Fossil Fuels
Two Weeks
ELA
Lesson Plan
Teacher:
Sixth Grade ELA Teacher
Grade:
Sixth Grade
Lesson Title:
Explanatory Writing: Coal- Past, Present, and Future
STRANDS
Literature, Informational Text, Writing
LESSON OVERVIEW
Summary of the task, challenge, investigation, career-related scenario, problem, or community link.
The unit will be focused on writing and expository essay on the fossil fuel, coal. Students will use informational text and literature to infer details about coal. To produce
an effective expository essay, students must master the use of transitions and writing a thesis statement. These two skills will be honed in on throughout the unit.
Students will be expected to identify specific claims to justify their thesis, and be able to provide sound evidence for these claims. Using their claims and corresponding
evidence, students will complete a graphic organizer as a prewriting task that will be needed to write a typed two-page essay. In addition to teacher conferencing,
students will use peer and parent editing to assist with the proofreading process. The final copy will be assessed using Tennessee’s Expository Essay Rubric.
Throughout the unit, science, math, and social studies will be incorporated within the ELA lessons. Coal formation, transformation, and use will encompass the energy
transformation science standards. Math percentages standards will be discussed during the introductory lesson. Finally, the culture and economics of a coalmining town
will be explored during the reading of A Coal Miner’s Bride and Growing Up in Coal Country.
MOTIVATOR
Hook for the week unit or supplemental resources used throughout the week. (PBL scenarios, video clips, websites,
literature)
“Dirty Jobs: Coal Mining”
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/30930-dirty-jobs-coal-mining-video.htm This six minute video clip will give a brief insight on how a shaft mine can be
harvested for coal.
DAY
Objectives
(I can….)
1
I can use
transitional
phrases to
improve my
written
communication.
Materials &
Resources
31 black
beads
27 white
beads
19 blue beads
13 green
beads
10 white
beads
timer
list of
transitional
words for
posting within
the room
Instructional Procedures
Essential Question:
How can transitional phrases assist in written communication (compare and
contrast)?
Where does our energy come from?
SetMini Lesson- Transitions (Compare and Contrast)Begin a brief discussion comparing and contrasting using coal or solar energy.
(This will also allude to the students’ background knowledge.) As students are
offering ideas, notate on the board the transition words they use. Explain
that the transitions help the communication process. Post a list of several
other transitions and inform the students they will be using them in today’s
reflection.
Conversely
Instead
Likewise
on one hand
On the other hand
rather
on the contrary
similarly
Yet
but
however
still
Nevertheless
in contrast
although
however
Unlike
Teaching Strategy –
1. Begin by brainstorming a list of natural sources of energy with the
class. Write the list on the board. Make sure that coal, oil, natural
gas, nuclear, and solar energies are included. If additional sources are
suggested, combine those examples with solar since it is an alternate
sources of energy. Ask students to discuss their prior knowledge of
each energy source within small table groups.
2. Carefully hide groups of beads around the room before class. As you
progress down the list, make the beads more difficult to find.
Divide the class into five groups. Assign a specific bead for the group to find.
(Note: Do not tell students which type of energy source they are
recovering, only what color bead or bean they are looking for.)
Differentiated
Instruction
Differentiated
Instruction for
Remediation:
Modeling of Sentence
Writing
Word List
Abbreviated
Assignment
Differentiated
Instruction for
Enrichment:
Instead of writing five
separate sentences,
write a paragraph
comparing and
contrasting the energy
sources.
Assessment
Formative
Assessment:
Give feedback on
the students’
writing, focused
on the
transitions and
punctuation.
Company #1
Company #2
Company #3
Company #4
Company #5
31
27
19
13
10
black beads = coal
white beads = oil
blue beads = natural gas
green beads = renewable
red beads= nuclear
3. Allow time for the groups to find their “sources of energy”.
4. Once the beads are found, the groups will record the total number of
“energy sources” (beads) they found.
5. Then they will predict which energy source their beads represented
and notate it on the original list of energy sources.
6. Once all the groups have finished, reveal the identity of each
resource.
7. Write the number of beans for each energy source.
8. Explain that the total represents the percentage of availability within
the U.S.
9. Calculate the percentages of each power source with the class.
10. Discuss as a class which energy sources were easier to collect and the
economic impact it has on consumers.
