Lesson 18 - Day 2 - Planning | Plastic Pollution | 5th Grade Language Arts

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."

Materials

Trash Vortex pp. 40–43
“Single-Use Plastics” — Figure 1.2–Figure 1.8
Editing Checklist 1 (G5, U3)

Standards

L.5.3.aRI.5.3RI.5.8

Lesson

Writing

Overview

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

Materials

Trash Vortex
Informational Writing Rubric (G5)
Single Point Informational Writing Rubric (G5, U3)
Two Paragraph Outline (G5, U3, L10)
Brainstorming Page 1 (G5, U3, L10)
Brainstorming Page 1 Sample Response (G5, U3, L10)

Day 1 - Brainstorming

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

Materials

Trash Vortex
Single Point Informational Writing Rubric (G5, U3)
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.

Materials

Single Point Informational Writing Rubric (G5, U3)
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.

Materials

Informational Writing Rubric (G5)
Single Point Informational Writing Rubric (G5, U3)
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

Lesson

Language

Show the relationship between two ideas using a conjunction.

Materials

Editing Checklist 2 (G5, U3)

Standards

L.5.3.a

Lesson

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

Materials

Trash Vortex pp. 44–48
Plastic Pollution Note Taker (G5, U3)

Standards

L.5.3.aRI.5.3RI.5.8

Lesson

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

Materials

Trash Vortex pp. 49–55
Plastic Pollution Note Taker (G5, U3)
Editing Checklist 2 (G5, U3)

Standards

L.5.3.aRI.5.3RI.5.9

Lesson

Writing

Overview

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

Materials

Trash Vortex
“Queensland passes laws banning 'killer' single-use plastics”
“'People need them': The trouble with the movement to ban plastic straws”
“Mythbusting: 5 common misperceptions surrounding the environmental impacts of single-use plastics”
Opinion Writing Rubric (G5)
Single Point Opinion Writing Rubric 1 (G5, U3)
Two Paragraph Opinion Outline (G5, U3, L14)
Plastic Pollution Opinion Brainstorming Note Taker (G5, U3, L14)
Plastic Pollution Opinion Brainstorming Note Taker Sample Response (G5, U3, L14)

Day 1 - Brainstorming

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

Materials

All unit texts
“Queensland passes laws banning 'killer' single-use plastics”
“'People need them': The trouble with the movement to ban plastic straws”
“Mythbusting: 5 common misperceptions surrounding the environmental impacts of single-use plastics”
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.

Materials

All unit texts
“Queensland passes laws banning 'killer' single-use plastics”
“'People need them': The trouble with the movement to ban plastic straws”
“Mythbusting: 5 common misperceptions surrounding the environmental impacts of single-use plastics”
Single Point Opinion Writing Rubric 1 (G5, U3)
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.

Materials

All unit texts
“Queensland passes laws banning 'killer' single-use plastics”
“'People need them': The trouble with the movement to ban plastic straws”
“Mythbusting: 5 common misperceptions surrounding the environmental impacts of single-use plastics”
Single Point Opinion Writing Rubric 1 (G5, U3)
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.

Materials

Completed draft of the opinion project
Opinion Writing Rubric (G5)
Editing Checklist 2 (G5, U3)

Standards

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

Lesson

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

Materials

“Ten 'stealth microplastics' to avoid if you want to save the oceans”
Editing Checklist 2 (G5, U3)

Standards

L.5.3.aRI.5.3

Lesson

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

Materials

“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”
Editing Checklist 2 (G5, U3)

Standards

L.5.3.aRI.5.3RI.5.8

progress
monitoring

Lesson

Assessment

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

Lesson

Writing

Overview

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.

Materials

Trash Vortex
“Alternatives to Plastic”
“The Best Eco-Friendly Alternatives for the Plastic in Your Life”
“Eco-Friendly Plastic Bag Alternatives for Retail”
“10 Worst Single-Use Plastics and Eco-Friendly Alternatives”
“7 Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Plastics in Your Everyday Life”
“19 genius inventions that can stop us from using so much plastic”
“The natural products that could replace plastic”
“Paper, bamboo, Twizzlers: Restaurants consider alternatives to the plastic straw”
“Single-Use Plastic Straws”
Opinion Writing Rubric (G5)
Single Point Opinion Writing Rubric 2 (G5, U3)
Editing Checklist 2 (G5, U3)
Brainstorming Page 2 (G5, U3, L18)
Brainstorming Page 2 Sample Response (G5, U3, L18)
Brainstorming Page 2 Nonexample Sample Response (G5, U3, L18)
Single Paragraph Outline
Single Paragraph Outline Sample Response (G5, U3, L18)

Day 1 - Brainstorming

Paraphrase accurately and concisely.

Materials

Trash Vortex
“Alternatives to Plastic”
“The Best Eco-Friendly Alternatives for the Plastic in Your Life”
“Eco-Friendly Plastic Bag Alternatives for Retail”
“10 Worst Single-Use Plastics and Eco-Friendly Alternatives”
“7 Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Plastics in Your Everyday Life”
“19 genius inventions that can stop us from using so much plastic”
“The natural products that could replace plastic”
“Paper, bamboo, Twizzlers: Restaurants consider alternatives to the plastic straw”
“Single-Use Plastic Straws”
Single Point Opinion Writing Rubric 2 (G5, U3)
Brainstorming Page 2 (G5, U3, L18)
Brainstorming Page 2 Sample Response (G5, U3, L18)
Brainstorming Page 2 Nonexample Sample Response (G5, U3, L18)