Lesson and Unit Plan
Brianne Zika
8th Grade Humanities
Capital City Public Charter School
Washington, D.C.
Video Notes:
Thank you for watching my video! I hope you enjoy watching my students interact with each other and the text. I want to give you a few
notes to provide some context for the lesson.
First, I teach 8th grade at a public charter school that uses the inclusion model. Approximately one third of my students have Special Needs or
are English Language Learners. Ms. Christina Marino, my co-teacher, and I co-plan all of our units and co-teach twice a week. When she is
not in the classroom, I provide all of the differentiation and accommodations myself. Due to snow days and technological obstacles, I had to
film my video on a co-teaching day. Ms. Marino was happy to participate and she has signed the consent form. Therefore, what you are
seeing is a co-planned and co-taught lesson in which I model the basic skills and lead the readers and writers workshops, but Christina
supports instruction with additional instructions, parallel teaching (during the team conferences), and protocol modeling. Just so you know,
I am the one in the dress and boots; she is the one in jeans and a sweater. She and I meet once a week for one hour to plan our week. I carry
the big picture and design the curriculum map for the entire year, along with assessments and materials, and she modifies materials
according to students IEPs. We both modify materials for our English Language Learners.
Secondly, you are watching the LAST 22 minutes of a lesson that lasted 2 hours. My classes are 2 hours long because I teach both English
Language Arts and Social Studies in a blended course called “humanities”. I chose this particular section of the video because I believe it
shows my students taking ownership of their learning, supporting their claims with evidence from the text, engaging in a protocol, then
returning to their seats to work individually and process their learning. What you do NOT see in this segment is a readers’ workshop in
which we share background knowledge, conduct a close reading of an argumentative text, and participate in a text-based discussion.
This lesson is the kick-off of a mini-unit on argumentation. We will meet the same learning targets throughout the entire unit. We scheduled
a month and a half for our unit on argumentation, but due to snow days (we have had 9 this quarter), we have had to find creative ways to
shorten the unit. The students just finished reading Omnivore’s Dilemma, The Young Reader’s Edition, by Michael Pollan, and a series of
informational texts documenting the possible causes of the collapse of the Mayan Empire. They will now be participating in a class debate on
one of those two topics (they will get to choose their debate topic), and then writing a final position paper, in an attempt to persuade an
audience to support their claim about their topic. I chose to open the argumentation unit with a simple, engaging text, The Giving Tree,
which I am aware is significantly below grade level. However, the purpose of this lesson is to teach the students the skill of citing evidence to
support their claim, and to introduce the debate and flashdraft protocol to them. Once they become comfortable with the protocol, they will
repeat it using more challenging, grade level- appropriate texts. This unit will end with a “health fair proposal”, which connects to our
expedition on health, nutrition, and American food chains.
Finally, this document includes my basic lesson plan, a calendar overview of the mini-unit on argumentation, and the student documents
that I share during the lesson.
Lesson Plan: Thursday, March 6, 2014
Written by: Bri Zika and Christina Marino (Inclusion)
Student Learning Targets (Common Core and English Language Development for ELLs):
Note- The goal is for the students to master these targets by the end of the unit.
Type
Reading Info
Text
Speak/Listen
Reading Lit
Text
Writing
Habits of
Scholars
Target
RI 8.8: I can evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text (assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant
and sufficient to support the claims)/LLT R.5.4 I can critique an article
Ri.8.5: I can analyze the structure of a specific paragraph in a text.
SL 8.1: I can effectively engage in collaborative discussions with my peers. LLT S.5.4 I can negotiate meaning in group discussion.
SL 8.3: I can determine a speaker’s argument and specific claims, and can evaluate the effectiveness of the evidence.
SL 8.4: I can present claims and findings in a focused, coherent manner (using relevant evidence). LLT 5.1 I can defend a point of view
and give reasons
RL 8.1: I can cite the strongest evidence from literary text to support my analysis.
