Feb 22-26 English 7 Lesson Plan

Name Vincent (Tony) Mick

Grade English 7

Unit Chasing the Impossible

Lesson Topic Applying literacy strategies to informational text (op-ed “Machines, not
people”)

Time Allotted 60 minutes

Context for This lesson falls within Week 4 of Quarter 3.

Learning
(prior Students will need facility with multiple technologies (StudySync,
knowledge MyMCPS, Peardeck, Zoom). Students have demonstrated the digital
required; place literacies required for this lesson.
within unit;
technology Students also will need prior knowledge of informational text and various
available; reading skills. The lesson provides deliberate practice of reading skills
room they have previously encountered.
arrangement)

Standards RI7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RI7.2 Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their
development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of
the text.

RI7.4 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 choice on meaning and tone.

RI7.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and

analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of
others.

Objectives Given context clues and the Internet, ​I will be able to determine​ the
(ABCD meaning of unfamiliar words and concepts in “Machines, not people” by
method) completing a graphic organizer.

I will be able to develop​ questions about “Machines, not people”

completing a graphic organizer.
Feb 22-26 English 7 Lesson Plan

I will be able to determine​ central ideas in “Machines, not people” by

answering a set of Peardeck questions.

Agenda included in Google Slides.

Formative ● Peardeck prediction multiple choice

Assessment ● Clarifying/questioning graphic organizer (monitored through
(helps form Google LTI)
future ● Capture sheet for clarification, question, and response to peer
instruction; question
observation, ● Peardeck StudySync “Think” questions (5 points
sample work, practice/participation)
questioning)

Summative None
Assessment
(documents
mastery;
evaluate
performance in
terms of
objective;
quizzes,
independent
practice,
projects)

Materials ● EdPuzzle video​ on space exploration

● Weekly Google Slides​ (including Peardeck slides for pre- and
post-reading activities)
● Clarifying/questioning graphic organizer
● Capture sheet ​for clarification, question, and response to peer
● StudySync module “Spotlight: Informational Text Structures” (just
for teacher to screenshare)
● StudySync module “First Read: Machines, not people”

Proactive This lesson intentionally avoids breakout rooms, as they present

Behavior challenges during remote learning and do not play to either the teacher’s
Management current strengths or the students’ current engagement patterns. The
lesson’s delivery of instruction to the whole class as a group is an example
of differentiation through proactive behavior management (recognizing
what instructional delivery models play to student strengths in the virtual
model).
Feb 22-26 English 7 Lesson Plan

Provisions for Teacher provides multiple opportunities/formats for participation.

Student Students complete multiple written formative assessments throughout the
Learning (how lesson (capture sheet, Peardeck slide, EdPuzzle). Teacher also calls on
transitions students. Calling on students has been an effective strategy in the virtual
managed, how model, as students need to remain present if they do not know when they
participation will be called on and as it removes the burden of overcoming students’
encouraged) passivity as a result of their burnout with the remote learning experience.
To ensure distribution of participation, teacher uses hard-copy of roster to
keep track of who has been called on. Teacher has observed cold-calling
to be the most effective way to get buy-in from students and to keep
lesson moving.

Warm-up Students view and answer questions to ​EdPuzzle video​ on space

(independent exploration. Video assists with pre-reading visualization and activation of
settling) prior knowledge.

Teacher takes attendance.​ ​5min

Motivator / Students read objectives and agenda aloud. ​1min

Bridge (review
prior learning, Teacher screenshares StudySync video “Spotlight: Informational Text
tie into new Structure” to review types of expository text structures. ​3min
learning, state
objectives) Teacher screenshares StudySync drag-and-drop vocabulary exercise on
text structures. Teacher calls on students to provide answers during
exercise. ​2min

Activity To further prime students for independently reading “Machines, not

Sequence people,” teacher screenshares StudySync video “Intro: Machines, not
people.” ​1min

Students then complete exercise to predict text’s structure based on

teacher-selected excerpt. Students read excerpt on Peardeck slide and
answer multiple choice question to identify probable text structure. Using
data from Peardeck, teacher calls on students to explain answers. ​4min

Answers to above are likely to vary, which is optimal because “Machines,

not people” uses both problem/solution and compare/contrast structures.
Teacher explains that some texts mix structures, and that “Machines, not
people” is one of those texts--though the text predominantly uses
compare/contrast. Teacher explains that students will work more
intensively with the text structure in “Machines, not people” on Day 2.

