7th Grade ELA - Mrs. Mathieu's Class

Course:  Argument Analysis Using Informational Text

Instructor:  Shenica Bridges - Mathieu 

Office Hours: 8am-6:30 pm Monday - Friday (room 909) 

Location:  Freedom Middle School

Contact:  shenica_bridges_mathieu@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us

Google Voice:  770-322-4743

Audience: This course is designed for7^th grade English Language Learners who have multiple ethnicities: Burmese, Spanish, Nepali, Ethiopian, Sudanese, Arab, etc. Most students range in age from 12-14.  The average time in the United States for the students is three years, so there are multiple levels of English Proficiency.  Those levels range according to the WIDA standards, and they are from level 1-level 5.  Based off a learning styles assessment, the majority of the students are artistic because 40% of the students have that as there number one strength.  A third of the students have good intrapersonal and interpersonal stability, and about 20% are musical.  The majority of these students have basic computer skills that they have acquired through school, but they don’t have access to a computer or the internet at home, so this module will have to be accessed during school hours. 

Standards: 

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

7. RI.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

7. RI.3 Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events)

7. RI.7 Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium's portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words).

7. RI.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is

Sound and the evidence are relevant and sufficient to support the claims.

 

7. RI.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.

 

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

 

7. RI.10 By the end of the year read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6-8 text complexity

band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

 

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

7. SL.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent

descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear

pronunciation.

7. W.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and

 evidence logically.

b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources

 and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

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

 reasons and evidence.

d. Establish and maintain a formal style.

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

Student Learning Objectives:  By the end of this module, 7^th grade ESOL students-will know do the following:

• React to the context of the article “Looking Good: The Psychology and Biology of Beauty” using academic and content vocabulary (claim, counterclaim, psychology, symmetry, and valid).
• Use technology to compare and contrast text to an audio version.
• Evaluate and Analyze arguments
• Cite textual evidence to support what is written and implied in a text.
• Write a rebuttal argument using a formulaic template in order to understand the process of argumentative writing.

 

Prerequisite Skills: The students will need to have dictionary search skills, basic computer skills, basic research skills, including some ability to search the Internet, use Microsoft Word, download plug-ins, and do quizzes online.

Duration/Time Needed: 2 weeks

 

Brief  Description of the Content: In this module, 7^th grade ESOL middle school students will be introduced to informational text that will incite debate 1)  to master oral language skills  2) to help them understand how to read and evaluate informational text 3) to help them develop their argumentative writing skills they will need to work in the 21^st Century.  Initially students will become acquainted with the appropriate vocabulary to help them navigate the reading and comprehension of the task. The 7^th graders will also listen to an audio version of the texts being analyzed while reading the text in order to aid in understanding.  English language learners be involved in a debate and discussion simulation in order to prepare themselves to work in groups or independently.  This module will also include

 1) instruction and practice in evaluating the pros and cons with a specific topic, established guidelines for debating orally and on paper; and 2) discussion how ideas influence individuals or events or how individuals influence ideas or events.   

 

 

 Activities/Instructional Strategies: 

 

Implementation:

Familiarize 7^th grade ESOL students with the vocabulary necessary to complete the tasks (e.g. (claim, counterclaim, psychology, symmetry, and valid).

1. Have the students do vocabulary      graphic organizers and multiple choice activities to show that they      understand the necessary vocabulary.      

1. Take a pre-assessment test to determine how well the student is familiar with the application of the standards that will be covered. 

 

2.  Listen to the audio version of the text      on the school computers

1. Identifying the previously       taught vocabulary that was used. 
2. Acquaint the students with       some useful websites that might help them to get a visual of words that       they are still struggling with from the text.  (see a list of sites at the end of the       module)
3. Use basic English skills to       discuss your analysis of the text versus the audio version. 

 

2. Using a lesson on the      preformatted Analysis Essay Template as a model
1. Review the format of an essay.
2. Review the differences that       argumentative essays take on.

3. Review transition words and       phrasing that is used in the essay
4. Apply understanding of the       argumentative essay format using the Analysis template and the essay       sentence starters.
5. Identify strategies for       evaluating speeches or essays.
6. Assign pre-service teachers to       create ELL support for a lesson in a different discipline, for example, a       history lesson on the Lewis and Clark expedition. 

 

1. The students will become familiar with reading strategies and graphic organizers especially helpful to ELL.  They will also have a total of two group work task cards to complete.
2. The students will take a post assessment.
3. The students will turn in a formulaic argumentative essay. 

 

 

 

Resources/Materials:  Consultations with a linguistics and/or ESL teacher.

Hillocks, George Jr. Teaching Argument Writing. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2011.

The following worksheets and handouts will need to be downloaded from my Teachers Pay Teachers store and the follow url:  http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Shackles-Off-My-Learning (The students will not have to pay for the products that I have listed.  If there is a price, I will print out the document or email it to them for free.)

1. Differentiated Task Cards - non-fiction text (see non-fiction slides)

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Differentiated-Task-Cards-non-fiction-text-see-non-flction-slides-497964

 

2.     Non - Fiction Article to Address ELA Common Core Standards: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Non-Fiction-Article-to-Address-ELA-Common-Core-Standards-497939 3.    Essay Sentence Starters http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Essay-Sentence-Starters-728698 4.    Reading Informational Text: Key Ideas and Details – Differentiated Activities http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Reading-Informational-Text-Key-Ideas-and-Details-Differentiated-Activities-728851 5.    Task Card for Comparing and Contrasting a Text to its Audio or Video Version http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Task-Card-for-Comparing-and-Contrasting-a-Text-to-its-Audio-or-Video-Version-937639 6.    Analysis of an Argument Performance Task Template http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Analysis-of-an-Argument-Performance-Task-Template-937984

 

Learner Support: Students will be able to consult with the teacher or a peer teacher for additional learner support.  In addition, they can use the classroom computers to watch mini lessons and instructional “how to” videos. 

 

Technology Useful the task:

 

 

www.teacherspayteachers.com – the students will need to be able to download the forms necessary to complete the class at home or at the library etc.

 

 

Karin�s ESL Partyland for ESL Students and Teachers: http://eslpartyland.com

two sections, one for teachers and one for students.  The teacher section contains lesson plans and reproducible material.  The site also has an Internet scavenger hunt for students working in pairs.

Interesting Things for ESL Students: www.ManyThings.org  This is a good site for vocabulary development.  Activities are fun games, puzzles, interactive quizzes.

 

Ask Mr. ESL:  http://gepc.org/ESL  

Students can 1) ask a question about English; 2) view archives of past questions and answers; 3) subscribe to receive e-mail messages from the site twice a week. 

 

 

Sandy’s Grammar Rules: http://faculty.ccc.edu/selbaum

This site can also be accessed via Google.com by entering the site name. The site contains at least 150 grammar rules with examples and practice exercises.  It’s interactive, animated, and fun.

 

Assessment: 

 

 Pretest: to evaluate the students’ initial mastery of the standards developed prior to 7^th grade.  

 

Posttest – to evaluate mastery of the standards taught.   

 

Student Assessment Rubric:  The students will grade each other on how well they participated in the group discussions.

 

Portfolio: students will demonstrate their argument skills by using a template to create an argumentative essay.  It will include online work in reading, writing, and grammar.