W.8.1: I can write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. LLT W.4.4 I can use details/examples to
support my ideas
W.8.1: I can use ethos, pathos, and logos to enhance my persuasive writing.
Accountable: I can take responsibility for my actions in individual and group work.
Time
Activity
35 min Readers’ Workshop
Teacher-Moves
1. Activate background
knowledge.
Bri- lead discussion around essential question: how do persuasive writers and speakers structure
and support their arguments? First ask the students the question and give them a few moments
to think of their answer and share it with their partner. Then, give them the following scenario:
imagine you hear that your female friend is being suspended for being accused of trying out for the
boy’s soccer team, when the school doesn’t even have a girl’s soccer team and she loves soccer, and is
really good! What would you say to Principal Cox if she asked you to defend your friend? Give the
students 2 minutes to share with their table. Then, ask students to share “effective and
compelling” arguments with the class. Bri guides discussion while Christina takes notes on flip
chart paper. Ask students what they notice about the strong arguments. What do they have in
common?
2. Make a prediction
Christina- introduce Susan B. Anthony and read her brief biography while Bri shows students her
picture. Ask students to make a prediction- what strategies do you predict her lawyer used to
defend her?
3. Review academic
vocabulary and learning
targets
Bri- ask students to popcorn the meaning of the following words, while Christina records them
on the board: claim, evidence, defend, prosecute, argumentative, persuasive, ethos, pathos, logos.
Christina- ask for student volunteers to read learning targets. Unpack the verbs in the targets.
4. Cold read
Students complete a brief, cold read of the text, “Speech for the Defense”, while thinking about
the essential question, “how do persuasive writers and speakers structure and support their
arguments?”
5. “I do”: model close
reading
Bri- explain that you are going to model a close reading of each paragraph to try to understand
how this author, her lawyer, structured and supported his argument. Using document camera,
model for students how to determine the author’s purpose of paragraphs 1-3 of “Speech for the
Defense”. Annotate in the margins so students can see. Ask for student feedback as you go.
6. “We do”: partner close
read
7. “You do”: individual
close read
8. Wrap-up
Students work with their table partner to determine the purpose of paragraphs 4 / 5.
Students complete paragraphs 6, 7, and 8 on their own.
As a class, share out the purpose that we found of each paragraph and record it in our graphic
organizer to create an outline of the structure of his speech.
20 min Read-Aloud
1. Activate background
knowledge
Bri- Ask students to think about what makes someone appear weak or strong. What are the
different ways someone can be weak or strong? Record the students’ ideas on the board under
categories “weak” and “strong”. Tell students the CLAIM: “The Giving Tree is weak”. Explain that
the students are going to listen to Ms. Marino read the book about a tree that gives many parts of
her to a little boy. As they listen, they’ll be recording evidence in their note-catcher to prove that
she is both weak and strong.
2. Read-Aloud and skill
modeling
Christina- read the book aloud, showing the images on the document camera. Bri- distribute the
text (one pager), and the note-catcher. After 5 pages, stop and model how to record the evidence
so far. Bri- “do we have any evidence to prove that she is weak or strong so far? How about the
fact that she offers her leaves to the little boy? Do we think this makes her strong or weak? What
category would we record this evidence in?” After a brief discussion, record the evidence where
the students tell you to put it. Then, move on with the read-aloud. Do the same half-way through
the book.
3. Evidence gathering
After finishing the read-aloud, ask students to complete their pro and con columns with evidence
that she is weak and strong. Christina and Bri both circulate to check-in with individual students.
45 min Writers’ Workshop: Debate and
Flashdraft protocol
NOTE:
The
video
begins
here!
5-10
min
Bri- using powerpoint on the debate protocol, introduce students to the basic structure of the
protocol.
1. Choose side (claim to
defend) and develop
three strong reasons to
support your claim.
Students decide which side of the debate they’d like to be on, complete their organizer, and
develop their top three reasons. Bri models how to write a “reason”, using the document camera.
While students are working silently and independently, Bri and Christina circulate to ask
students which side they’d like to argue for and write debate teams on the board.
