Division of School Improvement - Model Curriculum Units

This unit consists of seven lessons that focus on identifying and organizing information using a newspaper/magazine article, editorial, or a news program. During reading, students also develop and apply reading strategies to self-question and correct, infer, visualize, and predict and check. In addition, notes are taken to identify and explain media techniques used to convey messages in various media. As part of the unit, the summative assessment contains a section on constructed response items and a summary writing prompt to help students prepare for MAP and other standardized assessment. This unit will take approximately nine 50-minute class periods, but may be adjusted as needed.

§ Why is it important to record and organize relevant information from a nonfiction source?

§ How is an appropriate note taking method or organizational strategy when recording information from a newspaper/magazine article, editorial or news program?

§ What are reading strategies and why is it important to practice these strategies in 7^th grade?

TARGETED LEARNING represents the specific Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs) that are taught and assessed in this unit. Student mastery of these skills is expected at this grade level. PREVIOUS LEARNING indicates student’s probable beginning skill level. FUTURE LEARNING provides the “next step” for instruction or student application of communication arts skills and concepts. Bolded terms are glossary items.

PREVIOUS LEARNING	TARGETED LEARNING	FUTURE LEARNING
Apply decoding strategies to problem-solve unknown words and develop vocabulary through text using roots and affixes, context clues, and a glossary, dictionary, and thesaurus when reading.	R1 Apply decoding strategies cueing systems-meaning, structure, and visual to problem-solve unknown words when reading and develop vocabulary through text using roots, affixes context clues, glossary, and dictionary	Apply decoding strategies to problem-solve unknown words in order to read 8^th grade text.
When reading 6^th grade material, students must be able to apply strategies to self-question and correct, infer, and visualize; predict and check using cueing systems such as meaning, structure, and visual.	R1G During reading, develop and apply strategies to self-question and correct, infer, visualize, predict and check.	Apply strategies in order to develop vocabulary through text using roots and affixes, context clues, a glossary, dictionary and thesaurus in order to read and comprehend 8^th grade text; predict and check using cueing systems such as meaning, structure, and visual in order to read 8^th grade text.
Use a note-taking systems to organize information from oral presentations and written text, and record relevant information using a variety of note-taking and organizational formats.	W3B Record and organize relevant information using an appropriate note-taking method and organizational strategy.	Select and use an appropriate method for note-taking at the 8^th grade level.
Write summaries of text from magazines, newspapers, and/or informational articles.	W3D Write a multi-paragraph summary of a newspaper/magazine article, editorial or news program that includes supporting evidence from source.	Write a multi-paragraph summary including supporting evidence from one source in order to summarize tow or more articles and write a brief informational paper integrating supporting information from both sources in 8^th grade.
Identify and explain viewpoints conveyed in various media (e.g., videos, pictures, websites, artwork, plays and/or news programs)	IL2 Identify and explain techniques used to convey messages in various media.	Identify and explain techniques used to convey messages in various media in order to analyze and synthesize two or more messages conveyed in various media in 8^th grade.

Goal 1: Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to gather, analyze and apply information and ideas.

1.4 use technological tools and other resources to locate, select, and organize information

1.6 discover and evaluate patterns and relationships in information, ideas and structures

1.8 organize data , information and ideas into useful forms (including charts, graphs, outlines) for

Goal 2: Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to communicate effectively within and beyond the classroom.

2.1 plan and make written, oral and visual presentations for a variety of purposes and audiences

Goal 3: Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to recognize and solve problems.

3.5 reason inductively from a set of specific facts and deductively from general premises

Goal 4: Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to make decisions and act as responsible members of society.

This unit takes approximately nine 50-minute class periods; buy may be adjusted as needed.

The classroom should be arranged to accommodate whole-group direct instruction, pairs, small groups and independent practice. In addition, there should be highly visible displays and/or overheads that illustrate the formats of the note-taking and organizational strategies used during instruction and practice, steps for summarizing strategies, during reading strategies, and media notes.

Brown, A. L., Campione, J.C., & Day, J. (1981). Learning to learn: On training students

to learn from texts. Educational Reasearcher, 10, 14-24. In Goudvis, A. & S. Harvey. (2000). Strategies that work: Teaching comprehension to enhance understanding. Markham, Ontario: Stenhouse Publishers.

Keene, Ellin Oliver, & Susan Zimmerman. (1997). Mosaic of thought. Portsmouth, NH:

Marzano, R., Norford, J., Paynter, D., Pickering, D., & Gaddy, B. (2001). Classroom instruction

that works: A handbook for classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2004). Communication arts

Robb, L., Klemp, R., & Schwartz, W. (2000). Teaching reading in the middle school. Willmington, MA: Great Source Education Group.

Lesson One	§ Literature: Excerpt from Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll § Supplies: Short passage with fabricated words on the board, overhead, or smartboard , answer key to formative assessment § Handouts: Jabberwocky, Lesson One formative assessment § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Two	§ Literature: None § Supplies: Bulletin board of wall space, answer key to formative assessment § Handouts: Visualization Worksheet, Lesson Two formative assessment § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Three	§ Literature: Two pieces of nonfiction text § Supplies: One recording of sounds that create certain images, overhead projector, stimulus questions, answer key to formative assessment § Handouts: Lesson Three formative assessment § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Four	§ Literature: Articles from Lesson Three § Supplies: Overhead projector, answer key to formative assessment § Handouts: Lesson Four formative assessment § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Five	§ Literature: Two short nonfiction articles § Supplies: Overhead or bulletin to post student-generated notes, answer key to formative assessment § Handouts: Lesson Five formative assessment § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Six	§ Literature: Two short nonfiction articles § Supplies: Overhead projector, answer key to formative assessment § Handouts: Lesson Six formative assessment § Formative Assessment: provided
Lesson Seven	§ Literature: None § Supplies: Overhead transparency with the definition of media techniques and examples of various media and a copy for definition distribution for each group, answer key to formative assessment § Handouts: Lesson Seven formative assessment, Media and Media Techniques graphic organizer § Formative Assessment: provided
Summative Assessment