Adapted from TeachCoal.org
11. Model how to compare and contrast sources of energy using
transitional phrases throughout a paragraph.
Coal is the largest and most inexpensive energy source within the US.
Similarly, oil is also found prevalently. However, it is more costly to
process since many drilling sites are offshore. In contrast, nuclear energy
is not readily available; therefore, it is more expensive.
12. Point out the punctuation and transition words to the students.
Summarizing Strategy –
Students will incorporate compare and contrasting transitions to describe the
energy sources that are available within the United States in a 5-7 sentences.
Students must use at least 3 transition words. Peer editing if time allows.
2
I can use
sequential
transitions to
describe the
formation of coal.
PowerPoint:
Fossil Fuels
(See Resource
File)
Essential Question:
How can transitional phrases assist in written communication (sequence)?
Sequential
transition
word list for
posting
Set
Mini Lesson- Transitions (Sequential Transitions)Begin a brief discussion of how the students prepared themselves for school
using electrical energy using a sequential order. As students are offering
ideas, notate on the board the transition words they use. Remind the
students that transitions help the communication process. Post a list of
several other transitions and inform the students they will be using them in
today’s reflection.
After
As soon as
At first
At last
before
Earlier
In the first place
Later
Next
Soon
Meanwhile
In the meantime
Then
Finally
Initially
How is coal formed and sequential transitional phrases
Teaching Strategy (s) –
 Using the first six slides of PowerPoint, “Fossil Fuels”, demonstrate
how fossil fuels, more specifically coal, are formed. Within the
PowerPoint there are two short videos and an illustration.
 Encourage students to take brief notes throughout the lesson so they
may be successful in the reflexive writing.
 At the end of the presentation, display the illustration for reference
purposes.
 Students will incorporate sequencing transitions to describe how coal
is formed in a 5-7-sentence paragraph. Students must use at least 3
transition words.
Differentiated
Instruction for
Remediation:
Modeling of Sentence
Writing
Word List
Abbreviated
Assignment
Formative
AssessmentGive feedback on
the students’
writing, focused
on the
transitions and
punctuation.
Thumbs
up/down
Differentiated
Instruction for
Enrichment:
Instead of writing five
separate sentences,
write a paragraph
sequencing the
formation of coal.
Summarizing Strategy
Exchange papers within the class for peer editing and review. Share examples
with the entire class while pointing out exemplary transition and punctuation.
3
I can use cause
and effect
transitions to
explain how coal
is transformed
into electricity.
PowerPoint:
Fossil Fuels
(See Resource
File)
Cause and
Essential Question:
How can cause and effect transition phrases assist in written communication?
How Coal is Used and Cause and Effect Transitional Phrases
Differentiated
Instruction for
Remediation:
Peer Tutoring
Creative script writing
allows for
Formative
AssessmentTeacher
observations
Scripts will be
effect
transition
word list for
posting
Set
Present slides 7-11 of “Fossil Fuels” PowerPoint to reinforce coal’s influence
and importance to the United States. Discuss the statistics that may be
surprising.
Teaching Strategy
 Brainstorm with the class: How is coal transformed from a rock to
electricity? Notate any transition words the students use.
 Put students into pairs.
 Students will view the animation on turning coal into electricity on
slides 12 and 13. During the presentation, identify the transitions that
are used.
 Display a list of cause and effect transitions and review them with the
students. Explain that these will be used during today’s task.
Therefore
For this reason
If…..then



4
I can infer factual
information by
listening to
historical
interviews.
Growing Up in
Coal Country
By Susan
BartolettiAudible and
consequently
accordingly
in order to
thus
since
so
differentiated levels of
complexity.
Differentiated
Instruction for
Enrichment:
Creative script writing
allows for
differentiated levels of
complexity.
assessed for
understanding of
transitions and
grammar
through the use
of teacher
conferences.
as a result of
because
due to
Using other resources as well, the students will imagine that they are
to assume the role of tour guides, leading people through the process.
At each stop, students will describe what is happening and why.
Students will then show the animation and narrate the process as if
they were the tour guides.
Once they have created the script, the pairs will join with another
group for peer review.
During the review, remind students to look for appropriate transitions
and punctuation.