Teacher plays StudySync audio version of text so that students can

experience text in its entirety. ​6min
Feb 22-26 English 7 Lesson Plan

Teacher directs students to access ​clarifying/questioning graphic organizer

in week’s MyMCPS module. Teacher reviews organizer with students.
Students then read first chunk of text (paragraphs 1-5) and complete the
organizer for this chunk. Teacher calls on students to share their
clarifications and questions. ​7min

Students independently finish re-reading text and complete the remainder

of the ​graphic organizer​. During this independent read, teacher monitors
students’ progress by reviewing their Google Docs through the MyMCPS
Google LTI function. ​15min

Students complete ​collaborative capture sheet​ to provide one sample of a

clarification and one sample of a question. Students also answer respond
to one other student’s question. ​5min

Summary / Teacher screenshares Peardeck slides incorporating StudySync “Think”

Closure (exit questions #2 and #3. Students self-pace these questions. These slides
ticket) function as exit ticket. ​6min

A​ 4 min​ buffer remains for student questions, housekeeping, or

addressing the unexpected. At this point in my development, I tend to
underestimate the time it takes to complete a lesson, so I want to preserve
this buffer.

Adaptations Scaffolds
This lesson features scaffolding of seven different literacy strategies:
visualizing, activating prior knowledge, predicting, chunking, identifying
text structures, using graphic organizers, and questioning. Combining
reading strategies is an evidence-based instructional approach that
benefits students of all abilities.

Proactive behavior management

This lesson intentionally avoids breakout rooms, as they present
challenges during remote learning and do not play to either the teacher’s
current strengths or the students’ current engagement patterns. The
lesson’s delivery of instruction to the whole class as a group is an example
of differentiation through proactive behavior management (recognizing
what instructional delivery models play to student strengths in the virtual
model).

Formative assessments
The lesson’s multiple formative assessments provide the teacher
opportunities to differentiate in real-time (please see formative assessment
section above).

Multiple presentation styles

Feb 22-26 English 7 Lesson Plan

The lesson delivers instruction verbally, visually, and through modeling.

The lesson uses multiple media formats (video, audio).

Generalization Students may independently read ​Apollo 13: Mission Highlights​ in the
/ Extension StudySync Library. Students may look for connections between this
extension text and “Machines, not people.”

Reinforcement None.
(homework;
should
continue
guided practice
at home and/or
prepare for
next lesson)

StudySync Spotlight: Informational Text Structure

Module Needs
First Read: “Machines, not people”
-Intro, Read, and Quiz sections

Grades for In-class Peardeck response to “Think” Questions (5 points

Week practice/participation)

STANDARDS FOR UNIT 3

Feb 22-26 English 7 Lesson Plan

(for reference during lesson planning)

WRITING

W7.1.a Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate claims, and organize the reasons and evidence
logically.

W7.1.b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible
sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

W7.1.c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among
claim(s), reasons, and evidence.

W7.1.d Establish and maintain a formal style.

W7.1.e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument
presented.

W7.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are
defined in standards 1–3 above.)

W7.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well
purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate
command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 7 on page 52.)

W7.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite
sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.

W7.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources, and
generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.

L7.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when
writing or speaking.

L7.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation,

and spelling when writing.
Feb 22-26 English 7 Lesson Plan

READING

L7.4B Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning
of a word (e.g., belligerent, bellicose, rebel).

L7.5C Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations
(definitions) (e.g., refined, respectful, polite, diplomatic, condescending).

RI7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly
as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RI7.2 Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the
course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

RI7.4 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 choice on
meaning and tone.

RI7.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author
distinguishes his or her position from that of others.

RI7.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the
reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims.

RI7.9 Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of
key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of
facts.