Curriculum / ELA / 5th Grade / Unit 3: Protecting the Earth: Plastic Pollution / Lesson 17

Protecting the Earth: Plastic Pollution

Lesson 17

ELA

Unit 3

5th Grade

Lesson 17 of 18

These assessments accompany this unit to help gauge student understanding of key unit content and skills.

Content Assessment

The Content Assessment pushes students to synthesize unit content knowledge or unit essential questions in writing. The Content Assessment should be used as the primary assessment because it shows mastery of unit content knowledge and standards. This assessment should take approximately one class period.

Cold Read Assessment

The Cold Read Assessment tests students' ability to comprehend a "cold" or unfamiliar passage and answer standards-based questions. The Cold Read Assessment can be given in addition to the Content Assessment as a pulse point for what students can read and analyze independently, a skill often required for standardized testing. This assessment should take approximately one class period.

Fluency Assessment

The Fluency Assessment allows teachers to monitor students' oral reading fluency progress with a reading passage drawn from one of the unit's core texts. The Fluency Assessment should be given at the end of a unit. Teachers should plan to pull students one-on-one to do this while the rest of the class is independently reading or writing. Find additional guidance for using this assessment and supporting reading fluency in Teacher Tools.

Download Fluency Assessment

Lesson 16

Lesson 18

Lesson Map

Explain what it means to have a "plastic problem."

“Single-Use Plastics” — Figure 1.2–Figure 1.8 (Print pages 3–7 in packets for students)

Standards

RI.5.3

Explain how plastic ends up in a gyre and what happens to it once it is there.

Trash Vortex pp. 4–10 — to the top

Standards

RI.5.3

Explain why the author uses the words grotesque, astounding, and dramatic to describe what Moore and his team found.

Trash Vortex pp. 10–13

Standards

L.5.4.cRI.5.3

Combine sentences using prepositions and relative pronouns.

Standards

L.5.3.a

Explain how Leo Baekeland invented plastic.

Trash Vortex pp. 14–20 — (End of first paragraph)

Standards

L.5.3.aRI.5.3

Analyze how plastic became such a large part of everyday life.

Trash Vortex pp. 20–25 — start from the bottom paragraph

Standards

L.5.2.aL.5.3.aRI.5.3

Explain what evidence the author uses to emphasize how much plastic is in the ocean and its impact on the ecosystem.

Trash Vortex pp. 26–31

Standards

L.5.3.aRI.5.3RI.5.8

Analyze how plastic has a negative impact on ocean ecosystems and humans.

Trash Vortex pp. 32–40

Standards

L.5.3.aRI.5.3RI.5.8

Explain what the author means by the quote, "we need to think about the items we are using not just on beaches, but also inland and communities far upstream as well."

Trash Vortex pp. 40–43
“Single-Use Plastics” — Figure 1.2–Figure 1.8

Standards

L.5.3.aRI.5.3RI.5.8

Write two strong paragraphs describing why we have a plastic pollution problem and how plastic pollution impacts the ocean.

Day 1 - Brainstorming

Distinguish between interesting and important details to support the main idea of each paragraph.

Brainstorming Page 1 (G5, U3, L10)
Brainstorming Page 1 Sample Response (G5, U3, L10)

Standards

W.5.2W.5.2.bW.5.9

Day 2 - Planning

Group and order details based on the paragraph structure.

Two Paragraph Outline (G5, U3, L10)
Brainstorming Page 1 (G5, U3, L10) — Completed on Day 1

Standards

W.5.2W.5.2.aW.5.2.bW.5.2.eW.5.9

Day 3 - Drafting

Include signal words that support the structure of the paragraph.

Two Paragraph Outline (G5, U3, L10) — Completed on Day 2
Brainstorming Page 1 (G5, U3, L10) — Completed on Day 1

Standards

W.5.2W.5.2.aW.5.2.bW.5.2.eW.5.9

Show the relationship between two ideas using a conjunction.

Standards

L.5.3.a

Explain what strategies the author recommends to help reduce the amount of plastic in the ocean and the pros and cons of each strategy.