Summarizing Strategy:
Allow for the sharing of scripts. Students will read their scripts while playing
the animation. Identify good transitions to the class and areas for
improvements.
Essential Question:
1. How can information be obtained for past events?
2. What are primary sources?
3. How can infer factual information from listening to historical
interviews?
Differentiated
Instruction for
Remediation:
Audio and visuals used
instead of text to assist
Formative
Assessment:
through
classroom
observation of
I can identify an
interview as
being a primary
source for
information.
print version
History of Coal- Growing Up in Coal Country Chapters 1,2, & 5
Coal Life
PowerPoint
(See Resource
Folder)
Set
Use the first essential question to start a class discussion. How can
information be obtained for past events? What if everyone that experienced
that event is dead? Facilitate the discussion so that it leads to the topic of
interviews. How can interviews give you a different perspective of an event,
instead of an informational text?
I can use the
obtained
information to
write an
expository essay
5
I can infer
information by
comparing and
contrasting a
nonfiction and a
fictional text.
Teaching Strategy (s) –
Explain to the students that they will be listening to a compilation of
interviews taken by Susan Bartoletti of Pennsylvania coal miners at the turn of
the nineteenth century. Read chapters one, two, and five. This will give them
an inside view of a coal miner’s life. As the students are listening to an audio
version of the book, display the photographs or display Coal Life PowerPoint.
Encourage students to take notes about the jobs and important details from
the text. These notes will be used during the expository writing at the end of
the unit.
Post-It Notes
Document
Camera
Summarizing Strategy
Think-Pair-Share: What are three things you learned form the text that
surprised you? Share your thoughts with a partner.
Essential Question:
How can you infer information by comparing and contrasting a nonfiction and
fictional text based on the same topic?
comprehension
Differentiated
Instruction for
Enrichment:
Leveled questioning:
If you lived during this
era and culture, which
job would you want
and why?
How could you escape
this culture?
Differentiated
Instruction for
Remediation:
The lengths of the
passages vary.
History of Coal- A Coal Miner’s Bride
A Coal Miner’s
Bride by
Susan
Bartoletti
Set
Do a gallery walk of the prior day’s notes. Students will read the notes of 5
other peers. They will identify one fact that their peer notated and they did
not and add it to their notes. Allow students to share one interesting fact
with the entire class.
Teaching Strategy
Explain to the class that they will be reading excerpts of an historical fiction
that is written in the format of a journal.
Jigsaw the following passages with small groups of students:
The passages are
written on a beginning
sixth grade level
Differentiated
Instruction for
Enrichment:
Allow time for students
to research the
Lattimer massacre for
factual information.
the summary
strategy an
assessment of
understanding
will be made.
Formative
Assessment:
through
classroom
observation of
the Venn
Diagram an
assessment of
understanding
will be made.
Sunday, August 30, 1896- Company Store
Tuesday, September 29, 1896- Black Maria
Thursday, October 29, 1896- Mine Explosion (SHORT PASSAGE)
Sunday, November 29, 1896- United Mine Workers
Thursday, April 22, 1897- Miners’ Strike
Friday, April 23, 1897- Miners’ Strike
Friday, September 10, 1997- Lattimer massacre
Once the students have read and presented their information to the class
6
I can identify the
necessary
elements on a
newspaper’s
front page.
I can write an
article based on
factual and
fictional texts.
Inspiration
app
Computers
Internet
access
ReadWriteThi
nk Interactive
Newspaper
Rubric (see
Resource
Folder)
Summarizing Strategy
Using a Venn Diagram, compare and contrast the two texts. If time allows,
share the diagrams with the entire class for greater understanding.
Essential Question:
1. How do newspapers disseminate information to the public?
2. What are the necessary elements in an article or on the front page?
History of Coal- A Coal Miner’s Bride
Set
Individually:
Place several newspapers at the students’ tables. Ask the students to identify
the features that are unique to newspapers. (headlines, captions, columns,
black and white text, table of contents, sections, etc.)
Teaching Strategy
Divide the students into small groups. Using the Inspiration app, the groups
will record their list of text features. They will also explain why each of the
features is of value to a newspaper. Display each group’s Thinking Map and
hold a class discussion identifying the strengths and weaknesses.
