Concept Unit

Lesson Plan Template

Unit Working Title: What is Truth?

Unit Big Idea (Concept/Theme): Truth and perspective

Unit Primary Skill focus: Evaluating and understanding point of view in non-fiction texts

Week 2 of 3; Plan #5 of 9; [90 mins.]

Plan type: Full-Detail

Content Requirement Satisfied:

(Note: Refer to the list in the document called Concept Unit Lesson Plans)
Writing Plan 2 (non-grammar/syntax)
Model Text

Unit Learning Objectives (numbered) [from my Backwards Design Unit Document],

followed by Specific lesson objectives (lettered) being taught in this lesson:

SWBAT:
Cognitive (know/understand):
3. In order to think critically, we need to analyze multiple points of view.

B. Students will understand that either side of a point of view can be valid.

Affective (feel/value) and/or Non-Cognitive:

4. Students will be able to openly discuss bias, cultural perspectives, and multiple viewpoints
openly, thoughtfully, and respectfully with their peers and instructor.
B. Students will objectively discuss a controversial viewpoint.

Performance (do):
7. Students will be able to apply understanding of point of view purposefully.
B. Students will be able to construct an alternative point of view using a source text.

SOLs: [List with numbers portrayed in the SOL document]

12.6 The student will develop expository and informational, analyses, and
persuasive/argumentative writings.
12.6 a) Generate, gather, plan, and organize ideas for writing to
address a specific audience and purpose.
CCSs: [List with numbers portrayed in the CCS document]
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or
texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

Methods of Assessment:
[How will you know if the intended learning occurred?] List all methods of assessment used in
this lesson or which are related to this lesson and come in a future lesson. After each assessment,
indicate in brackets the number(s) and letter(s) of the unit objective and the related lesson
objectives that the assessment is evaluating.
 Diagnostic
Think Pair Share:
The think pair share will
demonstrate the students
knowledge about how the
text is constructed.
Obj. 3A, 4B
Formative
Discussion about
characteristics:
The development of a list of
characteristics will assess how
the students are processing
and grouping/rationalizing the
qualities which will be
required in their writing to
create their Flip the Script
text.
Summative
Flip the Script final
assignment:
Ultimately, the students will be
turning in their writings which
will show their ability to
demonstrate persuasion in a
written text as well as their
ability to utilize details from a
source.

Obj. 3A, 4B, 7B Obj. 3A, 7C

Procedures/Instructional Strategies
[Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]

Beginning Room Arrangement:

The room will be arranged in its normal pods. On the table on the way in, copies of Appendix B
will be out for students to grab as they come in. Appendix A, slide 2 should be projected on the
board for students.
[Changes in this arrangement that become necessary later will be noted in the plan]

1. Bridge/Hook/Opening to lesson [22 min]:

Coming in: [Slide 2, Appendix A] Hey-oh! Go ahead and get your computers going
and settle in for SSR. Remember, during SSR is the perfect time to hook up to a charger
so if you need to charge lets do it! Grab the sheet off the table as well. You are going to
need it. You have three minutes then I will set the timer for SSR. [Give the students 3
minutes to get situated] Okay timer started, here we go! You have 20 minutes [Set
timer].
Activity Intro: Okie dokes, folks! Time is up. We are going to move onto our next
activity!

2. Think, Pair, Share [min]:

Think [min]: Still in silent mode, go ahead and get on your computer and pull up the
link I emailed to you. With it, look at the sheet you picked up. Independently, I want you
to consider the questions on the board. Feel free to write on the sheet, and please do
write down your answers. You have about 6 minutes.
Pair [min]: [Next slide] Okay time is up guys! So now, with your elbow partner, I want
you to discuss your findings. Together, come up with one similarity and one difference
between the texts. You will be sharing out with the class. You have four minutes. Go!
Share [min]: Okay guys, I want to talk about your findings. Lets share. We will start
with this pod here and go around the room clockwise [pick pod closest to door]. Share
out your findings. [Go through each pair of students. During their share out, write all
answers on the board. Group like answers to create a mentor text guide that will help
students to write their own papers. This should be organic, but with some leading from
the instructor]. Okay awesome guys, so here are what I think are the big ideas from what
 you said: the biggest difference is the main idea behind the texts. One is criticizing the
idea of global warming while one is complimenting it. Our biggest similarity is that they
use similar facts to back them up. Well ladies and gentlemen, that is because I indeed
wrote the anti-global warming article using quotes from the pro-global warming article.
Did anyone identify any qualifiers in the text, any specific words or ways things were
phrased in it, that allowed me to manipulate the information? [give students a second to
think about it. Try to encourage them to pull actual examples from the text] So some of
the ones I see are the words only, things like that that are minimizing the facts listed in
the original article.

