Planning for Instruction
Informational Text Template
Text
Science Content
Standard(s)
Purpose for
Reading
Potential
Barriers to
Comprehension
Convection Currents and the Crosscutting Concepts
2009 WA State:
 6-8 PS3B Heat (thermal energy) flows from warmer to cooler objects until both reach the same temperature. Conduction, radiation, and convection, or
mechanical mixing are the means of heat transfer.
January NGSS draft:
 MS-ESS2-a Use plate tectonic models to support the explanation that, due to convection, matter cycles between Earth’s surface and deep mantle.
Draw comparisons between a physical model and technical
text explaining earth structures in order to build an
understanding of convection currents in tectonic theory.
Lab:
 Lab does not provide structure for focusing observations
 Lab includes reflection questions unrelated to my learning
purpose
Readings:
 Long text, includes many details unrelated to the key
learning focus
 Background knowledge about layers of the earth may be
missing
Key Vocabulary:
Convection
Energy transfer
Reading
Prompt
Instructional
Tasks
“The purpose for reading this information today is to understand how
the experimental model that we constructed today helps us understand
convection currents in the earth’s mantle. As you read, think about how
what you are reading compares to the observations you made in lab
today. In particular focus on the patterns of movement and the cycles of
energy and matter.”
Lab:
 Give purpose for the lab, select question 1 and 5 for students to
answer
 Suggest an observation organizing framework focused on patterns
and cycles.
Reading:
 Give purpose for reading, highlight questions 1, 5 and 8
 Draw attention to the diagram, discuss how the lab model is
analogous to the earth’s structures
 Suggest students annotate the reading with specific focus on
patterns and flow of energy
 Suggest an observation organizing framework focused on patterns
and cycles.
Writing
Task/Prompt
What patterns did you observe as the water moved? What patterns did you notice in the mantle?
Describe the flow of energy and matter in the set-up. Describe the flow of energy and matter in the asthenosphere.
How does this information about the mantle compare to the lab you completed? Cite evidence from your laboratory notebook and the reading selection
in your response.
Common Core
Standard(s)
 RST.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of scientific and technical text
 RST.6-8.3: Follow precisely a multi-step procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements or performing technical tasks.
 RST.6-8.7: Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words or text with a version of that information expressed visually ( e.g. in a
flowchart, diagram, model, graph or table)
 RST.6-8.9: Compare and contract the information gained from experiments, simulations, video or multimedia sources with that gained from text on the
same topic.
 WHST.6-8.9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection and research.
