In small groups of two or three, students will select a chapter from Seedfolks to analyze for setting. They will then re-read their selected chapter, looking for direct and indirect evidence about the book’s setting and the quality of the soil in the community garden. Each small student will then complete the Seedfolks Setting Direct Indirect Evidence Log
for the chapter his/her group has selected.
6. Wrap-Up: For homework, students will each create a diagram of the garden plot according to his/her character’s perspective from the chapter. Students will label their diagrams with time, place, and soil composition evidence from the text. Before students dismiss, show examples of the completed assignment based on the “Kim” chapter and address student questions about the assignment.
7 / I CAN explain the characteristics of a narrative essay. / Narrative Essay PowerPoint, Appendix A / Essential Question: What are the characteristics of a narrative essay? / Remediation
Struggling students will be given a copy of the PowerPoint so that they can take notes and follow along easier.
Enrichment
Students will write a critique of their assigned chapter of the book judging it on the narrative essay rubric. / Formative Assessment
Exit Ticket
1.  Warm-Up: Have students identify points of weakness within the assigned chapter of the book.
2.  Preview Your Learning: Explain to students that in today’s class, we are going to learn how to write stronger narrative essays, paying particular attention to establishing a point of view and using sophisticated narrative techniques such as dialogue, so that we may write with a more engaging voice and score higher on the TN Narrative Writing Rubric.
3.  Connect to Background Knowledge: Review the different characters from Seedfolks by Paul Fleishman. Students can use the character charts they created in previous lessons. Have students discuss the point of view of the different chapters and how we know what we know about each character. Explain our narrative essay will take the form of an additional chapter at the end of the novel.
4.  Lesson: “The Narrative Essay: It Differs from a Simple Story!” Power point Notes. Students will follow the lesson and complete notes as the teacher reviews the information in the Power point.
5.  Wrap-Up: Students respond to the following question in an exit ticket:
How does a narrative essay differ from a story? How does a narrative essay differ from an expository essay?
8 / ·  I CAN introduce a character or characters and effectively establish a point of view.
·  I CAN use sophisticated narrative techniques such as dialogue to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. / ·  ReadWriteThink Storymap Interactives
·  MacBook Air student computers or other computers with Flash Player capability
Materials for Remediation
·  Blank outline, Appendix B / (Two-hour Team Teaching with 7th grade Social Studies)
Essential Question: How can I prepare for my timed narrative essay? / Remediation
Students can use the blank outline for help prewriting.
Enrichment / Summative Assessment
·  Writing assignment
Procedures:
Hour One: Pre-Writing
1.  Warm-Up: Listen to a recording of the chapter “Wendell” from Seedfolks. What lesson or specific point is Wendell trying to make? (This is the thesis.)
2.  Think / Pair / Share: Students share their ideas for a Native American legend on companion plantings similar to the “Legend of the Three Sisters” (homework last night from Social Studies).
3.  Story Mapping: Students utilize the interactive mapping tools on ReadWriteThink.org to plan out their character (appearance, dialogue, actions, reactions of others).
4.  Outline: Students create an outline of their narrative essay.
Hour Two: Writing Workshop
Students have 60 minutes to respond to the narrative essay writing prompt about companion planting. Essays will be assessed according to the TN Narrative Writing Rubric.
9 / I CAN write a narrative reflecting on my experiences in this unit. / Materials for Remediation
·  Narrative Outline, Appendix A / Essential Question: How do I reflect upon my experiences in narrative form? / Remediation
Narrative Outline may be used.
Enrichment
Students can go deeper by using dialogue and more characters to develop an intense scenario through their narrative. / Formative Assessment
Writing Reflection
Procedures:
1.  For closure and summation of unit objectives, students will compose an addendum chapter to Seedfolks. This writing piece will take the form of a narrative essay and will be based on an informational text students will select during the research component of the Container Gardens Project Day. The informational text basis for the narrative essay will address social studies unit objectives (legends and myths) and science unit objectives (biodiversity and interdependence).