Students will write a newspaper article about living in a coalmining town using
the information they have gained from the texts: Growing Up in Coal Country
and A Coal Miner’s Bride. Students may choose what aspects to write about
as long as they are loosely based on history.
Once students have brainstormed within their groups, they may begin to type
their articles on ReadWriteThink’s interactive. This interactive website allows
students to save or email their articles. Depending on the class’s length, this
activity may need to be completed for homework.
Then compare and
contrast the last text
with their findings.
Differentiated
Instruction for
Remediation:
Peer Tutoring
Creative writing allows
for differentiated levels
of complexity.
Differentiated
Instruction for
Enrichment:
Creative writing allows
for differentiated levels
of complexity.
Summative
Assessment:
The Newspaper
rubric will be
used for
assessment.
7
I can write a
thesis for an
expository essay
about coal.
I can use
prewriting to
organize the
main ideas and
details of an
expository essay.
Padlet.com
Computers or
iPads with
Internet
access
Summarizing Strategy
Ask for volunteers to share their newspapers. Print and display the papers for
sharing between all ELA classes.
Essential Question:
1. Why are theses important in an expository essay?
2. What are the two parts of a thesis?
Expository Essay: Coal- Thesis Statement and Organization
Set
“Common
Core Writing
1: Thesis
Statements”
(See Resource
Folder)
Dependent
Clause listposted in the
room
(In order that
If
After
Since
Before
So that
Even
As if
As
Even though
Although
Unless
While
When
Wherever
As soon as)




Write “Coal” in the center of the board or use Padlet.com to create a
class mind-mapping web to describe what they have learned about
coal.
Individually, the students will add ideas to the web.
Students may start a new thought line or add to another students’.
Discuss the web with the class while encouraging specific details.
Teaching Strategy
 Explain to the students that the task at hand is an expository essay
about coal.
 Congratulate them on their brainstorming ability and assure them
that they have enough information to write several pages about coal,
but will only be required to write two.
 Today the students will write the thesis statement and organize their
essay.
 Watch “Common Core Writing 1: Thesis Statements” by
OnDemandInstruction
o Direct the students’ attention to the “Dependent Clause List”
when the video discusses the format.
o Pause at the end of the video for modeling and practice
 Using the graphic below as an example, students will write their thesis
and begin organizing the essay.
 Students must have their thesis approved by the teacher BEFORE an
additional prewriting occurs.
 Students need to identify the dependent and independent clause
within their thesis.
Differentiated
Instruction for
Remediation:
Video Instruction
Peer tutoring
Modeling
Class Brainstorming
Abbreviated
Assignment (One page
essay)
Teacher guidance
Rubric Grading
Differentiated
Instruction for
Enrichment:
The level of vocabulary
and sentence structure
will be expected to be
more advanced.
(This will be achieved
through teacher
conferences.)
Summative
Assessment:
The final draft
will be graded
using
Tennessee’s
Expository Essay
Rubric.
How Coal is Formed
How Coal is Processed
•
•
•
•
•Summary
•
•
•
•
•Summary
Thesis
History of Coal Mines
Conclusion
•
•
•
•
•Summary
• Box 1
•Box 2
•Box 3
•Thesis
Summarizing Strategy
Peer editing: Allow time for students to share their thoughts with their peers
and receive feedback. Students may share exemplary work to the entire class.
8
Project Day 1 – refer to Unit Plan
Topic – “Keynote Presentation”- Fossil Fuels
9
Project Day 2 – refer to Unit Plan
Topic – “Keynote Presentation”- Fossil Fuels
10
Project Day 3 – refer to Unit Plan
Topic – “Debate”- Fossil Fuels
STANDARDS









Identify what you want to teach. Reference State, Common Core, ACT
College Readiness Standards and/or State Competencies.
RL.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.6.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from
personal opinions or judgments.
RL.6.5 Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the
theme, setting, or plot.
RL.6.9 Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their
approaches to similar themes and topics.
RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.6.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal
opinions or judgments.
RI.6.3 Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).
RI.6.9 Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same
person).
W.6.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and
analysis of relevant content.
o W.6.2.b Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
o W.6.2.c Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts
o W.6.2.d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
o W.6.2.e Establish and maintain a formal style.
o W.6.2.f Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the information or explanation presented.