2. Team Conference #1
Students meet with their teams (now on the board) to share their reasons and come to a
consensus on their top three reasons as a team. Bri supports pro team (the tree is weak) and
Christina supports the con team (the tree is NOT weak).
3. Debate Round 1
Students move to the open space in the classroom and form two lines, with pro facing con. Bri
and Christina model how to use “sophisticated language” to deliver your claim and reasons. Bri
and Christina explain instructions. Students have 1 minute to share their reasons while the other
students record their opponents’ ideas in their note-catcher. Pro begins, then they swap.
4. Team Conference #2
Students return to their teams for their second conference to 1- share the other team’s 3 reasons,
and 2- use evidence from the text to develop a rebuttal to each of their three points. Bri and
Christina support their teams.
5. Debate Round 2:
Rebuttals
Students return to the open space for the rebuttal round. Con begins this time.
6. Individual Reflection
Students return to their desks to reflect on the debate, decide what they actually believe to be
true, and determine the three strongest arguments they heard that day. Bri gives instructions
while Christina circulates to help kids transition.
Wrap-Up
Bri- explain that their homework is to write a flashdraft to either defend or prosecute the tree for
being weak. Direct the students’ attention to the “Speech for the Defense” as the model for them
to follow. If time, review the structure of the speech and return to the essential question: “how
do persuasive writers and speakers structure and support their arguments?”
Christina- remind students of the basic structure of an argument, as determined earlier in the
period.
Bri- give a basic overview of how we’ll use their flashdrafts in class tomorrow.
Humanities Unit Plan: March, 2014
Monday
3
SNOW DAY
- No Class
Tuesday
4
SNOW DELAY20 minute classes
Wednesday
5
Math ANET
No Class
Finish Omnivore’s Dilemma
Book Group Exams
Thursday
6:
Full Co-Teaching
- Analyze “Speech for the
Defense” as the anchor text
for argumentative text
- Introduce debate protocol
through Giving Tree
- Write a flashdraft for
Giving Tree
Friday
7
- Peer Review Giving Tree
flash drafts for main idea,
evidence and craft and
structure
- Repeat debate protocol
with “Child drops after
eating only Chicken
Nuggets”
- Write “nuggets” draft
10
11
½ Co-teaching
- Choose debate teams
- Watch supporting videos
to gather evidence
- Debate team conference #1
17
Health Fair
Proposal Writing
24
March Madnesshumanities finals
12
13
Omni/Mayan Debate
- Choose BEST and
STRONGEST evidence to
support reasons
Debate Team Conference #3
19
Health Fair
Proposal Writing
26
March Madnesshumanities finals
Write position paper
½ Co-teaching
- Solidify 3 reasons to
support claim
Debate team conference #2
18
Health Fair
Proposal Writing
25
March Madnesshumanities finals
20
Health Fair
Proposal Writing
27
14
Health Fair Fieldwork:
No class
21
Health Fair
Proposal Writing
28
March Madnesshumanities finals
March Madnesshumanities finals
Debate= proving your point with evidence from the text
Flashdraft= speech for a jury, using three persuasive appeals
Resources:
1. The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein
2. Debate Protocol Handouts (prepared by Bri)
3. Info Text Article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2092071/Stacey-Irvine-17-collapses-eating-McDonalds-chicken-nuggets-age-2.html
4. Mayan Info Texts (various), and video: Ancient Apocalypse, The Maya Collapse: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrWt4reuS7Q
5. Omnivore’s Dilemma. Michael Pollan
Name:
Date:
Argumentation Anchor Text Analysis
Learning Targets
Type
Target
Reading Info RI 8.8: I can evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text (assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the
Text
evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims)/LLT R.5.4 I can critique an article
Reading Info Ri.8.5: I can analyze the structure of a specific paragraph in a text (including the role of particular sentences in
Text
developing and refining a key concept).
Score
Directions: Read “Speech for the Defense”. Annotate the passage for the MAIN IDEA on the RIGHT and the PURPOSE on the LEFT.