Trash Vortex pp. 44–48

Standards

L.5.3.aRI.5.3RI.5.8

Explain what strategies the author recommends to help reduce the amount of plastic in the ocean and the pros and cons of each strategy.

Trash Vortex pp. 49–55

Standards

L.5.3.aRI.5.3RI.5.9

Write an opinion piece defending whether or not single-use plastics should be banned by citing evidence from multiple texts and building an argument.

Day 1 - Brainstorming

Brainstorm and organize ideas and details before crafting an opinion statement.

Plastic Pollution Opinion Brainstorming Note Taker (G5, U3, L14)
Plastic Pollution Opinion Brainstorming Note Taker Sample Response (G5, U3, L14)

Standards

SL.5.4W.5.1W.5.5W.5.8

Day 2 - Planning

Plan by completing an outline that includes main ideas and supporting details, listing supporting details in order of importance.

Plastic Pollution Opinion Brainstorming Note Taker (G5, U3, L14) — Completed on Day 1
Two Paragraph Opinion Outline (G5, U3, L14)
Two Paragraph Opinion Outline Sample Response (G5, U3, L14)

Standards

SL.5.1SL.5.4W.5.1W.5.1.aW.5.1.bW.5.5

Day 3 - Drafting

Include opposing facts to strengthen opinion writing.

Plastic Pollution Opinion Brainstorming Note Taker (G5, U3, L14) — Completed on Day 1
Two Paragraph Opinion Outline (G5, U3, L14) — Completed on Day 2

Standards

SL.5.4W.5.1W.5.1.aW.5.1.bW.5.5W.5.8

Day 4 - Revision & Editing

Use evaluative and modal words to strengthen an opinion.

Standards

L.5.3.aSL.5.1SL.5.4W.5.1W.5.5

Explain what "stealth microplastics" are and what steps we can take to reduce plastic waste from microplastics.

“Ten 'stealth microplastics' to avoid if you want to save the oceans”

Standards

L.5.3.aRI.5.3

Describe how Shelby's actions show that a single person can make a difference.

“A Girl Scout's letters spurred companies to cut down on using plastic straws”
“Little girl, big difference: 4th grader's idea helps reduce trash at Pikes Peak region-area elementary school”

Standards

L.5.3.aRI.5.3RI.5.8

Gauge student understanding of unit content and skills with one of Fishtank's unit assessments.

Write a paragraph that describes a solution for reducing the school's use of plastic after researching different alternatives. Create a presentation to convince others around the school to take part and minimize the school's use of plastic.

Day 1 - Brainstorming

Paraphrase accurately and concisely.

Brainstorming Page 2 (G5, U3, L18)
Brainstorming Page 2 Sample Response (G5, U3, L18)
Brainstorming Page 2 Nonexample Sample Response (G5, U3, L18)

Standards

L.5.4.cSL.5.4W.5.6W.5.7W.5.8W.5.9

Day 2 - Planning

Plan for writing by creating an outline that includes a topic sentence and relevant details for each section.

Brainstorming Page 2 (G5, U3, L18) — Completed on Day 1
Brainstorming Page 2 Sample Response (G5, U3, L18)
Single Paragraph Outline
Single Paragraph Outline Sample Response (G5, U3, L18)

Standards

W.5.1.aW.5.1.bW.5.2.aW.5.2.bW.5.2.eW.5.7W.5.9

Day 3 - Drafting

Use signal words and phrases to show the relationship between ideas in a paragraph.

Single Paragraph Outline — Completed on Day 2
Single Paragraph Outline Sample Response (G5, U3, L18)

Standards

SL.5.4W.5.1W.5.1.aW.5.1.bW.5.2.aW.5.2.bW.5.2.eW.5.7W.5.9

Day 4 - Revision & Editing

Add or change specific facts and details to make general descriptions more effective.

Standards

L.5.3.aW.5.2.b

Day 5 - Publishing

Elaborate on reasons by adding text features to support the main ideas.

Presentation Sample Response (G5, U3, L18)

Standards

SL.5.4SL.5.5W.5.1W.5.1.aW.5.1.bW.5.2.aW.5.6W.5.7

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