Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Informational Essay Planning: Studying the Essay Prompt and Gathering Evidence

For Teachers 8th Standards
Using a Gathering Evidence note-catcher, readers record evidence in A Mighty Long Way and Little Rock Girl 1957. They then use the evidence to analyze and discuss different mediums with their peers. Lastly, they look at a writing prompt...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Analyzing an Author’s Craft: Carlotta’s Journey to Justice

For Teachers 8th Standards
What's an appropriate response? Scholars open the text A Mighty Long Way to see how Carlotta responded to racism, discrimination, and abuse. They work in pairs to answer questions regarding her responses. To finish, they use the Dignity...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Informational Essay Planning: Essay Rubric and Essay Planner

For Teachers 8th Standards
Class members dig into the expectations for the end-of-unit assessment for A Mighty Long Way by studying the rubric. The Rubric Criteria strips help pairs of readers look more closely at specific rubric points. They share ideas with the...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Analyzing an Author’s Craft: Carlotta’s Journey to Justice

For Teachers 8th Standards
Find your voice. Readers look at a passage from A Mighty Long Way and discuss what it means for Carlotta to find her voice. After discussing figurative language and idioms, learners listen to the song "This Little Light of Mine" and...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Evaluating an Argument: The Joy of Hunting

For Teachers 8th Standards
After listening to "Interview with an Organic Farmer," class members identify the claim the farmer makes in his interview. They use lined paper to create a four-square organizer for relevant evidence, sufficient evidence, irrelevant...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Making a Claim and Advocating Persuasively: Preparing for the Practice Fishbowl

For Teachers 8th Standards
Scholars consider their reading in The Omnivore's Dilemma to develop a claim answering the question, "Which food chain would you choose to feed your family—the local sustainable food chain or the hunter-gatherer food chain?" To guide...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Assessment Part 3: Advocating Persuasively in a Fishbowl

For Teachers 8th Standards
Class members complete the final part of the The Omnivore’s Dilemma end-of-unit assessment. The portion includes a fishbowl activity where learners demonstrate their persuasive advocacy abilities. As each pupil speaks, their peers assess...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit Assessment Parts 1 and 2: Evaluating Arguments and Claims

For Teachers 8th Standards
Which came first: the chicken or the egg? As part of the end-of-unit assessment for The Omnivore’s Dilemma, scholars watch a video about organic eggs versus conventional farm eggs. They use graphic organizers to collect evidence as they...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit Assessment: Presentation of Position

For Teachers 8th Standards
What is the difference between formal and informal language? Pupils rewrite their position speeches to adapt them for an audience of adults. Next, they present their speeches in small groups, attempting to answer the question, "Which...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Comparing Historical and Fictional Accounts: Second Sudanese Civil War (Chapters 14 and 15, Plus Rereading “Time Trip”)

For Teachers 7th Standards
Let's compare! One pair of scholars adds to the Salva/Nya anchor chart by gathering evidence about the characters from chapters 14 and 15 of A Long Walk to Water. The rest of the class pairs work on adding to the Survival anchor chart....
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Scaffolding for Essay: Examining a Model and Introducing the NYS Grade 6–8 Expository Writing Evaluation Rubric

For Teachers 7th Standards
Write it down. Scholars take a close look at essay writing by examining the New York state writing rubric. They then discuss a model essay and compare the model essay to the What Makes a Literary Analysis Essay Effective? Anchor...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Gathering Textual Evidence for the Two-Voice Poem (Author’s Note)

For Teachers 7th Standards
Writers take a look at how to gather evidence from the information text in the unit that connects to Salva and Nya’s story. They complete a Gathering Evidence from Informational Texts sheet to guide their work. Pupils then use the...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Launching the Module: Identity and Transformation, Then and Now

For Teachers 7th Standards
Identify yourself! Learners listen to Nadia’s Hands read aloud before working in their identity journals to answer prompts relating to the story. They then look at identity using two recording forms Who Am I on the Outside? and...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Defining Key Terms: Gender and Internal Identity

For Teachers 7th Standards
Be a team player! Learners examine the article Team Players and discuss how the title might relate to identity. They then analyze the article using the sheets Reader’s Notes: Team Players and Text-Dependent Questions: Team Players....
Lesson Plan
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EngageNY

Analyzing Text Structure: “Generation Z Stereotyped”

For Teachers 7th Standards
Breaking the stereotype. Readers use the Generation Z Stereotyped Structure anchor chart and find the central idea of the text. They then read Generation Z with partners and discuss the text using guiding questions. Finally,...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Analyzing Author’s Purpose: Industrial Food Chain

For Teachers 8th Standards
Using an Author’s Purpose anchor chart, groups examine a variety of text to determine the author's purpose. They then apply what they have learned to The Omnivore’s Dilemma. In pairs, they discuss what the text is about and why...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Launching the Performance Task: Planning the Two-Voice Poem

For Teachers 7th Standards
Two voices, one poem. Scholars learn about and write a two-voice poem using graphic organizers, model poems, and guides. They practice reading poems with a partner and discuss how a poem of this type could help compare Salva and Nya...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Drawing Inferences: “My Own True Name”sl.7.1

For Teachers 7th Standards
How much are you worth? Scholars read text dependent questions, and discuss how the text relates to self worth. They then work with partners by having written conversation to make inferences about the text. For homework, pupils correct...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Close Reading to Learn about Lyddie’s Character

For Teachers 7th Standards
Scholars work in pairs to analyze the characters, plot, and setting of Katherine Paterson's novel, Lyddie. Next, they apply what they learned about the characters' feelings and motivation to perform a mini reader's theater. 
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Launching Lyddie

For Teachers 7th Standards
Pupils engage in a close reading of chapter one of Katherine Paterson's novel, Lyddie. After answering text-dependent questions based on their reading, they complete reader's notes about how the setting, characters, and plot interact.
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Modeling Entry Task, Reading Notes, and Reading Strategies for Lyddie

For Teachers 7th Standards
Readers understand a text better when they discuss it with someone else. Scholars continue reading the novel Lyddie by Katherine Paterson, engaging in text-related discussions with five classmates. Next, they add to their chapter three...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

World Café to Analyze the Characters in Lyddie

For Teachers 7th Standards
Order up! Welcome to the World Café, where scholars engage in small-group discussions based on Katherine Paterson's novel Lyddie. As pupils circulate around the room, they talk with classmates about the novel's characters, setting,...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Mid-Unit 3 Assessment and Independent Reading Check

For Teachers 7th Standards
It's time for scholars to be on their own. Individuals work independently reviewing sources to answer their research questions. Learners read "Are Your Clothes Made in Sweatshops?" to help complete the mid-unit assessment. After...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit 3 Assessment: Writing a Research Synthesis

For Teachers 7th Standards
Ready, set, write! Scholars work on the end-of-unit assessment by completing a writing prompt. They then look at the model performance task from instructional activity two to create a rubric for scoring the exercise. Using turn and talk,...