Argument: Are the Great Lakes Threatened?

Name: Melissa Cieniuch

Grade Level: 7th grade Science
Date: October 31, 2013
Length of Lesson: 50 minutes
Time Lesson Takes Place: 9:20am-10:15am
Objectives for todays lesson:

Students will be able to connect prior knowledge to todays topic

Students will be able to create an argument based on visual and textual evidence
Students will be able to compare and contrast information to form an argument

GLCEs: E.ES.M.4 E.ES.07.41 E.ES.07.42

CCSS: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.7-8
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1.a-e: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and
relevant evidence.
NGSS: Cross Cutting Concepts: Compare and Contrast
Academic, Social and
Introduction
Linguistic Support during
Begin class by having Thursdays Bellwork up on the
each event
SMARTBoard
Remind students that they are to write in one full
sentence- their best science guess.
As students are getting seated, they will be getting their
science notebooks from the class basket and opening their
notebooks to answer todays question.
After the minute bell rings, begin class by reading todays
question out loud. Give 5 minutes to answer question in a
complete sentence while I take attendance.
Come back together, have a student answer todays question.
Move onto second slide: Planners, Agenda, Picture of the Day.
o

Outline of Lesson
Activity

Pose question to the class with use of the SMARTBoard: Are the
Great Lakes threatened: Do we as citizens have to play a role in
keeping the Great Lakes balanced and healthy?

Set up notebook page with Date and Great Lakes Argument at

the top.

Purpose: practice in writing an argumentative sentence.

o
Putting their thoughts and opinions into an argument

Instructions: to the class. Turn to your partner and come up with

your initial thought. Do you think the Great Lakes need the help
of us or should they be left to evolve on their own?

Write down: My Initial Thought: in your science notebooks at

the top of your page.

Say to class: Your directions will be this. We will watch

two video clips on the Great Lakes with our class
SMARTBoard. As you watch, you will need to write down
in your notebooks facts that either supports your initial
thought or negates (goes against) your initial thought.

(think of the authors purpose, analyze the clip for

information to support or negate your initial argument).

As students watch the clips, I will walk around and prompt

students who are not writing as they watch. Pause in-between
clips and have them analyze them for their purpose and
information. Prompt them before the second clip to compare

Bellwork is on SMARTBoard.
Read question aloud for those
who comprehend better when
read aloud to.
Walk around the room, assess
completion.
Remind students that it is their
best educated guess.

Having a visual and written

activity today will help those
who learn in two different
ways.
Having information available in
their notebooks to connect
their prior knowledge to
todays assignment will help
those who want a reminder of
this weeks past work.
Walk around/prompt students
who need to stay engaged.

and contrast as they gather information.

After we have finished the second clip: I will then instruct: At
this time, look at what you have jotted down about the
clips. Form your final argument in one sentence: Do you
think citizens have to play a role in keeping the Great
Lakes balanced and healthy? Form your argument as:
Yes/No, I believe that ______ because _____.
Write down Argument: in notebook and explain in class.

Closing
Gather attention: Begin class discussion
o
Do you think humans need to help the Great Lakes?
Should we leave it alone because we do more harm
than good?
o
Discuss thoughts as a class.
o
Invasive species topic will arise. Continue with how
invasive species have impacted the Great Lakes. Why
were Chinook salmon (our salmon we will be having in
class) introduced into the Great Lakes because theyre
non-native (from Atlantic).
Introduce Invasive Species WANTED Poster Assignment
o
Students will look at Invasive Species WANTED Poster
Assignment rubric and direction sheet.
o
Students can use their previously completed
Newspaper Article to use as Primary Source Information
for their WANTED poster.
-ORo
Students can choose a new species to base their poster
off of from their Notebook page previously completed in
their science notebook.

Extra Time
Begin working on WANTED poster due on Monday.

Assessment
Formative Assessment
Informal: Walking around while students are writing their thoughts to
the video clips.
Formal: 2nd quarter grade: WANTED poster. Use rubric to grade.
Formal: Science Experiment Notebook Rubric
o
After todays in-class work, notebooks will be graded with
Notebook page 3 Science Notebook Rubric in December
for their 2nd notebook grade.
Summative Assessment
At the end of the unit there will be an end of unit test which will
have questions pertaining to what they have learned in Unit 2
including everything during Salmon Week.

Academic, Social, and

Linguistic Support during
assessment