Options for purposes in argumentative text:
present a claim
ethos: establishing trust with audience
providing evidence to support a reason
logos: giving a logical reason
acknowledging the opponent’s argument
pathos: giving an emotional reason
giving a rebuttal
summarizing claim and reasons
Record the CRAFT AND STRUCTURE of the “Speech for the Defense” in the space below:
Par. #
Purpose
Main Idea
Name:
Argumentation Part One: 20-minute debate
Debate Protocol Note-Catcher
Learning Targets
Type
Target
Speak/Listen SL 8.1: I can effectively engage in collaborative discussions with my peers. LLT S.5.4 I can negotiate meaning in
group discussion
SL 8.3: I can determine a speaker’s argument and specific claims, and can evaluate the effectiveness of the evidence.
SL 8.4: I can present claims and findings in a focused, coherent manner (using relevant evidence). LLT 5.1 I can
defend a point of view and give reasons
Reading
RL and RI 8.1: I can cite the strongest evidence from literary text to support my analysis.
HOS
Accountable: I can take responsibility for my actions in individual and group work.
Task
Directions
Read the
Text
As you read
the text, listen
for and
record
evidence to
support
BOTH sides of
the argument.
Side One:
After reading
the text,
analyze the
evidence and
decide which
side of the
debate you’d
like to argue
for. This side
should be the
one you’re
most
passionate
about and feel
you have
adequate
evidence to
support.
My Opinion/CLAIM:
SKILLS:
- read
- listen
- identify
details
Choose a
Side
SKILLS:
-form opinion
- support with
evidence
5 MIN
My Notes
Side Two:
My three REASONS for supporting this side:
Textual EVIDENCE to support this reason:
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
Date:
Score
Team
Conference
#1
3 MIN
Debate
Round One
SKILLS:
- speak
- listen
- record
2 MIN
(1 min per
team)
Team
Conference
#2
SKILLS:
Collaborate
Respond to
claims.
3 MIN
Meet with
your team to
share your
reasons and
evidence. If
your
teammates
have any
great ideas
that you
didn’t think
of, record
them here.
REASONS to add:
EVIDENCE to support this reason:
You have 1
minute to
share your
argument
with your
opponent.
You will also
have 1 minute
to listen to
your
opponent’s
argument.
While you
listen, record
their reasons
and evidence.
THEIR three REASONS for supporting THEIR side:
THEIR textual EVIDENCE to support THEIR reasons:
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
Return to
your team.
First, share
out what your
opponent’s
arguments
were. Then,
decide on
your response
to their
arguments.
OUR REBUTTAL to THEIR three REASONS:
OUR textual EVIDENCE to support our REBUTTAL:
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
Rebuttal
SKILLS:
Respond to
claims.
Listen
Record
2 MIN
(1 min per
team)
Reflect
(on your own)
SKILLS:
Summarize
details.
5 MIN
You have 1
minute to
share your
rebuttal with
your
opponent.
You will also
have 1 minute
to listen to
your
opponent’s
rebuttal.
While you
listen, record
their reasons
and evidence.
THEIR REBUTTAL to my argument:
THEIR textual EVIDENCE to support THEIR REBUTTAL:
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
Reflect on the
debate you
just
completed,
and decide if
you want to
change your
position.
My Opinion/Claim is NOW:
The three best reasons to support this are:
1.
2.
3.
One GOOD Claim the other side has is:
But my REBUTTAL to this CLAIM is:
Argumentation Part Two: 10-minute flash draft organizer
Use the prompts below to organize your “speech for the jury” flash draft
Learning Targets
Type
Target
Writing
W.8.1: I can write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. LLT W.4.4 I can use
details/examples to support my ideas
W.8.1: I can use ethos, pathos, and logos to enhance my persuasive writing.
Score
REMEMBER: The PURPOSE of a speech for the jury is to PERSUADE the jury to take your side. Good persuasive speakers use more than just logical
arguments and evidence to support their point: they use ethos, pathos, and logos. Now, you will have an opportunity to combine the logical arguments
you identified during the debate with emotional and trust-building arguments that you’ll create now.
