Tiered Activities To Alter the Depth of a Lesson Subject Area: Language Arts Grade Level: 7 – 8 Topic: Persuasive Essay Basic Intermediate Advanced Outcome/ Performance Indicators Students will write a cohesive paragraph with a main idea and supporting details. Students will state a point of view and cite multiple reasons to defend that viewpoint. Students will expand the quality of essay by adding multiple, credible sources of support. Assessment Students will describe their opinion about a topic by writing 5-6 detailed sentences explaining their opinion – to be assessed using the NYS independent writing rubric. Students will use the Learning Activity as a draft to develop a multi-paragraph persuasive essay – to be assessed using the NYS independent writing rubric. Students will write a persuasive essay using multiple reasons, logical explanations and credible sources to support their point of view – to be assessed using the NYS independent writing rubric. Instruction/ Learning Activity Students will receive a rubric to help them design and evaluate the cohesiveness of a paragraph. Students will identify their point of view and list 5-6 reasons in support of their opinion. Teacher will explain/describe the essential elements of a persuasive essay using a graphic organizer. Students will identify a point of view, list 4-5 reasons to support it, and explain each reason with detailed bullets. Students will learn how to evaluate the credibility of a source and locate multiple sources, quotes, references, etc., to increase the quality of their arguments. Students will develop criteria to identify credible sources. Resources List of issues and problems (appealing to students) that have alternate points of view. List of issues and problems (appealing to students) that have alternate points of view. Opposing viewpoints series, editorial pages of D&C and USA Today. Homework Students will collect good and bad examples of cohesive paragraphs from newspapers, magazines and younger students’ work. Students will collect good and bad examples of persuasive editorials in newspapers and periodicals. Students will search the web for multiple, credible sources to support their argument. Pre-assessment: Quick write (short writing sample) a current “hot topic” that is controversial Subject: Science Grade: Seventh Standard: #7 The Mathematical World
Standard: #6 Measurement Key Concept: Students work with measurement of perimeter and area. Generalization: Students work with the relationship between perimeter and area of shapes. Background: This lesson should be presented fairly in the year. Students should be familiar with the definitions of perimeter and area. This lesson is tiered in content according to readiness. Tier I: Basic Learners Pairs of students are given eight squares which are a variety of colors or you could have the students make their own squares from card stock or you may already have an appropriate manipulative for the students to use. Students are given a worksheet which contains a series of questions about perimeter and area related to the eight squares. Questions about the greatest and least perimeter, greatest and least area, specific areas, and specific perimeters should be included on the worksheet. In addition, students should be asked to draw specific examples for each question. Tier II: Grade Level Learners Pairs of students are given twelve squares which are a variety of colors or you could have the students make their own squares from card stock or you may already have an appropriate manipulative for the students to use. Students are given a worksheet which contains a series of questions about perimeter and area related to the twelve squares. Questions about the greatest and least perimeter, greatest and least area, specific areas, and specific perimeters should be included on the worksheet. In addition, students should be asked to draw specific examples for each question. Tier III: Advanced Learners Pairs of students are given twelve hexagons which are a variety of colors or you could have the students make their own hexagons from card stock or you may already have an appropriate manipulative for the students to use. Students are given a worksheet which contains a series of questions about perimeter and area related to the use of the twelve hexagons. Questions about the greatest and least perimeter, greatest and least area, specific areas, and specific perimeters should be included on the worksheet. In addition, students should be asked to draw specific examples for each question. Assessment: Each worksheet should be graded accuracy. An extension for each tier would be to ask questions which involve a greater number of their shape or pertain to another shape.