Curriculum / ELA / 8th Grade / Unit 5: Facing Calamity: Climate Change Facts and Fictions / Lesson 6
ELA
Unit 5
8th Grade
Lesson 6 of 23
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Write objective summaries and determine central ideas in informational articles.
Article: “Exxon Knew about Climate Change almost 40 years ago” by Shannon Hall
Article: “Fishermen Sue Big Oil for Its Role in Climate Change” by Alastair Bland
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Tasks that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved
Summarize the first two sections of the article "Fishermen Sue Big Oil for Its Role in Climate Change (Introduction and A Recent History of Heatwaves)" in three to five sentences and include the central idea of this section of text as the first sentence of your summary.
An example response to the Target Task at the level of detail expected of the students.
Questions about the text that will help guide the students understanding
In two to three sentences, summarize Exxon’s history conducting climate change research in the 1970s and 80s, based on information from paragraphs 1 through 3 in the article "Exxon Knew About Climate Change Almost 40 Years Ago."
In two to three sentences, summarize Exxon’s response to their own climate change research and their political and social messaging in the past several decades, based on information from paragraphs 5 through 10 of the article "Exxon Knew About Climate Change Almost 40 Years Ago."
How does Exxon respond to claims that they were hiding information about climate change and purposely spreading misinformation about its causes?
What is the central idea of this article? Support your answer with two pieces of evidence from the text that most strongly support your central idea statement.
Assess student understanding and monitor progress toward this lesson's objective with an Exit Ticket.
Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text
central idea
n.
the most important idea that the writer is communicating to the reader in a nonfiction text.
plausible
adj.
appearing true and reasonable; believable
incontrovertible
unable to be denied or disproven
Reading and/or task to be completed at home in preparation for the next lesson.
To ensure that students are prepared for the next lesson, have students complete the following reading for homework. Use guidance from the next lesson to identify any additional language or background support students may need while independently engaging with the text.
Article: “As Rising Heat Bakes US Cities, The Poor Often Feel It Most” by Meg Anderson and Sean McMinn
While reading, answer the following questions.
According to the article, why are low-income neighborhoods often hotter than wealthier areas? Provide two reasons.
What are some of the possible solutions to the problem of higher temperatures in low-income areas?
Why is this an important problem to solve?
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RI.8.2 — Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit
L.8.6 — Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
RI.8.1 — Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.8.3 — Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).
RI.8.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
RI.8.9 — Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.
RI.8.10 — By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 6—8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
SL.8.1 — Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.8.6 — Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
W.8.1 — Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
W.8.1.a — Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
W.8.1.b — Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
W.8.4 — Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.8.9 — Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
W.8.9.b — Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced").
W.8.10 — Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Lesson 5
Lesson 7
Explain how specific words, phrases, and structural choices develop tone in Greta Thunberg’s speeches, and how tone impacts meaning.
RI.8.4
Identify the key ideas Gore uses to support his claims about climate change and assess whether the evidence he provides is relevant and sufficient.
RI.8.8
Identify a writer’s claims in a text and explain how they support those claims, as well as how they respond to conflicting viewpoints.
RI.8.6 RI.8.8
Infer the meaning of unknown words using context clues, use reference materials to verify the meaning of words, and explain how word choice develops meaning in an informational article.
L.8.4 L.8.4.a L.8.4.c L.8.4.d RI.8.4
Explain how Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner specific words and phrases develop tone in a poem and how tone impacts meaning.
RL.8.4
RI.8.2
Identify claims made in an informational article and assess the relevance and sufficiency of evidence provided to support those claims.
Explain how writer Abby Geni uses imagery and figurative language to establish mood and meaning in a short story.
RL.8.2 RL.8.4
Determine a theme in the short story, "Notes from a Bottle" and explain how the author develops it; identify literary allusions and explain how they help to build meaning in a text.
RL.8.2 RL.8.9
Writing
Research the possible impacts of climate change and begin to brainstorm aspects of setting for climate fiction narratives.
W.8.3 W.8.8 W.8.9
Draft two paragraphs vividly describing the setting of your climate fiction narrative.
W.8.3 W.8.3.a W.8.3.b W.8.3.d
Draft a short climate fiction scene.
W.8.3 W.8.3.a
L.8.2 L.8.2.a W.8.3 W.8.5
Compare and contrast the central arguments of two articles about climate change, and explain how one author acknowledges and responds to viewpoints that differ from their own.
RI.8.6 RI.8.9
Determine the central idea of sections of An Inconvenient Sequel and synthesize information in a short presentation that educates classmates.
RI.8.2 SL.8.4
Synthesize information about a young climate activist and create a short presentation that educates classmates.
Delineate arguments made about climate change and assess whether the evidence provided is relevant and sufficient.
Socratic Seminar
Engage in a Socratic Seminar with peers, responding directly to others by rephrasing and delineating arguments, determining the strength of evidence, and posing clarifying questions.
SL.8.1 SL.8.1.d SL.8.3 SL.8.4
Research the potential local impacts of climate change in preparation for writing a letter to a congressperson.
W.8.1 W.8.7 W.8.8 W.8.9
Outline a letter urging a congressperson to take action to stop climate change.
W.8.1 W.8.1.a W.8.1.b W.8.5
Draft a letter urging a congressperson to take action to stop climate change.
W.8.1 W.8.1.a W.8.1.b W.8.1.c W.8.1.e
L.8.3 L.8.3.a W.8.1 W.8.1.d
Assessment – 2 days
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