3. Flip the Script Assignment Intro [min]:

Assignment Explanation [min]: [Have adjacent student hand out Appendix C while you
start talking] Okay, so, each of you is going to flip the script as I did on the article that
you were assigned last class. This is an independent activity and it is graded. On the
sheet I handed out, you will see that I want you to turn it in next Monday. You will have a
lot of time in class today and on Friday to work on it, and I expect you to finish it over
the weekend. If you have any foreseeable issues with this timeline, please talk to me after
class. What I want you to do with this assignment is apply the core concepts of the
example we looked at but in your own writing. That means that I want you to flip a main
idea of the article you read and write it from the alternative viewpoint BUT you have to
use only facts from your article. I do not want you using extra outside sources. I want to
see what you can do with the information you were handed. It might be tough and tricky,
but I believe in you and I am here to help!
4. Planning and Drafting Mini-Lesson [min]:
Think Aloud [min]: So, what do you guys think we should do to get started on our
paper? Where would be a good place to start in this process? What are you going to do
first? [Take suggestions from students and come up with a short list]
Guidelines [min]: Awesome, so here are my thoughts on what I want you to focus on
today as you get started with your draft [Next slide]. First things first, this is not your
final product. What you work on today is unlikely to be the end-all-be-all of your write-
up. Today we are in the planning and drafting phase. What you will do first, like you guys
said, is pick a topic. In this instance, you are picking the alternative viewpoint from your
article. For some of you, it might be very direct. Like for me, it was easy because global
warming is not a problem was really the only alternative viewpoint I could argue. But
with some, for instance the Emmett Till article, it might not be so clear. With the Emmett
Till article, we could maybe argue that Bryant was not guilty, but that would be hard.
Another view, though, could be that what Bryant did was justified which might be easier
to swing. So based on your article, you need to come up with a viewpoint that you are
going to back up. Just remember, it should be contrary to the one presented in the article.
Next, you are going to want to collect your evidence. For this assignment, what do you
think you will use for evidence? [let one or two students answer] Right, facts and quotes
from your source text. Next, you are going to plan it out then apply your plan. Try to sort
which order you want to put your ideas in, which ideas group together, which ones can
be categorized. I like to do this by making lists or a diagram of what ideas overlap. Then,
once you have your order, try it out. Write your rough draft. It does not have to be perfect
or complete today, but you will want to get started so that you know what you are
working with. Any questions before we move into our workshopping on either the
assignment or how to approach it?
5. Workshop [min]: So you have the rest of class to work on your paper. It is okay if you
chat while you do this, but remember that even though some of you have the same
articles, this is an INDEPENDENT assignment and you cannot turn in the same write-up.
 I will be coming around to ask you how you are doing and to help you out. As always, if
you have a question during conferencing write your name on the board and I will come
to you. Get to it! [teacher will circulate the room and check in with students. Questions
will focus on what their argument is, how they are choosing their evidence, and how they
plan to plan their write-up. The additional outline sheet (Appendix D) can be provided to
any and all students, but particularly to students who are struggling to organize their
thoughts. Towards the last five minutes of the workshop, teacher will put a sticky note on
each student desk]
6. Closure [min] : Okay guys, before you go, on the sticky note I provided, I need you to
put down your name and write one sentence that sums up what viewpoint you are going
to present in your article. Put it in the bin on the way out!

Differentiated Instruction to accommodate one or more of my profiled students:

(This is where you identify specific aspects of this lesson which have been differentiated in order
to address the needs of one or more of your profiled studentsidentify them by name)

Elsie: The Think Pair Share is great for Elsie because although she excels in the class, she does
not really like to speak up. This method allows her time to articulate her thoughts, share them on
a low level with just her partner, and then allows her ideas to be share by either herself or her
partner. The discussions that follow also allow time for her to participate if she wants to.

Graham: The Think Pair Share also works for Graham. Because he is a bit of a goofball, group
work usually goes askew when he is involved. The TPS requires has built in accountability since
the students are required to share out. Because of this, he will be forced to discuss the task at
hand in order to have an answer to share out at the end.

The outline sheet is designed to help scaffold for students who are a little lost in the planning
process. I think this sheet could be helpful to students on varying readiness levels or of varying
organizational habits.
Materials Needed (list):
Projector
White board
White board marker
Copies of Appendices B, C, and D for each student
Appendix A: PowerPoint
Appendix B: Global Warming Write-Up
Appendix C: Flip the Script Assignment Sheet
Appendix D: Outline Hand Out

Materials Appendix: (e.g., supplementary texts, Ppts, overheads, graphic organizers,

handouts, etc.)