Created by Saaranen

Title of Lesson: The Lorax

Subject Area: English Language Arts

Grade Level: 6-8

Approximate Time to Do Lesson: 3-5 days (extension available)

Overview: The theme of this lesson is centered on location, history, story-telling, and activism. This will aid student learning through looking at classic childhood story-telling, a cyclical view of our region’s history, and whether we see this as something to change. Students will approach this lesson through interpersonal and solitary communication, kinesthetic learning, reading and writing, and visual perception. Critical information literacy will be addressed through group analysis of primary source letters and a share out of information learned. 

Standards Addressed:

Reading

  • Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.
  • 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.

Writing

  • Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
  • Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
  • Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
  • Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
  • Establish and maintain a formal style.
  • Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

Speaking & Listening

  • Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacherled) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
  • Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
  • Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed. 
    Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.
  • Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented.

Modifications for Diverse Learning Needs: 

  • Guided worksheets
  • Verbal & visual instructions
  • Group learning
  • Case-based, real-world learning
  • Group discussions & share-outs
  • Demonstrations
  • Learning stations
  • 21st Century Skills
  • Opportunities for self-reflection
  • Sense of purpose

Lesson Objectives: Students will work to decide what their stance is on the future mining of their community through classic literature, primary sources, news articles, & (as an extension if time permits) research. They will write a letter to express their viewpoint to the mining company of their choice. 

Download the Lesson Plans and Support Files Below

All files are made available with Creative Commons License CC BY NC 

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