Par. #
Purpose
Details to Include
Speech for the Defense
Author’s
Purpose
Before 1920, American women were not allowed to vote in elections. Susan B. Anthony was one of the
people who worked tirelessly to gain this important right. In 1872, Anthony was arrested and put on
trial for voting.
1 Gentlemen of the jury, I ask you to look at the defendant, Miss Susan Brownell Anthony. You will see
a respected person of outstanding character,
a person who cares deeply for law and order. This woman
has committed no crime. She has broken no law. She does not deserve to be put on trial! All she did
was exercise her right as a United States citizen. Isn’t it a citizen’s duty to vote? Should Miss Anthony
be arrested and put on trial for performing her civic duty?
Allow me, Miss Anthony’s lawyer, to read the charge against my client; Miss Anthony is accused of
2 “knowingly, wrongfully, and unlawfully” voting for a member of Congress “without having a lawful
right to vote . . . being then and there a person of the female sex.” My argument will show that this
charge is ridiculous.
The prosecution says that Miss Anthony broke the law because it is illegal for a woman to vote. But
3 that is simply not true. Miss Anthony’s vote was legal, and I will tell you why. Four years ago, in 1868,
Congress ratified the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. This amendment states
that “all persons born and naturalized in the United States . . . are citizens of the United States,” and all
citizens are entitled to the same privileges. States must provide “equal protection and due process of the
laws” to every American citizen. Miss Anthony was born in Massachusetts. By birthright, she is an
American citizen; no one can deny this truth. Therefore, the state of New York, where she now lives,
must grant her the same rights as they do all other American citizens, including the right to vote.
4 Furthermore, the prosecution has argued that Miss Anthony knowingly
and willfully broke the law in
order to draw attention to her own views about women’s rights. This is also untrue. Prior to casting her
ballot, Miss Anthony consulted Judge Henry Selden, whom you will hear from today. Judge Selden
will tell you that he carefully considered the law. He concluded that Miss Anthony was, beyond a
doubt, as authorized as any man to vote in the election. He told this to Miss Anthony. When she cast
her vote, she did so in good faith. She certainly did not think she was breaking the law and was
completely shocked to be arrested and tried in this fashion.
5 The sad truth is Miss Anthony is being prosecuted because she is female.
If she were a man, we would
not be here today, would we? We would praise her for doing her part to preserve democracy in this
great country of ours. Her action would be not only innocent but honorable. Does this action become
dishonorable merely because it was carried out by a woman? Of course not!
6 It is wrong to prosecute a citizen of the United States who was merely trying to do her duty. It is wrong
to put Miss Anthony on trial simply because she is female. Women make up half of the population of
this country. They work as hard as their fathers, brothers, husbands, and sons. They deserve to have
their voices heard, just as we men do. It is unfair to expect any citizen of a country to abide by laws
which they had no say in making. Isn’t that why the United States fought the Revolutionary War
against England? We did not want to be treated like second-class citizens! Why should we expect
women, who also sacrificed and contributed, to accept this kind of treatment?
7 Gentlemen of the jury, you have been given a rare opportunity to strike down injustice! Let me
summarize the reasons why you must find Miss Anthony innocent of any wrongdoing. First of all, the
Fourteenth Amendment guarantees the rights of all United States citizens, not just male citizens, and
this clearly includes the right to vote. Secondly, even if you interpret the law differently, as the
prosecution clearly does, Miss Anthony can only be innocent since
she honestly believed she was
exercising her rights, rather than willfully disregarding the law. Thirdly, please consider the absurdity
of trying a person in a court of law for no better reason than that she happens to be female.
8 Miss Anthony harmed no one. She did not rob a bank. She voted! Let’s end this farce and send a clear
message that we will uphold the noble principles on which our nation was built. Exercise your civic
duty and find Miss Anthony innocent.
Thank you.